Open to Correction

Wayne Matthews

January 21, 2017

Welcome, everybody, to this Sabbath.

The title of today's sermon is Open to Correction.

By nature we all do not like correction. It's just what we are, who we are. We just don't like it. It's the way we've been made. We do not like correction. Before we're called, normally when somebody corrects us we cringe a bit. Now, this is all because of our pride, what we really are, the way we think of ourselves, the image we have of ourselves, the image we have built up about ourselves, the way we think. Therefore, if someone corrects us or their opinion of us is different than ours, we normally react and that reaction is generally done by justification. We justify the position we hold. We justify the image we have of ourselves. We defend ourselves because we don't like to think we are wrong. Now, that is because of our nature.

By nature we just don't like correction because of our pride. If we are not open to correction we have pride. That's just a simple fact. We are right in our own eyes. If we are open to correction we have humility. Now, when we're first called what generally happens is we are wrong, of course, because by nature we are wrong. Mankind is wrong. Things like Christmas and Easter, all of these basic things, Sunday worship, they're all things that God despises and says that we should reject and get out of our life. Well, when we're called we have this excitement, which is that first love, because we start to "see" where we are wrong.

And powered by God's holy spirit we overcome those things reasonably easily because we change from Sunday worship to Sabbath keeping, and we have this zeal because of this love, because of the power of God's holy spirit, and we don't see this as, really as correction. Yet it is, because God is correcting our thinking, and it's done by revealing truth to us. We start to see the truth, we understand the truth, and we're excited about this change. Well, this change that's taking place is correction. God is correcting our thinking powered by God's holy spirit. Our part in it is to yield to God's spirit. Generally what happens is, with this first love, this zeal, we get into it where we really are zealous about this change. So things like Christmas, well, we're quite happy to acknowledge that it's a lie and no lie is of the truth, therefore, we reject Christmas and we soon tell people we don't keep Christmas because it's wrong and reject it. We don't take presents, we don't give presents, and people see us as odd. The same with Easter. We reject it. We learn that Christmas and Easter, Sunday worship, and other things are wrong. Well, this is all a form of correction. God is correcting our thinking. Well, with this first love, with this zeal, with God's spirit we willingly move into those things and we do it with some level of zeal.

Well, mankind is always right in his own eyes so, therefore, we run into problems with other people because they don't see this change that's necessary. "What do you mean Sunday worship's wrong? What do you mean Christmas, Easter are wrong? What do you mean that these other things like Halloween are wrong?" We can go out and try to prove these things, but they're not really interested because mankind is right in his own eyes.

So let's just look at this very fact about who we really are and what we are. Proverbs 21:2—Every way, and that's every way, that's everything a man does. Every way of a man/ woman/ human is right in his own eyes, because of pride, because of self and selfishness, their motive, their intent of a person. We by nature have pride, therefore, we are wrong. Because of pride, we're wrong because we grow up a particular way.

For example, if somebody follows a particular political scheme within a family, generally (not always), they are right in their own eyes, therefore, this right in their own eyes about this political system is passed on to father, son, and daughter, and mother, son, and daughter. It's just passed on in a family. Because they are right. If they were wrong they would change. No, they are right. They have this pride and they pass what they believe on to others. Same in religion. Same in the way people live, the way that they maintain a house or maintain a family, the way that they discipline children. It's passed on from generation to generation because "every way of a man or a woman, a human is right in their own eyes." That's the way it should be done according to them. That is all done because of their pride and their selfishness. It goes back to their intent, what they believe is right.

But the Eternal weighs the heart. God looks at the inner intent of a person, the inner man, the motive behind why things are done.

Well, mankind is right in his own eyes and that's just the history of mankind. Everybody is right in their own eyes. Everyone has an opinion about something and they uphold to that opinion and if you try to correct that opinion, well, we have big division, you have arguments. You have fights. It is no different than in a family or a marriage. When an argument comes up, which is the aggression behind a person being right in their own eyes and they're going to stand to the death, so to speak, to defend their opinion, to defend themselves. Well, that is because they're not open to correction; they're not open because of pride. Yet God calls us to be open to correction because being called means we're going to be corrected for the rest of our life. That's what a calling is about, a transformation of the mind, the way a person thinks by nature to thinking like God. Now, the gap is enormous! The gap is huge! Therefore, once a person is called they're going to have to be open to correction for the rest of their life.

Now, the moment we're not open to this correction that comes from God or through God's servants we run into problems. Now, whenever we have problems we should know straight away what the problem is. The problem is us and the problem is pride. We're holding on to our way. "Every way of a person, every way is right in his/our own eyes." It's our opinion, our view. No, this is wrong and this is what I think is right. Yet what we are called to do is to transform our mind to think like God so that we can adjust our views, adjust our own eyesight, physically, but more importantly spiritually, that we see things differently.

Now, the purpose of this sermon is to look at the very fact of how we have to be open to correction for the whole of our life. Once we are called there is going to be continual correction take place. This correction mainly takes place every single Sabbath. Now, if we go through a Sabbath and there wasn't a level of correction that took place within our thinking, within our minds, what did we achieve out of that sermon? Now, God corrects us through sermons. He encourages through sermons but He also corrects us. So whenever we're encouraged it's a form of correction, if we look at it the way God says. Well, because if we're encouraged, which means we're motivated, which means we were wrong before and we weren't as zealous as we were before, well, we're being corrected although it's encouragement. We're being corrected from being a little bit negative, not seeing things as clearly as we should, not viewing things the right way, then all of a sudden we start to see things the way God desires us to see them, therefore, our thoughts are corrected and we become encouraged about the path we are on, the calling that we have been given.

Let's look at Proverbs 12:15—The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but he who heeds counsel is wise. So, "the way," the thinking, the attitude that is there, "of a fool." Now, what's a fool really? Well, a fool is someone that won't listen to God. Because there's lots of definitions in the world about what a fool is, but really, deep down in the Bible, when we consider what a fool is, a fool is anybody who holds to their opinion that is opposite to God. So "the way of a fool," someone who won't listen to God, well, the fool, he won't listen to God, "he is right in his own eyes," his own opinion, his own views. He thinks he's right. He's arrogant and has pride. He's a know-it-all because he's right; therefore, he doesn't need to be corrected. "But he who heeds counsel," is listening to God, "is wise."

Now, we're entering a time where if we will listen, if mankind will listen, God will listen. Now, that's an incredible thing in itself, and the depth of the understanding of that is quite powerful, because we and by ourselves, we by ourselves naturally don't like to listen. We just don't. We don't want to be corrected. God understands that's the way we're made. Therefore, generally, what happens is there is a level of humility that must come into play, because if we're humble, we listen. If we're humble, we're open to correction. Well, mankinds going to go through humbling. They have to be humbled so they will listen. Now, we have to be humble to listen so going forward from this moment forward, and hopefully right up until this point, but going forward, this same principle will apply the rest of our life. We have to humble ourselves so that we will listen. Now, if we have pride we're right in our own eyes. Therefore, when correction comes we do not hear it, because we have this pride, we're not open to this correction that God is going to give for the rest of our life.

So when we hear Sabbath sermons there should be a level of correction in them for us where we go, "Ah, that applies to me." Or, "I could do better in this area." Or, "I can improve in this area," which is accepting the correction that God is giving, accepting the discipline, the correction that God is giving because if we don't accept that correction, if we don't "see" in any given sermon that there is any area in our life that needs to be improved, we're not open to this correction that's going to come for the rest of our life.

