Avoiding Evil

dis•ci•pline

1. Training expected to produce a specific character or pattern of behavior, especially training that produces moral or mental improvement.

2. Controlled behavior resulting from disciplinary training; self-control.

3. Control obtained by enforcing compliance or order.

4. A systematic method to obtain obedience.

5. Discipline aims at the removal of bad habits and the substitution of good ones, especially those of order, regularity, and obedience.

6. Training to act in accordance with established rules; accustoming to systematic and regular action; drill.

I’ve been reading the book Disciplines of a Godly Man by R. Kent Hughes. Each chapter deals with a different aspect of a man’s life that we should seek discipline in. We must be disciplined in our marriages, disciplined as a father, disciplined in our moral life, disciplined in our spiritual lives and we must discipline our minds. As I have read this book I have come to realize that I am not much of a disciplined person at all. In fact, it is one of my biggest weaknesses. In some areas of life I find myself becoming less disciplined by getting lazier and fatter both in body and mind.

I realize that I waste a lot of time. I spend so much time doing things I shouldn’t be doing, wasting time that I should be using for more important things. Whether it is spending hours playing games, watching TV, or sleeping I waste time that I should use to read, study, pray, work, and do things that need to be accomplished. I realize that our sin nature seeks pleasure and would rather do the other things, and I have let it control me for too long. I realize that I must work on discipline in my life.

I need the kind of discipline that will produce Godly character within me and improve my moral and mental state of being. I need a way to help control my behavior so that I can begin to develop self control in my life. I must force myself to do these things, understanding that I am going against the nature of my flesh. I must develop a system, or a way of living that will help me to be more obedient to God, more productive at work, and to make me a better learner in school. I must find a way to remove these bad habits that have snuck into my life and replace them with good, disciplined habits. I need to establish rules to live by and then force myself to obey these rules to discipline myself in all aspects of my life. This is not just essential to my physical life, but to my spiritual life as well. I believe discipline and self control is a Godly trait that everyone should learn to develop in their lives… its fine time I start.

Here is a list of some things in my life that I must seek to discipline myself in, and the ways I plan on going about it:

1. Spiritual development and relationship to God: It is essential that I read the Bible, pray, and study daily. I am going to set aside a specific time each day that I will spend with God, praying and reading the word. I am going to force myself to do this at the same time each day and over time I hope to increase the amount of time I spend doing this, and the number of times I do this throughout a given day.

2. Entertainment and Fun: This is an area that I must limit. As I have become older, made more money, and gained more free time I spend more time entertaining myself. This is the selfish area in my life that wants me to constantly please myself and have fun, all the while setting aside the important things that I need to do. I am going to limit myself to no more than 4 hours of TV each day during the week, but I will shoot for much less. I am going to limit the amount of time I spend on the internet. I have been known to waste 5 to 6 hours just surfing the web, reading blogs and other things (all while watching TV of course). I am going to limit myself to spend my time on the internet only at church during the day when I find free time. When I come home in the evening I will either not use the net at all or limit myself to 30 minutes to an hour if I am doing homework. I will also limit the amount of time I play video games, read fun magazines, and some of the other things I do to waste precious time.

3. Food and Money Management : As I have gained more freedom with money and time I began eating out a little bit. This has increased over the years to an unbelievable amount of eating out. It is not uncommon for me to eat either fast food or sit down restaurants over 6 or 7 times a week and sometimes even more than that. There are several days throughout the week that I will eat out for lunch and dinner both and then go out for a snack latter. It is ridiculous. I have been blowing loads and loads of money on eating out all of the time. I need to limit myself to a one or two times a week and I need to limit the amount of money I spend. I am going to allow myself $20 each week to either eat out or use for entertainment such as going to the movies. Once I spend this $20 dollars I am done for the week.

4. Seminary and Mental Development: Because I spend so much time watching TV and doing other things to waste time I have gotten into the bad habit of putting off my school work and the time I should use to be flexing my mind. Procrastination has become what I do best, and I hate it. Within the last year or two it has affected my grades, my learning, and has dampened my spirits. I should be a lot farther along than I am, but its laziness and procrastination that holds me back. I must break free from this and use my time to do what is important. I must stop filling my mind with junk and start using my time for good. I am going to write down all the things I need to do for each class and create a schedule of things that must be done each day. I am going to force myself to do these things before I can watch TV, play games, or do anything else. When I am not working on school work I am still going to schedule time to read, study, and develop my thinking and mind.

5. Work I spend too much time at work not working. I often go in and then do other things like homework that I didn’t do the night before because I was too busy watching TV. I need to use my time at work for stuff at work that I need to get done. I must get all of my stuff done at work before I do anything else that is not work related. I feel as though if I don’t do the work related things I am ripping off my employer by not using the time I am paid for. I need to discipline myself in this area as well.

