Five essentials of life with God

The Old Testament book of Proverbs invites the reader to sit in on a conversation between a father and a son. The line, “Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction…” (1:7), makes matters intensely personal. In Proverbs 1-7, we walk with a father as he prepares his son for life in the real world.

Apparently this young man was raised in a good family. His mother and father were careful to instruct him in the ways of God. Yet, as the son prepares to for life as an adult, the father makes no assumptions about his son’s strength to withstand dangers and temptations.

You won’t hear this father saying, “We raised him right, so he’ll do the right thing!” The father wisely recognized that the allurements of life’s pleasures have subtle and hidden dangers that tempt all of us. So he took one more opportunity to expose the dangers for what they are and to remind his son to adhere to the teaching he had received from his parents.

Some parents hold misguided notions that if they do their parenting “right,” it guarantees their children will turn out “right.” These are the parents who are inordinately surprised when their teenagers do normal teenage stuff. They lament, “We raised him the ‘right’ way, I just don’t understand?”

Parents who say things like this underestimate both the sin nature in their child and the pervasive power of evil in general. They also reveal the possibility of an unhealthy connection between their emotions and their child’s actions. Parenting is not about me or how I look to others but about molding and shaping the life of our children as stewards of God’s rightful ownership. See: 

• You Don’t Own Your Kids
• Five Idols of Parenting

In all that the father has to say to his son, he has one primary concern for him. “Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding” (Proverbs 4:7). The father pictures life as an encounter with competing voices clamoring for our devotion. Of all the voices, he implores his son to listen to the voice of wisdom. 

“Wisdom shouts in the street, she lifts her voice in the square, at the head of the noisy streets she cries out, at the entrance of the gates of the city, she utters her sayings.” (pr. 1:20-21)

“At the head of the noisy streets”, “at the entrance of the gates in the city”— in the city, wisdom is pictured “shouting”, “raising her voice”, “crying out”, and “uttering her sayings”, or “making her speech.”  Wisdom is not presenting herself in the quiet place of meditation.  She does not call out in the halls of academia.  “. . . the offer of wisdom is to the man in the street, and for the business of living, not to an elite for the pursuit of scholarship” (Derek Kidner, TOTC).

Wisdom “. . . strides from the ‘open squares’ (plazas used as markets) to the boulevards rumbling with the noise of traffic . . . to the several ‘gates’ where open spaces allowed people to assemble for trade or official business.  No behind-the-hand seductive whispering here; wisdom is a public figure, making her claims in the open and calling her disciples boldly to follow her” (David Hubbard, p. 55, Communicators Commentary).

Wisdom’s call and warning is forcefully presented in the language of choice. Wisdom, in essence says, “Decide now concerning your response to me! Make your choice and realize that your choice will deeply affect your life.” 

Wisdom cannot be attained where God is not honored. “For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding” (Proverbs 2:6).

This God-centerd focus is what distinguishes biblical proverb literature from other ancient proverbs. In Proverbs 3, the father described life with God using five verbs:

1. Trust in the Lord with all your heart (v.5)

2. Acknowledge Him in all your ways (v.6)

3. Fear the Lord (i.e. don’t be wise in your own eyes) (v.7)

4. Honor the Lord with your wealth (v.9)

5. Do not despise the Lord’s discipline (v.11). 

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Here we have five action points for walking with God describing a relationship — not religion. These are essentials to a life of wisdom because the fear of the Lord is the ongoing prerequisite to a life of wisdom. 

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• “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 9:10).

A person who fears the Lord accepts wisdom and instruction; takes advice; trusts in the Lord with all his heart; and acknowledges the Lord in all his dealings. This person does not see himself and his own opinion as basis for what he believes and does.  He recognizes his own inadequacies and God’s superiority.  Therefore he is teachable and accepts counsel.

In contrast, fools despise wisdom and instruction; they scoff at rebuke; the fool’s way seems right to him; he is wise in his own eyes; he does not fear the Lord; and he does not accept advice and counsel unless it agrees with what he already concludes— he thinks he knows better.

