DAILY DISCIPLINE #32
by Colleen Donahue
"Behold then the kindness and severity of God." Romans 11:22
Last month we looked at the most popular of God's attributes--His love and mercy. These of course are the qualities in God that we long for and are greatly comforted in. But could it be that our God, so full of love, could have a side in His character that might display discipline and anger? Could our loving Father ever act in severity?
Those of us who are parents know that we can discipline out of love--and so it is with God. But can anger actually flow from a heart of love? Can anything good ever come from anger? Perhaps more importantly to us--we wonder who has been or will be the recipient of Godly anger?
The Bible plainly devotes as much time to this important aspect of God as it does to His love and thus it's worthy of our own study. It's my hope that the topic this month will answer some of the questions above as well as many more. If it draws you to a deeper reverence and respect of God, then its purpose is accomplished.
GOD'S DISCIPLINE
Day 1- What virtue in God's heart does discipline flow from?
Proverbs 3:11-12
Day 2 -What would happen if God disciplined out of His anger?
Jeremiah 10:24
Day 3 -Who does God discipline?
Hebrews 12:5 / Revelation 3:19
Day 4 -No child of God escapes His discipline because we are all born sinners. What is God's goal in disciplining us?
John 15:2 / I Corinthians 11:32 / Hebrews 12:10
Day 5 -God may need to discipline us severely at times but what will He never do?
Psalm 118:18
Day 6 -What is God's discipline in our lives compared to?
Deuteronomy 8:5
Day 7 -At the time of discipline, it is unpleasant and painful. But what results does it accomplish in the men and women trained by it?
Hebrews 12:11
Day 8 -If you are not experiencing God's discipline in your life what might this indicate? Hebrews 12:8
How does God's discipline manifest itself?
Day 9 -Sometimes God seems to demand great sacrifice from us.
Genesis 22:1-2
Day 10- At times He may lead us down a very difficult path.
Deuteronomy 8:2
Day 11- Sometimes He proposes hard tasks for us--things that seem almost impossible.
John 6:5-6
Day 12- He may permit us to suffer even when we are faithful.
Acts 16:22-24
Day 13- He may also permit us to experience trouble or trials.
James 1:2-3
But it will NEVER be beyond what we can bear.
I Corinthians 10:13
Day 14- What is one reason why God will "test" or "prove" you?
Deuteronomy 13:3
Day 15- What could happen if God disciplines but we keep refusing to learn and change?
Proverbs 29:1
GOD'S ANGER
Day 16- Since Adam's first sin, all mankind has been born into the world with a sinful nature. God abhors sin of any kind and will not tolerate it. His wrath would have been towards all mankind except that He has provided a single way of escape. What will deliver us from His wrath?
John 3:36
Who does God promise to show His wrath and anger upon?
Day 17 -The wicked.
Romans 1:18 / Romans 2:8/ Ephesians 5:5-7
Day 18 -Those who forsake Him.
Ezra 8:22 / Isaiah 1:4
Day 19 -Those who refuse to believe in Him.
Psalm 78:21-22/ Hebrews 3:18-19
Day 20 -Those who are impenitent.
Isaiah 9:13-14/ Romans 2:5
Day 21- Those who deliberately keep on sinning after they have received the knowledge of the truth.
Hebrews 10:26-27
Day 22- Those who practice idolatry.
Deuteronomy 32:16-22/ Joshua 23:16/ II Kings 22:17
Day 23- Believers who turn to sin.
Psalm 89:30-33/ 99:8
Day 24- Those who oppose the gospel.
Psalm 2:2-5 / I Thessalonians 2:16
Day 25- Is God's anger something that man can reckon with?
Psalm 76:7 / Matthew 10:28
Day 26- Once God's anger has come upon an individual or a society, what should be done to remove it?
2 Chronicles 12:5-7,12/ Psalm 79:5-9/ Psalm 80:4-7/ Daniel 9:16-19
Day 27- At times God's own children seem to provoke Him to anger--yet notice in these verses how He seems to temper His anger with mercy.
Psalm 30:5/ Isaiah 54:8/ Isaiah 57:15-18/ Micah 7:18-20
Day 28- It is amazing, but even David--known for being a man after God's own heart--incurred God's anger because of sin.
2 Samuel 24:10
Notice his submission to God's anger in this verse.
2 Samuel 24:17
Day 29- What should God's anger always lead to?
I Kings 8:47-51/ Revelations 3:19
Day 30- What does God's wrath do to man?
Psalm 90:7-11
Day 31- What is God's good news for every one of us?
I Thessalonians 5:9-10
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