Correction

Good morning once more (as Stephen King would write-->) 'faithful reader'.  I hope you are all enjoying this beautiful morning.  The sun is not up yet, but I can tell it is going to be a great day.  ANY day I get up alive, at my age, is a great day.  But no, I just have a feeling about today---I think it is going to be exceptionally great.  I am going to watch all day long to see what exceptional things happen.  Anyway, on with today's lesson.....

Do you ever make mistakes?  Now there is a rhetorical question if I ever heard one!   Of course you do, as do we all.  We make many, many mistakes.  Some mistakes can have very serious consequences, like drinking and driving.  Still others, can be very minor in stature, such as putting too much salt in a food we are preparing.  Or anything, YOU come up with some mistakes that you make, or made---both major and minor ones.  Have you already made some today.....?

We do all make them, and we continue to do so, that is, make improper decisions about how we live our lives, for example, we error (make mistakes)  a lot.  Some of us have spouses, children, friends or parents to help us when we make mistakes.  For those of us who don't have those people around us a lot, we fall in the danger of making mistakes, bigger ones every day.

God knows we will make mistakes (As it is written: "There is no one righteous, not even one;..." Romans 3:10).  And of course, because of His great forgiveness, we are 'covered'.  But are we really?  This part can get very debateful between people who believe that once you are saved, you always are, and those who believe that you can fall from God's grace.   Based upon my understanding of Scripture, I believe the latter to be true.  So, as I believe that, I must also fear it.  If I make mistakes over and over, I stand the chance of losing my salvation.  That is where YOU come in.  My family in Christ.  I, like you, need constant help from one another.  Lately, because of the lack of discipline exhibited in our church, more and more of us are making serious mistakes.  We ALL need to be corrected.  But few of us WANT to be.  We are all familiar with this Hebrews passage: 'No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.'  That is correct.  Even though we don't like to be disciplined (corrected), we know, as our parents told us, 'it is for our own good'. 

There are several references in the New Testament on this subject--I ask you to research those and see what the authors are telling us about being corrected for our mistakes.

The Old Testament, as well, contain several warnings about not being corrected (or not wanting to be corrected) for our mistakes.  I want to list extracts from a few of the Proverbs where God is warning us about not being corrected.

1-7------The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.

3-12----the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.

5-23----He will die for lack of discipline, led astray by his own great folly.

6:23-----the corrections of discipline are the way to life,

9-13----The woman Folly is loud; she is undisciplined and without knowledge.

10-17---He who heeds discipline shows the way to life, but whoever ignores correction leads others astray.

12-1-----Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid.

13-18---He who ignores discipline comes to poverty and shame, but whoever heeds correction is honored.

13-24---He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline him.

15-5-----A fool spurns his father's discipline, but whoever heeds correction shows prudence.

15-10---Stern discipline awaits him who leaves the path; he who hates correction will die.

15-12---A mocker resents correction; he will not consult the wise.

15-32---He who ignores discipline despises himself, but whoever heeds correction gains understanding.

19-18---Discipline your son, for in that there is hope; do not be a willing party to his death.

22-15---Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline will drive it far from him

23-13---Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you punish him with the rod, he will not die.

29-15---The rod of correction imparts wisdom, but a child left to himself disgraces his mother.

29-17---Discipline your son, and he will give you peace; he will bring delight to your soul.

The list is certainly longer when you take the time to ingest all of the wisdom of the writers of the Proverbs.  But, look carefully over this list and see what God is telling us.   One, He tells us we NEED correction (or we will die to Him).  Two, He says that correction with save us, and others.  Three, He tells us to counsel (discipline) or correct others, starting with our children, but expanding to each other.

The lack of 'discipling', to use a term once associated with our church, is hurting us.  We are being stupid, led astray, bringing disgrace to ourselves and God.  This term must come alive once again in our church---but it starts with each one of us.  If the leaders are not going to 'demand' it with love, we need to 'GET IT' through the love of each other.

I whole-heartedly encourage all of you to talk more to your friends, your neighbors and family, and correct them when they err.  I expect people to correct me when I make mistakes--which is very often--although I may not like it, I KNOW it is for my own good.

Find someone today and correct him or her---THAT will make today exceptional.

May God bless us all....

Mac