The steps God takes in disciplining us II

The steps God takes in disciplining us II

If we listen to the conviction of the Holy Spirit that is communicated through the people God sends to us to correct us and repent of our sins, then He stops all the judgments. But, if we continue in our stubbornness and resist Him, God allows more trouble in our lives in order to show us that there are spiritual problems in us that we need to resolve. If after that we still resist Him and refuse to humble ourselves before Him, then He increases penalties. God does that because He loves us and does not want any of His children to perish.

How God punishes and disciplines His children II

How God punishes and disciplines His children II

«Poverty and shame will come to him who disdains correction, but he who regards a rebuke will be honoured» (Proverbs, 13:18).

We can see once again that financial difficulties in the lives of these people were not sent by God; they were the result of them rejecting the teaching and instruction of the Lord.

How God chastises and disciplines His children

How God chastises and disciplines His children

1. God uses His Word, the Bible to discipline us.

Do you have some separate time to read and personally study God’s Word? Do you study the Word together with other believers? Do you listen regularly to the preaching of the Word? All these issues are very important, since it is the Holy Scripture that God uses to speak to us. Through the Word God corrects us and gives us important instruction concerning the way we should live. God sees and know how we live. God knows all of our hidden desires and thoughts, and He wants to correct us through His Word.

What are the goals of God’s chastening?II

What are the goals of God’s chastening?II

«For if we judge ourselves, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world» (1 Corinthians, 11:31-32).

So God chastises His children not for His own pleasure, but for our correction and for us to participate in His holiness. God does that in order for us to bring forth the peaceful fruit of righteousness and not to be condemned with the world.

Discipline is one of the ways how God transforms His children into the image of Jesus Christ

Discipline is one of the ways how God transforms His children into the image of Jesus Christ

We can miss many important and useful opportunities in life if we underestimate what is going on in our lives. God’s discipline is one of these opportunities. Believers have a tendency to despise the discipline of their Heavenly Father. Yet in the Epistle to Hebrews The Lord is calling us to resist the wrong attitude of some believers towards God’s discipline. It says in the Bible: « My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him» (Hebrews, 12:5).
The believers that are focused on comfort usually are indifferent towards the truth of God disciplining them. Some of them aren’t even bothered by their sins or irresponsibility. People like that want to be blessed by God, yet they despise God’s discipline.
The Bible also tells us that punishment is profitable for us and not God.

THE GOAL OF DISCIPLINE IS REPENTANCE OF PRODIGAL SONS AND THEIR RETURN TO HOME

THE GOAL OF DISCIPLINE IS REPENTANCE OF PRODIGAL SONS AND THEIR RETURN TO HOME

«As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent» (Revelation, 3:19).
Repentance is the right reaction to discipline!
Sin never is just one’s personal business, so to speak. Sin is not something you do to yourself; sin is something that inevitably affects others.

Suffering as a method of discipline II

Suffering as a method of discipline II

My responsibility is to live a worthy life and to walk in obedience before the Lord. If I become disobedient, then according to the Bible my Heavenly Father corrects and disciplines me. To discipline is to correct for moral perfection. That is why the Bible says:

«As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent» (Revelation, 3:19).