OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: Friday 18th October 2018
THEME: A SON INDEED?
Hymn 2: WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS
What a Friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!
Verse 2:
Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged,
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness,
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Verse 3:
Are we weak and heavy-laden,
Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge,
Take it to the Lord in prayer;
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer;
In His arms He’ll take and shield thee,
Thou wilt find a solace there.
4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.
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:
6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
9 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?
10 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.
11 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.
The Bible clearly establishes that God expects parents to discipline their children (Proverbs 23:13-14, Ephesians 6:4) Parents who failed in this responsibility suffered great consequences, as seen in the example of Eli (1st Samuel 2:27-34).
Being a just God, he cannot require discipline from earthly parents and fail in his responsibility to discipline his own children, as the Heavenly Father. All act of disciplining God’s children ultimately comes from God and the methods used are determined by Him.
However, His motive is always love, while His goals remain to make us partakers of His holiness (Hebrew 12:10). God disciplines His children as part of His covenant with them. Consequently, only disciplined children of God has access to His covenant blessings. Job 36:10-11 says:
‘’He openeth also their ear to discipline, and commandeth that they return from iniquity if they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and there years in pleasures.’’
Interestingly, God in his infinite wisdom has set discipline as the number one criteria ascertaining true children of God. Hebrew 12:8 says
‘’But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.’’
Consequently, if you notice that you are getting away with sin and immorality without any type of warning or discipline of God, then you can be sure that heaven does not recognize you as a true child of God.
As soon as a person accepts Lordship of Jesus Christ, he or she becomes a genuine member of God’s family, and the love of God will immediately kick-start the process of discipline in order to bring the new convert to perfection in due time. May you always cooperate with God for the purpose of receiving proper discipline in Jesus’ Name.
As a child of God, receiving divine discipline with humility comes with great benefits. Discipline prevents children of God from going astray and brings us to perfection. It also makes us humble, wise and successful, helping us acquire spiritual growth and maturity.
Disciplined Christian’s easily overcome temptation. They are like smooth stones in the hands of God and are mightily used by Him against the kingdom of darkness. Open your heart to receive Godly discipline and correction today.
Prayer Point: Father, as I commit myself to your discipline today, help me to humbly receive your correction in Jesus’ name.