Correction: Everyone Hates It, But We All need it!

Correction: Everyone Hates It, But We All need it!              Kelly Durant

Hebrews 12:11 Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

2. In Spanish there is a saying, “It is better to have a red moment than 1,000 yellow moments”. You may think, what does that mean, right? It means that if you correct someone because you got heated, (red) that that is better than getting uncomfortable for 1,000 times for not correcting someone. 

We all need someone to hold us accountable for our actions, especially wrong ones. An example of the above would be like if a person has a child that always goes around kicking people (I have known some kids like this!) and people put up with it year after year afraid to correct the kids or the parents, then that is like the yellow, uncomfortable moments. Then one day someone speaks up, “Hey, I’m giving your kid some time out because I’m not going to take getting kicked anymore”! So that is a ‘red’ heated moment!

The world is made up of people who correct themselves, their kinfolk, and others while other irresponsible folks do not. It’s the difference between sheep and goats; sheep allow you to lead them and are led, but goats are wild, obey no one, and destroy everything in their path. People who correct others are often perceived as hard, harsh, unloving, and ones that get ‘red’ over something. We need to reshape how we think, often those who correct have much love for others, so much they do not want another continuing in their errors. It’s a tough love but sincere.  

3. So I have a question for you, who corrects you? (pause) Does anyone correct you ever? What did you get corrected for recently?  Usually we think of the parents correcting the kids right, but in today’s world the kids are not getting much correction as 1 in 2 homes have single parents and the working one doesn’t have time for it! The teachers in school then don’t want to deal with the out-of-control kids either and so we have a new generation of little monsters getting their way. But yelling and being emotional, making a show manipulating others, is so uncomfortable most of us just want to make them stop (the temper tantrum), so we cave to their ugly demands.

But kids are not even a third of our society, so who is correcting the adults? Unless they have a strong united family, unless they go to a church with candid Bible defending people, then no one is correcting the mistakes of most adults!  Church should be where people get spiritual correction and if they are not, if they are just getting feel good messages, then they are not maturing. I can point out the sins of the world to you, but you are responsible to implore Jesus to purge you so you will be free from these lies, deceptions, and manipulations of Satan in your life.

Jesus corrected his disciples often like in Mark 8:33 But when He had turned around and looked at His disciples, He rebuked Peter, saying, “Get behind Me, Satan! For you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.” A true Christian should actually want to get corrected by the leaders in order to grow. But when have you ever come to me or a leader here to ask, what do you see that I need to correct in my life? What weak area do you see about me that I should work on to please God better? When are you going to ask that question? 

4. So what are the consequences of not getting corrected?  Well, most rebellious kids who defy the parents, who defy the authorities in the school, who practice getting their own way despite whom it harms end up believing they can defy the authorities in the local town as well. So the police then take them to jail for infractions of the law, and if they still are defiant then consequently they end up making life a worse hell for their selves surrounded by evil, unrepentant, God hating, people hating monsters like themselves. 

God expects you to invite discipline in your life.  Hebrews 12:5 And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: “My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; 6 For whom the Lord loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives.”7 If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? 8 But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. 9 Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? 

Here is a problem many people have concerning God’s corrections. I sometimes see people go through big problems, accidents, and issues but too few ever question if God is dealing with them over a certain sin or not. Many people get punished many times over something and never learn as they are always rejecting the idea God sees all and knows their secrets. So wake up, thank God for the lesson, and don’t keep doing the sin that’s getting you punished! 

5. So are you going to grow to live holy getting rid of your sin? Having sin in your life is like having a bad tooth, you send off bad breath and everyone knows something is rotten inside. And then you avoid the dentist (God & the truth of where you are failing). No one really wants to go to the dentist but you have to or the problem is just going to get worse and even more painful.

Hebrews 12: 10 For they (our fathers) indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He (God) for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. 11 Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

It really kills your pride to have to admit God is allowing some inconvenience in your life in order to correct you. But without getting broken and humbled you are not of any use to God or to anyone. The best thing is to let God have His way with you, accept the correction, or the road will just get harder and harder. But when repentant, the load gets lighter and the way easier!

6. So who will you accept correction from? From a friend, a relative, or a pastor? Or You can even by direct revelation from the Holy Spirit? Have you ever cried out to God, “Show me my sins, show me my failings so I can stop them and please you”? I have, I did, and I must repeat that often as it is the only way to maintain our connection and holiness with God.

John 16:13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.

