Intro:   Suffering-- Types of: physical, emotional/mental, spiritual.
     God uses suffering to...Bring glory to Self, to Mature His people, to further His plan
       Chastisement....read verses 5-6-7
         I believe that 50-75% of our suffering is from the Chastening of God.  
         We have a narrow view of the chastening of God.
          Heb......(1) Paul lays Christianity beside Judaism (2) Chty is BETTER.
                       (3) Ch. is perfect fulfillment of Judaism (4) Principles of Chsty active in J
                        Verse 1 “Wherefore” WE ARE PART OF THE GRAND PLAN OF GOD.
                        WE ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME BATTLES AS THOSE BEFORE US.

I.   God’s Discipline is a Misunderstood Aspect of Our 
    Christian Journey.  V. 5-6
my son... mature offspring, descendant, young man learning of life.   
despise not....to care little for, regard lightly, make small account
faint...become despondent, weary,   faint hearted
ye have forgotten....define chastening....WRONG ATTITUDES   Prov. 3:11
Chastening includes the whole training process of God for His children!
rebuked...to call forward, to expose, to find fault with
Chastening is a product of Love...  Hurts but helps

ILL:   In WW2 bombers bombed cities from such a high altitude -people did not know where the enemy was coming from.  Sometimes they mobilized to fight a ground battle.  In the animal kingdom, wasps fight at an object wo knowing what is threatening them.  Young man, on his own, experiencing set-backs in his business.  His father was pulling the strings, teaching him how to run his business.  We must understand the truth of God’s chastening...

II.   God’s Discipline Is As Sure As Your Salvation. 
v. 7-8
No one is beneath the attention of the Heavenly Father...Infinite capacity to teach-train
See Illustration 1 Kings 1:5-6
Do parents know better than God?  Principles in place–sure and stedfast  Read Hebrews 5:8-9
bastard = illegitimate, nothos where we get the word “nothing”
Why do we reserve the doctrine of chastening to only the spankings of God?  
Much more to discipline than the physical.

III.  God’s Discipline Is Pictured In the Human Realm. v. 9-10
which corrected = instructed, taught, to cause to perceive
gave them reverence = accepted their teaching, ashamed at their  rebuke
be in subjection = to arrange oneself in order(military term), to cooperate
after their own pleasure = according to their own opinions, rules
for our profit = to bring together, to bear a load together
freshness of life—closeness to God-- spiritual knowledge; and experience; 
restoration of fellowship, duty, and zeal; and become more conformable to Christ; brings glory to God

IV.  God’s Discipline Accepted Leads to Success In the Christian Life.   V. 11
grievous = sorrowful, afflicting, annoying
yieldeth = pays interest, makes a profit, 
the peaceable fruit of righteousness   joy, productivity, sense if purpose

V.    God’s Discipline Despised Leads to Certain Failure in the Christian Life v. 12-15
hands hang down = service
feeble kneees = walk
crooked paths = testimony
relationships = can they see God in your life?
looking diligently = caring for others, taking the oversight, 
episkepeo a leadership question

fail = to come in late, tardy   to lack in excellence
root of bitterness = a bulb or a cutting, a slip (signifies more to come)
springing up = to shoot forth suddenly
defiled = contaminated, to be dyed from one color to another

Conclusion: Much more to chastening than spankings.  We are like children at school, “My parents don’t spank me.”  “I havent gotten a spanking since I was little.”

We are all in training. Training on the job.  You must correct, show the correct way, watch out for the safety of the trainee.  

My son, don’t think lightly of the training sessions of God!