Together # 43
A Together of Spiritual Growth
A Together of Spiritual Growth
Face Judgment and Discipline Together
copyright by Dick Wulf, 2018
Accept God’s judgment of what needs to change and His resulting discipline. Face it together with those close to you in the faith — for both your spiritual growth and theirs.
Prov 1:7; 1 Cor 11:31-32; Heb 12:7-11; 1 Peter 4:17
It appears that 3 of the Togethers are quite similar, yet different in emphasis. “Face and Endure Hardship Together” has to do with the difficulties of everyday living and serving God, not those stemming from someone’s sin. “Carry One Another’s Burdens” relates to helping one another face the consequences of our sins. And “Face Judgment and Discipline Together” focuses on cooperating with God’s redemptive process in each of us and, occasionally, all of us corporately.
Judgment and discipline can come from God because of sins we delay in rectifying. But, it also includes much more frequent judging in the sense of seeing where we need to develop and disciplining in the sense of creating situations that, if dealt with, will produce growth in our spirits. The latter will be our major emphasis, since the former is rather obvious.
When we were children, we probably did not understand discipline. Our parents disciplined us and we may have thought they were mean or unreasonable. Now we are adults and understand discipline differently. Some of us have children and know that discipline is love, not meanness or unreasonable.
We also know that discipline is not meant to be easy or comfortable. So we find ourselves saying we are open to God’s correction and discipline while we hope we don’t have to endure it. Yet, because He loves us and is preparing us for the very best life in heaven that lasts infinitely longer than this life, God disciplines us to get us ready. Any amount of wishing and praying discipline need not happen does not diminish the Lord’s love for us. His hope for us to have the very best future possible has preference over our desire to be comfortable, safe and happy.
In light of this, we might as well accept God’s discipline as best we can. And that best way is together.
|
For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?
1 Peter 4:17
|
Peter is telling Christians that our judgment has already started, and that is better than being judged like unbelievers which is in the future because they do not need preparation for heaven. The judgment that has begun is not judgment that leads to heaven or hell. We are already saved from the terrible consequences of that judgment. This judgment has to do with purification and sanctification.
This is not unlike early diagnosis of cancer that can be cured if caught soon enough. If God were to wait in judging how we fall short of the mark now, He would not be able to prepare us through discipline for heaven. Any quality of spirit that needed an environment of sin in which to develop would be lost at death. God needs to judge where we next need to grow in our spirits and measure out discipline right now.
Imagine if God did not take stock of our spiritual condition with regard to our final destination in heaven. That would be like a Sherpa guide not assessing what someone they would be leading up Mt. Everest needed in order to survive and enjoy the trip. We are very fortunate to have God scrutinize our unrighteousness so that He can give whatever help is needed now before it is too late.
The Bible is full of the help we need, but we have great difficulty implementing its knowledge and wisdom. Take for example the truth that God is sovereign and never out of control of the things that go on in our lives. It is simple to say that is what Scripture teaches and that we believe it. It is quite another thing to know that what happens in our lives is under the control of God and used by Him for our benefit.
This is not unlike early diagnosis of cancer that can be cured if caught soon enough. If God were to wait in judging how we fall short of the mark now, He would not be able to prepare us through discipline for heaven. Any quality of spirit that needed an environment of sin in which to develop would be lost at death. God needs to judge where we next need to grow in our spirits and measure out discipline right now.
Imagine if God did not take stock of our spiritual condition with regard to our final destination in heaven. That would be like a Sherpa guide not assessing what someone they would be leading up Mt. Everest needed in order to survive and enjoy the trip. We are very fortunate to have God scrutinize our unrighteousness so that He can give whatever help is needed now before it is too late.
The Bible is full of the help we need, but we have great difficulty implementing its knowledge and wisdom. Take for example the truth that God is sovereign and never out of control of the things that go on in our lives. It is simple to say that is what Scripture teaches and that we believe it. It is quite another thing to know that what happens in our lives is under the control of God and used by Him for our benefit.
|
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, . . .
Romans 8:28-29b
|
If we do not grow in deep-down, automatic belief that God is sovereign and in control, how would God try to get us beyond our stubborn free will to that point of trusting? He could guide into our lives Christians further along the path to incorporating God’s sovereignty into their lives. We could see their trust in God in their dire circumstances. If we then followed their example and trusted Him when things got rough for us, God would probably not need to discipline us to get us where He wants us.
But, what if we still do not believe that He is in control? Isn’t it logical that He would move to discipline? First, He would judge that we are stuck at a level of belief and trust incompatible with the best life in heaven. Second, He would discipline us through some kind of hardship, forcing us to trust in Him. And, when He has delivered us from the hardship He has brought into our lives or allowed Satan to inflict, He will again judge whether or not we recognize His sovereignty.
In heaven, God wants us to know that all of the good that is there, 100 percent of life, is under His design and control. So, He must keep bringing discipline in the form of troubles into our lives for our own good until we arrive at that deep faith that He is sovereign and can be trusted. It behooves us to learn from the Bible and put that truth to the test. The word “know” in the following verse does not mean “familiar with” or any of the other lesser meanings. It is from the Greek word that means “knowledge tried and proven”.
But, what if we still do not believe that He is in control? Isn’t it logical that He would move to discipline? First, He would judge that we are stuck at a level of belief and trust incompatible with the best life in heaven. Second, He would discipline us through some kind of hardship, forcing us to trust in Him. And, when He has delivered us from the hardship He has brought into our lives or allowed Satan to inflict, He will again judge whether or not we recognize His sovereignty.
In heaven, God wants us to know that all of the good that is there, 100 percent of life, is under His design and control. So, He must keep bringing discipline in the form of troubles into our lives for our own good until we arrive at that deep faith that He is sovereign and can be trusted. It behooves us to learn from the Bible and put that truth to the test. The word “know” in the following verse does not mean “familiar with” or any of the other lesser meanings. It is from the Greek word that means “knowledge tried and proven”.
|
So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
John 8:31-32
|
Just think of the huge job God has in converting us into the image of His Son for citizenship in His heaven; how much change He wants for us both for His glory and for our enjoyment. As the Westminster Shorter Catechism states: “Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever”, so, we, in being changed into the image of Jesus, are being prepared to glorify God as well as to enjoy God and everything He has created forever. If we desire this, we must get to the point of wanting God’s discipline coming to us out of His love.
This is where the tremendous value of this Together comes in. If we face judgment and discipline together, it is much, much more manageable. If we do it alone, we are asking for much more misery. Together we can help one another get the big picture and make the spiritual change sooner.
Unfortunately, Christians sometimes make it very difficult to face judgment and discipline together. How many of us have been judged and sternly told that we are being punished and brought our problems onto ourselves? Whenever a Christian has pointed out that we are being disciplined by God for whatever reason, if not done in humility and love, it actually makes us want to suffer God’s discipline alone or it provokes us to deny that we are being disciplined. There is never a time for Christians to judge (God’s privilege and role) or convict (the Holy Spirits prerogative).
Believers must recognize that suffering is most often an expression of God’s loving discipline for further spiritual growth.
This is where the tremendous value of this Together comes in. If we face judgment and discipline together, it is much, much more manageable. If we do it alone, we are asking for much more misery. Together we can help one another get the big picture and make the spiritual change sooner.
Unfortunately, Christians sometimes make it very difficult to face judgment and discipline together. How many of us have been judged and sternly told that we are being punished and brought our problems onto ourselves? Whenever a Christian has pointed out that we are being disciplined by God for whatever reason, if not done in humility and love, it actually makes us want to suffer God’s discipline alone or it provokes us to deny that we are being disciplined. There is never a time for Christians to judge (God’s privilege and role) or convict (the Holy Spirits prerogative).
