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  Conversation LeaderJosh (Social Media Pastor)

  Hello and welcome to The Conversation; a space designed to help you take the weekend’s talk into the rest of your week. Please engage the devotion over there on the left and share your insights with us. This week Bill Holbrook from Student Ministries and Sue Hanstad from Women’s Ministry will be joining us. We can’t wait to hear from you!

  559 days ago +47

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  Conversation LeaderSue (Women’s & Small Group Regional Coordinator)

  Discipline: there are so many places in my life that I need help.

  The study of God’s Word is one that I take seriously. Am I perfect? Of course not, but as I continue to grow in my journey with Christ, I know the Word of God truly needs to guide every aspect of my life. Just recently, a great friend bought us both the same devotional so we can be accountable to each other in our daily reading. God used this devotional to challenge and bless me, just 2 days ago.

  This last week I was at a conference in Dallas, and had a tough situation I really didn’t want to deal with. Imagine my surprise when I opened the devotional for that day, and read about a women who had moved to DALLAS and had addressed similar circumstances. God used this writing along with scripture to confirm what I should be doing. Once I was obedient, I had more joy than you can imagine. Had I not been disciplined with my devotion, I would have missed a huge blessing.

  559 days ago1 Reply +38

  • 

    Conversation LeaderBill Holbrook (Student Ministries)

    in reply to Sue (Women’s & Small Group Regional Coordinator)

    Sue that is awesome! Great insight and way to be disciplined in connecting with God!

    558 days ago

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  Ronald Ponkey

  I love the book of Proverbs…I am not the brightest Light Bulb in the closet so I look to Proverbs for Wisdom….I still make mistakes but the number of them has gone down a little…very little ha. But Provers gives me that special time with the Lord…..I just want to be happy, serve God and do right….and yet at times I do wrong….but I have faith in God that he will continue to lead me daily because I ask him to help me both personally and professionally…I had a unique experience on Saturday, I stopped at the Gas Station to fill up prior to proceeding to my Wedding. As I pulled up into the Gas Station a very frail and elderly lady came up to my Escape and asked me if I could advance her some money so she could get enough gas to drive to the Bank and cash her check. I could hold her gold necklace, watch as collateral untill she returned. I looked into her eyes and saw something special I also saw her Van which had a Handicap plate and lots of dents and rust.
  I got out of my Escape and told her I could help her…I authorized $20 of gas on her pump and while she expected only $5.00 or so she was taken by surprise when I told her she was all set and twenty dollars should help her get around…she looked a me and said “God Bless You.” That little incident filled me with happiness…..I touched someone in a good way….anyway it was a good experience for me….

  559 days ago1 Reply +38

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    Sue Hanstad

    in reply to Ronald Ponkey

    Ron, what a great experience at the gas station, thank you for sharing that! I also love Proverbs.

    558 days ago

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  Chris A.

  I can’t help but relate this back to the talk with Rudy a few weeks ago. In it he said discipline is automatic when something a matter of the heart. When it is something you really want to do, and not something you just know you SHOULD do then discipline is there. The key to discipline therefore is to make something a matter of the heart. If you make something your top priority then you will not waiver in your discipline. For example: those of you who make family your top priority you just naturally spend every Saturday with them (For example) but those of you who don’t always talk about how to “get more disciplined” in spending time with the family. This illustrates my point. Making something a top priority and a matter of the heart, something you are passionate about, automatically instills discipline, if you do not however, then you will not have discipline and be forever reading books, going to lectures and following gimmicks such as “10 steps to become a disciplined person” because what you REALLY are doing is forcing yourself to consistently do something that is not a top priority or a matter of the heart.

  559 days ago +35

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  Teri Coan

  The first section there about the sailor, train, etc actually strangely relates to one of my current projects for school. For typography, we have to create layouts using text from a certain essay, and the essay just so happens to be about how freedom truly lies within boundaries or constraints, how it must be limited in order to explore that area fully. So I just thought that was really cool because I feel like it tied in with the first devotional point and hopefully can serve as a reminder to me throughout the week .

