Tag: self-control
Grace instructs God’s people!
Scripture reading for October 9: Titus 2
“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, Who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession who are zealous for good works. Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you.” Titus 2:11-15
Paul declared to Titus how God’s grace had appeared and made salvation available to all men and women. The culture of Crete where Titus was ministering was lazy and self-indulgent. God’s grace through Jesus Christ was at work saving lost people and transforming them into godly saints. Paul had explained how God’s grace should work in the older men and women. They were now learning through godly instruction how to live lives of self-control and integrity. The women were learning to be active in keeping a loving home and caring for children and supporting their husbands. The younger men and women were being trained by the example of the older and by sound training in sound doctrine.
Loving God and receiving forgiveness of sins has practical daily fruit that expresses itself by transformed lives. The vision of a loving Savior coming again to receive us offers more incentive to be living by His Word and daily receiving grace to avoid lawlessness and to be zealous for good works. God is at work and the Holy Spirit purifies our hearts and empowers us to be ready when Christ Jesus returns in glory for us. Christ’s return is our ‘blessed hope’ in that all God’s promises will come to fulfillment in Jesus Christ.
As you look at your life, what sort of things motivate you to make changes in living patterns to become more holy and godly? What expectation do you have of Jesus’ return in glory? Will He find you living a self-controlled and upright life and zealous for good works?
Prayer: Father God, thank You for Your amazing grace appearing in the Person of Jesus Christ and revealed through the Gospel. Your grace has brought me redemption from my sins and is now at work in me through Your Holy Spirit teaching me how to live. Lead me today in good works and Gospel opportunities. Amen.
Qualifications for elders
Scripture reading for October 8: Titus 1
“This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you–if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination. For an overseer, as God’s steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. He must hold firm to the trustworthy Word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.” Titus 1:5-9
God appoints leaders to positions of servanthood and accountability. God gave clear qualifications to Titus through the apostle Paul concerning those in responsibility. God is a God of order and works through those to whom He has delegated His authority. Paul instructed Titus to look for those in the church who had their homes in order. They must be husband of one wife only and children must also be believers and submissive to their parents. This elder must be above reproach from those both inside and outside the church, having a reputation as an upright person who loved good. The mature elder must be humble and not arrogant. He must have self-control of his appetites and his tongue and spirit. He must not be driven by greed or money.
As far as spiritual gifts, the elder must be able to teach the Word of God and know God’s Word thoroughly. His teaching and living of God’s Word would equip the church to do God’s work in righteousness. Sound doctrine would provide a solid foundation for church growth and outreach and discipleship. The elder must also be able to deal gently and effectively with those opposing truth by rebuking them and using church discipline if called for. He is God’s steward of God’s Word serving joyfully and faithfully.
Have you ever aspired to become a leader or elder in the church? Have you looked carefully at the qualifications laid out here and compared your life to God’s will? What areas of your life need to be developed in order to function in church eldership?
Prayer: Father God, thank You that You are a God of order and not confusion. You call those You want in positions of stewardship and then equip them and shape them for service. Use me in my eldership years to model Christ’s qualifications in my home, family, and church and community. Amen!
Fanning the Flame!
Scripture reading for October 2: 2 Timothy 1
“I thank God Whom I serve, as did my ancestors, with a clear conscience, as I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day. As I remember your tears, I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy. I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well. For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. Therefore, do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share in suffering for the Gospel by the power of God, Who called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of His own purpose and grace which He gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began.” 2 Timothy 1:3-9
Paul was writing for the last time to Timothy, his ‘beloved’ son in the faith and now the pastor at Ephesus. Paul would soon become a martyr and wanted to give a final word of encouragement. He reminded Timothy of his own prayers for him and the memories of his family and their legacy of faith. He encouraged Timothy to fan into flames the gift of God, (The Holy Spirit), which had filled Timothy as Paul laid on his hands at ordination. The Holy Spirit would bring boldness and power to love each person and to wait on the Lord and pray for direction and ministry results. (Acts 2:3-4)
Timothy had evidently battled with fear of man and sometimes lacked confidence to speak out in sharing the Gospel. Paul admonished Timothy to boldly share his own testimony of Jesus, regardless of the consequences. Paul shared that the God Who had called both of them would fulfill His purposes and show grace. Their calling was an ancient calling, known and proclaimed before the ages began. God would be faithful as they stood firm in faith. A faithful congregation in heaven would welcome them home one day!
