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THE CHASTENING OF THE LORD

Boyce Mouton · 3 pages · 1,165 words

THE CHASTENING OF THE LORD “My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.” (Heb 12:5-6)

Everybody know that God loves us. John 3:16 points out that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Everybody knows the proof of God’s love. 1 John 3:16 points out the proof of God’s love is the fact that Jesus laid down His life for us.
Everybody needs to know that because God loves us, he chastens us!

Hebrews 12:5 - 11 presents these facts about the chastening of the Lord. 1. Whom the Lord loves He chastens. 2. God chastens you because you are His child. 3. If you are without chastening you are not really God’s child. 4. No chastening seems joyous at the time we receive it. 5. Afterward, we understand that God’s chastening was really good for us.

GOD HAS A PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE!

God had a plan for Jesus before He was born (1 Pet. 1:18 - 20).
God had a plan for David before he was born (Ps. 139:16).
God had a plan for Jeremiah before he was born (Jer. 1:5).
God had a plan for Paul before he was born (Gal. 1:15 - 16).
Please consider that God also has a plan for you!

AT SOME POINT IN TIME GOD CALLS US INTO HIS SERVICE

God called Noah to build an ark (Gen. 6:)
God called Abraham to leave his home and search for the Promised Land (Gen. 12).
God called Moses to deliver the Hebrew people from slavery in Egypt (Ex. 4).
God called Samuel to be a prophet (1 Sam. 3).
God called Zachariah to be the father of John the Baptist (Lk. 1).
God called Mary to be the mother of Jesus (Lk. 1).
Jesus called the 12 to be His disciples (Lk. 6).
Christians are called to be saints (Rom. 1:7; 1 Pet. 1:15).
We are to walk worthy of the calling we have received (Eph. 4:1).
The gifts and calling of God are irrevocable (Rom. 11:29). The Bible has a lot to say about the calling of God. These are just a few examples. There are many more.

III

SOMETIMES PEOPLE RESIST THE CALL OF GOD

Here are some examples from the Bible of people who resisted the call of the Lord:
Moses resisted the call of God because he said that he was of a slow speech and a slow tongue. God gave him miraculous signs and promised to be with him. Moses did what God called him to do (Ex. 3 - 4).
Gideon resisted the call of God but God gave him signs and Gideon answered the call of God (Judges 6)
Saul resisted the call of God and was hiding. The Lord, however, sought him out and he became the king (1 Samuel 9:21,10:22)
Isaiah resisted the call of God because he was a man of unclean lips. God touched his lips, took his guilt away, and Isaiah became God’s prophet (Is. 6:5)
The devil is a deceiver and pretends to be an angels of light. So when God calls you, He will give you evidence to prove that your calling is from Him!

SOMETIMES PEOPLE KNOW THAT GOD IS CALLING THEM, BUT STILL REFUSE TO OBEY! IN SITUATIONS LIKE THIS, GOD GIVES CHASTENING!

God promised blessings to those who obeyed Him, and curses for those who disobeyed him (Deut. 28)
Jonah received the call of God. He knew it was God Who was calling him to preach to the people of Nineveh, but he rebelled against the call of God and made plans to go to Tarshish. God sent a storm, then a great fish to swallow Jonah. After 3 days inside the fish, with seaweed wrapped around his head, Jonah decided to do accept the call of God and preach to the people of Nineveh (see the book of Jonah).
Saul of Tarsus resisted the call of God. He opposed the followers of Jesus and even participated in the stoning of Stephen. The Lord appeared to him on the road to Damascus and reminded him that it was had to kick against the sharp prodding that came from God (Acts 9:5). When Saul still refused to repent, Jesus chastened him with blindness for three days (Acts 9:8).
God also blinded Elymas because of his rebellion (Acts 13:11).
The Christians at Corinth were chastened because they abused the Lord’s Supper (1 Cor. 11:30).
Please do not despise the chastening of the Lord. It is God’s way of helping to be the very best that you can be.

DO NOT BE LIKE THE HORSE OF THE MULE

“Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you.” (Ps 32:9)
Horses and mules do not have understanding, and must be treated harshly to make them obey. Please do not be like the horse or the mule.
God wants you to be an obedient child. He wants to be able to look over you and guide you gently. Peter, for example, denied Christ 3 times and all Jesus had to do to make him cry was simply to look at him (Lk. 22:61 - 62).
Paul preferred to be gentle with the Corinthians, but if they were rebellious he could come to them with a whip (1 Cor. 4:21).
How do you want God to deal with you? Gently, or with a whip?

WILL YOU BE LIKE JUDAS, OR LIKE PETER?

Both were apostles.
Both were chosen after a night of prayer (Lk. 6:12 - 16).
Both were given the power to heal the sick and raise the dead (Matt. 10:8).
Both were warned (Matt. 26:24 - 25; 33 - 34).
Both had an opportunity to repent.
Judas went out and hanged himself (Matt. 27:3 - 10). It would have been good for Judas if he had never been born (Matt. 26:24).
Peter wept bitterly and truly repented (Matt,. 26:75). He denied Jesus 3 times before a fire (Lk. 22:55 - 62). He confessed Jesus 3 times before a fire (John 21:15 - 19).
Every time the 12 apostles are listed, Peter is mentioned first, and Judas is mentioned last.
“I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:” (Deut 30:19)

Boyce Mouton