THE LIVING WORD TRANSCRIPT

PROGRAM AIR DATE – 10-25-15

LESSON TITLE: “THE LOVE OF GOD WHICH CHASTENS.”

WELCOME

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US THIS MORNING, LET ME WELCOME YOU TO THE PROGRAM. THE LIVING WORD IS A WORK OF OUR LORD, DEDICATED TO DOING GOD’S WILL IN HIS WAY! AS ALWAYS, IT WILL BE OUR PRIVILEGE TODAY TO SING SONGS OF PRAISE AND TO STUDY FROM HIS WORD. IN THESE ACTS OF WORSHIP, MAY WE ALL BE ENCOURAGED, BUT ULTIMATELY MAY WE EACH PRAISE GOD ACCORDING TO THE SACRIFICES TO OFFER TOWARD HIS THRONE. IT WILL ALSO BE OUR HONOR THIS MORNING TO SPEAK WITH GOD THROUGH PRAYER. WILL YOU BOW WITH ME AS WE TALK TO OUR CREATOR?

PRAYER: OUR WONDROUS GOD AND FATHER IN HEAVEN, WE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS DAY AND FOR THE GREAT AND WONDROUS BLESSINGS OF LIFE. FOR FATHER, WE KNOW THAT ALL SPIRITUAL AND PHYSICAL THINGS COME ONLY FROM YOU. AND FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR THE GREATEST GIFT OF ALL, THE SACRIFICE OF JESUS ON THE CROSS, AS WELL AS HIS BURIAL AND RESURRECTION; THAT WE MIGHT BE FOUND AS RECIPIENTS OF YOUR GRACE, LOVE, AND MERCY. TO HAVE, NOT ONLY THE BLESSINGS OF LIFE THAT NOW IS, BUT THE LIFE TO COME. AND FATHER, HELP US TO LIVE EVERY DAY WITH SUCH IN MIND THAT WE WILL DO ALL WE CAN TO LIVE AND ACT IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH AS YOU COMMAND IN YOUR WORD – THE BIBLE. IN JESUS NAME WE PRAY, AMEN.

I HOPE YOU’RE READY TO PRAISE GOD THROUGH SONG AT THIS TIME. OUR FIRST SONG THIS MORNING REMINDS US OF OUR NEED TO BE PURE IN THE SIGHT OF GOD. SO, WON’T YOU JOIN IN WITH THE CONGREGATION AT THIS TIME AS WE SING TOGETHER THIS ENCOURAGING SONG, IT’S NAME “PURER IN HEART O GOD.”

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS

IF YOU’RE LIKE ME, YOU HAVE HAD A FEW SPANKINGS IN YOUR LIFE TIME. IT MAY BE HARD TO BELIEVE, BUT I WAS NOT ALWAYS THE PERFECT CHILD AND EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE I HAD TO BE REMINDED THAT SOME THINGS ARE JUST NOT ACCEPTABLE.

WITH THIS IN MIND, THINK FOR A MOMENT ABOUT WHAT JOB SAID IN CHAPTER 5, AND VERSE 17 OF HIS BOOK! THERE WE READ, “BEHOLD, HAPPY IS THE MAN WHOM GOD CORRECTS; THEREFORE DO NOT DESPISE THE CHASTENING OF THE ALMIGHTY.” THE REALITY IS, WE ALL NEED TO BE CORRECTED OR DISCIPLINED FROM TIME TO TIME. WHY? BECAUSE NONE OF US ARE PERFECT AND WE ALL HAVE ROOM FOR LEARNING AND GROWTH. SO WHAT BETTER PLACE TO RECEIVE CORRECTION AND DISCIPLINE, THAN FROM GOD ALMIGHTY HIMSELF. THE ONLY ONE WHO KNOWS ALL THINGS AND IS PERFECT, SO THAT HE MAY ALWAYS CORRECT US IN THE RIGHT WAY AND DISCIPLINE US AS WE NEED.