Now, as we are open to correction it's a great and wonderful blessing, because we then begin to see ourselves. Because if we look at humility, what is humility? Now, mankind's humility is an outward show, "Oh, look at me. I'm meek and humble." That's all just garbage. In actual fact it's pride. It's sin. But Godly humility is different. Humility within a human is the ability to see one's true value compared to God's greatness because we "see" who we are, what we really are. We are humbled by the fact that we do "see." We see what our value really is. Our value is only, really in mankind's eyes, nothing, really, but to God it's very valuable. Well, if we see ourselves, because by the power of God's holy spirit God reveals ourselves to ourselves, we start to "see" ourselves. "Ah, I'm not right. I'm wrong. My thinking is wrong, not just in one little area, in all areas." All areas we are wrong because we aren't loving, really. With God's spirit we can love, but of and by ourselves, it's a selfish love. We're not meek. We're not humble of and by ourselves. No, it's driven by pride. "Look at me." It's getting something back. It's all driven by pride, the image that we've built up about ourselves. But to have humility is to see our real self, what we really are. And when you go through the Commandments and you see the intent of those and you look at our own intent – because this is how humility comes – we "see" our real intent, why we do what we do, the inner motive, well, when we see that the vast majority of our motives and intent is selfish – it is even with God's spirit; there's levels of selfishness that still exist in us – well, we have to be open to this correction that's going to come, open to this change so that we're not right in our own eyes.

Now, we can be in the Church a long period of time and still think we're right in our own eyes because we're natural. We always fall back to these things, we become these things. We hold views and opinions, biases, and prejudices that we don't even really know, the presumptuousness of our nature, because we're right in our own eyes. It's just a natural thing. Therefore, to overcome this we have to be open to this correction that God is going to provide for us.

As God is going to open minds of mankind, they're going to have to be open to correction, to change because it is all about change, one way of thinking to another way of thinking. We have to be open to change. Our life in God's Church, having this relationship with God, is about this transformation of the mind that must take place. God is going to correct us because we are wrong by nature. We are right in our own eyes by nature, and if we will not listen, if we are so arrogant that we have so much pride that we know everything and we think we know everything and we're not open to this correction, we are fools, because that's what God calls us.

"The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but," now the opposite is, "but he/she who heeds counsel," which is the mind of God, the thinking of God, the correct way to live, the correct way to think, the correction of our motives and intents, "he who is wise." He's wise because he's listening to God. He listens to God. He is in a state of humility because to listen to God one must be in a state of humility, to know what our value is.

Well, mankind is facing a time where life itself, physical life, is going to be at risk. It's at that point where man goes, "Oh, hang on a minute. I'd best to change. This is not working! I am nothing. My life is of no value." Well, then mankind becomes open to this change, open to a correction of thinking. Now, it's a wonderful and exciting thing that's going to take place, and the way we should view it is that, what a great and wonderful opportunity for mankind to begin this correction, to change the way they think, to become wise because they're going to heed what is given in the book. They're going to start to listen to God.

Now, this is a very exciting thing and that's what we desire for all mankind, if they would just stop, humble themselves, and listen to God. Of and by themselves they can't do it. God has to call them. God has to give them, open their minds and give them His spirit, access to His spirit so that they can begin to have this correction take place, to change the way they think, to transform their thinking.

The Hundred-years, the thousand years, the Millennium is all about this same principle. Minds are going to have to be changed. Everybody that's right in their own eyes is going to come to see that they're wrong in their own eyes. They are wrong. We think wrong. We are wrong by nature. It's the way we are. All the political systems, every single one of them, is wrong. There's only one right form of government and it's powered by God's holy spirit.

So without God's holy spirit every man, every woman, everybody, every government, every religion is wrong, absolutely wrong and everybody that holds to those things is a fool! They are fools because they're not listening to what God says. So what is coming is a new government, one government with God's mind being given to mankind, therefore, they're going to be open to change, open to this correction. Anybody who does not heed this counsel coming from God, anybody that holds to their own opinions, holds to their own concepts, holds to their own views, whether it's political or religion, they will die. They have to because they're not listening to God. They refuse this correction. They refuse to change the way they think.

Well, God's going to give mankind this opportunity, and it's either going to be in this period going forward, or if not then, it's going to be during the Millennium they will continue that process, but the vast majority will be during the resurrection and then the Hundred-year period where they're all going to be humbled. Because once you're alive then you're dead and then you're resurrected in a different environment and a different body, it'd be very humbling, very humbling to realize, "Ah, all those views and concepts that I had about the afterlife," for example, "and all the views and concepts I had about what things should happen, I was wrong." Therefore, they will have been humbled. Therefore, they will be open to this change that's going to have to take place in their thinking. They're going to be open to this correction that they're going to take 100 years. They're going to be corrected for 100 years because we all have to be corrected because we are all wrong by nature.

Where's it all going to start? Where does it start now? 2 Timothy 3:16—All scripture is given by inspiration of God, which is coming from the mind of God, God's thinking. Now, mankind can read scripture, but they can't "see" the inspiration of it because they read it on a physical level and they apply physical things, but they can't see the spirit of the law. They can't see the spiritual intent of the law. They can't see the inspiration of it because certain scriptures can be read on a physical level, but the depth of the spiritual intent of it can't be seen unless a person has God's holy spirit. It's saying here, "All scripture," that is everything that is written, "is given by the inspiration of God," the Eternal One God, and is profitable for doctrine. So doctrine comes because of God's word, but it's the intent behind God's word, it's the spirit of the matter that is the most important thing. It's the intent of it and the spirit behind it because all things aren't just simply black and white, they're much more complicated than that because it is about His intent, and it's the way that we learn because of the way that God inspires through the power of His holy spirit that we can now "see" these things.

So, it is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, now, that is proving, being able to prove things from God's word, for correction, that's what this sermon's about. We have to be open to this correction. It all comes from God's word. It all comes powered by God's holy spirit because mankind can be corrected on a physical level. They'll resentfully accept it or they might even accept it to move from being right in their own eyes to right in their own eyes, but the reality is through the power of God's holy spirit we soon come to see that we're not right in our own eyes. In actual fact, we are wrong. So God's word, scripture, is given for correction because we have to move from the way we think to the way that God thinks about a matter, because our motive and intent is selfish, God's isn't. God's is one of love and mercy.

…for instruction in righteousness. Now, we understand righteousness is God. It's the way God thinks and it's the way God acts. It's all the things of God. It's God's intent. Well, we have to have this instruction that comes through His ministry that gives us now the power, by the power of God's holy spirit, the power to receive and understand righteousness. Because only God is righteous. Therefore, anything that we do of and by ourselves is not righteous; it's actually selfish, but with God's holy spirit our motivation and intent will change because it's God doing it in us. Everything is done by God in us and through us. The works of God are done in us and through us powered by God. It's not self.

Now, academically people take on various things and believe that they’re intelligent or they believe that they're right in their own eyes because this is the only way that it can be done, but separate to the fact that they leave God out of it. They leave God out of the situation. But, really, they shouldn't because everything comes from God. Now, a person that may have an academic ability, that was a gift from God. God allowed it because God could change that very easily. Now, everybody has a part to play within a body, therefore, we're not all the eye, we're not all the mouth, we're not all the hand or the foot. No, we're all other parts; therefore, everyone has a part in the body. We don't always see those parts as we should and we don't understand them all, but everybody has a role in the body and everyone is different. Well, we understand that it is by the power of God's holy spirit that He pulls together a body, knitted together in power (the power of God's holy spirit). Not that we're individually bright or we're individually something else. No, it's by God's holy spirit that these things are done.

