CHASTENING

May 13

CHASTENING

That he might sanctify and cleanse it [the Church] with the washing of water by the word. — EPHESIANS 5:26

“You’ve forgotten,” someone said to me.

“What did I forget?” “In the Book of Hebrews it says, ‘ . . .whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth . . .’” (Heb. 12:6).

“No, I didn’t forget. That verse is still in there. But it doesn’t say, ‘whom the Lord loveth He makes sick.’” People put their own interpretation on verses. “Chasten” in

the Greek means to child train, to educate. You train your children. You send them to school. But did you ever tell the teacher, “If Johnny doesn’t do right, knock his eye out,” or “If Johnny is disobedient, break his leg,” or “Give him cancer.” No! That isn’t the way you discipline or train a child! And that’s not the way God does it either!

Confession:

I am trained by the Word and the Spirit of God. I am educated by the Word and the Spirit of God. I am disciplined by the Word

and the Spirit of God. With the washing of water by the Word, I am cleansed!