Godly Discipline

I Corinthians 9:27

I beat my body -- I will do my best to keep my physical health at the optimum.

and make it my slave -- not allowing myself to be lazy.

so that after I have preached to others, -- so that after I have taught others about God's goodness and provisions.

I myself -- me, the person I am.

will not be disqualified -- It is possible to be disqualified from any race by not following the rules.

for the prize. -- the reward, the trophy, the ribbon, given to the winner.

Paul was careful to be disciplined in his daily life. Whoever he was ministering to, he would be alert and aware of their sensibilities, so that he would curb his own liberties in order to gain a hearing.

I find that in my own daily life, I tend to pamper my body, aware of what would give me comfort; I like to be comfortable. This is easy to do because I live alone now, and no one else is around. I want to be more disciplined with myself though, I want to be "in training" for whatever God has planned for me to do, so that when He allows me to vagabond this Earth, spreading the seed of His Gospel, I will be fit and able to withstand whatever rigors I may encounter.

Even though God has qualified us for this "race" through Jesus Christ, we could end up forfeiting the prize, if we're not careful. I am looking toward the reward that I will have won through walking the path set before me, following in the footsteps of Jesus, who blazed the trail before me, being His hands and His feet, speaking His words in His Spirit of love and peace. Only in the power of His Spirit in me will I be able to do this, so I ask for His constant leading, and thank Him for His very presence in me and with me all the time.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

Are Your Prayers Answered?

I Peter 4:7

Be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray.

I need to control my own thought processes and attitudes, as well as my actions so that I will be able to think clearly, to know God's righteous will for me; and then I will be able to be of one mind with God and ask Him to do for me what He wants to do for me, to give me what He wants to give me. Then I will be able to pray. And His answer to my prayer will bring the credit, the glory to Him.

My Attitude Toward My Enemies

Matthew 5:38-39, 43-48

You have heard that it was said, "Eye for eye and tooth for tooth" (Exodus 21,24; Leviticus 24:20; Deuteronomy 19:21). But I tell you, do not resist an evil person....

We do not fight against flesh and blood, but against the authorities and rulers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms (see Ephesians 6:12). So we are not to consider our fight as with the people who are opposing us, but against the evil spiritual forces that are the power behind them, and enslaving them.

You have heard that it was said, "Love your neighbor" (Leviticus 19:8) and hate your enemy. But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.

Instead of fighting against the people who are fighting against you, pray for them (not against them) that they may be released from the bondage of evil that has enslaved them.

That you may be sons [and daughters] of your Father in heaven. He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain [to nourish] the righteous and the unrighteous.

"Like father, like son" has been a truism throughout the ages. God blesses everyone every day in causing His sun to give life to this Earth and everyone living on it, and He sends the rain to nourish all the crops and animals to give us all the subsistence to be nourished and live well, regardless of if we even acknowledge His existence or put our full trust in Him. So if He really is our Father, then we will want to have His attitude toward people: He is not willing that any should perish, but that all would come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9), seeing how wrong they have been and turn around. I will pray against their evil schemes, but I will pray for the people who have no understanding of the Truth.

For if you love them which love you,what reward would you have? And if you greet only your friends, what are you doing more than others? Don't even the Publicans do that? You are to be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Perfect here refers to maturity rather than sinless perfection. We are to go the extra mile to help even when we're not expected to.

I will strive to think and act more and more like Jesus would. 

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

Doing Good

Galatians 6:2-10

Carry each others' burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

When a brother or sister feels overwhelmed with all they are facing, they need someone to come alongside them to help them shoulder the burden, to help them take care of fulfilling the responsibilities they face and give them encouragement.

If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.

If I start to get a "big head" over something God has enabled me to accomplish, then I'm lying to myself, and taking the credit, the glory that belongs to God.

Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else.

It is never right or beneficial to compare  myself with anyone else, because God has gifted us all according to His plan for each of us. So If I am better at something than you are, that only means that you are better than I am with something else.

For each one should carry his own load.

I need to take responsibility to get off my chair and do the everyday things that are my responsibility, and not look for or expect someone else to do for me what I am fully capable of doing for myself.

Anyone who receives instruction in the Word must share all good things with his instructor.

If I am learning and growing through the teachings of my pastoral team, then I must give my tithe to my church (or if not, then find another church!). If I am benefitting from the counsel of another, or through a radio or TV station, or been helped by others in whatever venue, then I must consider helping them also with whatever God has given me to share.

Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.

When God created this world, He made everything that reproduces to make another like itself; so that an apple seed will grow another apple tree, and a butterfly will produce another butterfly, and a dog will have puppies. You cannot expect to plant an apple seed and get puppies!

The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature (the flesh) will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.

The same principle also applies in the spiritual realm, that exists invisibly among us all the time. So if we ignore the Spirit of God and the spiritual realm among us and do everything we do only to care for our physical well being and comfort, then we will be destroyed when God destroys this physical Earth. But if we consider that God gave each of us a spirit that He wants to make alive by His Spirit, and live our lives to build a spiritual wealth of treasure, then that spiritual "savings account" will last forever to sustain us in our eternal "retirement."

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

I don't want to give up on doing the everyday, ordinary things that are mine to accomplish, or the work I've been given to do, or the people in my life to encourage. Even if I don't see any return for my efforts, that only means that the season for harvest hasn't come yet, but it will. So I need to hang on and persevere, trusting God to bring on that season in His time.

Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

So, considering this whole passage, I need to always do what is right and beneficial to everyone whose life touches mine, in any way I can, anytime I can, to whoever I can, especially to my spiritual and physical family members--as my witness to the world.

Everything I Need

Philippians 4:11-13

I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is like to be in need, and I know what it is like to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.

Paul went through so much in his life, as a student and scholar of the strictest sect of Scripture study, so he was well-acquainted with his (Jewish) people's checkered history. Then he opposed this new upstart sect, and encountered Jesus on the road to Damascus, turning him completely around, 180 degrees. That's when trouble came into his life! Eventually, he was sent out to found churches, and travelled the known world of the time. So God taught Paul, and through him, taught me, too, to be content and trust Him to provide everything I need. And if I'm in want of something I need, I know He will send it, and it will probably have human fingerprints on it.

The Parable of the Forgiving Master

Matthew 18:21-35

Peter asked, "How many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?" Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy times seven times (unlimited). Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants."

In the Kingdom of Heaven, King Jesus will settle all accounts.

"As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him ... "

In today's money, one talent was worth $1.8 million. So ten thousand times $1.8 million would be $18 billion--it would take forever to pay that much.

"The servant fell on his knees before him. 'Be patient with  me,' he begged, 'and I will pay back everything.'"

As though he would be able to!

"The servant's master took pity on him, cancelled the debt, and let him go."

God forgives us of our totally unpayable debt of sin.

"But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii (a few dollars, or a handful of change) He grabbed him and began to choke him. 'Pay back what you owe me!' he demanded. His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.' But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt...."

He refused to give his brother even a little of the forgiveness he had received from his master.

"Then [word got back to the king, and] the master called the servant in. 'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I cancelled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?' In anger the master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.'"

Wow, tortured! He could never pay back that much money in his whole lifetime--he'd never get out of prison!

"This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart."

God will judge each of us with the standard we hold against others. So if we say that God forgave us, then we must be sure to treat others, who don't deserve it any more than we do, as God has treated us; to give others the same forgiveness, allowance, and acceptance we want from God. If we find we can't do that, then maybe we need to search our own hearts to see if we have really admitted to God that we owe that immeasurable, eternal debt that Jesus paid on the cross. If He paid more than we think we owe, then it wasn't our debt He paid; it was someone else's who did owe that much. There is no dividing up the suffering Jesus endured--it's either all my debt or not. Personally, I know I owed that immeasurable debt, and Jesus took my place on the cross & paid my debt for me. He loves me that much.

We Are Being Watched

Hebrews 11 & 12:1-2

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do  not see.... By faith we understand ... that what is seen was not make out of what is visible.... By faith Abel ... by faith Enoch ... by faith Noah ... by faith Abraham.... All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own.... They were longing for a better country--a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. By faith Abraham ... by faith Isaac ... by faith Jacob ... by faith Joseph ... by faith Moses' parents ... by faith Moses ... by faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land ... by faith the walls of Jericho fell ... by faith the prostitute Rahab ... Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephtha, David, Samuel and the prophets ... the world was not worthy of them. These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect. Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses ...

The writer sums up the whole Old Testament, naming all the people he can, then tells us that they are all watching us! All who have died in faith throughout all the ages past are watching to see how we are doing in our faith. That is a great incentive to:

Throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus ....