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Self-Control - Week 9

Monday

Matthew 4:1-11

1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”

4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:

“‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”

7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”

10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”

11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.

I don’t know if it means anything that self-control is the last listed aspect of the Fruit of the Spirit. Is it the culmination of all these traits? Can you have self-control without all of the other aspects? If I had self-control first, wouldn’t it be easier to demonstrate the other aspects of the fruit? All I know is that I need more self-control in my life and I need help getting it.

What amazes me about the life of Jesus is that he is the Son of God, God in the flesh, and yet the Holy Spirit saw fit to lead him into the desert to be tempted by the devil. This was the start of Jesus’ public ministry. Imagine showing up as the new Senior Pastor of a church and telling the congregation, “I’ll see you in six weeks. I need to go be alone.” Wow! If we had been in charge of planning Jesus’ ministry strategy we probably would have sent him right away to the power brokers in Jerusalem.

But instead, the Holy Spirit leads him to a desert where there are no resources, no people, and apparently no opportunities for ministry. It is the most unattractive place on earth. It is tough there. But that’s where God wanted him to be. What did Jesus do for six weeks in the desert? We’re told he fasted for forty days and forty nights. Seven hundred hours of awake time. And Jesus spent that time alone in the presence of God.

Through the ministry of Jesus, God was about to work the greatest miracles this world had ever seen. But even Jesus needed to depend on the work of the Holy Spirit to produce the fruit of self-control in his life. And that fruit ripens in the environment of intimacy with God.

We tend to think of the devil coming to tempt Jesus at his weakest, most vulnerable point after forty days and at the point of extreme hunger. But in many ways Jesus was at his strongest point. Jesus shows us the way and that intimacy with God must always precede activity for God. It is the place where self-control is cultivated and matured.

Where is the Holy Spirit leading you so that the fruit of the spirit can fully ripen and mature? God’s ways are not humanity’s ways, so be open to His leading, embrace the training he has for you, and feast on every word that comes from the mouth of God. Then you bless others with a harvest of self-control!

~John Secrest

Tuesday

Mark 9:43-48

43 If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out. [44] 45 And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. [46] 47 And if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, 48 where “‘the worms that eat them do not die, and the fire is not quenched.’”

Everyone wants to be noticed! It is human nature to desire to be the best. We want to believe we are special. However, a life that is pointed towards Jesus and bringing glory to Him is not about individualism or personal accomplishments.

In Mark 9.43-48 the disciples got caught up in the race for success. They were arguing over who was the best. They felt if they couldn’t do something then others, who weren’t in their group of disciples, shouldn’t be able to do it either. They wanted Jesus to lift them up and tell them how great they were. Instead, Jesus took a child and put that child in the midst of them. He did this to remind the disciples, and us, that in order to rise up we must make ourselves small. We must focus on glory going to God and not self. Jesus’s glory spread to the world is what ultimately matters.

In this passage Jesus also shows patience through taking time to teach the disciples a different view of life. He shows them how important it is to look past self to the larger picture of His glory. He teaches them it is better to enter His eternal presence partial and imperfect than to enter in complete control but focused on self.

Through Jesus’ example and teachings we realized our life journey is not about how much glory we can bring to ourselves or how good we can look, instead it is about bringing all those we encounter closer to Jesus. Jesus’ exhortation in Mark chapter 9 is challenging! We need the help of Jesus in order to constantly sacrifice self and become closer to Him through spreading His glory. The ability to press forward and away from natural tendencies to lift up self can only be obtained through the power of prayer and Christian community. Therefore, let us demonstrate patience and self-control through holding each other’s arms up, as we rise to the challenge of lifting up God and guiding others into His presence!

~Melinda Manus

Wednesday

Matthew 26.39

39 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”

In my humble estimation self-control is the one aspect of the fruit of the Spirit that ensures that all the others become developed habits within all of us who call Jesus Lord.

Think about it – what would love be if it was only expressed in times that were easy and convenient? And what would patience be if only exercised here and there? And what would gentleness be if we were only gentle to a select few people?

Self-control from the Spirit allows us to love at all times, be patient even when it’s difficult, and to demonstrate gentleness when we may not want to.

But self-control is difficult itself.

