Don’t ever come to church without coming as though it were the first time, as though it could be the best time, and as though it might be the last time. Vance Havner
Get a grip on your life and its enthusiasm
2 Pt 1:5-7
As we read our bibles we come across a statement that says Christians are to be filed with the fruit of the Spirit. The list goes like this: Joy, Love, Peace, Patience, Kindness, goodness, faithfulness and self control. Do you believe that this is as natural a result as the fruit that comps from a tree or a plant? When we display this fruit you notice that last one is self-control. I like the story I read about a ma who got his driver’s license on his 16 birthday and two weeks later crashed his dad’s new car It was less than year old and had vinyl upholstery. His dad really liked that car. But it was crashed and that did not set well. After he ran into a parked car he did twice the damage as he put it in reverse. How would he tell his dad? handled it well but it was company car in which they took care of everything about the car that was needed. A couple of days later before his dad had time to tell his boss he was stopped in the car when a dump truck swerved to miss something and hit the car. The driver jumped out of the truck and was never seen again. Now their problem was solved because this really messed up the car more than he had done. The problem he thought was solved but found his attitude was wrong. His responsibility, carelessness, recklessness and foolishness was wrong. He thought he was in control in the parking lot but he was out of control. Self control is the third add on to tour faith.
As we have seen the fruit of the Spirit is some thing we should have if we are proud with what we do it will cause jealously to creep in. We can be very disciplined but his can cause us to be full of pride or tricky in our behavior. We can become over confident in what we doing and lose ground on becoming more like Jesus. We could become like the Pharisee who felt he was much better than all those around him. We can become to the point where we think we have the true revelation from God and lord it over others. Our heads may become full of knowledge but pout heart are cold as stone. We might ask, “Why don’t others see what I know to be the truth? In the past two weeks we have talked about goodness which side not what we do but what is inside us. The new covered knowledge which helps us if we use wisdom. Peter says now we need a boundary to help us live right. Some have much to give out to being spiritual, but they do not have their tongues under control in giving it out. If we do not use self-consol we can become like a strutting proud peacock. We must see that self-control is not just keeping a check on our animalist instincts or selfish urges. Self-control has to do with being humble and much to do with our minds. Our MINDS need to be trained to think on things that matter the most. We are to make our minds think on what God has done and is doing rather than just thinking what is best for ourselves. 2 Peter 1:5-6 “Because of this, make every effort to add goodness to your faith; and to goodness add knowledge; to knowledge add self-control; to self-control add endurance; to endurance add godliness.” We need to have the ability to see what God is doing and use wisdom to act in the right way. We want to look at three essential qualities which will determine whether we will have letdowns or success.
1. 1 PT 1:13-16Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy."
We have to be self controlled and it is not an option. Set your hope fully on the grace that is to be given when Jesus Christ is revealed. We are to be obedient. We are to give into the evils that were in our past. Be holy in what you. Be holy because I am holy. What does it mean to be holy to you? We all believe that God does forgive us of sins. Once we have been forgiven how do we live a holy life? Some believe that there is still sin in our lives that we have to deal with all the rest of our lives. Others believe that the Holy Spirit comes into our life that keeps us from sin. The word therefore shows that this is connected with what is before. We can all agree He has bestowed on us his great salvation. The prophets spoke about his. The angels desired to have looked at it. The Holy Spirit puts it in the hearts of men to it say publicly. It is salvation that touches the souls of men. Holy men in the past confronted kings to preach it. I want you to know it has come to your house today if you have not heard it before. Zacchaeus had Jesus come to his house. Salvation is some thing that should make us want to rejoice as David did when he danced before the ark of God. So when we have received salvation we need to be self-controlled. This like being given a fortune, so you need to stand up straight, look sharp and floss your teeth. We have received a great windfall in having salvation and we need to take care of it by self-control. On the top of goodness and knowledge we have to have restraint. We are to put a tight reign on our tongue, look to Jesus and be sure footed. We can not live loosely with out influence or energy in being holy. We must be careful with what we have received to keep it. There was a man named Dale who lived in sin to the fullest. He was taken in by erotic flings, mind-bending drugs and spine tingling adventures. He had made millions and lost it. He met the Dalai Lama, prayed in mosque and spent time in sweat lodges. His life was empty. He heard of salvation and his life changed. He was planning on being a pastor and to marry a godly woman. Then the adrenaline rush of salvation burned off as there was wound in his past life he could not deal with. We walked away from eternal life. This why the first point is that God came to make us holy. It is His work not ours. God wants us to live a life of purity. It is self-control that guards our salvation and makes us holy. Have you received this great salvation and are you living with self control to keep your soul?
2. 1 PT 1:7The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. The world is soon coming to an end. It says on that day the heavens and earth will be scorched with fire. It is nearer to day than it was yesterday. It is nearer than you think. It is nearer than all our daily business, routines and duties distract us from believing. It could happen today. 2 Pt 3:10 “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.” We must be ready. We do that by clear-mindedness and self-control. We need these so we can pray right. The end of all things is near. We clear the way for battle with clearness of mind, solidity of heart and toughness of nerve. We are to get a grip on our lives. We are to face what is going on. We are to cheer His coming and do what we can to speed up His arrival. We are not to fight, preach, counsel, organize or evangelize but to pray. Many do not pray enough in this sense. This big praying not just a daily devotional time of our list of names. What are you prone to do when things go wrong? Many of us try to fix it or do something. In the face of the storm we should storm the heavens. Yet many of us just want to storm about. We need to be doing something not being in prayer. We need to be in prayer when all is well so that when things do go wrong we already know our source of help. When we pray we have to slow down. We have to breathe easy. We need to walk by faith and not sight. It is a time to take our eyes off what is seen and see the unseen things of God. We start with what Jesus told us to pray, “Our Father who art in heaven, hollowed be thy name.” it is practicing the presence of God and praying for His kingdom to come. This comes before we ask for our daily bread, to overcome temptation, forgive other or not be bothered by the evil one. Many of us are in fight of flight living spiritually. We are into panicking, mope, run off or scream. As we face the last days we are inclined to do all but pray. We need to start today before the trouble comes. While we are clean minded we need to be in prayer. We need to learn to pray before we react, before we phone or fly off the handle. I want you to know that this praying will not keep you from the debris of the end-time. If you do engage in prayer then when that time comes you will be ready and you will be clear headed.
3. 1 Pt5:8 “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” The Devil is on the loose and he is hungry to devour. He likes the faithful Christ just a God does but god delight while the devil is ready to devour. The devil got real busy when Jesus stepped into ministry. He would give his best, worst shot and destroying Jesus. When Jesus came He ushered in the kingdom of God for man kind. This made the devil angry. Jesus said we would do greater things than He did. He reached a few, we have reached millions. He healed the sick we have been able to heal whole communities. He walked on water; we are able to fly across the world. He preached in small area and we have been able to preach to the ends of the world. So the devil is looking for someone with their guard down, not paying attention being sloppy in their spiritual life so he can pounce on them. This calls for us to be alert and have self-control. We are not to let the devil get a foothold. Don’t give him a leg to stand on. Don’t turn your back on him. The prowls around lie roaring lion seeking to devour. The best defense is opposition. We can not turn and run for he will chase us and over come us. We need to stand him down. We are prepared by being alert and self-controlled.
Because of the greatness of our salvation we need to live holy lives.
Because the end of all things is at hand we need to pray.
Because the enemy wants to eat you alive we must resist him.
By self-control we are able to be holy and Peter says we are to be.
