Discipline
Part of the Family
John 8:31-44 New Living Translation (NLT)
31 Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. 32 And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
33 “But we are descendants of Abraham,” they said. “We have never been slaves to anyone. What do you mean, ‘You will be set free’?”
34 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave of sin. 35 A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son is part of the family forever.36 So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free. 37 Yes, I realize that you are descendants of Abraham. And yet some of you are trying to kill me because there’s no room in your hearts for my message. 38 I am telling you what I saw when I was with my Father. But you are following the advice of your father.”
39 “Our father is Abraham!” they declared.
“No,” Jesus replied, “for if you were really the children of Abraham, you would follow his example.[a] 40 Instead, you are trying to kill me because I told you the truth, which I heard from God. Abraham never did such a thing. 41 No, you are imitating your real father.”
They replied, “We aren’t illegitimate children! God himself is our true Father.”
42 Jesus told them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, because I have come to you from God. I am not here on my own, but he sent me. 43 Why can’t you understand what I am saying? It’s because you can’t even hear me! 44 For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.
I am TRYING to consider it pure joy as I face yet another trail in parenting. A trial which I have had the displeasure of repeatedly facing. A trial that I repeatedly faced when I was a child.
Lying.
Why do we lie?
The short answer is pride.
The long answer is we desire something or someone more than God. When we are tempted by the lust of the eyes and flesh we make a decision in our soul to flee or forward march in our own strength to obtain what we want. When we begin suffering the consequences that inevitably follow, we hide, just like Adam & Eve. We cover ourselves. We blame others, or the enemy. But when we are born again, we become part of the family of Christ. He gives us the gift of the Holy Spirit who tells us how to escape temptation. Yet even when we fail to obey, the Spirit helps us return to our Father by convicting us of sin so that we will confess, repent and be restored.
The bible says, “foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child, but discipline will drive it far away.” (Proverbs 22:15) So when I came emotionally undone again today, and yelled again, at our child who lied- again, the Holy Spirit was my helper. “Lord!” I cried, I am soooo tired of battling this issue. Please help me. What can I do?!?”
“Discipline,” He whispered.
“You MUST discipline.”
Then He revealed what was going on in my own heart; foolishness. Not wanting to be inconvienced in putting forth the time, energy and effort to train, I have failed to discipline consistently. I’m not a failure. But I have failed. And in doing so I have foolishly given power to the devil to entrap our child as a slave of sin. Please understand me, our child has chosen over and over to disobey. I am not to blame, nor is the enemy. Children are foolish! They need parents to train them. Otherwise, they will develop rebellious character which imitates the father of lies.
So today I choose to:
-Shut up, get up and armor up.
-Develop a battle plan.
-Swing my double edged sword!
-Teach our children to obey God by obeying me.
-Train our children in the way that they should go.
Because when I do, God promises, it will go well for them and they will not depart from Him when they are older!
Like Scarlet, As Snow
Isaiah 1:10-20 New Living Translation (NLT)
10 Listen to the Lord, you leaders of “Sodom.”
Listen to the law of our God, people of “Gomorrah.”
11 “What makes you think I want all your sacrifices?”
says the Lord.
“I am sick of your burnt offerings of rams
and the fat of fattened cattle.
I get no pleasure from the blood
of bulls and lambs and goats.
12 When you come to worship me,
who asked you to parade through my courts with all your ceremony?
13 Stop bringing me your meaningless gifts;
the incense of your offerings disgusts me!
As for your celebrations of the new moon and the Sabbath
and your special days for fasting—
they are all sinful and false.
I want no more of your pious meetings.
14 I hate your new moon celebrations and your annual festivals.
They are a burden to me. I cannot stand them!
15 When you lift up your hands in prayer, I will not look.
Though you offer many prayers, I will not listen,
for your hands are covered with the blood of innocent victims.
16 Wash yourselves and be clean!
Get your sins out of my sight.
Give up your evil ways.
17 Learn to do good.
Seek justice.
Help the oppressed.
Defend the cause of orphans.
Fight for the rights of widows.
18 “Come now, let’s settle this,”
says the Lord.
“Though your sins are like scarlet,
I will make them as white as snow.
Though they are red like crimson,
I will make them as white as wool.
19 If you will only obey me,
you will have plenty to eat.
