Turn with me to the book of Proverbs
3. Believers are in this world,
Scripture says, according to John 17. But they are not of
it. Possessions, we work just like
all men are commanded to do. And to have the prosperity of
this world is not forbidden by the Lord, obviously. There's some believers sitting
here this morning and you've got some stuff. What we are warned about is making
much. Of that prosperity. Psalm 62 10 says if riches increase,
set not your heart upon them. That is, don't trust. in that
which is without substance. Don't trust in that which is
failing. Trust Him who is the source of
all things. Verse 9 of Proverbs 3 we looked
at last time. Honor the Lord. with thy substance and with the
firstfruits of all thy increase." That is, boast in. That's what
it means, honor. Boast in. Boast in the Lord with
thy substance. If you have this morning, I'll tell you the
greatest gift that I can think of The
greatest gift that I can think of that you would possess this morning
is faith. Faith. Faith to believe that
Almighty God has done for you what you cannot do for yourself.
Without faith, what does the Scripture say? It's impossible
to please God. Without God giving you the grace
of faith. Faith is a gift. It's given unto
you to believe. All men, the scripture says,
hath not faith. Boast in the Lord with thy substance. You got a few dollars. That's
good. I'm glad. I'm glad you do. That's fine. But I'm going to tell you this,
you're going to leave this world with none of that. But if a man
leaves this world and dies, what Scriptures say, brother Scott,
he all died in faith. Boy, that's an epitaph. Let that be written on your tombstone.
He died in the faith. Honor the Lord with thy substance. So shall thy barns be filled
with plenty. It means that you're going to
have God's giving you faith. You'll have all that is needful.
My God shall supply all your needs. Just just don't do don't
do like me. Don't don't let your mind be
set on on material things when it's talking about this right
here. Let it be set on spiritual things. Let your barns be full. I mean, there's there's some
people in this world that's that's it doesn't have anything. I was
thinking about that woman the Lord talking about gave the two
mites. And here was all these other
showmen, all those Pharisees, you know, dumping in their hundreds,
you know. Well, I've got five $100 bills
I'm going to drop in today. Five hundred. I'm dropping in
five hundred today. And here's a woman that dropped
in two mites. And the Lord said she gave more than any of them. If the Lord has blessed you with
some money, then this is what I do. As the
Lord has prospered you, I give as the Lord has prospered you. He may allow you to keep it all and do like Peter told Simon,
your money perish with you. If God's given you a heart to
be generous in all things, your time, your faith, your money, you know where you sit. But knowing that we're frail
creatures prone to selfishness, and that's what we are, we're
just selfish. I can't possibly believe God,
can I? I mean, I've got stuff I've got
to get. Knowing that we're frail creatures,
and I'm talking this morning to believers. I want to be of comfort. I really
do, because I need some comfort. I need God Almighty to help me. knowing that we are frail creatures. He told me in verse 9, honor
the Lord with thy substance. Boast in the Lord. But knowing that I am a frail
creature, the Lord is going to do for me what I would never
do for myself. He is going to teach me. He's
going to teach me how to boast in Him alone. Honor the Lord. Boast in the Lord. How do I do that? Let me tell
you something about the indescribable wisdom and mercy and kindness
of Almighty God. Here it is. Verse 11 and 12.
That's what we're going to look at this morning. Verse 11 and
12. My son despised not the chastening of the Lord, neither be weary
in his correction. For whom the Lord loveth, he
correcteth, even as a father the son in whom he delighteth."
Hebrews 12 verse 6 says this, For whom the Lord loveth, he
chasteneth, he corrects, and scourgeth, he whips him. He disciplines them. He punishes
every son whom He receives. He admits. Every one that He delights in,
every one that He receives, the Lord whips them. Now, you that believe, Listen
to me. If you be, and I'm going to deal
with how He does it, how you know He does it and stuff, but
just for right now, let's just establish this. If you be without
chastisement, you're none of His. And I'll tell you, Lord
willing, according to Scripture, how you know whether or not you
are. He provides all things for us,
and He lovingly teaches us to be thankful and how to trust
Him for all things. He chastens us. You just told
me, boast in the Lord. Now, do you know what I'm going
to do if He doesn't chasten me? I'm going to boast in May. I'm pretty astute. I've got a
good education. I've got the ability to do it.
