Jan. 14th, 2016 Hebrews 12:7-13

Hebrews 12:7-13

7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline?

8 If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.

9 Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live?

10 For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness.

11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

12 Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees,

13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed.

My kids love it when they are disciplined. Don't your's?

We enjoy the pain of a butt spanking!

We enjoy the chastising of our parents, that scolding look of disapproval.

NOT!

Because we dislike it as a child we scorn it.

Then later in life we look back in hind site and see WHY they did it.

Then you have children and you fully understand!

Thus why do we scorn God's reproof?

Why do we complain "WHY ARE YOU ALLOWING THIS TO HAPPEN TO ME!"

It is because we don't see what He is doing.

He is MOLDING YOU.

For the moment we grieve, we ache, we morn.... Yet our HOPE is in the NEW DAY!

So therefore: RAISE UP YOUR HANDS! Dry your eyes!

Turn up the worship music in your life and PRAISE HIM.

Your focus on praise will allow your focus to be removed from the pain.

Trust God.

Trust His plan!

Trust HIS purpose!

Believe that HE created you for a PURPOSE!

Hebrews 10:23 Do I trust God? REALLY?!?!

Heb 10:23 "Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise."
We discussed this group of verses (Heb. 10:19-23) this morning in our prayer group. And this one stuck out. "For God can be trusted..."

Then our sermon was on trusting him with our measure of success. Not the world, not our job, our health or our families. But trusting HIM!

I am sitting here with thousands of thoughts going through my mind about what my measure of success is. It use to be my work. I was the youngest Assistant Manager in Wal-Mart history, then the youngest District Manager in Family Christian Stores history at the time.

Then little by little my success was found in my 'things'. I liked having either owned or seen all the new movies or even the new music. I wanted to be known as knowing that stuff.... Then it became my family and caring for their needs...

lately though God has been shifting us. We have been trimming back. Cut out the newspaper, the Cable, the Movie rentals, and soon even netflix... We are trying to cut out the EXCESS fat in our spending in order to get out of debt and be able to help more people who are in need... But not for our glory but for GOD'S!!

Verse 24 says "Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works." That is what our family wants to do.. to point others to JESUS!!

Yet in chapter 11 I read the FAITH CHAPTER...
There were the people that seemingly had it all together.
God had blessed them and promised them GREATNESS!!
Yet the people of faith died without seeing what was promised them.

Do I trust God enough to allow him to use me even if I can't see the outcome?
Do I trust God to pull at my strings and say "SELL YOUR HOUSE!" "Downsize" "Sell the Van and by a clunker...

The Prophet Hosea was told by God to marry an unfaithful woman and he listened... Every time he found her in bed with another man, or himself caring for another child that was not his, he trusted God. He knew that God had a plan even when he couldn't and didn't see the end in site.

I am willing to Trust God that his PROMISE might be the promise of a heavenly home when I die? Can I trust that? Can I put the things of this life in jeopardy for a call from God?

Now friends, be sure to get this... I have yet to sell my house and down size... but that doesn't mean it won't happen. I know I trust God enough to provide... for others...

"Lord, I believe! Help my un-belief!"