Thursday, October 9, 2008

GOOD AFFLICTION

I was reminded of something that the Lord revealed to me a few years ago. The issue actually came up after I received an email about someone texting other Christians about the love of Jesus. For whatever reason, the person that sent the text had the other person's number to text him, but I guess only for certain things?! Anyway, so the person that sent the text began to receive all these emails stating how wrong he was for sending an unsolicited text, an unsolicited text about Jesus Christ, mind you. Come on... we receive countless numbers of emails, text messages, phone calls that we did not solicit, nor do we want. But we receive them anyway. What are you going to do about it, really? We have too much time on our hands and spend too little time on our knees if we get caught up in unsolicited whatevers! Yeah, some people say I am missing the point that you should not send anything unsolicited no matter what it is, and who you are. Christians, included. But you know what when John the Baptist was in the wilderness preaching the gospel, there were plenty who did not want to hear it... he was preaching unsolicited. Nobody (human) asked him to go out there and preach the gospel. He was led by the Spirit. When Jesus told the disciples to go and knock on people's doors to spread the gospel, the people did not ask them to come to their dwellings. They went unsolicited. BUT Jesus sent them. They were led by Him. So bring that to today, if we go out and spread the gospel, and share it with people who did not "ask" for it, by whatever means the Spirit leads us to do so, I have to believe we are being led by the Spirit of God and doing the will of the Lord. Especially if that is your calling. Some of us have that call on us so strong that we just have to share it... with those who will listen and even if with those will will not. But it's like fire shut up in our bones! Jesus told the disciples (and I believe He did so just for us - He has already walked out our steps), if they don't receive you, shake the dust off your feet and move on. So if you believe that you are being led by the Spirit of God and you send an unsolicited text, email, letter, stick a flyer or postcard in the mailbox, or even call somebody, and they are offended by it and don't receive you, shake the dust off your feet and move on.

Now this person that sent the text, the person who received it cursed him out. CURSED HIM OUT. And I will say this about that, in 2 Samuel 16, v. 11-12, And David said to Abishai and all his servants, "See how my son who came from my own body seeks my life. How much more now may this Benjamite? Let him alone and let him curse. for so the Lord has ordered him. It may be that the Lord will look on my affliction, and that the Lord will repay me with good for his cursing this day."

David was being cursed by Shimei, a relative of Saul. In fact the Bible says he was cursing continuously. And it wasn't just insults or words from a foul mouth, he was asking God to destroy David. He threw stones at him. He called him a rogue, which means a "useless piece of trash." He hated David and blamed him for Saul's demise. When hearing that David's men wanted to kill him, that was their response, but David told them to leave him alone.

Two things, one, don't ever get to the point, where you think you can speak to or about the man or woman of God like that and think that you are going to get away with it. It won't happen. God looks out for his leaders. Second thing, David knew enough to know that vengeance is the Lord's. He will repay. He knew that if he endured what was wrong, the cursing and the threatening, and did not take the matter in his own hands, God would avenge him. David thought it was good to be afflicted and believed that the Lord would bless him for it, through it, to make up for what Shimei was doing to him.

The Word says this, "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be EXCEEDINGLY glad, for great is your reward in heaven."

Saints, we must endure. Whatever comes our way, for whatever reason, even if you sent an unsolicited text desiring to bless someone and they curse you out for it, let it alone. Shake the dust off and most of all rejoice. Because God sees and He will repay to us (and to them), our just reward!

It was good that I was afflicted that I may know thy statutes! Praise God for good affliction!

Be blessed and encouraged.
A servant of the Lord,
Sis. E