98/365: Making an Effort to Be God's Man

Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. ~ Hebrews 12: 7-8

Examine any elite athlete who rises to the top of their field and you will find discipline and commitment.

In the same way, God expects us to discipline our lives and commitment to Him.

Without the disciplines of faith and without God we just seem to stumble and fall. We live - unprepared.

Be disciplined with Study, Worship, Accountability, Prayer, and Service.

Put in the work. It won't be easy, but you'll be better prepared for the game of life.

GO DEEPER: 2 Timothy 2: 15-22

NEXT STEP: If discipline sounds and feels like a negative thing, ask God to show you how self-discipline can be a powerful part of life.

Whiteeagle

on 04/09/2023 at 04:53 PM

Putting faith into action…That’s the definition for discipline as I see it. “ Move a muscle change a thought”.

Old Dude

on 04/08/2023 at 07:41 PM

Life requires the grace of God to take the next step in our devotion to Him.

Delray Sheen

on 04/08/2023 at 07:05 PM

Old Dude thank u for sharing, I love the insight, I need to read more CS Lewis. Growing up as a "latch key" child into adulthood I realize how much I did not get. Discipline and God were at the bottom of the list because they were introduced. Because I was never introduced I never seen the fruits of faith and discipline. Now on my mid 30's and a family of my own, I feel very much overwhelmed. Being a Christian is an upside down life for me. My walk has almost been a year now, and one by one I ask God to shine just the next step in my darkness. We all know with good requests God moves swiftly. I am finally seeing the fruits I've never seen before and it's true! the fruit of the Lord is above all. To those in similar situations, these are more than words, these are more than catch phrases, It is truly truth and life.

Old Dude

on 04/08/2023 at 06:53 PM

Awesome Kickstart today. I could certainly use more discipline in my life. I'm reminded of the following quote by C. S. Lewis. "We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased. "

Ethan Rogers

on 04/08/2023 at 06:38 PM

I like the discipline that I do every day to remain the Christian man that I am. It is now a lifestyle for me to live. A lifestyle that includes my daily maintenance my Church friends, My Christian walk, my good deeds , my unselfish gestures, my connection with God, my prayer and the spreading of the Good News. I grew up with self propulsion being the way that I lived. I felt I was in control and that I could handle any situation by myself. Turns out that I do need God. And I did need God in my life and leading direction that I go. Faith in the love and grace of Jesus. Without this, I was a man of pride and greed, feeling like I deserved more. Thank God that he has freed me from that pointless life. God bless you all, my brothers.

Ashley Jarvis

on 04/08/2023 at 04:20 PM

Living as Jesus instructs is hard. Living in sin is hard. Choose your hard. Living a sober life is hard. Living as a drunkard is hard. Choose your hard… Gentlemen, we have choices. We always, have a choice. Life is going to happen. This world, is far from perfect. Things, tragedies, are going to happen to us and the ones we love, and there’s nothing we can do to stop it. We CAN, however, choose how we are going to respond. And that choice, is how we either do, or do not, spread Jesus’s message to others. It is not in times of good graces and abundance that we shine the brightest for God. It is times of terrible pain and suffering, when we choose to turn and rely on God, embracing Him, praising Him, that others eyes are opened. It is when someone wrongs us, and we forgive immediately, that really opens eyes and hearts. It is when we live a life that is as paradoxical in choices, as Jesus’s sermon on the mount was in words, that those around us are drawn to the one true God. God, I pray that today you show me in all the ways I am living and choosing to be of this world, and turn me around backwards back at you, amen 🙏🏻