So we see from this that "all scripture is given for the purpose of doctrine, proving things, reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness." Why? …that a man or a woman of God, because they have to be called first, may be complete. Now, this completeness or maturity that's going to have to take place is this transformation that must take place, which is to move from one state of pride and knowing everything, right in our own eyes, to being humble and open to change, because we understand we need to change. This is one of the greatest blessings that anyone could be given, which is a calling or awakening, to begin to see that there is a need to change. We all have to change the way we think. We are not right in everything. We don't like correction, by nature. Well, we have to be open to it to realize that it is the best thing that could happen to us.

Now, this is difficult for the natural mind to understand, but with God's holy spirit we can "see" that any correction is for our spiritual good. When correction comes it's not always easy. We, by nature, will resist this correction. Now, if we've ever had correction, whether it's in a family environment or through the ministry, or from God's prophets or apostle, or from evangelists, whatever it may be, this correction is never easy. Well, what we have to come to see, that any correction that is given by God through an apostle is done out of love, but our minds won't accept that necessarily. We will probably resist it and think, "Oh, how can that be?" Well, if we are in a state of humility we'll accept that correction and examine ourselves to see why this is taking place within us. Why is this happening? Because of our pride. Because we think we're right in our own eyes. This is the way it should be done, or this is what should be happening, or this is not necessarily fair, what's been written or said, or what's given in sermons.

Well, when we're in that state of mind we are not open to correction, therefore, if we're not open to correction what exists in our thinking? Pride. Our greatest enemy is ourselves, is our pride. So whenever we get corrected in any shape or form our first thought should be, "Why is this happening to me?" Well, the answer is, "Because of my pride. I am wrong. I need to accept this. I need to look into it. I need to examine myself more deeply to ‘see’ what's wrong within me – not what's wrong with the person that's giving the correction – what's wrong within me." Not to defend or justify ourselves, but to look and say, "Well, why is it happening? What's wrong with me? Why have I let my pride get in the way?" and to be open to this correction. Now, if we're not, the best form of correction is to go into a fast and to examine ourselves to "see" our pride, because if we do not take correction in any shape or form, pride exists, and we can justify and defend and we can say all these different things, but the reality is that when we reject criticisms of our self we are in pride.

Now, I say that in the way, "rejecting criticism of self" because that's the way we see it. We see any form of correction as being a criticism of self, the way we think, the way we are, and by nature we resent that. We don't like it. But if we are open and honest about matters we will see any correction of self is a wonderful and beautiful thing. It's a good thing because otherwise we'll be the same as we were; we are wrong. So when we get correction we should accept it and we should look at ourselves deeply to see where we are wrong within our self – our self, the selfishness that's in us because we react because of selfishness. We defend self. All of those things, and it's all driven by pride.

Continuing on there in verse 17—that a man of God, someone who's called, may be complete (mature), thoroughly equipped for every good work, which has to be done by God. All spiritual correction is for our good. At the time it doesn't feel that way, but it is. It's the best thing that could happen to us. Everything works to the good of those who love God, the spiritual good. So if we are in a relationship with God, all correction, all spiritual correction is for our good. It's for our spiritual good. The person giving the correction, if it's coming from God's servant, is for our spiritual good. It's about spiritual growth. It's about changing the way we think.

By understanding and receiving correction, comes spiritual growth. I'm going to repeat that: By understanding (what's happening) and receiving correction (this spiritual correction, this adjustment to self) comes spiritual growth. Because what is growth really? Well, we're in one state, and to grow means you develop more. Well, the only way we develop is why? By the power of God's holy spirit we accept who we really are. We're wise in our own eyes by our own nature. Well, if we accept that and we see this correction and we feel this correction, then comes spiritual growth. It's not just understanding a matter, it's actually the way we think, it's the example we live, and it's the way we live. That's what growth is. Spiritual growth is a change of thinking. It's accepting the correction and growing to be more mature. By growing, by understanding, by receiving this correction, we grow spiritually, which is an exciting thing. We become spiritually mature.

So when we adjust things in our life, for example the topic of mercy or hope or love, when we adjust those things and we take on more of the mind of God and become more merciful, what are we saying? We're saying that we were not right in the beginning, and as we adjust and grow and become more merciful by the power of God's holy spirit, we take on more of the mind of God; we are receiving correction. We're receiving this correction because we're changing. So change is acceptance of a correction. We were wrong. Now we're maturing and we're growing more merciful, we're growing more in God's love by the power of God's holy spirit, because the old man was wrong, but God is right. Therefore, we're taking on more of the mind of God; therefore, we're accepting the correction that is coming from God because He is transforming the way we think from being wrong to being like God, to being righteous. An incredible process if we understand it.

That's why we have to be open to correction every single day of our life. We can never walk around thinking we're right, otherwise, we just become know-alls and opinionated. No, we have to be open to change, open to correction that's going to take place in our life and it'll come in various forms. It can come from other people. It can come from through the ministry. It can come from God's apostle. It can come from any direction within God's Church. We have to be humble to understand that this correction is going to happen and that we're not right. The way that we live by nature is not right. It's wrong. We have to be changing continually. We have to be transforming our thinking continually – all done by the power of God's holy spirit.

Proverbs 3:1-12. If we look at what Proverbs really is, it's God speaking to us, which is about using the example of a man talking to a son, but it's really about God the Father communicating to us, to all of us about the way we should live our life and the Proverbs came to Solomon and he saw a lot of this on a physical level, but the spiritual application of this is incredible. So let's look at Proverbs 3:1—My son, do not forget my law. Now, this is about making right choices and it's about accepting God's way or God's law, not to forget it. Now, it's not just about the 10 Commandments; there's much more to it. It's about accepting and don't forget God's way of life. …but let your heart (your inner intent, your motives) keep my commands, which is "keep my instructions," because this is about the way to live, to live a successful way of life, to transform the way we think.

And what will happen if we now accept this and don't forget God's law about motive and intent, if we're working on ourselves all the time? What will happen? For length of days, and long life, and peace they will add to you, and this all takes place within the mind. So there is a unity that will come because we're continually open to correcting self, to adjusting self. By accepting God's law, by examining our motive and intent in comparison to the way we are by nature, this selfishness that's in us.

Let not mercy and truth forsake you. So always be in a state of forgiveness, being willing to forgive others, being forgiving towards others, which is an expression of love. So "let not mercy," this way of thinking, "and truth forsake you." So don't leave the truth behind. Don't leave God's Church, God's ways, what God has communicated; don't forsake them. Learn to live the truth. Learn to live these things towards others because it is all about the way we live, the example we are. …bind them around your neck. So make them part of our life, the way we act, the way we live, the way we think. …write them on the tablet of your heart, which is about the inner thinking. This boils down to the way we live. It's the way we have attitudes towards others because we can say we understand these things and all that, but if we are not in a state of humility we have wrong attitudes. We'll have attitudes of pride, "I'm right!" and it'll come across as arrogance and pride. "Write them on the tablet of your inner thinking," because it is about an attitude and a way we live towards others.

