Self-Control

Personal Evaluation—How Much Self-Control Do You Have?

* Do you give more time to spiritual pursuits than to the pleasures of the world?
* Do you bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ?
* Do you control your eating or allow yourself to indulge in food?
* Do you acknowledge your weakness so you can experience the power of Christ?
* Do you literally cry out to God for deliverance from addictions?
* Have you asked your heavenly Father to fill you with His Spirit?
* Do you respond to each test of the Spirit by thanking God for His purposes and then looking for benefits if you respond correctly?
* Do you remove provisions for indulgences so you will not fulfill them?

This character lesson is taken from The Power for True Success.

I was reading at IBLP today about Self-Control. It mentioned -- how to have self-control. GREAT I was thinking... I really need self-control in order to lose weight. I need to meet my goal! NEED to.

So I started listing what they said in my journal...

First receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. I've done that.
Ask the Father to fill me with the Spirit. I've done that.
Once we are filled - we are taken through trials and testing that will require us to die to ourselves and our natural inclinations. OK -- I'd say I've been taken through testing.
Passing each test requires that we thank God for His purpose in them by looking for benefits and then crying out to God if there is need for deliverance. This must be where I fail. Looking for benefits of the trials? I'm sure I don't do that. Can I tattoo that on my right hand -- so I will remember to do that DURING the time of the trial. I'm fairly certain that during the trial -- I'm a little self absorbed. I don't automatically think, "What is the benefit of this trial?" I know that my trials are even trivial compared to some trials. I'm thinking of Melissa Snow right now. Talk about trials. Shwhewww... I have no trials when I compare myself to others. BUT -- I do have trials. I don't react in a godly manner all the times. So -- DURING the trial... look for the benefits.

Then the next step. Crying out to God if there is a need for deliverance. I think I do that -- I bawl like a baby and say, "Why me???" But -- does that count? I don't think so. I'm skipping the looking for benefits step. OH GOD!!! Help me to remember that -- there are so many areas of my life that could benefit from a little self control.

Dare I list them?

EATING -- uggggghhhh.
Daily Physical Exercise
Daily Bible reading
Anger
Keeping the clutter under control
Computer time
Bed time
Having in real life friends
Showing love for others...

OK -- I'll stop now before I start descending into that bottomless pit of self-pity. YUCK!

Alrighty then... SELF-CONTROL. I've learned something new today. Let's see how it goes from here. Will I just be a hearer of the word... or a doer of the word?

2Pe 1:4-6 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;