Proverbs 27:1 – “Do not boast about tomorrow; for you do not know what a day may bring forth.”
 
As I read, prayed, and mused on the Word of God today, the word “Discipline” kept echoing in my heart.   Couple that with judgment, stewardship, fellowship, and confession, and you have the whole package.

In life, it is easy to fall into the trap of an undisciplined life.   Out of that state comes corruption, confusion, chaos, and self-deception.   That leads to a loss of fellowship and a tarnished testimony.

Proverbs 27:1 should be viewed as a directive to live one day at a time, moment to moment.   Fantasizing about what if or when distracts from the moment, and since we have no guarantees of another breath, seizing the moment and redeeming it for the kingdom is vital.   That does not mean don’t make plans or have a dream or vision; it means staying in the present.
 
Life is a progression that requires line upon line, brick upon brick, event upon event to achieve its purpose.   We want it now!  No, we want it Yesterday!   Impatience is our pattern; Commitment is God’s.

Proverbs 28:18-19 is incredibly revelatory, but the liberating revelation is often missed.   It speaks of the awful condition of living in perpetual lack. Those who live there often say, “I don’t know why God has me going through this.”    Yes, you do, if you will stop and think.   
 
Look at (v 19), the two aspects present.  Whoever invests himself in full pursuit of God’s present assignment will have provision.  The one who invests time, money, and thought in a daydream (no matter how seemingly noble it may be) will endure perpetual lack.    If we find ourselves there, maybe we should ask, “Is this dream truly my purpose? Could it be a fantasy that is producing a drain on my life?”

Proverbs 30:11-14 reveals societal conditions that determine the spiritual state and fate.   In the rest of that chapter, we have some astounding revelations about life that explain and point to victory if we can embrace the lesson.

In 1 Corinthians 5, the subject of church discipline is brought to the table. This horrific abomination of incestuousness is being tolerated with the brag of “tolerance.”   Christians who are deceived into excessive tolerance for whatever reason harm the Message of the Cross.

What would happen if the Body of Christ, in love and firmly grounded in Scripture, addressed the corruption within the church today?  First, the possibility of redemption and restoration must be embraced.   If the motive for discipline is not restoration, it is judgment and vindictiveness.   Second, the world would be stripped of its argument, “They are no different than us.” Our testimony would be enhanced and preserved.

Read 1 Corinthians 5:11-13.   Read it and look at ourselves.   Read it open to conviction.   Read it with redemption and restoration in mind.  God’s discipline is always redemptive!  That is always God’s heart. Punishment comes, but God’s heart is redemption, so should ours be!
 
LORD, guard us against an undisciplined life!