Disciplining

Disciplining

 This summer my husband and I have been diligent to try and correct poor attitudes and helping my children to listen without five thousand reminders.  We have locked arms to try and have a unified force.  Tough love is hard.  I’m sure my children do not consider it pure joy  (James 1:2-4) when we discipline them so that they can mature. 

Recently, we had what I call an explosion of disobedience that needed action.  Two of my children lost the privilege of going to our local pool the next day.  They were crushed and broken.  And so was I.  As I had pillow talk with my husband that evening I had a hard time holding back tears.  I did not want them to miss out of their favorite summer activity.  Couldn’t I give them one more chance?  I rewound the words I had just told them an hour before, “If you are caught speeding on the highway a police officer is not going to give you a ticket and then take it away.”  I had to look beyond the moment.  I am trying to teach my children to live respectfully, obey, tame their tongue and listen to what is important.

The next morning there were no grudges.  My two children loved me the same.  They were over the initial sting of being disciplined.  They also knew mommy and daddy meant business.  God also reminded me that I was able to have some “special time” with my third child at the pool that day, as the other stayed home while daddy worked from home.  Just as the Lord tells us to endure hardship as discipline; God is treating us as his children (Hebrews 12:7)—so it is with our children on loan from Him.  

Warmly,

Jill

A lecture for little-faith by Spurgeon

Another great Spurgeon devotion. Enjoy your summer day!

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SPURGEON AT THE NEW PARK CHAPEL

A lecture for little-faith
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“We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because
that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all
toward each other aboundeth.” 2 Thessalonians 1:3

Suggested Further Reading: Matthew 17:14-21

When faith commences in the soul it is simply looking unto Jesus, and perhaps
even then there are so many clouds of doubts, and so much dimness of the eye,
that we have need for the light of the Spirit to shine upon the cross before
we are able even so much as to see it. When faith grows a little, it rises
from looking to Christ to coming to Christ. He who stood afar off and looked
to the cross, by-and-by plucks up courage, and getting heart to himself, he
runneth up to the cross; or perhaps he doth not run, but hath to be drawn
before he can so much as creep thither, and even then it is with a limping
gait that he draweth nigh to Christ the Saviour. But that done, faith goeth a
little farther: it layeth hold on Christ; it begins to see him in his
excellency, and appropriates him in some degree, conceives him to be a real
Christ and a real Saviour, and is convinced of his suitability. And when it
hath done as much as that, it goeth further; it leaneth on Christ; it leaneth
on its Beloved; casteth all the burden of its cares, sorrows, and griefs upon
that blessed shoulder, and permitteth all its sins to be swallowed up in the
great red sea of the Saviour’s blood. And faith can then go further still; for
having seen and run towards him, and laid hold upon him, and having leaned
upon him, faith in the next place puts in a humble, but a sure and certain
claim to all that Christ is and all that he has wrought; and then, trusting
alone in this, appropriating all this to itself, faith mounteth to full
assurance; and out of heaven there is no state more rapturous and blessed.

For meditation: How would you describe the state of your faith? Do you want to
grow in faith (Luke 17:5)?

Sermon no. 205 / 18 July (1858) 

Spurgeon's Writing

I love this devotional by Spurgeon. What if we were so confident of our citizenship in heaven that we lived like Spurgeon wrote below? I bet our days would look much different.

Joy,

Leeanne

C. H. Spurgeon

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"Fellow citizens with the saints."—Ephesians 2:19.

WHAT is meant by our being citizens in heaven? It means that we are under heaven's government. Christ the king of heaven reigns in our hearts; our daily prayer is, "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." The proclamations issued from the throne of glory are freely received by us: the decrees of the Great King we cheerfully obey. Then as citizens of the New Jerusalem, we share heaven's honours. The glory which belongs to beatified saints belongs to us, for we are already sons of God, already princes of the blood imperial; already we wear the spotless robe of Jesu's righteousness; already we have angels for our servitors, saints for our companions, Christ for our Brother, God for our Father, and a crown of immortality for our reward. We share the honours of citizenship, for we have come to the general assembly and Church of the first-born whose names are written in heaven. As citizens, we have common rights to all the property of heaven. Ours are its gates of pearl and walls of chrysolite; ours the azure light of the city that needs no candle nor light of the sun; ours the river of the water of life, and the twelve manner of fruits which grow on the trees planted on the banks thereof; there is nought in heaven that belongeth not to us. "Things present, or things to come," all are ours. Also as citizens of heaven we enjoy its delights. Do they there rejoice over sinners that repent—prodigals that have returned? So do we. Do they chant the glories of triumphant grace? We do the same. Do they cast their crowns at Jesu's feet? Such honours as we have we cast there too. Are they charmed with His smile? It is not less sweet to us who dwell below. Do they look forward, waiting for His second advent? We also look and long for His appearing. If, then, we are thus citizens of heaven, let our walk and actions be consistent with our high dignity.