Loving Discipline: Training vs. Punishment

Today, the city of Philadelphia hosts the final day of the 2011 Penn Relay Carnival,  "the longest uninterrupted collegiate track meet in the country".

As you witness over 20,000 contestants from around the world participate in a variety of track and field events, you realize that a very  necessary part of their lives has to be discipline. They could not have made it this far without it.

The problem with discipline for many of us is...it hurts.

Discipline involves pain, sacrifice, sufferering, pressure, and rejection.
These are things that we don't often associate with God, but as the ultimate parent He knows they are invaluable to training a peak performer. God's Word doesn't promise a life without pain until we reach eternity.To grow and move forward, we have to stop trying  to avoid pain.

Hebrews 12, teaches us about God's discipline. It says it shouldn't be confused with punishment, but must be considered "normal" in the life of a believer.

Heb. 12: 4-11
Only irresponsible parents leave children to fend for themselves.
Would you prefer an irresponsible God?
We respect our own parents for training and not spoiling us, so why not embrace God's training so we can truly live?
While we were children, our parents did what seemed best to them. But God is doing what is best for us, training us to live God's holy best.
At the time, discipline isn't much fun. It always feels like it's going against the grain.
Later, of course, it pays off handsomely, for it's the well-trained who find themselves mature in their relationship with God.

The source of God's discipline is His love. He cares for us, so He allows whatever is needed to to mature us into living as the priests we were created to be, here and forevermore. The goal of His training process is spiritual maturity.

Many seek to be spiritually mature, but fail to understand the pain that is needed for that to happen.
In nature, maturity takes irritation, pressure, crushing, fighting, and heat. It's similar in the spirit realm.

God has given us the desire to take off this flesh, the old man, and die to self in order to live in Him. To do that, we must take up our cross daily. Remembering the cross, it was a place of shame and suffering.

Romans 8:16-18 says,
For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering. Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later.

Advancing to God's glory requires training and discipline. Both of these may feel like punishment as we go through. We must accept each, and focus on the finish line, the loving arms of Christ our Bridegroom, in order to endure.

A Shot of Adrenaline

In a long-distance race, runners sometimes feel like they need a shot of something to make it to the end.

Forget about strong coffee, caffeinated soda, or a powerful energy drink; they just cramp you up.

In Hebrews 12, the writer suggests our "rejuvenation" comes in the form of recalling the agony Christ suffered prior to, and while on, the cross.

Rejection by His Own: Matthew 13:53-58 and Mark 6:1-6
Rebuff of His Teaching: John 6:66-71
Rebuke of His Identity: Matthew 9:2-6; Mark 2:7; and Luke 5:21
Rebellion by His Closest Followers: Matthew 26:14-16, 45-50; Mark 14:10-11; Luke 22:3-6; Luke 22:47-48
Ruthlessness of His Abusers: Matthew 27:27-31; Mark 15:16-20
Repudiation of the Father: Mark 15:34
Regicide in Spite of His Innocence: Mark 15:12-26; John 18:33-40

It's not just for Ressurrection Sunday. To remember His sufferings, we are reminded of His glory-past, present, and future. That is enough to make us keep running.

Why it is Important that Jesus is Seated at the Right Hand of God

Who shall bring any charge against God's elect [when it is] God Who justifies [that is, Who puts us in right relation to Himself? Who shall come forward and accuse or impeach those whom God has chosen? Will God, Who acquits us?] Who is there to condemn [us]? Will Christ Jesus (the Messiah), Who died, or rather Who was raised from the dead, Who is at the right hand of God actually pleading as He intercedes for us?

Romans 8:33-34 (AMP)

Today we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. In Mark 16:19 and Luke 24:51, we are told that (after appearing to over 500 people over 40 days) Jesus was taken back up heaven and now sits at the "right hand" of the Father.

In the book of Job 9:32-35, Job in the midst of his trials cried out for someone to mediate between Him and God:

 “He is not a mere mortal like me that I might answer him,
  that we might confront each other in court.
  If only there were someone to mediate between us,
  someone to bring us together, 

  someone to remove God’s rod from me,
  so that his terror would frighten me no more. 

  Then I would speak up without fear of him,
  but as it now stands with me, I cannot.

Now that Jesus has ascended to the Father's side, we are assured that we do have such an advocate that intercedes on our behalf so that we are never alone in our storms.

God'd right hand is a place of power.

God's right hand is a place of authority.

God's right hand is a place of justice.

God's right hand is a place of victory.

God's right hand is a place of grace.

It is here that Jesus sits patiently pleading for our mercy to the Father, and for the chance to come back and claim us as His Bride.

