Christianity Oasis Forum

[kimberly]

Did you ever have to write a paper in school, and when the teacher said...."Any subject", you blanked? Well, I knew the subject for tonight's 'paper', and I was still a blank. Until last night.

Self-control. Ever just think about what that really means? Sometimes we think it means, as a christian, being Miss (or Mr.) Perfectly Holy. Never doing wrong, never getting mad or hacked off. Certainly never forgetting to pray or missing church.

Hah. It means none of those. Self -control is keeping control of self. It doesn't mean we won't FEEL like exploding, wailing, whining or mouthing off......which is my vice when it comes to self control.

Last night I felt it. My head was pounding, and my hands were hot. They wanted to strangle something. Unkind words crowded into my flailing mind. I wanted to spew out a tirade of unworthy accusations at someone.

I was angry. Bull seeing red angry. I hate injustice and I hate discrimination. I hate when people are mis-treated and abused. But most of all....I hate it when it's done by those who profess to be His followers. In His Name.

I have a soft spot for the underdog. For the misfit and the downtrodden. I want to fight for them, to see right done on their behalf. I want the bullying stopped and the whispering stilled. These are the very things that threaten my self-control.

They might be noble causes for my angry disposition, but it stops being a 'noble' thing when I lose self-control. I demean them by shooting off my angry mouth. Self-control is not a lack of emotion...it is self-refusal to unleash those emotions.

I don't dare let my pounding head choose what to think...it will choose evil thoughts, if I let it stray. Then, my hands and mouth will get involved. The best thing I can do is remove myself from the situation....if not physically, mentally. I have to go to the heart of the temple.

Inside my heart is a place I reserve for just Him and me. It's where I can go to have Him soothe me and calm me. I have placed some great Words in there, written them on the walls and on the stone bench by the still waters.

They are lovingly written in my Father's hand, and they speak of His love and care for me. I lay in the green pasture and listen to His Holy Spirit murmer them in my ears. I speak my discontent and anger to Him, and He takes it away....

Because I choose for Him to. This is a place I envision inside myself, where we all say Jesus is. What kind of place do you imagine in your heart for Him? This is the place of your self control.....for Jesus was self controlled by His relationship with the Father.

2nd Peter 1:5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.

Goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love.

These are the seven things each christian should be striving for. Sound impossible? Hard to attain with all that is happening in your life and in the world today? But, we have a Savior, remember? We don't have to do it alone, and frankly---we can't. Look~~~~~~

2nd Peter 1:3 His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness! Through our KNOWLEDGE of Him. This is how we escape being corrupted by what would assault our emotions. By doing our part....knowing Him. Relationship. How do we build that relationship?

Through the promises He gave us...and to know them, we have to know His Words. We have to read them, speak them, share them.....and place them inside our hearts, creating a place where Jesus truly dwells. The Holy of Holies, the inner temple. A place for the Living Word.

2nd Peter 1:8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

None of us wants to be ineffective or unproductive. Yet, if our self-control slips from us, that's exactly what we become. When we don't have control of ourselves, it means, someone else does.

2nd Peter 1:9 But if anyone does not have them, (the qualities in verses 5-7) he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.

When we forget that we were saved, we lose sight of Jesus and what he came to do, not only for us, but for others too. If we lose sight of that, the devil moves in quickly to claim what we have lost control of, whether it is our mind, mouth, or will.

2nd Peter 1:10 Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, 11 and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

I desire to make sure that I show self-control in all my efforts with others. I want my relationship with Jesus to be Rock-solid and rich in goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love.

Of these seven qualities, I see self-control as the container that holds all the others together. If self-control is cracked or broken, how quickly will I lose the contents? I already know--from past experience, and now, I am unwilling to let go of self-control again.

Father, we humbly ask for your help in learning your way of self control. As we seek Him, give us knowledge of Jesus and aid us in our relationship with Him. By His power, and in His Name, amen.