Colossi ans 1:9-10 (Amplified) says, "For this reason we also, from the day we heard of it, have not ceased to pray and make special request for you, asking that you may be filled with the full, deep, clear knowledge of His will in all Spiritual Wisdom in comprehensive insight into the ways and purposes of God, and in understanding and discernment of spiritual things-That you may walk live and conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the Lord (fully pleasing to Him and desiring to please Him in all things, bearing fruit in every Good work and steadily growing and increasing in and by the knowledge of God, with full and deeper, and clearer insight, acquaintance and recognition)."
For some reason, this prayer is still available to all who will believe it, but has been passed over as though it was for only the Colossi an Church and it's remained a mystery to God's people, concerning His will and instructions for His family. If we were to speak with twenty different Christians concerning God's will and the way He chastises His children, then we would probably hear twenty different opinions. The opinions we have about God's way of doing or being right, doesn't change God's ways of doing and being right.
The Church has struggled with this for so long, based on traditions of early Christian teachings. Somehow, we've believed more in physical chastisement and the Curse to teach us, instead of Spiritual correction and the Blessing that came upon us, through Jesus. We've taken vows of poverty and have accepted sickness and disease as being God's will for His children.
We read about discipline, correction, training and discipline in Hebrews 12:5-11(Amplified). Verse 9 makes the distinction between "earthly fathers" and our "Spiritual Father." God dealt with the old covenant people, by the dealings of the Law and the flesh. They had become spiritually dead and were separated from the Spiritual Life of God through Adam, so the Father couldn't deal with them as spirit. In Romans 7:6 (Amplified) Paul says, "But now we are discharged from the Law and have terminated all intercourse with it, having died to what once restrained and held us captive. So now we serve not under obedience to the old code of written regulations, but under obedience to the promptings of the Spirit in newness of Life."
Paul also writes in 1Corinthians 2:13 (Amplified), "We are setting these Truths forth in Words not taught by human wisdom, but taught by the Holy Spirit (combining and interpreting Spiritual Truths with Spiritual language to those who possess the Holy Spirit." Paul goes on to speak about the carnal minded and the spiritually minded, saying, "One listens to the Word and the Spirit, and governs and disciplines himself by the Word as an obedient child of God, while the other goes on their way until the enemy gets them into a place he can work his will in their life." Thus, he writes in Romans 8:14 (Amplified), "For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God." This implies maturity in son-ship and the obedience of children to their parents.
Ephesians 6:1-4 (Amplified) says, "Children, obey your parents in the Lord as His representatives, for this is just and right. Honor esteem and value as precious your father and your mother, this is the first commandment with a Promise That all may live long on the earth. Fathers, do not irritate and provoke your children to anger, do not exasperate them to resentment, but rear them tenderly in the training and discipline and the counsel and admonition of the Lord."
Listen carefully to these instructions Paul gave to the Church in Ephesus and then ask, "Would the Lord instruct us to do something, that He Himself would violate?" I hear many people who are in trouble, say that "God is testing them." They don't know what or why the test came and they don't know if and when they will pass the test.
One would think that if God was testing a person, then He would at least let that person know what the test was for, so it could be corrected. If God was teaching us by sickness or hardship, then wouldn't you learn in what area He was teaching us in, so we could learn from the lesson and move on? I've known too Christians who have "been tested by God" for many years and are "being taught by the Father." Either God is a poor Teacher or the student isn't capable of easily and readiling receiving His teachings.
We're equating earthly fathers of the flesh, to the Father of Spirits. When our Father of Spirits deals with His children, He deals with our spirit. Jesus said in John 6:63 (Amplified), "It is the Spirit Who gives Life (He is the Life Giver); the flesh conveys no benefit whatever (there is no profit in it), the Words (Truths) that I have been speaking to you are Spirit and Life." One teaches, corrects, develops and disciplines a spirit, by Spiritual things and not with physical things.
The Father wants His children to govern our lives by His Word and His Holy Spirit. He wants us to want to hear and respond to Him in Love and grow by trusting the instructions He has given to us. We find what Jesus said about the "Word being Spirit and Truth," is what the Father expects of obedient children, in 2Timothy 3:16-17 (Amplified) which says, "Every scripture is God-breathed (given by His Inspiration) and is profitable for instructions, for reproof and conviction of sin (for correction of error and discipline in obedience), and for training in righteousness, in holy living, in conformity to God's will in thought, purpose and action. So that the man of God may be complete and proficient, well-fitted and equipped for every Good work."
Paul tells us, that if a believer will "rightly divide the work and study to show themselves approved," then "God's Word and Spirit will guide, correct and discipline His children," without the Curse of the Law to come upon them. The Father expects us to heed His Word and walk in it. God Promises in Deuteronomy 30:19 (Amplified) is, "I call Heaven and earth to witness this day against you that I have set before you Life and death, the Blessing and the Curse, therefore choose Life that you and your descendants may live."
When we received Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we chose to walk in Life and Blessing, so why would we ever expect God to bring a curse on His Own for correction? Galatians 3:27 (Amplified) says, "But the scripture picture all mankind as sinners, shut up and imprisoned by sin, so that the inheritance (Blessing) which was Promised through faith in Jesus Christ (the Messiah) might be given, released, delivered and committed to all those who believe (who adhere to, and trust in and rely on Him)."
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