Believers must recognize that suffering is most often an expression of God’s loving discipline for further spiritual growth.
Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.
Rev 3:19
Rev 3:19
This disciplining us for our own spirit’s growth is faced best with those in our Christian Inner Circles. It is in these trusted relationships that we recognize that from time to time we must all be disciplined, that difficult times often come our way, not as regular hardship of life or a result of our sin, but from the loving heart of God who wants to nudge us closer to the image of Jesus. With that in mind, rather than getting upset with the Christian who is being refined in the fire of God’s love, we instead become concerned for those Christians in our Inner Circle who are not facing judgment and discipline. We should worry about those who have such stable, untroubled lives that it might be that God has already decided they are not going to respond to His love. Most of us should be facing God’s loving judgment and discipline regularly or we are in deep trouble.
Rather than waiting for God’s judgment and discipline, we can faithfully and joyfully march toward it. We can step out in faith to do something risky for God, willingly bringing onto ourselves difficult situations that will try our faith and force growth toward Christlikeness. We can willingly accept God’s discipline if we do not rise to the level of faith required. That would be like a teenager going to her mother and confessing that she could clean her room better and asking for some distasteful consequence if she does not meet her mother’s standards.
To grow in trust of God’s sovereignty, for example, one could seek out a recurring alcoholic, befriend that person, and work to bring lasting sobriety. This task would take any of us to our knees in depending upon God’s sovereignty. But, would it not be worth it in light of eternal benefits in heaven that would be otherwise lost if such spiritual growth was not gained through caring for such a struggling person? (What would happen if every Christian sought out to help someone stuck with some difficult situation or challenge? We would have a different, better world. And we would all go to heaven much improved.)
However God’s judgment and loving discipline comes to us, we should be facing it together. It should be easier if we recognize we are all facing judgment and discipline. The way of the world is “misery loves company”. However, our way is “transforming into the image of Jesus Christ through struggle needs company”.
Opportunity to Become More and More Like Jesus Christ
Rather than waiting for God’s judgment and discipline, we can faithfully and joyfully march toward it. We can step out in faith to do something risky for God, willingly bringing onto ourselves difficult situations that will try our faith and force growth toward Christlikeness. We can willingly accept God’s discipline if we do not rise to the level of faith required. That would be like a teenager going to her mother and confessing that she could clean her room better and asking for some distasteful consequence if she does not meet her mother’s standards.
To grow in trust of God’s sovereignty, for example, one could seek out a recurring alcoholic, befriend that person, and work to bring lasting sobriety. This task would take any of us to our knees in depending upon God’s sovereignty. But, would it not be worth it in light of eternal benefits in heaven that would be otherwise lost if such spiritual growth was not gained through caring for such a struggling person? (What would happen if every Christian sought out to help someone stuck with some difficult situation or challenge? We would have a different, better world. And we would all go to heaven much improved.)
However God’s judgment and loving discipline comes to us, we should be facing it together. It should be easier if we recognize we are all facing judgment and discipline. The way of the world is “misery loves company”. However, our way is “transforming into the image of Jesus Christ through struggle needs company”.
Opportunity to Become More and More Like Jesus Christ
|
Toby and Polly are young Christian newlyweds. God steered them to this particular smaller apartment complex because He had work for them to do. Specifically, the maintenance man was about to lose his job and risk his marriage. Toby lived to fish and when the honeymoon wound down, he would be anxious to get to a river. And, the Lord needed Toby to take the maintenance man along so that He could help through Toby.
Naturally, Toby was not prepared sufficiently in his spirit for the task, but within a short time he would be the vehicle for the working of Jesus. God judged where Toby needed to grow and designed situations of discipline to effect the needed growth in his spirit. You see, the maintenance man was cheating on his wife with a single parent in the apartment complex. The Lord interfered with the battery of a young woman’s car in the apartment parking area about the time that Toby was heading off to work. Toby connected their car electrical systems and got her car started. She began flirting with Toby that very day. After a few days of this young woman getting too friendly with Toby, he mentioned the situation to Polly. Since their marriage was new and still very exciting, this was not a dangerous situation as it would have been for another Christian in the complex God could not use because that marriage had grown a bit cold. That was why God chose Toby rather than Harold. Polly told Toby that she thought Jesus put this young woman in his way for him to become stronger for the future of their marriage and some assignment from God soon to come. Sure enough, Toby finally met the maintenance man and they became friends. Toby was prepared to learn on the upcoming fishing trip of the infidelity and be ready to give suggestions on how to reject a woman’s advance to save a marriage. In encouraging Toby to grow spiritually from the situation of the enamored girl in the parking lot, Polly was becoming more like her Savior Jesus. |
It is a little like Jesus when we face judgment and discipline together, not too similar because Jesus never faced judgment and discipline. But, He continually helped believers see difficulties coming from God’s judgment and discipline as opportunities brought by God so that their spirits might grow.
|
Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Mt 5:11-12
|
Jesus told those who wanted to follow Him that they needed to pick up their crosses. We mistakenly use this phrase to mean dealing with daily life, but it was not daily life for Jesus when He picked up His cross. It was to do what God the Father wanted Him to do for us. Picking up our crosses is to lay down our lives in some way for others. God will then assess the state of our spirits and discipline us through educational situations so that we are spiritually equipped for our “service of the cross”.
|
And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? For what can a man give in return for his soul?
Mk 8:34-37
|
In effect, Jesus was saying that we need to willingly accept what is thrown at us (our crosses to bear) and let them make us more like Him. Since picking up our crosses is something we choose to do, it is not a natural part of life that just happens. And, it is not dealing with our own sin. Instead, we are choosing to be changed by sacrificing ourselves in some way for others. When Jesus took up His cross, He did not grow spiritually because He was already perfect. When we take up our crosses, we and our spirits grow dynamically. Thus, Jesus invites us to face the storm willingly.
To pick up our crosses is to lose our lives to save them. Imagine that in a large extended Christian family there is one young man who does something stupid and ends up in jail for six months. He has Christian parents, siblings, cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents. How many will pick up the cross of visiting him in jail consistently to show unconditional love and help him think about life differently at the time when he is most motivated?
We might think that in such a situation there will be a few who step up to serve God in rescuing this young man. But, too often that does not happen. Yet, if a cousin who does not already have a close relationship decides to pick up her cross to visit two to three times a week for six months, it is doubtful that she will already have the spiritual depth for the task. Never fear, for God works in such situations.
To pick up our crosses is to lose our lives to save them. Imagine that in a large extended Christian family there is one young man who does something stupid and ends up in jail for six months. He has Christian parents, siblings, cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents. How many will pick up the cross of visiting him in jail consistently to show unconditional love and help him think about life differently at the time when he is most motivated?
We might think that in such a situation there will be a few who step up to serve God in rescuing this young man. But, too often that does not happen. Yet, if a cousin who does not already have a close relationship decides to pick up her cross to visit two to three times a week for six months, it is doubtful that she will already have the spiritual depth for the task. Never fear, for God works in such situations.
|
I begged [pleaded with] the Lord three times to take this problem away from [Literal: that it might leave] me. But he said to me, “My grace is enough for you [sufficient for you; all you need]. When you are weak, my power is made perfect in you [Literal: For (my) power is perfected in weakness].”
2 Cor 12:8-9a (Expanded Bible)
|
God will look carefully at this faithful cousin and judge what is needed in the way of growth in her spirit. Knowing that her outward caring still came from only a sense of duty, God might judge this cousin’s spirit insufficient for the task. If so, then God will bring into that cousin’s daily life people and situations that will develop her spirit to a level of caring her jailed cousin needs. He will bring something that will effect this wonderful cousin to shape her concern to sincere compassion. This act of the Lord will be discipline.
