The scarce virtue of discipline in Christendom
The scarce virtue of discipline in Christendom
Ecclesiastes 10:18 By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.
One of the plagues that has riddled the Christian kingdom is the unsavory attitude of indiscipline among brethren. When we come into an encounter, our zeal quickly becomes eroded by carelessness and indolence till we require another soul-stirring sermon to go through the same endless cycle of rising and falling. There’s a need for more discipline to maintain our consistency in the place of prayer and devotion. The place of devotion is where we continue to stoke the embers in our hearts after a reviving sermon or encounter. But seldom do we retain such expectations, thus, we resort back to our listless, lifeless religious funfair and mere traditional observance.
Discipline comes in different shades, but the grand purpose is to put the flesh to the sword and ultimately die to its inklings. In turn, we are continuously made ready for the preoccupation of the Spirit of God. Discipline helps us to develop the needed habit of devoting our life and concentrating on the needful things that matter spiritually- Luke 10:41-42 And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.
How can we ensure discipline for a greater spiritual yield:
– Unhindered time of devotion: We must have our times of devotion without the buzzing and hustling of the world running through our minds. A habit of daily devoted time to God might take a while to form, but we must keep at it until it becomes our lifestyle to do so.
– Strict regiment of prayer and fasting: Fasting helps prevent dependence on physical meals and helps keep the body in check from excesses- Ecclesiastes 10:17 Blessed art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!
– Unbroken reading and studying the Bible: We must earmark time for reading large portions of the scriptures and at some time concentrate on studying small important portions as the Holy Spirit guides. This enhances retention and helps us build a reservoir of the Word in our hearts and minds – Luke 4:4 And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.
– Avoiding distraction: many people have tried suppressing social media and audiovisual distractions. But, you know the truth as well as I do, that we fail beautifully at this most of the time. This only signifies that we cut them off completely till we have the required grace to operate such. We must protect our hearts from the gross idolatrous embellishments and subtle ungodly advertisements dished out in torrents from TVs and the internet.
– Fellowship with the saints: Having someone to be accountable to can help mitigate any failure of discipline and help motivate us when lethargic or feeling discouraged – Hebrews 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. In conclusion, discipline enhances proper time management and promotes diligence for our greater good. Our diligence to prayer and the Word, which are the two cardinal spiritual businesses of the kingdom will make us dear to the heart of the Father- Proverbs 22:29 Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men
Meditation
1 Sitting at the feet of Jesus,
Oh, what words I hear Him say!
Happy place! so near, so precious!
May it find me there each day;
Sitting at the feet of Jesus,
I would look upon the past;
For His love has been so gracious,
It has won my heart at last.
2 Sitting at the feet of Jesus,
Where can mortal be more blest?
There I lay my sins and sorrows,
And, when weary, find sweet rest;
Sitting at the feet of Jesus,
There I love to weep and pray;
While I from His fullness gather
Grace and comfort every day.
3 Bless me, O my Savior, bless me,
As I sit low at Thy feet;
Oh, look down in love upon me,
Let me see Thy face so sweet;
Give me, Lord, the mind of Jesus,
Keep me holy as He is;
May I prove I’ve been with Jesus,
Who is all my righteousness.