IN THE NEW TESTAMENT WE FIND SIMILAR IDEAS PRESENTED. ONE SUCH PASSAGE IS FOUND IN HEBREWS 12:5-8. THERE WE READ, “AND YOU HAVE FORGOTTEN THE EXHORTATION WHICH SPEAKS TO YOU AS TO SONS: ‘MY SON, DO NOT DESPISE THE CHASTENING OF THE LORD, NOR BE DISCOURAGED WHEN YOU ARE REBUKED BY HIM; FOR WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE CHASTENS, AND SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES.’ IF YOU ENDURE CHASTENING, GOD DEALS WITH YOU AS WITH SONS; FOR WHAT SON IS THERE WHOM A FATHER DOES NOT CHASTEN? BUT IF YOU ARE WITHOUT CHASTENING, OF WHICH ALL HAVE BECOME PARTAKERS, THEN YOU ARE ILLEGITIMATE AND NOT SONS.” THESE VERSES TELL US THAT IF WE ARE TRULY LOVED, AND IF WE ARE TRULY SONS OF GOD WE WILL RECEIVE DISCIPLINE FROM HIM. AND WHY SHOULD THIS CONFUSE US, DO NOT OUR EARTHLY FATHERS ALSO DISCIPLINE US BECAUSE THEY LOVE US AND WANT TO MAKE US BETTER?

BRETHREN NOT ONLY DO WE NEED TO BE CORRECTED FROM TIME TO TIME, BUT I AM THANKFUL TO GOD THAT HE LOVES ME ENOUGH TO EVEN SEE A NEED TO CORRECT OR DISCIPLINE ME. WE ALL MUST REALIZE THAT IT WOULD BE MUCH WORSE FOR US ALL IF GOD DIDN’T CARE ENOUGH TO DISCIPLINE AND CORRECT US. BECAUSE, ONLY A TRUE AND LOVING FATHER CARES ENOUGH TO CORRECT ONE WHOM HE LOVES.

SO LET ME ASK, “HOW ARE YOU RESPONDING TO THE DISCIPLINE OF GOD?” DO YOU GET MAD OR UPSET WITH YOUR CREATOR. DO YOU IGNORE HIS LOVE, HELP AND RESPECT? CHOOSE TODAY TO BE HAPPY IN THE CORRECTION YOU RECEIVE FROM GOD, BECAUSE JUST AS WE READ EARLIER, “BLESSED IS THE MAN WHO GOD CORRECTS!”

IT JUST A FEW MINUTES, IT WILL BE TIME TO BEGIN OUR MAIN STUDY OF THE DAY. AS FAR AS OUR TOPIC, WE WILL BE CONTINUING OUR SERIES ENTITLED, “TO KNOW THE LOVE OF GOD.” OUR SPECIFIC LESSONS OF THE DAY IS, “THE LOVE OF GOD WHICH CHASTENS.” SO PLEASE STAY WITH US THIS MORNING AND AFTER OUR NEXT SONG TOGETHER, I WILL LEAD US IN THE MAIN THOUGHTS OF THE DAY. NOW IT’S TIME TO JOIN IN OUR SECOND SONG, THE NAME OF THIS HYMN, “REDEEMED.”

LESSON

BY RAY SULLINS

WE'RE SO THANKFUL THAT YOU'VE CONTINUED WITH US THIS MORNING AS WE NOW GO TO GOD'S WORD AND CONSIDER ANOTHER LESSON FROM OUR SERIES: TO KNOW THE LOVE OF GOD. AND THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE BEEN WITH US NOW FOR SEVERAL WEEKS IN THIS SERIES KNOW THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THOSE THINGS THAT GOD HAS DONE FOR US THAT REALLY SHOWS HIS GREAT LOVE. SUCH AS THE GREAT LOVE THAT HE HAS FOR THE CHURCH IN GIVING US THE CHURCH, AND AS WELL THE GREAT LOVE THAT HE HAS HAD FOR US IN GIVING US HIS SON, THAT WE MIGHT HAVE THE HOPE OF ETERNAL LIFE.

