Divine Discipline

Scripture:

Hebrews 12:7 "As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as His own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by it's father?"

Observation:

Just prior to this verse it tells us that the disciplines those He loves. If a father really loves his children, he wants what is best for them. He wants them to do well in every area of life and has to discipline them so they will become mature and learn to do what is right. If you don't discipline a child, you are not doing them a favor! If you discipline them, you are loving them enough to help them be successful in life. God disciplines those He loves and we must endure it if we want to become mature followers of Christ.

Application:

After being taught a strong prosperity message for a long time we have made God like the Santa Clause of the sky who only brings good gifts and blesses his children. Even Santa puts coal in stockings of those who were naughty. When you feel the discipline of God, don't run away, but welcome it and grow from it. He is disciplining you because He loves you and wants you to grow up. If we only do what feels good, we will never become better people. It is pain that brings gain! Endure the hard times and grow strong. Never give up on God! He may be allowing something difficult in your life to mature you as a father does his child.

Prayer:

Lord, teach us that being disciplined by You is not failure or your disappointment of us. Rather, we are disciplined because you love us. Help me endure discipline and learn from it. I don't want to continue to go around the same old mountains. I want to excel in life and grow into maturity. Make me stronger every day. I want Your discipline in my life.

Thanks Dad,

Jeff