Disciplined Lifestyle Inevitable Success

Discipline is a well known word to all of us. From the time we are born to the day we die, we go through many disciplinary actions. The advanced learners dictionary defines disciplinary as “training of the mind and character.” To produce self control, habits of obedience. (E.g. School Children, Soldiers).  W.E. Vine’s dictionary defines discipline as “an admonishing or calling to soundness of mind or self control”.  Discipline starts from a very young age or from babyhood. We are taught how to clap, pronounce words, how to eat, how to address and respect the parents, elders, and teachers.

The bible too talks a lot about discipline, from childhood onwards. Proverbs 22:6 says “Train up a  child in the way that he should go and he will not depart from it”.

A disciple is disciplined person because the disciple follows the leader’s life style. As child I was trained by my mother, on how to respect elders, how to pray, what hand to use when eating, how to be accountable in the little things I did daily, and when I failed to do these things my mother would discipline me by putting me on the right track. During the discipline it was very painful.  But looking back today I appreciate all what she has done for me.

A disciple is disciplined person because the disciple follows the leader’s life style. Our greatest example is the Lord Jesus Christ, and the bible is our trainer or discipliner to build our lives in the way God wants us. The Bible talks about disciplining our lives in many ways and here are some of them.

1. We must discipline ourselves and train our children to know the Lord is God.(Deut 4:35-40;) if we don’t do so our children will turn to other Gods and God will have to discipline us (Ps 6:1, 38:1)
   
2. We must discipline ourselves and train our children to Love the Lord our God, obey His word and pass it on to the next generation. (Deut 11:1-32, 23:1-14).
   
3.  We must discipline ourselves and train our children to fear the Lord (Deut 5:32-33; 6:6-7; Pro 22:6; Pro 1:7, 19:23, 16:25), if we look at the biblical characters we see some disciplined their children in the ways of God while  others failed to do so and what disaster it brought to the next generation. Abraham brought up his only son in a very godly way and he kept a godly legacy to his generation (Gen 21-26), while Eli did not bring up his children in a godly manner and brought destruction not only to his children, but to the Israelites (1Sam 2:11-4:22). As parents if we fail to discipline our children, we are sending them to the hell.
   
4. .We must discipline ourselves to tithe and leave a godly legacy to our children (Deut 14:22-29: Mal 3:8-12)
   
5. We must discipline ourselves and discipline our Children to attain wisdom (Pro 1:1-7, 3:1, 2:10, 16:22) wisdom is very important to move in a corrupt world, even Jesus asked us to be “wise as serpents and innocent like doves.” And to attain wisdom we must read the word daily.
   
6. We must discipline our tongue (Pro 13;3, 18:21) we must be very careful in speech, because our children follow our example. When we read the book of James 3:1-12 very carefully it shows us the danger of our tongue. Even when we read the book of Proverbs it teaches us how to use the tongue and the damages it brings. So teach your children to tame their tongue, then when they grow they will be careful of their speech.
   
7. We should discipline ourselves against adultery, (Pro 6:25-35) because the youth are prone to all evil. Today even in the church the youth are undisciplined, they are into all kind of mischief, but they are in ministry, worship teams, leadership positions, but they are not submissive, rebellious, that is why Paul says Timothy to be an example (2Tim 2:22, 1Tim 4:11). A youth whom is well known to me fell into a immoral relationship with a church leaders wife, and was in ministry, the church knew it the parents knew it even the husband of the lady knew it, but no one was willing to correct this lad and put him on the right track with his life. Thank God through prayer he has been given another chance. Don’t wait till a crisis to start disciplining your life and your children’s.
   
8. We must discipline our families. Christian families are to be of exemplary character. That is why the Apostle Paul always emphasized about it in his Epistles. To have a disciplined family the bible gives us many guidelines,
   
   
   1. Wives submit to your own husbands (Col 3:18; Eph 5:22-24).
   2. Husbands love your wives (Eph 5:24-29; Col 3:19).
   3. Children obey your parents (Col 3:20; Eph 6:1-3).
   4. Fathers do not provoke your Children (Eph 6:4: Col 3:21).
      
      • When our homes disciplined according to the guidelines of the bible, we brings glory to God in our lives. Love is a disciplinary act, people who are brought up in discipline will always love and care for one another, it all starts at home. Christian conduct doesn’t start in church it starts in your home.
        
9. We should discipline our appetite and food habits (Pro 23:21, 28:7, Tit 1:12) why do you think the bible has given us dietary laws, it is for our benefit to keep us healthy (Lev. 11:1-23). Some say we are under the new covenant and we don’t have to follow the old testament laws, which is wrong, today everything is a quick fix and people goes for fast foods, some countries make artificial foods like plastic rice, eggs, etc. Today Christians are sick mostly because they are not cautious about food.
   
10. We must discipline our prayer lives, because is the main key for all our victories (1Cor 7:5: Php 4:6; Col 4:2; Eph 6:18. Today the Church, families, and individuals lack their prayer, as we live in a busy life and the first thing is to neglect is prayer. Jesus lived a prayerful life (Mark 1:35; Matt 26:36, Luke 6:12; john 16:16-26) so was His disciples (Acts 1:12-14, 3:1, 4:23-31, 13:2), and the early church fathers.

Sometimes, when we don’t live disciplinary live God will chastise us. It is not that God does not love us, He disciplines to correct us and bring us more close to Him. If you are going to a period of chastisement, don’t lose heart read the following scriptures and strengthen yourself.(Heb 12:6-11, Isa 26:16, Jer 31:18,1Cor 11:32; Deut 8:5, Ps 94:10, Pro 3:12).

Therese Fernando