  I love 1 Timothy 4:7. While it applies to all sorts of areas of my life (music, theatre, sports) one area that really sticks out to me was when I was younger and played softball from the time I was about 5-15. One of my favorite things to do with my free time was play catch with my dad or sister. We would go into the backyard for hours at a time just throwing and catching the ball back and forth, and we would do this up to 3 or 4 days a week. Well, once I got into a league where we got assigned positions, that ability I learned to catch well (as well as the “natural ability” of left-handedness) landed me as first basemen. I very rarely, if ever, missed a catch. And even though I started out with a skill for catching, I know there’s no way I would have gotten as good as I did (I kept 1st baseman for about 5-6 years, even throughout different leagues) without all that time spent training and playing catch. And I know that’s something I have to do with my relationship with God. I’m not always the best about keeping up with a Bible study or devotional, but I have to treat it the way I treated playing catch. I have to be excited to spend time with him, and I have to do it for long periods of time as often as I can. Then, even when God decides to throw me a curveball, I’ll be ready to catch it .

  The section on will power is also huge with me. I tend to be someone who likes to do everything on my own, or in my own strength. So it’s hard sometimes to stop and remember that I literally cannot do anything without God. I can’t even be disciplined without him. I think a lot of people (myself included) look at it as though we have to work up all this discipline in our own strength and then we can lean on God once we have that self-established discipline. But it’s totally the opposite. We have to lean on God and trust in Him and in that we will find the power to discipline ourselves.

  This week was huge for me, a talk I definitely needed to hear!

  559 days ago1 Reply +34

  • 

    Conversation LeaderBill Holbrook (Student Ministries)

    in reply to Teri Coan

    Teri…I love the illustration of you playing catch every day to improve! How often are we more disciplined about areas of our life with no eternal consequence that with our relationship with Jesus!

    558 days ago

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  Shelley Riggs

  I have found that when I take the time to put things into perspective discipline is not any harder than any other character building trait. As Brad said “Identify what is important and what we long to achieve in that area, then set goals and celebrate your achievements.”

  A couple years ago I was at service and Brad was talking about how important it is to spend time in the word in order to have an intimate relationship with God. I was already reading the bible every morning while I enjoyed my cup of coffee, i’m good right? apparently not, Brad said if you are spending 15 minutes with God every day increase it daily until you spend your day with him, I started drinking a larger cup of coffee, added 15 more minutes to my daily “Word Time.” By this time i’m really enjoying my time in the word, but didn’t want to drink too much coffee! I started leaving my bible next to my chair in the living room and every time I sat down I would pick up and read my bible, I started rushing through my chores to be able to sit and read my bible. You see, it was important to me to build an intimate relationship with God, so I set goals and every night before I ended my day I would pray to God and thank him for everything he had done that day, not just for me and my family but for everything around me. My celebration was in the fact that I had grown close enough to God that he opened my eyes to be able to see him in everything.

  So as I said, put things into perspective, figure out what is important, (to you and to God) set goals, and the discipline part of it just slides away, and you are left with the joy of knowing you are closer to God, you will hear him louder, see him clearer and love him more deeply.

  558 days ago1 Reply +41

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    Sue Hanstad

    in reply to Shelley Riggs

    For me setting goals has been really helpful, (love that your reading of the Word out weights your coffee intake)

    558 days ago

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  Clay Shaver

  Pastor Brad’s message and the Book of Proverbs exploration of the concept of DISCIPLINE really granted me some clarity about the journey I have been on. Like this weekend’s guest, the wonderfully spoken and inspirational Pete Thomas, I too have been blessed enough to use what I feel are the lessons I’ve learned in my relationship with Christ to wage my battle for better health. Five short years ago, I was close to 400 pounds and, despite everything my logical mind told me, convinced that “I’d be OK.”

