Correction

Monday

02.07.22

"My friends, if anyone is detected in a transgression, you who have received the Spirit should restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness. Take care that you yourselves are not tempted. " – Galatians 6:1 NRSV

Happy Monday Family. I know, I owe you three messages on Discipleship. That snow and a machinal issue last week had me working non-stop last week. They will be coming today.

But since I started with “Discipleship” last week, it only makes sense to talk about “Discipline” this week.

Notice how the words align, coming from the same root… from another week.

Discipline. How willing are we to be disciplined? To be corrected? Or d owe think that is just for children?

When we have the opportunity to correct someone else, do we do so with glee? Excitement? Joy? A “know-it-all” approach? Do we make jokes, laugh?

Or do we do as scripture says, “in a spirit of gentleness”?

“Love another as you would love….”, that Greatest Commandment covers a lot, doesn’t it?

None of us are perfect. None of us do everything right all of the time. None of us.

As we live our faith, we are required to care for one another. That caring includes moments of disciplining, and correcting each other when we witness another going astray.

Sisters and Brothers, as we do so, let us not become addicted to righting the wrongs and ways of others. Just as the scripture says that we are to restore each other, it goes on to say, “Take care that you yourselves are not tempted.”

Let us help our Sisters and Brothers, and let us also discipline ourselves, and be willing to be disciplined as well.

Be Blessed, Beloved.

- Rev. Damon

www.faithfirstproject.com

===============================================================

Tuesday

02.08.22

“Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but those who hate to be rebuked are stupid.” – Proverbs 12:1 NRSV

Did the Bible just call somebody "stupid"? Now that's shade... Lol.

My pops told me, "people only know two things. They know what they know and they know what they don't know. Wisdom is knowing the difference."

Let us never stop learning. Let us never stop seeking knowledge. It takes discipline to become knowledgeable.

When we don't know when we are wrong in what we know, let us not be afraid to be corrected. Let us joyously accept being corrected.

The living out of our faith requires biblical study and study of of our Sisters and Brothers. It requires study of systems of oppression.

We must learn how to love others how they want to be loved so that we can continue to inspire them to Jesus Christ.

We should never stop learning. And when we find out what we have learned or how we have acted is wrong, let us be willing to be disciplined, to be corrected.

Let us act in love and not be stupid.

Be Blessed, Beloved.

- Rev. Damon

www.faithfirstproject.com

===============================================================

Wednesday

02.09.22

“you should know that whoever brings back a sinner from wandering will save the sinner's soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.” – James 5:20 NRSV

Jesus said to the Disciples they could do what He could do, if they believed.

We can too. If we believe.

When we correct another, when we discipline another, we are bringing them back from their soul from a death of sin.

You. Me. Us. We can save our Sisters and Brothers who have wandered off the path. We can bring those who never knew Jesus to our Savior.

Not only that, but as they come back, the multitude of their sins will be covered by the blood... and so will ours.

Let us live our belief. Let us love our belief.

Let us become more Christlike and do what Jesus calls us to do.

Sisters and Brothers, our love for another must include discipline and being disciplined.

Let us rescue each other from a death of sin and instead have our multitude if sins covered.

Be Blessed, Beloved.

- Rev. Damon

www.faithfirstproject.com

===============================================================

Thursday

02.10.22

“How happy is the one whom God reproves; therefore do not despise the discipline of the Almighty. For he wounds, but he binds up; he strikes, but his hands heal.” – Job 5: 17-18 NRSV

Do you trust God?

Not in an easy way? Not on Sunday during service. Not in Bible Study or Church School. Not when that Kurt Carr, Tasha Cobb, or old time hymn spiritual hit you.

I mean do you absolutely, completely with all you have, trust God?

There will be situations when it will be our wrong actions or ill, -timed in actions, when our wrong words or silence will cause trouble, trauma, for another or ourselves.

Yep.

And in those moments God may discipline us, correct us. Sometimes, it will last 30 seconds. Sometimes, it may take years.

God is going to get our attention. God is going to provide opportunity(ies) to learn.

Sisters and Brothers, we are not perfect. We will not always be right. We not always be the Chrsitlike Christian we think we are.

When it happens, and even though Jesus has already saved us, we still have living on earth to do. God wants us to be better.

So God will "pull our card". Let us not despise God the Father Almighty when God checks us.

Let us not run away from God when God "wounds" us.

Remember this, scripture says that God will "reprove" us. That is our Hallelujah!

"ReProve". Here it is. God will make us see the error of our ways, teach us a lesson AND then give us another chance!

Then God will "wound", us but then, with Holy Hands, heal us and build us up, showing us yet again, how much God loves us!

No matter why, let us never run away from God... even when he pulls our card. There is no better partner to have across the table of life.

Be Blessed, Beloved.

- Rev. Damon

www.faithfirstproject.com

===============================================================

Friday

02.11.22

“For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share His holiness. Now, discipline always seems painful rather than pleasant at the time, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” – Hebrews 12: 10-11 NRSV

So often in stories, the He/Shero goes through a transformation. They start out living defined by other people, put into boxes to have a certain existence.

As the world’s projection plays before us, we often accept the role that has been cast for us.

But there is this independent producer of all, a radical director who is known for saving projects, and a Holy Ghost-writer that has an entirely different story for us.

In order to play our part in this new feature, we have to be Disciplined. We have to study our lines, to practice the methods of our faith, to pay attention to the intersections of humanity and how the plot twist of a 3rd-day resurrection changes everyone’s story.

Our minds, hearts, bodies, and spirits must be built up; that only comes from being disciplined. The weight of this role is the weight of the cross.

So let the world try to hold you down. Let systems of oppression try to stop you. Let the digital popularity comprised of friendly liking followers that blow you up, who also can’t wait to destroy and distract you get in your way. Let evil try to confuse you.

You have a new role. You have a different part to play.

The One who was found by a Star wants you to be the star of your own life.

Jesus invites us all to the table, for the read of a lifetime. The moment that water touched us, we got the part.

It is up to us to stay disciplined to maximize our anointed talent. It is up to us to be directed by the only Director we need.

Will you take your directions from the trades… or the one who traded His life for you?

Be Blessed, Beloved.

- Rev. Damon