AND THIS MORNING WE WANT TO CONTINUE BY CONSIDERING REALLY SOMETHING THAT THE WISEST MAN THAT EVER LIVED SAID WHEN HE MADE THIS STATEMENT IN THE BOOK OF PROVERBS. HE SAYS, “FOR THE LORD LOVES WHOM HE CHASTENS.” HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT ABOUT DISCIPLINE? THE WORLD IS REALLY BASED ON THE NEED OF DISCIPLINE. AND WHETHER YOU TALK ABOUT IN A SECULAR SENSE OR EVEN A SPIRITUAL SENSE, WE DO FIND THAT THERE IS AN IMPORTANT PLACE THAT THE IDEA OF CORRECTION OR DISCIPLINE PLAYS IN EVERY FACET OF LIFE. IMAGINE A LAWLESS SOCIETY OR A SOCIETY OF LAWS WHERE THERE WAS NO DISCIPLINE WHEN PEOPLE BROKE THOSE LAWS, WHERE THERE WAS NO CORRECTION OR SOMEHOW PENALTY WHEN THOSE LAWS WERE NOT KEPT. WELL AGAIN, YOU WOULD FIND A SOCIETY WITHOUT ORDER. A SOCIETY THAT REALLY WAS UNCONTROLLED AND NOT BEING DIRECTED IN THE WAY WHICH MOST WOULD DESIRE.

WELL, THE SAME IS TRUE IN A SPIRITUAL SENSE. IMAGINE AGAIN IN A RELIGIOUS SENSE THAT THERE WERE REALLY NO RULES. THAT THERE WERE NO LAWS, THERE WERE NO REGULATIONS, AND THAT REALLY GOD JUST DOESN'T CARE AT ALL, WHICH COULDN'T BE FURTHER FROM WHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES US. BUT IF THAT WERE THE CASE, THAT GOD JUST DOESN'T CARE AT ALL, IMAGINE IF WE COULD JUST DO WHATEVER WE WANTED TO DO AND THERE ARE NO CONSEQUENCES - THERE IS NO DISCIPLINE - WE'RE NEVER CORRECTED. WELL, WHAT KIND OF CHILDREN DO WE HAVE IN THIS LIFE WHEN WE ALLOW THEM TO RAISE UP THEMSELVES? AND WE TAKE THAT BABY AND AS IT GROWS WE ALLOW IT TO DO WHATEVER IT WANTS TO DO AND TO SAY WHATEVER IT WANTS TO SAY AND IT NEVER BEARS ANY DISCIPLINE OR CORRECTION OR CONSEQUENCES. WHAT DO WE FIND IN AN INDIVIDUAL LIKE THAT? WELL, WHAT WE FIND IS SOMEONE WHO IS DISRESPECTFUL. SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T RESPECT, NOT ONLY OTHERS BUT LAW ITSELF. AND SOMEONE WHO OFTEN FINDS THEMSELVES GETTING INTO A LOT OF TROUBLE BECAUSE THEY HAVE NO RESPECT FOR ANYONE BUT THEMSELVES.

WELL, AGAIN WITH ALL THESE THINGS IN MIND, WE NOW GO AGAIN TO THE THINGS THAT THE GREAT MAN SOLOMON SAID IN PROVERBS CHAPTER 3. AND THERE AMONGST THIS SECTION OF PROVERBS, NOTICE WHAT IS SAID BEGINNING IN VERSE 11, “MY SON, DO NOT DESPISE THE CHASTENING OF THE LORD, NOR DETEST HIS CORRECTION, FOR WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE CORRECTS, JUST AS A FATHER THE SON IN WHOM HE DELIGHTS.” YOU KNOW, IF YOU LOVE YOUR CHILD, WHY DO YOU CORRECT THEM? THAT REALLY LEADS US TO THE FIRST THOUGHT OR THE FIRST POINT BECAUSE WHAT WE THINK ABOUT IS THAT CORRECTION CAN BE FOR POSITIVE REASONS OR FOR VERY GOOD PURPOSES RATHER THAN JUST TO BE MEAN. NOW SOMETIMES THAT'S PERSPECTIVE BECAUSE I CAN REMEMBER WHEN I WAS GROWING UP, THAT IF I WAS DISCIPLINED I WOULD SOMETIMES MAYBE IN MY MIND THINK - WELL, MY PARENTS DON'T LOVE ME, OR THEY DISLIKE ME, OR THEY EVEN HATE ME BECAUSE THEY'RE GONNA SPANK ME OR THEY'RE GOING TO NOT LET ME DO THE THINGS I WANT TO DO. WELL YOU SEE, SOMETIMES WE HAVE A PERSPECTIVE THAT WE DON'T LIKE DISCIPLINE AND PEOPLE WHO DO THINGS THAT CORRECT US, THEY DON'T LIKE US EITHER. BUT THEN AS YOU BECOME A PARENT WHAT YOU BEGIN TO LEARN IS THAT CORRECTION OR DISCIPLINE IS ACTUALLY FOR THE PURPOSE BECAUSE YOU LOVE SOMEONE. I TEACH THAT CHILD THAT STOVE IS HOT! DON'T TOUCH THAT STOVE! AND THEY KEEP REACHING AND REACHING AND REACHING AND THEN I DISCIPLINE THEM SOMEWAY OR I SPAT THEIR HAND A LITTLE BIT AND THEN THEY LEARN. WELL, THAT'S SOMETHING I SHOULDN'T DO. AND AGAIN THE CHILD MIGHT SAY - WELL, WHY WOULD THEY DO THAT IF THEY LOVE ME? AND THE PARENT KNOWS IN THEIR HEART - WELL, I DO IT BECAUSE I DON'T WANT YOU TO BURN YOUR HAND. I DON'T WANT YOU TO SUFFER. I DON'T WANT YOU TO GO THROUGH THOSE LESSONS THAT I HAVE LEARNED IN MY OWN LIFE AND HAD TO MAKE CORRECTIONS TO MAKE SURE I DON'T MAKE THOSE MISTAKES. YOU SEE AGAIN THE PURPOSE OF A CORRECTION IS BECAUSE OF LOVE.

