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  document.writeln("<span class=\"body\"><b><span class=\"headings2\"><span class=\"actsititle\">Appreciating Discipline </span></span></b><br>");
  document.writeln("<span class=\"actsilinks\"><a href=\"#\" onclick=\"window.print()\">Print this page</a></span>");document.writeln("<br><div id='actsartcl1'>");document.writeln("<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><font size=\"3\"><i><span style=\"font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif\">For our");
document.writeln("earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how.");
document.writeln("But God\'€™s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his");
document.writeln("holiness. No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening, it is painful! But");
document.writeln("afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are");
document.writeln("trained in this way.<sup>1</sup> </span></i></font></p>");
document.writeln("<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><font size=\"3\"><span style=\"font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif\">&nbsp;</span></font></p>");
document.writeln("<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><font size=\"3\"><span style=\"font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif\">I often find");
document.writeln("myself providing discipline for my children&nbsp;as a consequence to their");
document.writeln("choices.&nbsp;Many times these consequences come as a result to their disobedience,");
document.writeln("which not only affects them, but often affects those around them. Providing");
document.writeln("discipline is honestly my least favorite job as a parent, but I love my");
document.writeln("children, therefore I want to provide correction and guidance right now that");
document.writeln("they are young, so that&nbsp;as they grow, good choices that glorify");
document.writeln("God&nbsp;will become part of their&nbsp;everyday life. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></font></p>");
document.writeln("<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><font size=\"3\"><span style=\"font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif\">As a child of");
document.writeln("God, I too&nbsp;have experienced the divine discipline of God in my life. At times");
document.writeln("it may be easy to think that it is unfair, but we must remember that God");
document.writeln("disciplines those whom he loves.<sup>2</sup> Hebrews 12:7-8 reminds us, <i>As you");
document.writeln("endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own");
document.writeln("children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father? If");
document.writeln("God does not discipline you as he does all his children, it means that you are");
document.writeln("illegitimate and are not really his children at all</i>. </span></font></p><p class=\"MsoNormal\"><font size=\"3\"><span style=\"font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif\">God, like any loving");
document.writeln("parent, does not want us to suffer unnecessarily. However, when we choose to");
document.writeln("stray from His will, he will allow circumstances in our life to help stop us in");
document.writeln("our tracks, reflect on our actions, and return to his loving arms. </span></font></p>");
document.writeln("<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><font size=\"3\"><span style=\"font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif\">His discipline is always good for us, as it helps us be more like Christ. Each");
document.writeln("circumstance in our lives is molding our character. We are being prepared for");
document.writeln("much more than this earthly life\'€¦ we are being prepared for eternity. When we");
document.writeln("think of what God saved us from by adopting us as his children through the");
document.writeln("blood of his Son, Jesus, we can appreciate the discipline he gives us knowing");
document.writeln("that it is out of his great love for us. </span></font></p>");
document.writeln("<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><font size=\"3\"><span style=\"font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif\">Suggested");
document.writeln("prayer: Dear God, thank you for your great love for me. Not only did you send Jesus");
document.writeln("to die on the cross to pay the penalty for my sin and give me the hope of");
document.writeln("eternal life, but you also guide me daily while teaching me your ways. Even though");
document.writeln("discipline is never enjoyable in the moment, I pray that you would help me");
document.writeln("appreciate it knowing that you are making me more like you. Give me a teachable");
document.writeln("and humble spirit to daily submit to your will in my life. I trust that you");
document.writeln("know what is best for me and know that you walk with me always. In the name of Jesus I pray,");
document.writeln("amen.&nbsp;</span></font></p>");
document.writeln("<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><font size=\"3\"><span style=\"font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif\">&nbsp;</span></font></p>");
document.writeln("<ol style=\"margin-top:0in\" start=\"1\" type=\"1\"><li class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list .5in\"><font size=\"3\"><span style=\"font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif\">Hebrews 12:10-11 (<i>NLT</i>). </span></font></li><li class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list .5in\"><font size=\"3\"><span style=\"font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif\">Hebrews 12:6 (<i>NLT</i>). </span></font></li></ol>");
document.writeln("<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><font size=\"3\"><span style=\"font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif\">&nbsp;</span></font></p>");
document.writeln("<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><font size=\"3\"><span style=\"font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif\">Today\'€™s");
document.writeln("Encounter was written by: Crystal B.</span></font></p>");
document.writeln("<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><font size=\"3\"><span style=\"font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif\">&nbsp;</span></font></p>");
document.writeln("<br></div>");  document.writeln("</div><hr /><span class=\"body\"><p class=\"actsicopyright\"> </p>");
  document.writeln("<p style=\"font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;font-size: 10pt;\">This and other devotionals by Richard (Dick) Innes <a href=\"http://www.actsweb.org/archives.php\" target=\"_blank\">can be read online</a>.<br><br>Copyright &copy; 1990 - 2026<br /><a href=\"http://www.actsweb.org/\" target=\"_blank\">ACTS International</a></p>");
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