Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.”

Hebrews 12:3-6

Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.  And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons?  “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him.  For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” Hebrews 12:3-6

I continue my study of Hebrews, and in the text today - Hebrews 12:3-6 - the author builds on the previous two verses expanding on the example of Jesus and how He endured to the cross - giving us two ways for us to endure.  Here are my observations using the Sword Bible Study Method.  

• What do we learn from the text about God?: Jesus endured all the way to the cross, shedding His blood as He looked past His suffering and death to the eternal establishment of His Kingdom. VV3-4: He is a good example for us as He endured God's wrath for all of humanity's sin on our behalf - therefore our suffering pales in comparison to what Christ endured as He suffered and died for us.  Vv5-6: God disciplines those whom He loves - so we should see our suffering as both training and as love from Him. See also Romans 8:28.
• What do we learn from the text about people?: People often cannot endure difficulties and suffering, but with Christ we can. He is in us and He gives us the same power that raised Him from the dead. See also Romans 8:11 and Ephesians 1:19-20.  If we see Jesus as our example and as someone who is in our hearts and lives, we can endure - reason #1.  We can also endure by seeing suffering as training from God to perfect our faith.  The author of Hebrews uses Proverbs 3:11-12 to remind us how God trains us through suffering and discipline - if we keep this in mind we have reason #2.   
• Is there anything from the text God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid, Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey?): Avoid shrinking back (see Hebrews 10:39) when difficulty arrives. Claim the promise that we God is saving a place for us in Heaven - the New Jerusalem.  Follow the example of Jesus who endured, and gives us the same power that raised Him from the dead.  Focus on Jesus - treasure and love Him more than anything. 

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My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who gives me what I need to endure to the end.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such blessings.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.

Revelation 1-3

Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. Revelation 3:19

I continue with my D-Group's study of Revelation using Stephen Witmer's commentary and study guide.  My focus this morning is my memory verse - Revelation 3:19. When speaking to the seven churches in Revelation - of course keeping in mind that the intent is all churches - there are both kind words and words of rebuke (or reprove).  God loves His children and when we experience difficulties, it is appropriate to see how God may be using challenges to refine us, prepare us for some coming work, or to discipline us.  Irregardless, we must see God at work in our lives - good or bad.  God is always at work (Romans 8:28) and He never leaves or forsakes us (Matthew 28:20). Also, one way or another - this life is not the end as one day will see Jesus face to face as He saves a seat for believers in Heaven. 

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God and I know You love me - when I experience hardships - I know You are at work doing something for good. Thank You Jesus for never leaving or forsaking me.  I am not deserving of such love.  My sin continues - worry, anger, etc. Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Who can speak and have it happen if the Lord has not decreed it? Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that both calamities and good things come?

Chapter 32: Pages 448-466, Lamentations 3

Who can speak and have it happen if the Lord has not decreed it? Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that both calamities and good things come? Lamentations 3:37-38

This morning, I continued John Piper's book Providence (purchased from Amazon Kindle Store) with Part 3 "The Nature and Extent of Providence", moving to Section 6 "Providence Over Sin" - moving to chapter thirty-two "Though He Cause Grief, He Will Have Compassion".

Here, Piper explores God's providence over suffering, including how He orchestrates evil.  He looks at Israel's time in captivity in the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, and uses Isaiah 45:1-7 to remind us that God holds "absolute sway over good and evil is part of what it means to be God.....The God of Israel is behind everything....[God] is not just...manager, but [He]...decides (like a creator) all that is there to manage."  Amos 3:2,6 is another example provided by Piper.   Here, God orchestrates "thousands of human decisions which are in the sway of God's providence, accomplishing his purposes of just punishment."

Most strikingly, Piper uses Jeremiah and his authorship of Lamentations - specifically Lamentations 3 - to demonstrate his sway over evil. 

Piper points us to hope in the amidst of punishment and suffering - using Lamentations 3:19-26:

I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.” The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. Lamentations 3:19-26

Piper points us to this hope to see how "every morning, during the worst of horrors God's mercies are newly present." He also points us to Paul (2 Corinthians 1:8-9) to ensure we rely not on ourselves but on God.

He wraps up the chapter by leaving us with Lamentations 3:31-33 to ensure we know that "God's steadfast love will have the last word....some of God's acts are means to the ends that are ultimately aimed at and more heartily desired as the final end. The means affliction and grief are exactly what God wills for that time and situation. They are perfect as means.  And, as perfect, they are perfectly approved by God's perfect mind." 

For no one is cast off by the Lord forever. Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love. For he does not willingly bring affliction or grief to anyone. Lamentations 3:31-33

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, I know Your ways and perfect, including Your sovereignty over evil and suffering that is present in my life.  I know You love me. Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving for the love and mercy You pour out for me.  I worry and I have other sins.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

Hebrews 12

No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. v11

Speaking on discipline, the author of Hebrews wants us to view our circumstances in light of how we have a Heavenly Father that disciplines just as we all had an earthly father that did the same (v4-11).  We should view hardship as discipline (v7) and training and other circumstances as well as discipline and training.  If God has great plans for us, then He should be equipping us for those plans as well should He not?

Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline will drive it far away.

Proverbs 22

Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline will drive it far away. v15

Tuesday, I posted about fatherhood and parenting and once again this is our topic today.  As a parent we are train our children, most importantly in the ways of the Lord.  Part of this training includes discipline:

Whoever spares the rod hates their children, but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them. Proverbs 13:24

 

Discipline is something that all of us must experience, even as adults.  God continues to mold us and we experience discipline, hardship, punishment, etc. as part of God's refining process.

Yet you, Lord, are our Father.  We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand. Isaiah 64:8

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God, full of love, compassion, patience, etc. for me - Thank You Jesus!  Yet I am not worthy of such love.  I am broken and I continue to sin.  Please forgive me for my lack of patience for others.  Help me overcome my sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure Lisa of her cancer and the side effects from chemo.  Help me lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You alone as their Lord and Savior.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach, and Dustin...and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Blessed is the one you discipline, Lord, the one you teach from your law.

Psalm 94

Blessed is the one you discipline, Lord, the one you teach from your law. v12

This is often a difficult message - that we should consider all discipline as training, and that God is removing our impurities and making us more like Him.


Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2-4

See also posts here.

My Prayer: Lord, Your righteousness reigns as perfect justice for those who love You and for those who reject You.  You know our heart and everything we do - nothing is concealed.  You are full of compassion and mercy and You often provide mercy when we don't deserve it.  I have experienced Your mercy myself - thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such mercy as I continue to worry and be harsh with my words and actions.  Please forgive me and help me turn from such sin towards You. Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith. Give me strength. Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of her cancer and the side effects from chemo.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach, and Dustin...and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message today and every day. 

"My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.”

Hebrews 12

"My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline,
    and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,

because the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
    and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.” v5-6

Whatever circumstances we find ourselves in, it is instructive to understand what God is saying to us and what He is doing FOR us because as Solomon above writes in Proverbs (as quoted above by the author of Hebrews) whatever hardship we may be experiencing should be viewed as discipline and training from the Lord.

It continues in Hebrews:

Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. v7-11

My Prayer: Lord You are a great God worthy of my worship and my full attention and focus on You.  You created the heavens and the earth and You created me and came to earth to suffer and die for me.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such love and such gifts - I am broken, selfish, arrogant, prideful, etc.  Please forgive me for my sin and help me overcome and turn from such towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help grow in my faith.  Help me endure hardship as discipline.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength, comfort and freedom from pain.  Please heal and cure her of this cancer.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.