I know some of you here have a close connection with God, it is evident by your humble sweet spirit and your good fruits. And there are others here who have a lot to learn and you do not even perceive that you are not very mature.  So if you have not been asking God to reveal to you your sin and correct you, then you are probably one of the ones that should ask someone to help you see where your life needs correction. Ask for the Holy Spirit!

7. So is it our job as Captains/pastors to correct you? Principally we are to guide you to the words of Jesus, and His words should be what causes you to see yourself as God sees you and auto correct yourself. Sometimes we do need to be blunt to correct wrong things when people don’t see their wrong actions, but most of time our job is to inspire, to love, to guide, and to help those hurting to heal and find their purpose in God’s service.

But here is the problem today, people are not praying as they should, are not reading their Bibles, are not even tuning into the messages the Captain/pastor delivers. There are people here in this Corps as in every church that when the pastor preaches they look at their cell phones, leave the room, and by their actions show they do not care about God’s Word or care to mix and talk with their Christin Family. Are you being led like God’s sheep or just being like a goat? 

Proverbs 15:3 The eyes of the Lord are in every place, Keeping watch on the evil and the good. Proverbs 16:2 All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, But the Lord weighs the spirits. 

1 Peter 3:12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their prayers; But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

8. Contrasting to God’s correction, the people of the world today have been getting correction on how to be civil but by many hypocritical ungodly people. These are the politically correct draconian police who dictate to you their values of right and wrong which contradict God’s Word. They teach in the schools, universities, workplaces, civil groups, and even in false churches that we must accept and promote the values of the current degenerate sinful culture. Seek God’s correction and reject the world’s enslaving, intimidating, illogical, oppressive correction! 

If you want to mature in God, if you want to be corrected, then start with the premise that most everything you have ever been taught or told is wrong, a lie, and a misleading concept. Romans 12 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Everyone needs correction but only a wise person will seek it from God and from those who serve God having proof of their good deeds in God’s service. Psalm 19:12

Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults. Proverbs 13:20

He who walks with wise men will be wise, But the companion of fools will be destroyed. Never seek correction, wisdom, light, or preparation from the world, only from God’s Word!

9. An example of the world’s misguided instructions and corrections is that it will always lead to destruction as that of the NXIVM cult. Let’s suppose I want my daughter to be an actress but I know she has a lot to learn and needs discipline and correction, so what do I do? I seek out an institution to teach her, correct her, and guide her on how to be professional. There was such an institute connected to top government Officials and Hollywood who had a starting price of a $5,000 month course. You needed to spend $500,000 as well if you  really wanted more results! You basically handed over your underage boy or girl to allow these people to teach them the skills of the trade, but this trade included the sex trade! They took porn pictures of them so they could be blackmailed and manipulated, and then physically branded them like a cow as well! 

The entire service was bogus and was a front for prostitution and human trafficking of minors and thank God they were caught. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/19/nyregion/nxivm-trial-raniere.html      

But why do I bring this up? Because these are the kind of people running the world who want to dictate, contradict, and correct us when we take a stand for God’s truth. So many people get tempted with fame and fortune that they ignore God’s correction because they think they know better than God or anyone. But those seeking to take advantage almost always get taken advantage of! Young people and parents, this is a warning, seek God’s guidance above all things because the world’s guidance is destructive and leads to exploitation and oppression, especially in the professional, entertainment, or political world where money and power are involved.

10.  Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction. Correction and instruction must come from God for your spiritual life to prosper, otherwise you are not on God’s plan but your own plan. I can tell you I am still learning and that is the beauty of God, all we learn in life serves to improve ourselves and helps us to understand others. But it all comes by correction! Correction produces peace and good fruit in our lives.

I asked you a lot of questions today about who corrects you, and it is serious that you get correction. I know people my age and older that reveal in conversation that they have never matured spiritually and it is principally because no one has ever corrected their errors. How sad to live an empty life spinning your wheels, stuck in the mud of the world, living like a condemned zombie with not purpose, never getting excited over what the Lord is doing in your life. Correction hurts, it is embarrassing, but we must thank God that He loves us and has patience with us.

Every true Christian will have a testimony of how they were going down the wrong road in life and then the Lord Jesus saved them from their bad behaviors, sins, errors, and misguided dreams and illusions. Like Nicodemus in John 3, he was so messed up Jesus told him he needed to be born again! He needed so much correction, like everybody, that his only hope to was do a reset and correct everything about his life. He was open to hear it and change, are you open to receive?

God will forgive you, correct you, and Holy Spirit guide you if you let Him! But it requires killing your pride, purging yourself from your sins, and even asking another what your errors are. Do it today before it is too late! God will correct you, but are you learning and prospering?