being disciplined.

God revealed so much truth to me this weekend at winter conference. john stone, the RUF assistant coordinator, was the speaker. He spoke on "the cross and Christ". my friends and i chuckled, saying how original. does not everything involve Christ and the cross? but, it was new and fresh and what i needed at this point. thank you Lord for fixing my eyes upon Yours. this is going to be a lot of words, but i want to provide this scripture for you, too. the final message on sunday, john stone spoke on Hebrews 12. these verses are basically where i am at right now and want to be for the next couple of months. in fact, he said, i challenge you to meditate on the scripture for the next 3-4 weeks. it is so rich and i need to remind myself of this truth every day!

here goes...

"Therefore since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons?

'My son, do not regard lightly the

discipline of the Lord,

nor be weary when reproved by him.

For the Lord disciplines the one He

loves,

and chastises every son whom He

receives.'

It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful, rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees and make straight paths for your feet so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed."

- Hebrews 12:1-12

from my sophomore girls' James study...

"The Bible, the word of God moves from being an interesting book to being food, air, water for you. If you are dying of thirst and someone gives you a glass of water, you don’t look at it and say, 'Well, how interesting.' You consume it. You devour it. You desire more and look for it. You’ll do anything to get it."

and finally...

"Yea more, with His own hand He seemed

Intent to aggravate my woe;

Crossed all the fair designs I schemed,

Blasted my gourds, and laid me low.

Lord, why is this, I trembling cried,

Wilt thou pursue thy worm to death?

“’Tis in this way, the Lord replied,

I answer prayer for grace and faith.

These inward trials I employ,

From self, and pride, to set thee free;

And break thy schemes of earthly joy,

That thou may’st find thy all in Me.”

- I Asked the Lord, John Newton