Perhaps her boss treats her badly because of some complication God brings into the boss’s day. He in turn treats the jailed man’s cousin insensitively. At lunch she complains to a Christian friend in the lunchroom. The friend faces this judgment and discipline with her unknowingly. She mentions how the boss might have had a bad day and he needs to be extended grace rather than stubborn resentment. The lights go on in this cousin and her spirit makes a needed change. When she later goes to visit her cousin in jail, he can sense that she really cares for him and does not believe he is a lost cause who cannot change. Remembering that her boss had a reason he was gruff with her, the cousin also begins a discussion of what caused the jailed man to break the law.
As in this example, help came in the lunchroom. Facing judgment and discipline is for all of us to do together. We should invite everyone in our Christian Inner Circles to accept God’s judgment and corresponding correction with open arms. When we all do this together, something like team effort takes over and we are not so resistant to God’s judgment of our spiritual conditions and more readily accept His discipline.
Here is another example where Jesus actually judges and disciplines. Although it is not within our privileges to judge, in order to be more like Jesus we can examine another’s faith and confirm God’s challenge to change.
Perhaps her boss treats her badly because of some complication God brings into the boss’s day. He in turn treats the jailed man’s cousin insensitively. At lunch she complains to a Christian friend in the lunchroom. The friend faces this judgment and discipline with her unknowingly. She mentions how the boss might have had a bad day and he needs to be extended grace rather than stubborn resentment. The lights go on in this cousin and her spirit makes a needed change. When she later goes to visit her cousin in jail, he can sense that she really cares for him and does not believe he is a lost cause who cannot change. Remembering that her boss had a reason he was gruff with her, the cousin also begins a discussion of what caused the jailed man to break the law.
As in this example, help came in the lunchroom. Facing judgment and discipline is for all of us to do together. We should invite everyone in our Christian Inner Circles to accept God’s judgment and corresponding correction with open arms. When we all do this together, something like team effort takes over and we are not so resistant to God’s judgment of our spiritual conditions and more readily accept His discipline.
Here is another example where Jesus actually judges and disciplines. Although it is not within our privileges to judge, in order to be more like Jesus we can examine another’s faith and confirm God’s challenge to change.
|
The young man said to him, “All these [commandments] I have kept. What do I still lack?” Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”
Mt 19:20-21
|
Jesus knew this young man’s heart and the state of his spirit. We generally consider this rich man a failure because he walked away sad and was unable to do what Jesus had suggested. But, let’s be fair and recognize that Jesus was talking to him about putting on the finishing touches of an already devout life. In saying, “If you would be perfect, . . .”, Jesus was judging that the fellow was well on the way to perfection and disciplined him by telling him to sell all of his possessions and give to the poor. No matter how pure may be our spirits, they can always become more so.
Jesus is often doing the same judging and disciplining with us and those in our Christian Inner Circles as he did with the rich young man. He might speak to us when we are praying, He may bring a thought to our minds when we are not praying, and He might just bring a person or situation we must deal with. When we help one another see what those communications might mean from the mind of Jesus, we are being like Jesus in pointing the way to increased godliness.
We can be like Jesus. We can point out to those with whom we have a close, loving relationship what they can do to advance a little more toward perfection. If everyone in a Christian Inner Circle did this, much spiritual growth would be gained by all and everyone’s life would be changed dramatically. We need this. The world around each of us needs this. To become more like Jesus, let’s joyfully face God’s judgment and discipline together.
Opportunity to Worship God
Jesus is often doing the same judging and disciplining with us and those in our Christian Inner Circles as he did with the rich young man. He might speak to us when we are praying, He may bring a thought to our minds when we are not praying, and He might just bring a person or situation we must deal with. When we help one another see what those communications might mean from the mind of Jesus, we are being like Jesus in pointing the way to increased godliness.
We can be like Jesus. We can point out to those with whom we have a close, loving relationship what they can do to advance a little more toward perfection. If everyone in a Christian Inner Circle did this, much spiritual growth would be gained by all and everyone’s life would be changed dramatically. We need this. The world around each of us needs this. To become more like Jesus, let’s joyfully face God’s judgment and discipline together.
Opportunity to Worship God
|
Second Chance Mission in downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania has been operating for many years, helping alcoholics sober up and regain their lives. Men are helped to understand that God loves them as a Father. Most of them did not have fathers in the home. They are taught that their loving Father God will bring into their lives difficult situations they are not to avoid, especially though alcohol. Staff asks them to honor God in His role of Father who will judge their strengths and weaknesses and discipline them to help them become stronger.
When men face difficulties at their new jobs or on the street, they help one another accept that God is loving them for their good. When they do this, they face judgment and discipline together and worship God by acknowledging His role as Father and by accepting his loving help in the difficult trials they encounter. |
God has given us wisdom to face judgment and discipline together in our Christian relationships. When we do so, we worship God by reflecting back to Him his role as Loving Parent who judges and disciplines us for our good. We do not want to resist God’s role in bringing extraordinarily difficult things into our lives to grow our spirits beyond their present limitations. This dishonors Him by dismissing His loving role in our lives. It is the opposite of worship.
The Lord’s Prayer sets up the right attitude if said with sincerity.
The Lord’s Prayer sets up the right attitude if said with sincerity.
|
Pray then like this:
“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. . . .” Mt 6:9-10 |
After recognizing God as our Father and placing ourselves under His holy authority, we embrace His kingdom in heaven and willingly declare our desire for the ways of heaven to be our ways now. In giving us this model for prayer, Jesus clearly wants us to embrace God as The Father who is intimately related and concerned.
Some of us had great fathers, while others had unloving fathers. More and more of us had no father to speak of. Whether our earthly fathers were great or not, God is now our Primary Father. And He is the ultimate Loving Father.
Some of us had great fathers, while others had unloving fathers. More and more of us had no father to speak of. Whether our earthly fathers were great or not, God is now our Primary Father. And He is the ultimate Loving Father.
|
This is what real love is: It is not our love for God; it is God’s love for us. He sent his Son to die in our place to take away our sins [as the atoning sacrifice/propitiation for our sins]
1 John 4:10 (Expanded Bible)
|
As a Loving Father, God must judge our progress in our faith and the development of our spirits because He is not shortsighted. When God thinks of our good, He sees a speck of our life here now on earth and the long, unending distance of our eternal life in heaven. As a Loving Father, God wants what is best for the long run. His concern is not so much for this present life as much as that life after death that will last forever, the life where sin does not interfere with His relationship with His daughters and sons.
Seeing where the progress of our spirits in the development for heaven has stalled, God uses the tool of discipline to get us moving again. He loves us too much to just let us stop growing into heaven.
Seeing where the progress of our spirits in the development for heaven has stalled, God uses the tool of discipline to get us moving again. He loves us too much to just let us stop growing into heaven.
|
Think about Jesus, who endured such hostility [opposition] from sinful people, so that you will not get tired [grow weary; get discouraged] and stop trying [give up].