  After a family vacation in 2006, I was looking through the photos from our trip and felt overwhelmed with the realization that the person I saw in them was not the person that God put me here to be. That my habits. My lifestyle. The lesson I was teaching my children was not one that He would have me teach. That despite how disciplined I was in every other aspect of my life – finance, relationships, education – I was not only out of control, I was killing myself. No matter what my Doctors told me. No matter how many polite and helpful suggestions from people who cared about me. I was set in my ways and the course I has chosen. I’m reminded of Proverbs 15:32 (NIV) which reads “He who ignores discipline despises himself, but whoever heeds correction gains understanding.”

  It all changed that day.

  Five years and 180 pounds later, I’ve come to realize that that journey never ends. I remember thinking at the time that if I just showed the discipline to lose the weight, I was in the clear. How wrong was I?

  A life of discipline, like a relationship with God, is constant and ever evolving. You don’t get to pick and choose when you turn it on and off. You have to be accountable for how you live – every day. I struggle. I even fall. But I get back up each time knowing that I’m becoming the person the He wants me to be. Disciplined.

  Thank you to Northridge Church for another fantastic message.

  558 days ago1 Reply +35

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    Sue Hanstad

    in reply to Clay Shaver

    Clay, Wow your story is inspiring! Praise God for your weight loss. You have truly seen the fruit of discipline,

    556 days ago

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  Conversation LeaderBill Holbrook (Student Ministries)

  Discipline is an area in my life that I have not always been fond of…at all. In many times and areas of my life this concept is one that has been non-existent!

  In high school, college, and early single adulthood one of the biggest areas where I lacked discipline was with my finances. Money was something that I spent when I received it, or I just put it on credit or loans.

  When I married my wife in 2005 that began to change. Over the next few years she taught me proper principles on finances and Godly wisdom on how to treat money but our financial situation did not change. I was beginning to have some more knowledge but I had no discipline.

  After talking about this with God and seeing that my lack of discipline was costing our family I decided to start giving in to my selfish ways of thinking and exercising control, restraint, and discipline in this area. This was extremely difficult! I had to implement a system of accountability, stick to my budget, listen to wise counsel, and give up what I thought I wanted for what was most important to my family. This was not easy and was not a short-term solution! Three years after beginning the process of financial wisdom my wife and I are debt free…not because of our expertise but because of God’s leading. God’s provision, and the discipline to stick to a plan.

  The idea of taking our desire, whether that be to become more healthy, to connect with God in our daily lives, or working to be wiser financially, can only be achieved when we move from desire to discipline in our lives.

  One of my favorite verse is John 15:5 “apart from Me (Jesus) you can do nothing”! How direct is that! I know in my life the areas I am the most disciplined are the areas that I lay consistently at the feet of Christ.

  558 days ago +41

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  Kirk Stevens

  The Lord created coffee beans, I haven’t found much better use for them than to make coffee, so, that must be their purpose. I have come to the realization that being humans we are pretty ignorant. The fact that we have to discipline ourselves to read the manual of life is pretty sad. But considering how much pressure the secular world puts on us every day to do everything but read the Bible, we must discipline ourselves. I find myself thanking God, rather than asking for things. I feel that praise is what prayer is all about. I feel that God already knows what’s hurting us, usually it’s self induced, but we should be thanking him for our own creation as well as the fantastic world he created just for us to enjoy. The closer your relationship with Him the more you realize that He has already given us everything, along with a manual explaining what to do with it, and we, as simple humans, usually screw it up. But, He knows we will screw it up and he will forgive us if we talk to him, apologize (repent) and ask for His forgiveness.
  Free will, what a concept. Best way to weed out the bad apples, I think. Free will is what requires our discipline. Free will allows us to have a relationship, or not have a relationship. It is so easy to follow the secular world, you just merely have to do what the commercials on tv suggest, it’s a no-brainer, like floating downstream. On the other hand, deciding to take the road less traveled, God’s way, takes discipline. People will shy away from you, label you as a bible thumper, or a Jesus freak and that’s not comfortable, so, it takes discipline to stay on that narrow path to eternal life.

  556 days ago +42

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  Sue Hanstad

  Here is my answer to the question in the devotional regarding 1 Timothy 4:7
  What does the word “train” imply to you?

