Discipleship Archives - ToddShupe.com

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Where Do You Look For Help?

“I lift up my eyes to the mountains – where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth” (Psalm 121:1-2 NIV).

All members of the Body of Christ are “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14) and each of u have unique gifts that serve to build up the Body. Nobody can really live alone. We all need assistance in some form.

In times of need, we are faced with a great question – where do we turn for help? The answer will reveal who we trust. The Psalmist modeled the proper response for us by writing, “I lift up my eyes to the mountains – where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth” (Psalm 121:1-2).

In Louisiana, the first step to make recipes is to make a roux. There is also a right first step when dealing with a problem – take it to God. The second step is to wait for His response. For me, that often means time in Scripture, prayer, and talking with Christian friends and knowing that God might use them to speak truth in love to me. I try to be intentional and pray blessings on my friends and a personal prayer for myself for ears to hear the often “still small voice” (1 Kings 19:12).

By the way, for a reminder regarding the blessing of praying for your friends, go read the book of Job and pay particular attention to Chapter 42. “After Job had prayed for his friends, the LORD restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before” (Job 42:10).

Golly, how we tend to go everywhere else for help. Maybe to the bar, to the counselor, to the self-help book, or to the friend next door. Now, it is very important to understand that God can use anything in this fallen world to provide us with help. He very well might send us to see a friend for help, but it is so important that we do not assume we know His plan and deny ourselves the worship opportunity that is always present through prayer. Remember this – God is God and we are not.

How did Jesus respond when He was on the cross and in need of help? Did he ask for help from the crowd, His disciples, or His mother? The first one to hear His fear was His Father in heaven. Jesus said, “Father, if you are willing, take away this cup of suffering” (Luke 22:42).

Much earlier in Biblical times, David was urging the fearful as he penned the well-known 23^rd Psalm. “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me” (Psalm 23:4). David knew that he needed help, and he also knew exactly where to find it. He linked fear with faith and kept his focus on the blessed assurance that only comes from the Hand of the Father. How blessed would we be if we would simply go and do the same?

Prayer: Dear God, Thank you for the Holy Spirit, our Paraclete, that comes along side of us to comfort and counsel. Forgive us for failing to go to You first for help. Forgive us for taking our plans to you and asking for Your blessing. Create in us a clean heart and a right spirit that seeks unity with You and Your children. We love you and need you. Amen.

Meet the Author

Todd Shupe is a Men’s Ministry Specialist through the General Commission of United Methodist Men and is in training to be a Certified Lay Minister through the Louisiana Conference of the United Methodist Church. He currently serves as the President of the Baton Rouge District of United Methodist Men and is a Board Member for Gulf South Men and serves on the Action Team for The Kingdom Group. He is a volunteer for the Walk to Emmaus, Grace Camp, and Iron Sharpens Iron. Todd resides in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

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The Precious Gift of Time

“Use your time in the best way you can” (Colossians 4:5 ICB).

I recently had a nice visit with a young man at my church. He told me that he was about to graduate high school and study engineering in college so he could “make a lot of money.” I told him there is nothing wrong with making a lot of money. I reminded him that the founder of the Methodist church, John Wesley, had a profound statement in this regard. Wesley stated, “Having, first, gained all you can, and, secondly saved all you can, then give all you can.”

Clearly, Wesley was teaching that money should be used wisely and ultimately as a tool, along with our time and talents, to help build up the Body of Christ (Ephesians 4:12). However, I think there is deeper component to Wesley’s quote which is related to the goal of my young friend. Money is not our greatest resource. We can always make more money.

Time is our greatest resource. Colossians 4:5 says, “Use your time in the best way you can.” Time is our most precious resource. It’s far more important and precious than money. We can get more money, but we can’t get more time. In the parable of the unmerciful servant (Matthew 18), the king demanded payment from a servant that owed him a substantial amount of money. The servant asked for the gift of more time. Do people on their death bed ask for more time or money?

Our Lord and Savior had much to say, and model, about time. Jesus was mission minded. I am drawn to His words to His mother at the wedding festival in Cana. “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come” (John 2:4). Matthew 10:14 further supports the idea that our time is precious. “If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet.” As Christians we are called into ministry, but we are not called to waste our time.

