Blows of Love
Basilea Schlink teaches that God's loving discipline, though often painful, is a necessary path to eternal happiness by drawing believers closer to Jesus.
In this devotional sermon, Basilea Schlink explores the profound truth that God's discipline is an expression of His love, designed to prepare believers for eternal joy. Through personal stories and biblical insight, she reveals how suffering and chastening are not signs of rejection but of divine care. Listeners are encouraged to embrace God's loving correction as a pathway to deeper closeness with Jesus and lasting happiness.
Full Transcript
God lives and works today. He is a loving father who wants to bring up his children correctly. And so we read in the twelfth chapter of Hebrews, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor lose courage when you are punished by him.
For the Lord disciplines him whom he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives. The following program by Basilea Schlink will help us to better understand God's love in his chastening. Two friends of ours were being severely chastened by God.
It looked as if God were actually against them. He let their work fail and continually set new obstacles in their way. It caused them many sleepless nights and humiliations before other people.
Sometime later when we saw our friends again, they greeted us with radiant faces. They had experienced something similar to Job. After the tears and suffering, God had showered them with three times as much goodness.
He can't respond in any other way because he's a loving father. The great church was happy, and we told them so. And they smiled at us and told us, You can have this happiness too, because God is love.
He has only one thought in his heart. He wants to make us happy, you and me. However, there's one specific way that leads to this happiness.
For God can't make us happy only for a short time, which would only disappoint us. No, he wants us to have an eternal happiness, one that never wears off. That means he wants to begin to make us happy here on earth so that later we can be happy too for all eternity.
And the way that leads to this lasting happiness is a way of preparation, of being brought up and chastened by the Father. Now you might think, then the whole world must be awfully happy because look how much suffering and chastening we all have to go through. However, chastening alone doesn't let us become happy.
Only when we committed ourselves completely to God's will and humbled ourselves beneath his mighty hand did we experience his will is goodness and loving-kindness, so good the ways by which he leads. And what happened? The ways of chastening purified us and brought us near to Jesus. And whoever comes near to Jesus, the eternal joy becomes truly happy.
He can sing, who makes us happy? Jesus is you. That person has found a wonderful treasure, which no one can ever take away. You've been listening to a program by Basilea Schlink of the Little Land of Canaan.
To learn more about how God lives and works today, visit us at our website, www.canaaninthedesert.com. That's C-A-N-A-A-N-inthedesert.com. If you contact us, we would be happy to send you a free inspirational booklet. If you do not have access to the web, please contact this radio station for our postal address. God bless you.
Sermon Outline
-
I. God's Loving Discipline
- God disciplines those He loves
- Discipline is a form of fatherly chastening
- It is meant to bring about growth and correction
-
II. The Experience of Suffering
- Suffering may appear as opposition from God
- Trials can cause humiliation and sleepless nights
- Suffering is part of God's preparation process
-
III. The Outcome of Chastening
- God showers greater blessings after trials
- Chastening purifies and draws us closer to Jesus
- True happiness comes from surrender and humility
-
IV. The Path to Eternal Joy
- Temporary happiness is insufficient
- God’s goal is eternal, lasting joy
- Closeness to Jesus secures a treasure no one can take away
Key Quotes
“For the Lord disciplines him whom he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” — Basilea Schlink
“God has only one thought in his heart. He wants to make us happy, you and me.” — Basilea Schlink
“Only when we committed ourselves completely to God's will and humbled ourselves beneath his mighty hand did we experience his will is goodness and loving-kindness.” — Basilea Schlink
Application Points
- Embrace God's discipline as a loving correction rather than punishment.
- Commit fully to God's will and humble yourself to experience His goodness.
- Trust that suffering is a preparation for eternal joy and draw closer to Jesus through it.