WHAT FATHER, AS IT SAYS HERE IN VERSE 12, DOES NOT DISCIPLINE THE SON THAT HE DELIGHTS IN? DOESN'T HE WANT HIM TO BE A GOOD MAN / A BETTER MAN? A MAN WHO KNOWS THAT HE NEEDS TO NOT ONLY HAVE PRINCIPLE BUT THAT HE NEEDS TO BE RESPECTFUL. A MAN WHO KNOWS THAT HE'S GOING TO FOLLOW AND OBSERVE LAW AND WHO UNDERSTANDS THAT THERE ARE CONSEQUENCES AND THERE IS DISCIPLINE WHEN WE BREAK LAW. YES. THE FATHER WHO LOVES HIS CHILD IS GOING TO HELP HIM TO GROW UP IN SUCH A WAY, FOR THAT IS GOD'S WAY, THAT IS GOD'S DESIRE. AND SO NO WONDER IN VERSE 11 OF THAT SAME TEXT AS WE READ, HE MAKES THAT STATEMENT, MY SON, DO NOT DESPISE THE CHASTENING,” OR THAT DISCIPLINE OF THE LORD. WHY WOULD GOD DISCIPLINE OR CORRECT ME? BECAUSE I AM HIS CHILD. I AM A SON THAT HE LOVES. I AM THE SON OF HIS DELIGHT AND HE WANTS TO MAKE SURE THAT I KNOW THE CONSEQUENCES TO SIN AND THOSE THINGS THAT WOULD KEEP ME FROM BLESSINGS NOW AND BLESSINGS ETERNAL. HE WANTS ME TO BE REBUKED FOR THOSE THINGS, TO STAY AWAY FROM THOSE THINGS THAT MIGHT BURN MY HAND OR THAT MIGHT CAUSE ME SUFFERING IN THIS LIFE. BUT HE DOES IT BECAUSE HE LOVES ME, AND AS A FATHER, HE WANTS WHAT IS BEST. HE WANTS ME TO SUCCEED, HE WANTS ME TO BE COMPLETE - PERFECT IN HIS SIGHT, AND HE WANTS ME THROUGH HIS GRACE LOVE AND MERCY TO HAVE ETERNAL LIFE.

