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DirtBags 1/28/2011

Ó 2011. John Creamer. All rights reserved.

Continuing the previous 2 lessons on suffering, trials, adversity, difficulty and discipline…

Romans 5:3-5(NIV) 3Not only so, but we£ also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;4perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

·  What does suffering produce in us?

Questions:

From the previous lesson…

·  Often times when people [we] are undergoing adversity, trials, difficulties and suffering, they [we] spend a great deal of time on finding and blaming the source or cause of our suffering.

·  How can it be counter-productive to focus solely on the cause or source of our suffering?

…and now…

·  Do you recall a specific time that your parent disciplined you?

·  Do you recall a specific time that you disciplined one of your children?

·  What are some other areas of life beyond the immediate family in which discipline is needed?

·  How is discipline related to an individual’s education process?

·  Is discipline employed or needed in sports?

·  How is discipline related to business?

·  Does discipline have any effect on a person’s work ethic?

·  How is discipline related to civil obedience or civil disobedience?

·  Is there any association between discipline and a person’s relationship with God?

·  What does ‘discipline’ mean to you? Webster defines it as:

“Training that corrects, molds, or perfects. Punishment. Control gained by obedience or training: orderly conduct. System of rules governing conduct or practice.”

The previous lesson pointed out 1) there are various sources and causes of suffering, trials and adversity, and 2) we often focus exclusively on the sources/causes and miss the benefit of the process outlined in Romans 5:3-5.

This lesson continues with the same 2 points in mind.

Scripture: (Underline/italics in Scriptures are mine for emphasis.)
(Proverbs 3:11-12 NIV) My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline and do not resent his rebuke, {12} because the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.

·  What does verse 11 warn us not to do?

·  To what is God’s discipline compared in verse 12? (Discipline from our earthly father.)

·  Why does a loving parent discipline their child?

·  Could a child receiving parental discipline possibly consider discipline as adversity?

·  What is God’s reason for discipline [verse 12]?

·  Could a man [whom God loves] in the middle of God’s disciplinary action possibly confuse discipline and adversity?

In order to gain a proper perspective on the comparison of God’s discipline to a father’s discipline, Scriptures on parental discipline are helpful…

(Proverbs 6:20-24 NIV) My son, keep your father's commands and do not forsake your mother's teaching. {21} Bind them upon your heart forever; fasten them around your neck. {22} When you walk, they will guide you; when you sleep, they will watch over you; when you awake, they will speak to you. {23} For these commands are a lamp, this teaching is a light, and the corrections of discipline are the way to life, {24} keeping you from the immoral woman, from the smooth tongue of the wayward wife.

·  How do verses 20-22 say the son should respond to his ‘father’s commands’ and his ‘mother’s teaching’?

·  What value does verse 23 say the ‘corrections of discipline’ have for us? (The way to life.)

·  What would the opposite outcome be for the person who shunned this parental discipline?

(Proverbs 13:24 NIV) He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline him.

·  What does this verse say parents demonstrate about the relationship with their children when they refuse to discipline them?

(Proverbs 19:18 NIV) Discipline your son, for in that there is hope; do not be a willing party to his death.

·  How does this verse describe the outcome when parents refuse to discipline their child?

(Proverbs 22:15 NIV) Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline will drive it far from him.

·  What are some of the ways ‘folly bound up in the heart of a child’ manifests itself?

·  What cures it?

(Proverbs 23:13-14 NIV) Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you punish him with the rod, he will not die. {14} Punish him with the rod and save his soul from death.

·  What does verse 13 suggest many fear will happen if they discipline their child?

·  What does verse 14 tell us discipline will do?

(Proverbs 29:15 NIV) The rod of correction imparts wisdom, but a child left to himself disgraces his mother.

·  Have you seen this mother and child in the grocery store?

·  How would you describe the ‘scene’?

·  Who won the ‘battle’?

·  According to the two previous passages, who will ultimately die in the ‘war’?

(Proverbs 29:17 NIV) Discipline your son, and he will give you peace; he will bring delight to your soul.

·  By contrast, what will the disciplined child do?

Discipline in life comes from many different sources. How we respond to discipline, regardless of the source, will determine much about us and for us…

(Proverbs 10:17 NIV) He who heeds discipline shows the way to life, but whoever ignores correction leads others astray.

·  What will the person who understands and applies discipline do? (Show the way to life.)

·  What will the one who ignores discipline do? (Lead others astray.)

(Proverbs 12:1 NIV) Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid.

·  What does the proper appreciation of discipline reveal about a person?

·  What about the one who hates it? (Stupid.)

(Proverbs 13:18 NIV) He who ignores discipline comes to poverty and shame, but whoever heeds correction is honored.

·  What price does the person who ignores discipline pay?

(Proverbs 15:5 NIV) A fool spurns his father's discipline, but whoever heeds correction shows prudence.

