Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “Self-control”

 

Our Bible verse for today: “Listen, you rebels! Must we bring water out of this rock for you?’ Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with his staff, so that a great amount of water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank.” Numbers 20:10-11 (HCSB)

 

Our thought for today: “A lack of self-control can lead you to do the right thing in the wrong way.”

 

The nation of Israel was wandering in the wilderness. God had miraculously delivered them out of captivity in Egypt. He parted the Red Sea to provide an escape route; He visibly demonstrated His presence to the people in a cloud by day and in a pillar of fire by night; and every morning the people would wake-up to find a new supply of manna, the bread of heaven, miraculously delivered by a kind and merciful and loving God.

 

And yet, despite all their blessings, despite all the miracles performed on their behalf, they complained. Oh my goodness did they complain. These were fickle and half-hearted people who quickly forgot their many blessings and who endlessly whined about discomfort and inconveniences. That’s what was happening in Numbers chapter 20 and Moses was sick of it. He had listened to all the whining and grumbling he could stomach. So he went to God in prayer and told Him that this time the people were complaining about a lack of water and Moses didn’t know what to do about it.

 

Being the kind and gracious God that He is, the Lord arranged to meet the people’s needs for them once again. He told Moses to take his staff, assemble the people in front of a certain very large rock, and then in the name of the Lord Moses was to tell water to come out of the rock. He was then to watch as God provided for His people once again.

 

But Moses was exasperated with the people. He was fed-up with them and so he stomped out of his meeting with God, yelled for the people to “Get over here, now!” And then rather then gently reminding the people of how much God loved them, and simply speaking to the rock and standing back to watch as God brought forth water from the rock, Moses yelled at them. He challenged them with the question “Must “we” (Moses and Aaron) bring forth water from this rock for you??!!” And then instead of speaking the words God told him to speak, Moses angrily struck the rock twice with his staff.

 

And sure enough, God brought forth water from the rock. He did it because His people needed water. But Moses didn’t do it the way God wanted it done. God wanted a message of love and provision communicated to His people, not one of anger and frustration. God wanted His people to receive the water they needed, but He also wanted them to see that it was coming to them as a gift from their Father in heaven, not as a result of some miracle angrily performed by Moses.

 

So God blessed the people but He punished Moses. Because of his actions, Moses would not be allowed to live long enough to enter the Promised Land with the rest of the nation. That’s a pretty steep price to pay for a moment of anger and a lack of self-control.

 

Moses did the right thing but in the wrong way. He did gather the people and he did speak to them, and the water they needed was provided, but due to a lack of self-control he did it all in a way that dishonored God. Losing self-control in crucial moments can be like that. It can accomplish the intended objective, but in a way that also produces unwanted and unforeseen consequences.

 

This is why we must be intentional about striving to develop the spiritual discipline of self-control. We must want it; we must ask God for it; and we must cooperate with the Holy Spirit as He works with us to develop it. A lack of self-control can lead us to do the right thing in the wrong way, and that will always end badly for us.

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

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

Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “Self-control”

 

Our Bible verse for today: “Finally brothers, what ever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable – if there is any moral excellence and if there is any praise – dwell on these things.” Philippians 4:8 (HCSB)

 

Our thought for today: “How you think matters.”

 

Perhaps the most important area of life we need to gain self-control over is how we think. Patterns of thought have a huge impact on how we act and on our overall quality of life. Therefore the things we allow ourselves to dwell on are vitally important.

 

Many people are prone to patterns of negative thinking. They tend to expect the worst in every situation and then in their mind they create elaborate scenarios of how they think it will play out in real life. In their mind they have lived the event before anything actually occurred in the real world, and it was all bad. But that kind of thinking darkens a person’s personality and sucks the joy out of life.

 

Other people tend to focus their thoughts on the things they don’t have, rather than being grateful for what they do have. But this leaves them in a perpetual state of discontentment, always longing for something more. This too sucks the joy out of life and it is also an offense to God. He has filled your life with many wonderful people and things for which you should be thanking and praising Him.

