Self-discipline

How can I cultivate the discipline to obey God?

God’s Response

Commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these words of mine. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. Teach them to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. Write them on the doorposts of your house. Deuteronomy 11:18-20

For most of us, it is difficult to make obedience a daily habit; we are often tempted to give in to those sins that we most enjoy. Here are four principles in the discipline of obedience: (1) Focus on Scripture, reading and reciting it daily. (2) Teach Scripture to others, adults or children. This helps us to apply it to our lives. (3) Talk about the Bible and spiritual topics every chance you get. Tell others what God means to you. (4) Keep a spiritual diary or journal, writing down Scripture passages and what you learn from them. If you follow these four principles every day, you will come to love obedience and it will become a part of your everyday life.

God’s Challenge

Be earnest and disciplined in your prayers. 1 Peter 4:7