1 00:00:01,120 --> 00:00:05,480 In Shakespeare's Hamlet, Polonius offers the following 2 00:00:05,480 --> 00:00:13,680 advice to his son Laertes. He says to thine own self be 3 00:00:13,960 --> 00:00:18,160 true. Polonius goal was to communicate 4 00:00:18,160 --> 00:00:20,640 the need to have personal integrity. 5 00:00:20,680 --> 00:00:25,280 Integrity between your your inner values, your beliefs, and 6 00:00:26,240 --> 00:00:30,800 your actions. Be loyal to your own personal 7 00:00:30,800 --> 00:00:34,120 convictions rather than compromising those convictions 8 00:00:34,120 --> 00:00:39,520 in order to please others. If I'm honest with myself then 9 00:00:39,720 --> 00:00:44,600 then that honesty serves as the foundation for honesty in all my 10 00:00:44,600 --> 00:00:48,160 relationships. When my inner self is aligned 11 00:00:48,160 --> 00:00:53,080 with my actions, then I am acting in both authenticity and 12 00:00:53,520 --> 00:00:58,920 integrity. However, the statements to thine 13 00:00:58,920 --> 00:01:05,080 own self be true has in recent years been Co opted for the 14 00:01:05,080 --> 00:01:08,520 purpose of living life without restraint. 15 00:01:11,200 --> 00:01:15,880 To thine own self be true, let me live life on my terms. 16 00:01:16,800 --> 00:01:20,120 To thine own self be true, let me sleep with whoever I want. 17 00:01:20,800 --> 00:01:24,560 To thine own self be true, I can abort the baby that I just 18 00:01:24,560 --> 00:01:27,360 conceived. To thine own self be true, let 19 00:01:27,360 --> 00:01:31,040 me get drunk every night, let me overeat and commit gluttony, let 20 00:01:31,040 --> 00:01:34,920 me go on endless shopping sprees with money I don't have, and the 21 00:01:34,920 --> 00:01:42,320 list goes on and on. Let me be don't bother me with 22 00:01:42,320 --> 00:01:46,240 your rules and restraints. If I'm true to myself, then 23 00:01:46,240 --> 00:01:51,520 that's all that matters. There are many things that 24 00:01:51,520 --> 00:01:54,400 humans sometimes gives them, give themselves over to. 25 00:01:55,120 --> 00:01:59,320 Sometimes these things are inherently bad and some aren't 26 00:01:59,400 --> 00:02:04,240 necessarily bad but can become bad in excess. 27 00:02:06,160 --> 00:02:11,640 There's impatience, anger, greed, wealth, status, image and 28 00:02:11,640 --> 00:02:16,960 comfort, pleasure, shopping our phones, media whether streaming 29 00:02:16,960 --> 00:02:21,640 or browsing, food, beverages, sexual desire, lust, whether for 30 00:02:21,640 --> 00:02:24,520 porn or for that Co worker in the office. 31 00:02:25,360 --> 00:02:30,240 These are all areas humans can fall into if they don't exercise 32 00:02:30,240 --> 00:02:34,320 restraint and live with self-control in their lives. 33 00:02:35,880 --> 00:02:39,680 A lack of self-control can destroy your life and many 34 00:02:39,680 --> 00:02:42,840 people's lives have been destroyed even by one single 35 00:02:42,840 --> 00:02:46,800 moment of casting off restraints. 36 00:02:49,720 --> 00:02:53,280 As we get started this morning, we're going to 1st Focus on what 37 00:02:53,280 --> 00:02:58,200 it looks like when someone lacks in self-control. 38 00:02:59,080 --> 00:03:05,000 This is unrestrained living. Unrestrained living. 39 00:03:05,200 --> 00:03:09,680 Living life without any restraints, living on whatever 40 00:03:09,680 --> 00:03:16,040 terms you want. Some people like to think that 41 00:03:16,040 --> 00:03:19,040 living life this way would be wonderfully freeing. 42 00:03:19,040 --> 00:03:24,920 Yet that's not the truth. You are free to choose your 43 00:03:24,920 --> 00:03:30,040 actions, but you're not free to choose the consequences for your 44 00:03:30,040 --> 00:03:32,800 actions. Let me repeat that. 45 00:03:32,800 --> 00:03:37,400 Stephen Covey said you're free to choose your actions, but you 46 00:03:37,400 --> 00:03:41,760 are not free to choose the consequences for your actions. 47 00:03:43,440 --> 00:03:47,680 Proverbs 2528 says a man without self-control is like a city 48 00:03:47,680 --> 00:03:50,680 broken into and left without walls. 49 00:03:52,440 --> 00:03:55,720 The person who lacks self-control is vulnerable to 50 00:03:55,720 --> 00:04:00,480 attack and is left defenseless without any protection. 