 

In Philippians 4:8 the Apostle Paul shows us a better way of thinking. There he provides a laundry list of examples of the kinds of things we should intentionally focus our mind on. First and foremost he urges us to think about what is true – as opposed to what is not true. In one sense that can be about resisting the lies and deceptions of the world, but in another sense it also means resisting the temptation to engage in imaginary fantasy scenarios in your mind.

 

He tells us to intentionally think about things that are honorable, pure, just, lovely and commendable. This could take many forms. It could include memorizing and reciting passages of scripture. It could include singing along with your favorite praise songs. It could mean intentionally counting your many blessings over and over again.

 

In the book, “The Traveler’s Gift”, God has our time traveler David Ponder on a trip through history to meet seven historical figures, each of whom will teach him an important life principle which is essential if a life is to be lived fully and well. His fifth stop in history involves an encounter with the young woman Anne Frank, the author of the famous book “The Diary of Anne Frank”. The life principle Anne teaches David is, “I choose to be happy.” She told him, “David, happiness is a choice. I can choose to think thoughts and engage in activities that bring me joy. I choose to be happy.”

 

Amen sister.

 

The truth is that how you think matters – it matters a lot. Living the full and fruitful life God wants for you involves developing the self-control to manage your thought patterns so they are constructive rather than destructive, helpful rather than hurtful.

 

You can do this. Be intentional about how you think. You might want to start by memorizing Paul’s list of suggestions in Philippians 4:8.

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “Self-control”

 

Our Bible verse for today: “Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Give the following instructions to the people of Israel …” Numbers 5:5 (NLT)

 

Our thought for today: “A holy life is the best advertisement for Christianity.”

 

In the previous devotional message I wrote of how the book of Leviticus was intended to provide the people of God with the instructions they needed in order to live a life that was clearly and distinctly different (and better) than the lives of the pagan people around them.

 

In the book of Numbers we find more of the same, only now God is preparing His people to come out of their isolation in the wilderness and to actually live among the pagan nations. The reason God wanted this was so that His people would be a visible example to the world of what holiness looks like when it is lived-out in the lives of everyday people. His people were to witness to the world with their lifestyle. Only as Israel’s pagan neighbors saw their godly lifestyle would they be influenced to look to God themselves.

 

What was true for the people of God in the days of Moses is equally true for the people of God in our day. God has you and me exactly where He wants us. He has us in the country, state, city, neighborhood, and work place that He wants us to be in, and our role is to be the same as that of the ancient Israelites. We are to live among the pagan nations and show them a life of holiness that brings honor to the Lord.

 

And, just like with the ancient Israelites, God has provided us with very specific written instructions on how He wants us to live. Please note Numbers 5:5 above. It’s a simple statement designed to serve as a lead-in to a specific instruction. The books of Leviticus and the book of Numbers are filled with such lead-ins. So is the New Testament. Therefore we, the people of God, need to study the word of God, so we will know how to live a life that brings honor to God.

 

And if we don’t, then we need to remember the other purpose served by the book of Numbers. Numbers is also a chronicle of divine discipline which shows the painful consequences suffered by the people of God when they disobey the commands of God.

 

Obedience to God requires self-control. It requires us to first of all know the commands of God and second, we must be intentional about obeying the commands of God. That takes effort and self-control, but the end result is a holy life that is distinctly different from that of a pagan culture. A holy life is the best advertisement for Christianity.

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “Self-control”

 

Our Bible verse for today: “The Lord called to Moses from the Tabernacle and said to him, ‘Give the following instructions to the people of Israel …” Leviticus 1:1-2 (NLT)

 

Our thought for today: “You should be different.”

 

The book of Leviticus is probably the least popular book in the Bible. Most Christians have never read it. It’s a difficult book because it’s filled from start to finish with detailed instructions to the Israelites about sacrifices and worship procedures and ritual purifications, and then long lists of do’s and don’ts. It’s really not fun reading.

