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The Discipline of Love

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On the desktop of my computer I keep a document entitled, “My Motivation.” It is designed to remind and inspire and focus me toward Christ-centered living, but it’s comprised of pictures rather than words. Words are important and my life is filled with them, but pictures are important, too, especially when they capture something of the spirit words are meant to arouse.

Five of the fifteen pictures have to do with cycling which is important to me because it is the primary means by which I pursue physical health, and I pursue physical health because I want to live long and bring as much glory to the name of Jesus Christ as I can. There is no higher calling or privilege than dying for the sake of the Name, and by God’s grace I would embrace that destiny if Christ called me to do so, but oh how I long to preach Christ with passion when I’m 75 or 90 or 100. There’s something beautiful and powerful about old preachers who’ve been long refined by the Spirit of God and time, and I want to be one of them! Make no mistake, Glory of Christ, this is what lies behind my passion for cycling.

One of the pictures is of the small prison in which the Apostles Paul and Peter were likely kept in the days before their respective trials in Rome. A few years ago, I had the privilege of standing in that space for ten or fifteen minutes, and it had a very deep impact on me. These men were willing to suffer any discomfort or danger to exalt the name of Jesus Christ in the world and I, too, want to live with that disposition. As lovers of Jesus, we don’t seek suffering but we’re willing to suffer if that’s what it takes to spread the love that’s shaped our lives, and this picture reminds me of this calling.

The remaining nine pictures are of various men of God who inspire me for a number of reasons. In order of appearance, but not importance, they are Martin Lloyd Jones, John Piper, John Bunyan, Augustine, David Livingston (one of the long-time Pastors at Bethlehem Baptist Church), Dawson Trotman, Hudson Taylor, and Jim Elliot. In the coming weeks I plan to write about why I have chosen each of these men to be on my personal “wall of faith” but for this week I want to encourage you to contemplate this question with me: in what practical ways do you discipline and inspire yourself to remember Jesus Christ and his love and call upon your life? Love is greater than discipline but there is discipline in love (2 Timothy 2:8-9; Hebrews 12:1-2). More on this in the weeks to come!

Growing with you in the discipline of love,

Pastor Charlie

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