Discipline
I. Intro:
A. In my
devotions lately I’ve been thinking a lot about suffering and the goodness of
God.
B.
kept running into Heb 12:7 “Endure hardship as
discipline”
C.
Questions
1.
Does that mean God is disciplining us whenever we have problems?
2.
Does that mean god is causing all of our problems?
3.
What does that say about the goodness of God? Because if he is “good” in
a way differently than we think of the word, then the meaning becomes useless.
II. Scriptures
regarding God’s discipline
A. Proverbs
3:12 “because the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he
delights in.”
B.
Proverbs 12:1 “Whoever loves discipline loves
knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid.”
C.
Proverbs 15:32 “He who ignores discipline despises
himself, but whoever heeds correction gains understanding.”
D. Rev 3:19
“Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent.”
E.
Heb 12:7-11 “Endure hardship as discipline; God is
treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are
not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate
children and not true sons. 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 our spirits and live! Our fathers disciplined us for a little
while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, 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.”
III. Our mindset in life is
just as important as our circumstances
A. James 1:2
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds,
because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.”
1.
The trials we face don’t test our character, they test our faith. They
test what we believe about God and what we believe about how He relates to us.
B.
Rom 8:28 “And we know that in all things God works
for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his
purpose.”
1.
Here is part of what our trials and sufferings test. God is good.
2.
His desire is not to harm us or to cause us pain.
3.
Any difficulty we face can be used by God to bring about Good in our
lives.
4.
God did not necessarily cause the situation but he can use it. God can
win with any hand He’s dealt.
C.
God doesn’t waste any pain. (Heb 12:7 “Endure
hardship as discipline)
1.
There is a choice involved with how we view our circumstances
2.
We can choose to take our difficulties and our pain and learn from them.
3.
What the enemy meant for evil in our lives, we can choose to let God use
to teach us and make us look more like Jesus.
4.
Heb. 12 doesn’t actually suggest that all your suffering is God’s
discipline. Rather, that God can use your suffering for good.
IV.
Prayer
A. Relate to students’ lives.
1.
Where in your life is there a difficulty or a trial?
2.
How have you viewed it?
3.
What might God be trying to teach you through it?
B.
It’s a choice
1.
what you believe about God,
2.
what you believe about your circumstances.
3.
Choose to love.
4.
Choose to forgive.
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