…and so find favor and high esteem in the sight of God and man. The more important part there, "in the sight of God," because our attitude is one of coming to understand who we really are and the level of humility, that compared to God we're nothing. Coming to "see" who we really are by nature, the way we are – natural and carnal and selfish – well, this is a wonderful thing that God blesses us to see, because we can only see these things powered by God's holy spirit. Well, if we accept them and if we learn to adjust our thinking every day, being open to this change of thinking, knowing that we're not right, knowing that we have to be corrected, that we are wrong, guarding our attitudes, looking at our attitudes, the way we think towards others, by living mercy, which is this forgiveness that we must have – it's an attitude of mind; it's a state of mind – well, if we're working on these things, powered by God's holy spirit, the way we think, we're powered by God's holy spirit, well, guess what? We will find favor because we're living love, we are humble, we're thankful, and we're teachable. There's three key things – humble, thankful, and teachable. It's a wonderful thing! Well, if we are those things, humble, thankful, and teachable, we will be open to correction.

Anyone that is open to correction is teachable, because they're willing to change, they want to change, they're teachable. Therefore, if someone comes along and says, "By the way, 'this' and 'that,' and this is wrong and this is the right way to live," and we examine ourselves, powered by God's spirit and say, "Oh, that's me. I need to change," well, we are teachable. We're humble, because humble and teachable go together. And thankful. Well, to be thankful is a state of humility because we're not self-reliant; we're now humble before God. We know our true condition. We know our state because God revealed it to us, and we know that we deserve nothing. God owes us nothing, absolutely nothing. Only by the grace of God go we. Well, we will find favor with God and high esteem in the sight of God and mankind because of the attitudes that we have, and they'll be reflected out to others. This attitude of being humble, being meek, being teachable, and because of these things, showing mercy to others, well, mankind will also show us favor, but more importantly God will show us favor because we are transforming the way we think.

God knows what we're like. Well, we accept the way we are. Well, God will show us more favor because we are teachable, we are open to this correction that He's going to give, and it's a wonderful blessing.

If you've been blessed enough to have children, or maybe if you haven't had a child you've got a dog – not to compare the two by any means, but if you just look at it, teachability. There's nothing more beautiful than seeing a teachable, obedient dog. When you see a dog and the person yells out and says, "Sit!" and it sits and it's so responsive, it's eyes, the way that it looks, it's a wonderful thing. It's just humbling to see a humble, teachable dog, because it's obedient. Well, it's no different than a child. When you see a humble child, a teachable child, and somebody that is also thankful, a thankful child, it's a wonderful thing and it does warm the cockles of your heart (so to speak). It's very encouraging. And it gives you within; you want to do more for that child. The thankful child, the teachable child, the humble child, the parent wants to do more. But the arrogant and proud child, well, you don't want to do things for them. You want to actually correct them.

This is what we must remember as adults, if we are humble, teachable, and thankful then God wants to do more, God wants to give us more because we have the right attitude. Well, this is the same that we have to understand within ourselves. If we are filled with pride and unteachable, and unthankful, what can God do for us? Well, what will God do? Oh, He'll humble us. He'll bring us down a peg to come to see who we really are, what we're really like. So being humbled is a wonderful blessing from God. Well, if we are humble, we come to see who we are, we are thankful to God for everything, because God owes us nothing, and we are also teachable. This is a great blessing and God looks at it as a favor to us. He'll give us more.

Verse 5—Trust in the Eternal with all your heart, with all your inner thinking. So we're to believe God, we're to yield to God, and we're to come to understand what God is trying to do with us and for us, because God is trying, not just saying "trying," but God is desiring that we change, that we are open to correction all our life, and it's all in the mind. …and lean not on your own understanding. Not on our own ways. Because by nature that's the way we are. We trust in self. We have to learn to come to trust in the Eternal, to believe God, to trust in Him, and what He says, what He does is for our benefit. It's like those examples of a child that I gave, that they are trusting in the parent. Well, we have to trust in God. We're not to lean on our own understanding, thinking that we know already, we have these opinions about things, our own ways. We trust in ourselves by nature. We have to learn to trust in God and know that any understanding that is given comes from God and to know that any correction that comes comes from God. I'm talking about something on a spiritual level. It's God desiring for us to change so that He can give us something, that He can give us more. Well, if we're humble, thankful, and teachable, God will give us more, but if we're arrogant and proud He can't give us more.

So God's desire is to give us more, and that more is life in Elohim where He can give us everything; incredible things that we don't comprehend. The battles that we are in day by day we don't really understand the whole intent of life. We just don't see it. We just look at the now, the instant it's happening, what we think we don't have more than what we do have, when we really should stop and think about the things that we have been given to this point in time, which is much. But God wants to give us more – much, much, much, much more – things that can't enter into the mind at the moment. Life in Elohim? We don't understand that fully. What is beyond this, to have life everlasting, everlasting life, never to die, always be awake? Well, how can we understand those things? Well, we can't, but God wants to give this to us. There's a promise that God has given if we're humble, thankful, and teachable, and if we're not, well, they can't be given to us.

Verse 6—In all your ways acknowledge Him. So we are to involve God in every aspect of our life, everything we do. Every single day we should involve God. We're to acknowledge God in every way. We can do that through thoughts, through prayers, through actions, through words. …and He (Yahweh Elohim) shall direct your paths, by the power of God's holy spirit. We have to place God first in our life. That's the key to life; place God first.

To come to understand who we really are, that God owes us nothing. He owes us absolutely nothing. Nothing is owed to us. And by the grace of God, by God's great mercy go we. We're in the Body of Christ now because of God's mercy. Well, we are to stay humble, we're to stay teachable, and we're to stay thankful to God. Well, we then acknowledge God in everything, in all our ways, "all your ways acknowledge Him." So we are to involve God in everything. "And He (God) will direct our paths," which is about our motive and intent.

Do not be wise in your own eyes. Because this is pride. This is about opinions and leaning on our own understanding because God is right, we are wrong. So the warning here is, "Do not be wise," don't lift yourself up, don't be unthankful, don't be filled with pride, and don't be unteachable, because if we do that, we're in big trouble spiritually. "Do not be wise in your own eyes." It's a warning. It's like a command. "Don't get smart, thinking you know things, be open to correction." Be open to correction every single day of our life. Because guess what? We are wrong by nature and we fall back to this problem all the time so easily.

Now, when you look at what happens within God's Church, when people leave the fellowship of God, what have they done? They're wise in their own eyes. They cannot take correction. They don't accept the truth, because often when truth comes, it's a correction of the way we think. We think one particular way. We think we know “this.” “This” is right. Then God in His great power and mercy, He reveals something that is different than the way we think. Well, we have to be open to this change, open to this correction because change is a correction; therefore, what do we do? We're not to be proud, we're not to be wise in our own eyes and hold to our opinion. No, what do we have to do?

Continuing on, we're to respect God, God's view of things. We know He's right. We know He's righteous. …fear the Eternal, and depart from evil. "Depart from our sin of pride." That's what we have to do. It will be health to your flesh, to your body, and strength to your bones. Now, that's looking at it physically, but spiritually it's spiritual health. This change of thinking is a spiritually healthy thing. It's called conversion, transformation of the mind. It will be health to your body, your spiritual mind, to the Body of Christ, the Church of God, "and strength to your bones." Because why? Because we're now fearing God and departing from evil. We're changing. We're transforming. We're not wise in our own eyes. We don't know everything. We know very little, really. Even on a spiritual level we know very, very little compared to God who has existed forever. So we are to follow the law of God. What God gives to the Church, we're to follow. We're to follow the truth. We're to implement it into our life, into the way we think.

Now, that will only happen how? If we're in a state of humility, if we always remain thankful and teachable because they're all connected. Those things are so connected on a spiritual level.

