Posts Tagged ‘ Discipline ’
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
Galatians 5:16 ESV
You can try being a good person and avoiding sin, and you may even have some success, but to live a truly good life takes relying on the Helper: the Holy Spirit.
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 ESV
The Father inspired every word in the Bible. It is not just to give us comfort. God desires to reveal and remove our sin to then make us more like His Son through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Honestly, this often is not comfortable.
But it is worth it.
May the Lord give you increase, you and your children!
Psalm 115:14, ESV
I am immediately struck with Jesus’ words: “Pay attention to what you hear: with the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you. For to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.” (Mark 4:24-25)
Things are good, but obedience and love are better!
The holy God of Israel, the Lord who saves you, says: “I am the Lord your God, the one who wants to teach you for your own good and direct you in the way you should go.
Isaiah 48:17, GNT
We humans are very fickle, wanting to be right and assuming we know better than everyone else.
God is God, and we need to let Him teach us “for [our] own good”.
For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
Hebrews 12:11 ESV
“Discipline” has gained a negative reputation in recent decades, intoning punishment. However, when we think of it in terms of sports or finances we tend to realize its important good qualities.
May we see the need for discipline in every aspect of our lives, realizing that circumstances are not God punishing us but teaching us godliness and self-control.
Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
1 Timothy 6:12, ESV
Too many people have not counted the cost of discipleship (Luke 14) and therefore misunderstand what the Christian faith truly is.
If we wish to be faithful to our Lord, we must forcefully take hold of the truth of Christ and what it means for our lives, and we must strive to live in light of that truth, not the truth we make for ourselves.
Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.
1 Timothy 4:12, ESV
Young, old, or have a past: do not wait for others to give you a chance.
You live your faith, and live it well in the power of Christ by the Holy Spirit to the glory of the Father.
Amen.