Brandon Pembleton

on 04/08/2023 at 02:53 PM

Discipline equals freedom. There's a song of sorts titled something like that, that I really like to listen to every now and again. Discipline really does equal freedom. Doing the right things for God and be near God always. This is the way. There's plenty of morning I don't feel like getting my readings in and even more that I don't feel like writing. I have to wake up early enough to do these and sometimes that snooze button looks so good. I did mess around and find out with being lazy and letting my discipline go for a few months. I wasn't happier with that extra 15 mins of sleep. It made me kind of start to drift a bit. I felt tired all the time and my happiness meter was running on the low side. By happiness I mean my gratitude and contentment. I was restless and anxious. My friend Ash made a subtle comment to me I miss your writings in the morning. And my other friend Richie said to me when I was talking about feeling restless and tired, he said well what did you change. I knew I needed to write again and read with intention and discipline. So I began writing again on here and in pretty short order I was reading the morning readings with intent to write about them. Which meant I was truly digesting them once again. My gratitude and contentment meters filled back up. 1 of God's miracles to me is this. Then to read your guys comments. Because God tends to talk to us through other people. God is good brothers! I love you God amen 🙏

Ladd Paulson

on 04/08/2023 at 02:44 PM

Eliot I like that comparison. I played percussion in a band before my career ending wreck.

Boyce Moses

on 04/08/2023 at 02:44 PM

Discipline can be hard, but so is the results of no discipline both mentally and physically. Be the men that God created you to be, and discipline will follow. Love you Jesus! 💙💛🤎💚

Ladd Paulson

on 04/08/2023 at 02:40 PM

CB I agree with your point. I was a motor cop for many years and developed quite a rapport with the local bike clubs. I witnessed to them every chance I could and still have the cell of a few 20years retired now. I would use the Easy English Bible 2018 version with them. Today's scripture in that version is kind of great: Be careful not to do the kind of bad things that young people often want to do. Instead, always try to do what is right and fair. Continue to trust God. Love other people and live in peace with them. Join with people who are clean inside and who pray to the Lord. 2 Timothy 2:22 EASY

Elliott

on 04/08/2023 at 02:32 PM

Those who cleanse themselves from the latter will be instruments for special purposes This makes me think of a bass drum. You set the speed of the song by how fast the bass drum beats. You cannot have a song without a beat, the proper timing for me comes from faith in Jesus. With Jesus my song has perfect timing. With Jesus my song is #1, without Jesus my song (life) is just a bunch of nosies. Giving my hope, sharing my faith to someone who needs is the only way to keep the rhythm for me.

Steven

on 04/08/2023 at 01:32 PM

When I think of how I've learned to discipline myself, it wasn't more Bible reading and prayer that did it. I was faithfully reading my Bible every morning. But after a stressful day, my porn addiction would start telling me that it's a great way to relieve stress. So to kick that habit, I wouldn't go near my computer but found something physical to do; to burn off that energy. I figured if I was physically tired and mentally tired, I would have nothing left to "burn off." That really helped me.( and the basement got clean) God talked to me every morning but I had built up such a habit of making porn a part of my life I had to build a better habit. And every night that I went to bed tired and porn free, I would thank God for my new habit of self discipline.

Robert McFaddin

on 04/08/2023 at 12:55 PM

I have struggled with self discipline. I still over eat. I still don’t physically exercise like I should. I don’t spend the time in prayer that I should. I read scripture daily, but rarely study. My wife sees me eating too much or eating junk and wonders if I can’t control myself with the food or with exercise why should she believe I’m keeping myself pure and avoiding temptations with women.

on 04/08/2023 at 12:29 PM

Interesting take Tommy. I know it’s an endless list, but I would also add, how much time we spend with unbelievers too.

Tommy Williamson

on 04/08/2023 at 10:49 AM

To what level do each of us self discipline ourselves? How much time do spend studying Gods word? How much time do we spend in prayer? How much time do we spend serving others? How much time do we spend fellowshipping with our fellow Christian’s? How much time do we spend sharing God with others? If we consider the time the Lord gives us each day we owe Him 6 seconds of every minute or 6 minutes of every hour or 2.4 hours of each day or 2 hours 24 minutes of each days as a tithe for the time he gives us. It sounds like a lot of time but when you combine the time in prayer, the study of His word, sharing Him, giving of ourselves to help others and to share His word the time is passed fairly quickly.

98/365: Making an Effort to Be God's Man

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