Continuing on in verse 9—Honor the Eternal with your possessions, which is referring to tithing. It's the way we think about matters. So we have an income, where did it come from? Every single thing comes from God. No matter where that income came from, it was God that allowed it. It's a blessing to us. We should honor God with our possessions, which is 1st Tithe goes to God, 2nd Tithe is saved for the purpose of spiritual growth at a Feast, because that's what Feasts are about. Feasts are about spiritual growth. It's about celebrating, worshipping God, honoring God, rejoicing about what God has given us. But it's also, the main part of it, is all about this spiritual growth because we go to the Feast of Tabernacles with an attitude, one of humility, one of being teachable, and one of being thankful.

So we're to honor God with our possessions because that's what God is giving us on a spiritual level. Something physical, money, but it's really spiritual in nature because it's what we do with it, it's what we think about it, where did it come from and how we use it. …and with the firstfruits of your increase. So your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine. So this is about understanding that everything comes from God and understanding the physical and spiritual principles behind any level of income. It all belongs to God. God is allowing us to have access to it for the purpose of seeing what we will do with it. Will we honor the Eternal? Will we? Will we cheat or will we duck and dive? All those things test an attitude.

Well, if we're open to change, if we're open and honest about our life and we see on a spiritual level, we will know that these things are about an attitude, the attitude behind what we do when we give a tithe because a person can give a tithe, but give it in the wrong attitude. We understand that we can be thankful or we can be unthankful, but that doesn't stop a person tithing. In the end a person will stop tithing because they don't "see" the spiritual component of tithing.

Verse 11—My son, do not despise the chastening/correction of the Eternal; nor detest His correction. Now, that comes generally through the ministry and it comes through various means. Generally, it will come through the sermons that are given, can come through writings that are given, but it also can come through trials where we're placed in certain trials and then God will feed us through His word, generally through the sermon, that we begin to see the aspect of our behavior in the trial.

I wanted to repeat that because this is really something very important: It's about our behavior (which is our attitudes) within the trial. It's correction that's taking place, this chastising that's taking place. It's the way we think in that trial. Now, we can succeed in it if we think like God and we take on the mind of God, or we can fail because we fail to see the spiritual component of our behaviors in the trial.

"My son," it's like God talking to us, "My children," male, female, makes no difference, "begotten sons of God, do not despise the chastening of the Eternal," which is this correction that's going to have to take place because we have to be open to correction all our life, because it's about humility. Now, if we "despise the chastening of the Eternal" it's because we have pride, and if we do not despise it, we have humility, which is about this correction that God is going to give us for the rest of our life, because that's what we have to have. We have to have a mind that is willing to accept and take correction. We need to be looking out all the time in ways that we can correct the self, correct ourselves. God is trying to give us something; we have to be open to this change, this correction, this chastening. "Nor despise His correction." Don't despise it. Don't detest it and, you know, cringe at it. No, humble ourselves, be teachable, and to be thankful that we're getting this correction, that we are changing, that we are transforming.

Verse 12—For whom the Eternal loves, He corrects. Isn't this a wonderful scripture? God loves us and He loves us so much that He will correct us so that He can give us something. It's a life-long process so that we can change, so that we can be transformed, so that He can give us life, true life in Elohim. For whom the Eternal loves, Yahweh Elohim loves, and He does love us and He demonstrates that love by correcting us, by transforming the way we think, by changing the way we think from selfishness to God's love. That's what God does. He does it in various ways, but we have to be open to it, because He loves us so much He wants to correct us so that He can give us life. Therefore, when we are called, when we've been awakened we now have entered into this state of correction for the rest of our life.

The moment we get to the point where we will not accept correction and we despise it we will fall out of a relationship with God. In other words, we're going to leave God's love. We're going to leave God's love because of our decisions. So "Whom the LORD loves," He loves us, He's called us, He will correct us. This is wonderful to understand, knowing that correction is going to come for the rest of our life, whether it comes in doctrine, whether it comes in personal correction, directly or indirectly, it is all coming from God. So all correction comes from God. It's a matter or not of whether we're going to accept it, whether we're going to examine ourselves to "see" where we are wrong, not where the person that's telling us these things is wrong. The issue is us! We're the problem!

…just as a father the son in whom he delights. So God the Father corrects His children, begotten sons of God.

Proverbs 10:17—He who keeps instruction, which is correction, is in the way of life. So we have to take this correction that comes because we're on this path of life, which is in the way of life, because this way of life leads to a way of life, which is spirit life in Elohim. So anybody that keeps it, who takes it, this instruction, this correction, is actually on the path of life. It's leading to something. But he who refuses reproof, "He who refuses any level of correction," goes/leads astray, spiritually because they won't listen. So we have to learn to listen to God. We have to listen to God's correction. Anything that is given to us is for our benefit, and we have to come to see that all correction is for our spiritual benefit and we shouldn't take it personally. If we do it's because we have pride that we don't even recognize, pride we don't even see.

Proverbs 12:1. This Proverb actually gets directly to the point. Verse 1—Whoever loves instruction, which is discipline or correction from God, loves knowledge, spiritually, because they know it's all coming from God. So all this correction comes from God. We have to see it that way because everything here is on a spiritual level. "Whoever loves," which is this desire for "discipline and correction," because we acknowledge we're wrong. We want to be changed. We want to change. We're open to this correction that's coming. "Whoever loves this change of thinking," this transformation that's taking place "loves knowledge." We love it. We want to know more about ourselves. We want to know more about God. We want to see the difference between who we are to what we have to be. It's exciting! This is that transformation that's taking place. It's painful, but it's still exciting because we are growing spiritually; we're changing. We know that all this changing, this correcting that's taking place, is being powered by God's holy spirit. This is exciting!

But, so something that's opposite, But he who hates reproof, hates this discipline and this correction, is stupid. That's a wonderful scripture. It's really direct to the point. Generally mankind, we can't understand these things on a natural level because prides there. So when he says, "He who hates correction is stupid," pride will get in the way and say, "Well, I'm not stupid! I know I've got 'this.' I've got 'that.' I've got this academic understanding. I'm 'this.' I'm 'that.'" Because we build ourselves up. But on a spiritual level what it's really saying is, "He who hates this correction from God, this change of thinking, this discipline, correction, instruction from God, we hate it, we despise it, we won't do it because of our pride, is stupid, is foolish," because it's human reasoning. It's lacking understanding. It's lacking humility. It's lacking a teachable spirit. It's just not there because our pride has got in the way. So when we have pride the Bible says, God says, we are foolish, we are stupid, because we're hanging on to something that's going to die!

Pride is going to be destroyed. Every element, every aspect of pride is going to be destroyed. It will not exist after the end of 7,100 years. It'll all go. Therefore, we've been called now to get rid of it now. We have to get rid of pride now! That's the purpose of life – getting rid of self, getting rid of pride. Now, how blessed are we? There's so few of us that understand this because of God's great love and mercy towards us at this time that we have come to this understanding that the purpose of life is to transform the way we think, to get rid of our stupid, selfish pride. We've got to get rid of it. Now, what a wonderful blessing to understand it.

How does a person get rid of pride and selfishness? It's done by correction. It's the only way. It's done by discipline, instruction, correction. All the same thing. All have the same meaning. It's all done on a spiritual level, and if we resist it, if we fight it we're fighting against God! If we fight against God, well, how stupid is that? No wonder the Bible says, "He who hates reproof," correction, discipline from God, if we hate it and despise it, "we are stupid!" We're foolish! Well, it's true, because it leads to death. Resisting God leads to death. Not listening to God will lead to death.

