TODAY'S RHAPSODY OF REALITIES
Sunday, December 29th, 2013.
Theme: "The Gain Of Temperance"
By Pastor Chris
"He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls"- (Proverbs 25:28).
"Temperance" is such an important virtue that needs to be clearly understood. Some Bible versions translate it as "self-control." However, the full import of its meaning pictures an athlete that has self-discipline because he wants to be the champion. The Greek word is "Engkrateia," meaning to hold oneself in. Take for example, an athlete who's training to create a new world record, and is under some strict physical fitness training and diet. At some point, he's really hungry and tempted to eat something outside his current diet plan, but holds himself back! He knows the meal will be detrimental to his physical fitness programme, hence he refuses to eat it. He has exercised self-restraint.
Now, God wants you to have this kind of self-restraint and discipline in your life, where you're able to hold yourself in, and refuse to do anything that's not consistent with the Word of God. He wants you to take charge of your life. You must exercise the ability to hold yourself in, and say "No" when necessary. For example, someone offends you and you're angry, but you choose instead to let it go and walk on in love. You "held yourself in" from giving the person "a piece of your mind!" You walked with the mind of Christ.
No matter what others do to you; they may spite, revile, or criticize you; hold yourself back from responding in pride, anger or bitterness. In Luke 6:29, Jesus said "And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other...." In other words, hold yourself in; have self-restraint; don't fight back. Grab yourself from the inside.
Perhaps, as a wife or a husband, a lot has happened in your home and you're on the verge of losing your cool: hold yourself in! Don't quit that marriage; be patient and remain loving, with the confident assurance that all things work together for good to them that love God, who are the called according to His purpose.
Confession
I have the ability to make the right judgments and choices and I refuse any attitude, habit or lifestyle that is inconsistent with the Gospel. No matter what happens around me, I don't bow to pressure. Rather, I hold myself in from within.
Further study: 1 Corinthians 9:27; Proverbs 5:23 (GNB); Galatians 5:22-23(GNB)
Daily Scripture Reading
1 Year Bible Reading Plan: Revelation 20:1-15, Zechariah 12-14
2 Year Bible Reading Plan: Acts 5:1-11, Ezra 8
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