The Lord said to me this morning: "Everyone Who Wants To Come Under My Judgment Must Be Chastened"
The Holy Spirit has been teaching me over the past few months about the judgment and chastening of the Lord. Many Christians don't truly understand why God judges, disciplines, or chastens them and why His judgment comes upon a nation, but this is what God does to correct, train, humble, and bring His people to repentance.
1st Peter 4:17-18
"For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? Now “If the righteous one is scarcely saved, Where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?”
These are very sobering words from Peter and the Lord is judging His house today!
Isaiah 26:9,16
"With my soul I have desired You in the night, Yes, by my spirit within me I will seek You early; For when Your judgments are in the earth, The inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness."
"LORD, in trouble they have visited You, They poured out a prayer when Your chastening was upon them."
Hebrews 12:3-11
"For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin. And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: “My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; For whom the LORD loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives.” If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live?For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it."
Jesus tells us in Revelation 3:19
"As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent."
This is the way of the Lord, He judges, rebukes, and chastens those He loves!
Let's take a look at the Greek definition of the word 'rebuke'
1651. elegcho el-eng'-kho of uncertain affinity; to confute, admonish:--convict, convince, tell a fault, rebuke, reprove.
Merriam Webster's definition says:
a: to criticize sharply : reprimand
We see an example of a rebuke in Matthew 16:21-23
"From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day. Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!” But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.”
The word 'chasten' means:
3811. paideuo pahee-dyoo'-o from 3816; to train up a child, i.e. educate, or (by implication), discipline (by punishment):--chasten(-ise), instruct, learn, teach.
The word 'judgment' means:
2917. krima kree'-mah from 2919; a decision (the function or the effect, for or against ("crime")):--avenge, condemned, condemnation, damnation, + go to law, judgment.
The Lord judges His people and the world that we may all learn righteousness. He chastens us so that we may be partakers of His holiness, and He rebukes us when we are in error. These are a few of the ways God loves His sons and daughters. May we all humble ourselves under His mighty right hand and receive the judgments and chastisement of the Lord that our souls may be ready for the return of the King!
In His Service,
Tyrone
