Self-Controlled
Paul, a servant of God and an apostle
of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God’s elect and the knowledge of
the truth that is in accordance with godliness, in the hope of eternal life
that God, who never lies, promised before the ages began – in due time he
revealed his word through the proclamation with which I have been entrusted by
the command of God our Savior,
To Titus, my loyal child in the faith
we share: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.
I left you behind in
If we discipline our desires when no
moral principle is at stake, we prepare ourselves for those moments when we
face a temptation to sin. This kind of discipline is
what Paul referred to when he used the term self-controlled in his list
of qualifications for church leadership. Many people think they can live
immorally now and suddenly stop when they want to. Because they do not consider
the addictive power of sin, they find that living up to their good intentions
is far more difficult than they had anticipated. If we lack self-control we are
as defenseless as a city with broken-down walls. Consistent self-discipline
will build up our spiritual defense system against the forces of evil. When we
discipline ourselves to keep our ordinary desires under control, we make a
habit of virtuous living. To gain self-control, give Christ control.
Our Daily
Bread –