I've done a good job. Pull myself up by my own bootstraps,
I'll have you to know. I started off with nothing and
look at me now. That's what I'm going to do. Everyone that he loves, he's going to
train you, instruct you. We learn by experience. Sadly
to say, that's the only way you truly learn. You don't learn
any other way. He is going to bring every son,
every daughter that He receives, that He's everlastingly received
in Christ. He's everlastingly chosen in
Christ. Everlastingly looked upon in
mercy, grace, compassion. Every one of them. Every one
of them. Every one. Every one that the
Lord receives, He chastens. Why? Because He's going to teach
you. We're being taught. He molds the character of those
that He's loved. How? He does it by afflictions,
by loving scourgings. This life is a schooling. I'm
telling you we're being taught how to believe God. We're being
taught how to trust God. Now, believer, this is what you're
going through. This is the way it is. You're
not going to escape the chastisement of God. You that believe, you're
not going to. Don't think you are. Well, the way I've got it
figured is I'm going to kind of try to just... Man, I hope
I'm not unlucky like everybody else. Every one that the Lord
received, He corrects. Chastens. Teach us. Everyone. My son, you the loving object
of my affection, despise not, don't reject, don't refuse the
chastening of the Lord. Don't have an indifferent regard
for His correction. You know, by nature, we're stiff-necked
people. And, man, when I was growing up, my aunt
and uncles here, my dad, she knows what I'm going to say,
I told her. My dad's sister, Eugene, is sitting right here,
youngest sister. She's first-hand witness. My
mama, too, Leroy. came on the scene after they
got married. I was grown, but my dad had a way of thinking,
and this is what it was. If he told me something, and
I'll admit, it took me a while to maybe hear, but it didn't
take long. If he told me this many times, that many times, I don't see
you boys out there. Don't let me see you out there
in the street. When he caught me in the street, there was no questions asked. There was no debate. I knew what was coming. Don't have a stiff-necked attitude. You parents. Let me give you
some advice. Be consistent with your kids. If you tell them one time and
they don't do it, the best thing in the world for
them. And I'm telling you, the next
time when it happens, and the next time when it happens, and
by the grace of God, somewhere along the line, they may learn.
You know what? This hurts. Be consistent. The Lord's chastisement. I don't
know. I was so inconsistent. Man, there would be times that
they would just, oh, I would think to myself, Why? Why did you kids do that? I've got to deal with you. Oh,
I wish I didn't have to. But my word is at stake here. If I told them, my word's at stake, my reputation
toward those kids. If I don't do it, you're going
to think I'm a liar. You're going to think I'm a liar.
I'm going to spank you if you do that again. You know what
they think? If you didn't do it, you're a
liar. You're not going to do it. And
I'll show you you're not going to do it. When Almighty God deals with
us, He deals consistently. His chastisement is measured
in absolute mercy and love and wisdom. Man, I wish I knew how
to do that. I want you to turn to Jeremiah.
I'm going to show you some things that I had never seen before
concerning when the Lord deals with us. I've never seen A couple
of these verses, I'd never read them before. Jeremiah 30.11. I'd read this one. Jeremiah 30.11. For I am with thee, saith the
Lord. Look at the reason. To save you. I'm with you to save. I'll never
leave you. Forsake you, I'll never. Why,
Lord? Because I'm going to save you.
Mike, if you ever left me. Though I make a full end of all
nations, whether I've scattered thee. He said, I'm going to deal
with them in judgment. I'm going to make a full end
of all them, whether I've scattered thee. Yet, will I not make a
full end of you? I'm not going to put you off.
