It’s Discipline That Identifies You as a Son or Daughter

'..the Lord disciplines those He loves, and He punishes everyone He accepts as a son.'  

                                                                                                                                 Hebrews 12:6

Scripture speaks of discipline as a necessary component of parenthood. It is this facet that distinguishes a parent/child relationship.  It is an action borne out of love and care.

When I first became a parent, I had the opportunity to learn this spiritual principle in real time.  When my son was born he was a bundle of sweet innocence and joy.  Yet, all too quickly, as he grew so did his desire to have his own way.  Regardless of my instruction, regardless of right or wrong, regardless of impending harm, he wanted what he wanted.  I watched as my perfect, beautiful, sweet baby boy would try to deceive me.  Initially, I couldn't bring myself to correct him.  He was just too cute and whenever he slept he still looked so angelic.  I even went so far as to pick him up and run if his father tried to correct him. Well time passed and a significant revelation came.  One day he had again disobeyed me, but this time the act was worse than anything he had done previously.  It was at that moment that the Lord whispered, 'If you don't correct him, what happens next will be worse' and I had a 'fast-forward' glimpse of his life. I understood that if I didn't begin correcting him, beginning with that moment, I was contributing to the foundation of an unruly lifestyle. There would be no turning back to innocence.  My son needed a parent who was willing to do what was necessary for his good, so I disciplined him. From those years, I learned that the discipline my children needed would best come from their parents and how unwise it would be to leave their needs to the responsibility of others who did not love them as a mother or father would.  For their protection and well-being I needed to discipline those I loved, because of love.

Spiritually, we became the sons and daughters of God when Christ bore the punishment (the correction) for our sins. As descendants of Adam we were born into sin (Romans 5:12) and born into the debt declared for Adam's sin, which was death.  Knowing our inability to overcome the consequences of Adam's sin, Jesus, God the Son, was wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities and by His resurrection from the dead He paid the debt of Adam's sin, thereby making we who believe, sons and daughters of God.  God's mercy upon us is spoken of in Psalm 103:10-11.  The psalmist wrote, 'He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities, for as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him'.  Jesus took on the greatest burden of our punishment leaving us with the encouragement as sons and daughters to endure the discipline of being conformed into His image.  What love!

Today many perceive punishment or discipline as cruel or restrictive.  Our societal ill of child abuse has frightened many away from healthy measures of disciplining their children.  I know of a case where a mom was rudely and inappropriately told to leave a store because she was preventing her child from breaking items on the store shelves.  Without thinking, the store management issued a more severe discipline upon the mother than the discipline between the mother and her child. 

In child-rearing, we must remember to view discipline from God's perspective.  Discipline should always promote love and well-being and the disciplinary measures taken should be appropriate to the needs of the child.  It is the measure taken which says, 'You are my child and I love and care about you, both your present and your future!'

Be blessed.

Hear Ye Him!

My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.

                                                                                                   John 10:27

There is a direct correlation between hearing the voice of God and following Him.  When man truly hears the sweet voice of his Savior, it is impossible to resist Him.  Only the coldest of hearts could possibly turn away.  I remember listening to a Focus on the Family radio program that featured the story of a convicted serial killer who had turned his life around because he audibly heard the voice of God warning him.  Before the police could capture him, the voice of God had arrested him and from that very moment he was a changed man.

We who are seeking Him have many opportunities to experience His still small voice.  He’s speaking to us in so many ways, but our greatest gift is the voice of His word!  Daily we’re able to sit and ‘sup’ with Him.  We get to know Him deeper and thereby know and understand ourselves and our world better.  His word is THE guidepost for our existence.  It heals, directs, loves, clarifies, nourishes, encourages and corrects.

            For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.    Hebrews 4:12                                                                                                         

Today we’re challenged because we live in a world of many voices.  Because of the vast variety of media and social media available to us each day – available each moment of our day – many are distracted away from the simple quiet time of supping with their Lord and Savior.  I’ve watched the latest version of friends visiting one another.  They sit side by side, talking, with each looking at their mobile device.  My, how times have changed.