The fear of the Lord being “the beginning” of wisdom does not mean it is the first step and after taken you move on to other matters. It is “the beginning” in that it is the primary and controlling factor in the pursuit of wisdom. To profit from proverbs and gain wisdom you must start with an attitude that recognizes God’s superiority, especially over your own opinions.

• Proverbs 10:8 – “The wise in heart accepts commands”
• Proverbs 12:15 – “The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to advice.”
• Proverbs 13:10- “Wisdom is found in those who take advice”
• Proverbs 15:5- “A fool spurns his father’s discipline, but whoever heeds correction shows prudence.”
• Proverbs 15:31-33- “He who listens to a life-giving rebuke will be at home among the wise. He who ignores discipline despises himself, but whoever heeds correction gains understanding. The fear of the LORD teaches a man wisdom, and humility comes before honor.”
• Proverbs 18:1- “He who separates himself seeks his own desire, He quarrels against all sound wisdom.”

Steve Cornell

 

Five essentials on Spiritual Gifts

1. Source and Power: The Holy Spirit -                

I Corinthians 12:11 “All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines” (cf. Ephesians 5:18-21).

2. Perspective and Attitude: Sober humility - Romans 12:3

“Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.”

3. Goal and Motive: Praise to God - 

I Peter 4:11 “…so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.” (cf. Matthew 6:1)

4. Measurement and Boundary: Scriptural authority and Love - 

The final measurement for defining and guiding all professed gifts is the written Word of God. The parameters for the function of gifts is love (see: II Timothy 3:16-17 and I Corinthians 12:31-13:8; 16:14)

5. Outcome and Means: Edifying and Orderly -

“Everything must be done so that the church may be built up.” “For God is not a God of disorder but of peace—as in all the congregations of the Lord’s people.” (I Corinthians 14:26,33).

See:  What does the Spirit-filled life look like?

Steve Cornell

 

 

Renewing of the mind

 

Two mind-sets or two ways of thinking or seeing things. 

Romans 8:5-9

“Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will. That’s why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God. But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all) ” (NLT).

1. Mind set on the sinful nature/flesh

- Is death, hostile toward God, insubordinate and displeasing to God (not vertical, eternal or God-centered). God is not truly welcomed.

2. Mind set on the Spirit

- Is life and peace

The key – (verse 9) expect transformation if you have the Spirit.

“But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.)”

When one receives Christ 

• Romans 8:10 – Christ is in you
• Romans 8:11a – The Spirit is living in you
• Romans 8:11b – His Spirit who lives in you

“And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life because you have been made right with God. The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you” (Romans 8:10-11, NLT).

Yet Romans 12:2; 13:14 teach that transformation by the renewing of the mind is a process and involves discipline. 

• “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect” (Romans 12:2, NLT).
• “Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires” (Romans 13:14, NLT)

Scripture confronts our minds with a perspective that is:

• vertical (not stuck on the horizontal)
• eternal (not limited to the temporal)
• God-centered (not only about me)

Key Questions for renewing the mind:

• How are you choosing to see things?
• How can you see things differently?
• How does God want you to see things?

All of Scripture is given for perspective formation and spiritual transformation.

It’s not just information to fill our heads, but truth to change our hearts, minds, feelings and behavior.  It functions to restrain and to redirect by offering counter-veiling perspective (see: Psalm 119:11).

“All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work” (II Timothy 3:16-17, NLT)

Steve Cornell

 

The Rhythm of Silence and Speaking

 

Do you ever feel too connected? Between televisions, internet, phones, texting, emails, voicemails, blogging, Facebook and Twitter, where do we find time to disconnect and enjoy silence?

But who would ever think of silence as enjoyable? 

Perhaps the mother of toddlers might relish the thought of solitude and silence but the default for most of us is to hit a power switch and connect during our downtime. Solitude or secrecy are becoming increasingly rare.

Is it possible to be too available? Too visible? 

Uncomfortably quiet

Have you ever thought of silence as an uncomfortable experience? Some people avoid silence and prefer noise. But what might it tell us when distraction and noise feel better than being alone with our thoughts?

Solitude and silence (as spiritual disciplines) should quiet, refresh and strengthen our hearts. When we practice silence and solitude in the secret place with God, our thoughts are quieted in His presence. “Be still and know that I am God” (psalm 46:10).