But I will correct you in measure, and I will not leave thee altogether
unpunished. I'm not going to leave you. I'm
not going to forsake you. I'm going to make a full end
of all that I've left to themselves in unbelief. But I'm not going
to make a full measure of you. I'm not going to bring you to
the end in wrath. But I am going to deal with you. Look at Jeremiah 10.24. Jeremiah 10.24 is one I'd never
read before, I don't think. Listen to Jeremiah the prophet.
O Lord, correct me, but with judgment. Not in thine anger. Lest thou
bring me to nothing. Lord, I do need corrected. I know I
do. Let me tell you, the safest place
that a child is, is when they know where the lines are. When they know where the lines
are. If you tell them, if you tell them, stay in the yard. Y'all can play in the backyard,
but don't go out the gate. Don't go out the gate. They love
it. They're going to go out, be in
by midnight, be in by 11, be in by whenever you say. Be in. But when they're left, but you
know what? My buddies stay out till three,
four o'clock in the morning. Yeah, but I ain't talking to
your buddies. I'm talking to you. My dad's favorite line was
this, because I said so. Why? I said so. Lord, correct
me. Put in judgment. Don't leave
me. Lord, deal with me in mercy and kindness. When we are corrected, my son,
despise not the chastening of the Lord. Don't be weary in His
correction. We are corrected personally from
Him. who is absolutely touched with
the feelings of our infirmities. Look at Isaiah 63. Here's another
Scripture I think that was a real... one of those that I, here again,
read. I don't know if I'd read it before
now. Isaiah 63, verse 7-9. Isaiah 63, 7, I will mention
the lovingkindness of the Lord and the praises of
the Lord, according to all that the Lord hath bestowed on us
in the great goodness toward the house of Israel, which he
hath bestowed on them according to his mercies and according
to the multitude of his lovingkindnesses. For he said, Surely they are
my people, children that will not lie, that is, children that
will not be untrue. That's what the word lie means.
They won't be untrue. So He was their Savior. Now listen
to this. Have you ever had a parent? Have
you ever heard of this? When a parent said, this is going
to hurt me more than it hurts you. I didn't love. I did not. I did not look forward. I didn't
wake up one morning and say, man, I hope my kids step out
of line today. the kids see this belt, that
may end up being the way it happened. But I didn't wake up one morning
just looking forward to taking them to the back and dealing
with them. I didn't find pleasure. I did
not find pleasure in having spanked my children. It hurt me. I'd hear those children cry,
and they were And I saw those tears, and I'm telling you, those
are my kids. Man, I'm telling you, I think
about Gabe. Last time I had to deal with
him, he was 15 years old. Go in the bedroom. I'll be there
in just a second. He just went right there and laid down. He
knew it. I didn't find pleasure in that.
You listen to this, Isaiah 63, 9, in all their affliction, He
was afflicted. And the angel of His presence
saved them. In His love and in His pity,
He redeemed them and He bared them and carried them all the
days of old. Can it be that in our affliction,
He was afflicted? I'll tell you this, the Lord
sympathizes with His people. You think He's insensitive to
you? You that He's everlastingly loved, do you think that He's
just feelingless? That there's nothing there? The
Scripture says He was touched with the feelings of our infirmities. The Lord sympathizes with His
people. Now, here again, like the message
before, you think I can enter into the depth of this? I can
tell you what the Scripture says. Let me read this to you. Judges
10, 15, 16, And the children of Israel said unto the Lord,
We have sinned. Do thou unto us whatsoever seemeth
good unto thee, deliver us only, we pray this day. And they put
away the strange gods, or the gods of strangers, from among
them and served the Lord. And here is what it says about
the Lord. And His soul was grieved for
the misery of Israel. Mourned because of love. Back in Proverbs. My son, despise
not the chastening of the Lord, neither be wary of His correction,
because those that He loves. If I will but by the grace of
God enter in to the understanding that He deals with me in the
way that He deals with me, because He loves me. That's what I tell my kids. I
said, I love you. That's the reason. I said, you're not going to act
like this. You're not going to be disrespectful
to me. You're not going to be disrespectful to your mother. I'm going to try to train you.