Jesus used His time to prepare Himself and all of us for eternity. We would be wise to use our time with the understanding that all which can be seen is temporary and is only useful in preparing us for eternity.

The parable of the talents is widely interpreted as encouragement for wise investment of our resources. Do we have a greater resource than our time? The reward in heaven will surely be great for those that have wisely used their time on earth!

The Bible teaches how we should use our time: “My life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus” (Acts 20:24). Your work, and mine, is the Great Commission. We each have a unique role to play which can be discerned through study, prayer, and talking with your pastor.

I have long felt that nothing brings more joy to the enemy than to see people with great potential for ministry wasting their time on tasks that have little or no impact on the Kingdom. The right next step for all of us is to look at how we spend our time and then ask, “What is the impact of my activities in terms of bringing others to eternal life? Then, join me to use our answers to prayerfully refocus our time.

Prayer: Dear God, Thank you for the precious gift of time. Help us to discern Your will for our time and to boldly partner with you in ministry to live a life in You, through You, and for You. Then, may we so blessed as to hear the words, “well done good and faithful servant” upon seeing Your face at the time of our healing. Amen.

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Tell Yourself The Truth

“Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit” (Romans 8:5 NLT).

If you were raised in a Christian home, you were surely taught the importance of honesty and always telling the truth. I feel that honesty and respect go hand in hand. You are not respecting someone if you are not telling them the truth.

It is sad that we often fail to extend the same courtesy to ourselves that we extend to others. When we believe negative thoughts about ourselves, we are lying to ourselves about who we are and Whose we are. I know that sometimes we just simply can’t get a negative thought out of our mind. We sometimes knowingly engage in self-defeating behavior and thoughts.

Our mind is a battlefield where the enemy sows seeds of doubt and insecurity. Romans 7:23 says, “I see a different law at work in my body—a law that fights against the law which my mind approves of. It makes me a prisoner to the law of sin which is at work in my body.” I consider these attacks a back-handed compliment because it indicates that the devil knows you have great potential to make a positive impact on the Body of Christ. The seeds of doubt are sown to neutralize your witness and ministry.

Demonic thoughts are intended to rob us of our joy. Jesus taught us how to live not to have earthly joy but so that we may have His joy. “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete” (John 15:11, emphasis added).

During times of attack, I remind myself that serving the Lord is a conscious decision and each day I need to rebuke in His name all that is evil, including evil thoughts, and recommit myself to Him, His ministry, and His will. Evil is ever present in this fallen world. Scripture teaches us how to react to all forms of evil. “Love sincerely. Hate evil. Hold on to what is good” (Romans 12:9).

I cannot emphasize enough the importance and power of memorizing Scripture and speaking it out loud during times of self-doubt. Speak the Word with confidence and claim the promise it contains! Hebrews 4:12 teaches the benefit of the Word. “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”

You have the power to change the way that you think. It is not easy, but it begins by claiming the familiar promise found in Philippians 4:13. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” One of the things you can do through Him is to not believe every thought in your head.

Our mind frequently lies to us. Just because you think or feel something is true doesn’t make it true. Proverbs 14:12 speaks to this truth. “There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.” It is important to realize that your mind and your emotions often lie to you. This doesn’t mean you are anything less than human. As Christians we are certainly not immune to adversity. A large step in our spiritual growth—becoming more like Jesus—is learning to discern the true author of our thoughts and therefore know which thoughts are true and false. The Apostle Paul knew the importance of properly focusing our thoughts as evidenced by His encouragement to the church in Philippi. “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things” (Philippians 4:8).

As a mature Christian you must ask yourself a few questions. Who is the author of this thought? Is this thought true? If you have any doubt about your true identity and value, then spend some time in Ephesians Chapter 1.

No matter how far you go in your spiritual walk, your old, sinful nature will keep trying to take control of your thoughts. The battle is real and constant. You have to learn to question your thoughts, not just one time but throughout your day and throughout your life!