20 But if you turn away and refuse to listen,
you will be devoured by the sword of your enemies.
I, the Lord, have spoken!”
I love the first snowfall of winter. 
Tiny frozen flakes cover a multitude of branches, leaves, and blades of dormant grass. The earth is blanketed in white and I am immediately taken back to memories of childhood playing at our grandparent’s home in La Pine, Oregon. Snow drifts several feet high covered the landscape- along with our white poodle as he attempted to paint the snow yellow! Gone now is the little girl who bundled up from head to toe to play in frigid temperatures. In her place remains an adult-ish woman who now prefers to watch our children write their own memories in the snow as I sit beside the roaring fireplace with a book and hot beverage in hand.
Gone too is the spiritual little girl who first met her Savior when she was 9 months pregnant with our first little girl. In her place remains an adult-ish spiritual woman who now prefers an authentic, life giving relationship with her Lord instead of the religious ceremony that once devoured her.
I accepted and believed in Jesus in the final few months of the 20th century and was baptized with water the following year. However, my baptism with fire didn’t occur for several more years (see Acts 1: 4-5). Although my life was saved for all eternity, the abundant life that Scripture promised was not yet realized. I was a religious zealot. I sought acceptance and approval from church leaders to satisfy my ravenous pride. I made sacrifices of my time, talent and treasure. I paraded through the courts of worship auditoriums with religious ceremony. I brought meaningless gifts to the altar. I lifted my blood covered hands in prayer meetings in an attempt to look washed and clean. All the while, I refused to give up my evil ways.
I attended worship services, but I did not worship the Lord in Spirit and Truth. I heard the Truth, but I wasn’t set free. I acknowledged the Spirit, but I wasn’t filled with power. But just as He promised in His Word, the Lord poured out His Spirit on me while I was in the living room praying with my husband one day… and I began speaking in other languages! Shortly after, I began to prophesy, see visions and dream dreams (see Acts 2:17-20).
I was transformed.
How?
Grace.
Deliverance.
And discipline.
God’s Spirit released the gift of repentance in my soul. The warmth of His love melted my hard heart just as the sun dissolves the snowflakes from the earth when the sun rises. As solid gave way to liquid, my religious activity was exposed and the scarlet sin of rebellion was revealed beneath. I began to pray as Jesus taught His disciples to pray. I began to read His Word and do what it says. I began to confess my sins to the Lord- and others. I began to acknowledge that I did not love God. I began to grieve over my disobedience.
Then He caused wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below: this spotted sheep, who’s sins were like scarlet, were made white as snow.
All because the Lamb of God was slain.
And now, this white as wool sheep listens to the Shepherd’s voice… and obeys Him, instead of offering sacrifices.
The Way
Proverbs 22:6 New Life Version (NLV)
Bring up a child by teaching him the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn away from it.
Recently, a child of ours (who shall remain nameless in order to protect his/her identity!) was dutifully completing their morning chores and independent homeschool work for the day. Halfway through our lesson together however, I heard the Holy Spirit whisper that all the required subjects had not been completed. I stopped what we were doing and instructed the child to retrieve their school schedule. I asked about the first assignment,
“What did you read about in the Bible today?”
“Bible?”
“Yes, Bible. What did you read about?”
“Um….I forgot about the Bible, but I’m gonna do it!”
Lie.
Cover up.
I continued down the list, asking specific questions regarding the subjects and activities that were supposedly completed. Tears began to emerge from the child’s eyes but the lips continued to mutter dishonest responses in an attempt to avoid the inevitable.
“Child,” I said “you didn’t forget. You deliberately chose NOT to do your schoolwork, because you wanted to hurry up and go play with your friends.”
Tears and sobs.
“Why are you crying, child?”
“Because, I’m ….in….TROUBLE!!!!”
“Why are you in trouble?”
“Because, you….are…..mad….at ME!”
“Why would I be mad at you?”
“Because, I…didn’t….do….my schoolwork!”
“No. I’m mad because you disobeyed. I’m mad because you lied. I’m mad because you tried to cover it up.”
More tears. Louder sobbing.
“Why are you so upset?
“Because, I’m… in…. TROUBLE!!!”
“Child, you’re not in trouble, you’re guilty.”
Truth.
