2 October 2015

WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT IF YOU LIVE IN THE RIVER (2)

By John Ollis

I have been overwhelmed by the response to this new series of blogs, it sure is a confirmation that writing is very much part of my new season in ministry and my walk with God..
These days we are fed so much that the Christian life is a “bed of roses” and full off financial prosperity, plus a heap of “cheap grace” teaching, that causes people to have such a shallow unfulfilling (and often defeated) Christian life, O how we must rightly divide the Word of truth and give believers a balanced teaching on “growing in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ”.
The last blog on the “Refiner’s fire” is not a teaching that we will enjoy hearing, but a truth that needs to be embraced if we are to become men and women of God.
Let us look at Hebrews 12:5-11 NKJV
And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as sons; “My sons, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; For whom the Lord loves he chastens and scourges every son who he receives (Prov.3:11-12) If you endure chastening, God deals with you as sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which hall have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not my sons. Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not more readily be in subjection to the father of Spirits and live? For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit that we may be partakers of HIS HOLINESS. Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful nevertheless, afterwards it yielded the PEACEABLE FRUIT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS to those who are trained (respond) to it.
As a parent, I sure disciplined our boys (sometimes I think I could have been excessive, I thank God they have both told me they are thankful for the discipline, they are both today loving and serving the Lord and married to Godly wives. Sadly, many parents these days are more influenced by Dr Spock than the Bible.
Here, the write to the Hebrews, tells us that God as our Father needs to discipline us so we will not become delinquents.
As I said in my last blog, as God sees the sincerity of our heart, as we have seeking to live a surrendered life, and live in the River and walk in the Spirit. He disciplines us (from time to time) Why because HE LOVES US. The message Bible says, My dear child, don’t shrug off God’s discipline, BUT DON’T BE CRUSHED BY IT either, It is the child HE LOVES that He disciplines; the child He embraces, He also corrects.  Are you glad He loves us with an EVERLASTING LOVE ?
The word trained in verse 11 has the picture of a soldier doing his basic training, and the more he practices and responds to the Sargent’s  training the more expert he becomes.
My question is What can you expect when you live in the River?  The Refiner’s Fire, but also the Father’s LOVE AND DISCIPLINE.

WHAT DOES IT PRODUCE?

  1. We become partakers of His Holiness v.10

As we respond to the father’s discipline, we receive more of God’s divine nature, and more of the life of God flows through us.
2. We receive the peaceable fruit of righteousness v.11.
When we are born again, we are declared righteous,  but the Apostle John tells us, (1John 3:7) we who are declared righteous, must practice righteousness.  The peaceable fruit of righteousness is received (and we can start to practice righteousness)  as we begin seeking to live in the River and responding to the discipline of God.
This discipline is NOT a walk in the park, Look at these definitions.
Chastening, To correct by punishment, to restrain, to subdue, to rid of excess, to refine, to purify, would you meditate on each of these definitions please ?
Scourging, to flog, to whip, to beat, to lash, to flagellate, to flail, to birch, to cane., to thrash, to belt. Did you see the movie “The Passion of the Christ, do you remember the whipping Jesus received. Scourging is  what Jesus experienced when He was whipped with the cat o nine tails (a whip with pieces of iron and sharpened bone imbedded in it. So that His back became like a ploughed field the Psalmist said.
You can stay out of the river, and live a defeated unfulfilled Christian life, or by God’s grace step in, and learn to live and walk in the Spirit, He will give you His grace to respond to these dealings, remember the end result is a life, filled with blessing, victory, holiness and purity. We are not hearing this message these days why ????
Should I write about some of the more positive things we can receive if we live in the River ?
Please let me have your comments ?