A Devotional Look at the Book #539

A Devotional Look at the Book #539

by Jesse Abel

A Thought for today by Papa “J”

The nickel on the nightstand: Does not picture an elephant or a donkey. Nor does the nickel any longer reflect our national heritage of Chief Iron Tail and the buffalo (1913 – 1938). Like many assets of the United States… the nickel has lost its value.

A DAY IN THE PAST, THE PRESENT OR THE FUTURE

Days that stand out in life are special to us; are they not? A courtship that brings us to the altar, the birth of a son or daughter, the beginning of a long military career or finding that certain career. These events have forged a place in our hearts that will always be like a sweet spot in our mind. Sometimes when things are tough people retreat to these “sweet spots” for comfort and rest from the boiling stresses of life; these episodes of retreat do not always workout for the best since many people end up not letting go of certain things that develop within the sweet spot and these end up being bondages instead of a comfort. As in the courtship that not only leads to the altar but also to the courtroom or the career that begins to crumble as one is passed over in the advancement process. Bitterness, resentment and hurt work ruin in a person’s mind to the point of semi-permanent impairment. Today I feel that our Nation reeks of this spoilage of the American mind. Why? Deuteronomy 5:6-21 which is summed up for us New Testament saints with the words of Jesus Christ in Matthew 22:34-40. National Idolatry and selfishness has replaced our national love for God and neighbor. Until we as a nation are willing to acknowledge this sin there will be no peace. To know Jesus is to know peace. If your life has no Jesus in it; then you have no peace.

2 Corinthians

2 Corinthians 2:1-11 – Ever been around someone with; sorrow of heart? Usually a person in this mindset is suffering from intimidation or guilt. Even church leadership can promote sorrow within the congregation when these men are confronted with ongoing sin in the church. I am not a pastor (thank the LORD) but I have stood behind the pulpit enough to see the saddened eyes and the wrinkled frowns of a group of saints who have hurt themselves and others because of sin.

What is to be done to correct this blight of failure and sin? Should there be a time of discipline? Emphatically YES! Should there be a time of reflection and repentance? The same YES applies. Lastly; should there be a time of forgiveness? Still the answer remains – YES! Here is a thought. Was discipline administered in one moment of time, or did it occur over a period of time leading up to the moment of final execution? In most cases; church discipline is applied by the biblical principles found in Matthew 1815-20 and many other passages; even like that in James 5:19-20. These events in the lives of God’s children take time.

So here again we see that discipline like other sorrows of life have a process; that process has only one focus… HEALING. Healing the heart that is out of balance; like this simple but profound statement of the apostle Paul in Romans 5:8: “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us”. We therefore in our disciplines should be just as willing to demonstrate restoration love for the sinner. In discipline we died to them; but in forgiveness we are restored to them even as Christ has forgiven us.