Daily Manna 5 January
KEY VERSE: “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 12:11)
TEXT: Hebrews 12:5-11 (KJV)
5 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;
6 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.
7 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?
8 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].
9 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?
10 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.
11 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].
Read yesterday’s Daily Manna here
Corporal punishment used to be allowed in Nigerian public schools in line with God’s word that “foolishness is bound in the heart of a child, but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him” (Proverbs 22:15). But with the coming of “civilisation”, it was abrogated. Palpable evidence however shows that persons who were brought up under that “old school” are more civil, more respectful, responsible and law-abiding.
The text under consideration admonishes believers not to despise the chastening of the Lord since it is a mark of God’s love for His children. It is an indication that he that is so chastened is a true son and not a bastard. As parents chasten their children in line with their limited knowledge and receive respect, so the believers ought much more to be in subjection to God whose aim is to make them “partakers of His holiness.” Truly, the experience may not be a joyous one but “afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby”.
Man’s inability to recognise or accept his shortcomings has been since the fall of Adam. It is always easy for people to point at others’ faults and overlook theirs. This is so because “every way of man is right in his own eyes” (Proverbs 21:2). For this, God in His love, takes the initiative to alert believers of the unnoticed dangers they often face. He brings in chastening to keep them on track lest they stray. We need to understand that correction is for our own good; and so have the right attitude towards it.
The believer must not wait for chastening from God before he does what is right. Daily examination of one’s life and strict obedience to the Word are necessary to keep one in tandem with divine will and approval.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Accept and endure divine chastening to enjoy more grace and victory.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Hosea 10-14
Thank you for studying today’s Daily Manna – Gain In Chastisement – by Pastor Enoch A.
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Daily Manna 5 January 2022