You are struggling against sin, but your struggles [resistance; opposition] have not yet caused you to be killed [resulted in bloodshed/Literal: blood]. You have forgotten [or Have you forgotten…?] the encouraging words [exhortation] that call you his [or address you as] children [or sons]: “My child [or son], don’t think the Lord’s discipline is worth nothing [scorn/treat lightly/make light of the Lord’s discipline], and don’t stop trying [get discouraged] when he corrects [rebukes] you. [Literal: For; Because] The Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes [chastises; severely disciplines] everyone he accepts as his child [Prov. 3:11–12].” So hold on through your sufferings, because they are like a father’s discipline [Literal: Persevere in discipline]. God is treating you as children [or sons]. All children are [Literal: For what child/son is not…?] disciplined by their fathers. If you are never disciplined (and every child [or son] must be disciplined), you are not true children [Literal: illegitimate and not (true) children/sons]. [Furthermore; Moreover] We have all had fathers [or parents] here on earth who disciplined us, and we respected them. So it is even more important that we accept discipline from the Father of our spirits [or our spiritual Father; or the Father of all spirit beings; 12:23; Num. 16:22] so we will have [Comment: eternal or true spiritual] life. Our fathers on earth [Literal: They] disciplined us for a short time in the way they thought was best. But God disciplines us to help us [for our good/benefit], so we can become holy as he is [Literal: share in his holiness]. We do not enjoy being disciplined. It is painful at the time, but later, after we have learned from [been trained by] it, we have peace [Literal: it produces/bears the fruit of peace], because we start living in the right way [or …and righteousness]. Heb 12:3-11 (Expanded Bible)
|
There is another way that facing judgment and discipline together is worship beyond accepting God as our Loving Father who disciplines.
By allowing God to mold us for our specific places of service in heaven, we exalt Him by placing His desire for the society of heaven over what we want heaven to be like. There is probably no conflict between the two, but we hardly ever think of what God wants in heaven. Heaven is just there waiting for us. Isn’t that what it is all about? No, it is all about heaven being God’s home and what He wants His home to be like!
So, when we spend so much time thinking of heaven as our future home and so little time thinking of heaven as God’s home, is that not demeaning God? Is not recognizing that heaven is His home that He will share with us so that we can call it our home, exalting God and, therefore, worship? Children call their house their home, but the house is actually their parents’ house, whether mortgaged or rented. It is the children’s home, but only because the parents share it with them. This is the way to think about heaven in a worshipful way.
By allowing God to mold us for our specific places of service in heaven, we exalt Him by placing His desire for the society of heaven over what we want heaven to be like. There is probably no conflict between the two, but we hardly ever think of what God wants in heaven. Heaven is just there waiting for us. Isn’t that what it is all about? No, it is all about heaven being God’s home and what He wants His home to be like!
So, when we spend so much time thinking of heaven as our future home and so little time thinking of heaven as God’s home, is that not demeaning God? Is not recognizing that heaven is His home that He will share with us so that we can call it our home, exalting God and, therefore, worship? Children call their house their home, but the house is actually their parents’ house, whether mortgaged or rented. It is the children’s home, but only because the parents share it with them. This is the way to think about heaven in a worshipful way.
And when you swear by heaven,
you are swearing by God’s throne and by Him who sits upon it.
Mt 23:22
you are swearing by God’s throne and by Him who sits upon it.
Mt 23:22
Jesus was reprimanding the Pharisees for the things that they should not do. So, once we recognize that we should not swear by heaven, or anything else for that matter, we see the truth behind the truth. Heaven is God’s. When we prepare ourselves for God’s heaven, God’s redeemed society, and God’s will for the way we are to live in heaven, we worship Him. By exalting His home above our concerns about heaven we worship.
Let’s worship by facing judgment and discipline together in such a way that we fully enjoy God as our Loving Father and welcome His judgment and discipline so that He can prepare us for service now and heaven later.
How Used in Battle to Defeat Evil and Satan
Let’s worship by facing judgment and discipline together in such a way that we fully enjoy God as our Loving Father and welcome His judgment and discipline so that He can prepare us for service now and heaven later.
How Used in Battle to Defeat Evil and Satan
|
Frankie lost her job when the company downsized. She could not understand why God would let this happen to her. She was a single parent and had kids to feed and rent to pay.
Some of her friends got together to deliver food on Frankie’s first Saturday without a job. They asked her many questions so that they and Frankie could understand what happened. Eventually everyone agreed that others not so good at their job were kept while she was laid off. Frankie accused God of not caring for her. She had fallen into the trap of Satan rather than the loving arms of her Heavenly Father. Frankie’s friends stood against the devil and prayed for understanding. Then, the Lord spoke to them in a chain of various people’s remarks that He had Frankie jobless for judgment and discipline. This group of Christian friends could not determine what it was that God was doing, but they strongly encouraged Frankie to trust that God’s love was involved and something good would come from it. Later that day Frankie and her kids were visiting her grandmother. Frankie mentioned that God was doing something good for her in taking away her job. As grandmothers are prone to do, she replied to Frankie, “Of course, He is. You’ve been complaining about that job since the day you took it. He wants to make you more thankful for being able to work.” Her friends’ help and grandmother’s remark worked God’s desired transformation and Frankie’s dislike of employer demands softened. When God gave her a new job, she was much more joyful at work. This resulted in a promotion to a job Frankie thought out of reach and had secretly desired for a long time. |
Satan schemes to blind us to the fact that difficulties and complicated situations are God’s work to mold us into something better. If we do not recognize that God is judging the quality of our faith and disciplining us to grow in our spirits, we will not cooperate with His work of our transformation. Satan will then have succeeded in cutting off spiritual growth in many aspects.
Satan is also The Accuser who tells us that we are not in God’s favor when really difficult situations assail us. It is together that we must stand against this accusation.
Satan is also The Accuser who tells us that we are not in God’s favor when really difficult situations assail us. It is together that we must stand against this accusation.
|
Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God.
Rev 12:7-10
|
All of us who believe and trust in Christ’s death and resurrection should know that we are always under God’s sovereign care because His love is unconditional and not stifled by our behavior.
Whether we face suffering and really hard situations because of the difficulty of life, our own sinfulness, or God’s teaching us through discipline, we are always loved by God. We must remind one another of this because we can count on the devil’s strategy to convince us that God is against us when things get difficult.
Most of us have seen a sister or brother in the faith draw away from God when life got tough, even if they face the logical consequence of their own sin. Hopefully, we have reached out in love to support them. That is necessary. But, what if we were proactive?
It is our responsibility in Christian relationships to make sure that everyone knows that much trouble comes our way other than because of our personal sin. It comes from the difficulty of life brought on by God’s curse because of Adam’s sin. But, it also comes from God’s love through discipline aimed at preparing us for a better relationship with Him now and in heaven for eternity.
If in our Christian friendships, Christian families, and Christian marriages we prepare one another for the difficulties of life, we will be doing much to defeat Satan. We need to make sure we all understand that difficulties do come from God or from evil He allows because He loves us. This is the way that God grows our spirits for relationship with Him and enjoyment in heaven. These trials that are ultimately good for us come from God’s judging where we each are in our faith. Then He lets suffering come our way in the form of disciplinary education that moves us beyond the present borders of our faith. Helping one another understand this, we can be proactive and head off Satan’s attempt to turn us from God. By the time the devil accuses God of being against us, we will already know that He is for us.
Whether we face suffering and really hard situations because of the difficulty of life, our own sinfulness, or God’s teaching us through discipline, we are always loved by God. We must remind one another of this because we can count on the devil’s strategy to convince us that God is against us when things get difficult.
Most of us have seen a sister or brother in the faith draw away from God when life got tough, even if they face the logical consequence of their own sin. Hopefully, we have reached out in love to support them. That is necessary. But, what if we were proactive?
It is our responsibility in Christian relationships to make sure that everyone knows that much trouble comes our way other than because of our personal sin. It comes from the difficulty of life brought on by God’s curse because of Adam’s sin. But, it also comes from God’s love through discipline aimed at preparing us for a better relationship with Him now and in heaven for eternity.