 

And yet, in one respect, Leviticus could be considered one of the most important books of the Bible because the primary purpose of it is to illustrate, in stark relief, how different God is from the false gods of the world, and how different God’s people should be from the rest of the people of the world.

 

God is holy, and His people are to be holy too. All of the intricate detail contained in Leviticus about how God’s people are to conduct themselves is designed to make them stand out from all the other peoples of the world and to call attention to the One True God. Being a holy people demands a holy lifestyle.

 

Yesterday I wrote about self-control with respect to human sexuality. I encourage you to take a moment and look at Leviticus chapter 18. There you will find God giving His people instructions about sex. It’s amazing to me what an effort was made to list and then prohibit virtually every kind of potential sexual activity outside of marriage between one man and one woman. The list covers everything from adultery to incest to bestiality. Seriously? They had to be told it’s not ok to have sex with animals? Well, yes they did. Because out there in the world there is no end to the perversion people engage in and God does not want His people behaving like that.

 

The point is that God’s people are to be distinctly and observably different from the rest of the people in the world. That takes intentional effort. It takes self-control and it takes discipline. You have to want to honor God with your conduct and then you have to actually do it.

 

You’re reading this on a Saturday. Tomorrow is Sunday. It’s the day when God’s people are supposed to gather for worship. The people of the world are going to sleep late, read the Sunday paper, and then go fishing, hiking, or to the park, or to the pool, or to a thousand other places instead of to church.

 

How about you? Are you just like them, essentially becoming one with them, or are you different? Are you part of the set-aside people of God who make the effort to be distinctly and observably different from the people of the world?

 

God said to the Israelites (and to us), “So do not act like the people of Egypt, where you used to live; or like the people of Canaan, where I am taking you. You must not imitate their way of life.” Leviticus 18:3

 

I hope to see you tomorrow at Oak Hill Baptist. Sunday school begins at 9:00 and the worship service is at 10:00.

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

 

Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “Self-control”

 

Our Bible verse for today: “Run from sexual immorality! Every sin a person can commit is outside the body. On the contrary, the person who is sexually immoral sins against his own body.” 1 Corinthians 6:18 (HCSB)

 

Our thought for today: “Sexual purity requires self-control”

 

Sexual immorality is a sin and it has been a problem for the human race from the beginning. In the Garden of Eden God established the Biblical standard for sexual ethics, which is one man and one woman in a covenant relationship for life (Genesis 2:21-24). In Matthew 19:4-9 Jesus reaffirmed this standard as being the only sexual relationship acceptable to God.

 

That was God’s standard from the beginning and it has never changed. Every other expression of human sexuality came about after the introduction of sin into the world (Genesis Chapter 3), and every one of those sexual practices is labeled in the Bible as being sinful in the eyes of God.

 

The human sex drive is powerful but it is also beautiful. It was created by God and it is a gift from God, but it is to be experienced only within the boundaries allowed by God. And there’s the problem. The sex drive is so strong, for both men and women, that the entire course of human history is a long sad litany of sexual sin. How could we ever chronicle all the horrible actions that have been taken and all the pain and anguish that has been caused, by sexual sin? The world itself couldn’t contain all the books that would have to be written.

 

So in 1 Corinthians 6:18 the Apostle Paul counsels us to “run” from sexual sin. Please note that he doesn’t counsel us to “stand strong” against sexual sin. No, in this case we are to simply turn around and run, fast. Just get out of there! Sexual sin is the one sin we’re told to just run away from. Other sins we are to oppose but sexual sin we are to run away from. Why? Because it is so strong!

 

For the man or woman of God this requires thoughtful precautions to be taken and rigorously adhered to. We live in a sex-saturated society. Sexual temptation is everywhere. Sexual activity is celebrated and promoted rather than controlled. So we have to be extra careful.