And as far as difficulty is concerned, humanity has never seen a clearer example of self-control than what happened in the moments just before Jesus would be arrested and ultimately crucified.

Knowing that the coming hours and days would be exceedingly painful and trying, Jesus went to pray, taking along some of his closest friends. During his prayer, Jesus peered directly into his immediate future, into the suffering and strife that lay ahead. And instead of recoiling in disdain, as so many of us would, Jesus instead turned his attention to prayer.

Exhibiting great self-control, Jesus prayed “My father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”

In this moment Jesus reveals two important aspects of his being:

Number One: Jesus is fully human. There is a stark realization of discomfort and even trepidation in Jesus’ words here. He asks for his suffering to be avoided altogether if possible. Which of us wouldn’t also pray this same prayer if we were in Jesus’ position?

Number Two: Jesus is fully divine. But before the next breath could even be taken Jesus surrendered his will to that of the Father. If there was ever a moment in which Jesus demonstrated his divinity more than this one, I’d be surprised. Sure, Jesus healed, walked on water, knew things he shouldn’t, and controlled nature. Each of those things is amazing and to be commended!

But to surrender his will and his desire for safety and well-being in the face of horrible torment and pain? That shows that Jesus was deeply connected to the divine life through the Spirit.

But here’s the truly shocking thing about this story – we have the same sort of access to the divine life through the Spirit ourselves! When we face pain, sorrow, and suffering, we can surrender our wills to God’s too. When we’re tempted toward selfishness, pride, and all kinds of sin, we can call on the Spirit to produce in us the self-control exemplified in Jesus’ life.

Friends, without self-control we will never have the aspects of the fruit of the Spirit developed in our lives as habits and eventually characteristics. Why? Because the pull of being self-directed is too strong. Instead, let’s be like Jesus, turning to God and surrendering our wills to his!

~Matt Barnes

Thursday

Luke 23:34-43

34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.

35 The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.”

36 The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar 37 and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.”

38 There was a written notice above him, which read: this is the king of the jews.

39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”

40 But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? 41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”

42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

43 Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.”

Remember that playground defense? We all know that words can be incredibly hurtful and even caustic. When we feel that pain, our response can be denial, defensiveness, lashing out or love. All too often we choose to defend, deny, or act out rather than loving.

Confidence in knowing who we are in Christ enables us to bear the stones and arrows thrown at us without having to defend ourselves out of insecurity and lack of control. Then, true forgiveness can follow. Forgiveness is releasing the offender from our “right” to “get even.” Ultimately, it is God’s responsibility to make sure that justice has been served. Lack of forgiveness toward those who have caused hurt, gives them power. When we forgive we are in control of ourselves and our emotions and have the freedom to love your enemy.

When people treat us poorly, speak unkindly, or misrepresent our integrity and character, responding to them in the same manner will only fuel the fire and cause more pain and trouble. Allowing the Holy Spirit to work self-control in us (responding out of love and forgiveness) will likely diffuse the situation. It will also bring freedom from harboring feelings of anger and bitterness toward the offender.

Luke 23.34-43 tells us Jesus’ response to those who hurled insults, slurs, and taunts at Him. He said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” As He hung dying on the cross for our sins, He exhibited the ultimate self-control by sacrificing Himself in our place. He could have called on all the angels in heaven to rescue Him and bring down the judgment that we truly deserved. Instead, He loved us. He received us to Himself just as He promised the thief on the cross. We are like that thief, worthy of death because of our own wrongful deeds.

The evidence of the Spirit’s work is that we exhibit fruit in our life, our own thoughts, words and actions. The fruit of self-control is a gift that frees us. It frees us to enjoy the benefits of healthy choices. It frees us to rest in the security of good stewardship. It frees us from a guilty conscience. Self-control restricts the indulgence of our foolish desires, and we find the liberty to love and live as Jesus calls us to.

~Aleta Helwig

Friday

John 18:10-11

10 Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.)

11 Jesus commanded Peter, “Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?”

Cookies can be my kryptonite. They are my ultimate weakness. If I see a cookie, all control is out the window. There was a time when I was younger and I came back after school famished. There was an unusual bag of cookies in the pantry that I had never seen before. My heart told me to wait. My impulsive stomach told me to have them now. I had to taste one. They looked so delicious. I could've waited and asked my family members.

