The
Prophetic Messenger
A
Newsletter From Mysteries From The Word Of God Ministries
May/June
2002 - Volume 4/Issue 3
What Is Love?
"My son, despise
not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of his correction"
Proverbs 3:11
This article shows
Jesus Christ's love through correction and the proper way for
Christians to correct one another in love.
1. Jesus Christ Corrects
Us Through His Love For Us
Jesus Christ said in John 15 that through purging we would bring
forth more fruit. In John 15:1-8 it says "1 I am the
true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. 2 Every branch in
me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that
beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto
you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit
of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except
ye abide in me. 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. 6 If a man abide not in me,
he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather
them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If
ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what
ye will, and it shall be done unto you. 8 Herein is my Father
glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples."
The word "purge" in verse 2 is defined in Webster's
dictionary as "to make clean or pure by getting rid of things
that are dirty or wrong." In Proverbs 3:11-12 it says "11
My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary
of his correction: 12 For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth;
even as a father the son in whom he delighteth." Also,
in Hebrews 12:1-11 it says "1 Wherefore seeing we also
are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us
lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset
us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before
us, 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith;
who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising
the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of
God. 3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners
against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.
5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you
as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of
the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: 6 For whom
the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he
receiveth. 7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as
with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers,
then are ye bastards, and not sons. 9 Furthermore we have had
fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence:
shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of
spirits, and live? 10 For they verily for a few days chastened
us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might
be partakers of his holiness. 11 Now no chastening for the present
seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it
yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which
are exercised thereby." Jesus Christ shows His love
through correction to help us mature in our relationship with
Him.
2. Christians Must Correct
Christians When Needed.
In Matthew 18:15-17 Jesus says "15 Moreover if thy brother
shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between
thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy
brother. 16 But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee
one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses
every word may be established. 17 And if he shall neglect to
hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear
the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican."
In many cases this type of correction is done privately with
the person who needs correction but sometimes it's done in the
open with other people as witnesses. In Proverbs 27:5 It says
"5 Open rebuke is better than secret love."
In Matthew 16 we see Jesus openly rebuking Peter in front of
the other disciples. In Matthew 16:21-23 it says "21
From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples,
how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of
the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and
be raised again the third day. 22 Then Peter took him, and began
to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall
not be unto thee. 23 But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get
thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou
savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of
men." Also, the apostle Paul rebuked Peter openly. In
Galatians 2:11-21 it says "11 But when Peter was come
to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be
blamed. 12 For before that certain came from James, he did eat
with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated
himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision. 13 And
the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas
also was carried away with their dissimulation. 14 But when I
saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of
the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being
a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the
Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?
15 We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles,
16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law,
but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus
Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and
not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall
no flesh be justified. 17 But if, while we seek to be justified
by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore
Christ the minister of sin? God forbid. 18 For if I build again
the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. 19
For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto
God. 20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet
not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live
in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved
me, and gave himself for me. 21 I do not frustrate the grace
of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is
dead in vain." These examples show Jesus Christ and
the apostle Paul correcting others. From these examples we see
that only mature Christians should prayerfully and humbly in
love correct other Christians. In Galatians 6:1-3 it says "1
Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual,
restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself,
lest thou also be tempted. 2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and
so fulfil the law of Christ. 3 For if a man think himself to
be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself."
3. True Love Shows Sin
To Bring Repentance
In John 4 we see Jesus' love for the woman of Samaria who wanted
the living water. Jesus shows her sin and she testifies about
Him and as a result many believed on Jesus Christ as the Messiah.
In John 4:5-19, 25-29, 39-42 it says " 5 Then cometh
He to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the
parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. 6 Now Jacob's
well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey,
sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour. 7 There
cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her,
Give me to drink. 8 (For his disciples were gone away unto the
city to buy meat.) 9 Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him,
How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am
a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.
10 Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift
of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou
wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living
water. 11 The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to
draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that
living water? 12 Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which
gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children,
and his cattle? 13 Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever
drinketh of this water shall thirst again: 14 But whosoever drinketh
of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the
water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing
up into everlasting life. 15 The woman saith unto him, Sir, give
me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.
16 Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither.
17 The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said
unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband: 18 For thou
hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy
husband: in that saidst thou truly. 19 The woman saith unto him,
Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. 25 The woman saith unto
him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when
he is come, he will tell us all things. 26 Jesus saith unto her,
I that speak unto thee am he. 27 And upon this came his disciples,
and marvelled that he talked with the woman: yet no man said,
What seekest thou? or, Why talkest thou with her? 28 The woman
then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith
to the men, 29 Come, see a man, which told me all things that
ever I did: is not this the Christ? 39 And many of the Samaritans
of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which
testified, He told me all that ever I did. 40 So when the Samaritans
were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with
them: and he abode there two days. 41 And many more believed
because of his own word; 42 And said unto the woman, Now we believe,
not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and
know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world."
The prophet Nathan was used by God to bring king David to
repentance for the sins that he had committed. In II Samuel 12:1-14
it says " 1 And the LORD sent Nathan unto David. And
he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in one
city; the one rich, and the other poor. 2 The rich man had exceeding
many flocks and herds: 3 But the poor man had nothing, save one
little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it
grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat
of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom,
and was unto him as a daughter. 4 And there came a traveller
unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and
of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come
unto him; but took the poor man's lamb, and dressed it for the
man that was come to him. 5 And David's anger was greatly kindled
against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the LORD liveth, the
man that hath done this thing shall surely die: 6 And he shall
restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because
he had no pity. 7 And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man.
Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I anointed thee king over
Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul; 8 And I
gave thee thy master's house, and thy master's wives into thy
bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if
that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee
such and such things. 9 Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment
of the LORD, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah
the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy
wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.
10 Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house;
because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah
the Hittite to be thy wife. 11 Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I
will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I
will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy
neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this
sun. 12 For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing
before all Israel, and before the sun. 13 And David said unto
Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto
David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.
14 Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion
to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that
is born unto thee shall surely die."
In closing, if this message
has brought conviction to you because of sin in your life, you
must repent and begin to develop a living relationship with Jesus
Christ.
Coming Up In The
Next Issue
Human Implant: Satan's Final Lie.
Read this article in the next issue of The Prophetic Messenger.
Memory Verses
As Christians if we want to live in victory and if we want to
be able to share the Word Of God with others we must know the
Word of God ourselves. Let's see what the Bible says about this.
"Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin
against thee." Psalm 119:11. " If ye abide in me, and
my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall
be done unto you." John 15:7. "Then said Jesus to those
Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are
ye my disciples indeed." John 8:31. We encourage you to
put the following scriptures in your heart: II Kings 2:9, Romans
8:13, Nahum 1:5, I Peter 5:7, Psalm 9:17, I Thessalonians 5:19,
Zechariah 10:12, John 6:37, Ezekiel 13:2, I Thessalonians 5:23.
Use only the Old King James version of the Holy Bible. (If you
have any questions about this please see the book New Age
Bible Versions, by G.A. Riplinger ©1993, ISBN 0-9635845-0-2.)
Join Us For Service
We invite you to worship with us on Sundays! Our church is called
The Ingathering Fellowship. We meet at 9400 NE 72nd Ave, Vancouver,
WA (The Barberton Grange).
Sunday School is from 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm. Church service begins
at 1:45 pm. If you would like a map, please send a self-addressed
stamped envelope to: Mysteries From The Word Of God Ministries,
P.O. Box 6391, Vancouver, WA 98668. Request the map to the church
service.
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