A LITTLE MORE CHASTENING
Monday – July 16, 2018, Av 4, 5778
Greetings and welcome back to this wonderful faith building Bible Study from the Book of Hebrews. The featured picture is from Samoset Resort in Rockport Maine where I recently attended a Medical Conference. This study should also have a profound impact on our attitude about correction or chastening. I think some us would run a mile to avoid correction or chastening. If you are out there saying to yourself, “oh, I just love correction”, do I need to pray for you for lying? Like many reading this article I have needed a real (not lip service) change of attitude about correction. Correction may save our life, make huge changes in our quality of life, and most importantly make us more productive for the Kingdom of God. Each of us, me included, need to be filled with thanksgiving when God brings correction into our lives. Thanksgiving for chastening (correction) may not come naturally but we can give thanks on purpose and with time our emotions will follow. Resisting and being offended by correction is of the natural fallen man. Receiving correction, chastening, with joy knowing it works to our good and that of Kingdom must be done on purpose by faith. So, determine right now that all correction or chastening of the Lord (which might come through someone you don’t particularly like) will be received with thanksgiving. We are to give thanks in the knowledge that this is pleasing to our Father and brings Him joy. In His joy we are strengthened. The ability to receive correction is a mark of maturity. Now, let’s read our primary Bible Text and dive back into what is now our favorite topic, the chastening of the Lord.
Hebrews 12:11-13 (KJV)
11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;
13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.
The God Anointed writer of Hebrews says in our text what I have said in a somewhat different way in the introduction to this teaching. When we realize that we are being corrected our attitude needs to be one of joyousness for when received and acted upon it brings us into a better place with God. Verse twelve above is a picture of the offended, rebellious, and insulted attitude. These things are of the fallen nature, they are of the father we had before salvation, the devil. As we move into verse thirteen let me ask, who is making our path straight? We are! God will not, does not have the authority to make our paths straight. He has made all available in abundance which we access by faith and among those is the making of our path straight. Everything of God is like a table that is already set, we have an invitation, we are in the room, yet we can choose to sit or not sit at the table and partake. Believing is one thing but uncoupled from action is dead. What are the thoughts of our mind, the words of our mouth, and our actions? Are our thoughts, words, and actions the Word of God? Let us be sure we are not mixing the ways of God with the ways of the world or even being totally contrary to the Word of God. The lame person is healed on the straight path but remain lame when they do not chose that path, the Word of the Lord. Let’s look at another Scripture to help us build faith.
Job 36:10-12 (KJV)
10 He openeth also their ear to discipline, and commandeth that they return from iniquity.
11 If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.
12 But if they obey not, they shall perish by the sword, and they shall die without knowledge.
Hopefully we are all familiar on some level with the account of Job. In this passage his “friend” Elihu is speaking. He is talking about chastening (correction, discipline). The word “openeth” could perhaps be more accurately translated as ‘He exposes them or us to discipline’. God in His mercy will bring correction to us and show us the way out of our iniquity. Realize that whatever we are thinking, believing, saying, and doing that needs correction is sin (iniquity). If we obey, receive the correction, change our course by thinking differently, talking differently, and doing differently then we will spend our days in prosperity and our years in pleasures. If that does not describe our lives then perhaps we should take a moment and let the Lord speak to us.
Perhaps the twelfth verse is a better description of our lives. I pray not, let us all say: “oh, Lord help me to be attentive and thankful for chastening, in Jesus name!” If we choose not to obey we perish by the sword and without knowledge. The sword spoken of here is the Word of God and the knowledge is of the Word of God. Instead, we have chosen dark knowledge which is the knowledge of the world, of Satan. Failure to obey God will bring stealing, killing, and destroying into our lives. Failure to receive and follow instruction, correction, discipline, the chastening of the Lord will never have a good journey or ending.
Until our next publication, I speak this Scriptural prayer for your life right now, receive it in the name of Jesus, confess it, and walk it out with thanksgiving.
Ephesians 1:16-17 (KJV)
16 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;
17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:
By: Dr. David Wood, Author, Bible Teacher, and Prophetic Voice
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