How does Paul’s final instructions impact your world view of our life purposes? What steps might you take to fan into flame the Holy Spirit in your daily walk? Are you living in fear of suffering for sharing your faith?
Prayer: Father God, thank You for the gift of the Holy Spirit to live inside of me and leading me in a life of service, good works, and sharing the Gospel. As I pray and read Your Word, ignite a flame of love for others, holy boldness, and powerful witness that all might be saved and receive this Gift! Amen!
Joy and endurance!
Scripture reading for March 20th: Hebrews 12, Psalm 56, Proverbs 25
Hebrews 12:1-4 “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him Who endured from sinners such hostility against Himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.”
Jesus on the cross was the example used by the writer of Hebrews for the believers he was writing to encourage. Many were discouraged because of opposition and persecution and were thinking about going back to Judaism. Jesus’ was motivated by His joy. It was a vision of God’s plan to save sinners through His obedience and willingness to freely give His life and blood to purchase freedom. This joy helped Jesus to endure the cross and suffer through the mockery and shame of crucifixion, a truly painful and humiliating experience. He trusted in God the Father and obeyed, even through his excruciating suffering. He triumphed over death and the grave and lives in eternal joy!
Psalm 56:3-4 “When I am afraid, I put my trust in You. In God, Whose Word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?”
Prayer: Father God, today I consider Jesus, the Author and Perfector of my faith. As I ponder the suffering He endured for me, I am ashamed of my own weariness and failure to successfully struggle against sin. Fill me with the joy of our Lord, Who is my strength. His joy is to see all sinners saved from sin’s penalty and power and enjoying a place in God’s forever family! Empower me to spread the Word!
Proverbs 25:23 “A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls.”
Thankful for the Holy Spirit’s Self Control!
Scripture reading for July 20th: Proverbs 25-29
Key Scriptures: Proverbs 29:11, 22 “A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control.” . . .”An angry man stirs up dissension, and a hot-tempered one commits many sins.”
The proverbs give simple truths that stick in our hearts and provide wisdom for wise living. In these and other proverbs concerning anger, believers are warned against allowing anger to take over the spirit. It is foolish to allow our spirit to be consumed by anger because this consuming anger stirs up dissension in a person’s life, a family, a city and a nation. A reputation of being “hot-headed” marks a person as a trouble maker and warns that many sins flow from this character flaw. We see this in our nation today!
Thankful for the fruit of the Spirit: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23) “”In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry and give the devil a foothold.” (Ephesians 4:27-28)
Sampson:Carnal Deliverer
Scripture reading for March 13th: Judges 13-16
Sampson is an interesting figure in the history of God’s people. He was born with such potential to be great! An angel visited a sterile and childless elderly married woman and told her she would conceive a son. He was to be raised a Nazarite from the womb because he would begin to deliver Israel from the Philistines. (Judges 13:2-5) Manoah, the husband, prayed for this angel to return and his prayers were answered. They were given further instructions as to how to raise this son and named him Sampson.
This son was born and the Spirit of the Lord began to stir Sampson at an early age. He was, however, attracted to Philistine women and asked for one for his wife. This was against the desires of the godly parents who knew God’s word. God, however, used this to further His purposes. (Judges 14:1-4) Sampson had a temper as well, and this came out during a family gathering with his new wife’s family. They coerced his wife to get an answer to Sampson’s riddle. When she gave them the answer, in anger he killed thirty men and took their clothes to pay his vow! (Judges 14:19-20) Leaving his wife, he returned to his parents’ house.
Later Sampson went back to get his wife, and found that they had given her to his best man at the wedding. This infuriated him and he took 300 foxes, tied their tails together, tied torches to their tails and let them loose in the grain fields. This caused more anger to flare and Sampson took revenge again with a jawbone of a donkey, killing more than a thousand Philistines. (Judges 15:15)
It seems that Sampson’s life was filled with anger, revenge, and lust for foreign women. Sampson was anointed by God with great strength, but his lack of self-control caused him to become ineffective. He went to Gaza to see a prostitute and they nearly caught him. (Judges 16:1-3) He fell in love with another Philistine woman named Delilah. Delilah ended up betraying Sampson for money. Sampson was taken captive and his eyes gouged out. (Judges 16:20-21) Sampson’s final act was one of faith, when he prayed for strength to get revenge. God answered his prayer!
We must be careful with our lives. Carnal Christians can be taken captive by the enemy too. Check out your life and heart today!