If in our Christian friendships, Christian families, and Christian marriages we prepare one another for the difficulties of life, we will be doing much to defeat Satan. We need to make sure we all understand that difficulties do come from God or from evil He allows because He loves us. This is the way that God grows our spirits for relationship with Him and enjoyment in heaven. These trials that are ultimately good for us come from God’s judging where we each are in our faith. Then He lets suffering come our way in the form of disciplinary education that moves us beyond the present borders of our faith. Helping one another understand this, we can be proactive and head off Satan’s attempt to turn us from God. By the time the devil accuses God of being against us, we will already know that He is for us.
|
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, . . he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness.
Heb 12:7-8, 10
|
Here is some great news. By implementing the various Togethers with one another we can prevent the need for much of God’s discipline. The Togethers work to rescue us from self-focus and help us to put God first in everything we think and do. If we can help one another progress from me, me, me to God, God, God, a lot of correction will be unnecessary. If we can help one another move past happiness from material pursuits to happiness in relationship with God and one another, we will change our spirits so judging inspection will reveal less needed discipline.
Much discipline is necessary because of how the devil distorts our entry into the kingdom of God. After accepting Jesus the Christ as our Savior and becoming new creatures in Christ, church leadership and more mature Christians begin teaching us doctrine and packaging most of it all in terms of how God will bless us. What is so terribly unaddressed is that we are saved for us to bless God . His blessing of us is not the thing we should think of so often.
We are going to heaven to eternally bless God through worship and praise in words, songs, and service. What we hear most is how we will enjoy ourselves in heaven. We will see our Christian relatives and friends again. There will be no sin and pain for us in heaven. All of that is wonderful. And secondary.
Let it be repeated since it is so overlooked: we are going to heaven to eternally bless God through worship and praise in words, songs, and service. Might it also be the strategy of Satan to have us thinking about “what is in heaven for me?” rather than what is in heaven for the King? How clever of the evil one to take the focus off of God and onto ourselves, just as he did when he recruited so many angels in heaven to cease serving God and strive for what they could get for themselves.
Judgment and discipline now for Christians only makes sense in light of a heaven where the focus is on God. It is His home and ours only secondarily. Our home is first and foremost His home. We go through refinement into the image of Christ not primarily to get something better for ourselves, how true that might be. We allow God to transform us through the work of the Holy Spirit for Himself. Only when we want things for God more than for ourselves are we truly fit for heaven!
When we embrace that God wants us in heaven to eternally bless Him through worship and praise in words, songs, and service, we want to be disciplined. Together in our Christian relationships we will welcome God’s judgment and discipline, knowing that we will support one another for the glory of God. We will want what He wants us to be, how He wants our spirits to transform. And our open arms to His judgment and discipline will probably lessen the need for it to be painful. We will recognize His working in situations to make us more like His Son. And when we do what the Holy Spirit urges us to do in those circumstances, we will be changed. If we resist, God will have to send something more painful our way to get us moving in the right direction.
To get one another through correction and judgment, we can help one another see the lesson God is teaching, hastening the end of the discipline. Often we each are, as the saying goes, too close to the trees to see the forest. The lessons God wants for us in the troubles we face blind us from seeing the big picture. And that picture has all to do with His turning our spirits into the likeness of Jesus. Others can often see what God is doing and point it out. Knowing what God is doing makes all the difference.
Thus, we can see the necessity of being more seriously involved with one another and the development by God of Christlikeness in our spirits. When we recognize that our loving Father will discipline, won’t we help one another make some discipline unnecessary? Just like children who teach one another truths about their parents and how to keep out of trouble (avoid discipline), why do we not take this responsibility more seriously? Eternal security is no reason to avoid sanctification. In fact, knowing that we are saved not from our own effort but by God’s sacrificial love should make us seek being made more and more into the image of Jesus no matter what the inconvenience or suffering.
Let’s get down to the business of looking forward to and facing judgment and discipline together. Let’s defeat Satan in this way. Let’s want to make the heart of God glad before wanting Him to make our hearts glad. Discipline will likely make our hearts troubled so that we change and make the heart of God glad. The secondary gain is that our lives will be amplified forever.
How in the Sinful Environment this Together Prepares Us for Heaven
Much discipline is necessary because of how the devil distorts our entry into the kingdom of God. After accepting Jesus the Christ as our Savior and becoming new creatures in Christ, church leadership and more mature Christians begin teaching us doctrine and packaging most of it all in terms of how God will bless us. What is so terribly unaddressed is that we are saved for us to bless God . His blessing of us is not the thing we should think of so often.
We are going to heaven to eternally bless God through worship and praise in words, songs, and service. What we hear most is how we will enjoy ourselves in heaven. We will see our Christian relatives and friends again. There will be no sin and pain for us in heaven. All of that is wonderful. And secondary.
Let it be repeated since it is so overlooked: we are going to heaven to eternally bless God through worship and praise in words, songs, and service. Might it also be the strategy of Satan to have us thinking about “what is in heaven for me?” rather than what is in heaven for the King? How clever of the evil one to take the focus off of God and onto ourselves, just as he did when he recruited so many angels in heaven to cease serving God and strive for what they could get for themselves.
Judgment and discipline now for Christians only makes sense in light of a heaven where the focus is on God. It is His home and ours only secondarily. Our home is first and foremost His home. We go through refinement into the image of Christ not primarily to get something better for ourselves, how true that might be. We allow God to transform us through the work of the Holy Spirit for Himself. Only when we want things for God more than for ourselves are we truly fit for heaven!
When we embrace that God wants us in heaven to eternally bless Him through worship and praise in words, songs, and service, we want to be disciplined. Together in our Christian relationships we will welcome God’s judgment and discipline, knowing that we will support one another for the glory of God. We will want what He wants us to be, how He wants our spirits to transform. And our open arms to His judgment and discipline will probably lessen the need for it to be painful. We will recognize His working in situations to make us more like His Son. And when we do what the Holy Spirit urges us to do in those circumstances, we will be changed. If we resist, God will have to send something more painful our way to get us moving in the right direction.
To get one another through correction and judgment, we can help one another see the lesson God is teaching, hastening the end of the discipline. Often we each are, as the saying goes, too close to the trees to see the forest. The lessons God wants for us in the troubles we face blind us from seeing the big picture. And that picture has all to do with His turning our spirits into the likeness of Jesus. Others can often see what God is doing and point it out. Knowing what God is doing makes all the difference.
Thus, we can see the necessity of being more seriously involved with one another and the development by God of Christlikeness in our spirits. When we recognize that our loving Father will discipline, won’t we help one another make some discipline unnecessary? Just like children who teach one another truths about their parents and how to keep out of trouble (avoid discipline), why do we not take this responsibility more seriously? Eternal security is no reason to avoid sanctification. In fact, knowing that we are saved not from our own effort but by God’s sacrificial love should make us seek being made more and more into the image of Jesus no matter what the inconvenience or suffering.
Let’s get down to the business of looking forward to and facing judgment and discipline together. Let’s defeat Satan in this way. Let’s want to make the heart of God glad before wanting Him to make our hearts glad. Discipline will likely make our hearts troubled so that we change and make the heart of God glad. The secondary gain is that our lives will be amplified forever.
How in the Sinful Environment this Together Prepares Us for Heaven
|
The Davidson Family enjoys many times together, but they also take time for growing to be more like Jesus. They hope to become more of what God wants them to be now and for whatever He plans for them in heaven. Therefore, once a month they set aside a whole Saturday morning as a “retreat” where they look at one another’s lives to identify what God is up to in the way of getting them ready for heaven by creating opportunities for growth in their faith.
