Discipline...who needs it?

I am thankful for the difficult times of life. Now, I don't always enjoy them but as I reflect upon some recent challenges, I realize that those things are intended to help me keep my focus on the One who is my strength and they have come to pass and not stay.

I am thankful for the winter season because it causes me to enjoy the spring weather and not take it for granted. Every season of life is beneficial but not always enjoyable.

Thus the topic for this writing. Discipline...who needs it? Now there are at least two ways of looking at discipline. Most likely, the first thing we think of is the discipline we receive when we have done something wrong and need to be corrected. Hebrews 12 :7-ff speaks to the discipline of God. This is the instruction we receive from the Lord as he teaches us through that instruction. (There is a lot more to say about the discipline of God. I will write about that at a later time.)

Another use of the word discipline is used by Paul in 1 Corinthians 9: 25-ff. Here the word is used to denote the physical restraint we place upon ourselves. It literally means to beat ourselves black and blue. Not that God intends for us to mutilate ourselves but it does mean that we are to restrain ourselves so that we do not become disqualified in serving the Lord. This could happen if we do not discipline ourselves and keep ourselves from drifting towards what comes natural.

The natural man craves what the flesh wants. That is comfort, peace, no expectations, no responsibilities, no work, eat drink and be happy. Apart from the Spirit of God we would all be doing these things to one degree or another. We would always take the easy road. The person who is filled with the Spirit of God, those who follow Christ, are different. We realize that this life is more than about us and that our lives are to lived out in the power and strength of the Lord. I believe this is why Paul used such harsh language when referring to the form of discipline he was involved in.

It takes great intentionality to live a disciplined life. Paul talks about how the athlete goes into "strict training" to be able to compete in the games. We see this example in the sports that we watch or the ones that we are involved in. Every competitor must discipline his life so as to train to participate in the sport. If they do not train and discipline themselves they will fail at and during the competition.

Paul tells Timothy in 1 Timothy 4:8 "For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come." To be disciplined in the things of God will have eternal benefits. This does not mean I should let my body go and not care for it. Remember that "physical training is of some value".

As we live our lives here on planet earth may it be lived for the glory of God and that we live a life of discipline not only physically but more importantly spiritually.

Meeting the World

The weather has been a huge issue for us here in Kansas this year. It seems that winter has been happening for a year or two and most of us are more than ready for sunny days and warm temperatures.

Lately we have had some nice days and this past Tuesday we had an exceptional day to be outside so I took advantage of it and went on a 12 mile bike ride.

All winter I had my bike on what is called a trainer. It is a device that you put the back wheel of your bike in and then you "train" during bad weather or cold weather. Basically, it turns your bike into a stationary bike. (yada, yada, yada) Any way, I had been riding inside off and on, sadly more off than on, but I had spent a few hours each week pedaling my bike. I often would get warmed up and move my chain to the hardest gear and really get after pedaling. No problems at all at the hard gear. I sometimes felt as if I could pedal all day but often my rear could not go that long.

So, on Tuesday, I had the opportunity to get outside and ride. I left my bike in the harder range of gears and headed out to ride east of Salina. I soon realized that my gear selection was much harder in the "real" world than down in my basement on my trainer. I also realized that in the basement I did not have to fight cars, the wind nor climb hills. Riding inside can lure you into thinking you are stronger and have more endurance than you really have.

I liken this experience to living out our faith. The church is a wonderful place to come and receive biblical instruction, encouragement, discipleship and fellowship. Most of the time the church is a safe place from the difficulties we often face in the world. In the church, the opposition of that like cars, wind and hills are only slight and for the most part we are protected. But what happens when we leave the protection of the church building and all of it's wonderful benefits? What happens when we face the angry customer at our employment? What happens when we have to face the steep climb of going to our jobs where our boss or other co-workers oppose us because of our faith?

Out there in the world it can be a very different place to live than in the church community. And yet what we learn in the midst of protection will and ought to make us stronger to face the storms and evils schemes that the evil one throws our way. When we are faced with opposing views of creation, marriage, ethics or worldviews how do we handle them? Do we rest on the biblical teaching we have received, the training that we have done or are we so overcome with the cars almost hitting us, the strong wind or the steep hills that we give up and stop pedaling?

