Those who think they are exempt from correction and discipline are illegitimate offspring of God... That's not my opinion that is what the Bible says, puts a fire under you to make sure you are listening to God and any correction He may be speaking into your life.
He does it because He loves us, not because He wants to be mean!!!! I don't want to be an illegitimate child of God, illegitimate children tend not to inherit the family blessing and end up hidden in a shack somewhere. I don't know about you, but I sure do want to be a true, legitimate child of God and inherit all the blessings and benefits that are included in that and live in the family mansion...
Hebrews 12:5-11
"And have you [completely] forgotten the divine word of appeal and encouragement in which you are reasoned with and addressed as sons? My son, do not think lightly or scorn to submit to the correction and discipline of the Lord, nor lose courage and give up and faint when you are reproved or corrected by Him; For the Lord corrects and disciplines everyone whom He loves, and He punishes, even scourges, every son whom He accepts and welcomes to His heart and cherishes. You must submit to and endure [correction] for discipline; God is dealing with you as with sons. For what son is there whom his father does not [thus] train and correct and discipline? Now if you are exempt from correction and left without discipline in which all [of God's children] share, then you are illegitimate offspring and not true sons [at all]. Moreover, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we yielded [to them] and respected [them for training us]. Shall we not much more cheerfully submit to the Father of spirits and so [truly] live? For [our earthly fathers] disciplined us for only a short period of time and chastised us as seemed proper and good to them; but He disciplines us for our certain good, that we may become sharers in His own holiness. For the time being no discipline brings joy, but seems grievous and painful; but afterwards it yields a peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it [a harvest of fruit which consists in righteousness--in conformity to God's will in purpose, thought, and action, resulting in right living and right standing with God]."
Be sure to read the whole chapter if you have time! It further emphasizes this message and encourages you to not give up or faint before completing that which He has set before you! A great chapter!! Some of it might not make your flesh happy, but that isn't who we are trying to please, we are here to please God and serve Him with our whole heart! And we should be eager to accept correction, if need be, so that we may perfect our walk and move up higher in our effectiveness as a Christian and increase our impact on this hurting, lost world!
wow that is pretty straightforward ... keep up the good work!
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