Self-Discipline Ain’t Easy

As I begin let me say, I am not writing about self-discipline because I have mastered it—not by a long shot. Those who are close to me can attest to that. Nevertheless, the matter of self-discipline is on my heart. So, here goes...

One definition of discipline is to bring to a state of order and obedience by training and control. The Word tells us, For the time being no discipline brings joy, but seems grievous and painful; but afterwards it yields a peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it... (Hebrews 12:11, Amplified)

To me, self-discipline is simply doing what you don’t want to do at the moment, knowing it will bring a reward in the future. For example, going to work when you would rather stay home because you need your paycheck; eating the fruit or veggies instead of ice cream to lose those extra pounds; getting up and doing your workout when hitting the snooze button is so tempting; spending time in the Word and in prayer rather than sitting in front of the TV.

All of us know that when we reach the goal it will be worth it; it’s just getting our body to agree with our mind that now is the time to get up and do it. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 9:27, But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection...  In other words, he didn’t let his body have its way.

That is what self-discipline is all about—remembering that our body is just the house we live in, and it should not control our actions. Our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, and as such should be under the control of the Holy Spirit. When God created each of us, He gave us a will—we can make our own decisions. However, His desire is for us to submit our will to His. We want to “do our own thing,” but His way is so much better. We want to eat the large bag of M&Ms all in one sitting, but He wants us to have a healthy body to better serve Him. We want our life to be filled to the brim with activity; He wants us to take some time each day to just be with Him, so that we can grow spiritually into the men and women of God He created us to be.

I have a long way to go. 

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Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. (Hebrews 12:11)

But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. (1 Corinthians 9:27)

What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

Oops! What Just Came Out Of My Mouth?

Recently the Lord repeatedly brought to my attention scriptures regarding the tongue. I was confronted several times with God’s thoughts regarding the words that come out of my mouth. We have all heard the phrase, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” How untrue that is. Words can hurt. And words can also heal. “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” (Proverbs 18:21)

I consider myself to be an optimistic person for the most part, but at times I am guilty of allowing negativity to make its way into my speech. God’s desire is for us to speak words that are uplifting that they may bless the hearer. (Eph. 4:29)

It is easy to fall into the trap of complaining. And the more a person complains, the worse their attitude becomes. Your words affect how you feel, and they also affect those who have to listen to you. No one enjoys being around someone who complains all the time.

I have found that when I wake up in a “down” mood, if I will speak aloud the words taken from Psalm 118:24, This is the day that the Lord has made; I will rejoice and be glad in it, I begin to feel better. It is uplifting to my spirit.

I have a choice about what comes out of my mouth. Just because a thought enters my mind, does not mean it has to be spoken. How many times have you said something, and the second the words were out of your mouth you wished you could take them back?

The story is told of a man who went through his village slandering the rabbi. One day he felt remorse and went to the rabbi asking for forgiveness and offering to do whatever was necessary to make amends. The rabbi instructed him to take a feather pillow, open it and scatter the feathers to the wind, and then return to him. The man did as he was told and then came back asking, “Am I now forgiven?” The rabbi answered, “Almost, but there is one thing left to do: Go and gather up all the feathers.” “Impossible,” the man said. “The feathers have already been scattered by the wind.” The rabbi answered, “Yes, even though we want to correct a wrong committed, it is as impossible to repair the damage done by spoken words as it is to gather the feathers thrown into the wind.”

Father, forgive me for speaking complaining and hurtful words. Help me instead to speak words of thankfulness and kindness. Set a watch O Lord, before my mouth.

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Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. (Proverbs 18:21)

Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. (Ephesians 4:29)

Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles. (Proverbs 21:23)

If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain. (James 1:26)

For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile. (1 Peter 3:10)

Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips. (Psalm 141:3)

This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. (Psalm 118:24)

God Wants Me Happy, Right?