HE ALSO MENTIONS ONE OTHER THING IN VERSES 11 AND 12. HE SAYS THERE, DON'T DETEST THAT CORRECTION. DON'T BE ANGRY. DON'T GET MAD WHEN PEOPLE SAY, HEY, MAYBE YOU SHOULDN'T DO THAT. OR MAYBE THAT'S NOT THE BEST WORD TO SAY. DON'T GET ANGRY. DON'T GET MAD WHEN PEOPLE TRY TO MAKE US BETTER OR REMIND US OF MORALITY AND RIGHTEOUSNESS AND GOODNESS AND WHAT SHOULD AND SHOULDN'T BE DONE. HOW DO WE RESPOND? DO WE RESPOND AS THOSE WHO DESPISE DISCIPLINE? OR WHO RECEIVE IT? WELL, I WOULD SUBMIT TO YOU THAT IF YOU'RE SOMEONE WHO DESPISES ANY CORRECTION, OR GUIDANCE, OR DISCIPLINE, THEN YOU'RE PROBABLY NOT RECEIVING IT FROM GOD AS WELL. YOU PROBABLY READ THE BIBLE AND YOU SEE A MEAN GOD. A GOD WHO TELLS YOU WHAT TO DO - AND YOU DON'T LIKE TO BE TOLD WHAT TO DO. YOU KNOW, YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND AND WE ALL NEED TO UNDERSTAND THEY WE'RE EITHER GOING TO BE PEOPLE WHO HAVE LEARNED BY RESPECT IN THE LAW OF GOD TO RECEIVE CORRECTION AND INSTRUCTION IN THE WAY IT SHOULD BE RECEIVED AS GOD INTENDED PROPERLY, OR AS ONE WHO HAS CHOSEN THE WAY OF THE WORLD, AND THEREFORE REJECTED THE PLAN OF GOD.

NOW LET'S GO IF YOU WILL WITH ME OVER TO THE NEW TESTAMENT BECAUSE WE SEE THE SAME IDEA BEING EMPHASIZED THROUGHOUT THE NEW TESTAMENT, THE SAME WAY THAT IS EMPHASIZED MANY TIMES THROUGHOUT THE OLD TESTAMENT. GOD IS A GOD WHO HAS ALWAYS SAID, I WILL CHASTEN, I WILL DISCIPLINE, I WILL CORRECT. AND WE KNOW THAT HE PRIMARILY DOES THAT IN THE REVELATION OF HIS WORD AND TODAY THROUGH THE BIBLE; AS HE GIVES US NOT ONLY INSTRUCTION, BUT CORRECTION, AND REBUKE, AND DISCIPLINE, AND WARNING. BY THE WAY, WARNING OF THE OUTCOME OR CONSEQUENCES AGAIN IF WE DO NOT DO WHAT GOD SAYS. BUT YET ALSO THE REWARD IF WE DO WHAT GOD SAYS THE SAME WAY A PARENT WOULD. THE SAME WAY THAT SOMEONE WHO LOVES ANOTHER WOULD.

BUT THERE IN HEBREWS CHAPTER 12, HE BEGINS TO TALK ABOUT FIRST OF ALL GOD'S DISCIPLINE IN RELATIONSHIP TO WHAT JESUS WAS WILLING TO ENDURE. IN VERSE 3 FOR INSTANCE IT SAYS, “FOR CONSIDER HIM WHO ENDURED SUCH HOSTILITY FROM SINNERS AGAINST HIMSELF.” WHAT DID JESUS ENDURE? HE ENDURED BEATINGS. HE ENDURED PEOPLE SPITTING AT HIM, MOCKING HIM. HE ENDURED THE CROSS. CONSIDER HIM WHO ENDURED HOSTILITY LEST YOU BECOME WHAT? WEARY AND DISCOURAGED IN YOUR SOUL. UNDERSTAND THAT CHRIST SUFFERED AND WAS WILLING TO SUFFER FOR US. AND IN FACT, MY BRETHREN, FOR OUR OWN SINS SO THAT WE WOULD NOT END UP IN THE CONSEQUENCES OF DEATH ETERNALLY. BUT BECAUSE HE WAS WILLING TO SUFFER AND ENDURE THESE THINGS IN OUR STEAD, WHAT DO WE HAVE? WE HAVE THE HOPE THROUGH THAT CORRECTION AND DISCIPLINE TO DO WHAT? TO DO THAT WHICH IS RIGHTEOUS AND FAITHFUL IN HIS SIGHT. BUT THEN HE GOES ON TO SAY THIS HE SAYS YET (VERSE FOUR), “YOU HAVE NOT YET RESISTED TO BLOODSHED, STRIVING AGAINST SIN.” THESE INDIVIDUALS HE IS ADDRESSING STILL ARE HAVING SIN PROBLEMS. THEY STILL HAVE NOT FULLY RELEASED THOSE THINGS THAT THEY NEED TO OF THEIR OLD MAN IN ORDER THAT THEY MIGHT BE COMPLETELY THE NEW MAN OF CHRIST - FOLLOWING THE THINGS OF CHRIST. AND THEN HE SAYS, “AND YOU HAVE FORGOTTEN THE ENHORTATION WHICH SPEAKS TO YOU AS TO SONS.” AND NOW HE'S GONNA QUOTE SOMETHING FROM PSALMS AS WELL AS PROVERBS, WHICH WE READ A MOMENT AGO. SO LISTEN FOR THE FAMILIARITY OF THESE THINGS. HE SAYS, “MY SON, DO NOT DESPISE THE CHASTENING OF THE LORD, NOR BE DISCOURAGED WHEN YOU ARE REBUKED BY HIM. FOR WHOM THE LORD LOVES, HE CHASTENS, AND SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES.” YOU SEE, THE POINT IS THAT GOD CHASTENS OR DISCIPLINES BECAUSE HE LOVES!

