February 19

THE CHASTENING OF THE LORD

( Hebrews 12:5-11 )

-Hebrews 12:5,6 states, … My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when you are rebuked of Him: For whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives … The word "chastening" means: tutorage, education, training, correction, instruction, and nurture. We must see that God chastens us to tutor us, educate us, train us, correct us, instruct us, and to nurture us. We must grasp this great truth about God, for those who fail to understand the chastening of the Lord will have a miserable Christian experience. They will always be under the impression that God is mad at them, not understanding His ways, and not understanding the nature of their Father.

-All of God’s dealings with man are for the purpose of CORRECTION. Just as a natural father would chasten his son to correct him, in the same sense, OUR HEAVENLY FATHER CHASTENS US TO CORRECT US. As well, all judgment, punishment, wrath, vengeance, and chastening from the Lord is for our good, and is for the purpose of correction, and does result in our being reconciled unto Him. We must STOP thinking of God as some angry monster that is foaming at the mouth, just waiting to vindictively, senselessly, and endlessly torment and torture all who do not get right. HE KNOWS THAT WE ARE NOT RIGHT ( RIGHTEOUS )! THIS IS THE VERY REASON THAT HE CHASTENS US!!! So what is the outcome of His chastening?

-God’s chastening brings about the peaceable fruit of righteousness. So whether it be His judgment, punishment, wrath, vengeance, or His chastening, the end result will be a person in love with and loved by God, having been corrected by their Heavenly Father. OUR GOD IS ABLE AND WILLING TO …

-CHASTEN US ALL!-