8.22.10 "Discipline!"

"Discipline!"

Job 4:1 - 7:21
I Corinthians 14:18:40
Psalm 37:29-40
Proverbs 21:27

If this where one of those ink blot tests where you look at it & say the first thing that comes to your mind, what happens when you see the word "discipline"? You like it? You hate it? What is your definition? What is your perception of what it means?

From the reading a few days ago, I Corinthians 11:32 says, "When we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world."

The word "discipline" really stands out from that reading. It is a challenge to me to really understand what discipline means: To bring into alignment. That may have no profound impact on you at all, but it does for me. I have lived life with multiple definitions for the word, including, punishment, self-control, restraint, focus, etc. Each of those have a specific application, but I believe "to bring into alignment" covers all of these.

So what's the big deal? When you get right down to it, to be "Empowered through Biblical Training" is really to be "disciplined". To live the DREAM, we need to live the "E". So what does that mean? that means we need to live a life of discipline. So what does THAT mean? It means we need "to bring alignment" to our life. How? By knowing God's Word and God's voice and making sure everything in our circle of influence is "aligned" to scriptural truth.

We NEED to know the Word! Yes, we know that from Sunday School, but it's more urgent than we realize. How do you know when your actions align with God's word? How do you know when someone else's does?

We all share a God given purpose: to "make disciples". (matt. 28:19) What does "disciple" mean? To bring into alignment. This gives us 2 responsibilities: 1. To KNOW what we are aligning to, 2. to Help others align to it.

Let's look at today's readings: In Job chapters 4&5, Job's friend Elephaz is going off on Job about how he must have sinned for all this bad stuff to be happening. In chapter 6:10 Job says, "This, at least, gives me comfort despite all the pain - that I have not denied the words of the Holy God." Job is empowered through biblical training. He is "aligned" to God's word, an he has not denied them. This gives him strength to carry on through the hardship. This should cause us to hunger greatly for the word so we can have that same empowerment when we go through tough times. If not, we'll more than likely go through the questioning season: "Maybe I'm out of God's will". Too often that is a Christian's response to difficulty. That in itself can be a sign of deficiency in the area of "biblical training".

A couple verses later, Job brings his friend "into alignment" so to speak. He corrects him for his erroneous accusation. In 6:14-18 he says, "One should be kind to a fainting friend, but you have accused me without the slightest fear of God. My brother, you have proved as unreliable as a brook; it floods when there is ice and snow, but in hot weather, disappears. The caravans turn aside to be refreshed, but there is nothing there to drink, and so they perish." Job is disciplining his friend. We might take the interpretation that he's "going off" on him (like sometimes we like to do to people), but it's not a personal thing to Job he refers to "fear of God" in this rebuke. He's bringing his friend "into alignment" with the truth of God's word.

We have a GREAT responsibility to DISCIPLE our friends and loved ones. How does that happen? By lovingly bringing them into alignment wherever/whenever possible. How many times has a fellow Christian complained to you or acted inappropriately or ungodly? Too often our response is to "let it go". We fear conflict. Let's just say it's you who's off track. Wouldn't you want someone to help correct your course? If you are "Devoted to Unity", why wouldn't you work to bring another into alignment with scripture?

Psalm 37:34 says, "Don't be impatient for the Lord to act! Keep traveling steadily along his pathway and in due season he will honor you with every blessing, and you will see the wicked destroyed."

What great encouragement in this word! The discipline of Biblical Training is evident in several ways in this scripture. First we're encouraged to travel steadily along "his pathway." There's no way to know what his pathway is without knowing his word. another benefit of discipline is the wisdom of holding steady to the path. Being faithful and remaining undistracted from what His direction is. That takes discipline. The last is knowing this scripture brings encouragement to know that God will be faithful when all is said and done. Having been disciplined to study this Psalm will give you strength for the journey.

After reading this DEVO, Rudy Ruiz, a former Marine sent me this email:

I served 8 years in the United States Marine Corps, and three of those years as a Marine Parachutist. Our boot camp is 13 weeks long, far longer than any other branch of the service. It was during these years I became a man.

During those 13 months in boot camp we did thousands of push-ups. For every push-up we did there were two words we shouted out. "Loyalty Sir!" was the shout as we lowered our bodies and "Discipline Sir!" was the cry on the way up from a push-up. So "Discipline" became an integral part of my life as a Marine, and for every Marine. Loyalty to the Marine Corps and to our superiors was also deeply instilled into every fiber of our being. That is why we were, we are, and we will always be the most efficient fighting force on this planet. One of the Marine Corps goals is to bring every Marine into alignment with Marine Corps doctrine. The Marine Corps brings ghetto kids, farm boys, suburban kids, and even kids from wealthy families together, and in 13 weeks molds them into one well oiled fighting machine. That takes discipline.

I believe if every Christian lived their lives with that kind of loyalty to our Lord, and that kind of discipline to His Word, the Church would impact this planet like the world has never seen!

What a powerful example of the importance of discipline.

Think of the balance that we can obtain in our life if we have a proper understanding and application of the biblical principle of discipline. You wont punish your kids in anger because they "made you mad". You will do what is proper and necessary to bring them "into alignment" with the values you hold dear. You will be intentional in your relationships with those around you to bring each other into alignment of the Word.

Live the "E" today. Live the disciplined life.



Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!

P Greg


Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