In this article I would like to tackle a very uncomfortable topic, a topic most Christians like to ignore, but if they do they forfeit the spiritual growth and development God so desperately desires they receive. How can we know God if we do not grow up and become a mature man or woman spiritually? How can we know God if we have no discipline? How can God trust us with His goods (abilities, power, and authority) if we are babes and continually make a big mess in our pants and of our lives? God will not give us His things if we cannot handle them. Many Christians beg God for things that are beyond their ability in Him, why? Why do we think we need more of God’s abilities and power if we are not correctly walking in what He has already given us? Why do we need God’s power? Some think we can store up God’s power to use for a rainy day, well my friend this is wrong thinking out from wrong teaching. God gives us the power to do things for Him when we need to do them. This wrong thinking of storing up God’s goods can really get some Christians off track and over in areas of hyper-spirituality. Our wondrous walk with the Lord is to be simplistic. It is to be a humble, submissive, narrow way that causes our hands to be clean and our heart to be pure. David asked the question, “Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? 4He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.” (Psalm 24:3-4) He who has allowed God to teach humbleness. He that has allowed God to teach them submission. He that has resisted (to flow in the opposite direction) the devil. He that has drawn nigh to God. He that has been afflicted, who has mourned, and knows something about tears. Someone who has been crushed by the “heaviness” of their sin. He that has allowed God to humble them so He can lift them up. James gives us these qualifications if we desire to “ascend into the hill of the Lord” or “stand in his holy place.” I wonder why we think we do not have come down in our proud thinking and selfish nature to see God? James teaches, “But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. 7Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. 9Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. 10Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.” (James 4:6-10)
The way up is really down. The question is how low can we go? So many Christians want to go up where God is, well God is not up He is down in a low and humble place, wanting us to come down where He is. From the beginning God has been trying to get us down to where He is. Even after Adam and Eve ate of the tree knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 3:8) God still wanted to get man alone with Him. I do not know why we say sin has separated us from God. Ever since man’s disobedience in the garden God has been trying His best to do things to get us in close proximity with Him. He even sent His dear Son to earth to die a horrible death so that He could live in our hearts. There has always been a deliberate progression of God coming to live within man. I wonder why God has not achieved His goal of living within some Christians? Could it be God lacks the ability and power? No of course not, God is all powerful and all knowing. Maybe it is sin, yeah, sin is too strong in our lives and God cannot defeat sin in our lives. No God’s power and authority controls the universe, nothing no nothing can stand in God’s way, except our lack of discipline. The one thing that caused Adam to sin was his lack of discipline. It was not the taste or color of the fruit, but his lack of willingness to say no to his self-life and selfish desires because of lack of discipline in his and Eve’s life. Now please do not think I am beating up on brother Adam and sister Eve, oh me, I am at times so undisciplined, only God can help me. But discipline is so lacking in our lives today and I believe it is the one thing that prevents us from moving in obedience with God. It is not sin, it is our lack of discipline which is to help us overcome in areas we are weak in. Remember sin is to miss the mark, to know right, but do wrong. Well if we know to do right and not do right, why not? Lack of discipline. It is not about getting more and more power from God to do right, but learning more and more discipline so that we will be able to stand and withstand in the evil day. Paul knew quite well this truth when he said, “But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection (to make a slave and to treat as a slave i.e. with severity, subject to stern and rigid discipline): lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway (disqualified in NKJV).” (1 Corinthians 9:27) How did he bring his body into subjection? Through discipline. “I keep under (Strong’s #5299, to beat black and blue, to smite so as to cause bruises and livid spots or like a boxer one buffets his body, handle it roughly, discipline by hardships) my body.” Now this is a physical form of discipline that will only carry you so far in God. A must at times, but God has a better type of discipline for us. Oddly the Scriptures do not say a lot about discipline, but I will tell you if we fail in the area of discipline God cannot use us as He desires, we willfully have disqualified (become a castaway) ourselves for service. As a matter of fact the only verse in the Scriptures (KJV) that uses the word “discipline” is found in the Book of Job, “Then he sheweth them their work, and their transgressions that they have exceeded. 10He openeth also their ear to discipline, and commandeth that they return from iniquity (translated from the Greek as lawlessness or not working outside the frame of how God wants things to be done). 11If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.” (Job 36:9-11) Please notice these verses closely: God showed them their work and their transgression, God opened their ear to discipline and commanded they stop sinning. Only God can do these things if we have a desire to hear Him speak. For God to be able to discipline us we must desire to be disciplined. Jesus said, “make disciples,” well this is all grand and wonderful, but for the disciples to be “made” they must make a commitment and dedication to be discipled. It is like reading the instruction manual a real commitment and dedication to ownership. Sadly many Christians have no desire to receive God’s discipline, no real commitment and dedication. We take no ownership in the process expecting God to do all of the work in our lives, well my friend God does not work that way. God expects us to willfully (if need be) receive the lash of the smiter or the verbal draw of correction from the wise and learned.
