The Discipline of the Lord.

How did God hate Esau (Romans 9:13)? I recently watched a short video where Paul Washer addresses this question. In his response Paul states that although God definitely blessed Esau, He did not discipline him. God allowed Esau to walk after the natural inclinations of his heart. He let him go.

It was different with Jacob however. Jacob was no saint either. He was a deceiver, and we all know how he ultimately stole Esau's birthright and blessing. However, God would not let him go. Jacob experienced the disciplining hand of the Lord for the next twenty years, and when he finally returned to the land of Canaan, he entered it limping. He was no longer Jacob the "supplanter", but now he was known as Israel, "a prince with God."

Hebrews 12:1-13 is a passage that draws out this theme. Our lives as Christians is likened to a race that must be run with endurance. We must cast of everything that slows us down, if we are to make it to the end.

I think we can all identify with the idea of besetting sins. There is a struggle within each one of us, and we often find ourselves on the failing end of things. But it is often the things that are not wrong in and of themselves that slow us down. 

Sometimes God has to get our attention, and that can be painful. Like a parent who desires to protect a child from harm, who desires to train them to walk in the right path, God also uses discipline so that we might share in His holiness. Again, this is often painful, and we might not like it. However, this pasage assures us that God loves us, and disciplines us as His children. In fact, if we do not experience the hand of His discipline we are not His children!

Ultimately, if we yield to God's discipline in our lives we will bear the peaceable fruit of righteousness.

Jesus uses the illustration of a vinedresser pruning the branches so that they will bear more fruit. When the branches get to long, or there are useless ones, they need to be trimmed back or cut off. If they are left as they are, all the sap flowing through the vine is used up on these branches and there is little nutrition left for the formation of fruit. 

Jesus is the vine and we are the branches. God desires us to produce much fruit so He prunes us (John 15:1-2). All of the things in our lives that hinder need to go. Maybe it's a besetting sin that needs to go. Perhaps God needs to get are attention and we are not hearing Him. 

No discipline seems fun when we go through it, but remember God desires something better for us, and brings it for our good.

Bitter or Better?

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be if good cheer; I have overcome the world (John 16:33 KJV).

We learn two things from this passage. First, we will experience trials and testings in this life as Christians. We are not promised our best lives now as some would have you believe. We face temptations, trials, persecution, ups and downs throughout our lives. 

Second, we can have peace because Jesus has overcome the world. Jesus has brought us the way to victory. We do not have to fall to temptation, we do not have to grow weary, discouraged, or bitter when life throws challenges our way. We have everything we need for life and godliness through our union with Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:2-3).

The Bible tells us that our faith will be tested through trials.

My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing ( James 1:2-4 KJV).

Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: that the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ (1Peter 1:6-7 KJV).

 None of us relish trials, and when they come we often pray that they would be removed. But we read in James that we must let the trial produce endurance. If we could avoid the trial we wouldn't grow in our faith, and when a difficult time comes we stand a good chance of falling. 

It is so easy to grow discouraged or bitter, but we need to submit to God's way, trusting Him to see us through, and ultimately bring our faith to maturity.

And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope (Romans 5:3-4 KJV)

As we allow trials to stretch our faith we gain endurance, which grows into a way of life. Again, it is so easy to chafe under trials. We would much rather find an easier way to grow in our faith. However it is during the hard times of life that our faith gets stretched and is enabled to grow stronger. 

This leaves us with a choice. We can either grow bitter in the hard times, or get better. Our faith can falter and fail, or it can be proven,  although by the fires of testing, and result in praise when we stand before Christ.