Revelation 3:19-22, which is about the Laodicean Church or the lukewarm Church. Verse 19—As many as I love, I rebuke, Jesus Christ speaking here, he's going to expose, he's going to correct them, and chasten, so they're going to be corrected. So this correction has to come because God loves us. Therefore, be zealous and repent. Be zealous and change the way we think. So this is great encouragement. God is saying, "As many as I love; because I love you I'm going to correct you. I'm going to chasten you because of this love." And what does God say our response is? Be zealous about it and change! Accept the correction. Be open to the correction. Behold, I stand at the door and knock, which is Jesus Christ speaking. We can look at this on a spiritual level, not just a physical door. If anyone hears my voice, which is, "If you will listen," and opens the door, they open the door of the mind, to change the way we think, accept that we need correction, accept that we have to listen to God, otherwise, we're stupid by our stupid pride. We have to hear the voice of God, listen to what God has said, open the door of our mind, open up and listen to God, what God has got for us. Be open, open the door, open to this correction. I will come in to you, power of God's holy spirit. God will give us the power to change the way we think, and dine with him, and he with me. Spiritual food in the mind. We'll have the same mind as God. I find this scripture so exciting. "Behold, I stand at the door and knock." God is giving us an opportunity. He has called us. Well, the door has already been opened. "If anyone hears my voice," which we do every Sabbath, which we do when we read the Bible, when we read the literature, when we read books written by God's apostle, "and we open the door," we open the door to this correction of the mind, we have to have our minds transformed, "I (Jesus Christ) will come in to him." Our thinking will begin to change. The power of God's holy spirit will live in us to give us the right attitudes, to give us the right thoughts. "And dine with him, and he with me." We'll be able to absorb spiritual food. God living and dwelling in us so that we have the mind of God.

To him who overcomes; overcomes what? Overcomes the natural self. We have to conquer self. We've got to get rid of it. We've got to put it to death. We've got to sacrifice our selfishness. We've got to get rid of it, conquer it. "To him who overcomes, to him who is open to correction," I will grant to sit with me on my throne, so there's spiritual authority is going to be given because of the effort that we put in because we're open to this correction that's going to take place for the rest of our life. We remain humble. We remain teachable. We remain thankful. Well, if we do those things we are going to be overcoming selfishness and we're going to be overcoming pride. …as I have overcome and sat down with my Father on His throne. He who has an ear, in other words, listen, let him hear. Listen to what God is saying; listen to the correction that must take place in our life. We have to be always willing to accept correction for the rest of our life. We are not right in our own eyes. No matter how long we've been in the Church we are not right! We have selfishness. While we have selfishness we are wrong.

He who has an ear, let's listen to what God is saying, let him hear what the spirit says to the Churches. So this is about spiritual growth. We have to transform the way we think. We have selfishness by nature. We have to transform the way we think, powered by God's holy spirit. God will do it if we are open to it. God will change the way we think if we're open to it. How are we open to it? By staying in the state of humility, understanding who we are, which is a gift from God. Humility is a gift from God. We have to understand who we really are compared to God. We have to always remain teachable, that we're not right in our own eyes. We're not stupid. We are not right in our own eyes because that's the problem. Pride is the problem, and that's stupidity. That is foolishness to have pride. We have to be open to this correction from God because God wants to give us something. God wants to give us life.

If we "see" this we'll always remain thankful because being thankful is reflecting and demonstrating humility and it's demonstrating the desire to change. It's acknowledging who we really are, what we're really like, and we're just thankful for God in His mercy and His love, that He's working with us now knowing that He's going to be working with millions and billions of people soon.

And during the 100 years in particular all of those people are going to have to have one state of mind. That state of mind is they're going to have to be open to any level of correction. Because when they're resurrected, they are wrong because they've never had God's holy spirit to make them right, to have a right thinking. They were selfish their whole life, the majority. There will be some that will be resurrected because they've had an opportunity, a start with God's Church, with a start of God's holy spirit and they lost it along the way for various decisions and various reasons. Well, they will be reinvigorated to see where they were wrong and they will then remember that they need to be open in their thinking. They need to listen to God for the rest of their life. Why? Because God wants to give them something. God wants to give them life.

It's like that child we talked about, the humble, thankful, teachable child. The natural just wants to give. We just want to give to them, to give them more. Well, God sees us that way. He wants to give us more. The problem is us, that we're not humble, we're not always teachable, and we're just not always thankful. But we have to come to the state where we have to be open to these all the time for the rest of our life, that we want to be these things, and that's our desire, and if we are, God will give us more spiritually, and in the end God will give us life.

Hebrews 12:3—For consider him (Jesus Christ), who endured such hostility from sinners against himself, lest you become weary. So we can let down if we don't think about what Jesus Christ did, what sacrifice he did. If we consider what Jesus Christ did for us, which means he remained under God because of what he was, who he was, who endured (or remained under) such hostility from sinners against himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your life. Now, why would we become discouraged? Well, self-pity, pride. We quit in the mind. We become discouraged because of pride. Pride! Where really we should be encouraged. We should be encouraged because of the humility, because of what we see about ourselves. Because God, in His mercy, has revealed who we are. It's an incredible thing. We should be so encouraged because of that, that alone, because of the calling and what we see, what we understand, how much God has given us. Not to be discouraged because it's "all too hard," because that is like the violin and the pity-party, because we just become weary and think, "Oh, woe is me!" Self pity. Well, we should be encouraged in our life because we are open to change; we want to change. Our desire is to change. We want what God is offering.

Verse 4—You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin, which is the pride; we haven't resisted where we're bleeding because of it. We've not resisted so much that we are now bleeding because we're fighting against our pride; we're fighting against our unteachable attitude. We're not fighting against our selfishness. We've not resisted that much because naturally we give in to self. And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons, begotten sons of God. Now, we should be so encouraged just with that. We are begotten sons of God. We've been given this opportunity now to change, to change the way we think. These are the words from God.

My son, do not despise the chastening of the Eternal. So we're not to esteem it lightly because that's what will take place in our life. We see correction as something negative, yet correction is positive. Correction is positive because it's highlighting where we are wrong, and we're wrong by nature. Our disposition is wrong. Our attitudes are wrong. Our intent is wrong, just by nature. Powered by God's holy spirit we now have this opportunity to actually change, to change the way we think because we're now begotten sons of God. We have God's holy spirit, so now we can change because we can only change if we have God's holy spirit

"My son." Isn't that incredible? "My son." God calls us sons, begotten sons. Do not despise, don't esteem lightly, the chastening, or the correction that is going to come our way, of the Eternal, from Yahweh Elohim who's going to do it. Personal involvement in our life through Jesus Christ. How incredible is this? We should not despise any level of spiritual correction. Now, when it does come our way, whether we accept it or not all depends on two things – pride or humility. If we don't accept it, pride is too strong and it will dominate. Generally what happens there is people leave, or resist, or fight, or justify because of pride. But if we have humility, powered by God's holy spirit, we will not despise or esteem lightly the correction that God is giving us through His ministry.

Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him. When we are convicted by God or corrected, well, we need to be convicted of what is happening. We need to understand what is happening. "Nor be discouraged." Don't become discouraged and saying, "Oh, woe is me." Pity party. "When you are rebuked or corrected by God," through a sermon, through His ministry, through an apostle, through a prophet, through an evangelist, don't be discouraged because of it, but be encouraged when we're corrected. Now, this is contrary to the way the natural mind thinks. When we're corrected we should be encouraged. When we hear a sermon we should turn around and go, "Ah, that applies to me! I'm going to work on it." We shouldn't go, "Oh, no, that's what I'm like and I don't think I'll ever…" No, we turn to God and what do we do? Humbly seek assistance from God because it's only by the power of God's holy spirit that we can overcome our selfishness. It's the only way.

