The Lord's Discipline 12-9-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Help me humble myself to hear what You would say. Help me trust that Your word of comfort or Your words of conviction are all words of Your love. ... "My child, do not despise the Lord's discipline or be weary of His reproof, for the Lord reproves the one He loves, as a father the son in whom He delights" (Proverbs 3:11-12). "He disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share His holiness. Now discipline always seems painful rather than pleasant at the time, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it" (Hebrews 12:10-11). You love us enough to discipline us -- loving us as we are, but never leaving us as we are. You want us to share in Your nature, that we may share in Your purposes. You allow us to stumble and fall through the sin of our pride, You allow us to feel the pain of Your disappointment and the sharpness of Your conviction of our conscience. But these are marks of Your love. Our wounded hearts will heal and our wounded pride will break. And there You are -- holding us even closer than before, even trusting us more than before, because we are learning Your ways and receiving Your nature in the process of Your discipline. Ironically, this is how we know when You truly delight in us. I receive Your discipline, Lord, knowing it is the mark and seal of Your love for me. Keep my conscience sensitive to Your conviction and keep my pride humbled under the hand of Your reproof. I am a son of God love, one in whom You delight, growing in the nature of Your holiness, all by Your grace for Your purposes through my life. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord." Our address is 2800 Tates Creek Rd.; Lexington, Kentucky 40502. Come to The Fountain the 3rd Saturday night of every month at 7 pm for our citywide gathering for prayer and worship in the chapel. Daily archives: www.morningbymorning.injesus.com