On this past Saturday the family prayed to tune in to God’s game plan. They decided that God was giving the family many problems that interrupted family outings and recreation. Tree limbs and fences were blowing down, drains were clogging – one thing after another. Recognizing that God is sovereign and that He might be allowing these things to direct spiritual growth, the family began to wonder if God was correcting the way they spent so much time on themselves. Perhaps He wanted them to do more for other people and not fill up all of their weekends with their own pleasure. They could see that such self-focus would not fit well into heaven where God would want them to include others in their fun. Sissy had a very good friend move away and the family considered how God might use this to prepare her for heaven. She is a shy person who is very particular about her friends in the fourth grade. One of her brothers mentioned that maybe Jesus wanted her to be more outgoing and friendly so she would have more friends and one friend moving away would not make her so unhappy. That stimulated a thought in Mom Davidson who said that one of the great joys in heaven would be meeting all kinds of different people. She mentioned to her daughter that perhaps God was interested in her joy in heaven and that she would have a more loving impact with others throughout eternity. The family offered to help Sissy be more open and friendly with other kids her age. God looked on that Saturday family retreat with satisfaction that his judgment and discipline was working and the Davidson family was facing it together. |
Facing judgment and discipline together is all about our sanctification! God does not want us to be like unbelievers. As a result, he judges and disciplines. Furthermore, He is preparing us for heaven.
But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged.
But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined
so that we may not be condemned along with the world.
1 Cor 11:31-32
But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined
so that we may not be condemned along with the world.
1 Cor 11:31-32
We who will escape condemnation need to be disciplined. We do occasionally assess and judge ourselves, but to an imperfect extent. Because of his fatherly love for us, God finds it necessary to look us over and judge where we still fall short. That results in His discipline, things He brings into our lives He hopes will change us for what He wants us to be and for our own good.
All of the Togethers help us look at ourselves. It is to our shame that over the years of our new lives in Christ we have paid so little attention to the Scriptures that give rise to the Togethers. However, if we will take the Togethers seriously over time, we will judge ourselves where we come up short and help one another do something about it.
Still, in the end, we need God to take His more perfect look at us (judgment/assessment) and bring things into our lives to move us further in the right direction (discipline/education). When we become content with this process, we will face judgment and discipline together in order to cooperate with God and maximize the benefit.
Together in our Christian friendships, Christian families, and Christian marriages we must keep one another from dangerous foolishness.
All of the Togethers help us look at ourselves. It is to our shame that over the years of our new lives in Christ we have paid so little attention to the Scriptures that give rise to the Togethers. However, if we will take the Togethers seriously over time, we will judge ourselves where we come up short and help one another do something about it.
Still, in the end, we need God to take His more perfect look at us (judgment/assessment) and bring things into our lives to move us further in the right direction (discipline/education). When we become content with this process, we will face judgment and discipline together in order to cooperate with God and maximize the benefit.
Together in our Christian friendships, Christian families, and Christian marriages we must keep one another from dangerous foolishness.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;
fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Prov 1:7
fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Prov 1:7
If we open our eyes wide, we will probably discover that we, along with those in our Christian Inner Circles, do avoid wisdom and instruction because they prompt us to act outside of our comfort zones. God may want us to be more in our Bibles, but we resist making time for such study. More likely, God will judge (decide) that we have not implemented the biblical truth we have learned. Because knowing Scripture is so much more comfortable than obeying it, we may have impeded our sanctification. God will need to discipline us until we live biblical knowledge, not just know it.
There is a fear of God that we need to administer to one another. That fear is facing the negative consequences of ignoring God’s judgment and discipline or going along with it only half-heartedly.
Suppose that one of us on a shopping trip receives too much change after paying for something, recognizes the fact, and pockets the money. If a Christian friend notices this, she or he can mention that the right thing to do is give the extra change back. If that help is not given and taken, sometime in the future God may judge that it is time to mete out painful discipline. Another example not stemming from ignored sin might be if a friend’s grandmother needed help and that friend kept letting others in the family address her problems. A friend who wanted to spare her or his friend God’s discipline would point out that if a more generous and selfless spirit is not adopted, God will have to bring some difficulty into the person’s life to develop it.
When we can figure out what God’s discipline is for, we can make the appropriate changes more quickly and bring to an end the discipline. This is “getting with God’s program”. When a Christian friendship group, Christian family or Christian married couple experiences what feels like God's judgment rather blessing, they can go to prayer to discover what growing opportunity God is presenting. Once they know what the judgment is all about, they can work hard to let the Holy Spirit change them. They can accept the difficult assignment that will bring wonderful growth to their spirits, even if they do not know what the end benefit will be but only the change God wants.
There is another way in which facing judgment and discipline prepares us for heaven. In the sense where Gods judgment and discipline is not tied to sin, it may continue in heaven. In heaven God will likely still be identifying where our spirits can grow, just not in opposition to sin which will be absent. Perhaps facing judgment and discipline together now will make us better at it in heaven.
Therefore, phase one of facing judgment and discipline together is now. We are preparing to enter heaven with the purest spirits we can allow to happen by cooperating with God’s process of judging and disciplining us and letting the Holy Spirit work in us. Phase two is in heaven where we continue to let God change us through assessment and education, nevertheless, without the opposition of sin.
Let’s face judgment and discipline together now to gain change in our spirits that will benefit us in heaven for eternity.
How this Together Can Make It Really Good in Heaven
There is a fear of God that we need to administer to one another. That fear is facing the negative consequences of ignoring God’s judgment and discipline or going along with it only half-heartedly.
Suppose that one of us on a shopping trip receives too much change after paying for something, recognizes the fact, and pockets the money. If a Christian friend notices this, she or he can mention that the right thing to do is give the extra change back. If that help is not given and taken, sometime in the future God may judge that it is time to mete out painful discipline. Another example not stemming from ignored sin might be if a friend’s grandmother needed help and that friend kept letting others in the family address her problems. A friend who wanted to spare her or his friend God’s discipline would point out that if a more generous and selfless spirit is not adopted, God will have to bring some difficulty into the person’s life to develop it.
When we can figure out what God’s discipline is for, we can make the appropriate changes more quickly and bring to an end the discipline. This is “getting with God’s program”. When a Christian friendship group, Christian family or Christian married couple experiences what feels like God's judgment rather blessing, they can go to prayer to discover what growing opportunity God is presenting. Once they know what the judgment is all about, they can work hard to let the Holy Spirit change them. They can accept the difficult assignment that will bring wonderful growth to their spirits, even if they do not know what the end benefit will be but only the change God wants.
There is another way in which facing judgment and discipline prepares us for heaven. In the sense where Gods judgment and discipline is not tied to sin, it may continue in heaven. In heaven God will likely still be identifying where our spirits can grow, just not in opposition to sin which will be absent. Perhaps facing judgment and discipline together now will make us better at it in heaven.
Therefore, phase one of facing judgment and discipline together is now. We are preparing to enter heaven with the purest spirits we can allow to happen by cooperating with God’s process of judging and disciplining us and letting the Holy Spirit work in us. Phase two is in heaven where we continue to let God change us through assessment and education, nevertheless, without the opposition of sin.
Let’s face judgment and discipline together now to gain change in our spirits that will benefit us in heaven for eternity.
How this Together Can Make It Really Good in Heaven
|
In the New Jerusalem there is a district given the name Crystal Springs by God. It includes five small towns, one of which is Cold Springs Village. There is a man named George who is a very capable and dynamic mayor.
