Discipline

Me: Howdy, Prodigal! Are you about to eat some ice cream?

Prodigal: I have already had two and I am trying to stop myself from having another. I can’t put on too much weight.

Me: The act of discipline. Don’t we all struggle with that at times! I was just reading about four realms of discipline to how gain depth in our spiritual lives.

Chuck Swindoll in his book Active Spirituality takes this all from Proverbs 2

The discipline of the written Word of God. “My son, if you will receive my saying, /And treasure my commandments within you” (v.1). It is essential that we receive God’s sayings-take them in on a regular basis and allow them to find lodging in our minds. Few things are more astounding in our world than biblical ignorance. People who go beneath the surface of shallow living treasure God’s truths and saturate their minds with the Scriptures.
The discipline of inner desire.”Make your ear attentive to wisdom,/Incline your heart to understanding”(v.2). If we read that correctly, we’ll need to have an attentive ear to God’s reproofs and cultivate an open heart before Him
The discipline of prevailing prayer. “For if you cry for discernment,/Lift your voice for understanding”(v.3). Perhaps the single most overlooked (and among the most difficult) discipline in the Christian life is consistent prayer. Prevailing prayer. Fervent prayer. In such prayer we “cry for discernment” and we “lift our voice for understanding.” In prayer, the sincere believer puts an end to a quick tiptoe trip through the kingdom, chattering like children running through a mall. This person gets down to serious business.
The discipline of daily consistency. “If you seek her as silver,/ And search for her as for hidden treasures”(v.4). We’re talking diligence and effort here! The saying describes our seeking God’s truths as though digging for silver and searching His mind as we would pursue hidden treasures. This is no superficial game–it’s a heavy, consistent pursuit of the living God!.
And the result? The discovery? Then you will discern the fear of the Lord. And discover the knowledge of God.

Proverbs 2 :9

Then you will discern righteousness and justice And equity and every good course.

Jennifer Van Allen

www.faithincounseling.org

www.theprodigalpig.com