Hello All:
Today we are going to talk about an “unpopular” topic – correction, discipline. Though it is unpopular and unpleasant, it is good for us and needs to be discussed. Who wants to get disciplined? My mom disciplined me, and I turned out pretty good. I didn’t like it or appreciated at the time, but looking at it now, I do. There’s no telling what or who I would be if she hadn’t. She made us walk the line; she didn’t play with us. Yes, she was our friend, but she was momma first, and we were going to obey and respect her, and we did and still do. When we did things wrong or not according to the rules of our household, we were corrected and sometimes disciplined. We truly did learn obedience by the things we suffered (Hebrews 5:8 – smile). Yes it would be good to be able to do just do whatever you wanted, but everything that is good to us or makes us feel good, is not always good for us. Sometimes we need to be told/corrected that these things that make us feel good are not good for us. These are things that we usually enjoy or not so easily willing to give up doing.
Correction and/or discipline allows us to grow and mature, and allowing God’s correction and/or discipline in our lives helps us grow and mature in Him, spiritually. With my mother’s love, correction and discipline, I was able to grow and mature into the adult you see today (Please be patient with me, God is not through with me yet). Correction and discipline by God also allows the following:
· You to “fix” or “change” things not pleasing in the sight God on this side before Jesus returns
· You to have right standing with God
· You to have peace in every area of your lives
Allowing God to “fix” or “change” the things not pleasing in His sight gives us an opportunity to get things right with Him before Jesus returns. The truth is, if you’re sinning (doing things not pleasing in God’s sight); you’re going to go to hell. There’s really no way to “sugar-code” it. It goes for all of us. But loves us, and He wants all of us to come to be with Him, but you have to be willing to be discipline or corrected in those areas that don’t line up with His word. Proverbs 10:17 (MSG) states:
The road to life is a disciplined life; ignore correction and you're lost for good.
Salvation in God is a process. You do not ask Jesus to be Lord over your life, and the next second everything is wonderful; yes, you are a new creation in Christ Jesus, but you have to walk this thing out. Every day you have to make the choice to live your life for Christ, to do the things we are instructed to do in His Word. It’s your choice! You make the choice to obey God’s Word or to do whatever you want, the way you want. But know this; if you choose the later, you will eat the fruit it produces (you’ll have to deal with the results of your choice!) If you choose to reject the correction of God in your life, choose to ignore God, you will have to deal with the consequences. Proverbs 29:1 (MSG) clearly explains this:
For people who hate discipline and only get more stubborn, there’ll come a day when life tumbles in and they break, but by then it'll be too late to help them.
Don’t let this be you! Don’t let life get to the edge of destruction due to your ignoring God’s correction. Don’t let Jesus return; then it will be too late to help you. You ever hear the expression “I’ve got my ticket to Heaven”? Make sure you have your ticket to Heaven. You are the only one that can obtain your ticket into Heaven. Allow God’s correction so you can stay in His will, His Word!
Allowing discipline and/or correction from God helps us maintain our righteousness in Christ Jesus. Righteousness is our right standing with God, our keeping God’s commandment, doing the Word of God; this is what makes us the righteousness in God through Christ Jesus. When God corrects us, it allows us the chance to look at what we are doing (that which is not pleasing in His sight), repent of it, and put it under the Blood of Jesus. Romans 2:13 (MSG) states:
13If you sin without knowing what you're doing, God takes that into account. But if you sin knowing full well what you're doing, that's a different story entirely. Merely hearing God's law is a waste of your time if you don't do what he commands. Doing, not hearing, is what makes the difference with God.
This is talking about the written Word of God and that which He speaks to us corporately or individually.
Proverbs 11:5 (NIV) states:
The righteousness of the blameless makes a straight way for them, but the wicked are brought down by their own wickedness.
What makes us blameless? Our doing the Word of God makes us blameless. If you’re following the “rules” (all the rules/commandments), then you can’t get “blamed” or “in trouble” for doing anything wrong (things that do not line up with the Word of God), because you doing what you’re supposed to do. The wicked, those who ignore the correction of God, will be brought down by their own wickedness. Get in God’s Word; stay in His Word so that you may observe to do all that is written in it! How can you keep God’s commandments, how can you do His Word if you don’t know what it says?
Allowing God to discipline and/or correct us, maintaining our righteousness in Him through Christ Jesus, gives us the peace of God that surpasses all understanding. Let me show you some of the Word of God that demonstrates this:
Psalms 34:15-19 (NIV) - 15 The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their cry; 16 the face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth. 17 The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. 18 The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. 19 A righteous man may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all.
Psalms 37:39 - 39 The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD; he is their stronghold in time of trouble.
Psalms 55:22 - Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall.
Proverbs 3:33 - 33 The LORD's curse is on the house of the wicked, but he blesses the home of the righteous.
Proverbs 10:3, 6 - 3 The LORD does not let the righteous go hungry but he thwarts the craving of the wicked. 6 Blessings crown the head of the righteous, but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked.
Proverbs 10:25 - 25 When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone, but the righteous stand firm forever.
Proverbs 10:29 - 29 The way of the LORD is a refuge for the righteous, but it is the ruin of those who do evil.
Proverbs 12:21 - 21 No harm befalls the righteous, but the wicked have their fill of trouble.
(Yeah, Proverbs is my favor book in the Bible)
God is the righteous ever present help in our time of need. There is nothing we go through that He can’t deliver us from or bring us through. He can and will do that which seems impossible. Because we belong to God, and we keep all of His commandments, all we have to do is cry out to Him, He hears us and deliver us. This in itself gives me peace, and causes me to rest in Him. Isaiah 32:17 states:
17And the effect of righteousness will be peace [internal and external], and the result of righteousness will be quietness and confident trust forever.
Our righteousness in God through Christ Jesus produces peace (internal and external – meaning He will give us peace within ourselves as well as our surroundings). The result of righteousness will be quietness and confident trust forever (meaning that it produces quietness in that there’s no weeping, no arguing, just quiet – no worry, no loud thoughts in your head – just peace). Peace comes when we have confidence in God’s ability to perform His Word. When you have confidence that God will supply ALL of your needs, then when there’s no job you can rest in God knowing He will provide THE job for you right when you need it. When sickness tries to attach itself to you or a loved one, you’ll speak with boldness/confidence “By the stripes of Jesus be healed”. We don’t have to wonder if God will do it; we KNOW that He will.
True discipline and correction comes from the Word of God (written and spoken). Second Timothy 3:16-17 (AMP) sums it up best; it states:
16Every Scripture is God-breathed (given by His inspiration) and profitable for instruction, for reproof and conviction of sin, for correction of error and discipline in obedience, [and] for training in righteousness (in holy living, in conformity to God's will in thought, purpose, and action), 17So that the man of God may be complete and proficient, well fitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Allow God to correct you; let Him finish the good work He has begun in you!
Did you put your armor on today????
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