  As I look at the devotional question above, train to me is defined as ‘no pain…no gain’. Training is not a ‘fun’ thing to do but essential to fullness of life.

  If I were to boil it down to physical training or working out….when I am active and spend time exercising, the process is sometimes hard, but love the outcome.

  I am more energized(although I have exerted a lot), I have a positive mind set(I have accomplished something I set out to do) and can spend time focusing on others rather than myself and my problems(my aches and pains)

  Spiritual training is much like this. I am more energized, my outlook is much brighter and I look for opportunities to serve.

  556 days ago1 Reply Thanks for likeing+41

  • 

    Lori Madison

    in reply to Sue Hanstad

    Sue, no pain, no gain sums up the verse nicely! I think that is exactly what scares me about discipline. I’ve convinced myself that it’s better to stay on the path of destruction than to fight the good fight, no matter how painful, for freedom. I’m thankful for the talk this week. I must continue to fight to bring the folly into submission.

    556 days ago

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  CathyM

  Why is it that when God wants us to work on self-control and discipline, that is when it is much harder to do so? Last week I was doing really well with my diet and exercise, this weekend I hear the talk on discipline and suddenly I get sick and don’t have the energy to exercise, but I do have the junk in the house to kill the diet. Perhaps the junk shouldn’t be there, but why is is so difficult to say no?

  556 days ago3 Replies +44

  • 

    Conversation LeaderBill Holbrook (Student Ministries)

    in reply to CathyM

    Cathy! Thanks for your honest questions…I think all of us have been at the point in one area of life of another. I know that for me it is more difficult to do anything when I am sick! That is when I rest in the fact that God gives grace and there will always be another week to “get back on track”.

    556 days ago

  • 

    Lori Madison

    in reply to CathyM

    Cathy & Bill, we most certainly can’t be too hard on ourselves. we just have to keep fighting the good fight of faith. The question you ask Cathy is a very good one. There are actually two questions here. Yes to the junk and no the exercise. Why is it so easy to say yes to some things and no to others? I’ve pondered this question since the talk last week. This is supposed to be the greater half of my life and I’m squandering it thru lack of discipline. The training or retraining that Pete discussed has to become an integral part of my life again, no matter how much it hurts. I’m praying for success, for me and for you!

    556 days ago

  • 

    Kirk Stevens

    in reply to CathyM

    Disciplining yourself to exercise is a good thing, but, don’t take it too far. If you don’t feel like exercising one day, or the next, don’t get down on yourself, exercise just a little bit. Whatever you can do that day is good enough, as long as you do something toward your goal.
    Getting down on yourself is self-destructive. Maybe you are putting too much pressure on yourself, this will cause you to wander over to the pantry for something to help you swallow your guilt. Pete seems to be the kind of person that, once he is determined to do something, get out of the way. Don’t compare yourself to him, he is unbelievable, and that is why he was on the stage and not us.
    Discipline means that you are committing to something, or someone. it means you must have a change of heart, and mind. When you make a commitment you are actually saying that from now on you are going to start doing this, and stop doing that. You become a different person. Much like becoming a believer, you get re-born. The “evil one” is working on you constantly, and if you allow him, he will triumph, every time. It isn’t that you don’t have the energy, it is because you have temporarily lost your desire. Satan is good at that trick.
    I suggest working from the inside out. Make sure your inside, your heart and mind, is the best it can be, then the outside will come along on its own. Exercise is important, but it is far down the list of what God wants. He wants us to praise him and love each other. That is what we should disciplining ourselves to do.
    The reason it is so easy to say yes to some things and no to others is because the things we say yes to are the easy things and the things we say no to are the things that take too much effort. Why eat lettuce and celery when you can drowned yourself in animal fat which tastes so much better and is so much more convenient. It is easy to say no to the exercise bike and say yes to the television. It’s so much easier, no effort involved. It is the same with God’s word, it is easier to just come to church on Sunday, and have Brad tell you about the Bible, than to sit and study it on your own. It takes discipline and we all suffer from the lack of it, in different amounts, because we are all human. My point is, don’t get down on yourself, because that can be more destructive than the lack of exercise.