These are the things I am going to start to work with. It will not be easy, and it may be down right impossible, but I must do something. I can’t stand before God and tell him that I am not even willing to try to change my ways. I am going to do everything I can to try and change, and discipline myself. It will certainly be by God’s favor and hand that I would be successful at this. Please pray for me.

Pressed

Introduction:

Does God allow suffering to happen in our lives?

While I believe that God uses painful and difficult circumstances to shape us and accomplish his circumstances in life I often wonder, does God also cause suffering and difficult circumstances to happen in our lives in order to change us?

There is no doubt that God uses suffering for his own good purpose. Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers and lived a life as a slave and a prisoner until he was made great in Egypt and God used his circumstances to save his family from the famine. Even Jesus Christ, our divine savior suffered. If God let his own son go through the suffering and painful temptations then why wouldn’t he let us go through them as well? After all the greatest amount of love ever bestowed upon the earth came through the greatest amount of pain ever placed upon a man, the sins of the world.

But was it simply happenstance? Were these simply bad circumstances that simply happened and then God turned them around and used them, or was it God who had something to do with it from the beginning? I think Joseph answers this question when he addresses his brothers years after they sold him into slavery. “…it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. So then it was not you who sent me here but God. What you intended for evil, God meant for good.” It was God’s good purpose that Joseph would be sold into slavery, sent to Egypt as a slave, go to prison, interpret Pharaohs dreams, and then become great in Egypt. While Joseph had to suffer through much of his life because of it, it was by God’s hand that great and extraordinary things happened through Joseph’s life of obedience to God.

Today we will see Paul in the same situation. Paul is dealing with some difficult circumstances as he is suffering in the cause of Christ. In Philippians 1:12-14 Paul will give us three things every believer should know about suffering in the cause of Christ.

The Background:
Paul is in Rome in prison and he begins his letter to the church in Philippi by affirming his relationship with the Philippians, one that is tightly grounded in the grace of Christ. He has them in his heart, mind, and prayers because of their partnership in the gospel. He then addresses one of their biggest concerns, his imprisonment. The Philippians believed that the progress of the gospel was hindered by Paul’s circumstances!

Philippians 1:12 “Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has actually resulted in the advancement of the gospel.”

Paul explains to the Philippians the real reasons for his circumstances and reveals to us the first thing that happens when we suffer in the cause of Christ:

I. When we suffer in the cause of Christ the gospel will be advanced. (1:12b.)

A. The circumstances of Paul (1:12a)

What are Paul’s circumstances? - Paul wanted to preach in Rome. Acts 19:21 he says, “I must also see Rome”, Romans 1:15, “I am ready to preach the Gospel to you that are at Rome.” But he didn’t get to go as a preacher. He was arrested in Jerusalem because the Jews thought he was desecrating their temple by bringing gentiles in, and the Romans though he was some Egyptian renegade. For two years he remained a prisoner in Caesarea. He finally appealed to Caesar and he was sent to Rome. En route, the ship was wrecked! Paul then had to wait three months on the Island of Malta where he was bit by a snake and ended up healing many of the people who gave them all the sailing supplies they needed to get to Rome. And Paul finally made it where he wanted to go, but it wasn’t the way he wanted to be there. He entered Rome as a prisoner.

Philippians thought that Paul’s imprisonment would hinder the spread of the Gospel because their chief apostle was in chains. However, Paul saw God’s plan and purpose in it all and informed them that these circumstances have not hindered the gospel, but instead advanced it. You see, God had a plan all along in Paul’s life, just like he had a plan in Joseph’s life. God’s plan is not always an easy road full of peace and good times. For these guys God’s plan was hard and difficult, but accomplished great things.

Would God do that? Would God put them through these things and cause this suffering in his purpose? I believe he would. Look at John 9:1. Here is a man blind from birth and the disciples couldn’t understand why. They asked Jesus who sinned, the man or his parents in order that he would be born blind because they automatically assumed that it had to be sin and this blindness was a punishment for that sin. Jesus answered, “Neither.” It was not the parents sin or the mans sin that caused him to be born blind, but he was blind from birth so that God’s good works could be revealed through him. It was God.

God has a great plan for your life, but being obedient to him is a narrow road marked with thorns and difficult circumstances. Being a Christian and going against the grain of society is not easy.

B. Advanced the gospel (1:12b)

PROKOPEN. Noun. Progress, advancement. “To Be Cut Before.” The word advanced here was first used by an army of pioneer wood cutters which precedes the regular army cutting a path for them in order for them to go places where they otherwise could not have gone. Paul is saying that his circumstances are like the wood cutters in that they have gone in and cut a path so that the gospel could advance to places that it otherwise could not have gone.

