I bless you. I promise you release. Joy in Me. You shall be shielded from the storm.

   Wonders have unfolded. Just to come before Me and stay for a while in My Presence – this must strengthen and help you.

   Learn of Me. The only way for so many in My poor world to keep calm, sane, is to have the mind which is in Christ Jesus. The mind which is in Me.

   That mind you can never obtain by reasoning, or by reading, but only by living with Me and sharing My Life.

   Think much of Me. Speak much of Me. See others as I see them. Let nothing less satisfy you.


><//>--------------------Prayer for the Day

Father, we pray that we may have a calm and same mind. We pray that we may look up, around, and away from ourselves. That we may look at all things through Your eyes, and allow You to see all things through ours. Amen.


A Disciple's Reflections: We Need Self-Discipline

“Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you. Discipline yourselves, keep alert. Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour. Resist him, steadfast in your faith, for you know that your brothers and sisters in all the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering. And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, support, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the power forever and ever. Amen.” 1 Peter 5:6-11

Beloved, the area of self-discipline is of major importance for any believer who intends to walk with the Lord and serve Him while still in the body.  Victory in this area is also an enlarged area that effects our ability to "...walk according to the spirit" and move in the will of God and will govern our reward in the age to come and the office we will hold in eternity.

Having said this, we need to admit that generally speaking we are deeply in need of help regarding this area of living.  In my own experience, which I share that I may avoid preaching and may benefit all, I say that I am the weakest of all my brothers and sisters in the Lord.  It was the Lord's choice that I was not born into a protective family, but rather was exposed to inward suffering from early on that left me fallen to the temptation of seeking physical comfort first from the very beginning.

This led to the utter destruction within me of that part of our human will that holds the ability for self-discipline.  I am absolutely certain that I am not alone in this condition and this is why I share that we must believe that the Lord will receive each of us in this state, deliver us, and heal from this condition.

It was the acceptance that I suffer from a real deficit in this are of life that convinced me that I really needed a savior.  Then it is the realization that all men and women born of man are need of a Savior not only to save us from the basic depravity that this condition leaves us in, but also to save us from ourselves.

Let us come together, beloved, in complete honesty, openness, and willingness in the spirit and pray for the guidance and forgiveness in this  area that the Lord may enter this arena of our lives and make them brand new.  Rejoice, dear one, for He will hear and respond to each of us and give us His victory. 

When it comes to living a disciplined life there are several ideas in the text above that are counter-intuitive to how we normally think.

First, we tend to think that self-discipline is primarily an act of the will, that we set our mind to it and just do it. “Humble yourselves” suggests something more along the lines of “letting go and letting God.” It has more to do with surrendering than attacking.

Second, whether it be eating better, exercising more, praying more regularly, reading more carefully, or quitting a long held habit, anxiety is waiting just around the corner. High anxiety! There too we tend to think we can beat such anxiety with the power of positive thinking. Just ignore it! “Cast all your anxiety on him” suggests that we let it go. That we give it to God. Literally, in prayer, we are invited to let God have all that troubles us.

Third, we tend to think that instilling discipline in our lives is all about us. We have to do it. We have to do it on our own or somehow it doesn’t count. “Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around” suggests that our desires for healthy living come in the face of actual opposition. I know it certainly feels like that at times!

So we remember that lions don’t attack the herd – they lay back in the weeds looking for the old, the weak and the ones falling behind. There is safety in numbers. Stay with the herd. Let us recruit some friends to join us, to encourage us, to guide us. Perhaps, even attend meetings such as Alcoholics Anonymous or Overeaters Anonymous.  We will find many believers attending these meetings that we can come into union with to overcome our distress.

Surely then, through those fellow believers, God will be there to “restore, support, strengthen and establish us.”

Our Prayer:  Gracious Lord, how is it that we can be surprised at the idea that there are powerful forces at work that would draw us away from faithful, healthy lives? Remind us, in the face of the struggles of our lives, that we are not alone. Come to us, that we might let you take our anxieties, that you might help us find some helpful friends to encourage us along the way. In Jesus’ name. Amen.


A Loving Protective Father

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. 
– John 14:27 NRSV 

James Moore recalls a special memory from his childhood. When he was five years old he spent a day with his grandmother, who lived nearby. Toward evening, a fierce storm struck. "Oh, Jim," his grandmother said, "how in the world are we going to get you home in this weather?" And the answer came moments later, as his father walked in the front door. "He had come to get me," Jim recalls. The wind was blowing; rain was pelting down; lightning was flashing; thunder was rumbling behind the clouds. The storm showed no signs of letting up. It was dark and scary that night. "Our house wasn't far away," Jim recounts, "but the storm was nasty and getting worse." 

Jim's father was wearing a big blue weather coat, and as they prepared to leave, he said, "Son, come under here." He covered his young son with his coat, and out into the storm they went. "Even though it was raining hard, the wind was howling and I couldn't see a thing under that coat, I was not at all afraid," Jim remembers. "Because I knew my father could see where we were going, so I just held on tightly and trusted him. And soon the coat opened and we were home." 

This is exactly what happens for all who walk according to the spirit! Precious one, let us enter the advertising business. Let our lives be an infomercial to the world. Let them see how believers love and actively care for one another. This will definitely accomplish what the Lord desires to achieve. This is when we can experience the assurance we all need and can be assured of hearing those wonderful words. “Well done my good and faithful servant…”

Our Prayer:  Dear God, thank you for the peace you give to our lives.  Help us to dwell in it. Help us to dwell in You.  Help us to strengthen our families in Your Love.  Amen. 


Your Comments

Our Discussion Board:  http://www.believershope.com/discus

Please have a blessed day, be hopeful, be encouraged, and know you are not alone.

“God Calling” compiled by A. J. Russell.
“Twenty-Four Hours A Day" Hazelton – adapted.
Ron Newhouse writes A Loving Protective Father.
Barry Gray writes A Disciple’s Reflections.