WE CAN GO BACK AND WE CAN SEE THE CONCEPTS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT. WE CAN SEE BACK IN THE DAYS OF ISRAEL - HOW MANY TIMES DID GOD HAVE TO DO THINGS TO CORRECT OR DISCIPLINE ISRAEL? AND WHY DID HE DO IT? NOT BECAUSE HE WAS ANGRY AND WANTED TO HURT THEM. HE WAS ANGRY AND HE WANTED TO CHALLENGE THEM TO REPENT, THAT THEY MIGHT CONTINUE TO BE RECIPIENTS OF HIS REWARDS AND BLESSINGS. AND SO HE WAS AS A FATHER TRYING TO GET THEM BACK ON TRACK - TRYING TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO GET BACK IN THE RIGHT WAY THAT THEY SHOULD FOLLOW. YOU SEE, THAT CHASTENING OF GOD - THAT LOVE OF GOD - AND THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT HE IS DEALING WITH HERE, AS WE ARE THE CHURCH. WE ARE HIS CHILDREN, AND GOD CHASTENS US THROUGH THE WORD AND HE HELPS US TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE NEED TO DO THINGS HIS WAY AND THAT IF WE DO NOT, WE WILL BE PUNISHED. AND THEREFORE, HE REBUKES US AND HE CORRECTS US, AND HE INSTRUCTS US IN THE WAYS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. AND HE TELLS US THAT WE'VE GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING WHAT WE NEED TO DO IN HIS SIGHT.

BUT THEN HE SAYS, AS WE READ HERE, THAT HE DOES IT. WHY? THE LORD LOVES WHOM HE CHASTENS. HE LOVES ME ENOUGH TO TELL ME WHAT I WANT TO HEAR. YOU KNOW, I'M AFRAID THAT SOMETIMES WE ARE MESSED IN OUR SOCIETY, OUR SOCIETY OF POLITICAL CORRECTNESS. AND I'VE NOTICED ESPECIALLY IN RELATIONSHIP TO MY MANY YEARS THAT I'VE SPENT HERE IN THE OZARKS, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE PEOPLE WANT TO TELL YOU WHAT YOU WANT TO HEAR. AND ALTHOUGH SOMETIMES, WE AS PARENTS MIGHT NEED TO TELL OUR CHILDREN SOMETHING, AND WE MIGHT NEED TO HELP THEM TO KNOW SOMETHING THAT THEY NEED TO HEAR THAT AFFECTS THEIR SOUL SALVATION. WHAT DO WE DO? WE NEGLECT WHAT WE NEED TO DO. WE NEGLECT TO SAY WHAT WE NEED TO SAY. WELL, I MIGHT HURT THEIR FEELINGS. OR THEY MIGHT NOT LOVE ME ANYMORE, OR THEY MIGHT GET.YOU KNOW, HURT AND THEY MIGHT BE ANGRY AND THEY MIGHT NOT SPEAK TO ME, OR THEY MIGHT NOT LET ME SEE THE GRANDCHILDREN. ON, AND ON, AND ON WE CAN GO. WE MAKE ALL KINDS OF EXCUSES BECAUSE WE WANT TO BE POLITICALLY CORRECT OURSELVES. WE WANT PEOPLE TO LIKE AND TO LOVE US. AND REALLY, WE'RE NOT INDIVIDUALS WHO LOVE THEM ENOUGH TO UNDERSTAND SOMETIMES LOVE IS HARD. SOMETIMES LOVE SAYS THE HARD THINGS THAT NEED TO BE SAID SO THAT PEOPLE WILL STOP DOING THINGS THAT WILL KEEP THEM FROM HEAVEN AND KEEP THEM FROM THE REWARDS OF GOD.