The training we receive in and through the church ought to help us out in the real world that we live in. Paul tells the Colossian church "Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone." (Col.4:5-6) How do we know how to answer everyone? It is by the study of God's word. God's word must be studied, meditated upon and read if we are going to train ourselves to be godly and if want to have the strength do endure this life.
1Timothy 4:7 "Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives' tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. (italics added)

Don't neglect the training.

A Great Question

Over the past few years I have noticed a phenomenon. Now, I of course am not a food scientist, but there is a situation that has caused me great alarm in the cookie realm of life. As many of you know I greatly enjoy chocolate chip cookies. Since the beginning of my life I have had a chocolate chip cookie in one hand and a chocolate chip cookie in the other. I really like chocolate chip cookies.

The one thing that I have noticed about chocolate chip cookies is that if they are combined in an storage bag or container with, let's say oatmeal raisin or snicker doodles (which I feel is a total waste of sugar and flour and eggs and vanilla, etc), the chocolate chip cookies take on the aroma of those other cookies and they even taste like those other cookies. This, in my book, is a great tragedy. Why does this happen? Are the chocolate chip cookies so weak in their own aroma and flavor that they cannot resist becoming another cookie even though at their core they are chocolate chip cookies? Does this transfer of aroma and flavor happen because they spend too much time with those other cookies in a sealed environment?

Jesus said "I am the Light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life" (John 8:12)

As a follower of Jesus his presence and light resides in me and hopefully is being reflected in all that I do. But what happens if I spend too much time in worldly pursuits? What happens if my saltiness loses it's saltiness? I become no good for anything except to be trampled on by men (Matt 5) In 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 the Apostle Paul teaches about the relationship between believers and unbelievers. He says what does righteousness have to do with wickedness or light with darkness? This doesn't mean we exclude unbelievers from our lives. If we did that how would they see or hear the truth of the gospel. Paul is speaking to partnership, intimate relationship. What most often happens is that the life for the believer, in an inappropriate relationship with an unbeliever, always becomes difficult. It seems that the unbeliever has more influence on the believer than the other way around. There is to be godly separation between an unbeliever and believer. This may mean that we are friends with an unbeliever but that we don't always go to the places they go or do things that they always do or listen to the music they listen too or watch the same T.V. shows they do. Jesus set for us the perfect of example of hanging out with "sinners" and yet he never was overtaken by their sin. His life always affected theirs. This is our supreme example. We ought to be so close and rooted deep in the Word and resting in the power of God that our life impacts those we hang with, especially those who are unbelievers.

This summer I will be cycling with guys, that for most of them, don't know the Lord in a personal way. Oh I pray my life will be lived in such a way that it positively affects them to ask for the reason for the hope that is in me. May this be the case for all of us as we do life in our place that God has put us. Don't be like a chocolate chip cookie when hanging with an oatmeal raisin cookie that you begin to smell and taste like an oatmeal raisin. Rather, may you always smell and taste like a chocolate chip cookie or better yet, may we smell and taste like Christ, the sweet aroma of grace and mercy and salvation.

Jude

This past Sunday was a special moment for Shelly and me. We were able to hold Jude for the first time. He came home on Friday and then Josh and Kate invited us to KC for a Sunday afternoon dinner to celebrate and to just have some family time with them and Jude.

The past four months have been filled with great excitement as Jude was born to moments of total helplessness as he faced surgery to repair the hole in his stomach which caused his intestinal disease. These past months have especially been trying for Josh and Kate with the "worry" that parents go through when their child is ill and thier future is uncertain. Yet, through it all, I witnessed my son lead Kate and himself to remain faithful to the Lord and to share their journey through CarePages.

I also recognize that my own journey of faith has been strengthened by Josh and Kate's journey and I have once again recognized the mercy and grace of God that has been with Jude and the things provided for him at every level. God has provided these things through the medical staff at Children's Mercy in KC and through the many prayers lifted on Jude's behalf. I must also recognize the will of God in Jude's life. God desires for Himself to be glorified and through Jude's life and the witness of Josh and Kate, I have glorified my Father in heaven.

As we were there in KC, I don't remember the exact conversation, the comment was made that the past four months now seem like a blurr or they seemed to have passed quickly now that Jude is home. I know that its our perception with things like this but I think that God provides that perspective so that we don't become so overwhelmed we get totally discouraged. The whole basis for this blog is to help me and you, the reader, to know that things don't always last forever whether good things or bad things. I am so glad that the last four months have "come to pass" and we can now begin to look forward to what may come.

Blessings