Good Morning Everyone,
Our theme for this month: “Self-control”
Our Bible verse for today: “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age.” Titus 2:11-12 (NIV)
Our thought for today: “Your actions affect other people.”
No man is an island. No person lives in isolation. Your actions, be they good or bad, impact other people – especially those who are close to you. Your self-control, or lack of it, affects not just you but those around you as well. Can I get an “Amen”?
Did you know that the children of divorce are twice as likely to end up getting divorced themselves? It’s true. So when a husband and wife give-up on their marriage instead of working it out, they pass the curse of divorce on to future generations. Your actions affect other people.
If you don’t take good care of yourself physically you will get sick. You will live a life that is less active and less enjoyable than it could otherwise have been, and you will probably die at a younger age than you otherwise would have. Tough luck for you, right? Yes. But tough luck for your spouse too, and your children, and your grandchildren, and your family members, and your church family, and … well, you get the picture. Your actions affect other people.
Do you have an anger control problem? Your actions affect other people. Are you living on the public dole when you could be working and supporting yourself? Your actions affect other people. Do you secretly view pornography thinking that it’s nobody’s business but your own? Well what about the women and children who are trapped in the pornography industry so you can have your cheap thrills? You actions affect other people.
It’s true that repetition is the key to learning. If you want a lesson to stick then you need to repeat it numerous times and in various ways. So let me say it again that your actions affect other people. No man is an island. No person lives in isolation. Your self-control, or lack of it, affects those around you.
Therefore God calls His people to exercise the self-control needed so that we are living holy lives that honor Him and which bless those around us rather than causing pain and harm.
I encourage you to spend some extra time today talking to God about the areas of your life where you need to develop more self-control because … your actions affect other people.
God Bless,
Pastor Jim
Oak Hill Baptist Church 