GOD DISCIPLINES, THOUGH HE IS MERCIFUL 3

17 THEN Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, “THIS IS WHAT THE LORD GOD OF HEAVEN'S ARMIES, THE GOD OF ISRAEL, SAYS: ‘IF YOU SURRENDER TO THE BABYLONIAN OFFICERS, YOU AND YOUR FAMILY WILL LIVE, AND THE CITY WILL NOT BE BURNED DOWN.
18 BUT IF YOU REFUSE TO SURRENDER, YOU WILL NOT ESCAPE! This city will be handed over to the Babylonians, and they will burn it to the ground.’ ”
19 “BUT I AM AFRAID TO SURRENDER,” THE KING SAID, “for the Babylonians may hand me over to the Judeans who have defected to them. And who knows what they will do to me!”
20 JEREMIAH REPLIED, “YOU WON'T BE HANDED OVER TO THEM IF YOU CHOOSE TO OBEY THE LORD. YOUR LIFE WILL BE SPARED, AND ALL WILL GO WELL FOR YOU."
Jeremiah 38:17-20 (NLT)

• God will use your mistakes to bring to the fulfilment, His plans in your life.

• God would work through what you did wrong, the mistakes you made which the devil would have used against you, and bring glory to Himself—If you humbled yourself and repented and served whatever punishment He meted out to you.
• If the devil knew the crucifixion of Jesus Christ would lead to the redemption or salvation of the whole world, he would not have done it: "NONE OF THE RULERS OF THIS WORLD UNDERSTOOD GOD'S WISE PLAN. IF THEY HAD UNDERSTOOD, THEY WOULD NOT HAVE KILLED JESUS ON A CROSS. HE IS THE LORD WHO RULES HEAVEN AND EARTH" (1 Corinthians 2:8 EasyEnglish Bible).
• God is not an author of confusion (1 Corinthians 14:33), and He would not tempt you with any evil (James 1:13,14); however, If you missed it or messed up, He would still help you out if you allowed or cooperated with Him.
  WHAT the devil meant to use against you would be turned around and used for your blessings (Romans 8:28).
• When you humbled yourself to be disciplined by God, when you erred, He would forgive you, restore you; and through It, work out your promotion.

• God promises to be with the Israelites whilst they are in the Captivity. If they submitted to the Babylonians, He would cause them to have peace in the land (Jeremiah 27:11,12).
ALTHOUGH, It was a Captivity, yet, His good hands would not depart from or leave them (Jeremiah 29:4-6). God would make whatever yoke He approves, Easy (Matthew 11:29,30).

• It shows that even in the midst of chastisement or discipline, God's love is still being expressed or shown to the submissive children. In other words, His goodnesses would still be enjoyed though you are under His punishment or chastisement.
• Now, If a believer had pride in him or her, you failed to Acknowledge your shortcomings, and you are not willing to be disciplined or corrected, and would not want to serve whatever punishment being meted out to you; that might lead to a destruction.

• God through Jeremiah told Zedekiah the king of Judah to submit to Nebuchadnezzar the Babylonian king, and serve for the chastisement or discipline of their disobedience As a nation; but he did not (Jeremiah 38:17,18; 39:4-8).

• You are qualified for God's mercy only when you are willing, or you humble yourself enough to serve whatever punishment or chastisement He meted out as a result of your mess—mistakes.
• Let God have His way in how He deals with, or takes action about, you and your circumstances or situations; that you may receive His mercy. When you try to dodge God's dealings or chastisements, you would suffer terribly for It.
• Truth: the fact that God is good and merciful and that Jesus has paid the price for our Sins does not mean God would not chastise you, according to His Word, when you disobeyed Him (Hebrews 12:6).
• A mature believer who knows the right thing to do but did not do it would be disciplined, even If he or she asked for God's forgiveness (James 4:17).
• An act of disobedience or rebellion by a mature believer who ought to know better would always receive a discipline or chastisement (Luke 12:47). However, If the person, the believer, had a repentant heart, the chastisement might not be much or too severe. But he or she would surely have a taste of the discipline for what they have done wrong, that such a thing might not be repeated again (Hebrews 12:11).
• If you always want to dodge or abscond the correction, the discipline or chastisement of God; you might end up being a cast out in the divine programme of God—missing the place which He has prepared for you.
• Obedience is the major key to the walking in close communion or fellowship with God.

• God is a disciplinarian!

• God would not spare you when you erred, after you had known the truth (Luke 12:47; James 4:17; Hebrews 10:26).
• Remember, God is not chastising because He is wicked, but want to conform you to His image (Romans 8:29); be a partaker of His holiness (Hebrews 12:10). Thus, Submit to Him that you may be exalted and not be a regret (James 4:10).

• You will not fail in Jesus' name.

• Should there be any ailment in your body, receive your healing now in Jesus' name.
• What God has not planted in your body that is working against your health is cursed and uprooted in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.
  Peace!

STEPS TO SALVATION
• Take notice of this:
IF you are yet to take the step of salvation, that is, yet to be born-again, do it now, tomorrow might be too late (2 Corinthians 6:1,2; Hebrews 3:7,8,15).
a. Acknowledge that you are a sinner and confess your Sins (1 John 1:9); And ask Jesus Christ to come into your life (Revelation 3:20).
b. Confess that you believe in your heart that Jesus Christ is Lord, and that you confess it with your mouth, Thus, you accept Him As your Lord and Saviour (Romans 10:9,10).
c. Ask that He will write your name in the Book of Life (Philippians 4:3; Revelation 3:8).

• If you took the steps As highlighted above, It means you are saved—born-again. Join a Word based church in your area and Town or city, and be part of whatever they are doing there. Peace!