http://www.goingtojesus.com/suffering-and-the-saints.html
Good morning Bro John,
I have been reading in the “Suffering and the Saints” book this morning. The section on “The Saints in Corinth” felt so valuable to me after the meeting last night.
We all have said how much we love this book and what it means to have the truth taught by an anointed man of God. Well, what you said last night is what is in this section of the book.
So I typed up just one page that is so good.
Sheila
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Suffering and the Saints
From the section: The Saints in Corinth – Pages 175, 176, 177:
The subject of chastisement of the saints should never be treated as a subject that is apart from the goodness and wisdom and power of the Creator. His goodness, because God corrects us for our benefit, not His own. His wisdom, because He knows the thoughts and intents of our heart and makes righteous judgments. His power, because it is He alone who determines how and when and by whom our correction will come, whether by revelation, or by the exhortation of an elder, or by sickness, weakness, and even premature death.
Those sufferings are from God, in wisdom measured by Him specifically for individual members and are judgments of the Lord. We can have hope and comfort, as long as we understand that the Lord’s discipline is a sure indication of His love and that the purpose is not to condemn but to save as Paul explained: When we are judged, we are chastened y the Lord so that we should not be condemned with the world.
When God chastens, He chastens with a good, healing purpose.
That story of the lost lamb, told by Jesus, indicates that there is not an obedient saint alive who stands any closer to God’s heart than the saint who has sinned and is now suffering the bitter consequence.
Our loving heavenly Father does not afflict willingly nor grieve His children but when we resist His will, we push Him to unpleasant and severe measures. But it is with GREAT thankfulness that it is still our heavenly Father who holds the chastening rod. Even though He causes grief, He will have compassion according to the multitude of His mercies.
In difficult times, it is comforting to remember that the disciplining of the saints is a family affair.
The worst thing that could happen is to be given free rein in our sin, to be abandoned to wander in darkness of our own stubborn way.
The Father’s gentle, comforting touch shows us the higher way. Sometimes for our sakes, He must be more forceful. Nevertheless, when those harsher times come, we can still be confident that it is our father at work, answering – in His wise way – our prayers to be made more pleasing in His sight.
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Hey Brother John,
Part of this page that Sheila typed out reminded me of one of my favorite verses. She wrote, ”In difficult times, it is comforting to remember that the disciplining of the saints is a family affair. The worst thing that could happen is to be given free rein in our sin, to be abandoned to wander in darkness of our own stubborn way.”
Last winter you encouraged all of us to go back and study the law, which I did. That’s when I ran across this verse. (Lev. 19:17) “Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbor, and not suffer sin upon him.”
I have been on the receiving end of the kind of love that is required to keep that commandment. The memories of that love is what makes that verse so special to me. The saints that meet at your house that have loved me enough to keep me on the right track are very valuable to me. All of them are very dear to my heart, and I hope that they can see that in the way that I treat them now.
Looking forward to getting my copy of the book soon.
Billy H.