I think the biggest reason we are not disciplined is because we do not understand how and why God disciplines us. Too many Christians have this ugly picture of God in heaven (with a big whip in hand) in the strike position. Well I must be truthful, at times this maybe be true, but please know God is not mad at us and if he has to lash out to teach us a lesson it is for our benefit. I think our wrong thinking of the word discipline is what prevents us from the benefit of God’s correction. The writer of Hebrews (I believe to be Paul) gives us this invaluable insight into God’s type of discipline, “For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth (Strong’s #3809, to train, teach, or instruct), and scourgeth (Strong’s # 3146, to whip) every son whom he receiveth. 7If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth? 8But if ye be without chastisement (Strong’s #3809, but more complete of the whole training and education of children which relates to the cultivation of mind and morals, and employs for this purpose now commands and admonitions, now reproof and punishment. It also includes the training and care of the body) whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.” (Hebrews 12:6-8) Never forget the truth of the word of God is contained in the words at the Holy Spirit gives revelation. God’s discipline is rarely about punishment, but always about correction through training and education so that we some day can manifest the character and nature of His dear Son Jesus Christ.
Please let me try to explain through an experience I had with my earthly father. All of my friends were buying kites and I did not understand why I too could not buy a kite, so I asked my father and he said no. Growing up we never had a lot of money to waste of such foolish things. But, I knew where there was some money, in my father’s coin collection. My dad had a very extensive coin collection that boasted of silver dollars from the 1800’s. So I took some money and visited The Spot, the only mom and pop store in town where you could buy a kite. With all of the new found wealth I invited my friends (I was always a generous young man) to come and enjoy my riches. I bought five or six of my friends a kite and some gedunk (sweet cake, candy, and the like), funny how you always have friends when you have money. I doubt if any of my friends who enjoyed the fruits of my crime would have been willing to take even one or two lashes. Well the owner of The Spot knew me, my father, and knew I was spending 1800s silver dollars so he called my dad. My dad went down to The Spot and redeemed his silver dollars and thanked the owner. When he got home he called for the three of us (John, Chris, and I) kids to come to the kitchen. When we assembled I saw what was coming so I asked to go to the bathroom. I purposed to spend the rest of my life in the bathroom fearing if I come out my father would kill me. He granted me permission and off I went, but through the door I could hear the festivities. First he asked my big brother John if he stole the money, of course he said no. Next he asked my sister Chris if she stole the money and of course she said no. He already knew it was me, but wanted to see if I would tell the truth to save my brother and sister from getting a beating. Through the door he yelled, “David did you steal the money from my coin collection,” of course I yelled back no. So he said okay, “I will beat all three to make sure I get the right one.” John was first. He took John into another room and I have never heard such wailing and crying in my life. I got scared. Next if was my sister Chris’ turn. The door closed and again I heard wailing, crying, and begging. Oh man did I get scared. Finally it was my turn my dad said get out of the bathroom, so reluctantly I did. Without a single word he marched me off to the bedroom and told me to drop my pants and pick up my shirt. For the next five minutes or so he beat me with the fire belt (very thin razor strap like belt) it seemed like an eternity, but his arm finally got tired and he quit. Over the years I have often thought about this time of discipline, wondering what good it did. My earthly father has always been a very stern, strict, and disciplined man, but at the same time he possessed a heart for compassion when compassion is required. Maybe it was his involvement in three wars that taught him the need for giving mercy when mercy is called for. War is one of those tumultuous experiences in our lives that intimately teach us about sacrifice and loss which always leaves us wanting mercy and grace. Now that I am older I see the beating I got I desired, but at the same time it built in me a respect, fear, and honor for my father. I also found out he did not beat John and Chris, see he knew I was “the man,” I was the one who stole the money from his coin collection. At the time I thought he was cruel and mean, but as I got older and wiser I saw the wisdom. In Proverbs we read, “The blueness of a wound cleanseth away evil: so do stripes the inward parts of the belly.” Proverbs 20:30) and “Train (Strong’s #2596, instruct, teach, or discipline) up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6) This discipline or training is not about punishment, but about learning those life lessons required to be successful in God and to be able to be brought to a successful end and fulfillment. No discipline no completion or fulfillment in God. One thing that always stuck with me was my earthly father never made me go back and replace the money he had to spend when he redeemed his very valuable silver dollars. He purposely and willfully took the loss. I wonder if this sounds like another Father we are to know. Written by David Stahl
