Of course these are just examples, and the way that God disciplines you is as individual as you are. The great thing is that God gives us all the choice to stop our sin at any time which stops the discipline. Many times we are in denial of our sin, which keeps us from escaping from continuing discipline. We simply don’t want to admit to or let go of our sin. Yes, it’s ugly, but it’s true. A parent’s love is what motivates them to discipline, and the same is true of God.

And you have forgotten the instruction which speaks to you as to children,

My son, don’t despise the chastening of the Lord,

nor faint when you are rebuked of Him.

Proverbs 3:11

For whom the Lord loves He corrects,

and scourges every son whom He receives.
If you endure discipline,

God deals with you as with sons;

for what son is he whom the father doesn’t scold?

But if you are without discipline,

of which we all are a part,

then you are illegitimate, and not sons.

Furthermore we have had mortal fathers which corrected us,

and we gave them respect:

wouldn’t we much rather be in submission

to the Father of spirits, and live?

For they truly for a few days chastened us to please themselves;

but God disciplines us for our benefit,

that we might be partakers of His holiness.

Now no chastening at the time, seems to be joyous, but grievous:

nevertheless afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness

for those who learn by it.

We’ve all known unruly children who are not well disciplined, and adults who are not self-disciplined. Can you imagine the chaos that the world would be in if it weren’t for our loving Father’s discipline?

So strengthen up the hands which hang down,

and the weak knees;
And make straight paths for your feet,

so the weak won’t be rejected;

but rather be healed.

Follow peace with all men, and holiness,

without which no man shall see the Lord:

Psalms 34:14

Watching carefully so that no man falls short of the grace of God;

so that no root of bitterness springing up troubles you,

and by this many are defiled;
In case there be any fornicator, or dishonorable person, as Esau,

who for one morsel of meat (In a moment of weakness) sold his birthright.

Genesis 25:33

For you know how that afterward,

when Esau would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected:

because he didn’t repent,

though he sought it (the blessing) carefully with tears.

Genesis 27:34-40

This is that “root of bitterness” that Paul was just talking about. Instead of being truly sorry for what he did, Esau was bitter and consequently the blessing he received made him even more bitter, which is what Paul meant when he said, “and by this many are defiled. The point is, don’t resent the discipline of your Father, because you may make things worse.

Now Paul compares the discipline from the Old Testament, to the New Testament.

For you are not come unto the mount that might be touched,

and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest,
And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of God’s words;

which voice they that heard pleaded

that the word would not be spoken to them any more:
(Because they could not endure that which was commanded,

And if so much as a beast touch the mountain,

it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart:
And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said,

I exceedingly fear and quake:)

Exodus 20:18-26

But you have come to mount Zion,

and to the city of the living God,

the heavenly Jerusalem,

and to an innumerable company of angels,
to the general assembly and church of the firstborn,

which are written in heaven,

and to God the Judge of all,

and to the spirits of just men made perfect,
and to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant,

and to the blood of sprinkling,

that speaks better things that that of Abel.

Now Paul encourages us even more, to listen carefully to God’s discipline.

Make sure you don’t refuse Him that speaks.

For if they didn’t escape who refused Him that spoke on earth,

how much more shall we not escape,

if we turn away from Him that speaks from heaven:
Whose voice then shook the earth:

but now He has promised, saying,

Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.

Haggai 2:6

And this word, “Yet once more,”

signifies the removing of those things that are shaken,

as of things that are made,

that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.

Things that are shaken, are all earthly, fleshly, worldly things, whereas things that cannot be shaken are spiritual. If your desires can be “shaken” they will be done away with, but your faith, and your obedience to God is unshakable.

So as we receive a kingdom which cannot be moved,

let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably

with reverence and godly fear:

For our God is a consuming fire.

Be sure to come back soon and we’ll study the last chapter of this lovely letter from Paul to the Hebrews, together, right here at Daily Bread.