Discipline - The Joy of Being a Son

by Rabbi

“…and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons, “MY SON, DO NOT REGARD LIGHTLY THE DISCIPLINE OF THE LORD, NOR FAINT WHEN YOU ARE REPROVED BY HIM; FOR THOSE WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES, AND HE SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES.” It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline?” Hebrews 12:5-7

Eternal Father intends for all blood redeemed eternal sons to exercise discipline throughout life. There is joy to discipline when properly perceived. The purpose of discipline is to gain liberty from self-seeking interests that are not in line with the Lord’s plans. Being disciplined is not difficult. Discipline is the spiritual discipline of yearning and seeking the Lord.

“You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. God is] spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” John 4:22-Salvation is the greatest correction that disciplines the heart, mind, and body. Spiritual growth comes from spiritual disciplines to transform our lives. Being disciplined by the Lord initiates internal impressions to demonstrate an external expression of who Eternal Father is. When we are disciplined it causes a spiritual reality of an inner attitude of the heart. The physical world around us can be invasive through materialism. Materialism is one of the greatest enemies of being disciplined. Being disciplined through the material world creates false opportunities because it limits life to what we can perceive physically. It is unfamiliarity that hinders the exploration of the inward life. As born again blood redeemed believers our spirit man must reach beyond the physical.

The spiritual disciplines are intended for our total good spirit and body, but it must begin with the spirit. It is impossible to control the internal work through physical means. Prayer, the study of scriptures and fasting can happen without sincere devotion. Imagine a “devotion-less” devotion – now that just does not sound right. It is only with a deep sense of humility can true discipline take place. Devotion devoid of commitment can cause pride to creep in and give a sense of being right instead of being disciplined. When discipline degenerates into religious pride it will manipulate and control and this is not godly discipline. There will be no correction or transformation. There can also be the natural tendency to treat matters of the spirit as luxury items - sort of an add-on to life, which will never bring supernatural transformation. Eating, sleeping, making money will be given priority. They will become revered so much so that prayer, meditation , nd study will fit in only when you feel like it.

Being true to our true being mandates that our priorities remain faithful to the inner disciplines that change our inner self. Through an intimate interaction with Eternal Father’s love by His Spirit, we come to know Him. The world at large has humanized God and defined man to a non-distinguishable point. God is a Holy God. Our true selves must recognize the importance of His holiness when it comes to the Lord’s discipline. Salvation is a Divine restoration process not exclusively beginning at the cross but at the point of Yeshua’s overcoming the world through his obedience. An obedience he had to learn. Hebrews 5:8-9 says, “Although he was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation.” Obedience is the fruit of being disciplined. We don’t obey to be disciplined, we obey because we are disciplined. Obedience expresses our love for the Father. Discipline is manifested holiness – a set ""apartness" of all that is good in the Lord. When there is the genuine understanding of holiness and God who is holy, there is transformation.

Holiness automatically equates to morality of the soul to most people. The thought of sinlessness, what can be worn as, “church attendance on Sunday”, “what is right or what is wrong”. Holiness has nothing to do with the condition of a person’s soul. Holiness is far more radical than that. Holiness isn’t an issue defined in terms of principled reasonings. Many people define their holiness by how they live but this falls short of the Lord’s standard. The Lord’s ways are higher than man’s therefore the laws within our understanding, perception, definitions or knowledge cannot qualify the discipline of the Lord’s holiness. It’s not a matter of morality but a matter of being. Holiness is the matter of God’s very being, His very existence. The heart of holiness is not so much as to what we do, but rather who God is. There is Creation, there is “Godliness” and there is God. Creation is the thought He thinks about. Godliness is how He thinks about it. God in Godliness is how He thinks about Himself. When we seek to be true we must seek the Holiness of Eternal Father’s Being.

Life is true; every step of it is destined to be Godly. Only the purposelessness is false therefore when a person lives without knowing their purpose their lives are not disciplined. They over indulge for immediate pleasure seeking only to gratify their desires. Examples of an undisciplined life are poor stewardship of health – how a person eats, exercises and rests; finances – how a person spends, saves and gives; Inheritance – what legacy the person is meant to leave in the earth for the generations to come. When you don’t see purpose you fail to recognize the importance of being a godly steward. One reason for an undisciplined life is desire. Desire is corruption of the flesh – remember what took place in the garden in Genesis 3. Life has meaning beyond self-satisfaction, but it requires discipline to know the meaning. Meaning should not be thought of as definition or description, but as function. Function is purpose. Function is service that facilitates the Lord’s will. It is to be why you were created to be. When purpose is clear then determination achieves every resolve.

When we allow the Lord’s correction to happen, life then becomes the most precious journey that is never taken for granted. We value ourselves according to the Lord’s will for our lives. We value the relationships with family, friends and those sent into our lives to teach, direct and guide us into a loving relationship with our Eternal Father. Hidden within every shadow of failure, disappointment and regret there is still love chastening us into a greater success. Notice I called failure, disappointment and regrets shadows because that is all they are – shadows. Shadows are only shades on the next window of opportunity. So I say raise the blinds and see again.

Our actions are catalysts to change the world. The visible impacts are not really what matters. In everything you do, consider the Lords’ discipline as fine adjustments the world needs before it may transform. No matter how much your “un-comfortability” or your sincerity always question your motives. Obedience must always produce the position of being true to truly being. At the core of our salvation is purity that makes all things transparent and this is the gate into the Lord’s kingdom. A kingdom where there is no trace of doubt. Doubt is the exile of the soul and it is that the exile must be taken out of us. Within every moment of life, there is a fire of truth living there.

Being true rejects the thing that never was. Not life, but its shadow. There are paths we’ve all taken, decisions that should have never been made, and regrets that may still haunt some. Being true brings the supernatural into our lives. The supernatural is more than miracles, signs and wonders; it is a constant exchange of love in the light of the Lord’s salvation daily. Daily living, daily moving and daily having a being in the Lord. It will take a change in how we see, hear, and have understood things to be. We truly are more than conquerors in Messiah Yeshua. He is the only way and it is by his life we are disciplined to love our Eternal Father.

Over the next few weeks, I will share nuggets concerning discipline, holiness and being true. So stay tune and subscribe. Comments are welcomed as long as they encourage and build up.

His

R’ Yisrael