This is part of the Great Commission. And we are all called to do it. Some may be more anointed for it than others, but that doesn’t make that an excuse to not teach. It’s the same with evangelism. It’s the same with healing, and preaching. We’re all called to do it regardless of the levels of anointing.

So, we teach. We teach the young to mature. We teach the lost the way to salvation. We teach children to obey their parents; wives to submit to husbands; husbands to love their wives. We teach humility to the arrogant. We teach self-control to the willfull. We teach people to praise and worship in spirit and in truth.

We teach.

Without the passing on of what the older generation knows to the younger one, there will be much more than just culture, education and heritage that will be lost. The greatest price that will be paid for the lack — and, God forbid, absence — of instruction is the loss of vision. And the Bible says that without vision, God’s people perish.

We teach.

The Elisha generation are a fledgling batch of prophets, preachers, teachers, apostle and pastors in the making. They are presidents, governors, engineers, nurses, businessmen, policemen and artists in seed form. We teach them so they can learn what we have learned from God through our own mentors and leaders. We teach them so they can stand on their own two feet, then onto our shoulders and see much farther than we ever saw, go farther than we ever went, and reach higher than we ever reached.

We teach.

We pass not only the baton to the Joshua generation but also the vision the Lord has given the Moses generation. We pass on the wisdom and the discipline. We pass on the courage and the faith. We pass on the pursuit and the perseverance. We pass it on through teaching.

We teach.

We serve by teaching. We serve by imparting. We serve by rebuking, correcting, instructing and training. But all this is useless if the Timothy generation do not receive from the Paul generation. No amount of teaching can ever penetrate a heart shut up by pride and apathy. Our words cannot reach a mind set on things other than Kingdom things. But we still teach.

We teach…

…not because it is easy, but because it is essential. We teach not because it is a chore, but because it is a calling. We teach not because it is wanted, but because it is needed. We teach what we know, what we have received from the Lord in the hopes that the vision will be caught and catch on.

We teach.

We have to.

We must.

We need to.

We will.

We are.

We teach.

James W. Goll:
“Our Geiger Counter of Guidance: Hearing the Voice of God”
from the Elijah List website

Thank you for all of your prayers for my family and me in this season of adjustment. One thing I have always tried to do is remember the ABC’s, especially when change is happening all around me. That is why I want to share an excerpt from The Beginner’s Guide to Hearing God, titled “Geiger Counter of Guidance.”

In these times we need to be moving according to the leadings of the Spirit and not moved by the media, world events, people’s opinions or the latest news report. We need to, like John the Beloved, lean our head upon the chest of our Messiah, listening for the very heartbeat of God and cultivating a friendship with Jesus.

True guidance is not just a one-time thing or a one-time event - it is finding the Guide Himself. Remember, Jesus did nothing of Himself. He only did those things which He saw the Father doing. This is our model and example. Let us “look to see” what our Father is initiating. Then we need to DO IT!

These are times when we truly need divine guidance and wisdom. For some solid foundations in this area of discerning the voice of God, I encourage you to read The Beginner’s Guide to Hearing God. It is an excellent source to start learning how to hear the voice of God.

May you grow in your knowledge of the love of Jesus this week as you listen to His heart!

In Christ Jesus!

James W. Goll

Our Geiger Counter of Guidance

“Therefore the LORD longs to be gracious to you, and therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you. For the LORD is a God of justice; How blessed are all those who long for Him. O people in Zion, inhabitant in Jerusalem, you will weep no longer. He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry; when He hears it, He will answer you.

“Although the Lord has given you the bread of privation and water of oppression, He, your Teacher, will no longer hide Himself, but your eyes will behold your Teacher. And your ears will hear a word behind you, ‘This is the way, walk in it,’ whenever you turn to the right or to the left.” Isaiah 30:18-21

Perhaps you have come a long way in your journey of learning to hear God’s voice. But as for my life, I always have to review the A, B, C’s! Reflect back with me for a moment…from the starting block of realizing our need to hear God, we became familiar with our personal tutor, the Holy Spirit, given to guide us into all truth.

Yes, there are many courses to take in the lost art of hearing God. We must have a working knowledge of the Word of God. We must have the spirit of revelation, according to Ephesians 1:17-19. But now I want to give you some important guidance lessons for wisdom for the journey. We have been given a “Geiger Counter of Guidance.”