Scripture teaches, “Test all things; hold fast what is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21). Don’t you think your thoughts are included under “all things”? A big part of holding fast to “what is good” is thinking about the things listed in Philippians 4:8. Be blessed.

Prayer: Dear God, Thank you for your promises to us as found in Scripture. Forgive us for failing to claim these promises and giving credence to negative self-thoughts. Help us to boldly and courageously rebuke in Your name all thoughts that do not bring honor and glory to your name. Amen.

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The Right Prayer Is…

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The Right Prayer Is…

“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God” (Romans 8:26-27 NIV).

As Christians, we all know that prayer is our direct means of communication with God. Through our prayers and petitions we communicate with God our needs, worries, and joys. Some people have a poor prayer life because they are not certain how to pray. What do I say? Do I have to be alone with a candle? Should I speak out loud?

I feel it is much more important that we communicate with God rather than not communicate because we are paralyzed with uncertainty on how to pray. Who you are talking to is so much more important than your words. The Bible tells us in Matthew 6:8, “…your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.” Jesus then proceeds in Matthew 6 to bless us and tell us how to pray. You may already know it as the Lord’s Prayer, which is found in Matthew 6:9-13

You may wonder if He already knows what I need and what I am going to say then why I should I pray? As for me, I yearn for prayer because it is a key means to understand the One whose love for me is constant and unconditional. My relationship with Jesus is not based on rules regarding how to pray but is based on mutual love. Sometimes I am too tired to pray or simply too overwhelmed. I am comforted that, “…the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God” (Romans 8:26-27).

The Psalms are beautiful and moving prayers. They express the range of human emotions from anger to love. We all feel disappointed, frustrated, or with God or with others from time to time. God wants us to take it all to Him in prayer and leave it with Him. The enemy wants us to keep it and allow it to grow and separate us from Him. God understands all of our emotions, and it is ok to express our anger, disappointment, or frustration with Him. Many characters in the Bible did this. I encourage you to read Psalm 13, Jonah 4, the Book of Job, Numbers 20, and Genesis 4 to name a few.

So, what is the right prayer? Is it the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13), the prayer of Jabez (1 Chronicles 4:9-10), or something else? The right prayer is the one offered with confidence and thanksgiving that God already knows what you need and is already at work in delivering it to you.

Prayer: Dear God, We often do not know what to pray when life is so cruel. Help us to find contentment in all circumstances. We thank you for the Holy Spirit that intercedes for us in accordance with your perfect will. We thank you for your son Jesus and the forgiveness of sins and life everlasting. And dear God, we thank you for always loving us and never leaving us. Amen.

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Who Knows The Truth?

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12 NIV).

One of my favorite Bible studies focused on the questions of God in the Old Testament and the questions of Jesus in the New Testament. I would not pretend to fully know the meaning behind the questions. However, it is apparent to me that the questions are, at least in part, designed to draw the listener into a deeper state of self-examination.

I enjoy my “red letter” Bible and understand the added significance of the words of Jesus. I am drawn to one of the questions that was posed to Jesus. It did not come from the disciples to better understand Him. It did not come from the Pharisees to trap him. It did not come from any of the witnesses to His many public miracles. It came from the Roman governor Pontius Pilate in an effort to understand “the truth.” John 18:28-40 details the complete encounter of Jesus with Pilate. Jesus states, “I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.” Pilot responded,“What is truth?” (John 18: 37-38).

I find it particularly noteworthy that this whole discussion of truth is subsequent to an arrest of Jesus by the Jewish leaders based on false allegations. I wonder how many times in my life I have heard allegations, rumors, or derogatory stories about someone and accepted the story as true. Surely, some of the stories were true but again some were probably not true. How many times did I pass these stories on to others? We all have at times underestimated the power of our words. Proverbs 18:21 teaches, “The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” Jesus not only understood the power of our words but also their origins. He taught, “But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them” (Matthew 15:18).

Ephesians 6 is a well cited section of Scripture on how to use the Armor of God for spiritual attacks. I am drawn to Ephesians 6:14, “Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist.” In many, but not all, situations in life there are two “people” who know the truth about a given situation – you and God.