What did the wise teacher intend when he wrote, “Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong. Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few” (Ecclesiastes 5:1-2). 

Take a time out

“The best way to achieve silence during worship is to practice silence as part of our everyday lives. Many parents teach their children discipline through “time out” periods—when they are squirrelly or defiant or doing something they shouldn’t, they have a time out period in which they can think about their behavior and make other choices. The same is true and necessary for us older children, youths, and young and older adults. When we feel tense and testy, we need to take “time out”—just a few minutes to gather ourselves, to become quiet inside, to calm down and refocus. When this is a natural habit of our daily lives, then when silence is introduced at specific times during worship we are perfectly comfortable with it and know how to use this precious time to focus ourselves on God in a different way from how we are present to God during the rest of the service” (Cornelius Plantinga Jr.).

A Rhythm to learn: silence and speaking

There’s a time for everything, the wise teacher wrote, “a time to be silent and a time to speak” (3:7).

“But who knows which is which? Who knows how to tell time? Who knows when to speak up and when to keep still? Who knows when silence is golden and when it is lazy or even cowardly?”

“The wise know these things. Wise persons discern the deep grains and patterns of God’s world, and then they try to go with the grain. These are persons whose habits are always in season. They’ve got rhythm where silence and speech are concerned. And so they imitate God by not talking all the time. They’ve got more silences than words, and their silences are just as disciplined and just as thoughtful as their words. They speak only from the context of silence, and when they have nothing valuable to say, they fall silent again.”

“We have met wise people like this. They have high quality words because they have high quality silences. Sometimes their silences are eloquent. Wise speakers may say more or less than others, but usually less, and always less that needs to be taken back. They give the impression of speaking out of a stillness at their center, a quiet place in which they are at home with themselves, in touch with God, and hospitable to the voices of others.”

“Silence is the natural context for speaking, but also for listening. What do we hear if we pipe down for a while? We hear the voices of others—not just their words, but their voices. We hear a quaver in a macho voice, or strength in a quiet voice. We also listen for the sounds and the silences of God. The silences of God! So mysterious they are, and so deep. There is a time to be silent and a time to speak, and God has kept this calendar a lot longer than we have” (Cornelius Plantinga Jr.).

Losing the Rhythm

“But silence puzzles people. They meet a silence and they wonder what’s wrong. Or silence makes people restless. The effect is just the opposite of what you’d expect. You’d expect that people would enter a silence and fold their wings. You’d expect that inside a silence people would smooth out and settle down. But that’s not the way it goes. Oddly, a fair number of people find silence disquieting.”

“If you go to a big league sports event and the announcer asks for a moment of silence to honor some fallen hero, people will do it all right. People bow their heads, and the place gets quiet. But it’s never for a full moment. No, you get about twelve seconds of silence, and when it’s over there’s an explosion of cheering and whistling, as if the whole place had been holding its breath and had let it out at once. Twelve seconds of silence, and then we’re glad that’s over, so life can get back to normal.”

“Silence puzzles people and it makes them restless. So they try to get rid of it. People haul their boom boxes to the seashore so that they don’t have to live in the silence between the rolling of surf and the crying of gulls. People crank up the mega-bass in their car stereos and cruise through a neighborhood, blowing all the birds out of the trees. People on subway trains conduct noisy and personal phone conversations. People turn on talk shows and fill their homes with hours of chatter. Some of this chatter is hostile. Some of it, amusing. But mostly the chatter is pointless, what Ephesians calls ‘unwholesome talk.’”

“The truth is that silence is part of the created rhythm of human life. The question of whether we need any silences goes to who we are, not just to what we want. That’s why a loss of silence is so serious. A loss of silence is as serious as a loss of memory, and just as disorienting. Silence is, after all, the natural context from which we listen. Silence is also the natural context from which we speak. A culture that fills in our silences therefore disorients us. It rips away our frame. It removes the background, the base of intelligibility for all our listening and speaking” (Cornelius Plantinga Jr.).

Steve Cornell

See: Spiritual Disciplines for developing a heart for God

 

What kind of transformation do we need?

