RLJ-692OL

" CHASTISEMENT OF GOD"
Bible Teacher: Michael Blair
Sunday, November 28, 1999

I. SUFFERING MAY BE "THE CHASTISEMENT OF GOD"

   OPENING: Pearl of Great Price / Mother of Pearl

   A. THAT GOD CHASTENS HIS CHILDREN IS TAUGHT IN BOTH TESTAMENTS...
        1. In the Old Testament:
            a. Story of parents who don’t let their children argue  Deuteronomy 8:5 
                Similar to above - Proverbs 3:11-12 
        2. In the New Testament:
            a.   As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Rev 3:19
            b.    ⁵ 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: 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. Heb 12:5-8

B. WHAT WOULD BE GOD'S PURPOSE IN CHASTISING HIS CHILDREN?
     1. Certainly not because He delights in doing so – Lamentations 3:31-32
     2. But because it may be necessary...To correct - Hebrews 12:9 That we may be partakers of His Holiness - Hebrews 12:10
         That we may yield the peaceable fruit of righteousness  - Hebrews 12:11
     3. Only so we will not be condemned with the world - 1 Corinthians 11:32

C. WHEN WOULD GOD CHASTEN US?
       1. Only when we do not correct ourselves! -1 Corinthians 11:31  For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. (KJV)
       2. Only when we are in danger of being condemned with the world!  - 1Corinthians 11:32 

D. HOW DOES GOD CHASTEN HIS CHILDREN?
      1. Consider how God tried to correct the erring nation of Israel  - Amos 4:6-12
          a. These were not miraculous or supernatural events
          b. But acts of nature brought on by the providential working of God!

      2. If God would use His Providence in an attempt to get the nation of Israel to repent before it was too late...
         a. Would not the same loving God use His providential workings to chastise His delinquent children today?
      3. I know of no scriptural reason why God could not or would not use His Providence to bring about events in our lives which can hopefully serve to:
         a. Wake us up – STORY / NEWS of Gay ministers die
         b. Cause us to reflect on our lives and our relationship to God
             STORY – Road Rage: Father participated in the outcome of his 12y daughter being confined to a wheelchair
         c. Encourage us to repent and turn back to Him if we are straying – HISTORY - Pilgrams / Mayflower
   
 E. OTHER OUTCOMES FROM SUFFERING – (Let’s see if this is God’s work or Satan’s)
 
II. SUFFERING MAY BE "THE RESULT OF OUR OWN ACTIONS"

    A. GOD HAS CREATED A WORLD GOVERNED BY NATURAL LAWS...
         1. Laws of cause and effect; Laws of action and reaction; Laws of sowing and reaping

   B. IF WE VIOLATE THESE LAWS, THE CONSEQUENCES ARE OFTEN GRAVE...
        1. Like stepping off a ten story building – tempting God – Matt 4:5-7
        2. Or feeding one's body constantly with "junk" food - 1 Cor 3:16-17
        3. Or exposing oneself to contagious diseases, pollution, dangerous chemicals (leaving them unlocked),  Cell Phones etc. 

III. SUFFERING MAY BE "THE WORK OF SATAN"

     A. THE BIBLE PRESENTS SATAN AS A CAUSE OF SUFFERING...
           1. As in the case of Job - Job 1:6-12; 2:1-6
           2. As in the case of persecuted Christians – 1 Peter 5:8-9

HELPFUL HINTS IN HOW TO LIMIT SUFFERING

Walk in the light of the Lord (live Biblically) – Exodus 20:1-17, Deuteronomy 28:1-14, Deuteronomy 7:8
Stay out of Satan’s territory
Learn and adhere to: on what God has placed curses – Deuteronomy 28:15-68
Consult with God through Holy Spirit/ask Holy Spirit for guidance, allow Him to be your LORD – shepherd, someone who guides you, leads you, make Him someone you rely on. This will prevent you from many falls, hurts, etc.
Isaiah 9:6  For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. (KJV)
Rebuke Satan, be alert –there is a spiritual war going on constantly, be sober, get to know the power of prayer, spiritual warfare, reality of God’s surrounding, His unconditional love, and presents of angels.  Put on the armor of God!

CONCLUSION

1. The gist of what I am saying is this:  When we experience suffering in our
lives...
    a. IT MAY BE WE HAVE VIOLATED SOME LAW OF NATURE
        1) In this case, there is no moral significance involved
        2) It is not because one is good or bad
    b. IT MAY BE THE WORK OF SATAN
        1) In this case, it is because we are righteous in God's sight
        2) And Satan is trying to devour us, to get us to rebel against God
    c. IT MAY BE THE CHASTISEMENT OF GOD
        1) If so, it is ONLY because...
           a) He loves us
           b) He sees that we are heading in a direction which if left unchecked would result in the damnation of our souls!
        2) God won't stop us from sinning, but through His providential workings in the affairs of this world He might try to get us to reflect upon what we are doing!

2. CAN WE DETERMINE when any particular suffering is from God, Satan or
neither?
    a. I don't believe we can
    b. Unless, of course, one's sin is so blatant...

3. HOW THEN SHALL WE REACT TO SUFFERING?
    a. IF in every case of suffering we approach it from the viewpoint that it
MIGHT be God in love chastening us...
    b. And IF we use the occasion of suffering to:
       1) Examine our lives and our relationship with God
       2) Draw closer to God...
    c. THEN...
       1) If it is from God, it FULFILLS His purpose!
       2) If it is from Satan, it FRUSTRATES his purpose!
       3) If it is neither, it still brings us closer to God!