Hear the Clicking?

Do you remember playing games as a child? One child would be blindfolded and the others kind of steering them around. Some object in the room would be selected and the one blindfolded would have to try to find it. Shouts of, “HOT!”, “No, COLD!” proceeded from the children participating in the room. Hot, of course, meant you were getting closer to the desired object. Cold meant you were going in the wrong direction. It was fun, remember?

There is an interesting instrument called a Geiger counter. Its use is actually similar to the game I just described. A German physicist invented the Geiger counter in 1945. It is an instrument used for detecting the presence and intensity of radiation (as cosmic rays or particles from a radioactive substance) by means of the ionizing effect on an enclosed gas, which results in a pulse that is amplified and fed to a device giving visible or audible indications. The thing I remember is the distinct clicking sound it makes.

The closer you get to the substance and the greater intensity of its matter, the louder and faster the clicking noise becomes. I have often thought that is a lot like hearing God’s voice once you put all the pieces together. There is an inner witness that you learn to pay attention to. You check in with the Holy Spirit; you listen to your “knower”; and you bear witness or you don’t. When you are filled with the Holy Spirit there is a divine guidance system that comes with the package.

Are you getting warmer - closer to the desired subject?

Or are you getting colder - further away from the will of God?

Do you hear the clicking…?

Ten Principles of Divine Guidance to Help you Find God, Not Just His Will

Number One: The Will of God is Made Known in the Word of God.

Now let’s start by getting real basic. One day you read in Exodus 20:14, “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” That registers in your spirit and remains. Not long after, you are walking in the mall and you hear some inner nudge say something like, “Look at that person. They really want you!”

But because the Scripture is hidden in your heart, it is easy to reject that thought. You don’t even have to evaluate whether that voice was God, you know it isn’t. You know because you have read the Word and have hidden it in your heart. So our first guidance principle is always the will of God is made known in the Word of God. God’s Word is the final judge in all guidance.

Number Two: The Will of God is Confirmed through Circumstances.

Years ago in my senior year of college, I was quite zealous for the Lord. I probably needed a little bit more tethering in those days, but I was so on fire for God and I didn’t care anymore about the pursuit of credentials in this life. I was ready to quit college at the end of my first trimester of my senior year, needing only 20 more hours to complete my degree.

I was ready to quit university, but I diligently sought the Lord’s direction. “Oh God, I just want to forget this stuff and get on with my real calling.” I don’t know for sure how I said it, but it was something like that with an addendum: “But if You want me to finish out this year, I bid You to do something. Show me Your will!”

Then a surprising thing happened. I was ready to quit in November with only six months to go till graduation. Somehow I received another scholarship and was given a Religious Leadership Scholarship at a secular university to help me financially complete the rest of my year. So I decided, “That’s a pretty good circumstantial sign. I’d better go ahead and complete what I have finished!”

I realize there are some exceptions to this one, but God does guide us circumstantially as well. I’m glad I completed that degree.

Number Three: The Holy Spirit Speaks from Where He Dwells.

Where does God dwell? God not only dwells in Heaven, but if you are a child of God, and if you’ve been filled with the Holy Spirit, He lives within you. According to 1 Corinthians 6:19, “We are the Temple of the Living God.” He speaks to us from where He dwells. Where does God dwell? Colossians 1:27 tells us plainly, “Christ in us is the hope of glory” (Scriptures paraphrased).

Have you listened to your heart lately? What is beating in your heart? The Holy Spirit is Heaven’s Representative in all-true guidance. John 16:13 states, “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.”

Number Four: Divine Guidance Comes from Meeting God’s Conditions.

Isaiah 58 is an incredible passage of Scripture where God’s chosen fast is brilliantly described in detail. It speaks about honoring God and the observance of the Sabbath. Removing the pointing of the finger and feeding the poor are also addressed. Several key conditions and the attitudes required are listed.

Then God’s corresponding promise is listed in Isaiah 58:11, “And the LORD will continually guide you.” But the conditions are listed first.

The passage quoted at the beginning of this chapter (Isaiah 30) gives us marvelous promises: The Lord will be gracious to you; He will be your Teacher; You will hear a word behind you. On and on it goes… But conditions are laid out that must be met as well. “When He hears the sound of your cry…”

What are the conditions that must be met for your promise to be unlocked? Has He heard you really cry out to Him? Meet the conditions and His eye will surely guide you.

