Discipline and Punishment

Someone asked me about this that was on page 52 of the old book, 47 new book:

"Once I was asked, "If commit adultery if God would still love me?"

My answer was, "Of course He will! In fact He will love you so much He will probably discipline you harshly for it.""

This reminded me of something Mike says in one of the audio's:

"Sin and punishment are one and the same. We don't need Jesus to condemn us- sinful behavior already does that. The fruit of sin is either green or rotten, it is never ripe, juicy or satisfying. Sin simply does not fit a believer any more than the clothes or behaviors of the opposite sex do."

Both of Mike's statements made me realize something. There is a big difference between discipline and punishment. If we sin, yes- God will probably discipline us.

Hebrews 12:8-10
8 But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness.

Discipline is teaching and training so one will reach maturity- and from God. Do you know what the Scriptures tell us a mature Christian is like?

Hebrews 5
12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. 13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.

The mature believer is one who is "accustomed to the word of righteousness". The mature believer is one who, to put it basically, is one who has a right concept of Who God is and who they are because of Him.

This is the word of righteousness:
2 Corinthians 5:21
He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

The believer who chooses sin- simply chooses to DO something he/she is not. "Sin simply does not fit a believer." And we know it. But there are many Christians who don't understand that if they have a wrong concept of God- they also have a wrong concept who they are and they live in the defeat cycle always running to idols that try to meet their needs. Most believers are simply doing what they have always done.

Discipline leads us to understand Who God is and who we are because of Him- and we can live from the Truth. Be who He created us anew to be. Sin won't be our focus or meet our needs. Jesus is our focus and only He can meet the needs He created us with.

Punishment is different. Punishment is torment. Our sinful behavior is torment, is it not? We are tormented on the inside. Some say that is being convicted of our sin. I say, it is that we-believers- are convicted of OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. It is the Holy Spirit say, "This is NOT who you are." (Discipline). Sin punishes, condemns, torments. When we choose sin- along with it comes it's own punishment, condemnation and torment.

Where is God in all of this?
Romans 8:1, 38-39
1 Corinthians 13

And what about this?-

1 John 4:18
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.

Perfect Love loves you. He wants what's best for you. He wants you to live in the freedom He created for you through His life, death, burial, resurrection and ascension.

You can choose to sin but you cannot choose the consequences of sin.

You can choose to believe- and receive the fruit (ripe, juicy and satisfying), the riches, the LIFE of the One in whom you believe.

5 years!!!!!

Today I am celebrating 5 years of making one of the best decisions I ever made!

5 years ago today I put on a ratty old pair of Walmart tennis shoes- and ran down a hill! Breathless and shaking I made it about a half of a mile, if that.

I am so thankful for this gift of running. I get just as much out of running- spiritually, emotionally and mentally as I do physically.

Today, I will put my running shoes on- 26 degrees and bundled up- with my faithful companion, Sebastian- and we will fly down that same hill and through Pauline, this beautiful countryside I live in. We will wave and say hello to all the wonderful neighbors I have met through running.

And I will celebrate 5 years with 5 miles. 5 miles of prayers, of singing in my heart. 5 miles of listening and seeing with new ears and new eyes.

5 miles of grace. 5 miles of peace. 5 miles of joy. 5 miles of life.

Yes, thank You, Father for this gift of running.

If it wasn't for these truths...

I wouldn't be living freedom- today!

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/andrewfarley/2015/01/are-christians-perfectly-cleansed-do-we-have-two-spiritual-natures-andrew-farleys-response-to-the-bible-answer-man/

Starla Ellison

January 20 at 8:28am · 

Great article!

Are Christians Perfectly Cleansed? Do We Have Two Spiritual Natures? Andrew Farley’s Response to...

Recently, a caller asked Hank Hanegraaff (“The Bible Answer Man”) about the message of grace that I share...