51 00:04:03,400 --> 00:04:07,760 Also, when we live without restraint, there are 52 00:04:07,760 --> 00:04:12,000 consequences. Second, Peter 22 And many will 53 00:04:12,000 --> 00:04:15,320 follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth 54 00:04:15,320 --> 00:04:19,200 will be blasphemed. You see this, the group that 55 00:04:19,200 --> 00:04:22,079 Peter's talking to, this was a group of people who wanted to 56 00:04:22,079 --> 00:04:25,840 pursue their their sexually immoral ways while still 57 00:04:26,000 --> 00:04:30,240 claiming the name of Christ. And the result of this was that 58 00:04:30,480 --> 00:04:34,080 the truth was poorly spoken of. This was the gospel being 59 00:04:34,080 --> 00:04:37,960 perverted. People had claimed to follow the 60 00:04:37,960 --> 00:04:41,800 way of truth, but then wandered off into sexual immorality, 61 00:04:41,800 --> 00:04:46,640 giving themselves a bad witness and leading to the denigration 62 00:04:46,960 --> 00:04:50,200 of the gospel. When we live life without 63 00:04:50,200 --> 00:04:56,560 restraints, there are consequences, Paul says in First 64 00:04:56,560 --> 00:04:59,880 Corinthians 6. All things are lawful for me, 65 00:04:59,880 --> 00:05:03,880 but not all things are helpful. All things are lawful for me, 66 00:05:03,880 --> 00:05:08,240 but I will not be dominated by anything. 67 00:05:10,560 --> 00:05:14,800 There's plenty in life that can control us or or dominate us. 68 00:05:14,800 --> 00:05:18,560 As Paul says, these aren't necessarily bad things, some of 69 00:05:18,560 --> 00:05:22,080 them are perfectly fine, but it's all about our hearts 70 00:05:22,280 --> 00:05:25,920 orientation towards those things. 71 00:05:26,640 --> 00:05:31,640 Have I become enslaved to and controlled by this? 72 00:05:34,560 --> 00:05:42,720 Now this might sound weird, but I've recently discovered I've 73 00:05:42,720 --> 00:05:45,760 had an unhealthy relationship with food. 74 00:05:48,400 --> 00:05:54,120 You see, I've been skinny my whole life, always trying to put 75 00:05:54,120 --> 00:05:56,800 on weight to be bigger and more muscular. 76 00:05:58,560 --> 00:06:01,920 Try as I might, that's not the type of body I have. 77 00:06:04,080 --> 00:06:07,560 So a year ago I had surgery on my thumb and it meant that I 78 00:06:07,560 --> 00:06:11,000 spent months without being able to work out. 79 00:06:11,120 --> 00:06:14,920 Literal months. During that time, my weight went 80 00:06:14,920 --> 00:06:18,000 up and I began to see numbers on the scale that I'd never seen 81 00:06:18,000 --> 00:06:21,480 before, as well as a physical change with how my clothes were 82 00:06:21,480 --> 00:06:25,200 fitting, something I've never experienced before. 83 00:06:26,360 --> 00:06:28,800 I'm not talking body dysmorphia here, where you have an 84 00:06:29,120 --> 00:06:32,880 unhealthy concern for for what you perceive to be flaws in your 85 00:06:32,880 --> 00:06:35,360 appearance or anything like that. 86 00:06:37,320 --> 00:06:40,360 But you see, you know how active I am. 87 00:06:41,240 --> 00:06:46,000 But what you don't know is that I don't eat the way you think. 88 00:06:46,600 --> 00:06:54,720 I eat my go tubes. My go TOS are carbs and sugar. 89 00:06:55,840 --> 00:07:01,840 I love carbs. Give me all of the carbs I 90 00:07:01,840 --> 00:07:03,000 could. Literally. 91 00:07:03,520 --> 00:07:08,760 I could literally live contrary to scripture on bread alone. 92 00:07:11,960 --> 00:07:14,120 Well, supplemented with a little sugar. 93 00:07:14,880 --> 00:07:19,280 I love sugar. But the biggest issue though is 94 00:07:19,280 --> 00:07:23,840 that I love to eat and eat and eat. 95 00:07:24,240 --> 00:07:28,160 You see, I've always been quite, quite proud of the fact that I 96 00:07:28,160 --> 00:07:37,440 could consume so much food. I could out eat anyone and still 97 00:07:37,440 --> 00:07:46,280 not gain weight. Well, those days are gone, but 98 00:07:46,280 --> 00:07:52,240 this summer God convicted me of this unhealthy relationship with 99 00:07:52,240 --> 00:07:57,160 food. I would dare to even call it 100 00:07:58,240 --> 00:08:01,880 gluttony. That's something you're never 101 00:08:01,880 --> 00:08:03,240 going to hear a pastor preach on. 102 00:08:03,680 --> 00:08:05,560 I don't know if you've ever heard of some or not gluttony. 103 00:08:05,560 --> 00:08:14,240 I don't think I have, but that is what I had become, a glutton, 104 00:08:14,240 --> 00:08:17,880 a person given to voracious and excessive eating. 105 00:08:17,880 --> 00:08:21,760 And I always excused it because, hey, I had the body and the 106 00:08:21,760 --> 00:08:23,600 metabolism to get away with it, right? 