Your Daily Devotional for May 7, 2006

May 7, 2006

 

Developing the Fruit of Temperance
by Dr. Paul Chappell

“But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.”

James 1:14

 

A man walked into the doctor’s office and said “Doc, I think I broke my arm in two places.” The doctor replied, “Well, it sounds to me that you should stay out of those kinds of places!”

 

If we want to develop the fruit of temperance in our lives, we need to identify the problem areas in our life and admit our weaknesses. For some it might be food. For others it might be sex. For another it might be alcohol or drugs. This is usually the first step of most twelve-step recovery programs, admitting that you have a problem. However, unlike most twelve-step programs, we know that a lasting change in your life will only be the fruit of the Holy Spirit at work in you life.

 

The truth of the matter is that our flesh is weak. We can all, at some time or another, be accused of intemperance. While we will certainly not live a perfect life, we should always be striving for holiness and we must not be content with living life according to our own lusts and desires. You might have tried at some point in your life to overcome this intemperance and failed. My oldest son, Larry, when he was learning how to walk fell down many times. We never said, “I guess he just wasn’t meant to walk.” Larry never said to us, “Oh well, God made me this way, so there is nothing that I can do.” Proverbs 24:16 says, “For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again.” May I encourage you to get back up!

 

If you truly want to make a change in your life, you must believe that God is able to do it! Your beliefs will control your behavior. God has already promised you victory over the world, the flesh and the Devil. Romans 12:2 says, “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

 

We must also identify areas of our temptation and get as far away as possible. It has been said before, “When you flee temptation, be sure you don't leave a forwarding address.” Maybe it is a certain magazine that you read or peruse at the convenience store. Maybe it is the cable television that you watch late at night. For some it might be a dark room with a computer after their spouse has gone to bed. For others it might be running with the old crowd. Whatever the case, these are all traps that Satan places for you. So many times we hear people quote James 4:7, “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” But also, so many times, they leave out the first part of that verse. James 4:7 reads, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” You see, we have the power to resist the Devil if we have submitted ourselves to God first.

 

Philippians 2:13 says, “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” The secret to self-control is Christ’s control. Ask him to take control today!

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