FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT - 39
Dr Jim Brown's TruNorth Devotional
Fruit of the Spirit
Day 39 | SELF-CONTROL
Fruit of the Spirit
Day 39 | SELF-CONTROL
SELF-CONTROL
Titus 2:2
“Teach the older men to exercise self-control, to be worthy of respect, and to live wisely. They must have sound faith and be filled with love and patience.” (NLT)
Titus was a trusted companion of Paul’s, an early church leader, and a faithful servant of the Lord.
On one of their trips, Paul and Titus went to Crete, and Titus remained to continue the work and build the church. Here in this part of Paul’s letter to Titus, we find some guidance to help the church be strong and effective in their work of the Gospel.
The older men addressed here (and they would most likely be leaders in the church) are specifically told to live wisely, have sound faith, love, and “exercise self-control” to be worthy of respect from others.
Today – especially in America – we seem to have nearly unlimited ways to live our lives. The older men in Paul’s day (and in ours) are reminded that THEY are to be spiritual and moral examples to others and not like the Cretans (where they lived). Titus 1:12 said: “One of Crete’s own prophets has said it: ‘Cretans are always liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons.’” Thus, older men of the church were NOT to be like the Cretans, and self-control was part of that.
Proverbs 25:28 ESV says: “A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls. Such a man would be vulnerable to the incursion of evil thoughts and give in to temptation.”
So, the teaching seems obvious, that older men (and ALL Believers) need self-control, which IS a Fruit of the Spirit and thus part of each Jesus follower.
Prayer: LORD, help me exercise the self-control that is part of the Fruit of the Spirit which I received when I was born again. Help me to live moderately in all ways and not allow myself to become susceptible to evil thoughts and temptations. Amen.
Titus 2:2
“Teach the older men to exercise self-control, to be worthy of respect, and to live wisely. They must have sound faith and be filled with love and patience.” (NLT)
Titus was a trusted companion of Paul’s, an early church leader, and a faithful servant of the Lord.
On one of their trips, Paul and Titus went to Crete, and Titus remained to continue the work and build the church. Here in this part of Paul’s letter to Titus, we find some guidance to help the church be strong and effective in their work of the Gospel.
The older men addressed here (and they would most likely be leaders in the church) are specifically told to live wisely, have sound faith, love, and “exercise self-control” to be worthy of respect from others.
Today – especially in America – we seem to have nearly unlimited ways to live our lives. The older men in Paul’s day (and in ours) are reminded that THEY are to be spiritual and moral examples to others and not like the Cretans (where they lived). Titus 1:12 said: “One of Crete’s own prophets has said it: ‘Cretans are always liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons.’” Thus, older men of the church were NOT to be like the Cretans, and self-control was part of that.
Proverbs 25:28 ESV says: “A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls. Such a man would be vulnerable to the incursion of evil thoughts and give in to temptation.”
So, the teaching seems obvious, that older men (and ALL Believers) need self-control, which IS a Fruit of the Spirit and thus part of each Jesus follower.
Prayer: LORD, help me exercise the self-control that is part of the Fruit of the Spirit which I received when I was born again. Help me to live moderately in all ways and not allow myself to become susceptible to evil thoughts and temptations. Amen.
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