Verse 6—For whom the Eternal loves He chastens. He trains like a child. So we're always going to be in God's love as long as we're open to this change, open to this correction. God loves us. He will always chasten and correct us.

What can I guarantee? Correction is coming our way. Correction is coming our way because God loves us, and therefore, He will correct us because He loves us. Now, if we've got that in our mind, if that's deep in our thinking, any level of adjustment to our pride (because that's what correction is, adjustment to our pride), from pride to humility is where we've got to go. So this correction or this adjustment that is taking place, we tend to resist it. But we know that God loves us. God's proven that lots of ways. We could go into that separate sermon of and by itself, but we know that God loves us, therefore, because He does He has said He's going to correct us. Therefore, should we be surprised when correction comes our way? Because we've seen in Proverbs we're right in our own eyes by nature. That's just the way we are. We run our families, we run our thinking, we run our businesses, we run our lives a particular way because we think we're right. Well, God says, well, no, you're wrong. We are wrong, brethren, by nature, therefore, because God loves us we're going to be corrected, we're going to be chastened, we're going to be in difficult trials because of it, because of what we are, who we are.

Now, God in a trial wants to see how we'll respond. He wants to know what is our motive and intent in this trial. Will we live His way? Will we live mercy? Will we live love during this trial? Now, it's easily said, but very difficult to do because we all have pride. So humility is the key, being teachable is the key, and always, always having mercy or living mercy towards others because they're three key points. They all go together. We have to be humble. We have to be teachable and we have to be thankful, because with those three things we can endure to the end. But the key is enduring to the end with those three points because it's all about a state of mind. It's all about the way we think.

Verse 6—For whom the LORD loves He chastens, and scourges, it's like with a whip, every son whom He receives. So it's coming our way. Correction is coming our way because we have to be molded and fashioned into a particular shape. And the only way, because of our nature, the only way that this can take place is that we're going to have to accept and listen to God and accept the correction that is coming our way.

If you endure, which is remain under the chastening, because it's about how we accept that chastening. It's coming. We're going to have to accept it knowing we're wrong, accepting we're wrong. If you endure, or remain under the chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom the Father does not chasten? We know, well, we should know the very fact that mankind, of and by himself, says he loves his children. Well, it's a physical love. Because a lot of parents don't discipline their children, which really is they do not love their children. So a mother or father who does not chasten their children, correct them in the way that they should live according to God's way of life, they do not love their children. The truth is they love themselves more. They love themselves more.

Generally with childrearing it takes a lot of effort. It takes a lot of sacrificing to bring up a child the way they should go and what happens is that because of selfishness and because of pride and because of laziness a mother or father will let things go when they need to be dealt with. But it's easier because it's less friction; it's less effort. Therefore, things are let go. So when a parent says they really love their children and they don't discipline them, they don't bring them up in the right way, God's way of life, they do not love as God loves, absolutely impossible because they do not sacrifice themselves to aid the child, to benefit the other person, to benefit the children. So discipline of a child requires God's holy spirit, the sacrificing of self. The sacrificing of self must take place.

If you endure chastening God deals with you as with sons, for what son is there whom the father does not chasten? He should do. It should be done in love because it's the best thing for them.

Now, in any level of correction for us the most important thing is not to take it personally because it's part of life. Correction should be taken personally in the sense of taking it to self to adjust self, but not to defend self because people take it personally as an affront to self, which is, "What do you mean I'm like that? No, I'm not!" And they defend themselves. They take it personal, which is different between taking it personal and taking it internally and dealing with self, admitting something is wrong in self. Whereas pride will get in the way and they'll take it personal because they'll defend self. They'll justify self.

Well, God expects us to take it personal, which is to take it internally and deal with it, because it's part of life. We are wrong by nature. We know it. We're not going to take it personal to the point where we will defend self. No, we'll acknowledge self. Self is wrong. If we take it personally we are protecting self because of pride. Now, that's that defense, that justification. We are to repent and to think differently. We should change the way we think to think more like God. Now, when correction comes our way self cries out because it doesn't want to change. It's right in its own eyes. It's right! So why would it want to change? Well, we have to take it personal from the point of view of taking it internally and admitting, because of who we are and know who we are and what we are, we will deal with it personally. Not defending self, but destroying self, acknowledging it, accepting it. God is right; we are wrong. So we will remain under the government of God. We'll remain under God's holy spirit, and that's where the key is, remaining under God's holy spirit because it's all about change. We have to change the way we think.

Verse 8—But if you are without chastening, which means there's no correction taking place, which is like in a family, of which all have become partakers, because we're all corrected one way or another, then you are illegitimate and not sons. We're not begotten sons of God because? We're not being corrected by God. We know we have to be corrected.

Our life is one of correction. Being part of the Body of Christ is about being corrected. Everyone will be corrected by God. Now, if they don't think they're going to be they're going to get a rude shock, because they're going to be. Everyone is going to be corrected by God because we're wrong by nature. We're right in our own eyes by nature. So everyone's going to be corrected. The world is moving into a state of being corrected, all for the purpose of listening to God. If they listen to God, God will listen to them and they will have the opportunity to be corrected for the rest of their life because they'll come to see, by the power of God's holy spirit, that they're wrong by nature, that God designed them this way. We've been designed a particular way with this nature (this law, this nature that we have), for a purpose, the purpose of being corrected and changing the way we think, for the purpose of God giving us something in the end because we are humble, teachable, and thankful.

Verse 9—Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, which is based on their own ideas, mothers and fathers would correct us. I remember being corrected by my mother and father many a time. One time I do remember where I'd been out very late and I'd come home late and I knew I was in trouble and I was outside and my mother was at the back door and she'd say, "Come inside." And I was out on the wood heap, a pile of wood out in the back yard, because we had wood fires. I would stand there and I'd say, "No, I'm not coming inside because you're going to hit me." I still remember this day. I would have been probably eight. And mum would say, "Come inside and I won't hit you," and I'd say, "No, you're going to hit me." Mum'd say, "Come inside. I promise I won't hit you." And she convinced me in the end that I'd come inside, so I sheepishly went inside and I walked in gingerly and mum had poured the bath and I remember getting in the bath. I'm still waiting for mum to come in and hit me. Anyway, got dressed and got in my pajamas and came outside and there was my father. Oh dear! So I remember being disciplined by my parents because what they thought was right in their own eyes, their standards, what they thought was right to make me a better person.

Now, that's just how families operate. People have different levels of discipline and these days discipline, as far as smacking children and that, there are laws in Europe and different places where you're not allowed to hit a child, and people wonder why society is the way that it is. You can tell a three year old not to run on the road and I'm sure it's going to listen. The reality is that God says that, "If you spare the rod, you spoil the child." That's just the way it is, that correction. Now, there's different levels of correction. It's not always about hitting a child. It's about correction. There is a correction that needs to take place and there's certain times where the rod should not be spared because it's the only way to get through to the mind because it is all about the mind.

Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us. Now, I remember those days. …and we paid them respect. Yes, well, respect. It was fear probably more than respect in some ways. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? We're to learn how to live because of and by our own ideas we don't know how to live. We think we do because we're right in our own eyes. Well, we should be subject to God who knows what's best for us. God loves us. He is our Father. We're begotten sons. We should be under His authority. We should be humble. We should be teachable. We should be thankful to a great spiritual being that created us, that's given us life and wants to give us more. The only way that this more can be given is to go through this process which is called correction of the way we think, the transformation of the mind.