 

Early in his ministry Billy Graham adopted the personal policy that he would never allow himself to be alone with a woman who was not his wife – not in a building, or in a vehicle, or even in an elevator. If he was alone in an elevator and a woman got in, he would step out. Does that sound extreme to you? Maybe it is but Paul tells us to “run” from any situation that could be in the least bit potentially compromising.

 

Pornography is a huge problem in our society. It’s addictive and insidious and in some ways is a worse problem than adultery or homosexuality because it allows an individual to secretly engage in endless episodes of sexual sin without even having to involve another person.

 

As has been noted, our sexuality is a gift from God, He created sex. But He also established the boundaries within which the gift can be experienced and enjoyed. Any conduct outside of those boundaries is sinful and is to be avoided.

 

In 2014 I wrote a six week series of daily devotionals on the subject of human sexuality. It covered everything from marriage, to dating, to LGBT issues, pornography, celibacy, living as a single Christian, and much more. If you have questions about any of those issues I would be happy to send you copies of the relevant devotionals. Just email me at pastorjimmohbc@gmail.com.

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “Self-control”

 

Our Bible verse for today: “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need.” Luke 15:14-15 (NIV)

 

Our thought for today: “We must control ourselves in how we spend our money.”

 

We live in a society that is addicted to conspicuous consumption. Not just consumption, but conspicuous consumption. We don’t just consume what we need, but as a nation we consume on a grand scale far beyond what we need.

 

In the USA we have the highest standard of living that exists anywhere in the world. In terms of adequate housing, abundant food, safe water, quality healthcare, and creature comforts galore, nobody has it as good as we do. But most Americans aren’t satisfied. The average American spends their entire paycheck striving to maintain the highest standard of living possible. Then we seek additional income by both spouses working, or by taking a part-time job, or by starting a home-based business. Then when that still isn’t enough we go deeply into debt – and we’re still not content. We want more and more and more. The love of money and the love of possessions has become an all-consuming obsession in our society.

 

There are few subjects the Bible teaches more about than money and possessions, and we’re taught there that the love of money is the root of all evil (1 Timothy 6:10). In other words, an obsession with money and possessions will lead us into all sorts of unbiblical behaviors and patterns of living.

 

In the scene cited above from Jesus’ parable of the Prodigal Son, we read of a young man who squandered his wealth in wild living. I think that describes us as a society too. We squander so much of our wealth on frivolous living. The Bible calls us to live simple and modest lives, using our wealth to help others and to honor God, and to be content with what we have. In the book of Proverbs alone there are more than 100 references to the proper handling of money and possessions.

 

When it comes to the issue of self-control, most of us need to give much more thought to how we handle our money. The pursuit of increased income and greater numbers of possessions controls us much more than we realize. And, our lives are actually worse off for it, not better.

 

One of the best resources available in the Christian community today to help Christians get our financial lives in proper (Biblical) order is Dave Ramsey’s “Total Money Makeover”. I recommend it to you. Within a relatively short period of time you can come to the point that you have firm control over your money, rather than your money controlling you.

 

When we do it God’s way we discover that all of life improves as your financial habits become increasingly driven by Biblical principles rather than by the pressures of an obsessively consumer-oriented society.

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “Self-control”

 

Our Bible verse for today: “… and put a knife to your throat if you are given to gluttony.” Proverbs 23:2 (NIV)

 

Our thought for today: “When it comes to food we have to control ourselves.”

 

Those of you who know me well know that I am by nature a glutton. It probably doesn’t appear that way at first to most people because I’m slender and fairly physically fit. But that’s only because many years ago I recognized this trait in myself and realized I had to learn to control it. In my weaker moments, I will eat eight pieces of pizza in a single sitting; I will open a half gallon of cookie dough ice cream, grab a spoon, and start eating right from the carton. By the time I’m done there might not be any left. “Hi, my name is Jim and I’m a glutton.”