Number Five: True Guidance is Accompanied by the Peace of God.

There is peace in the midst of a storm. Peace does not mean there is no storm. Peace does not mean there’s no warfare either. There is a center of quiet that is in the midst of the turbulence of life. True guidance from God does not push you; it brings peace and satisfaction.

James 3:17 remarks, “…the wisdom (which comes down) from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.” I love the order. Pure, peaceable, gentle… Isn’t that everything you would want hearing God to be all about? Don’t you want to bear good fruit?

Number Six: Much Guidance from God Comes Unaware.

Much of our guidance comes undetected. We’re often unaware that we are being guided. Why? Because of His marvelous ways! Also because we’ve asked Him to continually guide us! We want to do His will.

Psalm 25:9 wisely depicts, “He leads the humble in justice, and teaches the humble His way.” I love the ways of God. Again, a condition is spoken which unlocks the provision. Humility is the doorway whereby we learn not just the will of God, but the ways of God.

Thank You, Lord, for Your gentle nudges, whispers in the night and even what seems like pushes and shoves at times. Even Your electric cattle prodding’s are wonderful. Thanks for guiding us even when we did not acknowledge it was You.

Number Seven: Divine Guidance Does Not Mean We Know All the Details.

Oh-oh, that isn’t what you wanted to hear. Now the Lord wants us, in a sense, to have a rooftop view. But along the way it’s often only the knotholes that we get to look through. There are those special times perhaps, in revelatory giftings and experiences that we see A, B, C and even see a portion of the end of the matter of X, Y and Z. These experiences are for a great, awesome purpose. They’re to ruin your life, so that you will never, ever be able to be a successful, boring Christian again. You will know you have a destiny in God and you will pursue the God of destiny no matter what!

But most of the time, you will only see what is in front of you. A word of wisdom - enjoy life. Life is more than just another meeting or hot word. Life is precious. Live it to the fullest and for His ultimate glory!

Number Eight: The Process of Guidance is Not Always Pleasant.

Isaiah 55:8-9 declares, “…My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,’ declares the LORD. ‘As the heavens are higher the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.’”

There is Good News though. The New Testament teaches us that we can have the “mind of Christ.” But still, guidance isn’t always pleasant. He calls us to authentic apostolic lifestyles where bearing our cross is not a pain but a delight.

God has made a decision in His walk with you, that you will never remain in a static position. And when you start freezing up, God just says, “Change!” That’s when guidance doesn’t appear to be very pleasant, because there are breakings that occur.

Then it’s time to choose His way over our way. It might seem painful for the moment, but the end result will be His life expressed through us in exchange for our own efforts. Choose Life. Choose His ways!

Number Nine: Hearing God Speak Should Prompt You to Action.

Daniel 11:32b promises, “but the people who know their God will display strength and take action.” I want to be a person of faith and who does exploits in the name of the Lord. Don’t you?

If there’s been a failure or a fumbling, cry out for the great mercy of God. I’ve been learning our God is the God of the fiftieth chance. His mercies are new every morning. Great is His faithfulness. Wash yourself in the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ and learn from the past. But forgetting what lies behind, press forward into the upward call of Christ Jesus. Faith comes by hearing and hearing the words of Christ. Let’s show that we are a genuine community of faith and get to movin’ for Jesus’ sake!

Number Ten: Guidance is a Skill to Be Learned Over a Lifetime.

It’s not a one-time experience where you heard God speak once and then you rehearse the same old testimony all the rest of your life! It is a skill to be learned over a lifetime and passed on to others.

One time I was sitting at my office desk getting ready for an appointment when the Holy Spirit whispered to me, “You are now hearing Me through a gift.” Interesting. So I listened some more since a gift was being activated! The still small voice continued, “But when it comes to you and Me, I speak to you through a relationship.”

Be like John the Beloved and lean your head upon the chest of your Messiah and Master. Listen for the very heartbeat of God. Cultivate a friendship with Jesus. True guidance is not just a one-time thing or a one-night stand, it is finding the Guide Himself.

Here is my parting word of wisdom: Hearing the voice of God is a lifetime relationship that can never be taken away.

