The Lord Jesus when addressing the churches said. “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent”. Revelation 3 v 19

I was brought up in the trauma of World War Two and my father used to clip my ear if I strayed from the narrow way . Painful but effective. Of course in these days of liberalism and human rights discipline has gone out of the window leaving a trail of destruction by vandals and hoodlums .

My wife and I found that even our babies responded positively to discipline

Liberalism today

When I was in school 60 years ago corporal punishment was normal. If you committed a demeanour and you were caught out you expected to take the punishment . Six of the best was the normal thing. That is the use of the cane across the hand or buttocks.

Cause and effect

Worry. I have observed over 35 years of being a Christian that there is a correlation between worry and cancer. Similarly an uncontrolled temper can often lead to a bad heart condition.

In India a man stole a bicycle from a Christian organisation. The Christians started to pray. Several weeks later the leader received a letter from a man confessing his sin and asking for prayer. He stated his hand was paralysed

Endurance

If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chastened not? God has His perfect plan for our lives that we should be changed , actually God requires perfection . Hebrews 12 v 7

Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. Matthew 5 v 48

Love must speak

Love cannot see loved ones going to destruction Love must to something God will always send a warning always send a messenger to warn His beloved people.

Lemmings

The Lemmings heading for destruction on the cliff top were blind and we His people have a duty to warn others of possible dangers. The preacher has a responsibility to speak out not only words of life and comfort but also words of warning .

The work of the Holy Spirit is to convict of sin of righteousness and of judgment to come in the context of sin Chastisement can have untold beneficial effects.

Sons

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? Hebrews 12 v 8

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. v12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; v13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.

A righteous man corrected

Job:

Behold, happy is the man whom God corrected: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty: Job 5 v 17

My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction: Proverbs 3 v 11

LORD, in trouble have they visited thee, they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them. Isaiah 26 v 16

And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:

Hebrews 12 v 5

It brings forth its own fruit!!1

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.

Hebrews 12 v 11

King Hezekiah.

Hezekiah was very ill and thought he was dying. He turned his face to the wall and prayed A merciful God granted his request as Hezekiah had obviously learnt his lesson. God granted him his request and gave him 15 more years of life.

Isaiah 38 v 1

King David had sinned and the Prophet Nathan came to tell him thou art the man. King David was given a choice of punishments . 1 Chronicles 21 v 12

Three years war!!

Three months

Famine!!

Three days of

Pestilence!!.

David chose to be punished by the Lord and the angel of David a choice of three Pestilence War ?? 1 Chron 21 v 15

God deals with Israel.

For thus saith the LORD of hosts; As I thought to punish you, when your fathers provoked me to wrath, saith the LORD of hosts, and I repented not: Zechariah 8 v 14

The Devil Punished

Isaiah 27 v 1 In that day the LORD with his sore and great and strong sword shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent, even leviathan that crooked serpent; and he shall slay the dragon that is in the sea.

Sin is punished

And if ye will not yet for all this hearken unto me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins.

Leviticus 26 v 18

The LORD hath also a controversy with Judah, and will punish Jacob according to his ways; according to his doings will he recompense him. Hosea 12 v 2

Blessings

Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. James 1 v 12