Tag Archives: divine discipline

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Hindrances to Accepting God’s Love

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Charles Stanley

Scripture tells us that God created mankind for the purpose of expressing His divine, unconditional, all-satisfying love. Yet one of the most devastating failures in a Christian’s life is the inability to embrace the pure love of God. What prevents a believer from accepting His unconditional love?

1. Our own love relationships.

Ironically, the way we love each other can distort how we perceive God’s love. As imperfect people, we exhibit imperfect love. Conditional responses, wrong motives, and emotional highs and lows taint our understanding of God’s pure love.

2. Guilt.

Our remorse over sinful behavior can subtly convince us that we are unworthy of God’s love. This is a trap of the devil. We have the assurance of Scripture that the Father loves us completely, regardless of our actions.

3. Legalism.

Many people view the Bible as a simple rule book—a collection of dos and don’ts. If you base your view of divine love on your ability to uphold every biblical precept, you are doomed to failure. God gave us His Word for instruction and inspiration, not as a measuring stick by which He distributes love.

4. Misinterpretation of divine discipline.

Make no mistake—God definitely disciplines His children when hey go astray. However, He is a trustworthy Father; His discipline and love are intimately connected (Heb. 12:5-6) He corrects our behavior when necessary for our benefit, not as a form of punishment. Jesus already paid the price for our sin; He will not make us pay a second time.

Truly, every person was created with a desire and need in his or her heart to love God and feel His love. But it is what we choose to do with this desire—act upon it, or ignore it—that draws us closer to the Father, or away from Him. There are three specific reasons that the Lord placed this desire for Him in our hearts.

First, when we enter into a loving relationship with God, He is able and willing to offer His wisdom to guide us (James 1:5). Second, when we accept the Father’s love, we will be open to becoming the person He created us to be, living to our fullest potential. And third, when we embrace the Lord’s love, we will begin to see people and circumstances as He sees them—from the vantage point of His love.

In light of this, why would anyone choose to refuse God’s love? If you are ready to reap the benefits of God’s perfect love, reach out to Him in prayer today. Ask Him to help you overcome the hindrances so that you may rejoice in His everlasting and tender care.

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Charles Stanley – The Good Shepherd

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Psalm 23

“He leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul” (Ps. 23:2-3). You have probably heard this passage countless times. But no matter how often this beloved psalm is recited, we still seem to miss the full impact of its important message: God restores our soul.

The way that the Lord sets our souls right is through our fellowship with Him. Even though we stray far from His path at times, He remains the Good Shepherd. We are prone to meander, but He receives us back gladly and is always willing to pardon His wayward sheep.

But why would we ever want to leave such a loving Guide? The fact is, you’ve most likely never made a conscious decision to forsake the Father. This usually happens more subtly, as a result of our wandering desires and selfish attempts to meet our own needs. When we strive to gain comfort and safety apart from God, we stray further and further.

Luke 15:3-7 is a wonderful picture of the warm reception awaiting a lost “sheep.” Does the shepherd scold or punish the wayward lamb? On the contrary, all of heaven celebrates because what was lost has now been found. In a similar way, heaven rejoices when a wandering child of God returns to the “fold.”

In returning to the Lord, you might experience divine discipline, but as a believer, you will never incur His wrath. That has already been poured out upon His Son, who bore the punishment on our behalf. Are you a lost sheep, wandering far from your loving Shepherd? Stop to listen for His voice, and you’ll be led safely home.