God’s Discipline Proves His Love

Hebrews 12:1–12 (God’s Discipline Proves His Love) Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up. After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin.

And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children? He said, “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.” As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father? 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 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? For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. 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. So take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your weak knees.

Today’s scripture reference is very powerful. I might suggest you read it again, very slowly. Let the meaning soak into your mind and heart. Most people associate the word disciple with punishment. Scripturally, it means so much more. I’ve studied and written on this before but the ‘Holy Tap’ keeps bring it up. You know what that means…it means God is outlining the path He wants me to take with this devotional. This is His devotional anyway, I just offer up my hands and time, which is His to begin with, so basically, considering He gave me the desire and motivation to write, I own none of it. So, ‘discipline’ it is!

You’ve heard me say before, “If you discipline yourself (exercising self-disciple), no one else will have to.” This is a true statement as far as living a lawful, considerate and moderate life. This is the stuff we can do in our physical lives. When it comes to our spiritual life, God doesn’t stop there. His discipline extends to every area of our lives and is for our greater good. This is our Heavenly Father loving His children enough to mold and shape them into His righteousness. We have no righteousness of our own, no amount of good works or clean living can make the difference. It is the sculpting, maturing discipline of our loving Father and the sacrifice Jesus Christ made for us that count.

After the holidays, we will start a study on Divine Discipline. I think it’s a good way to kick off the new year. Don’t let the title scare you away. I realize discipline isn’t always a popular topic and there will be those that choose to skip reading it altogether. That’s a shame, who knows what God will reveal through that study. I, for one, am anxious to see where He takes it.

…But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way. So take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your weak knees.

Fruitful Life

Colossians 3:12-15 (HGSB) And so, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. And beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body, and be thankful.

The Scripture above is beautiful. It also seems like a tall order and almost impossible to live out. How do you get to the point where you can lay human emotion aside and walk out the forgiveness and gentleness of behavior it talks about? Fact is, on your own you can’t.

Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

When Christians speak of the work of the "Holy Spirit", they are speaking about the operations of the Spirit of God in the material world we live in, and within us. But God the Holy Spirit isn't here just to hang out, or to do a miracle for sport, or bliss someone out for an hour or so. The Spirit is there to cause things to happen in peoples' lives that bring them more in tune with God's purposes on earth. When the Spirit starts changing someone, it shows as a growth in character, a change in their way of life that is good for the people they live among. This change in character and way of life is called a 'fruit of the Spirit'.

Paul's Galatians list is both something you are and something you do. It is the Spirit giving you the character of Christ; it is treating others and relating to creation as a whole in the manner of the Kingdom of God. There are other such lists in the Epistles, and they are also relevant to any talk about the fruit of the Spirit.

In 1 Corinthians 13, in the midst of Paul's description of the gifts of the Spirit, there is a section on love. While not directly about 'fruit', it is about what springs from love, and it is in much the same vein. Love is the underpinning of what the Spirit is doing, the 'why' of it.

These fruit lists describe what a Christian grows into, over time. This is the way a person lives when the Spirit is being productive within. There was no word in there about being given the Midas touch for resolving all financial woes. There are no verses about crusading for a just society, though there is something about being just. These lists are completely silent about miraculous deeds or the gifts of wisdom or knowledge or discernment as signs of the Spirit's rule within a person. The lists give no special credit to official power or office or responsibility. It sounds instead like a repeated refrain from Jesus (Matthew 7:16, 20) that one knows God's followers 'by their fruits'. Or, like the apostle Paul's urgings that the Roman church bear fruit for God, or James about being full of mercy and good fruit. Or John the Baptist, or even the proverb which says that "the fruit of righteousness is a tree of life". These matters of character are the stuff which gives life-ness to life. It is holiness taking root in you. It is something you are, not just something you do or think.

When the Spirit is at home in someone, that person will start taking on the characteristics described as the fruit of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit works to change Christians so they have the depth of character and faith the Bible talks about. It's not automatic or sudden. Like everything else in this broken world and its broken people, it's something that arises only in part, not completely, in this life. The Spirit never leaves "well enough" alone, but is always working for something better.

Bondslave for Prayer

Colossians 4:12-13 Epaphras, who is one of your number, a bondslave of Jesus Christ, sends you his greeting, always laboring earnestly for you in prayers, that you may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God. For I bear him witness, that he has a deep concern for you, and them that are in Laodicea, and them in Hierapolis.

Epraphras is not a name you hear much of. Under Paul’s direction, he evangelized the cities of the Lycus Valley in Phrgias and founded the churches of Colossae, Hierapolis and Laoicea. He was obviously a dear saint in the Lord. Paul refers to him as fellow bondslave and fellow prisoner. He may have suffered imprisonment with Paul at one time. I looked up ‘bondslave’ in the New Testament Dictionary because it was underlined in my Hebrew-Greek Bible and in this context it means followers and ministers of Christ. But the thing that really impresses me about this saint is what Paul wrote about him– he always labored earnestly in prayer! How beautiful to know one so connected to the followers and ministers of Christ would be laboring so earnestly in prayer for you!

He was a man with whom Paul must have been accustomed to praying, and clearly the apostle knew of his zeal from personal experience. But notice what Epaphras prayed for – that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God. That's my prayer for each one of us.

