Point Harbor Community Church

Jehovah-Makkeh: The Lord Who Disciplines

God reveals Himself to us thru His Word by His names.
Each specific name of God corresponds with a need He meets in my life!

Three statements to show you why this Discipline/Spanking side of God is necessary:

1. Only discipline stands between me and destruction.

1 Corinthians 11:31-32 GW
If we were judging ourselves correctly, we would not be judged. But when the Lord judges us, he disciplines us so that we won't be condemned along with the rest of the world.

2. God’s discipline of His children is always corrective!

Isaiah 9:12-13 NIV
…Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away, his hand is still upraised. But the people have not returned to him who struck them, nor have they sought the LORD Almighty.

3. Everybody is going to be disciplined! But by Whom?

Hebrews 12:5-11 NLT (selected portions of verses)
…“My child, don’t make light of the Lord’s discipline and don’t give up when he corrects you. For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.”
…remember that God is treating you as his own children. …If God doesn’t discipline you … it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all. Since we respected our earthly fathers who disciplined us, shouldn’t we submit even more to the discipline of the Father of our spirits, and live forever?...But God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness. No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.

How does God delegate my discipline and to WHOM?

1. Discipline delegated to me - Self-discipline
2 Timothy 1:7, 1 Corinthians 9:27

How To Self Discipline:

I Unleash God’s Word!

2 Timothy 3:16 AMP
Every Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for instruction…for training in righteousness.

I Enlist God’s People!

Proverbs 12:1 NIV
Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid.

2. Discipline delegated to my family - Parental-discipline
Proverbs 3:11-12, Proverbs 19:18, Proverbs 13:24, Proverbs 22:15, Proverbs 29:15, 17

3. Discipline delegated to my government - Societal-discipline

Romans 13:1-4 NLT
Obey the government, for God is the one who put it there … those who refuse to obey the laws of the land are refusing to obey God, and punishment will follow… The authorities are sent by God to help you. But if you are doing something wrong, of course you should be afraid, for you will be punished. The authorities are established by God for that very purpose, to punish those who do wrong.

4. Discipline delegated to His Bride - Church-discipline

1 Corinthians 5:1-5 TEV - Sexual immorality – hand over to Satan.

Romans 16:17-18 CEV - Watch out for anyone who causes trouble and divides the church. Stay away from them! They want to serve themselves and not Christ the Lord. Their flattery and fancy talk fool people who don't know any better.

2 Thessalonians 3:6-7 GW - Do not associate with anyone who does not live a disciplined life.

Titus 3:10-11 NLT - If anyone is causing divisions among you, give a first and second warning. After that, have nothing more to do with that person. For people like that have turned away from the truth. They are sinning, and they condemn themselves.

1 Timothy 5:19-20 GW - Don't pay attention to an accusation against a spiritual leader unless it is supported by two or three witnesses. Reprimand those leaders who sin. Do it in front of everyone so that the other leaders will also be afraid.

God’s Protocol for Church Leader Scandal:

1. Don’t listen to unsubstantiated gossip
2. Two or three eye-witness protocol

Be biblical and obey Jesus’ words.

Matthew 18:15-17 AMP
15 If your brother wrongs you, go and show him his fault, between you and him privately. If he listens to you, you have won back your brother.
16 But if he does not listen, take along with you one or two others, so that every word may be confirmed and upheld by the testimony of two or three witnesses.
17 If he pays no attention to them [refusing to listen and obey], tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a pagan and a tax collector.


Go to the person or persons you have the issue with!

5. Discipline by His own hand - Divine-discipline

This is when God spanks directly with His invisible hand.
Physical pain
Financial pain
He’s got an assortment of switches at His disposal

Hebrews 12:8-11 NLT
If God doesn't discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children after all. … But God's discipline is always right and good for us because it means we will share in his holiness. No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it is painful! But afterward there will be a quiet harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.

For His kids this is always correction—never condemnation!

Romans 8:1 NIV
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,

6. Judgment from His own hand - Wrath of God

Revelation 20:11-15 MSG
I saw a Great White Throne and the One Enthroned. Nothing could stand before or against the Presence, nothing in Heaven, nothing on earth. And then I saw all the dead, great and small, standing there—before the Throne! And books were opened. Then another book was opened: the Book of Life. Anyone whose name was not found inscribed in the Book of Life was hurled into Lake Fire.

Do you think you are under God’s discipline? God doesn’t play games. If He IS spanking you, He’ll let you know why.