God does not chasten with sickness and disease. God does not chasten with affliction, persecution and the trials of life. God chastens us with His Word. The Scripture clearly tells us that those whom God loves He chastens with His Word.
The purpose for chastisement is correction. There are times we need to be corrected in our behavior or in our thinking. So He will bring light on a particular area in the Word of God that will teach us what He needs us to learn.
For example, there are times I'm reading the Word of God and the letters on the page seem to stand up when God want to say something to me. He wants me to get a certain point right in my life. Or God will send it across the pulpit through a minister and that word hits me right between the eyes.
On the other hand, as a minister, I've had people get angry with me because they thought I preached at them. They'd say, "You told the whole church my business." But I didn't even know they were in the building. It wasn't me designing a message around an individual. I'm responsible for too many people to design a sermon for one individual. It was the Lord chastening them.
The Word of God was hitting them right between the eyes teaching them and telling them to get that issue straight in their life. So, if that should happen to you, don't shoot the messenger. Give God thanks because He loves you enough to show you how to gain victory over these issues.
You are called to live godly in this life, because godly living causes us to get an advantageous gain, a return or a benefit regardless to whatever area of life you're dealing with.
If you live godly before God you'll get an advantageous gain in terms of a mate. You'll get the advantage in terms of your marriage. You'll get the advantage in terms of having wonderful children. You'll get the advantage in terms of your financial life. You'll get the advantage in terms of your social life. You'll get the advantage in terms of all the other areas of your life.
Scripture References: 1 Timothy 6:6; 4:8
All rights reserved. Used by permission.
Keith Butler has been an ordained minister since 1974. He is a graduate of the University of Michigan and holds diplomas from Canada Christian College and Rhema Bible Training Center.
He serves in ministry with the support of his lovely wife, Pastor Deborah L. Butler, and their children: Pastor Andre Butler (granddaughters Alexis, Angela, and April), Pastor MiChelle Ferguson and husband Pastor Lee (grandson Lucas), and Minister Kristina Jenkins and husband Pastor Joel (grandsons Andrew and Austin, and granddaughter Alyssa).
