Daily Bible study excerpts from my book: “Looking for Contentment in All the Wrong Places”
JOY IN SPITE OF CORRECTION
I can rejoice because I have a heavenly Father who cares enough to correct me! Have you ever seen an undisciplined child? One who is allowed to be selfish and rude, one who is never told no? Is it pleasant to be around them for long? What kind of adults do they tend to become?
We know that God disciplines us because the scriptures tell us so. How he does is not so clear. But a selfish, undisciplined Christian is not a pleasant person to be around. We gain humility and selflessness by submitting to God and not lashing out when we must endure a trial or chastening.
Revelation 3:19
Hi-lite:
- “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten.”
Circle the reason word: “therefore”
Underline:
- “be zealous and repent”
Do you love your children? Do or did you ever rebuke (reprimand sharply) them? You did not discipline out of hatred, but out of love – knowing better than your children what was best for them. God, as our heavenly father, loves us in the same way. His correction is not to hurt, but to discipline and make us better.
Hebrews 12:5-6
Circle:
- :5 “exhortation”
What are the two command statements in verse 5?
Double underline:
- “do not” and “nor be”
Hi-lite:
- “despise the chastening of the Lord”, “discouraged when you are rebuked”
Circle the reason word in verse 6:
- “for”
Underline
- :6 “the Lord loves”, “He receives”
Put brackets around
- [chastens] and [scourges]
What is another word for chastening? How have you been “chastened” (disciplined) by the Lord? I believe He does this through providence. In one sense, letting us reap what we sow. As a mother, you know when your child has done something foolish and then will let him suffer the consequences of that behavior or attitude. The Lord disciplines us in the same way.
Job 5:17
Circle the exhortation word:
- “Behold”
Hi-lite the emphatic statement:
- “happy is the man whom God corrects”
Circle the reason word
- “therefore”
Underline the instruction
- “do not despise the chastening”
The correction does not bring “happiness” but happiness is the result of the correction.
We’ve discussed the “negative” reasons the scriptures give for rejoicing.
Now let’s turn our attention to the positive reasons.
I HAVE JOY BEAUSE I HAVE SALVATION
Isaiah 61:10
Hi-lite:
- “I will greatly rejoice” and “My soul shall be joyful”
Underline:
- “clothed me” and “covered me”
What does He clothe and cover us with?
Circle:
- “garments of salvation” and “robe of righteousness”
Habakkuk 3:17-19
Do you find joy in salvation?
Hi-lite:
- :18 “I will rejoice” and “I will joy”
Underline:
- :18 “in the Lord”, “in the God of my salvation”
Double underline:
- “the Lord God is my strength”
Even when things go wrong in our lives, having faith in God causes us to rejoice in Him. This will produce contentment in us and create a feeling of calm, even in the storms of life.
Ephesians 2:4-9
What are some of the attributes God has toward us:
Hi-Lite:
- :4 “rich in mercy”, “great love with which He loved us”
- :7 “riches of His grace”, “His kindness toward us”
- :8 “grace”, “gift of God”
Notice the contrast in verse 5
Circle:
- “dead” and “alive” and draw an arrow from dead to alive
Underline:
- “in trespasses”, “together with Christ”
Put brackets around
- :6 “raised us up”, “made us sit”
Underline
- :8 “not of yourselves”
- :9 “not of works”
God has a boundless love for us. Do you rejoice at the thought of His great love and gift of salvation?
I HAVE JOY BEAUSE I DON’T HAVE TO
FIGHT THE BATTLE ALONE!
God was not required to save anyone. It was because of His loving favor for us – which is a joyous thing!!
2 Chronicles 20:15
Hi-Lite:
- “for the battle is not yours, but God’s”
Underline
- “Do not be afraid nor dismayed”
In our spiritual fight, God is willing to fight WITH us but we must be willing to put on our armor and fight against Satan and all that is evil. God went with Israel into the physical battle and they won every time they put their trust in God. “Fighting” – engaging the enemy- involves being ready, standing, walking and running in the Christian life. “Sitting” is for the scornful (Psalm 1:1).
Romans 8:31
Hi-Lite:
- “If God is for us, who can be against us”
God will only be for us if we are walking with Him. It is easy to let fear “paralyze” us from doing right in the face of opposition. This verse should give you strength and courage to fight the daily battles and be content in Him.
Philippians 4:13
Circle:
- “I can”
Hi-lite:
- “Do all things through Christ”
Underline:
- “Who strengthens me”
We can rely on Christ to give us strength, that’s faith! Without faith, there is no strength to fight and the battle is ours to win or lose. We can rejoice because the eternal war is won, we just have to fight the small battles in the meantime!