~ Submission ~
Series
Note
~ A constant reality is that it takes effort to develop and maintain good
habits. Unfortunately; we effortlessly develop bad habits.
To
combat this fact of mankind’s fallen nature requires consistent effort. This is
why personal discipline is vitally important. Simply stated the bottom-line is
that to fulfill our responsibility to become increasingly Christ-like we must
exercise continual discipline.
Scripture ~ “But what
things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I
also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus
my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as
rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own
righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in
Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and
the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being
conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from
the dead” (Philippians 3:7-12).
“Therefore submit to God.
Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will
draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you
double-minded. Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to
mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord,
and He will lift you up” (James 4:7-10).
“If you endure chastening, God
deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not
chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers,
then you are illegitimate and not sons. Furthermore, we have had human fathers
who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily
be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? For they indeed for a
few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we
may be partakers of His holiness. Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the
present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of
righteousness to those who have been trained by it” (Hebrews 12:7-11).
“Then He [Jesus] said to them all,
‘If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his
cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose
it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. For what profit is it
to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost? For
whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed
when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father’s, and of the holy angels” (Luke
9:23-26).
Comment
~ We are living in a “me focused” society. Strangely, the life that is lived
for Jesus Christ is the life of true inner constant joy – regardless of current
circumstances.
Question
~ Is doing the will of God (and pleasing God) more important to you than “doing
your own thing”? The apostle Paul could say: “I affirm, by the boasting in you
which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily” (1 Corinthians
15:31-32). He would rather do God’s will for him than to prioritize his own
desires.
Resource ~
If you would like assistance in living a disciplined life of subjection to God,
the Father’s, desires for you then I suggest the book “CHRIST’S DISCIPLE:
How To Finish Strong” by Robert Lloyd Russell, eBook ISBN: 978-1393844402,
ASIN: B091XZF79B, or print edition ISBN: 979-8223262800.
~ Robert
Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT
LIFE NOW blog.
* * * * *
Bible Version:
Quotations are from the NKJV unless otherwise noted. Emphasis is added.
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