Blessings and Grace,

James W. Goll
Encounters Network
Email: info@encountersnetwork.com

ElijahList Publications
310 2nd Ave SE,
Albany, OR 97321
http://www.elijahlist.com/
email: info@elijahlist.net
Phone 1-541-926-3250

Paul Keith Davis:
“God Tabernacled in His Bride: It is TIME to ARISE from the Wilderness and SHINE”

First-Fruits Bridal Company

In his classic book The Pursuit of God, A. W. Tozer wrote, “The simplicity which is in Christ is rarely found among us. In its stead are programs, methods, organizations and a world of nervous activities which occupy time and attention but can never satisfy the longing of the heart.”

Although this objective appraisal was written a generation ago, its truth is still pertinent to our day. Even so, hidden among us there exists a company of people who will never be satisfied substituting religious activities for intimacy with Christ and the fullness of His stature.

For a season, God concealed David in the Cave of Adullam. At the appropriate time, he and his mighty band emerged in strength to execute God’s commission. So shall it be with this company. God knows how to groom and release champions who embrace and embody righteous standards of leadership.

Many called to play key leadership roles in the Bride’s preparation are not even widely known on earth; but they are recognized in Heaven. They are spiritual warriors who have received God’s imputed righteousness and carry His influence. Having captured Heaven’s attention, it is now time to arise like Moses from the wilderness and shine like a bright evening star. Only then are we qualified to exercise the Lord’s delegated authority to usher in a wave of harvest. Daniel foretold that:

“Those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of Heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.” Daniel 12:3

We are presently called to a heightened place of intimacy and fellowship with God. Our covenant is built upon better promises than that of Moses. Even so, Moses was required to veil his face because of the residue of God’s glory resulting from his close encounter with God. How much more should we experience His glory in the new covenant and the literal fulfillment of the spiritual implications associated with the Feast of Tabernacles!

New Seven Year Cycle

Rosh Hashanah 2008 ushered in a new seven-year season in God; it will be much different from the previous seven-year cycle that emphasized warfare and preparation. Substantial fruitfulness and restoration will characterize those who are spiritually mature and strengthened to become trustworthy stewards of His mysteries and power. A first-fruits company will begin to experience heavenly realms and embrace great insights from the now “opened book” containing notable strategies and revelations of the Lord. (See Revelation 10)

There is a present Word being released in God’s people that is preparatory for the impending outpouring. It is through His Word abiding in us merged with the Spirit that makes us “Sons of the Kingdom” and the “Tabernacle of God.” To espouse manmade traditions, doctrines and perceptions of men rather than the true revelation of the Word, will only become cumbersome weights that interfere with our ability to meet the challenges of this new day.

“Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 1:13

For years, the Lord has been nurturing and empowering many people in anticipation of this hour. We are now at a crossroad in His blueprint with great change on the horizon. As we determine to worship the Lord in Spirit and Truth, we will also draw nearer to His heart with greater levels of revelatory insight. This model is essential to be entrusted with keys to the Kingdom that unlocks Heaven’s greatest resources.

Deep to Deep

This group, by responding to “deep calling unto deep,” is being prepared to travel in a new way not yet known to the Church. Our call is to be prepared to carry mantles of power that will be unique to the harvest generation. These things will be called forth by the Spirit of Prophecy. According to Isaiah 48:6-7:

“You have heard [these things foretold], now you see this fulfillment. And will you not bear witness to it? I show you specified new things from this time forth, even hidden things [kept in reserve] which you have not known. They are created now [called into being by the prophetic word], and not long ago; and before today you have never heard of them, lest you should say, ‘Behold, I knew them!’” (Amplified version, emphasis added)

A fresh prophetic word is being delegated to the Church to articulate Heaven’s desire. When a clear directional word has been imparted, it is our place to announce it through an atmosphere of His anointing. This will be part of the Bridal calling.

Those anointed with this Spirit will begin to speak against sickness, sin and spiritual corruption. This past season of grooming and refinement has been for this purpose. There has been a sifting of our soul and the establishment of contrition and humility essential to embody extravagant levels of power and authority. The Spirit of Understanding will bring illumination to this reality and mobilize God’s people for this great task.

Sanctified in Truth

An issue of great importance consistently emphasized by the Lord is the full manifestation of the Spirit of Truth. As the emerging army of Believers, we must learn to embrace Truth so the “fog” of deception and delusion would have no place to flourish in the Church.

