Self Control
God of a second chance! Psalms 51:1-19
God is the only One who can make us genuine by aligning our “feelings” with our “choices”.
“Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.” Psalm 51:6
*Some People want to be forgiven, but many times their plea for forgiveness leaves them without the slightest desire to really become better people.
*The sad part I have done and witness is Even as they seek cleansing, they fully expect to become dirty the next time.
The Plea for forgiveness and the Desire to live a cleansed life together amount to holiness.
Holiness has about it a preemptive desire for sinlessness.
After self-control alone has failed, the sinner seeks primarily to be forgiven for sin, BUT holiness only results when the person seeks to STOP doing the SIN altogether.
Proverbs 2:6-10
– All wisdom comes from the Lord, and so do common sense and understanding.
– God gives helpful advice to everyone who obeys him and protects all of those who live as they should.
– God sees that justice is done, and he watches over everyone who is faithful to him.
– With wisdom you will learn what is right and honest and fair.
– Wisdom will protect you from evil schemes and from those liars who turned from doing good to live in the darkness.
God has a simple formula for forgiveness and cleansing. It is found in 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
*If we do this, writes John, we will “walk in the light, as he is in the light”
*Then we will have fellowship with one another (v. 7)
1 John 1:7
– But if we live in the light, as God does, we share in life with each other. And the blood of his Son Jesus washes all our sins away.
Psalm 15:2
– Only those who obey God and do as they should. They speak the truth and don’t spread gossip; they treat others fairly and don’t say cruel things.
*David had to learn, as do we, that we cannot SIN without fracturing our whole world of relationships.
*So our worship centers on our self-control.
*But then so does our entire world of relationships.
Our self-control finds the energy to be consistent in its driving desire to bring pleasure to our Heavenly Father.
God looks at the integrity of our heart. •Integrity encourges us to close conflict. •True integrity is derived from 2 things. 1. Delight yourself in the Lord with his desires for you.
2. Desire truth from HIM. God works in us what he needs to work out of us to complete us.
Psalm 51: 1-19. David is truly broken by the sin he committed. He pleads with God to forgive him, through tear soaked eyes and a faltering voice. David shows true repentance. And the desire, no the need to be clean in Gods presence, to have God “see his sin no more”.
How often have I simply and selfishly asked for Gods forgiveness?
Too many times!
I want to be completely sincere in asking for His forgiveness. I want to be broken as David was. To know that I am forgiven and to need to be clean in Gods sight! To be made white as snow!!
Strive to enter into the Lord’s presence. Take the time and make the effort to connect. The Lord says He’s here, but you must come and worship in spirit and in truth.
The issues of life and stress have taken their toll, so come and be refreshed and renewed. The Lord awaits our communion. Come to Him and let the two of you have sweet fellowship together.
*Acts 3:19 “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.”
How to Master our addictions to SIN!
(That is: Anything that stands in your way, everything that masters you.)
1. Turn and Return to God.
* Repentance of sin(Acts 3:19a) – An awareness of sin- A turning from sin- A change of course – A change of conduct.
2. Share your burden.
Removal of sin(3:19c). Confession of sins – Cleansing from sins.
3. Fight for freedom.
*Weapons for freedom: irrational obedience, confidence in God’s word, relentless prayer.
*Refreshing from God(3:19d). – Restored fellowship- Restored future.
Gen. 4:7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”
Great help and Wisdom for self-control in these verses: 1 Corinthians 10:13,2 Corinthians 10:3-4, James 5:16, Acts 3:19, Romans 6:12-19.
Lord I ask that you change my heart and mind, to be truly honest and sincere with You! Father I ask You to break my heart for what breaks Yours! Give me the Wisdom and Self-Control to follow You and Give you ALL the Praise and Glory. In Jesus name, Amen!
Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. (Revelation 3:20)