Philippians 1:13 - “so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard, and to everyone else, that my imprisonment is for Christ.”

Paul then goes on to reveal the second thing that happens when we suffer in the cause of Christ.

II. When we suffer in the cause of Christ the gospel will become known. (1:13a)

1. In the cause of Christ - The suffering that Paul was enduring was not simply plain suffering, but was clearly suffering for Christ. This is not the normal, everyday, get out of bed and stub your toe type of suffering. Paul isn’t talking about normal suffering such as sickness, pain, or all the other normal things that happen in life. Paul is specifically talking about suffering in Christ. The suffering that only Christians can experience. The suffering that only comes when we are obedient to Him.

2. Paul uses the word MANIFEST. – PHANERPOUS – meaning “to make known what has been unknown” Paul was in prison because he preached the gospel and this was made known to the guard, Caesar’s officials, the townsfolk, and the news continued to spread. Paul was suffering for the sake of the gospel and people noticed.

3. Suffering for the wrong reasons. We have a tendency to suffer for the wrong reasons. In the name of self expression we will pierce our bodies, get painful and dangerous surgeries and go through all sorts of pain to “express ourselves.” We will suffer through difficult surgery and years of pain simply to look better, get taller, and be accepted better in society. We will starve ourselves and discipline our bodies in order to lose weight. But, when it comes to suffering, going through pain, and disciplining ourselves in order to be more Godly we turn the other way. Others will recognize the reasons you suffer and the circumstances you go through. For Paul, they recognized that he was suffering for Christ.

A. The whole Praetorian Guard. (1:13b) - Ten thousand picked soldiers concentrated in Rome by Tiberius. Connected with Caesar’s household. Paul was guarded by soldiers 24 hours a day. Roman soldiers were chained to his wrist for two years. As he wrote his epistles, as he talked with his visitors, and proclaimed Christ. News quickly spread that Paul was in chains for Christ. The guards heard his prayers, witnessed his writings and devotion to God, and knew why he was there. The gospel was advanced throughout the Praetorian Guard, a place that would not have received the gospel had Paul not been arrested and suffered.

B. The rest of the people. (1:13b)

Paul was also exposed to the officials in Caesar’s court, and the entire city heard the message and probably other prisoners. Paul’s chains gave him direct contact with the lost.

Sometimes God has to put “Chains” on His people to get them to accomplish a “pioneer advance” that could never happen
any other way.

Philippians 1:14 - “Most of the brothers in the Lord have gained confidence from my imprisonment and dare even more to speak the message fearlessly.”

In verse 14 Paul reveals the third thing that happens when we suffer in the cause of Christ.

III. When we suffer in the cause of Christ the gospel is shared fearlessly. (1:14b)

A. Confidence because of Paul’s circumstances (1:14a)

Other brothers saw Paul’s circumstances and what he was going through and it gave then boldness to speak out. It persuaded them to speak courageously, which they had not beed doing.

PEPOITHOTAS Verb, to persuade. To convince someone to believe something and act on that belief. This is the same word used when the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas instead of Jesus. What had happened to Paul brought faith to the brothers and caused them to act on it.

At first they believed that it hindered Paul, but when the realized and saw the providence of God in Paul’s suffering it persuaded them to speak with courage.

B. Courage to speak the word without fear (1:14b)

Because of his bonds most dared to speak out. The word Speak, LALEIN, is a present, active, infinitive which denotes the fact of speaking. It simply means that they broke the silence, they spoke where there were not speaking before. The emphasis here is on the very fact that they began to speak.

When we suffer in the cause of Christ the gospel will be advanced.
When we suffer in the cause of Christ the gospel will become known.
When we suffer in the cause of Christ the gospel will be shared fearlessly.

There was a point in my life where I was going through some pretty dark times. I couldn’t understand why this happened and I was angry at others, myself, and even God. I often asked God why this had to happen, why I was involved, why I should have to go through this, and to be honest I almost quit ministry all together. It was through drawing close to God through prayer and his word that I was able to come to a greater understanding of why I had to go through the things I did. God had a purpose and a plan all along, I can see that now, but couldn’t back then. I was too busy asking God why instead of what?

Christians – Are you asking God WHAT instead of WHY? Paul could have easily sulked, and become depressed and quit. His sufferings could have hindered the cause of Christ, but instead they advanced it because he made himself available and was obedient to God regardless of his circumstances.

Suffering doesn’t have to be a bad thing. In fact we should find joy in our sufferings when we suffer in the cause of Christ and allow the gospel to be advanced, to become known, and to be shared as people watch our lives.

If you don’t know Christ today I want to warn you that the sufferings in this world will be nothing compared to the sufferings that will occur for those who die apart from Christ Jesus!

16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 2 Cor. 4:16