 

I don’t recall hearing the word “transformation” very much during my years of training for ministry or during my early years in ministry (1979-1989). We spoke and wrote more about spiritual growth and maturity. We tended to use theological words like regeneration and sanctification. We focused on what it meant to be a new creation in Christ and taught about putting on the new man.

If we taught Romans 12:3, of course, we addressed the call to “be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” If we taught II Corinthians 3:18, we explained spiritual transformation as the ministry of the Spirit for those who, “beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”

In the last couple of decades, however, the term transformation became trendy for sermon and book titles, as well as, retreat and conference themes. It’s obviously a good and necessary word because we certainly need nothing short of total transformation. 

But how should we think about transformation? Asked differently, how does change occur? In other settings, we speak of a beautiful renovation of an old house as an amazing transformation. “You transformed this place!” we say to those who did the work. But what about transformation of people? 

What provisions has God made for transforming lives and societies?

Certainly there are social, cultural and political agents of change ordained by God for the common good. These are His gifts of common grace. Parents and authorities are two of the primary examples (Ephesians 6:1; Romans 13:1-4). We need laws and law enforcement to protect us. We also need mentors to teach us and model for us. But the human need is far deeper than social or cultural change. Our nature itself must change.

We need a change of being or ontological transformation. This change only comes through God’s gift of spiritual regeneration. Rules and laws can be used to regulate behaviors but a change of being is nothing short of a creative act of God. 

God said, “I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh” (Ezekiel 11:19). We need a recreation or new creation by the renewing of the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5) for the restoring of the image of God in us.

We need the God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” “to make his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ” (II Corinthians 4:6). We need to be reconciled to God to become a “new creation” in Christ (II Corinthians 5:17). And “all this is from God” (II Corinthians 5:18).

From a Christian perspective, this work of God is foundational to any interest in cultural and political agents of change. I am not suggesting an imposition of salvation on culture and politics. Nor am I suggesting that other kinds of goods can’t be offered unless the spiritual is included. But transformation of human existence (both individually and in community), from a Christian perspective must prioritize the ontological dimension (i. e. transformation of “being,” not just “behavior”).

External mechanisms of change like laws, customs, cultures and politics will not address the depth of the human problem. On a Christian view, these external pressures are necessary (even divinely ordained) but not adequate. So we insist that making external adjustments like putting the “right” party in political office or changing laws and policies will not address our deepest needs.

Looking through the wider lens, spiritual transformation includes a strong teleological focus (a hope and a future beyond the temporal world) (see: Titus 3:3-7; II Corinthians 4:16-18). The teleological dimension is God’s provision of hope and purpose — things that matter at some deep level to rational people.

A Christian understanding of influences like culture and politics must be shaped by a hope centered on God’s redemptive work in Christ. It would an exercise in betrayal for the believer to think of “hope and change” in purely temporal terms. Christian thinking and living simply cannot happen (as intended) apart from the divine telos to which history is directed.

Transformation in community



On another level, God created humans as social beings. We are not meant to be alone (and we know it). Our lives depend on others and we were designed to flourish in community. But human relationships are the source of some of our greatest satisfactions and our deepest problems. Maintaining peace in relationships is a perplexing and painful project on almost every level. Although we still innately feel that it’s not good to be alone, we know that it’s complicated, difficult and sometimes even dangerous to be together.

God’s answer for our social and community needs is the Church. The work of Christ on earth cannot be thought of apart from the Church. He’s the one who said, “I will build my Church” (Matthew 16:18). Those who are deeply concerned about transformation must apply their thoughts and concerns to the Church.

The Church (as God’s new community) is not merely an organization but an organism. In some ontologically organic way, each believer in Christ (upon faith) is immersed into a living community or body of believers to form God’s new society.

Each local Church is made up of people who have experienced (and are experiencing) ontological transformation — “though outwardly perishing, yet inwardly being renewed day by day” — with a shared teleological vision — as “we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” (II Corinthians 4:16-18).

Local Churches

Should these communities (local Churches) be exemplars of the kind of ideal toward which human flourishing happens at its best? Sound a little too idealistic?