    555 days ago

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  Lori Madison

  The art of disciplining myself has become quite a challenge since coming to Christ. I always thought I was a disciplined individual. I though I had an innate ability to conquer most anything in my life. Of late, I’ve found that I’m not really disciplined at all. It’s been more an illusion that God has uncovered to reveal the real me. There are many factors contributing to the “Big Sexy” in my life. God has truly taken me on a journey that will lead to greater fulfillment and a greater life in Him; I’m going willingly by the way. The latest mountain to tackle is the lack of discipline where it concerns food. I enjoyed listening to Pete tell his story. What stood out for me is the overall desire to make a change and realizing that the lasting change could only come with the help of Christ Jesus. I sooooo need to embrace that principle right about now. I’ve fallen far off the path and in desparate need of correction. I ask myself often, “What happened to the discipline?’, “What happened to the concern for my health and my quality of life?”, “What happened to me?”. This week’s talk was like pouring cool, refreshing water on a parched and weathered flower. In order to fully bloom, this area of my life must come under the authority of Christ’s teaching on discipline. I need to let go of the handle to the pantry door to experience freedom. Jesus walked the desert for 40 days with just the clothes on his back, yet if I get more that 25 feet from the fridge, I suffer withdrawals of some sort. It really sheds a light on who I’ve become and the lack of discipline that led to creation of this person. The world we live in is very tempting, but God said be of it, not in it. This week’s talk culminates on all the wonderful things awaiting me if I just give Him the chance to make me over. I never thought that discipline would become so prominient in my life. Now that I think about, it’s going to be difficult to live my life without it. I’m glad to understand that according to 2 Tim: 1:7 God has given me exactly what I need to be victorious. #diggingdeeper!

  556 days ago1 Reply +44

  • 

    Conversation LeaderBill Holbrook (Student Ministries)

    in reply to Lori Madison

    Lori…what a great place God has you in! I can’t wait to hear your stories as you give different areas of your life over to Christ and see His work in your struggle. We are praying with you!

    556 days ago

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  Ronald Ponkey

  I enjoy watching Joyce Meyers and reading her books…I find it hard to believe that someone my age (50′s) and I am still trying to mature as a good Christian…stumbling every day is a normal thing for me….owning my own business in this bad economy requires much more in faith from a person or Christian….then there is the upcoming Elections…Moe,Larry or Curly?
  But I still keep trudging forward whether it be with Purpose Driven, Dave Ramsey Christian Stewardship and remembering how Faith was a major tool used by Christ followers in the Bible…I had to learn the easy way does not point toward Heaven…and the more success one has the more attacks from the Devil occur. I guess if the Devil did not bother me that is a sign that he may already have his grip on me But the daily attacks I encounter is a sign that I am getting a little closer to becoming a better person.
  I have come a long way but Discipline in my life is a daily chore….I don’t pry for riches, gold or silver or a big home which would be a waste anyway since it is me and my wife…what I do pray for his more understanding in God’s Word,a concentrated effort to help other people and put a smile on their face. As a Wedding Photographer I deal with all kinds of peoples every day and every weekend…that is a awesome responsibility….I have seen many things at weddings both pleasant and controversial by Christian standards….
  I thank God that he has blessed me with the skills that allow me to work in His Churches and thru my behavior and action perhaps I can set a good example of being a growing Christian.

  I have learned one thing for sure….I can live life in the fast lane without God an get caught up in sill and meaningless things or I can live life every day in Christ…..trying to become a better Christian, better professional and reap the rewards of helping other people…nothing better then seeing a smile on someone else’s face whom I have helped….I enjoy my quiet times with God and live each day knowing He is always there to counsel me, comfort me, give me wisdom and discipline me when necessary…I would not have it any other way…..

  556 days ago1 Reply +32

  • 

    Sue Hanstad

    in reply to Ronald Ponkey

    Ronald, I agree! Following Christ is not easy, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. He is my Rock! Sounds like you are using your occupation as a mission field (what we are all called to do), keep up the good work!