 

Is gluttony a sin? Yes it is. Consistently throughout the Bible over-indulgence in food is portrayed as being bad for us and it’s an offense against God. But it’s a sin Christians prefer to ignore. We don’t hesitate to preach and teach against alcohol and homosexuality, but when was the last time you heard a sermon or Bible study on the sin of gluttony? And yet, it’s probably the most common sin in our churches today. Our pulpits and pews are filled with people who struggle with an addiction to food.

 

I would go so far as to say that gluttony does more damage to society than alcohol or drugs. I know that’s a strong statement but gluttony is so wide-spread that it actually effects far greater numbers of people than does alcohol or drugs. And the damage it does is extreme. Type-two diabetes is an epidemic in our nation. Heart disease and strokes are literally killing us – and at a young age. It’s an increasingly common story in our society (and in our churches) to hear of people in their forties and fifties whose health is so bad that they’re on disability and can no longer work, and others who die young as a result of lifestyle health issues that could have been prevented.

 

A medical doctor was telling me just the other day how rare it has become to find an adult in our society who is not taking at least one prescribed medicine on a daily basis – and usually it’s more than just one. He said, “These days everybody is on something.”

 

Probably the area of self-control that is most needed by most people is with respect to food. We have to learn to limit ourselves to eating moderate amounts of reasonably nutritious food, and then getting some exercise every day.

 

Is it really possible to control ourselves in this area? Of course it is! God wouldn’t label gluttony a sin and tell us to control ourselves if it wasn’t possible. First and foremost, we know that self-control in all areas of life is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). Therefore it’s something the Holy Spirit will develop in us as we apply ourselves to it.

 

Second, we need to become very familiar with the Bible verses which pertain to the issue we are struggling with. Proverbs 23:2, Proverbs 23:20-21, and Proverbs 28:7 are a few that pertain to gluttony. Also, we need to remember that God has given us the power to say “No!” 1 Corinthians 10:13 is another of those verses we need to memorize so we can call upon it in times of temptation:

 

“No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to humanity. God is faithful, and He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation He will also provide a way of escape so that you are able to bear it.”

 

And then there is the power of association. Join a gym. And then actually go. Spend time with others who are fighting this battle and winning. Utilize a program to help you. P90X, Power90, or any of the other fitness, nutrition, and exercise programs available today can be very helpful in achieving a healthy weight and staying physically fit.

 

You can do this. God wouldn’t require it of us if it wasn’t possible. But you do have to want it and you do have to work for it. Gluttony is a sin but like any other sin, we can have victory over it, and the spiritual discipline of self-control is the key.

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “Self-control”

 

Our Bible verse for today: “Happy is a man who finds wisdom and who acquires understanding, for she is more profitable than silver, and her revenue is better than gold. She is more precious than jewels; nothing you desire compares with her.” Proverbs 3:13-15 (HCSB)

 

Our thought for today: “Godly wisdom leads to self-control.”

 

Since you’re reading these devotional messages on self-control I’m assuming that you would like to have more self-control in your life. We all would. And when you think about the areas of your life where you would like to have more self-control, you probably think about practical day-to-day things like weight control, sexual purity, financial stewardship, etc.

 

We’ll begin to address those subjects and others beginning tomorrow.  But before we do, there’s one more “big picture” issue we need to discuss, and that is “Godly wisdom”. Developing the spiritual fruit of self-control requires Godly wisdom as taught in the Bible.

 

In the Bible God describes for us all the areas of life we have to gain self-control over. Learning those lessons, and then practicing the discipline of self-control, is the end result of wisdom. In Proverbs 3:13-15 Solomon tells us that as we acquire that wisdom we’ll find that it is much more profitable to us than truck loads of worldly wealth.

 

But you have to want it. And you have to be willing to go after it. One of the best explanations of this seeking after wisdom that I have ever read is found in Andy Andrews’ wonderful little book, “The Traveler’s Gift”. In the story our time traveler, David Ponder, on his second stop in history, finds himself in the presence of King Solomon. Solomon’s task was to give David the second great life-principle he needed in order to live the life God wanted for him. It was, “Seek wisdom”. In the story Solomon counsels David to, “Seek wisdom. Seek it. Wisdom waits to be gathered … She is a gift for the diligent.”

 

As the counseling session with Solomon unfolds, David comes to some decisions regarding the necessary pursuit of Godly wisdom in his life, decisions which are vital for you and me too. First, we must diligently search the Bible for the wisdom we need. The Bible speaks to the issues of life. Whatever it is you’re struggling with, there is Scripture to guide you.

 

Second, we must fill our minds and hearts with other influences that point us in the direction we need to go, and which will keep us moving in that direction. The things you read, the music you listen to, the shows you watch on television, should help to lift you up, encourage you, and keep you moving in the right direction.

 

Third, we must seek the counsel of others who have developed the self-control we seek. If the big issue in your life is weight control and physical fitness, then spend time with others who are already where you need to be. Let them guide you and help you. If your issue is sexual purity, find a trusted confidant to counsel you and to hold you accountable. If it is financial stewardship, there are great resources and Christian financial counselors available to help you.

 

The point is that the growth we need, and which we seek, comes to us through the acquiring of Biblical wisdom, followed by the diligent application of what we have learned. Tomorrow we’ll begin a discussion of what this actually looks like in real life.

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim

Good Morning Everyone,

 

Our theme for this month: “Self-control”

 

Our Bible verse for today: “God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth.” Genesis 9:1 (HCSB)

 

Our thought for today: “Disobeying God always leads to bad consequences.”

 

As was noted yesterday, God has created us with a free will and the ability to make choices about how we will conduct ourselves. He has also provided us with all the guidance we need in order to make choices that are in accordance with His will. It’s then up to us to exercise self-control and conform to God’s prescribed laws.

 

Yesterday we read of how Adam and Eve exercised their free will and made a choice that was in direct contradiction to what God had told them to do. The end result for them was that they were evicted from paradise. Everything about their life changed from that moment on and everything about life became harder for them. They made a bad choice, they disobeyed God, and they paid big-time for it.

 

In Genesis 9:1, after the Great Flood, God instructed Noah, his family, and his descendants, to be fruitful, multiply, and fill the whole earth. But in Genesis 11:4, not too many generations later, we read of the people deciding to do the exact opposite. “And they said, ‘Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the sky. Let us make a name for ourselves; otherwise, we will be scattered over the face of the earth.” We then read of how God intervened, destroyed the tower of Babel, and forcefully scattered them throughout the world. Their lives were completely uprooted by God because they hadn’t obeyed Him to begin with.

 

We read of a similar situation in the book of Acts with the Jewish Christians in the early church in Jerusalem. Jesus had specifically told them in Matthew 28:18-20 and Acts 1:8 that they were to go throughout the world to spread the Good News about Him. But they didn’t do it. Instead they settled-in and camped-out right there in Jerusalem. So we then read in Acts Chapter Eight of how God allowed a great wave of persecution to descend upon them which forced them to run for their lives. The majority of the Christian community was forced to leave Jerusalem to seek refuge in outlying lands. As they went, they spread their faith and thus ended-up doing the very thing Jesus had commanded them to do to begin with.

 

In all of those cases life would have been so much better, and so much easier, if they had simply done what God told them to do to begin with. The same is true for us. In the Bible God has clearly told us what He wants us to do – and what He doesn’t want us to do. Now it’s up to us to make good choices and to control ourselves in a God-honoring way.

 

Throughout the remainder of the month we will consider what exercising self-control (or not exercising it), looks like in a practical day-to-day way in terms of things like sexual morality, gluttony, financial stewardship, good deeds, faithfulness, and much more.

 

The bottom line is pretty straight-forward: Obey God and you will be blessed; don’t obey God and you will suffer. It’s pretty simply, really.

 

God Bless,

Pastor Jim