Verse 10—For they, parents, For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, based on their education, based on their own ideas, based on the way they were brought up and what they had worked out, what they thought was right and wrong, but He, God the Father, Yahweh Elohim, He corrects us for our benefit, for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. Isn't this a beautiful scripture? We are corrected for the purpose of God wanting to give us something, be partakers of His holiness, to share with God for eternity, to be part of His Family, to have the same mind as God. So God is correcting us for this very reason. Correction will come. We have to remain humble and be open to this correction so that God can be giving and sharing to us, so that God can give to us what He desires to give, to be partakers of His holiness, to be partakers of His nature, because God wants to share what He has, peace and happiness forever, no sin. Isn't that incredible? So we should be open to correction, brethren, because God loves us and this is the only way we are going to be partakers of His holiness, His nature. So that's why correction is given.

Now no chastening, no correction, seems to be joyful for the present, it's never fun, but grievous; nevertheless, afterward it yields, it does give something. So although it's difficult to go through we should be looking at ourselves, our motive and intent, the way we're living towards others. Are we living love? Are we living mercy in these trials to others, or have we got bad attitudes? What sort of attitudes have we got during a various trial? Well, we go through these things. It doesn't seem comfortable when we're going through these trials; nevertheless, afterwards it yields. Well, it should if we've got God's holy spirit, it will yield something if we have humility. …it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness, which is God's character, to those who have been trained (exercised) by it. So God is preparing our minds. So it's by this that we can come into a state of repentance because of our humility.

A person only repents if they have humility and that humility must come from God. Repentance comes from God. He gives us the ability to see where we are wrong. So we don't take it personally where we defend self because of the justification of self, but we do take it internally. It's personal because it's about us; it's about the way we think. Because we have God's spirit, we can see ourselves; therefore, we can take it on board and it will yield something because we're going to be corrected in the mind, we're going to change, we're going to want to change. And what will we become at the end of it? We'll become deeper in humility. We'll become deeper in peace, the peaceable fruit of righteousness, which is God's way of thinking about a matter, and we'll become more thankful, and we'll become more teachable. Open. More open to these things that are going on in our life because we're being trained, we're being exercised by it, we're being changed, the transformation's taking place. God is preparing our minds for the future. Isn't this encouraging scriptures?

Verse 12—Therefore, because we know all this, therefore, strengthen the hands that hang down, and the feeble knees. Don't become depressed. Don't get desperate or depressed about these things and think, "Oh no!" In other words, don't be weak in this. Be strong because God can change the way we think, God desires that we change the way we think. So let's not be discouraged. Let's be encouraged by this. This is exciting! This is fantastic! "I'm being corrected. I'm open to this correction. I know that I am wrong because God has said, 'Everyone is right in their own eyes.' By nature I'm selfish. I know this. I understand it. God's given me the view to see it." Mankind can't see it. I can. You can. "Therefore, strengthen the hands which hang down." Don't be depressed or get down and negative about it, but be encouraged, "and the feeble knees." …and make straight paths for your feet, in other words, change our attitude, change the direction of our thinking. Let's walk with God. Let's not walk in our own ways and wander out everywhere in the natural carnal mind, but make straight the paths, which is repent and change. Get the right direction with God. Repent before God about it. "Make straight paths for your feet." Repent before God. Admit we're wrong. Admit we're selfish, we're not humble, we're filled with pride. We are wrong. Admit those things. …and make straight paths for your feet, repent, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, which means turned away, but rather be healed. The healing of our minds.

The healing of our minds is what has to take place. The natural carnal mind has to be healed. It has to be changed. It has to be transformed on a spiritual level. That's what correction is all about. If we are in the state of humility we can be healed. If we're in a state of pride we cannot be healed.

Verse 14—Pursue peace with all men, which is to seek this unity because of our attitude, because of our spirit, because we're forgiving, we're merciful, we love, because we understand human potential, therefore, we can be at peace with all men because we understand what's happening to us and what's going to potentially happen to them – if they haven't set their minds against God – that's what's going to happen with them. So we should "pursue peace with all men" because of the way we live and our attitudes towards them. …and holiness, without which no one will see the Eternal, Yahweh Elohim. No one. Because? They've set their mind a different way.

…looking diligently lest anyone fall short of the grace (favor, mercy) of God; lest any root of bitterness… Now, this is the big danger, this bitterness when correction comes. …lest any root of bitterness spring up, cause trouble, and by this many become defiled. What's this about? This is about them being right in their own eyes and the root of bitterness comes in and they can't let it go because they can't accept the correction. It spreads in the mind – it's like a poison – but it needs to be removed.

Now, the root of bitterness comes because people believe and see in their own pride that they're right in their own eyes, and the person that's delivered the correction is wrong. They do not see that they are wrong. They take it personally and justify and defend self and work it all up and the bitterness comes towards God, really, about what God is doing in correcting their thinking. “And many have become or become defiled." They become polluted because of this bitterness, because they can't handle the correction.

…lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for a morsel of food sold his birthright. So such small matters, such small levels of correction, people walk out of the Church. They leave this relationship with God. They give it all up for something so small as a little bit of correction about the way they think or who they think they are.

Verse 17—For you know that afterwards, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, no place for the change of thinking that needed to take place, though he sought it diligently with tears.

Psalm 6:1—O Eternal, do not rebuke, or correct me spiritually in Your anger, because of sin. Now, when we have sin we are wrong; therefore, we need to be corrected because we sin. We're thinking wrongly. We've got wrong attitudes. Well, we have to learn to accept personal responsibility for our sins. So we ask God, because we know we're wrong, we know we have sin, we know we have hidden things of pride in us: "O Eternal, do not rebuke me (do not correct me) in Your anger." But He knows who we are, and therefore, it's more important for us to be always in a state of repentance. We have to ask God about that state of repentance.

Nor chasten me (correct me) in Your hot displeasure. So we're asking God here, we deserve to be corrected, but we don't want God to do it harshly, which He won't. He'll do it out of love. God will correct us because He loves us. Nor chasten me in Your hot displeasure. Have mercy on me, because God is merciful. It's the way God thinks. God will grant us repentance if we seek it, we desire it, something on a spiritual level. Have mercy on me, O Eternal, for I am weak. O Eternal, heal me, for my bones are troubled. Isn't this a beautiful thing?

"Have mercy on me O Eternal." That's what we want from God. We want God to forgive us of our sins if we're in a state of repentance. Why is it that we're saying these things? "For I am weak." We know ourselves. We, brethren, are weak by nature because we have pride. When we're strong we have humility. So we have to ask God to correct us for the rest of our life and to grant us the gift of humility, the gift of being teachable, always accepting it knowing that we are wrong, and to be thankful that God in His mercy is willing to correct us and teach us. We want God to heal us, physically, spiritually. Although, of course, there's nothing wrong in asking God to heal us on a physical level, but this is spiritual in nature. We want God to heal us spiritually because we know we are wrong, we know that we're by nature right in our own eyes. We know we have pride. Well, we want God to heal us.

What's that healing? That healing is spiritual and it's the transformation of the mind from one way of thinking to another. So we ask God to heal us on a spiritual level, to transform the way we think, and that we always want this gift of humility from God, to be open to correction for the rest of our life. So the important part of life is to always be open to correction, never to think that we know everything. Now, as doctrine changes or things change, we don't know. We have to admit that we don't know. We go by the grace of God and we stay in a state of humility, state of being teachable, and we're thankful for whatever enters the Church. We're never to raise ourselves up thinking that we know better. We must always be open to every level of spiritual correction from God.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1