The link to my book - Destroy and Deliver (Autobiography)

Wednesday 6 July 2016

Discipline a necessary aid

(Proverbs 5:23) “He dies for lack of discipline, and because of his great folly he is led astray.”

Why do you think governments across the globe are so big on relinquishing discipline on children as they enforce laws removing that privilege from parents? They are against God and His counsel; they are trees that bear fruit full of thorns and with trunks as hard as briar. Without highlighting the exceptions of abuse that does exist, the principle of this proverb must never be ignored. Where there is a lack of discipline in a child’s life he will be lead astray and there will be the stench of death in the air. Satan our arch enemy understands this and therefore sends out those who cry “foul” when our children are loved the way our God and Father loves us and disciplines us where and when needed. Discipline is a tool when welcomed, it will help those exercised in it find life in Christ and of this I am certain; “For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives." (Hebrews 12:6)   
  
Those who believe they are capable of out thinking God are alive and well, which is delusion of the highest order. However, this is sadly the deception of sin that has blinded the world. As Christians and although we have the mind of Christ we too can be lead astray with our reasoning and be led down the wrong road if we are not attentive the voice of our heavenly Father. Five of the churches in the book of Revelation had erred on the wrong side of God’s instruction and so discipline was needed to right their wrongs. A true response to the discipline of God is repentance, a turning from sin and spiralling towards God’s instruction. We know that; “For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” (Hebrews 12:11) - It’s our response to his discipline that proves our allegiance. It’s how we regard God’s discipline in our lives that produces fruit worthy of repentance. “You will know a tree by its fruit”.  

The one who dies is the one who lacks discipline in their lives. This is what this proverb teaches us. I am reminded of the goodness of God afresh this morning, I was one so undisciplined that it is a miracle in which the way our now view the need for discipline in our lives and the good fruit it is capable of producing; the goodness of God who can fathom it? I am forever thankful to Him for His mercy in my life. We may all have our Achilles-heel that we struggle with and yet God has provide us with his grace to see us past that hurdle; the harder the struggle the sweeter the victory. Even the Apostle Paul had his struggles; “So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” (2Corinthians 12:7-9) – No one really knows what Paul actually refers to with his confession, it could have been a great trouble or some temptation; maybe he referred to a bodily pain or sickness; he could have been referring to it in the way in which he spoke, which was contemptible. Nevertheless it is a marvellous truth when we learn to rest in the finished work of the cross as we rely on God’s grace to get us home. The grace of God alleviates our ability to justify the reasons why we have been chosen by God. The Bible refers to this as “repentance from dead works”.      
  
Matthew Henry arrived at this conclusion in analysing this man now spoken of in the above proverb; “It is a sin which men with great difficulty shake off the power of. When the sinner is old and weak his lusts are strong and active, in calling to remembrance the days of his youth, (Eze_23:19). Thus his own iniquities having seized the wicked himself by his own consent, and he having voluntarily surrendered himself a captive to them, he is held in the cords of his own sins, and such full possession they have gained of him that he cannot extricate himself, but in the greatness of his folly (and what greater folly could there be than to yield himself a servant to such cruel task-masters?) he shall go astray, and wander endlessly. Uncleanness is a sin from which, when once men have plunged themselves into it, they very hardly and very rarely recover themselves. 2. It is a sin which, if it be not forsaken, men cannot possibly escape the punishment of; it will unavoidably be their ruin.” (Matthew Henry)

It is God alone who renews a right spirit within a man when they have erred, but it is needful for those who once shunned discipline to plead with God to change their outlook and folly. I am forever thankful that God has had mercy on me. I would encourage all to embrace the discipline that our loving Father inflicts into a believers life; it is for our nurture and it serves a purpose to help us see the wood from the trees. We all need it if we have erred. “If God be for us who can be against us”, praise His glorious name, Amen!

GOD IS TRUTH! “Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life...”

Truth and mercy have collided in the Lord Jesus Christ which in turn has covered some by the mercy of God and we have now been forgiven for our sins. Praise God for that. What a glorious Saviour we serve, praise His name. The abuse he took to set us free is almost inconceivable but in fact true; He died a cruel death at the hands of a Roman crucifixion. It was bloody and gory and yet He never compromised the truth, He understood the call God had placed on His life and he drank the whole cup. He became the off scouring of the earth so that some could go free and be forgiven for their sins.

Would it not be worth it for us if we too followed suite and also suffered a similar fate if our example could be the mechanism used in conjunction with the Word of God to save some?

Peace, grace and mercy to all who confess Jesus as Lord and for those who thankfully receive the discipline of God understanding the love of our heavenly Father at work in our lives.

Signing off

Tyrone

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