Long before he arrived in heaven, God wanted George to be mayor of Cold Springs Village. Therefore, God knew that He would have to make a lot of judgments, or decisions, about George’s progress in purity regarding people. Thus, He would use much discipline to drive George to the proper sanctification. The Lord placed George with a group of Christian friends who would help him see that the trials that came into his life were allowed, some even designed, by God to prepare him for some specific assignment in heaven. George cooperated with his Christian Inner Circle to face God’s assessment of his life and accept the discipline of God. Of course, he did not know it was to steer him toward being the mayor of Cold Spring Village. George’s friends were nudged by God through very different kinds of problems and opportunities because God had different designs for them in heaven. But, George’s challenges were uniquely designed to refine his spirit in being able to see God’s vision for people. Before death, George was placed by God into predicaments where he had to access God’s vision for troubled people. This developed in George’s spirit a strong ability to see what God wanted in people’s lives. Later in heaven where things were not complicated by sin and troubles, this very spiritual quaity would be adequate for any city planning God would want done by His mayor of Cold Springs Village. |
Knowing that there is a higher purpose in accomplishing difficult things makes it easier to endure to the end. Thus, there is great joy in helping others see what God has for them. By facing judgment and discipline together, we will help one another see how God is fashioning their lives through correction and difficulty.
In heaven there will be new things to try and new skills to learn. We won’t just sit on clouds like dolls on our daughter’s shelf. That would be no reward. Instead, we will praise God for His wonderful character, power, glory, etc. We will also praise Him for the things He has done for us before death, like bringing salvation and protecting us in so many ways. However, there will be new things in heaven to praise Him for, and some of those things will be opportunities that are challenging. If everything was easy in heaven, we might as well sit on a cloud!
Therefore, we may very well still be in the business of helping one another see what God is doing in our lives in the way of continuing our journeys into the likeness of Jesus as well as giving us new things to do. What if in heaven we can create things with our minds? Imagine landscaping a park by having the faith that can move mountains. It might be tough to learn. Before giving us such assignments in heaven, God will have to prepare us. If we remember that judging can mean assessment and decision, then being sized up by God for the task of creating a park through thoughts and words rather than actions is obviously necessary. And, if we remember that discipline can mean education, preparation and practice (we speak of religious disciplines and the discipline of physics, for example), then discipline has a likely place in heaven and sure would be needed to create things by thinking.
How fun it will be to help others in heaven see what God is doing inside of their spirits if we can because before death we explained circumstances from the viewpoint of faith. Now, before our wonderful journey through death to paradise, when we help someone see that something good is happening that they think is bad, it is a very rewarding experience. Perhaps we have a friend who breaks her leg skiing and is sad. Then, we show her how God is slowing her down so she has time to consider that she is trapped in a job she doesn’t like. That is fulfilling. And, it is that kind of thing that can happen in heaven when God uses a difficult task to produce further growth in the spirit, perhaps more patience or more analytical skills.
Then there is the unmeasurable joy in heaven of ending up serving God near to where He hoped you would end up. While we may not be able to look to what we missed because that might bring sadness, it could be that we can look backward and see where we would have landed if we had not welcomed God’s judgment and discipline. Note that we will not think, “Boy am I glad I did not end up with such a simple task in heaven as did Bob.” We are not to compare ourselves to others now, so we will not be able to do so in heaven. But, we will be able to say, “Boy am I glad that I grew my spirit enough to not have to do that simple task in heaven.”
In heaven there will be new things to try and new skills to learn. We won’t just sit on clouds like dolls on our daughter’s shelf. That would be no reward. Instead, we will praise God for His wonderful character, power, glory, etc. We will also praise Him for the things He has done for us before death, like bringing salvation and protecting us in so many ways. However, there will be new things in heaven to praise Him for, and some of those things will be opportunities that are challenging. If everything was easy in heaven, we might as well sit on a cloud!
Therefore, we may very well still be in the business of helping one another see what God is doing in our lives in the way of continuing our journeys into the likeness of Jesus as well as giving us new things to do. What if in heaven we can create things with our minds? Imagine landscaping a park by having the faith that can move mountains. It might be tough to learn. Before giving us such assignments in heaven, God will have to prepare us. If we remember that judging can mean assessment and decision, then being sized up by God for the task of creating a park through thoughts and words rather than actions is obviously necessary. And, if we remember that discipline can mean education, preparation and practice (we speak of religious disciplines and the discipline of physics, for example), then discipline has a likely place in heaven and sure would be needed to create things by thinking.
How fun it will be to help others in heaven see what God is doing inside of their spirits if we can because before death we explained circumstances from the viewpoint of faith. Now, before our wonderful journey through death to paradise, when we help someone see that something good is happening that they think is bad, it is a very rewarding experience. Perhaps we have a friend who breaks her leg skiing and is sad. Then, we show her how God is slowing her down so she has time to consider that she is trapped in a job she doesn’t like. That is fulfilling. And, it is that kind of thing that can happen in heaven when God uses a difficult task to produce further growth in the spirit, perhaps more patience or more analytical skills.
Then there is the unmeasurable joy in heaven of ending up serving God near to where He hoped you would end up. While we may not be able to look to what we missed because that might bring sadness, it could be that we can look backward and see where we would have landed if we had not welcomed God’s judgment and discipline. Note that we will not think, “Boy am I glad I did not end up with such a simple task in heaven as did Bob.” We are not to compare ourselves to others now, so we will not be able to do so in heaven. But, we will be able to say, “Boy am I glad that I grew my spirit enough to not have to do that simple task in heaven.”
Each one should test their own actions.
Then they can take pride in themselves alone,
without comparing themselves to someone else,
for each one should carry their own load.
Gal 6:4-5
Then they can take pride in themselves alone,
without comparing themselves to someone else,
for each one should carry their own load.
Gal 6:4-5
There are so many ways that heaven will be better for those who faced judgment and discipline together and grew so much from being open to God’s refinement of their spirits. Alone, we will grow much less than if we help one another face God’s judgments and disciplines together. Let’s maximize enjoyment for all eternity by facing judgment and discipline together now.
Opportunity for a Closer Relationship with God through Empathy
Opportunity for a Closer Relationship with God through Empathy
|
I am sure glad now that in that life before death so many difficult things came my way. I did not think so back then. But, I always trusted that God was using each problem in my job, neighborhood, friendships and family for my good. Now I know that it was all part of God’s plan to give me the exact qualities of spirit to be right where I am here in heaven.
I run a large food store for a sizeable district in the New Jerusalem. If it were not for God bringing things into my life to change me and my willingness to go along with His plan, I would not have all of the qualities needed to supervise 537 employees in the way that Jesus would lead them. But, the best thing is when Jesus Himself comes by and we reminisce about times when I saw Him behind all the difficult circumstances in that prior life within sinful culture. We laugh now about things we cried together about before. I really enjoy these reflective moments with Him. |
In heaven, each of our lives will fit precisely to where God places us. That will be pure joy. However, because God gave us free will, we do not now always follow God’s leading to gain the best place possible in heaven. Still, by watching one another’s lives and implementing the Togethers, the place we end up in heaven as our reward of service will be better than if we try to go our faith alone.
This is not a foreign concept to us. In any line of work, effort should catapult us to more responsibilities. Those who want to accomplish more learn what they have to in order to advance. A boss may hope that a certain person will apply herself or himself because there is a place in the business or company that could benefit. There are three outcomes, only one that fulfills the wishes of the boss.
There is the person with talent who does not want the type of life that advancement in the company would bring. So, she or he has no desire to learn or prepare for a higher position in the business. Thus, a special relationship with the company and the boss does not develop. In the end, this person is happy but functioning well below capability.
Then there is the person who desires to be higher in the organization but does not do the work required to prepare for an advanced position. This person may be worse off than the first because desire without effort will lead to dissatisfaction. This person ends up not having a cherished relationship with the company or boss and is unhappy about this.
This is not a foreign concept to us. In any line of work, effort should catapult us to more responsibilities. Those who want to accomplish more learn what they have to in order to advance. A boss may hope that a certain person will apply herself or himself because there is a place in the business or company that could benefit. There are three outcomes, only one that fulfills the wishes of the boss.