PATHEOS.COM

The Purpose of Scripture

Starla Ellison

January 22 at 8:19am · 

"The purpose of Scripture is to lead us to Jesus so we can experience life."- JB

John 5:39
"You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me;"- Jesus

Stasi Eldredge, Becoming Myself

Starla Ellison

January 23 at 9:43am · 

Thought I would share an excerpt from Stasi Eldredge, Becoming Myself- in the book Stasi openly and honestly shares about her struggle with her weight:

"I have lost weight over the past few years, in a healthy way. But before God ever changed my body, He changed the way I see myself. He took me back into my story, back into those wounds, and he helped me to renounce the lies spoken over me. He helped me to forgive, both those who hurt me and also myself. This is how God brings about change- from the inside out. From our hearts.

I am a hungry woman. I am hungry for love, for acceptance, for belonging, for meaning. I am desperate for God. I am aware of the aching abyss inside of me of which many have written. Oswald Chambers wrote, "There is only One being who can satisfy the last aching abyss of the human heart and that is the Lord Jesus Christ." I know that now. But I certainly didn't know it as a little girl hungry for approval and love. I didn't wake up every morning knowing that Jesus is the One who will satisfy the starving places in my heart. I have grown into knowing it. I continue to grow into knowing it."

Sweet Olivia

Starla Ellison

January 24 at 8:49am · 

Praying for my family today. I am so blessed to be apart of a large family. My grandparents had 8 children- and out of those 8 children came LOTS of grandchildren, great grandchildren and now great great grandchildren.

Matthew 19
13 Then some children were brought to Him so that He might lay His hands on them and pray; and the disciples rebuked them. 14 But Jesus said, “Let the children alone, and do not hinder them from coming to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”

We, human beings- mankind, are the most precious creation God has ever made. We are the ONLY creation created in His image. The angels were not created in His image. The earth was not created in His image. The animals were not created in His image. Only we humans beings- His ultimate creation!

Oh how He loves us, His ultimate creation. He loved us so much that even when we sinned and disobeyed Him- He made the way through His own blood shed on the cross to bring about forgiveness of sin. He rose again, after His own death FOR us to GIVE life TO us, His life. For those of us that have believed in Him, we have life- now- eternally. Death to us is simply the death of this physical body- not death to the real and true person we are at our core, our spirit and soul. Death to us is simply our real being stepping into the eternal realm, leaving the temporary behind.

Two days ago, one of us stepped into the eternal realm. One of our youngest gets to see and touch the sweet face of Jesus, our beloved Savior and Shepherd. One of our youngest is meeting our beloved grandparents, an aunt and two uncles. And her great grandfather! Oh what joyous reunion is awaiting us all! When we step from the temporal realm into the eternal realm, little Olivia will be there to welcome us.

I am so thankful that I got to hold and kiss the sweet cheeks of beautiful baby Olivia. My heart breaks for her mama, Chelsea who is so young to have went through all that she has been through these last few months. My heart is heavy for her as she has went through the last few days and now- as she goes through- life. But Jesus- the great Healer- is with her, and as she grieves He will love on her sweet heart.

My beloved cousin, Sherry- who has been so strong through all of this, knowing that in and of herself she has no strength- it is Christ within her. I don't pretend to understand the ways of God. But I do KNOW, He IS FAITHFUL and TRUE. I do know the Holy Spirit is her Counselor and Comforter. I do know that the Father, also has been separated from His Son and allowed the death to separated them- but there was a purpose to it. For had He not, then none of would be together again.

Yes, let the little children come to Him for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such of these.

Praying for you today, Sherry Bastin Henderson and Chelsea Henderson.

Steve Eden

Steve Eden

Galatians 2:20 says, “It is no longer I that live, but Christ lives in me.”

Why would God place Christ inside of us only to be a spectator? Christ is in us to live through us. Do not strive to be good. Participate with God’s goodness already in you in Christ. Do not strive to be holy. Participate with God’s holiness already present within you in Christ. Do not strive to be loved. Participate with God’s love already within you in Christ. Romans 5:5 says the love of God has been shed abroad in our hearts, by the Holy Spirit. That means Christ AND His love are present in us. We don’t have to work for God’s love, we can work with it!

