Discipline

How many times have I wished I had more discipline? Discipline to do what is right and avoid what is wrong...discipline to make choices that would benefit me, or those I love later, rather than give in to the desire for instant gratification. The tension...the accusation...of lacking discipline to the degree of perfection plagues most of mankind.


Humans generally stink at discipline. In all honesty, I am a relatively naturally disciplined person...I can pick one or two areas of my life at a time and muscle them under control, but that falls way short of what is necessary:


Matthew 5:48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.


The word translated "perfect" here, according to Strong's, means "complete" or to have "completeness." When talking about a Sermon on the Mount lifestyle, Jesus said, don't pick one or two Beatitudes to practice in your life, you need them all. He is saying, don't be faithful with humility and service, but at the same time think it is ok to let your mouth run wild and your mind dwell on lust...or what have you. Typically, people want to control the one or two areas they think they can handle, and search for Bible verses to make themselves feel better about the things they can't quite reign in. Jesus was saying basically, "don't do that, be complete in giving your heart to Me."


If I considered the prospect of turning over a "new leaf" in EVERY area of my life not quite reigned in...I would faint from the emotional trauma I imagine that would involve! This is why most people don't even consider it. It is way easier to get with some friends that see a watered-down relationship with Jesus and living a comfortable life the way you do, and search out a couple of Bible verses to let you all feel better together about staying comfortable where you are right now. But Jesus wants us to keep moving forward in Him, Paul called it a "race to run."


Philippians 3:12-14 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.


Paul, James, John, Peter...they all ran this race. They ran it with a secret most modern Christians know nothing about. If we were to have a Tour De Jesus...we would quickly find out that Paul, James, John, and Peter...and thousands of world changers that came after them...had a performance enhancing substance that would propel them far ahead of anyone who didn't have it. In fact, without it, you will be blessed to barely limp over the finish line, let alone achieve the prize. Want to know what it is?!


It is Fascination. Fascination with Jesus. Fascination with His Word. Fascination with His presence. Fascination with how Jesus sees you and has planned for you to take part in His plan to rule the world. Fascination overpowers discipline every time. Fascination is exactly WHY discipline doesn't work for very long, and if you can "keep at it," misdirected fascination is why you feel grumpy about trying to be disciplined "for" God after a while. Fascination correctly directed produces naturally what discipline struggles to eek and muscle out.


As a people, American's have let themselves be fascinated by things that are paper thin, can't hold our attention very well, are contrived in someone else's imagination to propel their own lives forward at your expense, and are, by and large, DESIGNED by the very enemy of our souls to pull us away from the source of life and the most fascinating person to have ever walked the planet. Way more people are fascinated with the train wrecks in Hollywood, simply because they have the mic, than they are with the One who literally wants to show US how to walk on water, multiply food, speak to the wind and waves, and rule the world with Him. Why is that?!!


John 14:12 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.


Mankind was made to worship (pay extravagant attention to) what we see. When God made Adam and Eve, God WAS the most fascinating thing they could lay eyes on...His blazing bright holiness fills the space He is in, the light, the sound, the aroma, the LOVE...the fascinating plans He had for them....these were all plainly encountered by Adam and Eve before their rebellion. Can you imagine walking with God through the garden in the cool of the evening and listening to Him tell why He loved you and what you did that day, the plans He had for you for tomorrow...where this whole thing was going and your role in it?! (You can, but He requires your attention to do it!)


When Adam and Eve gave in to the prompting of the enemy and rebelled, their bodies were broken. God's blazing holiness was now dangerous...it would consume and destroy anything "less than" what He had perfectly made to be in His presence:


I Timothy 6:16 who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen.


Since that day, mankind has had to fight to worship God. Our eyes see other things: we worship clothes, or people, or sunsets, or houses...in our minds eye we imagine a future to worship, when we meet that girl or guy, or get that job...finish school...retire...


we are fascinated by an imagined future that falls far short of Jesus, the most fascinating real Man and the future guaranteed to us if we would walk in complete agreement with Him.


Jesus...fascination with who He is...THIS was the "goal" Paul kept his eye on...this is what He was running to. Not some obligation that required discipline...no!...a dream that was drawing him in fascination. Faster and faster still...pressing more and more, toward the desire of His heart...not denying the desire of His heart...letting the desire be changed to something real and permanent...not temporary.


My heart was literally designed for eternity, nothing short of an infinitely big God will ever be able to satisfy my heart. Most of the world is frustrated trying to satisfy an eternal heart with things that can not even last, let alone sustain someone.


If you want to be fascinated with Jesus...if you want the only good goal to run toward to actually CAPTURE your attention, there is only one way to do it. Fascination with the Man Christ Jesus is THE most valuable thing in God's kingdom. If you want to enter it, you have to follow his instructions:


Luke 18:17 Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.”


A little child doesn't earn stuff, doesn't know what it costs, where it is made, how to get it... a little child simply asks for what they want. If you want fascination with the invisible God that drowns out all other lesser fascinations, you have to humble yourself and ask for it. If you want a hunger and a thirst for obedience...you simply have to ask...reach for it with your words to Him...until you get it. Not a one time ask...an ask, seek, and knock. This is so simple anyone can do it, and so simple almost no one does!:


Luke 11:8-13 I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs. “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”


The only discipline you need is the discipline to place yourself at His feet and ask "Holy Spirit, fascinate me with Jesus to the point that my appetite is ruined for the weak things of the world. Give me more God!"


This simple prayer said anywhere from 3 to 20 times a day has literally changed my life...and I am at the beginning of the beginning. How much fascination with Jesus will God give the human frame on this side of eternity?...I intend to find out!

Luke 10:40-42 But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.” And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”