GOD'S DISCIPLINE FOR THE SEASON

(Message by Tanny Keng)

1. God's Discipline

Hebrews 12:6-11 

6 For when he punishes you, it proves that he loves you. When he whips you, it proves you are really his child.”

7 Let God train you, for he is doing what any loving father does for his children. Whoever heard of a son who was never corrected? 8 If God doesn’t punish you when you need it, as other fathers punish their sons, then it means that you aren’t really God’s son at all—that you don’t really belong in his family. 9 Since we respect our fathers here on earth, though they punish us, should we not all the more cheerfully submit to God’s training so that we can begin really to live?

10 Our earthly fathers trained us for a few brief years, doing the best for us that they knew how, but God’s correction is always right and for our best good, that we may share his holiness. 11 Being punished isn’t enjoyable while it is happening—it hurts! But afterwards we can see the result, a quiet growth in grace and character. 

Proverbs 3:11-12 

11-12 Young man, do not resent it when God chastens and corrects you, for his punishment is proof of his love. Just as a father punishes a son he delights in to make him better, so the Lord corrects you. 

Revelation 3:9 

9 “Note this: I will force those supporting the causes of Satan while claiming to be mine (but they aren’t—they are lying) to fall at your feet and acknowledge that you are the ones I love. 

2. God's Discipline For The Season

a) Why Does God Want To Discipline?

i) Because you have ears but you do not listen to the voice of My Spirit, because you have heard the cries of My people but you ignore them.

Revelation 3:22

 22 Let those who can hear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches.

Proverbs 21:13

13 He who shuts his ears to the cries of the poor will be ignored in his own time of need. 

b) What Will God Do?

i) God will bring in two instruments, the Rod of Correction and the Axe of Removal, to drive out the evils that are prevalent in the Body of Christ.

Proverbs 20:30 

30 Punishment that hurts chases evil from the heart. 

c) Why The Two Instruments? How?

i) The Rod Of Correction

@1. Just like God allowed Satan to touch Job's property and his health, He will use this Rod of Correction in the similar manner to purge evils from within.

Proverbs 13:24
24 If you refuse to discipline your son, it proves you don’t love him; for if you love him, you will be prompt to punish him.

Proverbs 22:15
15 A youngster’s heart is filled with rebellion, but punishment will drive it out of him.

ii) The Axe Of Removal

@1. Those whom God found not worthy of His call, He will use this Axe of Removal to pave way for new beginning in their midst.

Matthew 3:10
10 “And even now the axe of God’s judgment is poised to chop down every unproductive tree. They will be chopped and burned.

Revelation 2:5
5 Think about those times of your first love (how different now!) and turn back to me again and work as you did before; or else I will come and remove your candlestick from its place among the churches.

d) Then, What Will Happen?

i) A fall away of some whom God disciplined.

1 Timothy 4:1
4 But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons.

3. A Call To Repentance

1 Corinthians 3:18-20

18 Stop fooling yourselves. If you count yourself above average in intelligence, as judged by this world’s standards, you had better put this all aside and be a fool rather than let it hold you back from the true wisdom from above. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God. As it says in the book of Job, God uses man’s own brilliance to trap him; he stumbles over his own “wisdom” and falls. 20 And again, in the book of Psalms, we are told that the Lord knows full well how the human mind reasons and how foolish and futile it is. 

Acts 3:19 

19 Now change your mind and attitude to God and turn to him so he can cleanse away your sins and send you wonderful times of refreshment from the presence of the Lord.

The End ...