Pilate’s question is simple but so very profound. He was not a Jew. He did not know the truth that Jesus was the Messiah. The Jewish leaders were intimately familiar with the scroll of the prophet Isaiah. They had heard Jesus read the scroll and declare, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:21). So, even the Jewish leaders when the truth was revealed to them could not accept the truth.

As you go about your day, you can be sure that some have determined “the truth” about you. Hopefully, you have not determined “the truth” about others. One truth that I know is, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8). Even if I do know “the truth” about someone else, I am focused on trying to repent from my own sins rather than degrading someone else for their sins, regardless if their sin is “true” or not.

Prayer: Dear God, Thank you for being the way, the truth, and the life. Help us to repent of our sins and not judge or speak negatively about others but rather to pray for their repentance. Amen.

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All We Can Do Now Is Pray?

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All We Can Do Now Is Pray?

“The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much” (James 5:16 KJV).

I was recently talking with a friend of mine whose wife is in hospice care. He has been keeping in close contact with his pastor and passing along daily medical updates. Each day the pastor told my friend to “hang in there” and then politely end the conversation. Eventually her condition became critical and the doctors estimated that she only a few more days to live. My friend spoke to his pastor that day and relayed the devastation news. The pastor said, “All we can do now is pray.”

I was heart broken when my friend told me this story. I was sad that he was about to lose his wife, but also sad that the pastor did not invite the Holy Spirit to be present at the beginning of the process. Prayer is not the last thing we do. It is the first thing we do. One of my favorite Bible verses is, “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much” (James 5:16). We are made righteous through the blood of Jesus and our prayers are powerful. Certainly, God does not always answer our prayers in the way that we want. However, our prayers are a form of worship, and He will honor that. We were made to worship Him rather than to fully understand Him.

Our prayers when offered in confidence and thanksgiving may not always bring about our desired outcome but they will bring about peace. Philippians 4:6 teaches, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Unanswered prayers will certainly test our faith and an appropriate response might be to say, “God, I do not like this or understand this, but I know you will work this out for good so I trust you and I am claiming your promises.”

2 Chronicles 20 tells an amazing story of King Jehoshaphat when he was confronted by three overwhelming armies. I realize you may not be facing an army to overtake your kingdom, but we sometimes are placed in what appears to be a hopeless situation. The king modeled for us the proper sequence of steps to take in such a situation. First, pray to God. This is putting Matthew 6:33 into action. “But seek first His kingdom and his righteousness.”

Then, take action based on His guidance. After the king’s prayer, the Spirit of the Lord came and said, “Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s” (2 Chronicles 20:15). The people sang songs of praise (worship) and went out to watch the battle as instructed by the Spirit. The three armies destroyed each other. This is a perfect example of “the battle belongs to the Lord (1 Samuel 17:47). All battles belong to the Lord, not just physical battles.

The faith of a mustard seed can do amazing things. It doesn’t always do amazing things, but it always has great potential. We can best position ourselves to tap into God’s power when we live in accordance with His Word. So, don’t pray as a last resort. Instead, follow the instruction and promise of Matthew 6:33. Be blessed as you bless others.

Prayer: Dear God, Forgive us when we rush ahead and do what is right in our own eyes. Help us to always pray first and seek Your guidance and know that the battle belongs to You.

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Love Must Be Shown

“Now someone may argue, ‘Some people have faith; others have good deeds.’ But I say, ‘How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds’” (James 2:18 NLT).

Some people think faith is a strong belief in something or someone. Some may argue that it is a concept or a part of theology. Faith is so much more than any of that. The second chapter of James teaches us that real faith transforms lives. 2 Corinthians 5:7 is essential in this regard because it tells us, “For we live by faith, not by sight.” Faith is an essential part of our very life as a Christian.

James 2:18 reads, “Now someone may argue, ‘Some people have faith; others have good deeds.’ But I say, ‘How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.’” James is describing a person who thinks faith can be separated from works (actions). This is impossible because our faith and our deeds are inseparable.

