Coffee With The Lord

This morning during my time of “coffee with the Lord” I was impressed with what is included in what the Bible refers to as “God’s discipline.”  The passage?  Hebrews 12:3-17 (as a “child of God” you should read it)… “He’s a good, good Father – that’s who He is, that’s who He is!… And I’m loved by Him, that’s who I am – that’s who I am!” (Sounds like a great contemporary worship song to me!)

That passage and its context reveals His loving “discipline” is not just what he sends our way (that we might find unpleasant) in order to develop “holiness” in us… It even involves what He “allows” to come our way! (Might want to talk to Job in the Bible about that one!)  Consider these words from the passage… “Consider Him, who endured FROM SINNERS such HOSTILITY against Himself, so that YOU may not grow weary of fainthearted.  In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.” (vss. 3-4)  Check it out… Hebrews is a book written to suffering, persecuted Christians (cp. Hebrews 10:32-36) – they were experiencing UNJUST PERSECUTION at the hands of evil people and GOD, THEIR HEAVENLY FATHER, WAS ALLOWING IT IN ORDER TO DEVELOP GODLINESS IN THEM!”  Wow!  (and OUCH!)

Oh Lord, here’s my prayer, when “discipline” comes my way – whatever the source – help me to respond in a godly way!  Help me to remember, “You’re a good, good Father – that’s who You are!  And I’m loved by You – that’s who I am, that’s who I am!”

Choices! There are good choices – and there are bad choices. Good choices for a Christian are the ones that honor God, are made after seeking His will, and are made with godly values and the clear teaching of God’s word taken into account. They are not always easy choices, but for the Christian they must be God-glorifying choices.

I know the stories of some who have made the right choices… and sadly, I also know of some who have made the wrong choices…

Some of them have involved…
-Marriage choices
-Vocational choices
-Business decisions
-Investment choices
-Where to live
-Church choices (or faith choices)

I could tell you the stories… Sometimes friends and family argued for financial factors to reign supreme over Godly values… Sometimes expedience (what seemed easiest or simply a “no-brainer) tugged against doing God’s will… Often making money was pitted against a clear sense of God’s calling… Pressure to make a hasty decision for others tried to trump the time needed for prayer and godly counsel…

I have my own story… In high school and the early years of college I had the privilege of writing for a wonderful newspaper near my home town. I finished Bible college, training for the ministry to which God had called me. Then I accepted the pastorate of a little, struggling church in a rural community. Times were tough and the church faced big challenges. One difficult day I received a letter from the publisher of the paper that I had worked for… He indicated that he planned to purchase my home town newspaper… He offered the job of editor-in-chief to me! I sought God’s will; thought about my calling; “looked God in the eye” and decided to decline the offer… To this day I’m glad I did!

Speaking of godly choices – right choices: Here’s what I read this morning about Moses during my Bible reading…

“By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking forward to the reward (God’s reward!). (Hebrews 11:24-26)

I’m glad he made the right choice! And here’s the advice of a very wise man: “Trust in the Lord with ALL your heart, do not lean on your own understanding. In ALL your ways acknowledge Him and He will make straight your paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6) In the choices I have to make in life I plan to do just that!