God does not chastise you? Then you are bastards and not sons !

WHY does God, as the heavenly Father, wants to chasten His children?

"for whom the Lord loves He chastens, and He scourges every son whom He receives." If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons, for what son is he whom the father does not chasten? But if you are without chastisement, of which all are partakers, then you are bastards and not sons." Heb 12:5-9

The answer from the scriptures is simply that God wants to profit His children through pruning, trials and chastening so that our faith is tested and refined. Christ said that if we follow Him, we must deny ourselves and take up OUR cross and follow Him. In all our ways, looking unto Jesus Christ, acknowledging that He is Lord. We abide in Christ, trust and lean completely on Him. We must always remember that our Heavenly Father is the Holy, Holy, Holy God. In our walk with God, we must cast aside every weight (the love of and cares for this world) and strive against the propensity to sin which could easily side-tracked us. Practically, it is to constantly immerse in His Word and submit to the Holy Spirit indwelling. In our walk with Him, lest we be weary and faint in our minds , God allows and sends chastening and does pruning so that we may bear more fruits of the Spirit (John 15:2).

God as Heavenly Father loves and scourges every son (and daughter) whom He receives. God wants His children to grow up into "trees of righteousness" (Isa 61:3) and not remained as babes. As God's children, we must trust Him that "for whom the Lord loves He chastens". We have to obey, submit, receive and endure God's chastening as that is how God deals with His children.

God loves His children, here are the scriptural teachings on the purpose of His chastening and He has said it so clearly:

"Therefore since we also are surrounded with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily besets us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right of the throne of God." Heb 12:1-2

For consider Him who endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself, lest you be weary and faint in your minds. You have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. Heb 12:3-4

And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons, "My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when you are rebuked by Him; for whom the Lord loves He chastens, and He scourges every son whom He receives." If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons, for what son is he whom the father does not chasten? But if you are without chastisement, of which all are partakers, then you are bastards and not sons. Heb 12:5-9

Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh who corrected us, and we gave them reverence. Shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? For truly they chastened us for a few days according to their own pleasure, but He for our profit, that we might be partakers of His holiness. Heb 12:9-10

Now chastening for the present does not seem to be joyous, but grievous. Nevertheless afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who are exercised by it. Because of this, straighten up the hands which hang down and the enfeebled knees. And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way, but let it rather be healed. Heb 12:11-13

China: And how are they to believe in Him of whom they have never heard?

There is a great need for resources to be sent to the plentiful harvest in China, the world's most populous nation of 1,330,000,000 souls. Many have not heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ, they do not have the hope of salvation in the Way, the Truth and the Life. The Lord's privileged call to all followers to join Him in the work of progressive and surely bringing of the Kingdom of God into fruition ?

Our Prayers ?
Our Service ?
Our Stewardship ?

“Then He said to them, The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray to the Lord of the harvest that He may send forth laborers into His harvest. Go! Behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves.” Luk 10:2-3

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (Rom 10:17)

And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. 1 Jn 5:11-12

For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news! (Rom 10:13-15)

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Mat 28:18

http://thywordistruth.multiply.com/video/item/77/77

If We Confess Our Sins

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1Jn 1:9
1Jn 1:8-10 (Matthew Henry Commentary on 1 John 1)

Here, I. The apostle, having supposed that even those of this heavenly communion have yet their sin, proceeds here to justify that supposition, and this he does by showing the dreadful consequences of denying it, and that in two particulars: - 1. If we say, We have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us, 1Jo_1:8. We must beware of deceiving ourselves in denying or excusing our sins. The more we see them the more we shall esteem and value the remedy. If we deny them, the truth is not in us, either the truth that is contrary to such denial (we lie in denying our sin), or the truth of religion, is not in us. The Christian religion is the religion of sinners, of such as have sinned, and in whom sin in some measure still dwells. The Christian life is a life of continued repentance, humiliation for and mortification of sin, of continual faith in, thankfulness for, and love to the Redeemer, and hopeful joyful expectation of a day of glorious redemption, in which the believer shall be fully and finally acquitted, and sin abolished for ever. 2. If we say, We have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us, 1Jo_1:10. The denial of our sin not only deceives ourselves, but reflects dishonour upon God. It challenges his veracity. He has abundantly testified of, and testified against, the sin of the world. And the Lord said in his heart (determined thus with himself), I will not again curse the ground (as he had then lately done) for man's sake; for (or, with the learned bishop Patrick, though) the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth, Gen_8:21. But God has given his testimony to the continued sin and sinfulness of the world, by providing a sufficient effectual sacrifice for sin, that will be needed in all ages, and to the continued sinfulness of believers themselves by requiring them continually to confess their sins, and apply themselves by faith to the blood of that sacrifice. And therefore, if we say either that we have not sinned or do not yet sin, the word of God is not in us, neither in our minds, as to the acquaintance we should have with it, nor in our hearts, as to the practical influence it should have upon us.
II. The apostle then instructs the believer in the way to the continued pardon of his sin. Here we have, 1. His duty in order thereto: If we confess our sins, 1Jo_1:9. Penitent confession and acknowledgment of sin are the believer's business, and the means of his deliverance from his guilt. And, 2. His encouragement thereto, and assurance of the happy issue. This is the veracity, righteousness, and clemency of God, to whom he makes such confession: He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness, 1Jo_1:9. God is faithful to his covenant and word, wherein he has promised forgiveness to penitent believing confessors. He is just to himself and his glory who has provided such a sacrifice, by which his righteousness is declared in the justification of sinners. He is just to his Son who has not only sent him for such service, but promised to him that those who come through him shall be forgiven on his account. By his knowledge (by the believing apprehension of him) shall my righteous servant justify many, Isa_53:11. He is clement and gracious also, and so will forgive, to the contrite confessor, all his sins, cleanse him from the guilt of all unrighteousness, and in due time deliver him from the power and practice of it.