Amen!

Will Gunter

January 25 at 8:10pm · 

Joe Burnett did a beautiful job tonight painting the picture of the freedom and rest we now have in the
New Covenant. My favorite picture was that of Jesus presenting Himself to the Father with blood still on his body and the Father saying, "I am satisfied!" That means that right now in this very moment regardless of what you have done or how you feel, "Child of God", He is satisfied with you!

I am adequate!

SO many times in life I feel inadequate. And if I dwell on the feeling long enough it leads me down pathways in my mind and emotions I really don't want to go. Then when I read Scripture this is what God speaks to me:

2 Corinthians 3:4-6
Such confidence we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

I am adequate. He has made me adequate for each moment of my life. Because it is Him and not me. Whenever you are in a situation and feel inadequate just ask God- your Father, your Life, your Comforter what He says about you.

Heather's FB post

Heather Breitenbach Smith

1 min · 

I have to just laugh this morning. I prayed last night that His Word would come alive and speak truth into my heart that I desperately needed. As I was up playing with my daughter this morning at 6:30 after a very long night of her being up every hour to hour and a half, I realized my prayer had been answered. Layla being up all night has worn me out but this morning I was still full of love for her. I still think she's the most precious thing on earth and her cuteness just makes me want to eat her up! Even at 6:30 am watching her play and hearing her jibberish, my heart was delighted at how she is growing and changing so much. I could not love this little dumpling any more than I already do. And then He whispered into my heart, that's exactly how I feel about you! No matter what I do or how badly I mess up, he still loves me and delights in what I do! And how my baby girl feels about me, that's how I'm supposed to feel about Him. She looks to me for everything. Right now, I'm even her food source. At this very moment, she's FINALLY resting on my lap. That's exactly a picture of who my Father wants to be for me! My everything!

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Revelation!

For 38 years of my life I "felt" like something in me was missing. I tried so many ways to fill that emptiness inside of me. I tried to laugh it away, cry it away, medicate it away. I wanted my friends to fill the hole. My family to fill the hole.

I tried to work it away. I tried to buy it away. I tried to give it away.

Nothing worked.

When I was 30 I found the One FILLED the empty space in me. But it can't be that simple is it?

So, I thought I still had an empty space in me- a hole that needed filled- and I tried to stuff more stuff in that empty spot that already been filled.

That's when I became what I call the "good Christian". I read my Bible. I prayed. I studied. I taught. I did good deeds. I went to church and took my kids whenever the doors were open. I gave money.

In reality, I did all this still trying to fill an empty space in me that had ALREADY been filled.

Why didn't someone tell me that that space had ALREADY been filled AND-

the One that filled it wasn't going to let ANYTHING ELSE make me complete and whole.

He rejected ALL the stuff I did FROM and FOR my self. Yeah, even the good stuff.

Hebrews 11:6
And without faith it is impossible to please Him-

Romans 14:23b
and whatever is not from faith is sin

"What was missing here? What was I missing? I mean, seriously God, I'm doing all this stuff FOR you and yet I still FEEL like I did before I became a believer? I have no peace. Anger boils within me. I have no joy. My life is a series of one trial or tribulation after another. I am scared to death something is going to happen to my kids and that I am a terrible mother and wife. Nick and the kids would be better off without me. I feel like that any moment my life is going fall apart and I'm doing everything I can to control it and all the people around me. I HAVE THIS CHAOS INSIDE OF ME THAT NEVER NEVER GOES AWAY! Please please please help me!"

BUT GOD!!!!!!

Then when I was 38- 8 years of trying the be the best little Christian I could be (outwardly)- someone begin to tell me-

that Jesus has ALREADY filled that empty void, that empty space, that empty place inside of me. That had been filled the day He completely changed me from inside out. He filled it with Himself. I just didn't know it.

That was 6 and a half years ago- and that is when healing began to take place.

Two people began to speak truth into me. They began to tell me WHAT Jesus has completely done/completed/finished through His life, death, burial, resurrection and ascension. They began to give me a correct concept of WHO God is AND-

who I am because of Him!