By girding our loins with the “belt of truth,” our foundation in Christ is firmly established, allowing us to be leaven-free and fully released into His anointing for this seven-year spiritual season. When wonderful reports began to circulate out of Lakeland, Florida, and it seemed a revival was on the horizon, I asked the Lord about it and received an unusual response. The Spirit impressed upon me the phrase, “It is the last of the old order.” Initially I did not fully understand its implication, but greater clarity has developed in recent months.

Based on a prophetic word, our ministry co-sponsored with MorningStar Ministries a conference in March entitled “Honoring the Fathers,” with the promise that a spirit of revival would follow. We felt what was developing in Lakeland could have been the initial response to that promise. In retrospect, I do believe that revival was God initiated and the last of an old order.

Clearly great spiritual outpourings are forecast for the coming days. We will see more tent meetings, evangelistic crusades and powerful gatherings in stadiums and churches. However, despite our great appreciation for the healings, miracles and salvations, what we saw demonstrated in Lakeland did not model or demonstrate the “new thing” that is promised. There is more…much more!

Leaven Free

Pentecost was the only of the Lord’s Feasts that allowed leaven. What is coming will maintain an emphasis on the extraction of spiritual leaven. Jesus said:

“‘How is it that you do not understand that I did not speak to you concerning bread? But beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.’ Then they understood that He did not say to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” Matthew 16:11-12

We have seen the realization of Passover, the Feast of the first month, and Pentecost, the Feast of the third month. Now, we are poised to see the literal fulfillment of the Feast of the seventh month - Tabernacles. God will tabernacle in His Bride to do through her all the great and wonderful things He did while on the earth in human form.

Of the seven Churches outlined in Revelation, the Laodicean Church most accurately defines this present age. Like Laodicea, our admonition is to be clothed with white garments that the shame of our nakedness would not be revealed; these are representing priestly and divinely powerful apparels by which we clothe ourselves spiritually. To experience Tabernacles is to be “clothed with Christ.”

“The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.” Romans 13:12-14, emphasis added

Our ultimate calling is to be like Him and display His garments of righteousness, sanctification, revelation and power. This is only achieved through the union experience and God Himself tabernacled in His Bride. Isaiah prophesied this saying:

“I will rejoice greatly in the LORD, my soul will exult in my God; for He has clothed me with garments of salvation, He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.” Isaiah 61:10

If we put on Holy array then our motives will carry no misrepresentation or selfish ambition. Either we must learn from history or we will be doomed to repeat it. In times past many wonderfully anointed leaders stumbled because of the failure to be completely clothed in Christ. We are commissioned at this time to embrace His offering of grace to “become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.” (See 2 Peter 1:4)

We are to be “galvanized” with Christ! An iron chain is a very powerful tool; however it can be compromised through corruption and rust. When the iron chain links are galvanized they are coated with zinc, which is non-corruptible. Galvanized iron then becomes much more powerful because it is no longer subject to corruption; it will endure under the harshest of conditions that would otherwise compromise its integrity.

Likewise, when we “put on the Lord Jesus Christ” our spirits are “galvanized” with Christ and our flesh is coated with the anointing. Corruption will then take on the incorruptible nature.

Removing Mixture

The Feast of Tabernacles is referenced more often in the Bible than any of the other feasts and is recognized throughout Israel’s history as the greatest of her festivals. It is also known as the Feast of the Open Book.

When Moses came to the end of his journey the Lord commanded him to open the Book of the Covenant and read it to the new generation since the former generation perished in the wilderness because of unbelief. Only in the Feast of Tabernacles was the book opened and read before the people as a symbolic gesture of the great revelation that will come to the generation that literally fulfills all that this Feast represents.

Not only are we called to access the revelations of the “open book” but also devour them and prophecy them to this final age, that the fullness of the Gentiles may come in. According to Revelation 10:10-11:

“I took the little book out of the angel’s hand and ate it, and in my mouth it was sweet as honey; and when I had eaten it, my stomach was made bitter. And they said to me, ‘You must prophesy again concerning many peoples and nations and tongues and kings.’”

This is none other than the book concealed in Daniel’s day and revealed to the end-of-time generation. It is the full stature and revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ. Like the sons of Zadok, the Bridal company will minister to the Lord and dine at His table in order to emerge with the discernment necessary to separate the precious from the profane and the clean from the unclean. (See Ezekiel 44)

From a practical point of view, we should expect tremendous revelatory teachings to surface in the coming days that will take us deep into God’s Word and the full revelation of the wonderful things concealed through Daniel but revealed to the Bride. This will present her without spot or wrinkle and cleansed of spiritual leaven.

