Thoughts from the Past – IN Affliction

Here is a short thought that I first posted on my old blog, and then moved here in Sept. 2011.  It is edited.

March 26, 2006


IN Affliction

Psalm 119:50 This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me.

Notice that the Psalmist here does not say he is comforted from his affliction, but rather in it. He is not looking for deliverance from affliction, but he has comfort in it from God's word.

People too often mistakenly think that we will "live happily ever after" as Christians. This false teaching has been around for a long time. It was promoted in the 1950s, and later, in various Christian songs (and maybe in preaching), and it is seen today in some of the "prosperity gospel" groups and "living your best life now" preachers. We are never promised "the good life" or a "happily ever after" in this present world.  In fact, we read in 2 Timothy 3:12, Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. And also, Romans 8:18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

What we do have is comfort in afflictions. We have the word of God which quickens us and gives us confidence that the Lord is in control. We have the promise that the God of all comfort will work all things together for good to them that love Him.

2 Corinthians 1:3 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; 4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

This is our comfort IN affliction, not our escape from it. And, notice that God comforts us in our tribulations for the purpose that we may comfort others also. So, our affliction is not a waste of time. It inclines us be more cast upon the Lord, to look forward to the next life, and it also allows us to partake of His comfort which He wants us to minister to others. Thus, every saint who has been through the furnace of affliction has been entrusted with a ministry to pass on God's comfort to others.

No wonder Paul could say, In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 1 Thessalonians 5:18

2 Corinthians 4:15 For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God. 16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; 18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Evening Song – A Crown to Cast

The John Marshall Family.

Revelation 4:10-11  The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

Sew Happy Friday - A Potholder Made From Scraps

Photo property of Faith and Fresh Lemons.

Here are the instructions for making some cute potholders with your scraps.  Thanks to Faith at Fresh Lemons for showing us how!

Scrapbuster - Potholder Tutorial

The Thousand Word Project - Abundance

This picture was taken in 2011 or so, when we had a lot more chickens.

A Letter to My Readers

Psalms 103:13-17  Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him. For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust. As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth. For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more.  But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him...

Dear readers,

First of all, let me say that I really appreciate all of you who regularly, or semi-regularly, come to read this blog.  I appreciate those who just drop in at random and don't come back, but it's the return readers that keep this blog going and remind me that I need to keep striving to produce useful content.

The Lord has seen fit to allow us to go through some trials this year that are making a fair amount of stress.

- My husband's family is facing an impending death after having lost a family member last year unexpectedly.  Thankfully, the dear one who is standing with her feet on the edge of eternity is born again, but it is still sad to watch the process of death and the grief of the family.

- I'm having a health-related issue that may or may not have a serious cause, but various tests will more than likely be involved.  Also some of my "usual" health issues have been flaring up of late, including the SAD, and my husband has had some struggles as well.

- Our winter has been abnormally warm and dry - this may not be a serious problem, but some of us have really missed the break from the warm weather that we usually get, and lack of rain is always bothersome here.  (We actually had a "red flag" warning one day this month - that means high fire danger, for those who don't know.)

- Then too, some of my family who have been living here for a couple years are moving back "from whence they came."  (This is not my parents or my brother and sister-in-law whom I mention from time to time.  Thankfully, they are all staying here.)

- There are also two other big changes going on - one will affect our neighborhood, and one will affect our church.

There are also some extra projects as well as the usual ones and, of course, some things that I am not free to mention here as well.

Obviously, we'd appreciate prayer if you feel so led.

All this to say, I am trying to schedule some blog posts ahead so that I can take a break from blogging for awhile.  I don't know what all will be happening in the next weeks or months, but I think it would be a good idea to pare down the extras for awhile and focus on the things that are immediately important in my little world.  I hope you will understand if you make a comment and it isn't answered right away, or if you find the blog posts are not as frequent, or if you miss me from the link-up parties (which I may or may not do).  You will also more than likely be seeing more "re-runs" from the early days of the blog.

Besides taking a break from blogging, I am hoping to reevaluate some things and hopefully determine what are the most important aspects of this blog and The Home Maker's Corner. Sometimes it is hard to determine which are the important things that the Lord wants me to be addressing and what I should leave to others who are already writing on those topics.

It's kind of curious to me because I'd been thinking recently how life has been fairly good in a lot of ways of late, but I felt like I hadn't been leaning on the Lord as much as I should.  And, now all of the sudden there are all these things; more than one of them came up quite unexpectedly.  In different ways they all are pushing me toward the Lord, which is where I want to be.

Psalms 25:17-18  The troubles of my heart are enlarged: O bring thou me out of my distresses. Look upon mine affliction and my pain; and forgive all my sins.  

Psalms 119:49-50  Remember the word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope. This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me.

Thanks again for your faithful readership.  I trust I will be back to "regular operations" as soon as it is possible.  :-)

Because Jesus loves you,
Mary Stephens

P.S.  I'm hoping to introduce some new and fun things later this year, Lord willing.  :-)

God's Voice - A Poem by Martha Snell Nicholson

GOD'S VOICE

God calls to us from earthquake crash
And from the dewy dawn.
The voice of every breeze is His,
And when the day is done,

And sunset glories fade away,
And moon and stars ride high
In silver light, He mightily speaks
From out the spangled sky.

He speaks thus to my eyes and ears;
And yet my spirit longs
For words more intimate and dear
Than all the night sky's songs

I thank God that there is a Word
Delivered long ago;
A word most definite and sure
Which I may read and know

His saving grace, His keeping power,
His plan for me, His will,
His glory and His majesty . . .
My heart is hushed and still

With wonder and with thankfulness:
The Lord of earth and sky
Has leaned down from His heavenly throne
To speak to such as I!

Martha Snell Nicholson

Romans 10:17  So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

1 Peter 1:25  But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.

Ephesians 6:17  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

Evening Song - Be Thou My Vision

Proverbs 29:18  Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.

John 12:20-21  And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast: The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus.

Acts 7:55-56  But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.