EVEN MORE CHASTENING
Tuesday – July 17, 2018, Av 5, 5778
Beautiful sunrise at Samoset Resort in Rockport, Maine when I attended a Medical Conference hosted at this facility. I hope as I have been pushing forward in our Hebrew text concerning the chastening of the Lord that the sun is rising in our heart concerning this topic and we are coming out of darkness into a marvelous new day. We have to be thankful and receive correction with joy for it will work for our good and that of the Kingdom of God. Now, let’s take a look at our primary Bible text from the Book of Hebrews and we will move forward receiving and treasuring the Word of God above ALL else.
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.
I think as we look at our text above and think back or relook at the Scripture we reviewed from the Book of Job yesterday we see much the same instructions. We must choose to receive the correction, the chastening, we then must choose to take the new and righteous course. Our loving Heavenly Father makes this available to us over and over but we must reach out in faith receiving it and change our course. Of course, He gives us help in our choice but He does not make our choice or force us to make a specific choice. Who chooses poverty and misery over prosperity and pleasure? Christians by the millions! When will we awaken and abandon our wicked ways? Now let’s consider another Scripture to help us build faith and correct our attitudes.
Isaiah 1:16-20 (KJV)
16 Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil;
17 Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.
18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
19 If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:
20 But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.
Who must take the action to wash which is to be cleansed by the Word of God? We must! Our Heavenly Father does not like to look on our evil doings. We may say; “I’m not doing evil.” Really? There is lots of Grace and Mercy from our Father when we are diligently pressing forward in the Kingdom of God, in the Word of God. When we are at the “I’ve arrived stage” we have thrown the door to our lives wide open to our enemies (not people, demonic enemies). You see in verse seventeen (verse of victory) that we are to learn to do well, seek justice, help the oppressed, bring justice to the orphan, and the widow. Elsewhere in Isaiah (chapter fifty-eight) we see that the things enumerated here are the fast the Lord is looking for in our lives. A person and the Church (these are Christian and Church functions not governmental) must be prosperous to accomplish these things. Many Churches are good at referring people to this or that government program or simply saying I’ll be praying for you. When will we learn that our love of God, our love of others will bring abundance into our own lives which can then spill over into the lives of the needy. We must let go of the me and I focus.
The next verse (eighteen) tells us that God wants us to reason with Him. We tend to want to reason with people of like mind, it is part of our rebellion and resistance to the chastening of the Lord. Reasoning with God means to search the Scripture like a good Berean and let the Word prove or disprove a certain point. Never let a single Scripture form the basis of a way of life. The LORD says that as we reason with Him we will see our sin and our turning from our sin will cause us to be white as snow. Eighteen is the number of bondage, the only way out of bondage to the ways of the devil is through the Word of God. Now, we come to verse nineteen (19 is the number of faith) which tells us to be willing and obedient. Who chooses to be willing, and who chooses to be obedient? We do! The water (Word) basin is right there, wash and be cleansed. Just as we saw in the Book of Job text yesterday, if we are not willing (refuse and rebel) the Word of God which is a two-edged sword will allow us to be devoured by the enemy. Not God’s choice, our choice. Let us determine to be attentive to the chastening of the Lord, to prove the Word of God, and chose the good part.
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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