With my mind and my emotions- I began to understand. I began to live from this truth:

Galatians 2:20
I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.

It's all Jesus. He filled that empty space in me a long time ago. He exchanged me. He took my life and gave me a new life, His life. He took the old sinner and made her a saint. He took her unrighteousness and gave her His righteousness. I am holy, sanctified and justified.

I know who I am now, and I know the One Who made me who I am. I choose to live from Him now.

Peace. Joy. Life. Grace. Healing. = Jesus.

Ignorance

It amazes me how ignorant people are of scriptural truth. Simple things. Things that if you really thought about them you would know. 

Counseling

True Christian counseling leaves a person looking to Christ and not himself. - Michael Wells

2015

For the last couple of weeks I've had this "feeling" of excitement and anticipation- it just bubbles up inside of me and flows through my soul and my body. I know it's because God IS- HE IS!

It's kind of like He has been preparing to bake this elaborate meal- for awhile He has been gathering the ingredients.

Now- He is mixing those ingredients together.

This year He is baking the long anticipated meal!

And serving it to us!

But there HAD to be a time of planning, gathering and mixing before the baking starts-

Psalm 104:27
They all wait for You to give them their food in due season.

Romans 14:17
-for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

In 2013 I felt like God was "preparing me".  In my journals, nearing the end of the year, I labelled it the year of "preparation".  I had no idea why.  I was taking ADT (Advanced Discipleship Training)- and then finishing that up in the beginning of 2014.  

God was also "prepping"- working, moving, changing things around IN some of sisters and brothers in Christ who also know Christ as Life.  

In 2014 Patricia and I taught two studies here at my house- Grace Girls in the spring and Ephesians in the fall.  

Before we knew it 2015 was coming up and-

we realized He had put all our "plans" together.  We just think it's "our" plans...  : )

Isaiah 25:1

[ Song of Praise for God’s Favor ] O Lord, You are my God; I will exalt You, I will give thanks to Your name; For You have worked wonders, Plans formed long ago, with perfect faithfulness.

Special

Know what is special? Being apart of something special- and God letting you know that you are!

Amy

Amy,
This morning I was out running with my dog, Sebastian.  As we were running the sun was coming up behind us causing our shadows to run, also, across an old corn field.  I laughed, and said, "Thank You, Lord for this beautiful morning.  This beautiful sunshine. Thank You, that I get to run."

Then I realized what I said, "I get to run."  I laughed again, and thanked God for you, Amy.  Every time I think or say the words, "I get to", you are hand in hand with them.

As I prayed, I realized that so many GET TO run but so few do.  So many GET TO run- do it and are so thankful and grateful that we can.  The exhaustion and the exhilaration.  Sweating out the toxins in our body- working through our thoughts and emotions in our hearts and minds- getting a good cleaning out there also!  How clean we feel inside and out, after a shower!

And God also revealed to me that intimacy with Him is very much like running.  We, as His children, can have intimacy with Him.  But many don't.  And they certainly can't be thankful or grateful for something they don't have.  Intimacy with Him- is exhilaration- and even a cleanliness as we experience His rest, His trust, His fellowship, His grace, His mercy-  Him.  In all His fullness He reveals Himself to us, in us and through us.

And we feel and know we are whole.

I prayed for you, Amy.  I prayed that you experience His intimacy in this moment in your life.  That God's plan for you is not in the future- you are in His plan this very moment.  You were in His plan for your whole and complete healing- 8 years ago.  And this very moment.

I love you, my friend- my sister.  I am so thankful that I  GET TO call you both!  Thank you for allowing God to use you and speak through you- as He chooses.

True

You can know a thing to death and still be completely ignorant of it. 

- from the book, Gilead

Teaching my "almost" adult children ....

Learn from your mistakes early in life. It will save you much heartache and misery. 

Something Beautiful

One of the songs my Mom loved- and we would sing- is:

Something Beautiful by the Gaithers.

As I listen to the words of this song- and the journey I've been on these last few years of God revealing to me some of the things my Mom dealt with in her life- I can see why she loved this song.

