Good morning. OK so we have fixed our eyes on Jesus – what else? Consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you may not grow weary and lose heart. As we said before, it is easy to give up when things look bad. But Jesus did not give up; and neither should we. Do not forget the exhortation addressed to you as children: "do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor faint when you are reproved by Him; for those whom the Lord loves He disciplines". Of course we felt that way when we disciplined our children. It's hard to feel that way on this side of the discipline. Why do we endure all of the sufferings we have gone through? It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? The military and all sports coaches make their "team" go through strict training – not to hurt them, but to discipline them. If they can hold up under strict discipline when it doesn't count, then they can hold up under adverse conditions when it does count. They can achieve far greater things with the discipline than they can without it. You get to the point where you don't even think about "this is tough – I can't make it". So if we can hold up under this discipline, then we can hold up under any pressure from the enemy. Father thank You that the reader endures under any hostility against him/herself. He/she welcomes Your discipline. He/she excels in all he/she does for You.

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