It is one of the most natural parts of all of us to desire food. However, because of our fallen nature self control is a constant struggle. Part of the fallen nature of mankind is the hunger for things beyond the boundaries God intended for our healthy pleasure. He certainly created all the great flavors and types of food that we enjoy. Our broken soul longs to go beyond God’s design. As a nation we eat ourselves to obesity. As men and women we see some break out of the boundaries He intends for sexual intimacy. We seem to look for every opportunity to fall for the deceptive offers of fulfillment from our appetites. As a result we wallow in sin, suffering and sadness. Paul wrote the Galatians and told them the nine character traits we have available to us when we choose to follow Jesus. In that list is self control. Pastor Bill Muir believes that those traits are listed in the order in which they grown in our lives. The first is self-control. The other eight begin with self control and ultimately grow into love. In other words as we allow our story to be powered by self control we begin to exhibit more gentleness and so on until the over arching trait we possess is love. Today practice self control and watch your life be consumed by the fruit of God’s Spirit. #BeTheEdge
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” Galatians 5:22-24 NIV
