May Pastor’s Chat
Last month’s Pastor’s Chat challenged us to be faithful to God’s callings by depending on His grace to accomplish His work through us. But what if we resist the promptings of His Spirit and the clear teaching of His Word because of our own unbelief? God’s Word answers this question in 2 Timothy 2:13, “If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.” God, because of His complete, perfect, and holy attributes remains faithful to us even when we are unfaithful to Him. If we are God’s children, His faithfulness always moves Him to correct us as a father corrects his children (Hebrews 12:6-11).
God sent correction to me while I was in Bible college during a lonely Christmas break. He had provided a job for me as a night watchman. After making the rounds all night I handed my report, which was nearly unreadable and full of misspellings, to my commanding officer. He reprimanded me with appropriate and afflicting words of rebuke about my work being a bad reflection on my testimony for Christ. The next night I packed a small dictionary and wrote with my best printing for the Lord. Another officer praised me for such legible and careful reporting. When I shared with him why it was so well done, we agreed that it was good that I had been rebuked and corrected for God’s glory.
King David experienced God’s fatherly discipline numerous times when he was lifted up in pride and self-focused instead of God-focused. In Psalm 119 he recounts what he learned from the afflictions of God in his life:
1) obedience—“Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word” (vs.67),
2) appreciation—“It is good that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes” (vs.71), and
3) knowledge—“I know, O LORD, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me” (vs.75). God is faithful!
With prayer, Pastor Mark
Selected Bible Verses on God’s Faithful Correction
Deuternonomy 8:5-6, “Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, so the LORD thy God chasteneth thee. Therefore thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to fear him.”
Proverbs 3:11-12, “My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction: For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.”
Ephesians 5:13 -14, “But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.”
2 Timothy3:16, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”
Psalm 119:17-21, “Deal bountifully with thy servant, that I may live, and keep thy word. Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law. I am a stranger in the earth: hide not thy commandments from me. My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy judgments at all times. Thou hast rebuked the proud that are cursed, which do err from thy commandments.”
Hebrews 12:6-11, “For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. 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.”
Magnify! 