INTRODUCTION

Earthly parents sometimes chasten their children according to their own pleasure, but the Lord chastens His children ONLY for their profiting. In addition, earthly parents will sometimes err by disciplining their children for convenience to end the child’s inconvenience brought upon the parent. The end goal turns out to be the satisfaction of the parent rather than the sole good of the child. However, in God’s dealings with His children, He chastens for the benefit of the one receiving the chastening. He uses His chastening to help make His children partakers of His holiness. When they have done wrong, He wants them to repent (Revelation 3:19As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
See All...). When they have gone astray, He wants them to find correction (Job 5:17Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty:
See All...). God, as a Father, always chooses to do what is best for His children. It is always exclusively for their profit!

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS

• (For children): God had to chasten Jonah for his disobedience. Jonah then repented and obeyed (Jonah 1:1-3 [1] Now the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, [2] Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me. [3] But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.
  See All..., 17; Jonah 2:1-2 [1] Then Jonah prayed unto the LORD his God out of the fish's belly, [2] And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice.
  See All...; Jonah 3:1-3 [1] And the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the second time, saying, [2] Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee. [3] So Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceeding great city of three days' journey.
  See All...). Zacharias was chastised for not believing God’s promise (Luke 1:13But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.
  See All..., 18-20, 57-64). God chastens us so we will learn to keep His word (Psalm 94:12Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O LORD, and teachest him out of thy law;
  See All...; Psalm 119:67Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word.
  See All...).
• (For everyone): What are some reasons your earthly father had for chastening you in the past? What was his motive? How is this different from God’s chastening?
• How does God’s chastening make you better? How can His chastening be profitable for you? What happens if He refuses to chasten you?

PRAYER NEEDS

• Ask God to teach you the benefits of chastening.
• Ask God to help you see how chastening is an act of love.

HYMN

COME, THOU FOUNT OF EVERY BLESSING

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