CORRELATION. Hebrews 12: 5-11.

Posted bySteven WalesPosted indiscipline bad behavior, The Old Testament is Less About Judgment and More About Discipline., UncategorizedTags:, , ,

Correlation. n. A statistical measure of the degree in which two variables move in relation to each other.

There are correlations between freezing temperatures and snow on the ground, between hard work and achievement, selfishness and loneliness, kindness and optimism.

Several powerful correlations involve everyone’s favorite topic: DISCIPLINE. There are correlations between parental love and discipline, between parental discipline and children’s self-discipline, between parents’ discipline and children’s success, between parents’ self-discipline and their ability to discipline children, and (SURPRISE!) between discipline and JOY.

It’s true—discipline leads to joy. And lack of discipline leads to disappointment.

God disciplines us too. He disciplines me by keeping me on a short leash. Some seem to get away with everything. I feel like I get away with nothing. But it keeps me from going astray. God’s discipline is an expression of HIS LOVE. Be thankful for it!

“My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor faint when you are reproved by Him, for whom the Lord loves, He disciplines, and He scourges every son whom He receives. … God deals with you as with sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? … And you respected your earthly father’s discipline—how much more should you be subject to the Father of spirits and live? … All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful. But afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness” Hebrews 12: 5-11.

Have you met children without discipline? I’ve seen a few so out-of-control it had become a handicap. The lack of discipline was crippling them in every area: relationships with peers and adults, academics, growth, maturity. To meet an undisciplined child is deeply disturbing, because you can see the destruction ahead, but they cannot. And without discipline, they are powerless to prevent it; their life has no brakes.

Welcome God’s discipline. And—STOP AND THINK HARD ON THIS:

The Old Testament is not about judgment. It’s about DISCIPLINE. God is desperate to guide and shape Israel’s destiny. He disciplines them (and you) out of LOVE!

ΑΩ

Published by Steven Wales

Dad's Daily Devotional began as text messages to my family. I wanted my teenagers to know their father was reading the Bible. But they were at school by then. Initially, I sent them a favorite verse or an insight based on what I read each day. That grew into drafting a devotional readng which I would send them via text. I work as an attorney and an adjunct professor, and recently wrote a book called HOW TO MAKE A'S.

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