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Blessed Are The Disciplined?

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SCRIPTURE

Psalm 94:12-13, "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.”

 

OBSERVATION

Being blessed in wisdom literature is usually associated with health, wealth and longevity of life. Yet there is a blessing in being disciplined by God. God’s discipline is an expression of his love for us as his genuine children because he loves us enough to correct us. God corrects us with his word. Beyond the natural law of reaping what you sow, the blessed are lovingly reproved and corrected by God-breathed scripture. In other words, there is a blessing for not just learning from the consequences mistakes but from actual direction, conviction of the Holy Spirit through his word. The result of God’s loving discipline is relief from days of trouble.

 

APPLICATION

Blessing comes in many forms and I need to welcome the blessing of God’s discipline. Hebrews 12 specifically identifies enduring hardship as one of God’s loving discipline to his children. Don’t resist God’s discipline but welcome it with open arms. See it as an expression of the Father’s love to give me rest in days of trouble and relief in times of tumult.  When I discipline my children, teach them out of God’s word. Let it be rooted with the depth and weight of the inspired of God.

 

PRAYER

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for lovingly blessing me with your discipline. I’m so grateful that I don’t have to suffer from the consequences of my sin to gain wisdom. Thank you for your inspired word that is a lamp unto my feet and a light to my path. May I never resist nor complain of your heart work in my life. I pray that you would help me discipline my children with your love, discernment and wisdom. I love you. Maranatha!

Posted by John Danganan with
in Discipline

Broken Beyond Healing

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"He who is often reproved, yet stiffens his neck, will suddenly be broken beyond healing” - Proverbs 29:1
 
Every child of God is reproved, corrected and disciplined by Father God. In fact correction validates us as God’s children so that we can share in his holiness and produces the peaceful fruit of righteousness (Heb. 12:10-11). The issue is not to be stubborn and stiff-necked resisting reproof. We are to be teachable to correction. It may come in the form of a gentle reminder through Scripture, a difficult confrontation from a concerned brother in Christ or from a regrettable decision filled with pain. Our response to correction should be with an open hearted not a stiff neck. When we continue to be stubborn and resist God’s love there comes a point of no return, a place of brokenness beyond healing. 
 
Endure God’s discipline letting the pain have it’s intended purpose. Do not harden my heart and resist God’s correction in all it’s forms. No-one is above correction. Coming fresh from Foursquare Convention and hearing of peers from Bible college who have disqualified themselves from ministry after repeated corrections is quite sobering. Being a pastor is a gift. Loving as a husband is a grace. Leading as a father is an honor. Shepherding God’s people is a privilege and I do not want to disqualify myself. Surround myself with godly men who love me enough to correct me. I am not above correction. I am not exempt from reproof.
 
Heavenly Father,
Thank you for loving me as a son and disciplining me. May it never be said of me that I am stiff necked. I humble myself before you and ask for your grace to recognize and submit myself to your loving discipline. I love you. Maranatha!
Posted by John Danganan with