Discipline Is Good

Not everyone likes discipline.

When you're young, the words are some of the worst to hear.

When you start getting older, you realize that maybe it's not so bad.

When you get to the age where you want to change aspects of your life, you realize that it's required. That's where I am at.

I recently turned 29, and have realized that I need some discipline in areas that I am not very strong in. I want to live a good, full life, but not one against His will. So I recently took up a gym membership, and just this week has been great. My diet is slowly changing, but it's changing. And in the 4 days I've been signed up, I've gone 3 times (they closed early one day).

But I do realize that it takes more discipline than I want to give. It takes a headstrong approach at times to continue doing an exercise I may not like (or that requires endurance I don't think I have but actually can have if I would just stick with it).

For my health, I'm working out, and trying to eat better. I'm feeling better, but slowly. I'm not huge, but I could stand to lose 30lbs.

This all reminds me of when I started serving God. The discipline I had to have just to go to services, mid-week services and special services. The discipline I had to have (and still need) to open up my Bible and to get on my knees and pray.

God was with me in that. And I know that God doesn't want me to be unhealthy if I can help it. My life has been miserable at times, my fitness level fitting in there many a times. Not that the grass is greener, but that if I can feel healthier, then I am going to. I'm not trying to keep up with someone else, I'm wanting to get out of this initial-obesity feeling I have been having lately.

I do computer programming for my day job, and at night I'm generally a couch potato or (gasp) on the computer. Not anymore.

I will still watch T.V., and play computer games, but I won't be pigging out (often) while I am doing those activities anymore. I need a healthier lifestyle, and I know that it takes work. I didn't get out of shape in a day, and I won't get in shape in a day.

Look at the discipline that is required to live a life for God. Check the Bible, there's prophets and apostles and disciples that had to have the discipline to keep at it. We still need it today. I still need it today.

Some Private Time With GOD

Last night I got the privilege of spending near 45 minutes in prayer and worship at church, alone.

I fought hard against the flesh to go, and while I was there I had to battle through some other obstacles, but I am so glad I went. I haven't got a chance to pray like that in a long time, and so I took advantage of it as best as I could.

It was the highlight of my week, that private time with God. :D

This Week's Lesson: How To Praise God

My wife and I teach Sunday School, and this week's lesson was "How To Praise God". It referenced the following:

Psalm 34:1
"I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth."

The story was about Paul and Silas, and how they were imprisoned for preaching Jesus Christ and for doing good works. The community of religious folk didn't like it, especially when they rebuked the spirit of seer that followed them (the one that made the religious fold rich because of her fore-knowledege).

So when Paul and Silas were in prison, after having been beaten, and they started praising God. I'm sure prison's aren't the quietest places on earth, and probably the same that night. But they still praised God in song.

When the earthquake started, I wonder who the first prisoner was that realized that the singing of the preacher was setting them free? I know it was only God that kept them there, that's for sure. The presence of God is so sweet, whether in prison or on vacation.

Then the guard charged in, thought the prisoners had escaped, and was ready to take his own life. This was common back then, as you would have to forfeit your life for the one who kept his. At that moment, Paul and Silas let him know that they were all still there - a miracle in and of itself. The guard was baptized that night, and if I am not mistaken, received the Holy Ghost as well.

The whole moral of the story is that, while most of us would whine and groan when in that same predicament, whether it be because of doing bad or doing good. Paul and Silas chose to praise God, and not just worry about themselves. Because they chose to do so, an entire prison got to experience God's awesome power (not only were Paul & Silas set free, the entire prison was), and at the very least, the guard came to the knowledge of Christ.

What a blessing we can be if we would just be more concerned with God than our own selves.

That's Rewarding

Sunday School was somewhat of an event yesterday. While it was nice, and I feel like I did get the message for the lesson across (that's my aim), I am pleased by something that happened much later in the morning.

One of the children that attends our class had walked away for 3 months. Her friend invited her back, and she came. She's 10 years old, and comes from a broken home. Let's just say her and I aren't exactly buddy-buddy.

Originally, she wanted to get baptized in Jesus' name, but left before doing so, seemingly bawking at the event. More-so, it was the effect that our Christmas play was having on her, she wanted to do it but didn't want to practice, so my wife decided that she was going to get cut (we only had 5 practices, they were pretty important). After that, she stopped coming. Though we tried to reason with her and continually asked her best friend about her, she still failed to come.

Well, yesterday was her second week back. She was still a little rough in class, being who she is. I personally enjoying being friends with the kids and helping them to learn more about God in that manner than physically teaching a group of 6-9 year olds. She's the oldest in our class and due to graduate to the next class in September, and yesterday I felt like she had a breakthrough.

We had a missionary at the church, and when the altar call went out, she came forward. What happened next I didn't expect. She began to raise her hands and the missionary started to pray with her. She stood and prayed with assistance from others for 10 minutes or more. I know I was not the only one hoping that she would receive the Holy Ghost, but I was also doing the best I could for her by interceding - I've been in those situations, and I know how the mind can get distracted. I did not want her to leave wanting, but to get her fill.

Needless to say, my wife and I are quite proud of her, and we are hoping that this is just the start. I'm sure baptism in Jesus' name will be discussed again before long, and we're hoping that she goes through with it this time.

I don't take much of any credit for what happened except hopefully being a good example, but I do believe the missionary's sermon was what gave her the momentum to get out of that seat and come to the front. She's learned this stuff in Sunday School and is now seeing it at work in her own life.

That's rewarding, and I'm glad my wife and I could help her to see how good God really is - for He is truly awesome.

What Child Is This?

Wow, blink and it's gone. Has It Really Been That Long? 4 months and counting since my last blog - what is wrong with me?

I have tons going on in life, you'd think I'd at least have time to share it with you all.

God is still doing amazing things in and around my life. Here's a taste:

Last week, one of our Sunday School students called (he's 9), and was asking if he could help teach. I told him that if he prepared and cleared it with my wife and I, that sure, we'd love to have him help out. He got excited, and let us know he'd run it by us, and then the conversation ended.

Apparently, after said conversation, he grabbed his Bible and trekked over to his grandma's house to ask for some help (she informed us that this brought a tear to her eye). He asked for her help with writing out scripture he had found.

He called us back later on to tell us he was going to read from Isaiah 9:2-7. This is what he had his grandma help him write out, and shared with us in class:
---------------------------------
2 "The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined."
3 "Thou hast multiplied the nation, and not increased the joy: they joy before thee according to the joy in harvest, and as men rejoice when they divide the spoil."
4 "For thou hast broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian."
5 "For every battle of the warrior is with confused noise, and garments rolled in blood; but this shall be with burning and fuel of fire."
6 "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace."
7 "Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this."

I'm stoked that one of the students we teach, especially that age, undertook such a task. He gave us a short, one sentence meaning of the scripture after reading it - that it's about hope and promise.

I'm glad God continues to work in my life. I am far from perfect, so it makes it that much better to know that the King hasn't left the building.