We know that this side of God’s new world (Revelation 21:1-5), we will not experience utopia. Churches (i.e. Church members) have to “work hard to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3). Part of the reason for this is the fact that spiritual change is not subtraction of the flesh but addition of the Spirit. The flesh is not eradicated but God gives the Holy Spirit – “whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life” (Titus 3:6-7).

We are told to “walk by the Spirit” so that we will “not gratify the desires of the flesh.” The Spirit breaks the power/mastery of what the hymn writer called “cancelled sin.” Yet the conflict remains— “For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other” (Galatians 5.16-17).

In Galatians 5:15-16, there is an interesting connection between community relationships (in demise) and walking by the Spirit as the solution. “If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other. So I say, (solution) walk by the Spirit, and you will not…”

A direct connection is made in these verses between protecting relationships from destruction (bite, devour, destroy: metaphors from the animal kingdom) and the role of the Holy Spirit. To avoid destructive relationship, we must,

• v.16 –walk by the Spirit;
• v.18 – be led by the Spirit;
• v.25a –live by the Spirit;
• v. 25b – keep in step with the Spirit

Galatians 5:16 says, “so I say”, (or ςέ “but I say”). “Here is my advice.” Or, “Here is the remedy for the situation described in v. 15.” (Phillips).

To protect Christian community (relationships) from destruction, each member must “live or walk by the Spirit.”

What kind of community is possible (and should be expected) when ontologically changed believers are immersed by one Spirit into organic life together? Individual and community life of this kind (Christian marriages, families and local Churches) among those who are walking by the Spirit (being kept continuously filled by the Spirit) will be distinguished by pervasive practice of the fruit of the Spirit.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23)

“Against these qualities no law is needed.” The external agent of change is unnecessary where the internal work of the Spirit is active.

Imagine any relationship where these qualities are flourishing. Each of these qualities (fruit) also appears as a command in the NT reminding us that we are not passive recipients of the activity of God. Unworthy recipients? Yes! But not passive recipients (see: Philippians 2:12-13).

What should we expect in view of such amazing grace?

Steve Cornell

 

 

Teach this truth to new believers

Discipline is a mandatory part of God’s plan for spiritual transformation.

One of the early points of Christian discipleship should be instruction on the fact that, “The Lord disciplines those he loves.” Some Christians are not experiencing spiritual growth because they don’t understand this truth. 

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And a failure to understand this can easily lead to a bad attitude toward God — which in turn hinders growth in spiritual maturity. We can’t afford to misunderstand that, “God disciplines us for our good that we may share his holiness.” We must also be informed that, “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful.  Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it” (Hebrews 12:10-11). 

 

Mature Christians should be able to offer a few personal examples. 

It’s helpful to see how the father in the book of Proverbs included this truth as he trained his son about life with God. The father challenged his son to trust in the Lord with all his heart and acknowledge the Lord in all his ways. To respond this way to God, the son must avoid the temptation to lean on his own understanding. He must fear the Lord and shun evil, lest he become wise in his own eyes. He must also understand a firm truth about life with God – ”the Lord disciplines those he loves” (Proverbs 3:5-11). 

If he responds to the Lord as his father guided him, he will “make his path straight or smooth” and it will “bring health to his body and nourishment to his bones.”  If he honors God with his wealth, with the firstfruits of his crops, he will have an overflowing provision from the Lord.

But will things always go this way for His son? The father knew better. David Hubbard suggested that the father,

“. . . knew that perfect obedience was an impossibility. The temptations were too pressing and attractive; individuals were too gullible and willful. No matter how clearly God marked out the paths of righteousness, some would miss them by carelessness and others would leave them by stubbornness. And when they did, because their basic trust was in God and their deep-seated desire was to please Him, He would meet them as a disciplining Father determined to point out their mistakes and return them to the right road” (pp. 72-73, Communicators Commentary, Proverbs).

The words of Proverbs 3:11 suggest that the son may be tempted to misunderstand the Lord’s discipline. “My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline, and do not resent his rebuke.” Like a child who resents his father or mother when they discipline him, so God’s children sometimes resent His fatherly discipline. 

It is this exact concern that occasioned the New Testament use of these verses from Proverbs found in Hebrews 12.

