The Joy of Discipline – October 7, 2020

During childhood, I found no joy in discipline. I just knew that when I disobeyed, my parents would find out and I would receive punishment.  Discipline never came as a surprise.

One day, I thought of the Joy of Discipline in the light of the Word of God, and the Grace of Jesus Christ.  There is a spiritual connection between love, discipline, and obedience that the world doesn’t see.  It is when we learn to love Jesus and one another, we receive gifts of ‘being’ that help us see beyond this world.

We make many decisions every day on who to believe, what to believe, and whom to love and who to remove from our friendship roster or unfriend.  These are the qualities of friendship we most want from others: patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

What one quality holds these, binding them together?  Love. This is how it is possible to be patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle and always maintain self-control. How is it possible to add these traits to our lives?  We cannot on our own, They are gifts from the Holy Spirit, when we truly believe and follow Him. Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6. Straight forward words.

         “Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going you cannot come.’  A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.  By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:33-35.  These are the words of Jesus Christ. Loving one another takes listening, humility, and prayer for unity.  And this Discipline of Love brings the Joy and Assurance of walking with our Creator. Self-Control brings the Love, Joy, and Peace not just now, but for eternity. This world is not all there is, our ‘forever’ awaits those who learn to love like Jesus.

Choosing to follow Jesus is choosing to follow the only Son of God. The One who created us and gives us breath. The One who created the world.  The One who loves us so much that He sent His Only Son, Jesus, to be the sacrifice for our sins.  “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him.” John 3:16-17. It takes turning away from evil things.

The Joy of Discipline comes when we have the assurance of His Love. For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face,  that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ,  in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Colossian 2:1-3

The Joy of Discipline comes when we rise in the morning and know Jesus gave us another day to follow Him in Joy. Though you have not seen Him, you love Him. Though you do not now see Him, you believe in Him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. I Peter 1:8.

The Joy of Discipline is ours when we know His Peace is with us in His Protection from evil. You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock. Isaiah 26:3-4.

The world does not have the answer.  Following the current trends leads to temporary solutions.  When we follow Christ Jesus, our lives are the gospel people read, Others scrutinize our lives. We have all sinned, but only through the Grace of God, can we hear the welcome from the voice of Jesus at the end of the age.

May our Joy be in the Lord and pray that never waver from His Path of put our faith in this world.  When we follow these words, we are blessed: Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.”  John 6:35.

 The end of all things is at hand; therefore, be self-controlled and sober-minded, for the sake of your prayers.  Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.  I Peter 4:7-8.  Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us. Titus 2:7-8.

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,  eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.  There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.  But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Ephesians 4:1-7.

 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.  Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.  For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. Colossians 3:1-3

He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.  I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; also, that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God’s gift to man.  Ecclesiastes 3:11-13.

 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.  And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.  If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.  Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love Him.  James 1:2-6.