God Disciplines Us in Love..Craig Denison Ministries

 God Disciplines Us in Love

Craig Denison Ministries

Weekly Overview:

There is no better father than Creator God. He formed us and knows us. He provides for us, loves us unconditionally, and longs for real, life-giving relationship with us. He runs out to meet us in our sin, clothes us with new identity, and restores to us the abundant life he has always planned for us. As we spend time looking at the father heart of God, may a fresh revelation of his love for you guide you into greater depths of relationship with your heavenly Father.

Scripture:“My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” Hebrews 12:6

Devotional:    

Our world despises discipline. We view correction as an attempt to keep us from doing what we really want rather than an act of love to guide us toward a more abundant life. If we are ever going to live the incredible life God longs to give us, we need renewal in the area of discipline. We must allow God to correct and shape us as the potter molds the clay so that we can live the life to which we have been called.

Our heavenly Father never disciplines out of anger or frustration, but only out of love. Hebrews 12:7-14 says,

It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. 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. Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed. Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.

God longs to establish a foundation of discipline in your relationship with him because he loves you. It’s our pride and lack of revelation that keeps us from allowing God to correct us. If we truly knew the abundant life available to us on the other side of discipline, we would run to the forming hands of our God rather than hiding from them. If we had revelation on the incredible plans God longs to equip us for, we would yearn for the loving correction of our Father rather than withholding the broken places in our hearts from him.

Your heavenly Father has greater plans than you could ever ask or imagine in store if you will allow him to mold and shape you through discipline. He longs to correct every area of your heart that isn’t bearing the fruit of the Spirit or producing abundant life. He longs to provide discipline for your sin so that you can live in the freedom of righteousness.

Open your heart to his loving discipline today. Allow him to mold and fashion you into the likeness of Jesus. Spend time allowing his love to wash you clean and free you from the bonds of sin. May you have a powerful encounter with the loving discipline of your heavenly Father as you enter into guided prayer.

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on the value of being disciplined by your loving heavenly Father. Allow Scripture to change the way you view discipline and correction.

“Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.” Proverbs 13:24

“And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? ‘My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.’” Hebrews 12:5-6

“A wise son hears his father's instruction, but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.” Proverbs 13:1

2. Where do you need to be disciplined today? What part of your life does not line up with God’s plans for you? Where does God need to prune you so that you might bear more fruit of the Spirit?

“Blessed is the man whom you discipline, O Lord, and whom you teach out of your law, to give him rest from days of trouble, until a pit is dug for the wicked.” Psalm 94:12-13

3. Spend time allowing God to love and correct you. Ask him to prune and teach you. Ask him to guide you into a lifestyle of greater confession, repentance, forgiveness, and healing.

Sometimes the best instruments of correction are fellow believers. Ask the Lord if there is anyone you need to confess your sin to. James 5:16 says, “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” Ask for wisdom from the men and women in your life who are experiencing freedom and abundance in an area in which you have need. May you experience the entire abundant life available to you through the loving discipline of your heavenly Father and the fellow believers he has placed in your midst.

Extended Reading: Hebrews 12

Spiritually Satisfied..Dr. Charles Stanley

 Spiritually Satisfied

Dr. Charles Stanley

James 4:8

I have a friend who, at one point, was a self-confessed shopping addict. Recently, his family realized that this activity had stopped, though he hadn't intentionally curtailed it. Why, they wondered, did his longing to acquire more goods seem to dissolve?

The reason was that my friend had become more satisfied with the Lord. He no longer needed fulfillment from what the world had to offer. What a terrific illustration of growth in Christ.

In addition to finding fulfillment in God, there are many other growth indicators that are noticeable to the believer. For instance, offering forgiveness becomes easier over time. Consider our Savior, who asked God to forgive even those who crucified Him on the cross.

Also, as we mature, our faith will increase. God loves us, and He gracefully and gently builds our confidence in Him. Then, as our trust grows, we realize how faithful He truly is--which grows our assurance even more.

Another mark of a closer walk with Christ is an expanding concern for others' spiritual condition. And finally, as our relationship with the Lord deepens, we will increasingly desire to obey Him. This desire is born not out of fear but out of love for our heavenly Father. Similarly, when we do sin, our hearts will become saddened and repentant.

Are you satisfied spiritually? Or do you have a growing, insatiable hunger for more of Jesus? Friend, if you think that you've come far enough in your journey with Christ, you have made a terrible mistake. You are missing great fulfillment and the excitement that comes from getting closer to Him.