Also, those of us who are pursuing Him must also be careful of the voices that would imitate of His.

            For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.  

                                                                                                 2 Corinthians 11:14-15

Our responsibility is to make sure that everything we hear lines up with the Word of God, in word and in deed.  If someone speaks the truth, but does not live according to the dictates of the Word, then that person is out of order, do not follow them!  We’re so easily swayed by charismatic leaders and the intelligential of the day. And we can also become distracted by those close to us, those who ‘understand’ us and yet not see ourselves being pulled, ever so slightly, away from His guidance and direction for us.  Listening to other voices is spiritual laziness.  Pursue His voice and all that ‘line-up’ according to His voice. 

It’s so simple, live with the Book open, striving daily, with all your heart to do what it says …in every area of your life!  Then there’s the promise,

            And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.

                                                                                                   Jeremiah 29:13

There is a wonderful joy in hearing His voice and being known by Him.  And together let's follow Mary's instruction, "Whatever He says, do it!"

Be blessed.

For God So Love that He Gave……

Something in scripture that I found very interesting, was how often Jesus was in the temple treasury (John 8:20; Mark 12:41).  Why the temple treasury?   I was so intrigued that I researched the layout of the temple…..just to assuage my curiosity.   I discovered that the treasury was located in The Court of Women, which was accessible to all who were ceremonially clean.  All would enter through The Beautiful Gate to access the court.  From the Court of Women, the men would proceed to the Men’s Court and from there the priests would enter the Priest’s Court.  So here’s Jesus, in the temple treasury…a place accessible to all ceremonially clean Jews, sometimes teaching, sometimes watching.  I’m reminded that for men and women alike, Jesus came to all who would receive His message.

On one of those occasions, something amazed the Lord.  It was a poor widow giving two mites.   It’s curious that such a meager offering would get His attention.  Jesus saw many others who gave abundantly, but nothing touched His heart like the sacrifice of this poor widow.  He said, “Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all, for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had.”  From this passage, I see the principle that the Lord values our giving when it reflects a sacrifice.  David understood this when he said, ‘I will not offer to the Lord that which costs me nothing’.  This poor widow gave all.  

I sincerely believe that when Christians argue whether or not the 'tithe' is an acceptable New Testament practice they are completely missing the heart of God.  Jesus didn’t ask the rich young ruler to give a tenth of what he had. He asked him to sale everything!  And again, in the early church, the believers gathered as one, giving all their possessions for the benefit of the church.  I believe that what pleases God is the heart that would sacrifice all because without question Jesus sacrificed all for us!

There’s another principle I see in scripture and that is, for God loving is giving and giving is loving.  The Apostle Paul informs us in Romans 3:19, ‘For God so loved, that He gave…’   The Apostle John said, “By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us.  There is nothing of Himself that Jesus held back from us.  And the reason given is love.  It’s when we have developed a deep love relationship with our Lord that giving becomes a joy!  We’ll gladly sacrifice all that we have for the One that we love who has given to us beyond measure.

There’s no greater love than when one would ‘lay down his life for his friends’ as Jesus did for us.  John says that it’s by this sacrifice that we know what love is.

Be encouraged in your giving.  Do so with joy, knowing that your sacrifice is God’s love language.  For Him, to love is to give, to give is to love and He gave to us …. ALL !

Merry Christmas !

Govern your thoughts, Guard your heart

The Adversary of our soul (soul = mind, will and emotions) is consistent in his efforts to pull us away from God’s plan for our life.  He appears to reason with us, but his intent is to lead us to destruction.  He often disguises his words under a cloak of sympathy or flattery.  He pretends to care about the things we care about, but ‘he is the father of lies and there is no truth in him’ (John 8:44).  Look at Eve’s experience and see how he ‘reasoned’ with her.

