The prayer on the Biblical Virtues card says: "Father, help us NOT to be like many others around us, but let us be alert and self-controlled in all we do".
The scripture is 1 Thessalonians chapter 5, verse 6:
(I like to go back to verse 5) "You are all people who belong to the light and to the day. We do not belong to the night or to darkness. So we should not be like other people who are sleeping, but we should be alert and have self-control." verse 8:
"We belong to the day, so we should control ourselves."
In the context of these verses Chapter 5 in my bible is titled "Be ready for the Lord's coming". It is talking about being ready no matter when it happens, and we need'nt worry about when that is. Just live each day as though it is our last. Just because everyone is doing the wrong things doesn't give us permission to do them. We need to stand our ground, and practice self-control. Stay away from sin and temptation to sin.
Michelle's post on #4 is such a great example of this. It is not the easy path to take, but it is the right path.
Linda and I watched a great movie a couple of nights ago. It has such great messages and examples of this virtue. The movie is "Bucket List". If you haven't seen it, it's a must see. Maybe you would want to watch it again, if you've already seen it.
Ask ourselves this question - If the Dr. gave me the news that I only had a few months to live, what would I do differently? How would I make sure I am ready to see Jesus? What if I saw Him coming on the clouds tomorrow? Would I be rejoicing, or would I be fearful?
My dictionary says that self-control means "The act, power, or habit of having one's faculties or energies under control of the will." I think these 3 words: act, power and habit - are the order in which self-control can become a part of our lives. We must act (DO the right thing) which is sometimes very hard to do. So then we can call upon the POWER of Jesus and the Holy Spirit to help us (Pray), and then it becomes a habit to do the right thing, and actions of our own free will!
"Now may God Himself, the God of peace, make you pure, belonging only to Him. May your whole self - spirit, soul and body - be kept safe and without fault when our Lord Jesus Christ comes. You can trust the One who calls you to do that for you. The grace of our Lord, Jesus Christ be with you". This prayer comes from Paul at the end of 1 Thessalonians, chapter 5, verses 23 through 24.
8 comments:
I really need to pray for my self-control. I can't seem to get into the groove of eating right and eating less. If ya all need something more to pray for, please pray for me. Thanks!
Me, too - please!
ME THREE, Please!!!
Self control is a big issue for me. I go along fine and then... BAM! I am off track. It is very hard not to "go along with the crowd" And I get sucked into that sometimes. But there is this feeling I get inside when I am involved in activities that go against the person I want to be. Over time I have learned to pay attention to that feeling. Except when it comes to food. I like food, I like to eat food, food is my best friend, I eat when I am anxious, happy, sad, lonely, hurt, tired, bored. Yeah Food is my crutch. And food in the extreme has made me ill, my lack of self control has caused me to have a life threatening disease, shortened my life expectancy and set me up for even more life-threatening diseases! What is the problem? Lack of self control.
But Jesus knows how hard I try, well most of the time, oh yeah backslider here. I will be happy when I see him coming on the clouds. I tell everyone that when I get my resurrection body I will weigh 115 pounds or less! I cannot wait. Love you all.
I work with a woman who doesn't like to eat. She only eats becasue she has to eat to survive. It took me a long time to get my brain around that concept, but I finally accepted that she is serious. She is also probably the only woman in America who doesn't obsess in some way about her weight. I've been weight consious since I was a teen-ager and like all of you, it's been a struggle.
I have come to the conclusion that it's not an issue of self-control. Who (or what) is truly on the throne of my life? When I eat too much, I'm on the throne. Eating is the one room in my heart that I have locked with a key. I don't let God in there. I haven't yet figured out how to give that key to Jesus. But I think the answer has nothing to do with self control, or even food.
I've been praying that God will give me the answer. I want to be free of this addiction I have to eating.
On Oprah the other day there was an obese woman on there from some country in Africa where being fat is honored. Maybe the answer is moving that country! (HA!)
Well, maybe we can get a big group rate on the airline tickets?
Seriously, I understand what you are saying, Deb. Food has become an idol. We need to shift our eyes, and thoughts to Jesus. Over-indulgence in many many things is an acceptable thing in the country now. We need to swing the pendulem the other way. We all need to become like your friend and EAT TO LIVE not LIVE TO EAT!
Yes, Debbie. Good stuff in your comment. It disgusts me to think that I pur FOOD on the throne...What?
Debbie! You've always wanted to be a missionary to Africa. Maybe now - with all you've learned about food - you could be a nutrition and health counselor in Africa!
And yes, I'm sure you are right. Eating can become an idol! It has in my life, for sure. I am a very poor example for controlling my cravings for sweets - and I know I am making myself sicker and it is not honoring God in any way. I've prayed so much for help in this area. I wonder why it's such a problem?
I think self-control means a lot. In my sharing about it here, I had more in mind of not going along with the crowd, even though it looks good, it's certainly not drawing us closer to Him! I think there are lots and lots of times in a day when we need to say "no, I won't go against God's will". And stick to it! I've gotten into some bad habits of spending too much time watching TV - maybe because of the overeating that led to diabetes that led to all my aches and pains and troubles - and depriving myself of my precious moments with God. I drag myself back, and discover the wonderment of that time with God, and I know I'm being called into His presence, so I go there, and then it becomes a wonderful habit. But, like my teaching said, that's what we must do - know what is the right thing to do and DO it - but if that is too hard and we are giving into the temptation then PRAY for the power of the Holy Spirit to help - and as we do this more and more it will become a habit and we will automatically do the right thing. Maybe I need to practice what I preach more often - huh? If we remember Act, Power (pray), and habit and maybe work on one area at a time, maybe we can conquer some of these things - like eating correctly, and not watching so much TV and anything else that comes to mind.
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