Tuesday 6/10/14 Spanked by God! 2

Dear Father in Heaven:  I love You very much.  Please forgive me of my sins and wash me white as snow.  Lord, I am sorry our country put You out of our schools.  Please forgive our country, Lord, we can see what is going on now.  Lord, please help me with the message of this day and then please  help me to dispatch it.  Oh, and Lord, thank You for healing our K-9 and giving him more time with us.  In Jesus' Name I pray and give thanks.  Amen.

Brothers and sisters, it was just another perfect day here at the Southern Location of the North Pole.  Just perfect.  God is so good, our little Yorkshire that was so sick has been turned around and seems to be doing better.  Understand that he is very old, so each day is a blessing that we have him.  In fact, each day we are here on earth is a blessing.  We had a great sing-along at The Bridges today.  The seniors that came sounded like a choir.  Okay, time for me to get to the message.

Tuesday:  June 10, 2014, Spanked by God (Day Two)

Psalm 23:4 - Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me.  Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.  (NIV)

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

Let me start today by telling you there are several kinds of "rods."  I mean if we look at today's term we might think of "street rod."  If we look at the Bible we can see the term "rod" being used for more than one thing.  In Psalm 23:4 it talks about the "rod" and the rod that a shepherd uses when watching over his sheep has more than one use.  They can be used as a "walking stick," they can be used as a weapon when defending the sheep, and of course it could be turned around and used to hook back a lamb from danger.  The term "rod" also means punishment or correction.  A "rod" can be made from all kinds of material, meaning steel or wood, etc., and most often we find a "rod" is straight and not with the hook on top like in the shepherd's "rod and staff."

As I look at the 23rd Psalm, I can picture Jesus being the one who is holding the "rod and staff" and that brings comfort to me.  When a shepherd stood watch over his flock, the sheep knew his voice.  Just think about this, our Shepherd, our Lord Jesus who stands watch over us, knows our voice.  He knows each and every one of us and knows our voice.  So if you are standing in a crowd and someone cuts loose, don't point at the other person, God knows your voice and knows who cut loose with the bad words.  (What did you think I meant when I said "cuts loose?)

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

When I look at Proverbs 13:24 I can only say my parents did NOT hate me, in fact according to this term, I might have been the most loved kid anywhere!  Again I want to bring this out, having one's backside tanned is not beating a child. I learned very young that what my parents said was what I had better done.  Please remember that the word "rod" means punishment or discipline and that is according to a book I do not use often, the dictionary.

Today, discipline is different than when I was growing up.  Today parents use the "count system."  Sometime back I was in the food store and a mother was having trouble with her child.  "You better listen, I am counting.  One, two, three, I mean it, I am counting, one, two, I am telling you, you are going to get it.  One, two."  By this time I am thinking, hit the kid already and they will listen.  I did not say a word, but it was tempting.  There was one day I did speak out.  A lady came to me and asked me if I would talk to her child and get them to listen. This was done because I look like Santa.  Anyway, my answer to her, and I do not believe it just came out, I said, "Can I spank them?"  She walked away.  I do have fun in the food store, I pray for people, I have anointed people with oil right in the store, it is a very easy place to witness if you are alert to do that.

Anyway, I asked you a question yesterday and told you I would give you the answer.  Does God spank?  Oh my gosh, I need to hold this over until tomorrow, for I have gone long enough tonight.

Remember tomorrow is Wednesday and that means it is SALVATION WEDNESDAY on this line.  Yes, I will tie it together tomorrow but let me tell you this.  God does spank his children.

Now go forth and share your blessings.  Love ya.  Please pass on my love.

Pastor Dan