The Intercessory work of the saint through prayer is the work behind the scenes, the silent ministry that most of the world knows little of, yet more powerful than any weapon on earth unleashing power from above that makes demons tremble. I also looked up ‘laboring earnestly’ and it is defined as to exert oneself, to strive earnestly. Prayer is not a passive past time. It takes action on our part to exert oneself and strive earnestly. I have to admit, I cannot say all my prayers of intercession could be described as prayers of earnest labor. So often, we dash off a quick little ‘post-it note’ of a prayer for someone or something and feel we’ve done our part. We too quickly say, “I’ll pray for you” and, though we probably mean it at the time, we shuffle it into the pile of other “I’ll pray for you(s)” and it gets covered under something of an umbrella prayer over the pile. I felt a deep ache in my heart when I heard a popular and mainstream ministry put all the prayer request they received in large baskets and prayed over the baskets. I’m sure the vast amount of requests made that seem logical and practical but it certainly doesn’t seem like laboring earnestly in prayer for those entrusting their needs to them. Just my opinion.   

In this day and age, with the winds of spiritual warfare swirling all around – when faith will be tested to the extreme – my prayer is that you and I will stand perfect and complete in the will of God and learn what it really means to labor earnestly in prayer. With so many of us under severe attack, never neglect the power of prayer – for this ministry counts so much more than you may realize, not only here on earth– but also, where it really counts…in heaven.

I Shall Not Want

Psalm 23 (HGSB) The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul; He guides me in the path of righteousness for His name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me. Thou dost prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; Thou hast anointed my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

From the imagery, the beautiful word pictures David writes, we can see his thoughts had returned to the secure time of his boyhood when he himself was a shepherd who totally cared for his sheep and in whom his sheep could completely trust. What a vivid, comforting thought for him to conceive of the Lord as his shepherd, "The Lord is my shepherd." In these words, we see his satisfaction in the care of the great Sheperd of the universe, the Redeemer and Preserver of men. With joy he reflects that he has a shepherd, and that shepherd is God. A flock of sheep, gentle and harmless, feeding in verdant pastures, under the care of a skilful, watchful, and tender shepherd, forms an image of believers brought back to the Shepherd of their souls. The thought is just as vivid and comforting today to the Christian who, in the midst of the turmoil and frustrations of life, fully understands the Lord is his shepherd also, and therefore, he shall not want.

The greatest abundance is but a dry pasture to a wicked man who relishes only what pleases the senses; but to a godly man who by faith tastes the goodness of God, though he has little of the world, it is a green pasture. The Lord gives quiet and contentment in the mind, whatever the lot is. We are blessed with the green pastures, let us not think it enough to pass through them, but let us abide in them.

The consolations of the Holy Spirit are the still waters by which Believers are led, the streams which flow from the Fountain of Living Waters. Those led by the still waters of comfort, walk in the paths of righteousness. The work of righteousness is peace. In these paths we cannot walk, unless God lead us to them and in them.

Discontent and distrust proceed from unbelief and an unsteady walk is the consequence. Let us then simply trust our Shepherd's care, and hearken to his voice. The valley of the shadow of death may denote the most severe and terrible affliction the psalmist ever could come under. Between the flock on earth and that which is gone to heaven, death lies like a dark valley that must be passed in going from one to the other. It is but the shadow of death: the shadow of a serpent will not sting, nor shadows of a sword kill. It is a deep, dark and miry valley; but valleys are often fruitful, full of comforts to God's people. We walk through it: we shall not be lost in this valley, but led to the mountain on the other side. Death is a king of terrors, but not to the sheep of Christ. When we come to die, God will rebuke the enemy; He will guide us with His rod, and sustain us with His staff. The gospel comforts the saints when dying, and underneath them are the everlasting arms.

The Lord's people feast at His table on the provisions of His love. Satan and wicked men are not able to destroy our comfort when we are anointed with the Holy Spirit, and drink of the cup of salvation which is ever full. Past experience teaches us to trust the goodness and mercy of God will follow us all the days of our lives, and it is our desire and determination, to seek happiness in the service of God here, and enjoy His love for ever in heaven. While here, the Lord can make any situation pleasant, by the anointing of His Spirit and the joys of His salvation. We shall not want!

Guard Duty

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things.

If you’ve been following Truth in the Morning for a while, you know a while back I was working on carving out a nice office space in which to work at home. I love my little office. I’m surrounded by things I love; little jars and stone boxes with soil from countries of previous mission trips, books and more books, photos of loved ones and more. I have the necessities for writing and working. The ceiling fan keeps these hot Texas summer days more tolerable. A comfy chair in which to relax is waiting for me when I need to step away from the computer. The drapes are aesthetically pleasing to me and the color of the walls even makes me happy. I often come in here at night just to sit and read or soak in the peace I find in my little nook.

Recently, however, I have been putting together the mission training materials, pulling out stored research information, and digging through some of our family records. The business end of running a household, bill paying, etc., all happen in here, too. It didn’t happen overnight but little by little things started to pile up while they waited for ‘X’ (fill in the blank here) to happen and now I find my office more of an ‘office’ than a peaceful retreat in which to be creative and exercise the gifts God gave me. I want my peace back, I need my peace back.

The Scripture above, Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things, tells us in no uncertain terms where we need to focus and fill our minds. If we clutter our thoughts with fear, anger, resentment, poor pitiful me or somebody done me wrong songs, we do not have room for all the whatever’s Paul listed. Just like my office morphed from peaceful and creativity inspiring retreat to, well…an office, our thoughts can gradually be taken over by the negatives in this world and we no longer see the beauty and peace available to us when we focus our minds on godly issues.

How much more we can be of service to the Lord when we channel our thinking on all that is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, of good repute, excellence, and worthy of praise!

My mind is made up and I am committed to taking my place of peace and joy back today! We need to take back our minds and thoughts in the same way. We need to take inventory of what we have in them now, edit out all that is either unnecessary or unproductive, and set boundaries on what we allow to enter in. We need a security check at the hypothetical doorway to our minds and to remain diligent in policing all that enters so the peace of God is not shoved in a corner but fills every inch of space! And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.