AND SO AS WE LOOK AGAIN AT THIS IDEA, WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT, THAT IS THE CHALLENGE THAT WE'RE LEARNING HERE. GOD CHASTENS WHOM HE LOVES, AND THEN HE USES THAT SAME EXAMPLE THAT WE LOOKED AT - AT LEAST VERY BRIEFLY IN THE BOOK OF PROVERBS, AS HE SAYS IN VERSE 7 THIS, “IF YOU ENDURE CHASTENING, GOD DEALS WITH YOU AS SONS; FOR WHAT SON IS THERE WHOM A FATHER DOES NOT CHASTEN?” AND THEN HE GOES ON TO SAY IF YOU DON'T SEE THE CHASTENING OF GOD, YOU'RE NOT HIS CHILD. BECAUSE THOSE WHO REALLY LOVE THEIR FATHER, WHO LOVE THEIR PARENTS, WHO LISTEN TO THEIR PARENTS, ARE GOING TO RECEIVE INSTRUCTION - CORRECTION - AND DISCIPLINE FROM THEIR PARENTS. YOU SEE, GOD IS GOING TO CORRECT US. HOW OFTEN DO WE NEED CORRECTED? PRETTY MUCH EVERY DAY. HOW OFTEN DO WE SIN? PRETTY MUCH EVERY DAY. WE NEED GOD CONTINUALLY TO REMIND US THROUGH HIS WORD. CONTINUALLY TO REBUKE AND CORRECT AND INSTRUCT US SO THAT WE CAN STAY ON THE RIGHT PATH. CONTINUALLY CHALLENGING US TO REPENT AND GET THAT SIN OUT OF OUR LIVES, THAT WE MIGHT FOLLOW THE PATHWAY OF RIGHTEOUSNESS.

BUT THEN HE GOES ON TO SAY THIS AS WELL. HE SAYS (VERSE 9), “FURTHERMORE, WE HAVE HAD HUMAN FATHERS WHO CORRECTED US, AND WE PAID THEM RESPECT. SHALL WE NOT MUCH MORE READILY BE IN SUBJECTION TO THE FATHER OF SPIRITS AND LIVE?” HE SAYS WOW, WHY DO WE FIND IT SO STRANGE THAT GOD AS OUR FATHER WOULD CORRECT US WHEN OUR HUMAN FATHERS HAVE CORRECTED US. ALL OF US HAVE RECEIVED CORRECTION FROM OUR PARENTS. WHY WOULDN'T GOD, AS OUR SPIRITUAL PARENT, CORRECT US? AND WHY? BECAUSE OF THAT GREAT LOVE - THAT GREAT LOVE THAT LEADS TO. I WANT YOU TO NOTICE WITH ME VERSES 10 AND 11, “FOR THEY INDEED FOR A FEW DAYS CHASTENED US AS SEEMED BEST TO THEM, BUT HE FOR OUR PROPHET, THAT WE MIGHT BE PARTAKERS OF HIS HOLINESS.” OH WOW! WHAT IS THE BENEFITS OF CHASTENING? THAT I MIGHT GET BACK ON TRACK AND STAY IN THE DIRECTION I NEED TO GO. THAT I MIGHT BE A PARTAKER OF HOLINESS, A PARTAKER OF GOD, A PARTAKER OF HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS; ABLE TO KNOW WHAT HE WANTS ME TO DO BUT TO SHARE IN THE REWARD - TO SHARE IN THE TREASURE THAT GOD OFFERS TO HIS CHILDREN, THE INHERITANCE IF YOU WILL.

