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Personal Discipline

by Jerry Ousley  
4/17/2015 / Christian Living

Don't they make a lot of neat gadgets these days? I remember when a cell phone (then it was called a mobile phone) was a luxury. Only those who were rich or very well off had one. The day arrived when they became more affordable. My daughter, as a teenager, insisted that she needed to have a cell phone. We got her one. Once we realized the value of it, I wanted Debbie to have one too. It put my mind at ease knowing that when my ladies (my daughter and my wife) were on the road by themselves, they were only a phone call away if they needed me.

I took the plunge myself a few short years ago. As a "tough, macho man" I didn't see the value of owning a cell phone but as time wore on I thought it might be nice and handy. So I purchased a "pay as you go" model from the Dollar Store for only $25.00 plus minutes. Over the last few years the phone has developed into something much broader. You can now send text messages (although it seems much simpler to me to just call and talk instead of trying to pound out all those words on that teeny-tiny keyboard), surf the internet, take pictures and movies, and figure out where you're going. Now they've even come out with one that allows you to watch TV. I know a lot of people who have cut the cord on the land line and only use the cell phone. Before long will they be doing away with their giant screen television sets for the mobile kind? Who knows? They do so many things, when you see them advertised on TV, but very seldom do you see them advertised as a telephone. It makes me wonder if they've done away with an app for that.

In my business I used to carry a pocket PC, a digital camera that is also capable of recording movies, a USB drive or two and my cell phone. Sometimes I take my notebook computer as well. I invested in a "Smart Phone" and was able to do away with all these devices because the one phone had it all!

In talking about being a successful Christian we've discussed having a positive attitude, being committed and persevering. The fourth thing we need to cover is paying the price. You see, salvation is completely free. There's absolutely nothing we can do to earn it. But we must also pay the price to be victorious. The first thing in paying the price is personal discipline. The word "discipline" is a derivative of the word "disciple." We are disciples of Christ and as such must also know discipline in our lives. In the story about the cell phone you need to know that I'm a gadget nut. I love new gadgets and learning how to use them. But if I don't exercise discipline in my own life I'd spend every dime I got on gadgets. Learning self-discipline requires us to be able to say "no" to ourselves.

There are two verses written by the Apostle Paul, both in the book of 1 Corinthians that talk about this. The first is 1 Corinthians 6:12 which says, "All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any." Then in 1 Corinthians 10:23 he writes, "All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify." While these two verses are nearly identical there are three things in them pointed out by Paul that we need to consider in maintaining our own personal discipline. Paul is stating in both cases that we have been made free in Jesus Christ and have been given liberty to do all things. But to be close to the Lord we cannot let ourselves just go running wild in this new-found freedom. The three keys for personal discipline are "helpful," "brought under the power of," and "edify." If what I am presented to do does not help me in my personal growth in Christ then I should stay away from it. If it will enslave me to the point that I am not loyal to the Lord then I should shun it and if it doesn't edify me in my relationship with the Lord then I must flee from it.

We are given liberty in Christ. But our liberty should voluntarily be confined to the bounds of these three things. I'm not going to tell you how to live your life for Christ. But I am going to say, sprinkle all things with prayer and use these three measuring sticks as a guide. While you listen to the Holy Spirit in this light you can't go wrong, and you will learn personal discipline that will make you a successful Christian.

Jerry D. Ousley is the author of ?Soul Challenge?, ?Soul Journey?, ?Ordeal?, ?The Spirit Bread Daily Devotional and his first novel ?The Shoe Tree.? Visit our website at spiritbread.com to download these and more completely free of charge.

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