Living a self-controlled life.

I just wanted to share to you what I read for my devotion this morning. I know that a lot of us Christians still struggle with the pleasures of this world. I hope this serves as a reminder for you, as it does for me to discipline ourselves and prepare ourselves whenever we face temptations.

Titus 1:1-9 (New International Version)

1Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ for the faith of God’s elect and the knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness— 2a faith and knowledge resting
on the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the
beginning of time, 3and at his appointed season he brought his word to light
through the preaching entrusted to me by the command of God our Savior,
4To Titus, my true son in our common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.

Titus’ Task on Crete

5The reason I left you in Crete was that you might straighten out
what was left unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you.
6An elder must be blameless, the husband of but one wife, a man whose children
believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient. 7Since an
overseer is entrusted with God’s work, he must be blameless—not overbearing, not
quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest
gain. 8Rather he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is
self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined. 9He must hold firmly to the
trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by
sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.

From Our Daily Bread:

Whoever has no rule over his own spirit is like a city broken down, without walls. —Proverbs 25:28

An old adage says: “Next time you want a cupcake, eat a carrot.” The
saying is good advice for dieters, but those who framed it may have had all of
us in mind. By disciplining 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 (Titus 1:8).
We need this reminder today. 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.

Proverbs 25:28 tells us that 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 and practice the reality of Paul’s
words in Romans 6:18, “Having been set free from sin, you became slaves of
righteousness.” - Herbert Van Lugt