“You’re upset because you got caught – not because you were convicted of sin. So, in order to train you in the way you should go (obedient & truthful), I’m going to discipline you. I discipline you because I love you.”
Hebrews 12:6 New Living Translation (NLT)
For the Lord disciplines those he loves,
and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.
“You are confined to your bedroom and our yard. You may not play with your friends today. And, you will go back and complete ALL your subjects.”
Then the principal (aka, my husband!) re-enforced the training. He read Ephesians 6:1, prayed over and exhorted our child to confess and repent. An hour or so later, that young student humbly came to the teacher (me) and whispered “mommy, I’m sorry I disobeyed…would you please forgive me?”
“Yes, child, I forgive you.”
Big hug.
Like the child I am now training, I have disobeyed, lied and tried to cover up my sin. But I’ve learned to put away childlike things (1 Corinthians 13:11) and humble myself before the Father.
Over and over again, He’s forgiven me.
Over and over again He’s hugged me.
Over and over again He’s shown mercy.
Over and over again He’s disciplined me – because He loves me.
Over and over again He’s delivered me from evil.
Over and over again He’s restored my soul.
As a parent, I’ve discovered that I can only train our children in the way that they should go if I know the way. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life.
Do you know the way?
Are you going the wrong way?
Are you upset because you keep getting caught?
Dear child, allow the Holy Spirit to convict you of sin. Humble yourself before the Father. Confess. Repent. Be forgiven. Be delivered from evil. Then discipline your flesh, obey the way, and train your children.
Inspired by God
2 Timothy 3:16-17
16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 17 God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.
If you’re faithfully serving every week during a worship service or leading a small group and not studying Scripture, you aren’t prepared. In order to do good works, we must follow God’s “order of operations.”
- Believe in Jesus
Romans 10:9
9 If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
- Love God
- Love others (and yourself!)
Matthew 22:37-39
37 Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’[a] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.
- Do good works
Ephesians 2:10
10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
- Make disciples
Matthew 28:19
19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Once we are saved, we can choose to be a follower of Jesus, or become His disciple. We can follow Jesus from a distance and watch what He does in the lives of others, or if we want to truly know Him, we must become a disciple. Becoming a disciple requires discipline. We do this not because religion demands it, but because we want to pursue a relationship with Jesus Christ.
When we discipline ourselves to study Scripture we get to know God.
When we get to know God, we begin to know ourselves.
When we get to know ourselves, we begin to realize our rebelliousness against Him.
When we realize our rebelliousness against Him, we become grieved over our sin.
When we are grieved over our sin, we humble ourselves and allow Him to correct what is wrong in our lives- and our relationships, and teach us to do what is right.
Matthew 5:23-24
23 “So if you are presenting a sacrifice[a] at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, 24 leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.
We cannot, I repeat canNOT go through the “order of operations” out of order. If we skip 1, 2 & 3 and try to start solving our life equation at step 4 or 5 we’ll never discover God’s promise of eternal & abundant life. Furthermore, Jesus warns those with disorderly lives in Matthew 7:21-23 who do work in His name- they must depart from Him, because they don’t know Him.
God is a God of order.
Follow His “order of operations.”
Don’t know the order?
Dust off that old Holy Bible on your bookshelf or download You Version and lets start studying Scripture, together!
God Tested
Genesis 22:1-2, 9-12
Some time later, God tested Abraham’s faith. “Abraham!” God called.
“Yes,” he replied. “Here I am.”
2 “Take your son, your only son—yes, Isaac, whom you love so much—and go to the land of Moriah. Go and sacrifice him as a burnt offering on one of the mountains, which I will show you.”
9 When they arrived at the place where God had told him to go, Abraham built an altar and arranged the wood on it. Then he tied his son, Isaac, and laid him on the altar on top of the wood. 10 And Abraham picked up the knife to kill his son as a sacrifice. 11 At that moment the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!”
“Yes,” Abraham replied. “Here I am!”
12 “Don’t lay a hand on the boy!” the angel said. “Do not hurt him in any way, for now I know that you truly fear God. You have not withheld from me even your son, your only son.”
On the night of our wedding rehearsal, my father-in-law proposed a toast. It was a heartfelt speech, welcoming me into the Bullard tribe. Yes, tribe. A full-blooded Native American of the Lumbee Tribe, my father-in-law came from a very large close-knit family. Growing up in extreme poverty and feeling the sting of prejudice from southern white and black men alike, he left the tribal area to pursue a better life for himself.