Nobody wants to be around children that are disobedient. Children
don't want to be around them and adults don't want to be around
I'm not going to let you act like this. You're not going to
embarrass me. You're not going to embarrass
your mama. You're going to remember who you are and whose you are. But now I'm going to tell you
this because I love you. I'm not going to leave you to
yourself. Almighty God chastens His people
whom the Lord loveth." Chastisement is a mark of sonship. It's a
proof of God's mercy. Woe to the man or woman that
God allows to continue recklessly, unchecked, unchastened, unwhipped, unchastised. Woe to that man that is left
To be in boastful and presumptuous false security and woe to that
man that God gives no heart of grief for his reckless attitude.
I tell you, the Lord may allow reprobate to continue in his
sins, but never his people. Never. Those that are left unchecked. And continue, and continue, and
continue, and continue, and continue in rebellion, in rebellion, in
rebellion. If you be without chastisement, you're not His. Chastisement is not judgment. He hath not beheld iniquity in
Jacob, Neither hath He seen perverseness in Israel." That's what Numbers
23 says. God's people are accepted and
beloved and they're robed in the righteousness of Christ and
there's no condemnation in them. Almighty God is not going to
condemn His people because He's already spewed out the wrath
on the substitute. Our sins are not imputed to us,
the Scripture says, that is, chargeable in judgment. But we're
not without sin. 1 John 1.80, if we say that we
have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. Chastisement is sent because
of the presence of sin. But you remember this, you that
believe, there's no wrath. for you, God's not going to put
you in hell. He's not going to put you in
the lake of fire. If Christ has put away your guilt, you are
not going to be in the lake of fire. But I'm going to tell you
this, you're going to go through this world corrected because
of the presence of sin that the Lord Jesus Christ paid the debt
of. Not all affliction, not all chastisement,
is because of sin already committed. This helped me, what I'm about
to tell you, this was a help to me. Not all chastisement and
afflictions are sent because of sin that has already been
committed. The scripture bears out that
afflictions may be sent to prevent sin. David said in Psalm 19, 13, Keep
back thy servant from presumptuous sins. Let them not have dominion
over me. Then shall I be upright and shall
be innocent from the great transgression, from presumptuous sin. What do
you mean, David? I think Paul the Apostle spoke
of and set forth presumptuous sin and how God chastened him
to keep him from something. 2 Corinthians 12.7. Lest I should be exalted above
measure, through the abundance of revelations there was given
me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet
me, lest I should be exalted above measure. We're proud people. But Almighty God in His lovingkindness
may send affliction and chastisement to keep us from something. Sometimes trials are sent for
the proving and strengthening of God's graces to us. James says, my brethren, count
it all joy when we fall into divers temptations, knowing this,
that the trying of your faith works patience. God may send
chastisements and trials to prove, to expose the grace that He's
already given. Sometimes God's people suffer
affliction and persecutions as a confirmation, testimony to
the truth. In the book of Acts 541, they
departed from the presence of the council rejoicing that they
were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name. It may be
for the sake of the preaching of the gospel. God may send chastisements
through other people despising you for what you believe concerning
the gospel of God's grace. Sometimes to keep you from something.
Sometimes to confirm the graces in you. But these afflictions
and trials and chastisements come for the reasons known only
to Almighty God. God's people desire only to be
kept. Job said in 10.2, I will say
unto the Lord, do not condemn me. Show me wherefore thou contendest
with me." Lord, give me some wisdom. He may or may not. The believer rests in the fact
that all of the Lord's dealings with him are absolutely necessary.
Now that will settle you down. It's good for me that I've been
afflicted. Why? That I might learn. Because I'm
ignorant. I don't know what's best for
me. It's God's way to correct those in whom He delights. That's God's way. This is scriptural. This is scriptural. Proverbs
13, 24, He that spareth his rod, He that restrains his rod. And
God said, I'm not going to do it. Why? Because I love you.
