Title
Flourishing When Afflicted
Scripture
The more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were in dread of the children of Israel.
(Exodus 1:12)
Devotional
When God is for you, those against you will be fearful of you. If God decides to multiply your doings, what you do cannot fail. As a matter of fact, God’s people have always flourished under persecution. It seems to be the surest way to bring revival to His Church. We, like the nation of Israel, are apt to backslide when we are prospering. However when hard times fall upon us, we quickly turn back to the things of God. God can bless us in the good times or He can bless us in the hard times. Let us stay close to Him and obey Him in the good times so that we will not have to find revival in the hard times. Nevertheless, if the hard times come, we can be assured that God will multiply us even there. Are you prospering? Do not forget your God. Are you suffering persecution? Likewise do not forget that God can cause you to grow and multiply there.
Text For The Day
Exodus 1:12: The more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were in dread of the children of Israel.
Thought For The Day
“If you perhaps look for praise and would sulk or quit what you are doing if you did not get it—if you are of that stripe, dear friend—then take yourself by the ears, and if you do this in the right way, you will find a beautiful pair of big, long, shaggy donkey ears. Affliction is the best book in my library. Martin Luther, Martin Luther—The Early Years
Questions To Ponder
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Did the bondage, afflictions, and great despair that Israel suffered take God by surprise? If not, why do you think He allowed it?
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Is there areas of Your life that you may feel that God is unaware?
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Reflect back on your hard times, did you grow through them or were you defeated by them? How can we always grow through them?
Morning Study Guide
Definition: Affliction of man is not necessarily the discipline or chastisement of God. It caused the children of Israel to grow, and brought fear to the Egyptians. It caused the New Testament church to likewise grow and multiply.
Reference: “I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel,” Philippians 1:12.
Application: Look beyond your afflictions.