Thank You Jesus for standing in the gap for us, advocating on our behalf. You do not sit idle, but having prepared a place for us, You act as the filter through which God sees us who believe in You as Savior and Lord. And one day You will return for us and take us where You are to live eternally with You and reign with You forever. We love You Jesus and bless Your Holy Name. Amen.

The Shame of the Cross

Like a young plant or a root

   that sprouts in dry ground,

   the servant grew up

   obeying the LORD.

   He wasn't some handsome king. Nothing about the way he looked made him attractive to us. He was hated and rejected; his life was filled with sorrow and terrible suffering. No one wanted to look at him. We despised him and said, "He is a nobody!" He suffered and endured great pain for us, but we thought his suffering was punishment from God. He was wounded and crushed because of our sins; by taking our punishment, he made us completely well.

    All of us were like sheep

   that had wandered off.

   We had each gone our own way,

   but the LORD gave him

   the punishment we deserved.

Isaiah 5:2-6(CEV)

Keeping Our Eyes on Jesus

Running experts give the following reasons to run with your head up:

• When you have your head down the weight of your head is in front of your center of gravity, which will tire your neck, back, and rear end muscles.
• You should scan the area in front so you don't step on something, but also look far ahead so you can keep track of the course.
• Let your gaze guide you. Look ahead naturally, not down at your feet, and scan the horizon.
• You can breathe easier, too, as your lungs will be able to fully expand.
• You'll be able to keep contact with other runners and close gaps when necessary.
• "Once your head and eyes go down, you're no longer racing, you're surviving."-Ed Eyestone

These are all great reasons to keep your head up in a physical race, but don't sleep on the spiritual metaphors.

As long-distance runners in this Christian race, as described by Paul in his epistles, we have to keep our heads up. This is not just advice to keep a positive attitude, but to keep our eyes on the goal, on Christ.

He not only runs with us, but waits for us at the end as well.

We know the story of Peter walking on the water (found in Matthew 14). When Peter took his eyes off of Jesus, he began to sink. He focused on the wind and the waves, which represented the storminess of the natural situation, and not the Lord, the supernatural One who controls the situation.

As we run, we have to keep our eyes on Jesus. We have to recall Him in the Word, as well as in our past circumstances. Remember how He was there for us, giving us the comfort and peace needed in stormy situations.

By keeping our eyes on Christ, we are reminded that He is the One who saves -- not our own ability, not others (though He might work through others), and not world-based organizations.

As Ed Eyestone states above, let's get out of merely surviving, and start racing to win!

Staying Spiritually Fit

"If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me."
Mark 8:34

One thing about spiritual fitness is that it is a daily choice.

And because it is a daily choice, we can make a decision each day to do something that helps us to shed the "spiritual fat", mentioned in Hebrews 12:1, that begins to weigh us down unnecessarily.

Physical fitness continues over a lifetime. Although there are some basic exercises that just plain work (like sit ups), what works today may change tomorrow. Different areas need more attention from time to time (today it's your hips, next week it's the back of your arms). What we do impacts the lives of those around us, your decision to live a healthier lifestyle over time usually has benefits that affect the whole family.

Spiritual fitness has some basic exercises that work: scripture reading with application, prayer, fasting, giving, anf fellowship are just a few.

Overtime, God will reveal the "flabby, out-of-shape" areas in our lives at different times. And what we do spiritually definitely has an impact on our families, to the third and fourth generations and beyond.

Also, like physical fitness, spiritual fitness can get routine, mundane, and ineffective without the help of a personal trainer. Our personal spiritual trainer is the Holy Spirit of God, the person of God that dwells inside of each one of us as believers and followers of Jesus Christ.

The Holy Spirit is concerned in us meeting our spiritual ideal. He will help us to take off that excess baggage, showing us where unrepentant sin is weighing us down. He will design a custom fitness plan to transform our soul and spirit. He will  direct us on which equipment will be most effective for our condition.

BUT, we have to show up!

Many of us have hired personal trainers in the attempt to meet our physical fitness goals. We might have had the best intentions of working hard at following their instruction to transform our bodies. But if we didn't show up to train, nothing changed. It's the same spiritually.

There is no magic quick-fix, no miracle pill, no fat-melting potion that will get us fit physically, and there is no hocus-pocus make-a-wish method that will get us fit spiritually.