There is the person with talent who does not want the type of life that advancement in the company would bring. So, she or he has no desire to learn or prepare for a higher position in the business. Thus, a special relationship with the company and the boss does not develop. In the end, this person is happy but functioning well below capability.
Then there is the person who desires to be higher in the organization but does not do the work required to prepare for an advanced position. This person may be worse off than the first because desire without effort will lead to dissatisfaction. This person ends up not having a cherished relationship with the company or boss and is unhappy about this.
|
For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. . . . He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’. . . And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
Mt 25:14-15, 24-25, 30
|
Finally, there is the person who prepares for a higher position and gets it. This person sought others to help in this preparation. She or he enjoys a very good relationship with the boss and his corporation. The purpose of the business has priority over ease of life. But, most important is the close relationship with the boss.
|
And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’
|
Mat 25:20-21
It will be like this is heaven. A closer relationship with God and his heaven will come if we prepare for it. Neglecting God’s judgment and discipline or just wishing for our spirits to change will not work. It is obedience in action that changes our spirits for maximum relationship with God and enjoyment of heaven. This often comes from God’s judgment and discipline.
A parent generally loves all of her or his children equally, just like God does. However, when one child allows a parent to teach her or him, there develops a close bond because of that child’s accomplishments. For example, a mother who loves to cook has two daughters and one son. Only one daughter enjoys cooking and spends a lot of time learning from the mother. While the mother loves all three equally, there is a special connection to the one daughter around cooking.
A father is a car mechanic. He has three sons, two of whom become auto mechanics and the three of them open up an auto repair shop. The third son becomes a doctor. The father is proud of all three sons, perhaps a bit more of the doctor because of all the hard work involved in medical school. Yet, that father has a lot more to talk about with the two sons who followed in his footsteps.
In the same way, we can learn from our Loving Father’s education through His judgment of what we need and His discipline that helps us grow spiritually. Then in heaven imagine the many connections we will have with God, listening to Him talk about how we listened and learned what He was doing in our lives that gave Him pleasure.
Praise and Prayer Regarding this Together
Sovereign Lord of Our Sanctification, thank You that under Your watchful eye all things are happening for the good of those who love you and are called for Your purposes. Help me to see how every difficult and challenging thing that comes into my life is overseen by You. Help me to not despair or shy from whatever a situation brings me, but give me the wisdom to let the Holy Spirit use the circumstance to change me more into the image of my Savior. Becoming more and more like Jesus is really what I want, even if sometimes it is very difficult and painful.
I and those in my Christian Inner Circle will need Your help to grow our spirits to see that what we face in life is used by You to change us more into the image of Jesus and prepare us for Your assignments later in heaven. While some things are just the normal troubles of life, help us to recognize that the extraordinary challenges You allow or design are Your judgment and discipline because You love us. Build our faith to know that You are judging where we each need to change and discipling us through the required challenge You bring or allow in our lives.
Please help us all to become more like Jesus by being willing to accept what God is doing. Although Jesus never had to face discipline and judgment to become like Himself, He did urge us to allow the most difficult times in life to change us more for the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, Lord, make us strong and wise enough to welcome Your judgment about what we need to change and Your discipling that will change our spirits for Your glory.
May our lives worship You more because we embrace Your judgment and discipline as coming from a Loving God. We ask that the Holy Spirit will empower us to honor Your deciding where we need to grow next and what we will have to deal with and do.
Make us strong in Your power to defeat the devil by recognizing Your hand in the difficulties we face rather than believing Satan’s lie that You do not care. Make us strong to resist the devil’s scheme to cut off our spiritual growth.
Help us all to prepare for heaven by accepting Your judgment and discipline as the method of our sanctification. Help us all to want to be as much like Jesus as possible when we go to heaven and recognize that Your judgment and discipline changes us to be more like our Savior.
Ever increasing practice of the Togethers of Scripture will (1) create in you the loving essence of Jesus, (2) give Jesus the kind of love He requested, (3) provide you with the most significant spiritual lifestyle which is attainable only through Christian community, (4) offer significant worship to God by reflecting his own character back to him through your behavior, and (5) bring God’s kingdom to earth as asked for in the Lord’s Prayer. And for heaven, such growing obedience to Scripture now will later (6) qualify you for a more responsible place of service as reward in heaven, and, (7) most important of all, give you greater empathy with God for a closer relationship with Him for all of eternity.
A parent generally loves all of her or his children equally, just like God does. However, when one child allows a parent to teach her or him, there develops a close bond because of that child’s accomplishments. For example, a mother who loves to cook has two daughters and one son. Only one daughter enjoys cooking and spends a lot of time learning from the mother. While the mother loves all three equally, there is a special connection to the one daughter around cooking.
A father is a car mechanic. He has three sons, two of whom become auto mechanics and the three of them open up an auto repair shop. The third son becomes a doctor. The father is proud of all three sons, perhaps a bit more of the doctor because of all the hard work involved in medical school. Yet, that father has a lot more to talk about with the two sons who followed in his footsteps.
In the same way, we can learn from our Loving Father’s education through His judgment of what we need and His discipline that helps us grow spiritually. Then in heaven imagine the many connections we will have with God, listening to Him talk about how we listened and learned what He was doing in our lives that gave Him pleasure.
Praise and Prayer Regarding this Together
Sovereign Lord of Our Sanctification, thank You that under Your watchful eye all things are happening for the good of those who love you and are called for Your purposes. Help me to see how every difficult and challenging thing that comes into my life is overseen by You. Help me to not despair or shy from whatever a situation brings me, but give me the wisdom to let the Holy Spirit use the circumstance to change me more into the image of my Savior. Becoming more and more like Jesus is really what I want, even if sometimes it is very difficult and painful.
I and those in my Christian Inner Circle will need Your help to grow our spirits to see that what we face in life is used by You to change us more into the image of Jesus and prepare us for Your assignments later in heaven. While some things are just the normal troubles of life, help us to recognize that the extraordinary challenges You allow or design are Your judgment and discipline because You love us. Build our faith to know that You are judging where we each need to change and discipling us through the required challenge You bring or allow in our lives.
Please help us all to become more like Jesus by being willing to accept what God is doing. Although Jesus never had to face discipline and judgment to become like Himself, He did urge us to allow the most difficult times in life to change us more for the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, Lord, make us strong and wise enough to welcome Your judgment about what we need to change and Your discipling that will change our spirits for Your glory.
May our lives worship You more because we embrace Your judgment and discipline as coming from a Loving God. We ask that the Holy Spirit will empower us to honor Your deciding where we need to grow next and what we will have to deal with and do.
Make us strong in Your power to defeat the devil by recognizing Your hand in the difficulties we face rather than believing Satan’s lie that You do not care. Make us strong to resist the devil’s scheme to cut off our spiritual growth.
Help us all to prepare for heaven by accepting Your judgment and discipline as the method of our sanctification. Help us all to want to be as much like Jesus as possible when we go to heaven and recognize that Your judgment and discipline changes us to be more like our Savior.
Ever increasing practice of the Togethers of Scripture will (1) create in you the loving essence of Jesus, (2) give Jesus the kind of love He requested, (3) provide you with the most significant spiritual lifestyle which is attainable only through Christian community, (4) offer significant worship to God by reflecting his own character back to him through your behavior, and (5) bring God’s kingdom to earth as asked for in the Lord’s Prayer. And for heaven, such growing obedience to Scripture now will later (6) qualify you for a more responsible place of service as reward in heaven, and, (7) most important of all, give you greater empathy with God for a closer relationship with Him for all of eternity.