It seems to me that among believers, there are some who think that the goal of their Christian life is to be happy—that God wants them to be perpetually happy. But this concept is not found in the Word of God. God’s desire is for us to be molded in the image of His Son. He wants us to grow in maturity and to have the character of Christ formed within us.

Often we face unpleasant circumstances and, of course, our first reaction is that we want out. No one enjoys a negative situation. I believe that as we pray about the troubles in our life, God will answer in one of three ways: He will remove us from our circumstances, change our circumstances, or change us. I find that more often than not He desires to change us.

In each situation we face, there are lessons to be learned. There is a process to go through. Most of us, instead of being willing to go through the process, are looking for a way to escape. Rather than yielding to His will, we want to curse the situation.

Even though we face unhappy times we can still live a joyful life. The joy we have in our hearts as a result of our relationship with Christ is not dependent on outward circumstances. Everything can be going wrong in the natural while we have peace and joy in our inner man. With the help of the Spirit, we can learn to say along with Paul, “I have learned in whatever state I am, therewith to be content.” (Philippians 4:11)

The joy of the Lord gives us strength when we feel like giving up; the peace of God holds us steady when it seems our life is falling apart; and the contentment that comes from trusting in Christ makes a statement that even though life is not perfect, we know in the end everything is going to be all right.

If we live with an attitude of joy, peace, and contentment in the face of trying circumstances, the world will sit up and take notice. But if we react negatively every time trouble comes our way, those around us will not see the life of victory that the Lord wants us to exhibit.

Father, thank You that we can be full of joy, peace and contentment, even in adverse circumstances. Teach us to yield to Your work in our hearts.

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My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you. (Galatians 4:19)

Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ . . . But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ. (Ephesians 4:13,15)

Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:4-7)

Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. (Philippians 4:11-13)

. . . the joy of the LORD is your strength. (Nehemiah 8:10)

Staying On The Road

Living for Christ requires determination. There are many things vying for our attention which can pull us away from our complete devotion to the Lord. Colossians 3:2 tells us, “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.” That means we have to determine in our hearts to focus on the things of God, and then set our affections, our desires, in that direction. The Amplified version of this verse says, “And set your minds and keep them set on what is above...”  We have to make great effort to continually turn our minds toward the things of God, because our enemy is making great effort to pull us in the opposite direction.

Have you ever noticed when you are driving that if you take your eyes off the road and look in another direction too long, you will eventually begin driving that way? It is easy to run into a ditch if we are not focused in the direction we need to be going. Many want the Christian life to be easy, but the truth is it takes a made-up mind to keep going the right way. Conscious effort is required to stay on the road.

A successful Christian life, one that is pleasing to the Lord, doesn’t just happen because we make a profession of faith in Christ. When we accept Him, we become a child of God, and then, if we are submissive to His Spirit, He begins the process of changing us. Just because I don’t always please Him does not change my status as a child of God; however, because of what God has given me and what He has saved me from, out of love for Him I desire to do what is pleasing in His sight.

We are saved, not just so we can go to heaven, but also to be an example to the unsaved world of what the transforming power of Christ can do in a person’s life. We are left on this earth after salvation to win others to Christ. If our minds and affections are not set on things above, what kind of examples are we being?

Father, help us to always set our affection on things above.  Enable us to make the effort necessary to live a life that pleases You.

Standing On A Firm Foundation

For a building to stand, it must have a firm foundation. The same is true of a life. Without the proper foundation a life will be destroyed. The only sure foundation for our spiritual lives is Christ the solid Rock who is also the Word of God.

We all face storms in this life—situations for which we alone do not have the solutions. Without the wisdom of God’s Word, we are incapable of making right decisions. That is why it is so important to make the Word a part of us by consuming it daily. Remember you are what you eat. If you want to be wise, consume the Word of God.

As we face perplexing circumstances, it is so much better to have the Word already so instilled in us that we automatically choose a direction that is pleasing to God. If we don’t have the Word branded upon our hearts we flounder.