The way up is really down. The question is how low can we go? So many Christians want to go up where God is, well God is not up He is down in a low and humble place, wanting us to come down where He is. From the beginning God has been trying to get us down to where He is. Even after Adam and Eve ate of the tree knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 3:8) God still wanted to get man alone with Him. I do not know why we say sin has separated us from God. Ever since man’s disobedience in the garden God has been trying His best to do things to get us in close proximity with Him. He even sent His dear Son to earth to die a horrible death so that He could live in our hearts. There has always been a deliberate progression of God coming to live within man. I wonder why God has not achieved His goal of living within some Christians? Could it be God lacks the ability and power? No of course not, God is all powerful and all knowing. Maybe it is sin, yeah, sin is too strong in our lives and God cannot defeat sin in our lives. No God’s power and authority controls the universe, nothing no nothing can stand in God’s way, except our lack of discipline. The one thing that caused Adam to sin was his lack of discipline. It was not the taste or color of the fruit, but his lack of willingness to say no to his self-life and selfish desires because of lack of discipline in his and Eve’s life. Now please do not think I am beating up on brother Adam and sister Eve, oh me, I am at times so undisciplined, only God can help me. But discipline is so lacking in our lives today and I believe it is the one thing that prevents us from moving in obedience with God. It is not sin, it is our lack of discipline which is to help us overcome in areas we are weak in. Remember sin is to miss the mark, to know right, but do wrong. Well if we know to do right and not do right, why not? Lack of discipline. It is not about getting more and more power from God to do right, but learning more and more discipline so that we will be able to stand and withstand in the evil day. Paul knew quite well this truth when he said, “But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection (to make a slave and to treat as a slave i.e. with severity, subject to stern and rigid discipline): lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway (disqualified in NKJV).” (1 Corinthians 9:27) How did he bring his body into subjection? Through discipline. “I keep under (Strong’s #5299, to beat black and blue, to smite so as to cause bruises and livid spots or like a boxer one buffets his body, handle it roughly, discipline by hardships) my body.” Now this is a physical form of discipline that will only carry you so far in God. A must at times, but God has a better type of discipline for us. Oddly the Scriptures do not say a lot about discipline, but I will tell you if we fail in the area of discipline God cannot use us as He desires, we willfully have disqualified (become a castaway) ourselves for service. As a matter of fact the only verse in the Scriptures (KJV) that uses the word “discipline” is found in the Book of Job, “Then he sheweth them their work, and their transgressions that they have exceeded. 10He openeth also their ear to discipline, and commandeth that they return from iniquity (translated from the Greek as lawlessness or not working outside the frame of how God wants things to be done). 11If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.” (Job 36:9-11) Please notice these verses closely: God showed them their work and their transgression, God opened their ear to discipline and commanded they stop sinning. Only God can do these things if we have a desire to hear Him speak. For God to be able to discipline us we must desire to be disciplined. Jesus said, “make disciples,” well this is all grand and wonderful, but for the disciples to be “made” they must make a commitment and dedication to be discipled. It is like reading the instruction manual a real commitment and dedication to ownership. Sadly many Christians have no desire to receive God’s discipline, no real commitment and dedication. We take no ownership in the process expecting God to do all of the work in our lives, well my friend God does not work that way. God expects us to willfully (if need be) receive the lash of the smiter or the verbal draw of correction from the wise and learned.