James is essentially saying if you claim to be a Christian, then your actions should support that faith and be visible for others to see. He is passionate about faith because his life was transformed by his faith. His faith in God was manifested by his service to God and others. A fruit of our faith today should also be our works.

In other words, our works are a natural product from our faith in God and are not done in an attempt to gain favor with God. Our works are not a means of salvation. Jesus is the only path to salvation. Isaiah 64:6 tells us that our good deeds are like filthy rags. This means that our attempts to be “good” are nothing compared to the true goodness of God because we are all sinners and fall short of His glory.

It is good and helpful to talk about our faith and use it to encourage others. Faith cannot end with words. Our words are important but must be accompanied by action. Mother Teresa once said, “The world can be changed by your example, not by your opinions.”

So you may be wondering what does all this talk have to do with the title of this blog? Faith is very similar to love in one aspect. Love isn’t visible unless you are able to see it in action. In the same way, the only way you know if someone has real faith is by looking at how they live. Faith and love are not ideas, emotions, or theological concepts. They are actions.

Prayer: Dear God, Forgive us for not only our lack of faith but also our lack of actions. Send your Holy Spirit to walk with us and teach us as we walk by faith and show our faith with our actions. We need you and love you. Amen.

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The True Meaning of Salvation

The True Meaning Of Salvation

“Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed–not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence–continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12 NIV).

I had heard the term salvation for years, but was not entirely clear of its meaning. I have come to understand that salvation is “deliverance from danger or suffering.” To save is to deliver or protect. The word carries the idea of victory, health or preservation. Sometimes, the Bible uses the words “saved” or “salvation” to refer to temporal, physical deliverance — such as St. Paul’s deliverance from prison (Philippians 1:19).

Salvation is God’s gracious gift to us. Ephesians 2:8 teaches us, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith–and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.”

St. Paul describes salvation in Romans 3:23-24: “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God and are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”

So what is it then to be justified? This means God treats us as if we were righteous. It is imperative that we remember that our righteousness comes from our faith in God and not our obedience to the Law (Philippians 3:9).

Jesus retreated from the crowds to find rest for Himself and His disciples. According to Mark 6:31, “Crowds of people were coming and going so that Jesus and his followers did not even have time to eat. He said to them, ‘Come away by yourselves, and we will go to a lonely place to get some rest.’” God wants us to life a joy-filled life. He also wants us to show His love to others. He realizes that we can do neither if we are worn out. If we recognize the true importance of our bodies as indicated in 1 Cor. 6:19-20, then rest seems more essential than a luxury. “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your bodies.”

Moreover, St. Paul tells us in Ephesians 2:8, “it’s by His grace.” It has nothing to do with me; we are saved by the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Redemption is simply a ransom that’s been paid for our sin and all of this is His free gift to us. Jesus equated being saved with entering the kingdom of God (Matthew 19:24-26). We are saved from “wrath,” that is, from God’s judgment of sin (Romans 5:9; 1 Thessalonians 5:9). Our sin has separated us from God, and the consequence of sin is death (Romans 6:23). Biblical salvation refers to our deliverance from the consequence of sin and therefore involves the removal of sin.

We are saved by faith. First, we must hear the gospel — the good news of Jesus’ death and resurrection (Ephesians 1:13). Then, we must believe — fully trust the Lord Jesus (Romans 1:16). This involves repentance, a changing of mind about sin and Christ (Acts 3:19) and calling on the name of the Lord (Romans 10:9-10, 13). Then as part of the Body of Christ, our service flows. Faith without works is dead (James 2:26) so I encourage you to accept this free gift and life everlasting. Stay in the Word and the Word will stay in you! Be blessed.

Prayer: Dear God, Thank you for the free gift of salvation due to the Blood of Jesus. Amen.

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Grace Upon Grace: An Exploration Of God’s Love And How To Receive It

Grace Upon Grace: An Exploration Of God’s Love And How To Receive It2

Grace Upon Grace: An Exploration Of God’s Love And How To Receive It

“For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace”

(Romans 6:14 ESV).