God said,

            "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge
             of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely
             die."          Genesis   2:16-17

Satan said,

            "Has God indeed said, 'You shall not eat of every tree of the garden'?"  Genesis 3:1

                "You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will
             be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." Genesis 3:4-5

Satan is a master deceiver.  See how he turns her attention away from all that God had provided.  He wants her to believe that she’s lacking something, that God isn’t 100% good to her.  Be careful of those who cuddle up to you, speaking softly while challenging God’s words, God’s purpose and God’s plan for you!  Be careful of the seeds of deception that the adversary looks to plant in your mind and heart.

God has never lied!  His plans are for good to those who are called by His name (Jeremiah 29:11).  Satan will always challenge God’s truth and he often uses others to serve as his mouthpiece.  Once deceived, Adam and Eve were removed from the beautiful garden God had provided and we too, if deceived, can wind up in strange places.  Adam and Eve’s deception and disobedience ushered sin into our world and along with sin came trial and tribulation.  To this Jesus says,

                ^“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world
            you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."
                                                                                                                           John 16:33

Never let the challenges and difficulties of life serve as a platform of lies which declare that God isn’t good or that He isn’t good to you!  Never listen to the adversary’s commentary on your life and never entertainment arguments that challenge God’s provision for you. Remember that you serve a God who can take the difficulties and challenges of life and turn them around for good!  For your good!  God has made a way for us to ‘count it all joy’ (James 1:2)!

Our prescription for the attacks of the adversary as given by Jesus, the Word of God (John 1:1) is to,

            “cast down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the
            knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of
            Christ”  2 Corinthians 10:5, and 

            “Guard your heart with all diligence, For out of it flows the issues of life”.
                                                                                                                        Proverbs 4:23
Be blessed!

The Power of a Spoken Prayer!

As pastors, my husband and I have had many opportunities to pray with people.  One such opportunity happened very recently when a couple, who are dear friends of ours, experienced a health crisis.  The wife was hospitalized and the doctors couldn’t figure out what was causing her symptoms.  There was great concern that life for and with her would never be the same.  So, my husband, as he has done many times before, prayed with her husband.  A few days later we received the praise report that all of the symptoms were gone and that our friend was being sent home.  Praise God!  Her husband expressed thanks for prayer and said to my husband, ‘It was the only prayer I heard!’  Now I know many others were praying, but it was a spoken prayer that brought comfort to that husband’s heart.

This comment concerning prayer reminded me of a lesson learned many years ago from one of my pastors.  He spoke of how often we tell people that we’re going to pray for them and later forget to do so.  And if we remember, how many times are we praying apart from those needing to hear our prayers, those needing the encouragement of our words?  Because these circumstances happen often, we were encouraged to pray immediately with those in need of prayer.  It has since been our practice to do so.

May I encourage you……

  There is a great power in prayer.

            ‘The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.’  James 5:16

  The Holy Spirit will assist you.

‘Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.’  Romans 8:26

  And be encouraged to pray often!

 ^‘ I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting’ 1 Timothy 2:8

^‘pray without ceasing’  1 Thessalonians 5:17

So the next time that prayer is requested (or offered), ask the person(s) if you can do so right at that moment!  Let your words of faith be heard and so bring encouragement.

So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Romans 10:17

And now may I pray for you ….

    according to 3 John 1:2,

Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.

Be blessed!

Following in His footsteps!

Now they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was going before them; and they were amazed. And as they followed they were afraid. Then He took the twelve aside again and began to tell them the things that would happen to Him:  "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death and deliver Him to the Gentiles; and they will mock Him, and scourge Him, and spit on Him, and kill Him.  And the third day He will rise again.”

Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Him, saying, "Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask." And He said to them, "What do you want Me to do for you?" They said to Him, "Grant us that we may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on Your left, in Your glory." But Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?"  They said to Him, "We are able." So Jesus said to them, "You will indeed drink the cup that I drink, and with the baptism I am baptized with you will be baptized; but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared."     Mark 10:32-40

James and John walked with Jesus. They saw His marvelous works and experienced His power (Matthew 10:1). They were close to Jesus. Jesus would often take them, along with Peter, apart from the other disciples. It was James, John and Peter who were with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration. They were apart of His inner circle.  And according to this passage James and John wanted to continue to be apart of Jesus’ inner circle.  They wanted to enjoy the fellowship of His glory throughout eternity.  But as Jesus explained, they didn’t understand what they were asking. They didn’t understand what it cost Jesus to walk power and authority and they didn’t understand the further price that was to be paid (His cup) for the redemption of mankind.  They didn’t understand that to share in His glory, is to also share in His sufferings!  They didn’t count the cost.  I believe it’s a common mistake made today…to want what we see without realizing the cost to have and keep what we desire. 

Paul understood the cost of following in the footsteps of Christ.  As one who preached the gospel, Paul’s sufferings were greater than most will ever experience.  In 2 Cor 11, he describes his trials in detail, ‘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….’ Today, most of us experience difficulties that stem simply from dying to our will and following Jesus.  Sometimes we’ll experience trials that come from being ‘set apart’ from family and friends who don’t understand or agree with our decision to follow Christ.  Other times we’ll suffer for the sake of the gospel.  We’ll bare the consequences of proclaiming the ‘good news’ of Christ Jesus.  And it is Paul who encourages us to have hope in the midst of difficulties, trials, and sufferings.  For even though there’s a price to pay for following Jesus, Paul says, ‘I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.’ (Romans 8:18).  He reminds us of the power of the Holy Spirit working in us, our Helper who enables us to get through the challenges and difficulties of being called Christian.  He reminds us that through difficulties, trials and sufferings we’re being conformed into the image of Christ. We are being made perfect.  And He reminds us that as we bare the cost of following Jesus, that our Lord is able to make ‘all things work together for good’.

James and John did ‘drink the cup’ which Jesus drank.  Scripture tells us of their sufferings. But as Paul goes on to say in Romans 8, the Lord who called us is able to keep us.  Nothing shall separate us from Him. No trial or difficulty is beyond His ability to comfort and strengthen us!  We will share of His cup and He will make us to overcome... just as He did!  So be encouraged.  As we share in His sufferings, we shall share in His glory!

Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come,  nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.                            Romans 8:37-39

Be blessed.

He's Still Speaking

Then He said, "Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord." And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. 1 Kings 19:11-13

Elijah was a man familiar with the voice of God.  He knew the difference between the glory of His presence versus the intimacy of His fellowship.  For us today it’s the difference between being in a church service, experiencing His presence versus entering into a depth of worship by which you experience the intimacy of His fellowship.  It’s the difference between experiencing church versus the experience of communion with Him.

Our Lord is a master communicator.  Throughout scripture He is pictured as One who stands with His arms outstretched beckoning us to come and commune with Him.  And He still speaks today!

To all mankind He speaks through His creation.  Paul let’s us know that the beauty and majesty of our world is a reflection of His beauty and majesty.  Creation speaks of an order that is beyond our imaginations or abilities.  Creation testifies of a God who is able to manipulate masses beyond what we can fathom while at the same time He strategically aligns the smallest of matter.  Creation reassures us that if God can handle the vastness of the universe as well as the specifics of an atom, He certainly can resolve the issues of our lives.

For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,   Romans 1:20

To those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, God speaks by His Spirit through His Word and through His Spirit who dwells within all who believe.  His still small voice whispers, "This is the way, walk in it”.  Isaiah 30:21

When Elijah stood before the Lord that day, he exchanged his frustration and depression for God’s purpose, encouragement and direction.  One conversation with the Lord set Elijah’s world aright and the same is available to us today!  Beloved, listen for His voice.  He desires to commune with you!

Be blessed.