Understanding

We have seen that God is in control of all of this. I am one to say that although I do not like this virus, I am thankful for it. It has shown the world what truly matters the most to God. And I promise it is not what you think. We have also seen that we can not live without him. He has exposed some nastiness in our world. He has exposed who is and who is not our friend. So that leads me into the next thing that we should be doing. Disciplining ourselves. Hebrews 12 is a great place to start. I am going to start with verse 4. "In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says, My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son. Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined- and everyone undergoes discipline- then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. Therefore, straighten your feeble arms and weak knees. Make level paths for your feet, so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed." None of us has resisted our sinful nature to the point that we are beaten, had a crown of thorns embedded into our heads, carried our cross to where we would die and then be nailed to the cross that we just carried. To hang, to be ridiculed, to be stripped of everything and finally cry out "It is finished." God is telling us right here, he is disciplining us for the good. How many of you correct your children? I can almost say all of you have. He tells us that if he doesn't discipline us then we really don't belong to him. Discipline is not fun at the time but it is something every human has to go through in order to learn. What is your lesson in all of this? What is God calling on you to do? Be a leader, be a prayer warrior, to serve others? Who knows that is between you and God. But I know one thing is calling all who calls on his name, to humbly pray, learn his word and he is showing us where the real church lies-US! If we take our punishment and learn he says there will be a harvest of righteousness and peace for those of us that heed this warning. When we come out of all of this- let us show the world that Christ followers will no longer be silent because as you have put us in our houses, we were training for the day that we are released. Who is with me? Have a blessed day!