Chasten

      T Word of God says that we should be rightly dividing the word of truth. If that's true which it is than we could be wrongly dividing the Word of Truth. How are we going to rightly divide it?

      I. T 1st thing that we need to do is study the Word.

                  A. (JOS 1:8) Says, “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.” (KJV)

                              1. So we've got to study or meditate on God's Word so that we will be able to rightly divide it.

                              2. But just study is not going to do it alone.

                                          a. JOH 16:13

                                          b. T H.S. is going to guide you into all truth. So thru pray, studying & the guidance of the H.S. you will rightly dividing the Word of Truth.

      II. Last week I ministered on receiving from the Lord but I touched on the subject of wrong doctrine.

                  A. The way someone gets wrong doctrine is by wrongly dividing the Word of God.

                              1. The last scripture we ended with was PRO 10:22 so let's turn there.

                                          a. People have taught that sickness is a blessing, or calamity is a blessing, or even that poverty is a blessing.

                                          b. But no sickness, no calamity, no poverty is a blessing.

                                                      i. You might ask how do I know that?

                                                      ii. Because (PRO 10:22) Says, “The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.” (KJV)

                                                      iii. Now there is a Godly sorrow. (2CO 7:10 NIV) Says, “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.”

                                                      iv. There is a conviction of the H.S. that will lead people to repentance.

                                          c. But that's talking about something totally different than the scripture we just read in (PRO 10:22) Which says, “The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.” (KJV)

                                                      i. T word “sorrow” here means “usually (painful) toil; also a pang (whether of body or mind): grievous.”

                                                      ii. When God gives us something he doesn't give us something that is grievous or painful.

                  B. Trials, Troubles, & Persecution are not a blessings.

                              1. With any test or trial that comes your way, if you will act on the Word of God, you will come out of that situation, & you'll come out of it even stronger.

                                          a. But someone will say, that's why God sent it their way.

                                          b. But that's simply not true.  God didn't send it, the Devil did to try to get the Word out of you.

                                          c. The Devil comes to steal the Word.

                                                      i. Look at MARK 4:14-19

                                                      ii. It's always Satan that came to steal the Word, & one of those ways were thru test, trials, & tribulations.

                              2. Then you will get someone who will say, “Well, all those test & trials are the chastening of the Lord.” or “Everything that happens to you in this life is the will of God for you, that's God's way of chastening you.”

                                          a. If that's true there would be no need for you to pray & resist the Devil.

                                                      i. (James 4:7) Says, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

                  C. Now in (HEB 12) there is a chastening of the Lord that is for your good.  Let's look at it HEB 12:5.

                              1. Notice that he says, “Speaketh unto you as unto children,” He also says, “And ye have forgotten the exhortation, or the thing that was spoken.”

                              2. Let's go on reading V 6-7

                                          a. Now that's a fair question. Is there any father that wouldn't teach his child?

                                          b. That's what he's asking. T word “CHASTEN” means “TRAINING A CHILD.”

                                                      i. You've got to get that definition or you'll miss the whole point.

                                                      ii. “Chasten” means to “train a child.” It also means to nurture or to instruct.

                                          c. Let's go back to V 5a.

                                                      i. He's talking about training as you would train a child.

                                                      ii. T scripture is not talking about God sending some calamity your way to teach you something.

                                                      iii. That would be child abuse, not child training.

                  D. Turn with me over to EPH 6:4

                              1. T word “NURTURE” in this V is the very same Greek word that is translated “CHASTENING” or “CHASTISEMENT” in (HEB 12).

                                          a. T word “chastening” means “nurture”.

                              2. Turn to 2TI 3:16.

                                          a. The same Greek word that is translated “chasten” in (HEB 12) is translated here as “instruction.”

                                          b. Strong's Concordance says the meaning is “to train a child.”

      III. Than how is it that God chastens his people?  2TI 3:16

                  A. John 6:63

                              1. It's the Word of God that produces life. It's the Word of God that produces correction.

                              2. EPH 5:25-27 It's the Word of God that correct us thru the H.S.

                  B. Turn with me to one more scripture HEB 12:9-10

                              a. This says that our fathers in the flesh chasten us after their own pleasure; but God for our profit.

                              b. In other words God chastens us thru His Word so that we might be partakers of His Holiness.

TFC April 1, 1990 & WOLCC Sun AM 12/6/92