Finding Hope Again..Aaron D’Anthony Brown

 Finding Hope Again

By Aaron D’Anthony Brown

“We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.” - Romans 8:28

Longing for the End
In the midst of suffering, we often want to escape, distract ourselves, and lighten the load. At our worst, we want to die. Suffering is difficult, and though we can often see the merits once the hardship has passed, we would much rather have control over how, when, and how long we suffer. Without those elements, we struggle and are tempted to despair. Yet, God’s Word informs us our suffering serves a purpose. His purpose. Though we long to end our toils, God’s Word indicates our struggles have meaning. Meaning that often eludes our understanding at the moment.

Giving advice to someone else who’s in a predicament usually comes easily. We offer them not only potential solutions but clarity. When the roles are reversed, however, even after we hear someone’s suggestions, confusion remains. The situation can leave our perspective clouded. And the more dire the situation or, the longer the suffering lasts, the greater our angst. We lose hope, figuring our best days are behind us. Thankfully, this is not true. Our suffering will not last forever, and our best days can lie ahead. But first, we have to change our perspective. With a change in perspective, our longing for the end can become hope for a new beginning.

Intersecting Faith and Life:
Biblical hope can be described as optimism about the future rooted in God. There are a myriad of verses preaching the importance of hope, but we don’t always know how to attain such a mindset, especially when we feel distant from the Lord.

Here are several things we ought to do if we want to change our perspective and find hope again.

Pray
If we want to connect with God, then we have to talk to Him. Whatever you’re going through and however you feel, God wants to talk to you. He wants to talk even if you feel betrayed, angry, saddened, or disappointed because of Him. As the loving Father, He is available to listen at any time to your open and honest dialogue.

Read
When we want to know God’s wisdom about a certain subject, we can read His Word. Scripture outlines many tenets and wise ways to live life for us. The Bible also helps us understand the need for hope. Without believing in God’s promise for the future, we find ourselves stuck in a dour present and dread anything that comes with the future.

Worship
Sometimes we pray, and sometimes we read, and our innermost feelings still don’t change. What helps is finding other ways to worship, such as through song and dance. Listening to the lyrics another believer has created gives us a chance to see God from someone else’s perspective, which could serve as a helpful foil to our own. Or the words could simply give us a new perspective on a situation. When we dance, we give our minds a rest from deep thinking and stress and simply exist with God in the moment.

Give Thanks
An attitude of gratitude prevents us from growing bitter even when we struggle throughout life. In fact, gratitude helps us remember how the Lord provides for us and other people. Thanksgiving also serves to keep us humble, knowing what we have is not to be taken for granted, no matter how bleak life may seem.

Confess
Our natural tendency is to blame external reasons for why we do not have hope, but if we’re being truthful, sometimes we are the reason for our misfortune. When we take the time to look inward, we recognize the ways in which we impede our own progress, and we learn to stop blaming other people or God for our problems.

Be Humble 
The proud believe in themselves, but the humble believe in God. The humble also take the time to remember the suffering of others. When we do so, we keep in perspective that our situation could always be worse.

Learn 
Being teachable is crucial to the life of a believer. If we are to follow God wholeheartedly, we have to be willing to grow and trade in old ideas for new and holier ones. We’re sinful people, and sin naturally leads to death, then despair. God offers a better alternative, but He gives us the free will to choose it.

Keep Trying
There will be times when we want to stop trying. There may be many times, in fact, but if God’s promises are true, then we can count on them to be fulfilled. We have no authority over when, but we can have confidence what God says will come to pass.

The suffering we face today is arduous, but as Paul said, our present-day problems are not worth comparing to the glory of God, which will be revealed.

Further Reading (and Listening):

• Romans 8:18
• Psalm 13
• Psalm 23:1-4
• Hebrews 11:1
• Romans 15:13
• Jeremiah 29:11

Does God Promise Safety?..Jennifer Waddle

 Does God Promise Safety?

By Jennifer Waddle

BIBLE VERSE OF THE DAY: “Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness…” - 2 Corinthians 11:25-27 NKJV

This devotional was taken in part from Jennifer Waddle’s blog, Encouraging Women in the Trenches of Life. You can read the entire post here.

Of all the beautiful promises in the Bible, a guarantee of our physical safety isn’t one of them. As Christians, we’d like to believe that no harm will ever come to us or our loved ones. But from the moment sin entered the world in the Garden of Eden, sickness, pain, and death has been a reality for all of mankind.

