Benefits of Discipline

This day with God, let us rejoice that our heavenly Father loves us so much that He accepts us as His child and His discipline provides benefit to us. Reading in Hebrews 12:1-13, the author tells us to throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles by fixing our eyes on Jesus.

Let us be inspired by what Jesus did on the cross and set out each day to accept the discipline of the Father in order to gain a harvest of righteousness and peace. Discipline provides benefits to the body and mind because strength is gained to help us get through the rough spots along the way.

Many today want more than they need and spend more than they have. It brings short term happiness but in the long term these feelings can turn negative. On the other hand, building our lives around faith will smooth out those ups and downs so that we are in a more steady state of joy; not too high and not too low.

There is a benefit in obeying God’s way because He cares for us more than we care for ourselves and He understands our needs more than we do. God does not condone bad behavior but corrects us out of love. He choose love because He cares for our future so much that He gives us free will to make our own decisions towards doing the right things.

In building a sky scrapper, many people with specific skills work day by day until the structure reaches high in the sky. Day by day, little things become big things that eventually results in an amazing structure. The photo below was taken in downtown Dallas while we waited to be seated at my nieces wedding rehearsal dinner several years ago.

Building a life that makes an impact is much like building a sky scrapper as it involves a lot of planning, work, and focus. Day by day, build your life on what really matters. The Lord’s work really matters and once we start, we need to maintain focus using Jesus as our model for living.

Take a look at your daily routine. As you build your life, are there little things you could tweak or fine-tune? Go to God in prayer as you set out each day and ask for direction. Document the instructions received and constantly develop tasks that will lead to accomplishment of building a life with impact. The sky is the limit when the Holy Spirit is your architect.

This day, we are focusing on what Jesus has done on the cross. This inspires us to take on the difficulties we face with the attitude of accepting the challenge of discipline. These difficulties help us gain endurance as we build our lives with faith. Jesus is our great inspiration as we consider how He suffered for us on the cross. It moves us to endure temporary difficulty for eternal victory. Amen

 

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Worship 4-5-2020

Worship online via FUMC at this link https://firstwaco.com/ or Download the free app in the App Store or on Google Play. Look for First Waco.

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Road to Somewhere

This poem was inspired by the book of Leviticus chapter 8. The Bible is God’ plan for us as we step ahead on the road that leads to freedom and meaning.

Mark Shields's avatarStep Ahead

Some go full steam ahead
But toward things
That don’t matter
Like the world brings.

The road to nowhere
Which is meaningless
Instead of the road
That redeems us.

We have chosen
To step ahead
Down the road
To freedom instead.

With God’s plan for us
Offering a grand vision
For accomplishing
An amazing mission.

The straight and narrow
Path to somewhere
Committed to prayer
And for ways to share.

Poem by Mark Shields – © 02-27-2020
Inspired by “This Day with God Devotional – Leviticus 8”

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Run the Race with Perseverance

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. – Hebrews 12:1

The post “Next Leg of the Relay Team” gave us examples of Old Testament believers who had faith and took action that affects our daily living today. Many of the heroes of faith may have seemed weak at the time because of persecution but their weakness was made a strength because of God’s power.

We face the same difficulties in the world today. As pointed out in the song Beyond Me by TobyMac, you may reach for the stars but they seem out of reach. You may be called to deep waters but begin to sink. Although things may seem impossible, maintain the faith and take action knowing God is big enough to meet your need. 


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Next Leg of the Relay Team

This day with God will be amazing because through Christ we have peace in knowing that we belong on the team. We are building our faith stronger and stronger to run the next leg of the relay team. Reading today in Hebrews 11:27-40, we study how faith and action are related. The Old Testament believers had faith and they took action that affects our daily living today.

Faith initiates action towards amazing accomplishment using God’s power to do the impossible. Even though those who take action may not see the results of their effort during their lifetime, they go down in history as great servants for the cause carried out in generations to come. Noted in today’s passage are Old Testament believers who conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised.

Faith also patiently waits knowing that God will deliver. Many of the heroes of faith may have seemed weak at the time because of persecution but their weakness was made a strength because of God’s power. We are all linked to these Old Testament believers because they have handed off the baton to us. We are the next leg to the relay team and this affects our daily living today because we get ready for the race ahead. We throw off our past that easily entangles so we can run with perseverance our leg of the race towards victory.

This day with You Lord, we have discovered more about what faith is by reading about those people of faith in the past who faced difficulty but turned their difficulty over to You. When they did, that’s when amazing things happened. They turned the world upside down by persisting and never giving up because their heart was right side up. Amen

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