I come in contact with people who don’t seem to want help, but it appears to me that they desperately need it. My heart aches for them, and I pray for the Lord to open their hearts and to open a door for me to minister to them. So many problems could be solved if people were willing to surrender—make Jesus the Lord of your life, get His Word hidden in your heart, and determine to do life His way no matter what happens. Standing on that firm foundation is the only way to live!

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Therefore, whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it. (Matthew 7:24-27)

On The Potter’s Wheel

There is a song I love to sing entitled He Didn’t Throw the Clay Away.* Its message ministers to me each time I sing it or hear it:

Empty and broken, I came back to Him, A vessel unworthy, so scarred with sin, But He did not despair, He started over again, And I bless the day He didn’t throw the clay away.

He is the Potter, and I am the clay, molded in His image He wants me to stay, But when I stumble and fall, and my vessel breaks, He picks up the pieces, He doesn’t throw the clay away.

Over and over He molds me and makes me, Into His likeness He fashions the clay, A vessel of honor I am today, All because Jesus didn’t throw the clay away.

I am so thankful that God is patient and does not give up on me. There have been many times I have failed and felt worthless, but God my Father keeps working on me, letting me know He loves me enough to want to change me.

Because we love our child, my husband and I correct her and endeavor to keep her going in the right direction. We want what is best for her. There are times that she becomes upset when we don’t allow her to have her own way, because it is hard for her to understand that the decisions we make are for her own good. She is like most children who don’t see the big picture. She wants what she wants (right now) and sees no reason why she can’t have it! Do we not behave the same way with God? We pray for certain desires to be fulfilled or for our lives to go in a particular direction, and we become angry that God does not answer our prayers in the way we thought He would.

So many times I have prayed for circumstances or people to change, only to discover that the Lord wants to change me. It is very humbling to pray about a problem and have God reveal to me that I am the problem. I am thankful that He puts this lump of clay back on the Potter’s wheel and continues to mold me. I am thankful that He sees worth in my life that I sometimes do not see.

Father, thank You that You hold my life in Your hands. Thank You that You care enough about me to continue molding me into the person You have planned for me to be.

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The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying, Arise and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words. Then I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it. (Jeremiah 18:1-4)

But now, O Lord, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand. (Isaiah 64:8)

And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. (Hebrews 12:5-6)

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. (Jeremiah 29:11)

*He Didn't Throw the Clay Away, by Gene Reasoner, 1986, BMG Platinum Songs, o/b/o New Chelsea Press

Thank You For My Weaknesses

All of us have areas of our life that we wish we could change. We each have shortcomings, weaknesses and sins that we have difficulty overcoming. And as we examine ourselves we feel shame, remorse and regret. It is natural that we want to curse our weaknesses. The thought of thanking God for our weaknesses is a foreign concept.

Recently, I read the following familiar verse of scripture and saw it in a new way. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me (2 Cor. 12:9). As I meditated on this verse, I came to believe that we should thank God for our weaknesses and infirmities. Because it is only when we understand that we are powerless to change ourselves, and become willing to confess our sins to God and ask for help, that the power of God will be manifested in us. Thus acknowledging our weaknesses really becomes the way to obtain God’s strength to live the Christian life. If we see our weaknesses in this way, they really become something for which to be thankful.

The Word tells us that God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5). As long as we remain proud and self-sufficient, we will also remain in our sin, because our own willpower alone is not enough to keep us from sin. When we come to the place that we acknowledge we are nothing without the Lord—when we glory in our infirmities—then the power of Christ will rest upon us.

I have found myself, even after years of being a Christian, trying to live a righteous life in my own power, when what I need to do is come humbly before God and pray: Father, without Your help I cannot live the holy life that You require. I acknowledge that I am weak and powerless. I give up trying to do it myself. Infuse me with Your strength that I may walk in a way that is pleasing to You.

This is my prayer, and I hope that you will make it yours.