2/5/12  THE LORD DISCIPLINES THOSE HE LOVES

Key Verse: 3:12

“¹² because the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in”

 Dear Lord, thank you for caring about my spiritual situation and condition and providing the way to find peace and rest. I was going into this weekend facing and unreal schedule and lack of sleep in order to partially finish all that I need to do. But you intervened and helped me to have an on call and you opened the door. Thank you Lord. Please bless our relationship with DCC to grow and prosper. Please help us to co-work in preaching the gospel and raising disciples of Jesus together. Please bless the fellowship at the Super Bowl Christian party tonight and help us to love one another and enjoy spending time together. I pray that you may grant us your vision for our UBF ministry and give us an identity on what we are to be doing together as a ministry. Please grant me one word of God to grow in my heart today. I thank you and I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen!  

1. The Lord disciplines in love (11-12).

Verses 11-12 read, “ ¹¹ My son, do not despise the LORD’s discipline, and do not resent his rebuke, ¹² because the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in”

The blessings of this book come with a cost: we must die to our stubborn pride and accept the Lord’s rebuke and discipline (instruction). If we despise his discipline and resent his rebuke, we forfeit blessing. How then can we accept it? We must realize God disciplines us in his love to grow as his children. Hardships are often God’s best love for us. He disciplines us for our good (Heb 12:9).

How easy it is for us to become bitter when life piles hardship after hardship on us! How difficult it is when we don’t understand why things are happening. There are people who have lost their homes to foreclosure. There are those whose children are struggling to overcome this world. There is sickness and broken relationships and unreal amounts of stress. Some are in hopeless amounts of debt. Most will never have enough money to retire. So many are struggling with depression and despair, loneliness and a sense of meaninglessness. Some are in chronic pain. What am I struggling with. I have to struggle with lack of sleep in order to accomplish all I need to accomplish. I struggle with relationship problems and judgmental spirit. I struggle with frustration and despair. I also have to dig in and read and write things at a feverish pace these days. I also have the task of raising my kids as disciples of Jesus. All of these are hardships. They are not meaningless hardships. They are meant for me to grow as a disciple of Jesus and be as one who overcomes the world. I can not let pride make me say, “why is this happening to me.” I must think about God’s fatherly love and how he is equipping me to be a man of faith in this world. He is equipping me and strengthening me so that I can be a blessing to my family, my church, my job and my community. He wants me to be able experience the blessings of living in Christ, the full life in Jesus and get me all the way to eternal life in the kingdom of God. He wants me to grow so that I can reveal Jesus and the gospel to a world lost in the darkness.

I, also as a father, need to discipline my own children so they can be strong and equipped in this world to be a blessing to their families, church, jobs and communities. They need to be able to stand us as people of faith in this world and be sources of blessing to others. If I did not love them I would not care and would not try to help them. I would simply live my life and leave them alone. But this is not fatherly love. I pray that God may grant me the wisdom to help my kids to walk with Jesus now and even when they leave my home. I pray they may accept the training they receive in my family as my love and they may ultimately see it as God’s work in their life.
2. The value of wisdom (13-26).

Verses 13-26 read, ^“13 Blessed are those who find wisdom,  those who gain understanding, ¹⁴ for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. ¹⁵ She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her. ¹⁶ Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. ¹⁷ Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peace. ¹⁸ She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her; those who hold her fast will be blessed. ¹⁹ By wisdom the LORD laid the earth’s foundations, by understanding he set the heavens in place; ²⁰ by his knowledge the watery depths were divided, and the clouds let drop the dew. ²¹ My son, do not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight, preserve sound judgment and discretion; ²² they will be life for you, an ornament to grace your neck. ²³ Then you will go on your way in safety, and your foot will not stumble. ²⁴ When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. ²⁵ Have no fear of sudden disaster or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked, ²⁶ for the LORD will be at your side and will keep your foot from being snared.”

       Wisdom is more precious than jewels, with better returns of long life, riches, honor, peace, and blessing. God runs the world by wisdom (19-20). Wisdom from God gives us life, safety, and sweet sleep. Wisdom tells us that we need not fear, for the Lord will be at our side. Wisdom tells us that the Lord will prevent our foot from being snared.

Wisdom is better than making a million dollar a year salary. It is gives peace and long life to me. I may not have all the perks of that come with American dream. I may have a degrading house and a kitchen that is lost in the 70’s. I may not be able to take fancy vacations, but I have a portion of the wisdom that comes from knowing Christ. I have peace and contentment in my heart and satisfaction. Thank you Lord. I can not think of a better gift than the gift of the wisdom of God.

Prayer: Lord, you discipline me as needed in your love. Take away my stubborn resentment. Help me to thank you in hard times for your disciplinary love.

One Word: The Lord disciplines those he loves love