We are created with a deep need to be loved. There are two radically different kinds of love: conditional and unconditional. Conditional love involves bargaining and there are conditions that we must meet in order to receive love from others. Such conditional living is exhausting, involving a treadmill of constant doing in order to earn and maintain love.

Unconditional love is radically different, involving a conversion of our motives. The Christian dynamic is “not that we loved God, but that He loved us” (1 John 4:10). Unconditional love is a gift in which the initiative is God’s — and not ours. Human love always expects something in return, yet God’s love does not. Grace is the name for God’s incredible love. God loves us because of who God is; not because of who we are or what we have done.

There is nothing we can do to earn or lose God’s grace. It is freely given. In fact, God has given us an abundance of grace. “For from His fullness we have all received, grace upon grace” (John 1:16). This grace is so large that “nothing can separate us from the love of God” (Romans 8:35-39). This is astonishing, and I encourage you to pause and think about this.

Now that we have received God’s grace, what is our response? First, never let your hearts be troubled. Be confident and courageous and know that God’s favor is upon you. Second, extend grace to others. A few examples are teaching Sunday school, be involved in Christian service, give a full tithe to your church, pray for your pastor and the church, witness your faith and be engaged in the Bible daily and show compassion to the hungry.

Whenever you help the poor, incarcerated, homeless, and marginalized, you are helping our Lord. “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me’” (Matthew 25:40). Go with the knowledge and confidence that God’s grace is forever upon you. Be blessed.

Prayer: Dear God, Thank you for pouring out grace upon grace upon us even though we do not deserve it. Help us to realize that Your grace is not to kept to ourselves but to share with others. Amen.

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The Great Question: Where Is God?

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23 NIV, emphasis added).

The Bible teaches us that self-control is essential to living a Christian life. We must exercise our self-control or we become controlled by our weakness. Our weakness may be food, alcohol, drugs, pornography, etc. The enemy knows our weakness better than we do ourselves and will encourage us to go to it rather than God in times of need. Our lives can soon be dominated by our weakness and we are living completely in the flesh rather than in the Spirit. Self-control is the very essence of “dying to self” and living in righteousness with God. Our righteousness cannot — and will not ever — come from ourselves, but only as a means of grace from God as a result of totally surrendering yourself to His will and becoming His disciple.

If you are struggling with self-control, then first begin with prayer and ask God for His help. Then, go into the Bible and study and memorize some particular verses that speak to you and your particular situation.

For me, my go-to verse in times when my patience is growing thin is Proverbs 29:11. It reads in part, “A fool always loses his temper, but a wise man holds it back.” We must remember that all wisdom comes from God. So how does one obtain wisdom? James 1:5 tells us, ^“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.”

The exercise of self-control will not only keep us away from our temptations but will allow us to be a powerful witness for God. You may ask, “How can I be a good witness for God by exercising self-control?” The best witness is one who demonstrates his faith with his actions. St. Francis of Assisi encouraged people to speak the gospel wherever they go and use words when necessary.

Self-control will allow you to remain silent when verbally attacked. It will allow you to respond with love when confronted with hate. Self-control will also keep you pure when you are alone. Self-control will also keep you sane in times of great adversity, such as a flooded home, divorce or loss of a family member. We freely and willingly yield control of ourselves to God and instead of worrying about what will happen, we stand steadfast in His promise of Romans 8:28. The passage reads, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

Self-control does not mean that we are to go it alone. Life is tough and we need fellow Christians for the journey. We need accountability groups that are small, honest and safe so we can be vulnerable and encouraging to each other. Christ encouraged us to come to Him with our burdens and He will give us rest. Read Matthew 11 and then fasten your yoke to a friend!

Prayer: Dear God, May the Fruit of self control be a blessing to us and a witness to others of Your grace. Amen.

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Where Do You Look For Help?

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The Precious Gift of Time

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Tell Yourself The Truth

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The Right Prayer Is…

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Who Knows The Truth?

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All We Can Do Now Is Pray?

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Love Must Be Shown

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The True Meaning Of Salvation

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Grace Upon Grace: An Exploration Of God’s Love And How To Receive It

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The Great Question: Where Is God?

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