Monday, January 29, 2018 Reflections on Celebration of Discipline—The Discipline of Guidance, Part 1

 

Monday, January 29, 2018

Reflections on Celebration of Discipline—The Discipline of Guidance, Part 1

Excerpt:

Perhaps the preoccupation with private guidance in Western cultures is the product of their emphasis upon individualism. The people of God have not always been so. God led the children of Israel out of bondage as a people. Everyone saw the cloud and fiery pillar. They were not a gathering of individuals who happened to be going in the same direction; they were a people under the theocratic rule of God. His brooding presence covered them with an amazing immediacy.

Patiently God prepared a people and in the fullness of time Jesus came. And with him dawned a new day. Once again a people were gathered who lived under the immediate, theocratic rule of the Spirit. With quiet persistence Jesus showed them what it meant to live in response to the voice of the Father. He taught them that they, too, could hear the heaven-sent voice and most clearly when together. “If two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Matt. 18: 19, 20). In those words Jesus gave his disciples both assurance and authority. There was the assurance that when a people genuinely gathered in his name his will could be discerned. (Foster, Richard J.. Celebration of Discipline: The Path To Spiritual Growth (pp. 176-177). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition.)

Devotional:

Good morning! As our study of Celebration of Discipline is drawing to a close, I am deeply grateful for the past several months of spending time learning about God’s plan and structure for discipleship. As with any line of education or study, at times the examination of the subject can feel dry or sterile. However, as we learn the “what,” let us remember the “why” behind it. For me, and perhaps for you, the desire to dig in and live a full, God-honoring life as a believer beyond simply going to church and listening to Christian music has given me the desire to know the “what” of discipleship more fully. I pray that the time that this has taken will inspire each of us to always be pursuing a deeper understanding of our walk with the Lord!

The next of the corporate, or group, disciplines is the discipline of guidance. As in the excerpt, it is unusual for believers to take the discipline to this level. As members of this individualistic culture, I have noticed that many of us are blinded by the normalcy of being isolated to be unaware of the effects of that disconnect.

I realize that there are seasons when God calls us out from spending all our time with others. However, God, again, works with the congregation when He leads as well as with the individual. Corporate guidance is much different from the modern idea of “groupthink,” a potentially destructive “go with the flow” mentality that can cause people to blindly follow whether the plan is right or not. On the contrary, the guidance of the Body of Christ as a group is God’s true method of steering His Kingdom. We are called to His purposes, my brothers and sisters. We are called to His plans and design, that all men should be drawn to Him. Let us pursue this flow, and align ourselves with what He is doing in the church at large today. Let us be firmly planted in a body of believers that are earnestly seeking His leading, and walk in step with them.

Prayer:

Thanksgiving:

Father, I thank You that You are in the business of guiding us. Today I lift You high, and glorify Your Name, Most High Father. I worship You, Lord. I honor You, God. You are worthy, Jesus. Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God almighty, Who was and is and is to come. Worthy is the Lamb Who was slain from the foundations of the earth that we might be reconciled to the Father. Great and mighty are Your works, Lord. I admire Your beauty and the beauty of Your creation.

Confession:

I lift my heart to You today for confession and renewal. (Take the time to still your heart before the Lord. Give Him the space to examine you. Journal if you feel comfortable. Ask the Lord if you need to bring confession to another, whether for amends or accountability. Ask Him to provide a safe person to confess with.)

Supplication:

Father, I bring my heart and needs to You. I lift my hands and surrender control and surrender my rights to You. I lift these needs (List in your journal, or copy and paste this devotional into a document in your computer, then type out your prayers. Make note of any progress or victories or answers.)

Thanksgiving and Consecration:

I lift You high and give You honor for this day. In Jesus’ Name I pray, amen.

Blessing and Benediction:

Philippians 4:7 

(May) the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Bless you this day as you go forth into parenting!