Paul says, in 1 Corithians 9:25-27
Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

Following Christ is a "strict training" that requires discipline and commitment. It order to get the most benefit, we have to do our part daily -- commune with God (the earlier in the day we start, the better), meditate on the Word to apply it to our lives, renew our minds (Philippians 4:8), watch and listen for the guidance/teaching of the Holy Spirit, and practice the principles of confession and repentance-- SHOW UP FOR TRAINING!!!!

By doing this regularly, there is NO WAY we will stay the same...we will advance.

The Urge to Quit

What a gift life is to those who stay the course!

Advancing is demanding and requires perseverance.

Moving forward against obstacles when so much is trying to pull us back is hard.

Sometimes we just get tired.

What do we do when we just don't feel like going any further? What if our legs are getting weak and we're starting to lose our breath? What if the feelings of loneliness that sometimes encircle a long-distance runner are beginning to overtake us?

James 5:10-11(The Message) tells us to:

"Take the old prophets as your mentors. They put up with anything, went through everything, and never once quit, all the time honoring God. What a gift life is to those who stay the course! You've heard, of course, of Job's staying power, and you know how God brought it all together for him at the end. That's because God cares, cares right down to the last detail."

When we get overwhelmed by the urge to quit, we have to remember why we got in this race in the first place.

As we reflect back to the beginning of our walk with God, when we first decided to "give Jesus a try", what was it that made us know that this was a race worth running? Sometimes we lose sight of the events that moved us in God's direction. We forget what brought us to the point of realizing, "God's way is better than my way".

Taking a moment to look back, but not stay there, can be the "adrenaline rush" we need to keep moving forward.

Don't Quit.

Childhood Doesn't Last Forever

When we were children,
   we thought and reasoned
   as children do.
   But when we grew up,
   we quit our childish ways.

1 Corinthians 13:11 (CEV)

As daughters of Zion, we don't stay infants forever. We have to move forward, and grow in God.

In the beginning of our walk, we often feel like God is right there. His movement and direction in our lives is so immediate that faith in Him is almost effortless.

However, for many, the longer we walk with Him, it seems to get more difficult as we attempt to live more independent of Him. We struggle between satisfying the desires of our flesh, navigating our way in this now-foreign world, and obediently following our Father. We question His ways against the ways that make sense to us. We make decisions without consulting Him first.

If we're not prayerful and diligent in nurturing our relationship with God, we risk hindering our growth. We prolong our role as infants, immature in the faith, stunted and out of position.

The goal of being a daughter of the King is to prepare to be a part of the Bride of Christ, free of the power of sin, and fully dependent on our Bridegroom, not an undeveloped newborn. We must learn to quit our "childish ways" and grow up, advancing in God.

The Call to Advance

ADVANCE: To cause to move forward; propose or suggest; aid the growth or progress of; promote; cause to occur sooner; increase; go forward or onward; move against another, as when attacking; make progress; improve; rise in rank, position, or value.

Strip down, start running—and never quit!

No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins.

Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we're in. Study how he did it.

Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever.

And now he's there, in the place of honor, right alongside God.

When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!

In this all-out match against sin, others have suffered far worse than you, to say nothing of what Jesus went through—all that bloodshed!

So don't feel sorry for yourselves.

Or have you forgotten how good parents treat children, and that God regards you as his children?

My dear child, don't shrug off God's discipline, but don't be crushed by it either.     
It's the child he loves that he disciplines; the child he embraces, he also corrects.

God is educating you; that's why you must never drop out.
He's treating you as dear children.

This trouble you're in isn't punishment; it's training, the normal experience of children.
Only irresponsible parents leave children to fend for themselves.
Would you prefer an irresponsible God?

We respect our own parents for training and not spoiling us, so why not embrace God's training so we can truly live?

While we were children, our parents did what seemed best to them. But God is doing what is best for us, training us to live God's holy best.

At the time, discipline isn't much fun. It always feels like it's going against the grain.
Later, of course, it pays off handsomely, for it's the well-trained who find themselves mature in their relationship with God.
 
So don't sit around on your hands! No more dragging your feet!
 
Clear the path for long-distance runners so no one will trip and fall, so no one will step in a hole and sprain an ankle. Help each other out. And run for it! Work at getting along with each other and with God.
 
Otherwise you'll never get so much as a glimpse of God. Make sure no one gets left out of God's generosity.
 
Keep a sharp eye out for weeds of bitter discontent. A thistle or two gone to seed can ruin a whole garden in no time.
 
Watch out for the Esau syndrome: trading away God's lifelong gift in order to satisfy a short-term appetite.
 
You well know how Esau later regretted that impulsive act and wanted God's blessing—but by then it was too late, tears or no tears.
 
Hebrews 12:1-12 (The Message)