    555 days ago

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  Karen Montoya

  The Holy Spirit has been speaking to me this month on the subject of being a student of the Word. Jesus said that the world will know that we are His disciples by our love for one another. And a disciple is nothing more than a student of the master. Or in this case, The Master. When we’re in school, we are actually in training to intentially reach our goals to be someone who is skilled in a craft. So, taking this thought a little further, I’ve had to ask myself how can I become a student of the Word. To study it, mull it over, meditate on it, and apply it. I’ve started to write a journal to keep me focused on the topic matter. This helps me to get the Word of God deep down inside my soul and to carry it with me throughout the day. The message from Brad this week was very on spot. We have to discipline ourselves because nobody else will do it for us. When Christ comes again he’ll be looking for His disciples and I certainly want to be one that He can easily pick out from the crowd.

  555 days ago +46

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  Sue Hanstad

  .Karen, Love what you shared! Writing what God is speaking into your life in a journal is huge! I have had times that I have gone through trials, and I can not only look to the scriptures for encouragment, but also look back at my own journey and what God has brought me through.
  Another thing that has helped me on my journey is connecting in a Small Group, this has keep me consistant. Also, having one or two Christian friends who know me, I mean truly know me, and we have given permission to each other to encourage and challenge each other with our growth.
  Glad you are on the journey!

  555 days ago +35

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  Kirk Stevens

  I have found, through the years of my journey, that the most important thing we can do is praise God. One-on-one praise to God is very, very, important. I know God loves to hear the trumpets blow and praising him in large groups is good, but, I have found that personal praise pleases him greatly. Telling Him how much you appreciate your creation and all the things He has provided that we have taken for granted, right down to the air we breathe and the opportunity to know Him. Group praise is wonderful & exhilarating, but, personal one-on-one praise moves mountains. What does this have to do with discipline? Everything, it takes discipline to to do it on your own without a crowd’s encouragement. if every believer were to kneel down and praise him personally every morning it would sound like a choir to God. I think he would say “wow, these folks are serious”.
  I have discipline problems myself, if I didn’t I would be a super human. I feel that discipline and free will are connected. God gave us the gift of free will, and that requires discipline, they go hand-in-hand.

  555 days ago1 Reply +31

  • 

    Sue Hanstad

    in reply to Kirk Stevens

    Agree whole heartedly. I don’t know where I first hear this, but reading scripture to God in the form of praise. For me it sets my focus and heart right.

    554 days ago

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  Steve Alexander

  Two things, obvious as they may be, I feel compelled to share –
  First, I hear this all the time at NorthRidge but it happened to me big-time this week: Thursday before the service on “discipline” I confided in a friend that I am missing that aspect in my pursuit of a meaningful relationship with Christ, that I had spent my year and a half at NorthRidge in love with the message wrapped in the very cool presentation but have always lacked in actually heeding to the doctrinal direction…. And wouldn’t you know it? The talk was on discipline! Ta-da! So, this is yet another example of someone hearing exactly what they needed to, when they needed to.
  Second, discipline is hard! Since Sunday I have been studied more scripture than any other time in my life, prayed more, written in my journal and spent serious effort considering elements in my day to day life (asking “does this glorify God?” when making decisions on how to spend free time such as watch TV or play a board game with my family). Not to say the time spent incorporating these changes has amassed to notable hours but still, rewarding as it is, discipline takes some getting used to!

  555 days ago +32

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  Sue Hanstad

  Steve, Don’t you just love how the Holy Spirit speaks into us, exactly what we need, when we need it. I know its not a mistake when I hear something that I have been dealing with in a different context, sometimes a speaker, or devotion, or the scripture itself. Our mighty God is a God of detail. Wow does He love us! He deserves our everything.

  554 days ago +45

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  CathyM

  I just wanted to say thank you for the encouragement earlier this week. It was greatly appreciated. The rest of the week turned out quite well. I know I am loved by a Holy and Amazing God!

  554 days ago +41