The Hebrew Christians (to whom the book of Hebrews was written) were facing intense persecution and suffering. They were being persecuted mostly by their Jewish friends and relatives who opposed their turn to Jesus as Messiah.

“The affliction had largely been in the form of social and economic pressure, though some of them had been imprisoned (10:34). We can imagine the arguments they heard for rejecting the new faith. ‘Look at what you have gotten yourselves into. You have become Christians and all you have had are problems, criticism, hardship, and suffering. You have lost your friends, your families, your synagogues, your traditions, your heritage — everything.’ Some believers perhaps were wondering why, if their God was a God of power and of peace, they were suffering so much. ‘Why are we not winning out over our enemies, instead of our enemies seeming always to have the upper hand? Where is the God who is supposed to supply all our needs and give us the answers to our questions, and fulfillment to our lives? Why, when we turned to a God of love, did everyone start hating us?’” (John MacArthur, Hebrews, p.384).

These believers were in danger of being overwhelmed with discouragement because of a false reading of their circumstances. It is this that occasioned a very significant use of Proverbs 3:11-12:

“And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: ‘My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son’” (Hebrews 12:5,6).

Notice how the New Testament author takes a text of scripture written centuries earlier and treats it as the voice of God conversing with suffering believers in New Testament times. He personalized the text in verse 5 when he wrote; “addresses you.” 

Then, in Hebrews 12:7-13, the writer applied the authority of the text from proverbs by expounding its implications — resulting in one of the most in-depth treatments of the subject of God’s discipline.

NT use of OT Scriptures:

Not unlike other New Testament uses of the Old, this one freely re-applies the Old Testament text, without drifting outside its original intention. The quote runs this way, “do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you.” It picks up the Septuagint (Greek translation of the O.T.)  addition: “and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.” But the main truth is that “the Lord disciplines those he loves.” The readers of the book of Hebrews needed to hear this so they would not misread their hardships as an indication that God had abandoned them—that he was unconcerned for their well-being.

The author of Hebrews argues for the opposite position. 

“Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it” (Hebrews 12:7-11).

The statement in Hebrews 12:7 is significant: “Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons.” Their hardships were brought on primarily by mistreatment from others. Here they are encouraged to “endure it” — (don’t collapse and give up) — as God’s discipline. As an example, verses 2-3 appeal to Jesus. 

“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart” (Emphasis mine).

Perhaps it is most difficult to discern the hand of God or, “God treating us as sons,” when difficulties come from hostile treatment by others. Yet it is at these times that we must rise above the circumstances and see God as superior to the evil intentions of people. We must resolve to see our situation as from our heavenly father — not from those who treat us with hostility. We must confess our Father’s greater love and ask him to sustain us and thank him that he is willing to take so much time to conform us to his likeness. “God disciplines us for our good that we may share his holiness” (Hebrews 12:10).

Endure the unpleasant work of the planting and growing season by being mindful of the harvest (see Hebrews 12:11). What did Joseph say to his frightened brothers in Genesis 50:20?  “Although you intended evil against me God meant it for good to bring about the saving of many lives.” The Psalmist recognized another benefit in suffering when he wrote: “Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey your word” and “It was good for me to be afflicted so that I may learn your decrees” (119:67, 71).

Pause long over the truth that the Lord disciplines those he loves so that you will not be tempted to despise the Lord’s discipline and resent his rebuke. 

 

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Steve Cornell

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See also: Where glory meets my suffering!

 

Where were you 20 years ago?

 

I’ve had the privilege of traveling to many conference centers and retreats to speak on forgiveness and reconciliation. Inevitably someone will come up to me in each setting and ask, “Where were you twenty years ago?” Then they tell me that if they had understood what I was teaching about the difference between forgiveness and reconciliation they would have approached relationships far differently.

My teaching on the subject has especially helped those who tended to enable others under the feeling that forgiveness required forgetting the wrongs that were committed.  It was liberating for these people to learn that (unlike forgiveness) reconciliation of a broken relationship is a process conditioned on the attitude and actions of an offender. Those who commit significant and repeated offenses must realize that their responses and actions affect the timing of the process. Those who are genuinely repentant will accept this fact with brokenness and humility. 