(Proverbs 15:10 NIV) Stern discipline awaits him who leaves the path; he who hates correction will die.

·  Verse 5 contrasts the two responses to discipline and correction; how are they described?

·  According to verse 10, what will happen to the fool of verse 5?

(Proverbs 15:12 NIV) A mocker resents correction; he will not consult the wise.

·  What is the mocker’s opinion of discipline?

(Proverbs 15:31-33 NIV) He who listens to a life-giving rebuke will be at home among the wise. {32} He who ignores discipline despises himself, but whoever heeds correction gains understanding. {33} The fear of the LORD teaches a man wisdom, and humility comes before honor.

·  How is the person described who accepts discipline properly?

·  How is the one described who does not?

(Proverbs 5:21-23 NIV) For a man's ways are in full view of the LORD, and he examines all his paths. {22} The evil deeds of a wicked man ensnare him; the cords of his sin hold him fast. {23} He will die for lack of discipline, led astray by his own great folly.

·  What will be the outcome for the person rejecting discipline?

God’s discipline…

Notice that in the verses that follow, God’s discipline is never described as to how it manifests itself in our lives or whether we will be able to positively prove it comes from God. Obviously, these are not the most important considerations, or God would have included these identification aspects in the Scriptures about discipline.

One of the references listed below is from the account of Job. Job suffered through some horrible experiences in the loss of his children, his wealth, his health, his status in the community as a result, etc., all brought about by Satan. Yet, Job stated in Job 5:17: “Blessed is the man whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.” As far as Job was concerned, everything in his life—including these difficulties—was a function of his relationship with God…not his struggle against Satan. His faith led him to work through his difficulties in life as though they were disciplines from God rather than attacks from Satan…even though the Bible makes it clear that Satan was the cause of Job’s problems.

Apparently, it is more important for us to learn how to respond to the difficulties than it is to learn to conduct an audit trail of the cause or source of our difficulties. This is consistent with the admonition in 1Thessalonians 5:18 to “…give thanks in all circumstances…” not just the ones you think are directly from God. And, it complies with the reminder in Romans 8:28 that “…we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him…”, regardless of what—or who—caused those things to happen.

(Hebrews 12:5-11 NIV) And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: "My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, {6} because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son." {7} Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? {8} If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. {9} 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 our spirits and live! {10} Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. {11} 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.

·  How does verse 7 say God is treating us when we are going through discipline?

·  According to verse 8, what would the absence of discipline indicate?

·  According to verse 11, what is the goal [harvest] of discipline?

(Revelation 3:19-20 NIV) Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. {20} Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.

·  According to verse 19, what does Jesus do for those He loves?

·  How would the person who does not understand the value of discipline respond to this verse?

·  What does Jesus hope to accomplish from this discipline? (To enter our lives.)

(Job 5:17-22 NIV) "Blessed is the man whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty. {18} For he wounds, but he also binds up; he injures, but his hands also heal. {19} From six calamities he will rescue you; in seven no harm will befall you. {20} In famine he will ransom you from death, and in battle from the stroke of the sword. {21} You will be protected from the lash of the tongue, and need not fear when destruction comes. {22} You will laugh at destruction and famine, and need not fear the beasts of the earth.

·  In light of verse 17, it appears that people have always had a tendency to complain and resist discipline from the Lord. According to verses 18-22, however, what are the things God will do for us through this discipline process?

(Psalms 39:11 NIV) You rebuke and discipline men for their sin; you consume their wealth like a moth-- each man is but a breath. Selah

·  According to this verse, what is one of the reasons God disciplines us?

(Psalms 94:12 NIV) Blessed is the man you discipline, O LORD, the man you teach from your law;

·  Where do we learn God’s discipline?

(2 Timothy 1:7 NIV) For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.

·  What is one of God’s goals for us regarding discipline? (To become self-disciplined.)

(Psalms 66:10-11 NIV) For you, O God, tested us; you refined us like silver. {11} You brought us into prison and laid burdens on our backs.

·  What is the method, and purpose, of refining silver? (Extremely hot temperatures are used to burn the impurities out of silver.)

·  What do you think the psalmist was saying when he said God refined them...what is the comparison between refining silver and God testing His children?

·  Do you think being in God’s “refiner’s fire” could be described as adversity?

(Lamentations 3:31-33,38-39 NIV) For men are not cast off by the Lord forever. {32} Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love. {33} For he does not willingly bring affliction or grief to the children of men. {38} Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that both calamities and good things come? {39} Why should any living man complain when punished for his sins?

·  What do verses 32, 33 and 38 identify as a source of grief and affliction? (God)

·  Even though God administers the grief, who does verse 39 identify as the cause? (Man’s own sins.)

Source: God

(John 16:33 NIV) "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."