Paul Keith and Wanda Davis
WhiteDove Ministries
Email: inquiries@whitedoveministries.org

ElijahList Publications
310 2nd Ave SE,
Albany, OR 97321
http://www.elijahlist.com/
email: info@elijahlist.net
Phone 1-541-926-3250

Last Saturday the cell group discussed the topic of discipline using Herbews 12:7-12 as the springboard. The Lord gave me this word to share to the guys just hours before and I really believe it was a “now” word. I see in the spirit that many young men and women in this generation dislike discipline — they don’t even like the concept of the word.

Of course being the older man that I am now [33, thank you!] I am in a position to say that discipline that comes from parents most of the time brings good results to one’s life. More importantly, my physical age also puts me in the vantage point of seeing the inevitability and infallibility of the discipline that comes from the Heavenly Father.

Lately, the Lord is seemingly placing me in the position of rebuker-corrector-reprimander of the young men in our church. Believe me, this is something I didn’t ask for and if I could, I would give these duties to the likes of our drummer Caloy (who can really hammer in the truths of the Kingdom like no one’s business) or our youth pastor Nap (who commands more respect).

But you know, God, in His infinite wisdom, chooses the foolish things of this world to shame the wise; He chooses the weak things of this world to shame the strong; and, apparently, He also uses the former non-confrontational, former laid back ones to dispense heavens proverbial rods on the rear ends of the semi-straying sheep. Yes! God does uses the foolish. Haha!

In the course of the discussion, we saw in the passage that no one is really excempt from discipline — everyone receives it. More importantly though, we also saw that God’s discipline is actually a form of love, because He is treating us as sons and daughters.

Below is the passage from Hebrews [12:7-12] with some of the revelations and ideas the Lord gave me:

Endure hardship as discipline;
– discipline comes in many forms but is always accompanied by hardship, because the flesh is always resisting it

God is treating you as sons.
– scripture says God disciplines those He loves. His correction is always motivated by compassion

For what son is not disciplined by his father?
– this, to me, is a rhetorical question. I believe that fathers are “correctional” by nature

If you are not disciplined
– no order comes into your life; no boundaries are set; chaos ensues

(and everyone undergoes discipline),
– like I said above, no one is excempt

then you are illegitimate children and not true sons.
– would a father care as much for an illegitimate child as much as he would his own flesh and blood?

Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us
– and, as imperfect as they are, they have every right to rebuke us because they are reponsible and accountable for us

and we respected them for it.
– if we have chosen to respond the right way. The quality of the life we live depends on the kind of choices we make. We can choose life or death; blessings or curses. Our response to discipline also determines how we grow and mature, how far we will reach in life and how fruitful we become in the spirit

How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live!
– and we know that He never fails, never does anything that will harm us, and always wants to bless us. Instead of running away from God when He rebukes us, we need to humble ourselves and sumbit to His loving correction, because in Him we live and move and have our being

Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best;
– and even if they weren’t perfect persons, their intentions — which include seeing their children raised to be upstanding citizens and teaching them to stand on their own feet — are noble

but God disciplines us for our good,
– which is why we should always ask for God’s grace to respond to discipline the Jesus way: in humility, obedience and submission. Because in the long run, we are the beneficiaries of said correction

that we may share in his holiness.
– and why shouldn’t we? He’s a holy God after all and He requires us to be holy as well. Discipline helps us get there

No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful.
– amen to that! But the trick is to see beyond the discomfort and the pain, and lift one’s vision higher to the end result. We are more than now creatures; we were made for eternity, so having a forever mindset will set everything in perspective

Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace
– and this is why it would be foolish to run away from hardship, challenges and testings: you’d miss out on the harvest; you’d miss out on your inheritance; you’d miss out the character development; you’d miss out … A LOT!

for those who have been trained by it.
– again, our response is crucial. If we see every trial and tribulation as a test of our fortitude, as an opportunity to grow and learn, and as a chance to see God move in our lives, our perspective towards discipline will totally be revolutionized

Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees.
– the whole point of discipline is this! To strengthen us, never to weaken us.