But he never forgot his family.
Family was everything.
With raised glasses and our entire wedding party giving close attention, my fiancés father spoke assertively, “Jodie, you are now a part of our family…and we take care of our own.”
(kindof sounded like I was marrying into the mafia!!!)
Doug Sr. and I had a rocky beginning. I was a strong willed young woman. Barely 18 when I met his son, Doug Jr. (who was almost 6 years my senior), I was a rebellious, directionless sinner. He was a strong, disciplined, God fearing man. Needless to say, we didn’t get along very well- especially when I sat in HIS lazy boy recliner one Sunday afternoon to watch HIS naptime entertainment; golf!
Six months later, after Doug and I were engaged, he disapproved of the impending nuptials. 
Yet over the course of the next year and a half, we began to know- and love one another. And by the time my wedding day dawned, he had accepted me as a daughter, adopting me into his family on a warm spring day in 1996. Fifteen months later he had a massive heart attack. The family patriarch was gone.
After God adopted me into His family, I had a hard time trying to love Him with all my heart, mind, soul and strength. I was disciplined: I read the bible. I prayed. I served at church. Yet, I was completely unaware that in a dark corner of my soul, I had built an idol. It was named “family.”
Then God tested me.
He asked if I was willing to take each family member, whom I loved so much, and lay them on the altar.
Would I justify my relationships? (“God- you designed family. I’m supposed to love my husband, children, parents….)
Or would I repent?
I confessed the lie: family is everything.
I received His truth: God is everything.
I choose to obey the commandments, in order.
There’s a reason Jesus said we are to love God, then love others. Others may take care of us, train us, love us and welcome us into their family, but others will fail us. Idols will fall.
Yes, we must love our spouse, children, parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents. But we must not love them more than Jesus.
Matthew 10:37
“If you love your father or mother more than you love me, you are not worthy of being mine; or if you love your son or daughter more than me, you are not worthy of being mine.
Has God tested you?
Have you confessed the lie: family is everything?
Have you received His truth: God is everything?
Have you chosen to love God, then love others?
I’m sorry to disappoint you, my friend: all of your family has sinned.
They’ve all fallen short of the glory of God.
They will never give you eternal or abundant life.
They will forsake you.
They will leave you.
But, Jesus.
Jesus was the perfect sacrifice.
Jesus laid down His life on the altar for your sin.
Jesus will never leave you.
Jesus will never forsake you.
(and like the mafia, Jesus always takes care of His own!!!)
It is Stupid
Proverbs 12:1
To learn, you must love discipline; it is stupid to hate correction.
During my journey as a disciple of Jesus Christ I haven’t always loved discipline. Alright…let’s be honest: at times, I’ve actually hated correction because I’ve trusted that what I was thinking, feeling, believing and doing was absolutely “right.” To make matters worse, I’ve even cited Gods blessings in my life as tangible evidence that I must be practically perfect in every way- and completely beyond reproach!!!
Enter pride: stage “right.”
Each time the Lord brings correction through His Word, prayer or others, my ego takes a huge slap to the face. If I choose to react to the pain and become angry and blame others (as Adam & Eve did in the garden), shame will consume me like a heavy cloak…. and I will remain a fool. But if I am able to lay down my offense and ask the Lord to penetrate the darkness with His light to reveal the Truth, I will see that I have once again rebelled against Him. And in His mercy, He will once again give me the opportunity to confess, repent, be forgiven & clothed in His righteousness.
It is stupid for me to hate correction, for I know the Father’s discipline is always, ALWAYS motivated by love. Even if a rebuke is delivered through someone who doesn’t articulate it with the most gentle, thoughtful and kind words, I can still receive it in love, because I know it comes from the One whom delights in me!
Proverbs 3:12
For the Lord corrects those he loves, just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights.
If you want to know God, you must learn about Him.
If you want to learn about Him, you must love discipline.
If you want to love discipline, you must accept correction.
If you want to accept correction, you must be wise.
If you want to be wise, you must be willing to listen to others.
Proverbs 12:15
Fools think their own way is right, but the wise listen to others.
Proverbs 12:15
Fools think their own way is right, but the wise listen to others.
Deep Into the Water 