Disciplining Yourself for a Purpose (from "Strength for Today")(Protestant/Evangelical Caucus)

Grace to You.org ^ | 1997 | John MacArthur, Grace Community Church

[metmom]

"Bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come" (1 Timothy 4:8).

Godliness should be the believer's priority in life.

I'm amazed at how devoted people can be to what they believe is important. There are many people outside Christianity who live in rigid conformity to a lot of meaningless rules. People in totalitarian countries, for example, live in rigid conformity to rules predicated on a denial of biblical truth. They walk circumspectly and toe the mark.

Some cultists are so rigid and walk so circumspectly according to the principles dictated to them that if they're told they can't get married or can't be with their spouses, they conform. They're made to live in abstinence from physical relationships, follow strict diets, fast, and so on. Some attempt to attain spirituality through such self-disciplined acts as lying on a bed of nails or walking through hot coals.

Others, such as athletes, go through tremendous self-discipline through dieting, running, weight training, and other means that involve great sacrifice.

People disciplined in things that are ultimately meaningless may be lax in things that count. I know people who run three miles every day but will not bother to read the Bible regularly. I know other people who cannot discipline themselves to feed on the Word of God but stick rigorously to a diet. Many Christians worship physical fitness and health and are so conformed to the world's system that they're careless and lazy about conforming to Christ.

If you are a wise Christian, you'll be sure to discipline yourself for godliness. You'll know what pleases God, watch for Satan's traps, resist the Devil, defeat temptation, and be selective about your behavior. In other words, you'll not walk as a fool; you'll walk in wisdom-living by God's standards.

Suggestions for Prayer

Thank God for His Son, the perfect example of spiritual discipline and godliness. Ask God to help you be like Him.

For Further Study

According to 1 Timothy 4:7, what is the purpose of spiritual discipline? According to 2 Peter 1:3, what has God's divine power granted us?

[metmom]

Studying God’s Word ping

[Bob434]

discipline means trusting I n the Lord with all our heart- not simply making an effort to abstain from this that or the other thing

It’s a tough thing to trust in the Lord with all our heart- but until we learn to do so, I think we’re missing out on a great many blessings-

Trust Him for everything? Yup- This means either giving up on ideas we have about how well our lives should be going OR coming to the realization that the reason things haven’t changed is because we’ve been at the wheel al l this time instead of trusting Him to work it out for us.

Can we learn to be content by putting our trust in Him? It’s easier said than done- Especially for those who suffer and wish things would be better, strive to make them better- only to hit one brick all after another-

There’s a lot to think about in this one verse “Trust in the Lord Provers 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding

Can we get back that child-like trust? Can we BELIEVE that He will make straight our paths?

6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.…

Hard to see when we’re reeling from some illness or harm done us, or job not realized, or marriage breakup or whatever-

[Albion Wilde]

Some cultists are so rigid and walk so circumspectly according to the principles dictated to them that if they're told they can't get married or can't be with their spouses, they conform. They're made to live in abstinence from physical relationships, follow strict diets, fast, and so on. Some attempt to attain spirituality through such self-disciplined acts as lying on a bed of nails or walking through hot coals.

Seriously? Sneaking a defense of gay marriage, coupled with morally relativistic examples from other religions in here?

[metmom]

Seriously? You think someone is defending gay marriage somewhere in that devotional?

It isn’t even alluded to. How on earth did you make that connection?

[Albion Wilde]

From the words printed therein, which I highlighted in bold.

[metmom]

You need to unwind a little bit there.

It just isn’t there.

[Albion Wilde]

Because you didn’t understand the implication doesn’t mean others didn’t.

[Bob434]

I dunno if it's talking about gay marriage specifically or indirectly, but it does seem to be whining about some religions not allowing pre marital sex at the very least- such as They're made to live in abstinence from physical relationships Seems to me the article is ripping on any religion that promotes what God has dictated- abstain from premarital sex- it's not some 'cult' demand- it's the word of God itself that dictates sex is between a husband and wife, and not a boyfriend and girlfriend 1 Corinthians 7:2 - Nevertheless, [to avoid] fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.

[Albion Wilde]

The words in the article are not indicating premarital sex, but marriage itself: if they're told they can't get married or can't be with their spouses, they conform.

[Bob434]

I see you point there- I was thinking the article was more talking about young kids who wanted to get married- and perhaps were too young- but I see your point too- that would indicate gay marriage-