"No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it." (Hebrews 12:11, NIV)
Hebrews 12:3 says, "Consider Jesus Who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." This is the introduction to the succeeding exhortation on discipline, "Consider Jesus...,My son," and, "do not despise the chastening of the LORD, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him..." What happens to us in the New Birth is explained in Heb. 3:14, "we have become partakers of Christ...." And 1 Peter 4:13 calls us to, "rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings." Everything which Jesus experienced in His walk upon the earth is ours to, "partake[] of."
I suggest today that instead of seeing, "discipline," as a woe-is-me part of life, we see it as, "we have become partakers of Christ",...that you partake of Christ's suffering...." We partake in the suffering of His rejection, His beatings, His Cross, His Grave, His resurrection, all. The Bible teaches that, "discipline," or, "chastening," is integral to the life of Covenant People, and Jesus Christ embraced this, "discipline," when He walked the The Land as the Incarnate Word. Hebrews 12 tells us that if we do not experience discipline we are not sons of Father. Why? Because we refuse to be, "partakers of," the Son.
In Hebrews 12:10 we are told that, "God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share (partake) in his holiness." Now we could say much about the Biblical principle of discipline, chastening, suffering, but for me, it is enough that the purpose of discipline is, "that we may share in His Holiness." So look at the words, "partakers," and, "share"; here we have the "mystery" of our relationship in Jesus Christ in a world where we experience, "opposition from sinners," and the greater Enemy of our souls. As we live, dwell, abide, remain in Jesus Christ, "we...share in His Holiness." If we have any sense at all, this we will embrace. After all, "....discipline...later on...produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it."
Father, in Jesus' Name, I thank You that I, "share in His Holiness." Amen.
* I will be leaving for Washington DC later today. I want to share with you a part of President Roosevelt's "D-Day" prayer which you probably never heard, yet it reveals the Biblical Theology on Prayer:
"Many people have urged that I call the nation into a single day of special prayer. But because the road is long and the desire is great, I ask that our people devote themselves in a continuance of prayer. As we rise to each new day, and again when each day is spent, let words of prayer be on our lips, invoking Thy help to our efforts." (From Roosevelt's D-Day Prayer)
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Hebrews 12:3 says, "Consider Jesus Who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." This is the introduction to the succeeding exhortation on discipline, "Consider Jesus...,My son," and, "do not despise the chastening of the LORD, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him..." What happens to us in the New Birth is explained in Heb. 3:14, "we have become partakers of Christ...." And 1 Peter 4:13 calls us to, "rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings." Everything which Jesus experienced in His walk upon the earth is ours to, "partake[] of."
I suggest today that instead of seeing, "discipline," as a woe-is-me part of life, we see it as, "we have become partakers of Christ",...that you partake of Christ's suffering...." We partake in the suffering of His rejection, His beatings, His Cross, His Grave, His resurrection, all. The Bible teaches that, "discipline," or, "chastening," is integral to the life of Covenant People, and Jesus Christ embraced this, "discipline," when He walked the The Land as the Incarnate Word. Hebrews 12 tells us that if we do not experience discipline we are not sons of Father. Why? Because we refuse to be, "partakers of," the Son.
In Hebrews 12:10 we are told that, "God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share (partake) in his holiness." Now we could say much about the Biblical principle of discipline, chastening, suffering, but for me, it is enough that the purpose of discipline is, "that we may share in His Holiness." So look at the words, "partakers," and, "share"; here we have the "mystery" of our relationship in Jesus Christ in a world where we experience, "opposition from sinners," and the greater Enemy of our souls. As we live, dwell, abide, remain in Jesus Christ, "we...share in His Holiness." If we have any sense at all, this we will embrace. After all, "....discipline...later on...produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it."
Father, in Jesus' Name, I thank You that I, "share in His Holiness." Amen.
* I will be leaving for Washington DC later today. I want to share with you a part of President Roosevelt's "D-Day" prayer which you probably never heard, yet it reveals the Biblical Theology on Prayer:
"Many people have urged that I call the nation into a single day of special prayer. But because the road is long and the desire is great, I ask that our people devote themselves in a continuance of prayer. As we rise to each new day, and again when each day is spent, let words of prayer be on our lips, invoking Thy help to our efforts." (From Roosevelt's D-Day Prayer)
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* Article on Obama, Sarkozy criticism of Netanyahu: www.apf327.blogspot.com
* Unreached People of the Day: www.apfunreachedpeoples.blogspot.com
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
