Discipline's rewards

SCRIPTURE

Hebrews 12:11 "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."

OBSERVATION

Jesus wants us to discipline ourselves in our lives and get the most out of it. Discipline in any area is difficult, therefore painful. But, as the scripture says, one will reap the rewards for being trained to abstain. If discipline can lead to achieving the great goals that we have set for ourselves, it is worth traveling that bumpy road.


APPLICATION

There are a lot of areas in my life where I need discipline. Those areas include planning my day, praying to and thanking God more often, not giving in to sin (even in the slightest area), do what I propose to do, and strive more to get ahead. Even though I am a law abiding man, that is not enough. It's not fair to God if I obey man's law, and ignore the ways in which God wants me to be more like Him.

PRAYER

Dear Lord, thank you for thinking I can be a more disciplined person in your eyes. Teach me to be more disciplined and how not to give in to the temptation away from the road of a disciplined life. Forgive my failures and help me in my weakness. I know this is the correct road as it will lead to your gate. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

He is coming!

SCRIPTURE

Behold He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen. “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” Revelation 1:7,8


OBSERVATION

He is coming, not in secret, not just for his children to see but for every eye to see. Every man woman and child will see Jesus coming in the clouds in all His glory to claim His children.


APPLICATION

As my life is full of busyness I need to remember that Jesus is coming back soon. The Alpha and Omega, The Beginning and the End is coming back for me. What is so important that I do not remember my Savior, my Lord is coming back to take me to be with Him forever.

PRAYER

Oh Lord help me so I should never forget that the same Jesus that saved my soul, that washed my sins away is coming to take me home with Him forever. No more pain, sorrow or sadness, it will all be exchanged for joy and peace that comes with being with Jesus for eternity. Amen

Words vs. Actions

SCRIPTURE

Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue, but with actions and in truth.

1 John 3: 18

OBSERVATION

The letters in 1 John were applicable in the past, are an applicable truth today, and will also be applicable in the future. His truth is not a fad, but a definate truth. Actions always speak louder than words. This is an evident truth.

APPLICATION

As a teacher I am unable to use words to share about God's love, but I can show His love on a daily basis. I can be an example by spending extra time tutoring a student that needs extra help. I can give encouragement to a student in need. I can remind them that they are special, and although each person may have different challenges to overcome, I will be there to help them overcome their challenges. I can go to a ball games, or attend a family funeral to show them that I care about their celebrations and grief. I can be the good morning waiting for them, and the I can't wait to see you tomorrow. I even have an opportunity to teach them how to be kind and forgiving. Over the past 16 years I have had a wonderful opportunity to share God's love to children of many nationalities and religions by loving in truth.

PRAYER

Dear Lord, I pray for opportune moments to share the love of God to those He sets in my path. Help me to minister beyond words. May those in my path receive love and truth through my actions. Please help me remain strong, and not weary so that I can reach out to those in need. Quicken my spirit so that I will recognize opportunities to share the love of God. Give me wisdom to know how to express your love and truth.

Focus on His Goodness

SCRIPTURE

I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My life makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble and afflicted hear and be glad. O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together. I sought the Lord and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. Psalm 34:1-4

OBSERVATION

My mouth reflects the attitudes of my heart. I must and will keep His praise as the focus of my speech. As I keep His praises as my focus, others will hear and join me in the praise of the Lord. As a result of seeking to keep His praise my focus, He will deliver me from ALL my fears.

APPLICATION

I must keep the focus of my conversation the praise of the Lord. As I keep His praises foremost in my mind and heart and word, He inhabits my praise and His Peace is my portion.

PRAYER

Lord, help me keep my heart, mind and words focused on Your goodness. I believe that You are faithful to deliver me from ALL my fears. Amen

His Promises Will Never Fail

SCRIPTURE

Jeremiah 33:25 – 26 This is what the LORD says: 'If I have not established my covenant with day and night and the fixed laws of heaven and earth, then I will reject the descendants of Jacob and David my servant and will not choose one of his sons to rule over the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. For I will restore their fortunes and have compassion on them.'

OBSERVATION

Jeremiah was in jail and he was listening to God tell him why things were happening around him. Judah and Jerusalem were at war. Everything around him was being destroyed. Yet in all of that God tells Jeremiah what will happen. He asks Jeremiah to not give up and to not give in, but trust him because his promises are true and unfailing.
At the end of the chapter God tells him that he will keep his promises until day and night cease to work in unison. If you think about it, when will night and day cease to stop working. I would think that that wouldn't happen until something catastrophic happens, or until God decides for his creation to stop working. Then and only then will his promises cease to be true.

APPLICATION

When times seem overwhelming, when situations seem unable to be solved, when life is hitting you on the left and right, when divorce is staring you in the face, when you or your children are sick, when friends leave you, when your family disowns you, when you are trying to do all you can but at the end of the day nothing seems to go right, we need to remember that God's promises, for healing, salvation for your family, provision, deliverance, protection, etc., etc., will not cease to be true until the earth ceases to operate the way God designed it. there will always be a way out, always be something taht happens that can only be explained by the hand of God.

PRAYER

God, even though I always try to do everything on my own and it seems that it takes me getting to the point where I can't physically or spiritually do it, I know that you will provide for all that I need, you will answer my prayers for salvation and protection for my family, you will be my God until you send your Son back. Help me to, even thou I am in the middle of the struggle, remember your promises and draw my strength from your strength.

That IS What We Are!!!

SCRIPTURE
1 John 3:1 How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!


OBSERVATION
Again, I love these verses. We have been given a great compliment; a huge favor of the Lord! He calls us "children of God". Does it get any better than that? It speaks to His great love and regard for us. It speaks to His generosity towards us. And then John goes on to declare 'that is what we are'. What's also interesting to me is that these two verses have exclamation marks. They're not used extensively in the Bible so this tells me that John is adament about these two statements.


APPLICATION
My take away is that I am to fully realize that I am a highly regarded child of God. That I am blessed by an Almighty Father. That I am to act like a princess of the Highest King. I should claim my heritage and all the power and love that comes with it. Each day should begin and end with this awareness.

PRAYER
Thank you, Father, for this gift! I want to always remember the love and wonder of my Father. I want to claim all that goes with the title of 'child of God'. Let me live up to that humbling and beautiful title. Amen.

Blessings and Praises

SCRIPTURE
Psalm 67:1-4 May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine upon us, that your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations. May the people praise you, O God; may all the peoples praise you. May the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you rule the peoples justly and guide the nations of the earth.


OBSERVATION
The psalmist asks for God's blessings for His people. They pray, in turn, that because of the people's praises to God, the nations see and praise Him as well. They see that God provides for his people and that He is a just and guiding God.


APPLICATION
The blessings of God are many, from material to emotional to spiritual. To me, one of the greatest gifts we have is hope - hope that comes from a loving Father who is with us through good and bad times . . . hope that allows us to endure daily struggles of life and relationships . . . and a hope that we have a perfect eternity ahead of us through the price paid by Jesus. How do people make it through life without hope? I don't want to know.

PRAYER
I pray that people who do not know Jesus will see hope demonstrated in my life. Father, let me model reliance and hope in You to my children, my friends, and all those around me. Amen.