I think the biggest reason we are not disciplined is because we do not understand how and why God disciplines us. Too many Christians have this ugly picture of God in heaven (with a big whip in hand) in the strike position. Well I must be truthful, at times this maybe be true, but please know God is not mad at us and if he has to lash out to teach us a lesson it is for our benefit. I think our wrong thinking of the word discipline is what prevents us from the benefit of God’s correction. The writer of Hebrews (I believe to be Paul) gives us this invaluable insight into God’s type of discipline, “For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth (Strong’s #3809, to train, teach, or instruct), and scourgeth (Strong’s # 3146, to whip) every son whom he receiveth. 7If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth? 8But if ye be without chastisement (Strong’s #3809, but more complete of the whole training and education of children which relates to the cultivation of mind and morals, and employs for this purpose now commands and admonitions, now reproof and punishment. It also includes the training and care of the body) whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.” (Hebrews 12:6-8) Never forget the truth of the word of God is contained in the words at the Holy Spirit gives revelation. God’s discipline is rarely about punishment, but always about correction through training and education so that we some day can manifest the character and nature of His dear Son Jesus Christ.
Please let me try to explain through an experience I had with my earthly father. All of my friends were buying kites and I did not understand why I too could not buy a kite, so I asked my father and he said no. Growing up we never had a lot of money to waste of such foolish things. But, I knew where there was some money, in my father’s coin collection. My dad had a very extensive coin collection that boasted of silver dollars from the 1800’s. So I took some money and visited The Spot, the only mom and pop store in town where you could buy a kite. With all of the new found wealth I invited my friends (I was always a generous young man) to come and enjoy my riches. I bought five or six of my friends a kite and some gedunk (sweet cake, candy, and the like), funny how you always have friends when you have money. I doubt if any of my friends who enjoyed the fruits of my crime would have been willing to take even one or two lashes. Well the owner of The Spot knew me, my father, and knew I was spending 1800s silver dollars so he called my dad. My dad went down to The Spot and redeemed his silver dollars and thanked the owner. When he got home he called for the three of us (John, Chris, and I) kids to come to the kitchen. When we assembled I saw what was coming so I asked to go to the bathroom. I purposed to spend the rest of my life in the bathroom fearing if I come out my father would kill me. He granted me permission and off I went, but through the door I could hear the festivities. First he asked my big brother John if he stole the money, of course he said no. Next he asked my sister Chris if she stole the money and of course she said no. He already knew it was me, but wanted to see if I would tell the truth to save my brother and sister from getting a beating. Through the door he yelled, “David did you steal the money from my coin collection,” of course I yelled back no. So he said okay, “I will beat all three to make sure I get the right one.” John was first. He took John into another room and I have never heard such wailing and crying in my life. I got scared. Next if was my sister Chris’ turn. The door closed and again I heard wailing, crying, and begging. Oh man did I get scared. Finally it was my turn my dad said get out of the bathroom, so reluctantly I did. Without a single word he marched me off to the bedroom and told me to drop my pants and pick up my shirt. For the next five minutes or so he beat me with the fire belt (very thin razor strap like belt) it seemed like an eternity, but his arm finally got tired and he quit. Over the years I have often thought about this time of discipline, wondering what good it did. My earthly father has always been a very stern, strict, and disciplined man, but at the same time he possessed a heart for compassion when compassion is required. Maybe it was his involvement in three wars that taught him the need for giving mercy when mercy is called for. War is one of those tumultuous experiences in our lives that intimately teach us about sacrifice and loss which always leaves us wanting mercy and grace. Now that I am older I see the beating I got I desired, but at the same time it built in me a respect, fear, and honor for my father. I also found out he did not beat John and Chris, see he knew I was “the man,” I was the one who stole the money from his coin collection. At the time I thought he was cruel and mean, but as I got older and wiser I saw the wisdom. In Proverbs we read, “The blueness of a wound cleanseth away evil: so do stripes the inward parts of the belly.” Proverbs 20:30) and “Train (Strong’s #2596, instruct, teach, or discipline) up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6) This discipline or training is not about punishment, but about learning those life lessons required to be successful in God and to be able to be brought to a successful end and fulfillment. No discipline no completion or fulfillment in God. One thing that always stuck with me was my earthly father never made me go back and replace the money he had to spend when he redeemed his very valuable silver dollars. He purposely and willfully took the loss. I wonder if this sounds like another Father we are to know. Written by David Stahl
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