In view of the benefit this has been to others, I’ve provided summaries of my teaching on the links below: 

• forgiveness and reconciliation
• forgiveness in a context of worship
• Leave your Grudge with the Judge

Steve Cornell

 

Extravagantly grateful!

Someone warned that it’s a sign of mediocrity when you express gratitude with moderation.

A moderately grateful person is not one who does the will of God. God calls us to be extravagantly grateful!

“In everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. ” (I Thessalonians 5:18). Spirit-filled people are “always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5:20).
 Extravagantly! 

Living in the will of God involves far more than finding a few things to be thankful for on a day called Thanksgiving.  



“What I have found is that the rhythm of divine renewal beats in the pulse of a purposefully grateful heart” (Ellen Vaughn, Radical Gratitude).

Gratitude is the best remedy for discouragement but small doses of gratitude will not lift us out of despondency. “Cultivating a grateful heart is not just an add-on nicety, a civil tip of the hat to God as we steamroll through our day. A posture of purposeful, perpetual thanks to God is absolutely central to Christian character” (Vaughn).  



When despondent, we need divine renewal and there is a deep connection between restored joy and a thankful heart.

Un-thankfulness is more than a personal matter; it’s a spiritual issue that affects our fellowship with God and our joy in God. It’s also a loss of perspective that potentially insults God. 



We are called by God to “engage in the perpetual dialogue of gratitude” and, when we do this, we “turn the tide, rather than follow along on the lazy downward spiral of negativity.” (Vaughn)



Do you easily lean toward negativity? Do you tend to see what’s wrong in life? Do you focus more on what you don’t have? Ungrateful people take the path of laziness that leads to mediocrity and misery. Never forget that those who rejected God “neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him” (Romans 1:21). 



Yet some find it hard to be thankful because of the suffering and loss they’ve experienced. Life can be hard and painful. C. S. Lewis wisely recommended that, “We ought to give thanks for all fortune: if it is ‘good,’ because it is good, if ‘bad’ because it works in us patience, humility and the contempt of this world and the hope of our eternal country.”



Ask God to help you see through your loss and sadness so you can gain a clearer vision of your eternal home (see: John 14:1-3). Christian communities are called to protect each member from becoming defiled with bitterness (see: Hebrews 12:14-15).

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” (II Corinthians 4:16-18, NIV).

When it’s hard to be extravagantly grateful, pour out your heart to, “the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God (II Corinthians 1:3-4).

Approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that you may receive mercy and find grace to help you in your time of need (Hebrews 4:16). The way out of a tunnel of deep sadness is to engage in the worship of extravagant gratitude.

“Gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder” (G. K. Chesterton).


I suggest three categories for thanksgiving: spiritual, relational and material blessings. The psalmist wrote, “Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits” (Psalm 103:2). 



I am grateful that, ‘As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust’” (Psalm 103:13-14).

I am grateful that, ‘God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us’” (II Corinthians 4:6-7). 



Finish this sentence: ”I am grateful for …………”



Prayer:

“God, please help me to flourish in your will by becoming an extravagantly grateful servant.”



Steve Cornell


See also: 12 Guidelines for doing the will of God

 

5 resources for spiritual transformation

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1. God’s Spirit: II Co 3:17-18; Ep 5:18-21; Ga 5:16-23
2. God’s People: Heb 3:13-14;13:17; Eph 4:11-16
3. God’s Word: Heb 4:12; I Ti 3:16-17; Ja 1:21-25;            
   
4. God’s Throne: Heb 4:16; Colo 4:12; Ja 4:8; I Pe 5:7-8
5. God’s Discipline: Heb 12:1-11; Ja 1:2-5; I Pe 1:6
   

 

Two images of the Christian life

1. A race requiring perseverance (Hebrews 12:1-3)

  “let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us” (v. 1)

2. A son receiving discipline (Hebrews 12:4-13)

          ___________________

  “Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons” (v. 7)

What did you expect?

Paul and Barnabas “returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. ‘We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,’ they said” (Acts 14:21-23).

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“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything…. Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him” (James 1:2-4, 12).