Discipline

I greet you in Jesus’ precious name! It is Friday morning, the 25th of November, 2022, and this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for today.

“He will not always strive with us,
Nor will He keep His anger forever.”
Psalm 103:9 

The Lord loves you and me very, very much. When we make a mistake, all we have to do is say sorry, but, He will prune us. He will prune us hard sometimes and it is very painful because He has got those secateurs and He is cutting us right back. Why? Well, according to John 15:2, the word of God tells us very clearly, and it is so important for us to understand it, that He prunes so that it may bear more fruit. I am a farmer. The more you prune something back, the more it yields. 

He will pardon us because He loves us. He will not continue to discipline us but He has always loved us, remember that. Our confidence is in Jesus’ sweet, unchanging love towards us. The ones that He loves, He disciplines.  

You know, undisciplined people have a very hard time in life. If they have not been disciplined by mom and dad they grow up to be selfish, rebellious, greedy and self-centred. Then what happens? They end up becoming social outcasts. If you love your son you have to discipline him. If he is disrespectful towards his mother or his sisters, he needs to be dealt with very firmly, so that when he grows up he will know how to respect ladies and how to protect old people. An undisciplined boy becomes a menace, even to himself.  

Folks, I remember like yesterday, I received a phone call from a minister who wanted to come and see me. I said, “I really don’t have time.” He said, “It's so important Angus. I have to see you and I have to see you soon. I made a very special exception for him. I said, “I will see you on Saturday morning at 11 o’clock, in my office at the ministry." I was there when he arrived and he brought two little children with him. They were beautifully dressed. The little girl had a beautiful dress on, her hair was in ringlets. She had blue eyes and blonde hair. Her little brother was very beautifully dressed as well. They would have been maybe two or three years old. I opened up the ministry office and brought them in. We sat down and he told them to go and play, and as I started to listen to what he wanted to speak to me about, it sounded like there were terrorists in the office - they were running riot. They were running in front of the coffee table. They were pulling out the dried flower arrangements. Every couple of minutes they were running in and tugging their dad’s shirt because they wanted to speak to him. 

You know folks, I am laughing but I am sad. After a couple of minutes, I said to him, “This meeting is over.” He couldn’t believe it. He said, “I have driven 600km to come and see you.”  I said to him, “I am sorry but I can’t speak to you like this,” and I left him.

I want to say to you, do not be afraid to discipline your children.
Jesus bless you and goodbye.