But that would be too much for my child self. I found out later that they were dog treats. How embarrassing! Granted, nothing happened because of my impulses. I didn’t sprout fur or grow a tail. There was no extreme consequence for giving in to my impulses that time. But with bigger things of life, impulse control matters, doesn’t it? We see on the news thousands of stories where people gave in to their impulsive nature. Counting to ten or to one thousand seconds before reacting or speaking matters. Walking away from a situation and paying attention to the Lord of creation matters. Holding ourselves to the life of scripture matters.

In a moment of weakness, fear, or anger, our impulses can reign supreme. There is such a great temptation to go along with what we can do in the moment versus waiting to think through what Christ would have us do. At times we would rather have it our way. Our way is quick and we get to remain in control. Try this, walk around your house and count how many things in your home make life quicker and easier. Microwaves, iPods, laptops, etc. They are all created to make things move faster. Sometimes we want situations to be resolved quickly because that is what we are accustomed to. That’s exactly what Peter does in this passage.

He is scared and angered at losing Jesus, and he decides to take matters into his own hands. Peter is with Jesus, all-powerful and fully God, and his heart says “Peter you have this one. Do what needs to be done!” Peter bypasses angry words or pulling Jesus away with strength, and sprints directly to violence. All the while, previously Jesus had been informing them that He would be delivered over to the unbearable and it must happen. But in a moment of panic Peter forgets and runs to his impulse. Think about how different our world would be if everyone who felt enraged or an impulse to react, spent time to look at the life of Jesus and His ways. Peter repays aggression and force with the same. We don’t see Jesus scold very much. But in this passage He has to correct Peter’s actions. Peter has to learn to control his impulses and submit to the way of Christ. There is a way to live in this life that brings life and hope around us, and there is a way that breeds hopelessness and death. How are you going to let yourself live when the swords of this world present themselves?

What situations make you lose control? Is it the DMV, arguing, a harsh person, traffic, etc? What is your impulse kryptonite?
Who can you inform to hold you accountable to presenting your actions to Christ?
How would the world be different if people looked to the voice of Jesus to help with self-control?
What is happening in the world right now that needs this approach?

~Perry Hawkins

Saturday

Luke 5.15-16

15 Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. 16 But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.

Mark 1.35-37

35 Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. 36 Simon and his companions went to look for him, 37 and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!”

I worked in Boulder, CO for a few years before coming out to L.A., and lived right next to the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. We had immediate access to some of the most beautiful hikes I’ve seen, and I loved escaping city life to go in the mountains or along a stream. The views just minutes from my office were astounding and would leave me breathless. Sometimes though, I would find myself paying so much attention to the trail itself that I would miss out on the incredible view right ahead of me. Whether snow-covered mountaintops or sunsets…I would be so focused on not tripping or on making sure I was taking the right path that I got distracted from the gorgeous beauty that surrounded me.

I think this occurs with God too. We get so distracted by the things in our lives (our phones, pressures at work and school, getting everything done at home) that we forget to look up and see God right there in front of us. But Jesus shows us another way. He faced all sorts of pressure from people around him. In our passages today, people are rushing at him with all sorts of requests. News about him was spreading throughout the countryside, and people were crowding around him for healing. His disciples even said, “Everyone is looking for you!” – revealing the urgency with which people needed Jesus. And yet Jesus still “withdrew to lonely places to pray” (Luke 5.16). With the weight of the world literally on his shoulders, he still found time to get away and simply be with his Heavenly Father. He knew that he needed to look up, to see the beauty of his relationship with his Father, to experience the wonder of love. He knew he still needed to engage in the discipline of prayer.

Jesus had the awareness, the self-control, the discipline, and the understanding that he had to spend time with his Father in order to do the work he had been called to do. He knew his dependence on the Father. What makes us think that we are any different? There is so much that God has for us—beauty, mission, community, joy in serving his people… but we so often get distracted and miss out. We have to look up, to set aside time with God, and to listen.

How would you characterize your prayer life? Are you disciplined in spending time in prayer and in God’s word? If not, why not? If yes, how could you grow?

Immediately after Jesus spends time with his Father in Mark 1, he heals a man with leprosy. Jesus produced fruit after spending time with his Father. What fruit are you producing, after spending time with the LORD?

~Annie Neufeld