Welcome to God's Lemonade Stand

It is my hope that by reading this daily you will grow in your walk with Christ and knowledge of scriptures and be set free from any struggles in your life that are weighing you down. Be blessed to be a blessing.

Friday, April 15, 2011

MD

'MD' above does not stand for 'Medical Doctor' but for 'mostly disciplined." In the military being 'mostly disciplined' would not cut it. You are either all the way disciplined and trained or perhaps you are not fit for military duty. The military has a unique way to instill discipline in its troops and leaders. It is unlike any other thing in the civilian world. I speak from experience.

In life discipline is required too. Discipline to get up in the morning. Discipline to work hard and not get fired. Discipline to control your tongue and not just say whatever you feel like. Discipline in exercising our physical bodies in order to stay in shape and healthy. Discipline to get to bed on time so we are not worn out the next day. Discipline to not look at pornography or bad television and movies that put ideas into your head that do not need to be there. Discipline to finish your tax filing by the deadline. Discipline to study to graduate from school. Discipline to complete chores. Discipline to break bad habits. You get the idea. It is a key thing. Those who have served our Armed Forces have a head start due to the excellent training they receive to mold them. Some things such as making a tight bed that a coin can bounce off of may seem silly but the military has a reason for it. Shining your boots til you can see yourself in them too has a purpose in the big scheme of things. Forced marches with heavy packs on your back is also a method of training. Also getting up in the wee hours of the morning at 'O dark thirty' is another discipline for the soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines.

In order to be successful in life discipline is required. When it comes to our spiritual life it is essential in order to grow in Christ and be conformed to his image that we are disciplined not in 'doing good works' ,which are all fine and good, but do not get you into heaven simply by doing good. Ephesians 2:8-9 says "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast." You have to pick up the Bible and open it to learn how to be more Christlike. Serving the body of Christ is good but you have to also want to learn more about him and to do that is requires knowledge of his word.

Hebrews 12:11 says "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." Life is not always going to be easy. There will be ups and downs, hills and valleys in your spiritual walk. James 1:3 tells us "For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow." People who want to get in shape physically have to put in some effort to do it just as knowing about Christ is not just about going to church one hour each Sunday. That is a start but there is so much more.

Don't keep sucking on the spiritual 'baby bottle' but grow up and become mature in Christ. Desire 'meat' not just 'milk'. 1 Peter 2:2 says in relation to this "Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment." Do not expect to just go to church one hour and think that is all you need. Crave a relationship with the Lord and cry out to him to come in to your heart and change you and give you that desire if it is not there already.

PRAYER: I long to know you Lord and long to make Bible reading a daily priority. Help me to discipline myself so that I do not put you last in my day. In Jesus Name. Amen.

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