Disciplined by God

Disciplined by God

 

 

Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as His children.  For what children are not disciplined by their father?  If you are not disciplined---and everyone undergoes discipline---then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it.  How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live!  They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best, but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in His holiness.  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 12:7-11

 

 

Have you ever been in a store or restaurant where a child is being stubborn and rebellious, screaming to the top of their lungs, ignoring the parent and doing whatever they want, without any inkling of discipline being administered to them?  Well if you haven’t then you really live a sheltered life, because it happens ALL the time. 

 

It seems like children, today get by with a lot more than what most of us did growing up.  I know one thing if I had acted in such a manner my seat would have been introduced to a swat or two.  I was one of seven children and we definitely were disciplined when we showed any signs of stubbornness or rebellion.  We were taught to OBEY our parents and sometimes the lessons were painful, but we survived those times we spent in the woodshed, with NO ill effects. 

 

Today, the child that grows up with little or no discipline, usually ends up being disrespectful, rebellious, stubborn, and troubled.  These verses tell us that when we, as God’s children, act in such a way, He disciplines us by using hardships as His disciplining tool.  The Author of the book of Hebrews says, “God is treating you as His children.”  And He goes on to say, “If you are not disciplined---and everyone undergoes discipline---then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all.”

 

In other words, if you are TRULY a child of God, you WILL come under His discipline, when you go against Him and His will.  Our earthly fathers disciplined us the way they thought was best, and gained our respect.  How much more should we submit to our Heavenly Father and respect His wisdom and discipline, enduring the hardship as discipline.  For God disciplines us for OUR good, in order that we might share in His holiness.   NO discipline is pleasant at the time it is being administered, and is somewhat painful.  However, later on, it produces a yield of right living for those who are trained by it.

 

If you have not given your HEART and LIFE to God then you are not His child and may be living an undisciplined life that is cloaked in rebellion, stubbornness, disrespectfulness, and trouble.  But you can come out of that lifestyle and become a TRUE child of God by: CONFESSING your sins to God and asking Him for His FORGIVENESS, BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU and is ALIVE in Heaven making intercession for you, before God, then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION and experience a yield of RIGHT LIVING.  Do it NOW, while you STILL can.  He’s waiting!!!