Transformed by the Gospel - A New Song in His Heart

"Tanvir started going to church just to hear the songs. When he started attending regularly, friends and neighbors mocked him and tried to entice him away from church, telling him that he could not "enjoy life" if he lived as a Christian.

But God had a strong hold on Tanvir and protected him from these temptations. Hearing the Scriptures taught at church, Tanvir was drawn to a vibrant relationship with Jesus and soon testified publicly that he had put his faith in Him"

Read his full story here

There is a new song in my heart

There is a new song in my heart
Since the Savior set me free
There is new song in my heart
Its a heavenly melody
All my sins are washed away
In the blood of Calvary
Oh what peace and joy
Nothing can destroy
There is new song in my heart

John W. Peterson

Desire to be Rich and Prosperous?

On riches, wealth and prosperity, man thinks they are greatly to be desired and sought after and praised, .............

but God says the love of money is the root of all evil (1 Timothy 6:10) and “riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away” (Proverbs 23:5).

As for poverty, man thinks it is to be avoided at all costs, but God says it can be better than riches

Better is a little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and trouble with it.
Better is a dinner of herbs where love is than a fattened ox and hatred with it. Pro 15:16-17

Better is a poor person who walks in his integrity than one who is crooked in speech and is a fool.
Pro 19:1

Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him? Jas 2:5

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD” (Isaiah 55:8).

The Holiness of God

There is but one only, living, and true God, who is ....most holy (Of God, and of the Holy Trinity -WCF Chapter II -I)

In the book of Isaiah, it is recorded that Prophet Isaiah saw the LORD high and lifted up.

“In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple.... “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty.” (Isa 6:1,5).

Why did Isaiah cried out like that? Prophet Isaiah, viewed as righteous man of virtues in Israel, was given a view of an absolutely Holy God. In his classic book “The Holiness of God”, Dr R.C. Sproul described it vividly, “In that single moment, all his self-esteem was shattered. In a brief second he was exposed, made naked beneath the gaze of the absolute standard of holiness. As long as Isaiah could compare himself to other mortals, he was able to sustain a lofty opinion of himself to other mortals, he was able to sustain a lofty opinion of his own character. The instant he measured himself by the ultimate standard, he was destroyed - morally and spiritually annihilated. He was undone. He came apart, His sense of integrity collapsed.”

Pastor John Macarthur commenting on the same Isaiah’s vision of an absolutely Holy God said, “Beloved, no one can stand in the presence of God without becoming profoundly and devastatingly aware of his own wretchedness, sinfulness. That's why I'm telling you. If we don't understand the holiness of God, we don't understand our sinfulness. And we don't understand how heinous it is and we don't understand the consequences of it. To see even the smallest glimpse of God's holiness is to be devastated...devastated. Isaiah would never be the same, never. Neither would anybody else.”

Isaiah saw the Seraphim around the throne of God and they cried out “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!" Isa 6:3

Why the cry of “Holy, Holy, Holy”? What is the meaning behind this thrice repetition? God is God, He is not like us. He is the Almighty, Infinite, Eternal, Just, Unchangeable, Perfect and Sovereign God, He is absolutely Holy and we are not. It is meant to emphasize the importance of acknowledging, recognizing and fearing God’s otherness or uniqueness. Essentially it is like saying, “Otherness, Otherness, Otherness” or “ Unique, Unique, Unique”.

An absolutely holy God who is merciful and full of grace did not left Isaiah devastated because “one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth and said: "Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for." Isa 6:6-7

Pastor John Macarthur said on Isa 6:6-7“Beloved, I think all of this looks at the cross, don't you? I think all of this looks at the cross. I think the cross is the live coal that touches our lips. The cross is the thing that purges us. You see, you and I could never stand in the presence of a holy God, we would be consumed. That's why the Pharisees had to kill Jesus. I mean, they had to kill Him, He ruined the average. He came along and He was God and His holiness was so real that their supposed holiness was exposed and they had to kill Him. And when He died He died not because they had to kill Him, but because God had to let Him die for our sin. The cross touches us and makes us pure.”

