God Control is Self-Control

Monday, May 26th

The word discipline usually conjures up all sorts of negative thoughts. You think of staying after school and spanking the children, or of getting chewed out by the boss! But why all the negativism? Discipline can be positive. After all, it does take a lot of hard work, time, and dedication to reach the goals we set for ourselves. Not everyone has the self discipline to stick with it. We get discouraged when we stumble and fail to make the grade.

The Bible has something to say about this. Listen: "Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; for 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" (I Timothy 4:7-8). This kind of discipline involves doing something over and over again until you get it right. I remember working in college for hours on certain calculus problems until I finally mastered the concepts involved. I also worked on certain exercises in the gym until I had them mastered.

In the same way we are to work on our lives until we have mastered the concepts of Christianity. It takes discipline. Not only so, it takes the power of God in your life, the power of God's Holy Spirit enabling you to follow God's desires, enabling you to live for Him

Such Godliness holds promise for this life. Following God can bring great personal blessing. Such godliness holds promise for the life to come. Yes, if you love and follow God, you have the promise of blessing in the life to come after you pass from this earth.

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