August 10, 2021 … Loving Discipline …

Berry Patch Devotions in 2021 - Day 222 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...   Please take the time to take in song and lyrics from Chris Tomlin singing  … Good Good Father … Poignantly singing of how we love/serve a Godly and Good Father who loves is and disciplines us in His love.

 

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Highlight Passage:  Proverbs 3:11 [NLV] …  

11 My child, don’t reject the Lord’s discipline, and don’t be upset when He corrects you.  

… We, as God’s children should recognize and not reject God’s loving discipline; and He directs us in life.         

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Highlight Passage [Context]: …  Proverbs 3:5-6, 11-12 [NLV] …  USE THIS LINK … 

…  God, as a loving father, uses uses discipline to direct His beloved children.       

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Reference Passage: … 1Corinthians 9:27 [NLT] … 

27 I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified. 

… Paul shows fellow Christians that Godly self-discipline is like a runner preparing to win a race, … without the discipline of preparation, we have no chance of winning the race.  

Reference Passage: … Titus 1:8 [NLT] …

8 [On the criteria for church leadership] … he must love what is good. He must live wisely and be just. He must live a devout and disciplined life. 

… Paul lays out the criteria for church leadership to fellow Christians, … one of which is living a Godly and disciplined life.      

Reference Passage: … Hebrews 12:10-11 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …

… God, thru the Author of Hebrews, relating how Godly discipline is loving disciple just like we human fathers do our best to discipline our children, protecting them to do the right thing. 

Reference Passage: … Revelation 3:19 [NLT] … 

19 I correct and discipline everyone I love. So be diligent and turn from your indifference.

… Jesus to those in His church who are lazy and undisciplined, warning of God’s discipline for those unwilling to discipline themselves and follow His ways.   

      

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Daniel Ryan Day, AT THIS LINK … writing of when, in college, the ODB author was assigned to write a “family history,” including times, in his perception,  when his parents applied discipline ineffectively, including the outcomes of the perceived “inappropriate” discipline.  

I expect all reading here with me can recall a time when we thought that our parents were exacting discipline which we thought was unfair or inappropriate.  But was it?  Often, in the mind’s of immature children or when we, as immature Christians, go thru some painful or problematic episode in our lives, we think God may be unfair to take us thru a struggle, feeling it was/is inappropriate discipline.  I don’t have the scripture listed above; but in times of pain or trouble, we often have trouble believing and following the truth of Romans 8:28 (look it up if you don’t know and realize  … IT IS TRUE!). 

But, as God only disciplines those He loves (see Scriptures above). we, who claim to be His followers (i.e., disciples) must come to believe and realize what Chris Tomlin sings in the linked song … that we love and serve a God Who is a “good, good Father,” … a LORD Who disciplines only those He loves to bring us to a place where we can love/help others the way He loves and helps us.  

So, today, … join me to thank our good, good Father for the tough stuff - yes, even painful stuff -  in our lives which probably is evidence of a loving Father getting us ready for something ahead in life.  

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for using the pain I’m going thru right now to prepare me for something ahead which I just can’t see.     

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, … to join me to thank our loving Lord for anything/everything in our lives which seems unfair but is likely a good, GOOD Father lovingly disciplining us for our good and His glory.   … Amen 

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Blogger Note:  Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online devotional blog entitled “Our Daily Bread,” distributed online via email by RBC Ministries.  If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you can read/study the ODB blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.