I love you. He that spareth his rod, Hated
his son is an enemy too. Those that correct not, those
that are theirs, you don't correct them. You're their enemy. But he that loveth him chasteneth
him betimes. That means quickly. Quickly. Don't put it off. I'll tell you
one thing, boy, when you so-and-so gets here, when you get back,
now, deal with it right now, as quickly as you can. You rest
assured that his chastisement flows from his love. If I can
remember that, that all that he has sent my way is because
he loves me. He loves me. It's not going to
lead me to myself. He's training me. Despise not. Don't think little of the chastening
of the Lord. They're sent to strengthen your
faith, approving of your faith, to keep us from abounding in
pride. And He knows how. Self-righteous. Expect it. Expect it. And neither be weary. His correction,
don't be disgusted with it. For whom the Lord loveth, he
correcteth as a father of the Son, whom he delighteth. In closing,
we do well to mark the difference between an unbeliever being judged,
I need this, and a believer being chastened, because we all go
through the same thing. Believers and unbelievers go
through the same types of trials. They get sick. They have money
problems. They have problems in their families.
They have problems with the kids. Believers and unbelievers go
through the same things. What's the difference? How do you know
the difference? An unbeliever, when he goes through
trials, will have no regard for God's honor. That's the first
evidence right there. He'll have no regard for God's
honor in his circumstances. He will despise the lot, and
he'll even find himself eventually blaming God for his situation. He may make a show at first of
bowing. And a lot of times when people
get in dire straits, first thing they do is they get religious. They may make an outward show
for a while, but only a believer will grow in that submission
to Him. An unbeliever will try to make
the best of a bad situation. He'll just absolutely Just grit
his teeth and try to bear it out. And when he's delivered,
really, in his heart, he was just lucky. But for the believer,
he will have regard for God's honor, and he will be reminded,
in his heart, he will be reminded, this is for my good. This is
for God's honor. And if He slays me, if He takes me out of this world, I'm going to trust Him. Oh, that's
by the grace of God. He's going to admit that the
hand of God has tenderly and mercifully brought these things
about by the wisdom of Him who has always loved Him. He's doing
this for my good. And when I hurt, He hurts. Boy,
that's a tender point of compassion, isn't it? When I'm grieved, He's grieved
because of my association with Him and Christ. He knows that everything that
comes His way must be sent by Him who knows best. The Scripture
says we must, through much tribulation, enter into the Kingdom of God. Trials and chastisements are
proofs of the Lord's love for us. You know what He's doing?
He's purging us. He's purging us by faith. The believer understands the
reason for God's discipline. Peter said in 1 Peter 1, 6 and
7, wherein you would greatly rejoice, though now for a season,
if need be, you are in heaviness through manifold temptations,
that the trial of your faith, being more precious than of gold
that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found
unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ. He who has everlastingly loved
us in the Lord Jesus, who is bringing us to Himself, knows just exactly how to teach
us to honor Him, boast in Him. He will bring us down. There
is nothing that is more beautiful, that is more lovely than to behold
the miracle of God's sustaining grace, and to watch a believer
be kept by God Almighty in the midst of trials and tribulations.
And as Peter said when he was in Athens, seeing the grace of
God, actually witnessing I entitled this message, Why
a Believer Suffers. You know what the answer to it
is? Because the Lord loves him. That's the reason. Whom? The Lord loves him. Lord, thank you for not leaving
me to myself. Thank you for not leaving me
in rebellion Thank you for teaching me. Thank you for teaching me
how to trust you. Lord, these trials, they're painful. That's what Paul says. They're
grievous. But these are light afflictions.
You that believe, this is the worst that it's going to be.
This is the worst that it's going to be. There is an eternal weight
of glory when we behold Him who has everlastingly loved us and
gave Himself for us. In that day, then we'll know
how to say, Thank you. Lord, thank you. Thank you for
keeping us. Thank you for loving us. Thank
you for teaching us. You did it for Christ's sake
and for our good.