BUT THEN HE GOES ON TO SAY IN VERSE 11, “NOW NO CHASTENING SEEMS TO BE JOYFUL FOR THE PRESENT, BUT PAINFUL; NEVERTHELESS, AFTERWORDS IT YIELDS THE PEACEABLE FRUIT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS TO THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN TRAINED BY IT.” SO OF ALL THE THINGS HE COULD'VE SAID, HE RETURNS TO HOLINESS AND RIGHTEOUSNESS. HE RETURNED TO THE IDEA OF THOSE WHO ARE PARTAKERS OF THE VERY HOLINESS OF GOD AND THOSE WHO ARE BEARING THE PEACEABLE FRUIT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. BECAUSE WHEN WE RECEIVE THE CORRECTION OF THE LORD / THE DISCIPLINE OF THE LORD, AND THEREFORE ABLE TO MAKE THOSE CHANGES THAT WE NEED TO CHANGE TO GET BACK ON TRACK, THEN WE ARE AGAIN - BY GOD'S GRACE LOVE AND MERCY - FOUND ACCEPTABLE IN HIS SIGHT. WE'RE AGAIN FOUND THOSE WHO ARE PLEASING BEFORE HIM AND WHO SEE HIS LOVE BECAUSE HE HAS LOVED US.

SO THERE ARE SEVERAL THINGS I WANT TO CHALLENGE US WITH TODAY. FIRST OF ALL, TO RECEIVE THE CHASTENING OF THE LORD AND TO UNDERSTAND IT'S BECAUSE HE LOVES US AND TO LISTEN TO IT AND TO MAKE THE CHANGES NECESSARY TO DO THE WILL OF GOD. BUT SECONDLY I WANT US TO KNOW ALSO THAT WE NEED TO BE THOSE WHO CHASTEN OTHERS IN A LOVING WAY, IN A KIND GENTLE WAY. BUT TO ENCOURAGE OTHERS ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO ARE CHILDREN AND WHO ARE GRANDCHILDREN, THAT WE SAY THOSE TOUGH THINGS THAT NEED TO BE SAID; IN A LOVING AND KIND WAY THAT WE SAY IT BECAUSE WE WANT THEIR BEST. NOT ONLY NOW BUT ETERNALLY. WE WANT THEM TO RECEIVE THAT MANSION IN HEAVEN. WE WANT TO MAKE THE TOUGH CHOICES NOW, AND MAYBE HAVE THEM ANGRY FOR JUST A LITTLE WHILE UNTIL THEY WORKED THINGS OUT. UNTIL THEY AGAIN WAKE UP AND SAY, YOU KNOW I'M GLAD YOU TOLD ME WHAT I NEEDED TO HEAR BACK THEN. SOMETIMES TOUGH LOVE IS THE BEST LOVE. SOMETIMES TOUGH DISCIPLINE IS THE BEST DISCIPLINE BECAUSE ALL OF THAT WHICH IS DONE WITH THE HEART OF THE CHRISTIAN AND THE HEART OF GOD BECAUSE OF LOVE IS TO HIS GLORY AND FOR THE PURPOSE THAT, NOT ONLY YOU AND I MIGHT BE RECIPIENTS OF THE GREAT REWARD OF HEAVEN SOMEDAY, BUT ALL THOSE AS WELL WHO SUBMIT IN A RESPECTFUL WAY TO THE DISCIPLINE OF GOD. AND TO THE WILL OF GOD, THEREFORE WILL ALSO RECEIVE THE SAME. ARE YOU FAITHFUL TO YOUR GOD THIS MORNING?

CLOSING COMMENTS

LET ME THANK YOU AGAIN FOR CHOOSING TO BE WITH US TODAY, IN THIS OFFERING TO GOD. I KNOW OUR TIME TOGETHER HAS BEEN AN ENCOURAGEMENT AND BLESSING TO ALL OF US. WE INVITE YOU BACK EVERY SUNDAY MORNING AT 7:30, AS WE COMMIT OURSELVES TO THIS SERVICE OF GOD!

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MAY WE ALL UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF DISCIPLINE, WHEN IT COMES TO FOLLOWING GOD AND HIS WORD. WHAT BETTER WAY CAN WE KNOW WHAT TO DO OR WHAT GOD WANTS, THAN TO RECEIVE THE CHASTENING OF THE LORD. HAVE YOU RESPONDED IN A POSITIVE WAY TO THE CORRECTION OF GOD?