Posts Tagged ‘ Discipline ’
“For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”
Matthew 18:20, ESV
Jesus was talking about church discipline. If the outside world sees evil happening in the Church, they are driven away from Jesus. If they see sin dealt with, they see Jesus’ hatred of sin and grace.
Let us hold each other accountable in Christ.
Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.
Proverbs 13:20, ESV
Have good, godly friends. They will inspire and encourage you. Seek God, the wisest friend, and ask Him to make you wise.
Or follow our corrupt and fallen world straight to eternal destruction.
Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.
Proverbs 22:6, ESV
Instill principles and guidelines, and – often – that is what is fallen on in times of uncertainty and fear or just out of habit.
Use God and His Word as the basis for those principles and guidelines, and your way is true.
Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.
Colossians 3:23-24, ESV
Whether your job, a task, or your relationships of all sorts, imagine you are doing it for or to Jesus (because He said we are).
That view changes everything.
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
God allows and even ordains difficult and evil things to come our way. Sometimes to discipline us when we are wayward in our walk.
Always to grow us more into the image of His Son.
“For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”
Matthew 18:20, ESV
Not merely about having church, Jesus is telling us that He is with us as we call out sin, encourage repentance and change, and draw each other closer to Himself.
Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.
2 Timothy 3:12-13, ESV
We need each other – with the Bible and the Holy Spirit – to encourage each other to hold to the truth of Scripture. Too many today will try to lead us astray and mock us for staying true to God.
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age
Titus 2:11-12, ESV
In a world that tells us to “just do what feels good,” God simply says to do what is good. And He helps us with the Holy Spirit.
Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.
Proverbs 13:20, ESV
Wanting to learn and become wise leads to wisdom. Even of you only have foolish friends while trying to be wise, you will suffer for their decisions. If you purposely choose foolish friends, you brought it on yourself.
Choose Christ and His Church.
But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one.
2 Thessalonians 3:3, ESV
Christ’s faithfulness and strength is what sustains and empowers us by the Holy Spirit to the glory of the Father. Trust in Him, not your own ability to be faithful. (But endeavor to be faithful!)