Our appropriate response must be to acknowledge that God is Holy, Holy, Holy. We must exercise great care in approaching God recognizing He is a thrice Holy God. He is the unchangeable God and still always the thrice Holy God. We get a very clear view and manifestation of God’s holiness at the Calvary cross. God’s perfect hatred of sin caused Him even to take the life of His own begotten Son, the pure and sinless Lamb of God. R.C. Sproul once said “Because until you meet a God who is holy and is sovereign, you don’t know what grace means.” By faith, we can see the Calvary cross is for us that same live coal and the cross touches our filthy and unclean lips and makes us pure, gives us Christ’s righteousness to stand boldly before God. “Therefore let us come boldly to the throne of grace,that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Heb 4:16. Heavenly Father, You are Holy, You are Lord God Almighty, We thank You for the cross, Your amazing grace and mercy through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

You Must Suffer - A Christian's Suffering by Pastor John Piper

If you follow Jesus Christ faithfully, you will face suffering. Jesus spoke about it and God allows it.

This video from Pastor John Piper is good reminder on what the Lord Jesus Christ has said: "Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also." Jn 15:10

Upon watching the video, I went back to re-read John Piper’s book “Desiring God” Chapter 10 on “Suffering”:

This is God’s universal purpose for all Christian suffering: more contentment in God and less satisfaction in self and the world.

I have never heard anyone say, “The really deep lessons of life have come through times of ease and comfort.” But I have heard strong saints say, “Every significant advance I have ever made in grasping the depths of God’s love and growing deep with him, has come through suffering.”

So suffering clearly is designed by God not only as a way to wean Christians off of self and onto grace, but also as a way to spotlight that grace and make it shine. That is precisely what faith does; it magnifies Christ’s future grace.

The deep things of life in God are discovered in suffering. So it was with Jesus himself. “Although he was a Son, Jesus learned obedience through what he suffered” (Hebrews 5:8).

The pearl of greatest price is the glory of Christ. Thus Paul stresses that in our sufferings the glory of Christ’s all-sufficient grace is magnified. If we rely on him in our calamity, and he sustains our “rejoicing in hope,” then he is shown to be the all-satisfying God of grace and strength that he is. If we hold fast to him “when all around our soul gives way,” then we show that he is more to be desired than all we have lost. Christ said to the suffering apostle, “My grace is sufficient for you, for [my] power is perfected in weakness.”

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More scriptural verses .....

"Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles. When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, and you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next, for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes. "A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household. Matt 10:16-26


So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven. "Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a person's enemies will be those of his own household. Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Mat 10:32-36

And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. Mat 10:37-38

"I am come " - (from sermon - Living Death or Real Life) Dr Peter Masters

Within the sermon titled "Living Death or Real Life", Dr Peter Masters of London's Metropolitan Tabernacle stressed that within the Gospel of John,Jesus asserted that "I AM" on many occasions and this is essentially asserting what God said to Moses:

Exodus 3:14And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.

John10:10 "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."


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List of verses in Gospel of John where Jesus asserted that he is "I am"..

John 10:7 "I am the door of the sheep."

John10:10 "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."

John10:9 "I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.

John 10:11 "I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep."

John 10:14 "I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. "

John 8:12 "I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life."

John 8:23 "I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world."

John 5:43 "I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive."

John 6:35 "I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst."

John 6:41 "I am the bread which came down from heaven."

John 6:48 "I am that bread of life."

John 6:51 "I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world."

John 8:58 "Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am."

John 9:39 "..For judgement I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.

John 11:25 "I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:"

John 12:46 "I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness."

John 14:6 "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."

John 14:10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.

John 14:11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake.

John 15:1 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman."

John 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

John 17:16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

John 17:14 I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

John 18:6 As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground.

"Prodigal Son" a sermon by Dr. John MacArthur

An excellent video on a sermon from Pastor John Macarthur on "Prodigal son" which was Jesus' Parable from Luke Chapter 15 .

The parable, according to Pastor John Macarthur, is not really about the prodigal son per se but is about God. John Macarthur contrasted God's love, compassion, grace, mercy, forgiveness, faithfulness, condescension, generosity, joy versus the sinner's sinfulness, rebellion, total depravity, decadence, lostness, waywardness, un-thankfulness, ungratefulness, living for the self.

The father in the parable is a picture of God looking and seeking for the sinner like you and me. Every sinner regardless of who you are and your past history of good and bad must come in repentance recognizing that we have rebel against God's authority, went astray to serve the god of this world and is no longer worthy and come to God for His grace and mercy.

The Pharisees and scribes of Jesus' time cannot accept that a Holy God is also Sovereign God of grace. God will have compassion upon the repentant sinner whom He calls and draws to Jesus Christ, the only Way to Him. All of redemption plan to save draw and sinner is the work of God alone, to God alone be all the glory. Amazing Grace !