My Mom, well, she had a very rough life.  Now, some of it was her upbringing.  She lived in a very difficult time.  Her parents were very poor.  And her mother, I believe, could be quite dominating and controlling at times.

Some of it was by the choices she made.  By the time Mom was 16 she has already left home and had her first child.  The next 14 years + her life was, I would say, a living hell at times.

Around the time she was 30 and met my Dad she already had 5 children.  Two marriages in divorce.  One child she didn't get to raise.
You could say my Mom, had some issues.  And she did.  And like all of us, we children learn a lot of the behavior of our parents (good and bad).  A lot of my anger, fear and depression came from my Mom.  I had no idea how to deal with or control  my feelings- except explosively.  I learned all this by the time I was 9, which 0-9 are the formative years.  The years we are learning and growing how to deal with life.  My Mom, she didn't know any better either.  How can you teach something you don't know?

But after she met my Dad- and they had me- and they got married- and then had my sister Karen- Dad bought a farm in Ky near both of their parents and we (Mom, Dad and 6 kids) moved to Kentucky.  I believe for the first time in my Mom's life she felt safe and settled.  But she still had issues with anger- and fear- and depression.

After moving to Kentucky, Mom started attending the church my Dad's parents attended.  On a Sunday evening, according to her best friend, Glenda Garrett- Mom and Glenda went to the altar and prayed and received salvation and forgiveness of sins.  She placed her faith and her life in Jesus Christ and she received Him.

So I'm sure when she heard this song for the first time, her heart nearly beat out of her chest thinking, "This song, I could have wrote."

My Mom's life was definitely in rags.  But, all of our lives are rags.  Even if you have had the very best upbringing in life- and you have everything you could ever want.  When the end of your life comes- if Someone hasn't exchanged your life for His life- then you will die in your ragged life.  Jesus wants to give you Life.  He wants to exchange your rags for His righteousness.  He wants to give you- Himself.  He wants to change you from the inside out.

And when I read the words to this song, I too, thank God for understanding my confusion.  For taking all I had to give Him, brokenness and strife-

and making something beautiful of my life.

Something Beautiful by the Gaithers:

Something beautiful, something good
All my confusion He understood
All I had to offer Him was brokenness and strife
But he made something beautiful of my life

If there ever were dreams
That were lofty and noble
They were my dreams at the start
And hope for life's best were the hopes
That I harbor down deep in my heart
But my dreams turned to ashes
And my castles all crumbled, my fortune turned to loss
So I wrapped it all in the rags of life
And laid it at the cross.

26.5 Years

Yesterday was our HALF anniversary- 26.5 years. : ) Wow, time sure has flown by.

The last several days Nick has been transferring our video's onto DVD's and we have watched our children, and ourselves- grow older. We've seen faces and heard voices of those gone on.

I've seen myself before I came into the grace of Jesus. I cringe at times- and then I thank God for His transforming life in me.

I saw where we sat down at the table and had family devotions. The question posed at the table was, "How do we know Jesus lives in us?"

We saw where we were with family in Kentucky and on youth group ministry trips.

I saw friends and family members who have changed so much that I hardly recognize them- and in good ways- and not so good.

But always always, my sweet Nick was there. I am thankful and blessed to share this life with him. Before we got married in 1988 I read a poem and thought- that's what I would like:

GROW old along with me!
The best is yet to be,
The last of life, for which the first was made:
Our times are in his hand
Who saith, ``A whole I planned,
Youth shows but half; trust God: see all, nor be afraid!''
- Robert Browning

And I guess, as we've watched our life in video's these last few days- this song says it best:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTA2buWlNyM

Thanks for living this life with me, Nick Ellison. I know it's not been easy. I know there were times when you thought, "I can't keep doing this with her." (Hopefully that was a LONG LONG LONG time ago!) But your love for me has been sure and intense. I've always felt unconditionally loved by you. Thanks for putting up with my quirky ways- quirky questions- just my quirkiness!

I sure love you!