Paul testified openly about the severe trials he went through in 2 Corinthians 11. Beyond what most of us could ever imagine, the apostle endured intense hardship and peril. Yet, his attitude was one of perseverance and fortitude. As he neared the end of his life, he was able to say, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” (2 Timothy 4:7)

Paul was willing to suffer for the sake of Christ. This is not to say that he never prayed for safety. (See Romans 15:30-31) However, he knew that through his affliction, Christ’s power would be made known.

That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:10

So, if God doesn’t promise safety, what does He promise? Here are 3 verses that assure us of the Lord’s provision over our lives.

1. God promises to guard us from the evil one.

The Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one. 2 Thessalonians 3:3

This is, perhaps, the most crucial promise, as we face constant spiritual battles from the evil one. Satan wants nothing more than to steal, kill, and destroy. But God is faithful, establishing us in Christ, and guarding us from the arrows of the evil one.

2. God promises to uphold us.

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10

There will be times when we have absolutely no strength left. We may even feel unable to go on. At those times, we can fully count on God to be our help and our strength. The Lord’s righteous, right hand upholds us. What a beautiful reminder of Jesus, seated at the right hand of the Father—our righteous Defender.

3. God promises to supply our needs.

And my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19

Even though we are not promised physical safety, we are promised that our physical needs will be met. During the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus told the multitudes not to worry about what they would eat, what they would drink, or what they would wear. Instead, He encouraged them to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. (Matthew 6:25-33) Then, all the things they needed would be added as well.

We may not fully understand why the Lord allows bad things to happen to His people, but we can still declare that He is God and He is good. Just as Paul was able to see beyond his painful trials to the promise of heaven, we too can be assured that eternity with the Lord is well worth every hardship here on earth.

A Prayer to Meditate on God's Word..Laura Bailey

 A Prayer to Meditate on God's Word

By Laura Bailey 

“Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and who meditates on his law day and night.” - Psalms 1:1-2, NIV

This summer, our pastor encouraged our church to read the Psalms together. At first, I was disappointed we wouldn't be studying one of the Bible's more "theologically deeper" books. Yet, as I opened my reading plan and turned to the first Psalm, the Holy Spirit immediately pricked my heart. 

The opening verse of Psalms is packed with so much Truth; its message is straightforward, timeless, and jam-packed with theology for Christians. Largely credited as written by King David, this Psalm reminds us anyone who doesn't allow themselves to be swayed by worldly influences is blessed. Blessings continually come to those who choose to walk in the way of the Lord, disassociate from ungodly influences, and don't engage in foolish talk.

Living a righteous life has always been difficult. Every day we must choose which master we will surrender to, ourselves or God. There is a spiritual battle that wages all around us, and each day is a fight to pursue holiness. Psalm One gives instructions to flee temptation. Instead, we should delight in the law of the Lord and meditate on it day and night. The Hebrew word for delight in this text means "to bend." This verse tells us the blessed person bends to God's will. Instead of rigidly following their own path, the righteous are flexible and willing to allow the Lord and His laws to direct their paths. They don't simply read Scripture; they put its truths into practice, allowing their lives to be walking testimonies to the Gospel.

As believers, we meditate on God's word. What do you think of when you think about meditating? I always thought this had to happen in a dark, quiet room, blocking off hours to sit and pray to God. But that's not what this verse is implying. Most of us don't have the margin to meditate like this. Thankfully, biblical mediation means we fill our minds with Scripture so God's words permeate our thoughts as we go about our lives. While we sit at the traffic light, we think about God's goodness. As we wait in the check-out line, we recall the fruits of the spirit. When cooking dinner, we ponder what it means to humble ourselves. Meditating on God's words is a daily commitment to renewing our minds, conforming our thoughts and desires to the Lord, and living a life influenced by biblical truth.

Don't make the same mistake as me, discounting the depth of the Psalms because of the emotional emphasis or conversational tone.; the Psalms are a battle cry for believers living in a fallen world. If you, like me, often breeze through the Psalms, let me encourage you to meditate on this book as you seek to reject the world's ways and hide God's words in your heart.

Let's pray:
Heavenly Father, thank you for giving us the Bible so we can learn your laws and more about You. Thank you for instructing us on living our lives and sharing your many attributes, inviting us into a personal relationship with you. We ask that you guard our hearts and help us flee temptation, clinging to Your Truth. 

Let us not be fooled; we are incapable of dabbling in sin; let us not fall for the enemy's lies. We ask that when we do fall short, please forgive us. Grant us mercy when we don't deserve it, and extend us grace. Thank You for giving the book of Psalms to guide and direct our lives. May we hold each word close, along with every word in the Scriptures. We love You, Lord; thank You for your many blessings. In Jesus' name, Amen.