Self Control In 2015

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23

Did you make a list of things you wanted to accomplish in 2015? Some may call them resolutions but it could be a list of goals. Are there any character traits within yourself you would like do have tweaked a bit? 

One I often think of is self control. Self control involves many things. It could be knowing when to put down your fork so you do not overeat. It could be knowing when to not talk so you do not cause a dispute. It could be knowing when to let well enough alone. It is basically just what it says...controlling your self. Self is always wherever you go. You can not get away from you. It is not necessary to always be the center of attention so at times we have to control the 'self monster' and this too would  be  self control. Self control would be not bragging when you feel like you want people to know something. I am sure if you ponder this subject awhile you can make your own list of ways you need to have self control in your life. 

God in fact can help you develop that self control. The urge to do things your own way can often result in disaster. No self control driving you end up with speeding tickets. No self control when it comes to alcohol consumption you could end up in Alcoholics Anonymous or with broken relationships. Indeed it is good to develop this 'fruit of the Spirit' in your life. Pause for a moment and ask God to show you areas in your life that need a dose of self control. 

PRAYER: Lord I want to be controlled by you not by myself. When self is on the throne things are not always the way they should be. I want you on the throne of my life Lord and in all my interactions with people grant me self control. In Jesus' name. Amen. 

How Is Your Fruit?

 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit, He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. John 15:2

 How is the "fruit" in your life? Your love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness and self control? We have fruit trees in our yard and occasionally if they are not producing fruit they have to be cut back. At times this makes the tree look ugly but the results will be great. Galatians 5:22-23 discusses the fruits of the Spirit. Take a moment and look those verses up.

Is your "fruit" moldy, dried up, tasteless, bitter? If so perhaps it is time to work on fertilizing that fruit with things like prayer and Bible reading. The pruning referred to in the key Bible verse is when trials and situations come into our life to help us develop better healthier fruit.

So how is your fruit?

 PRAYER: I know I can not grow 'good fruit' for the kingdom without certain things occurring to help me grow spiritual fruit. Guide me successfully through these times so I can become more Christlike in what I say and do. In Jesus' name. Amen.

WAITING, WAITING, WAITING

Seems like much of life is about waiting. Waiting for the bus. Waiting for a baby to be born. Waiting for test results. Waiting for a doctor appointment. Waiting to hear back after a job interview. Waiting for our garden to grow so we have vegetables to eat. Waiting for a plane to arrive at the airport. Waiting for traffic at a stoplight. Waiting for a cake to get done we are baking.

It is evident it is necessary to be patient while we are waiting. In your prayer life you may have prayed and prayed and then prayed some more and are tired of waiting for a answer.  Waiting is part of life. Here in America we may be a little overboard on the impatience meter since we are used to instant results.

Patience is a "fruit of the Spirit" which needs to be exercised more and more. I often have heard we should not pray for patience as God may send "tests" our way till we develop it.

Are you patient or do you fall apart when things don't happen like you

think they should? Most people admit they do not like to wait. It is good to practice learning patience as it will greatly enhance the quality of your life and others around you.

Galatians 5:22-23 tells us 'But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy,
peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self
control, against such things there is no law.'

PRAYER: Lord God I want to thank you for some of the trials in my life
for I know they helped me to learn patience. I want this "fruit" in my
life. In Jesus' name. Amen.

24 HOURS..THE WAITING GAME

Why is it many people hate to wait? We wait in line for tickets to a
movie. We have to wait for test results. If you live in a big city you
might have to wait on the bus, a cab, or the subway. We have to be

patient for many things in life. It is necessary to wait to build up

enough savings to buy a new car or a house. Being hasty or in a rush
often times can cause trouble. We have to wait as it is part of life.

Recently in my blogs I have dealt with words and our speech. In the
Bible there is much to be found about the result of speaking in haste
or with impatience. Proverbs 29:20(NIV) says 'Do you see a man who
speaks in haste? There is more hope for a fool than him.' No one I
know of likes to be called foolish or a fool. It is a derogatory term
yet here in the pages of scripture it says speaking in haste is
foolish! James 1:19(NIV) reminds us 'My dear brothers take note of
this. Let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get
angry.' Think about that for a moment. That anger needs to be tamed
to as it says in Ecclesiastes 7:9(NIV) 'Do not be quickly provoked in
your spirit as anger rests in the bosom of fools.' In Proverbs
14:29(NIV) it says 'A patient man has great understanding but a quick
tempered man displays folly.'

Have you ever been guilty at spewing forth words either face to face

or by email or texts that are not well thought out and can cause hurt,

misunderstanding or anger? It certainly is never intentional. We just

do not know how our words are going to be received. So this is where
today's title comes from. Recently a dear friend told me you should
wait at least 24 hours before sending a letter or an email as you may
not feel the same way tomorrow as when you wrote it therefore allowing
you time to process your emotions and have a calmer spirit. I think

that is excellent advice!

What about you? Are you impulsive and have you ever spewed a word or
two forth on email, snail mail, or a text then wish you hadn't? It
may be hard to wait but patience is one of the fruits of the spirit
mentioned in Galatians 5:22-23. Take a moment and read it.

Impulsive, hasty with words, a fool? Maybe it is time to really ask
God to help you control what you say and how you say it. In the
meantime why not work on showing love to all those you come in contact
with.

Psalm 19:14(NIV) 'Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my
heart be acceptable in your sight oh Lord my strength and my
redeemer.'

PRAYER: Lord I want to glorify and bring honor to you in all that I
say and do. Forgive me for the times I have been foolish with my words
and maybe hurt someone. Father it is my desire to let what comes from
my mouth be an example and not a hindrance. Help me Lord. In Jesus'
name. Amen.

HOW IS YOUR FRUIT?

Are you bearing fruit for the kingdom of God or do you have a bunch of scraggly dead branches and wilted blooms hanging on you? Think about during the drought, for those of us in America living in drought stricken areas, how the corn crop looks. Pretty dried out and basically producing no crop. As a believer, are we like that corn which is dried out and not flourishing due to lack of rain? Our 'lack of rain' would be not saturating ourselves with the word of God on a regular basis. Do not just wait till Sunday to get 'watered' but 'water' yourself daily.

 Galatians 5:22-23 says "But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. Against such things there is no law."

To develop those 'fruits' in our life we have to read and put into practice the word of God on a regular basis. Ask yourself if your life displays those 'fruits' in a good way or do you need some pruning ,which often hurts,  in order to drop the dead branches and old fruit and let the new fruit bloom and flourish?  Get rid of those things in your life which are causing your 'fruit' to not blossom.

 Do it today. Make it a deliberate action to let good fruit grow in your life 'cutting off' those things keeping you from living a dynamic Christian life.

PRAYER: Lord thank you that I can decide to flourish for you I need to cut off things in my life that I  know separate me from you and nourish the things in my life that draw me closer to you. In Jesus name. Amen