"The Lessons of Tough Times"

DAY #52 - 'A Woman of Faith' Devotional
Verse: "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 12:11 NIV

"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." (MESSAGE Version) 


Tough times will always come, as God says that 'in this world you will have tribulation...'  (John 16:33) and we have to learn how to handle them correctly. Not many people like tough times, or like that they receive tough times sometimes due to their choice and judgement. God disciplines us like a Father, when we choose to disobey and make our own choices. We, as children of God, need to be able to receive discipline for the choices that we make that turn out wrong. Now, I like a challenge, and I was just thinking before I read the verse that tough times are great because you always learn a lesson from them that helps you in the future... but no one likes being in the midst of a tough time. Knowing in the end that God has proven faithful to you (when you are faithful to Him) is a blessing, and then you know that your faith can increase, because when the next 'tough time' comes along, God will prove faithful again. "Times of adversity can and should-- be times of intense spiritual and personal growth. But God will not force you to learn the lessons of adversity. You must learn them for yourself." ('A Woman of Faith' Devotional. Day 52. ©2007 Freeman-Smith, LLC. Nashville, TN. 37202)

So our goal is to get rid of the 'trouble' or 'tough times', but as we are doing that, we need to remember that we are probably supposed to be learning something from it too. Are you going through 'tough times' or 'times of discipline' right now? What can you be learning from it -- other than not doing it again?

"It's a good thing to have all the props pulled out from under us occasionally. It gives us some sense of what ROCK is under our feet, and what is sand. It stops us from taking anything for granted." ~ Madeline L'Engle

Check out the parable of the wise & foolish men found in Matthew 7 (v. 24-27) - - "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

The wise learn from their mistakes, and move on to tackle their next adventure with the same faith and determination - standing on the solid rock, because our God is faithful!

Are you standing on the ROCK, or is it just sinking sand?

Check out this song by 'Big Tent Revival' - "Two Sets of Jones'"


"...there's two sets of Jones', which ones will you be??" (Big Tent Revival)

Make the choice today to build your 'house' and your 'life' on the ROCK (JESUS CHRIST)!

BE BLESSED & BE A BLESSING!

''Discipline Matters''

DAY #30 - 'A Woman of Faith' Devotional
Verse: ''I discipline my body and bring it under strict control, so that after preaching to others, I myself will not be disqualified.'' 1 Corinthians 9:27 HCSB

NIV - ''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.''
NKJV - ''But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.''

KJV - ''But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.''
NLT - ''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.''
MSG - ''I don't know about you, but I'm running hard for the finish line. I'm giving it everything I've got. No sloppy living for me! I'm staying alert and in top condition. I'm not going to get caught napping, telling everyone else all about it and then missing out myself.'' (v. 26-27)
 
**Editor's Note: Reading different translations is always good. One thing about having the Bible online, you can do that quickly and easily. I usually use http://www.biblegateway.com for my Online Bible needs. A friend was just mentioning today that since their move, they have found a lot of Bibles. She/He didn't know they had that many. They were giving thanks that we live in a free country where we can read our Bible and not worry about being persecuted or killed because of it. Some people around the world cannot even have a Bible at their home, and these people had more than that. The BIBLE is a very important book, and should be treated that way. It is HISTORY... Historical NON-Fiction and it is the ONLY book that is alive. We are truly blessed to be able to get our hands on several different translations of the Word of God. Which one is right? Which one is the correct wording or understanding? Read in the translation that you desire, and seek the Lord to give you the true understanding and wisdom regarding His word. **
 
We need to discipline ourselves as diciples of Christ, so that our words, thoughts and deeds reflect the way we are sharing God's love and the truth of His Word with others. I love the Message Version "I don't know about you, but I'm running hard for the finish line. I'm giving it everything I've got. No sloppy living for me! I'm staying alert and in top condition. I'm not going to get caught napping, telling everyone else all about it and then missing out myself.'' We need to discipline ourselves for us #1, as we need to make sure that we are not missing out ourselves, yet we also need to do it as an example to those around us. We need to basically 'practice what we preach'. As this translation says, we need to 'stay alert and in top condition'. In the case of an athlete, they are alert and train to be in top condition when they compete in or play their sport. They can receive a lot of harmful injury if they didn't train properly before their sporting event. In the case of a team sport, they not only affect themselves, but they affect those others on the team with them. Same as Christianity, we are a 'body', and each of us plays a special part. If one person hurts, we all hurt.
 
To be disciplined, according to dictionary.com is;
–verb (used with object)
10. to train by instruction and exercise; drill.
11. to bring to a state of order and obedience by training and control.
12. to punish or penalize in order to train and control; correct; chastise.

We need to allow ourselves to be controlled by God, we are no longer subject to being controlled by men around us, or by ourselves. (We still do have the free-will to choose this, yet the Father is the one who created us, and knows us best.) We need to be obedient to what the Father has said in his Word (or to us directly or indirectly through the prophetic). We are also disciplined by the Father (definition #12 above) in order to train, control, correct or chastise us to becoming the M.E. (Maximum Effectiveness) that He has called us to be.

It is a learning process, and yes, you will mess up. I'm with you here... I am not preaching to the crowd, and ignoring what I say. I am in this struggle along with you. We need to discipline ourselves in reading His Word, meditating on it, praying at all times, trusting Him at all times, living in Faith and not by sight, humble ourselves, act justly, love mercy, walk humbly with Him, etc... the Scriptures themselves tell us how we should behave, how we should act. I have just named some of them. By obedience and listening to God, we are benefitted... but by disobedience and going ahead on our own strength, we are going to suffer the consequences of our decisions.
God wants us to be disciplined, diligent and mature and wants us to seek Him first in all things. (''But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.''Matthew 6:33) If we have faith and diligently seek Him, He will reward us. It's a promise in His Word; ''But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.'' Hebrews 11:6 NKJV


The responsiblity lays on our shoulders, yet the strength and power comes from Him, and we will be blessed for our disciplined life.

Remember (as in the picture above) Discipline is the bridge between your goals and your achievements!

Be Blessed and Be a Blessing!