10-27-18 Today in the Word

Today in the Word
October 2018
Book of Hebrews: A Call to Faith in Christ
THE PURPOSE OF DISCIPLINE
Saturday, October 27, 2018 | Hebrews 12:4–13
The earliest Christians knew the pain of persecution, and those who ultimately died for their faith were deemed martyrs. The author of Hebrews encouraged his congregation by reminding them: “You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood” (v. 4). Still, the experience of hardship and suffering was difficult then, and continues to be challenging today. Our reading is a reminder about the character and purpose of adversity for God’s people.
First, Scripture tells us to “endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children” (v. 7). The analogy of parenting is helpful here. As the author of Hebrews notes, just as parents discipline their children out of love, so “the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son” (v. 6). In fact, the lack of discipline should be a concern:
“If you are not disciplined . . . then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all” (v. 8)! Since we respect our parents’ discipline and submit to them, “how much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live” (v. 9).
Second, Scripture shows us the purpose of such discipline: it is “for our good” (v. 10). Just as good parents intend the best for their children, so our heavenly Father can use the discipline of adversity so “that we may share in his holiness” (v. 10). The author doesn’t pretend this is easy; “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful” (v. 11). We often prefer the experiences of pleasure and happiness, but God may use the challenges of life to bring about “a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it” (v. 11). God can use the crucible of adversity to make us more like Jesus.
APPLY THE WORD
With gentleness and love, encourage someone who is suffering with today’s message. God’s parental love remains even in adversity, and He can use that suffering to accomplish something for our good. If you are in the midst of suffering, persevere in the knowledge that God loves you and continues to hold you in His hand.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

9-17-23 Not in a Billion Years

Not In A Million Billion Years :: By Dave Hubley Published on: December 24, 2022 by RR10 Category:General Articles (There is a special message at the end of this article for those who might happen to read this and do not have Jesus in their life and are looking for peace and a way to better understand the present-day insanity and confusion.) Several years ago, I had a conversation with a guy in a waiting room while getting an oil change (in the car, not me). I don’t recall exactly how the conversation originated or how it progressed, but I have never forgotten it. As I recall, it had something to do with evolution and an article that was contained in a “waiting room magazine” that was available there. He made the observation that God was “something that man had made up.” I can’t recall the exact reason he used to justify his opinion, but it had something to do with the usual reasons people give: Weak-willed people needing a crutch, and blah, blah, blah. I engaged him in a “witness,
Read more

9-16-23 Santa Staleness

Santa Staleness :: By Edwin Tan Published on: December 24, 2022 by RR10 Category:General Articles My one and only trip to Israel had more than a profound effect on my present-day psyche. It might have been three decades ago, but there is more than a lingering aftertaste. It happened smack in the last fortnight of the year. Surprisingly absent were the familiar sights and sounds of the Christmas most people are accustomed to. Hardly any Christmas decorations in downtown Tel Aviv, if not any of the shopping thoroughfares across the Holy Land. Hanukah was a breath of fresh air – not anything resembling a Christmas carol most people grew up with did surface. The Christmas Eve service in a small Protestant church not far away from Jerusalem’s Old City was awesome; songs that truly celebrated the virgin birth of our Lord, which though seemingly unheard of, were a welcome inspiration to many a soul. There was even one sung in Arabic! So it began, my overt disdain for the secular Christmas t
Read more

9-15-23 Miracles 2

Miracles 2 :: By Jim Towers Published on: December 21, 2022 by RR10 Category:General Articles This story is a continuation of the exciting things God continues doing in my life. I was supposed to have died a while back, and sometimes I feel as though I may do so soon. But since I’m ready to meet my maker, I have no fear of death. In fact, my evangelistic zeal has only increased, especially as I see the fast approaching of the “Tribulation period” mentioned in the book of Revelation. Insofar as my acting career is concerned, I just finished filming a soliloquy featuring Melchior, one of the three Magi who followed the star to Christ lying in the manger, and am preparing to portray a Jewish Priest on stage. Like I said, God is working overtime in my life, and I will be appearing on stage singing Broadway show tunes sometime in March, so I have a lot of rehearsing to do. In the meantime, I will be signing Christmas carols acapella at a park here in Naples. Since it is a spontaneous th
Read more