107 00:08:26,280 --> 00:08:34,720 But that was living in excess. That was living without 108 00:08:34,720 --> 00:08:39,120 restraint in my diet, and because of this tendency, I've 109 00:08:39,120 --> 00:08:43,480 reoriented some aspects of my life to to keep food in its 110 00:08:43,520 --> 00:08:48,040 proper place and not allow food to control me. 111 00:08:50,920 --> 00:08:55,560 Living unrestrained is not healthy, and it can have 112 00:08:55,560 --> 00:08:59,000 significant and unintended consequences. 113 00:09:00,720 --> 00:09:09,120 So now, now that I've been a bit vulnerable, let's look at a life 114 00:09:09,160 --> 00:09:13,320 of perfect self-control. Jesus lived a life of perfect 115 00:09:13,600 --> 00:09:17,800 self-control. There's some sects of 116 00:09:17,800 --> 00:09:21,600 Christianity, well, I hesitate to call them Christianity. 117 00:09:22,440 --> 00:09:26,280 Some sects of Christianity who believe that Jesus sinned. 118 00:09:27,400 --> 00:09:33,160 Friends, if Jesus sinned, then there's literally no point to us 119 00:09:33,160 --> 00:09:36,640 being here right now. If he sinned then then his going 120 00:09:36,640 --> 00:09:40,240 to the cross was for nothing. If he sinned, then his sacrifice 121 00:09:40,240 --> 00:09:45,160 didn't qualify as a sacrifice, for our salvation needed to be 122 00:09:45,640 --> 00:09:51,920 perfect. Jesus was completely without 123 00:09:52,120 --> 00:09:56,800 sin, and this is paramount to our faith. 124 00:09:57,560 --> 00:10:00,920 Scripture teaches us that he was submissive to his earthly 125 00:10:00,920 --> 00:10:05,600 parents. He was submissive to his to his 126 00:10:05,600 --> 00:10:07,760 earth earthly parents as he was growing up. 127 00:10:07,760 --> 00:10:11,440 Luke 251 speaks to Jesus relationship with his parents 128 00:10:11,440 --> 00:10:14,800 and it and it says that that he went down with them and he was 129 00:10:14,960 --> 00:10:20,960 submissive to them. He was obedient to them and and 130 00:10:20,960 --> 00:10:29,280 he honored them. This meant demonstrating 131 00:10:30,520 --> 00:10:35,800 self-control at all times, in all moments of his life. 132 00:10:36,840 --> 00:10:43,440 Jesus was perfectly obedient. Now it does make you wonder, 133 00:10:45,040 --> 00:10:51,880 what was life like for James? Like did he get ticked off at 134 00:10:52,000 --> 00:10:54,720 Jesus? That older brother was just 135 00:10:55,000 --> 00:10:57,600 literally perfect, could do nothing wrong. 136 00:11:01,560 --> 00:11:02,960 Something, something to think about. 137 00:11:04,560 --> 00:11:10,200 But then we read in John 828. So Jesus said to them, when you 138 00:11:10,200 --> 00:11:13,200 have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, 139 00:11:13,480 --> 00:11:18,080 and that I do nothing on my own authority but speak just as the 140 00:11:18,080 --> 00:11:21,400 Father taught me. And he who sent me is with me. 141 00:11:21,720 --> 00:11:26,160 He has not left me alone, for I always do the things that are 142 00:11:26,160 --> 00:11:32,320 pleasing to Him. Jesus was submissive also to the 143 00:11:32,320 --> 00:11:35,640 Father. He was submissive to His earthly 144 00:11:35,640 --> 00:11:39,280 parents 1st, and then He was also submissive to the Father. 145 00:11:41,720 --> 00:11:45,640 Jesus actions and ministry were driven by the Father and He 146 00:11:45,640 --> 00:11:50,000 acted under the Father's authority, not His own personal 147 00:11:50,160 --> 00:11:53,920 prerogative. He was constantly submitted to 148 00:11:53,920 --> 00:11:56,080 the Father and always pleased Him. 149 00:11:57,080 --> 00:12:00,680 And nowhere is this more evidence than after the Last 150 00:12:00,680 --> 00:12:03,000 Supper. They'd had the Last Supper. 151 00:12:03,000 --> 00:12:05,880 This is the night Jesus is about to be rested. 152 00:12:05,880 --> 00:12:10,400 Few hours later they had gone to the Garden of Gethsemane after 153 00:12:10,400 --> 00:12:13,680 having supper together, and Jesus prayed. 154 00:12:14,680 --> 00:12:18,600 Father, if if you're willing, remove this cup from me. 155 00:12:20,560 --> 00:12:23,920 That's his, his desire. Hey, if there's the possibility, 156 00:12:24,160 --> 00:12:29,200 remove this cup. But then he says, nevertheless, 157 00:12:29,680 --> 00:12:34,640 not my own will, but Father, your will be done. 158 00:12:36,320 --> 00:12:39,680 Sure, Jesus had his own preferences, but he yielded his 159 00:12:39,680 --> 00:12:42,120 preferences and desires to the Father. 160 00:12:42,280 --> 00:12:46,480 He didn't hold his own desires above the Father's plan, but 161 00:12:46,720 --> 00:12:50,120 yielded to the plan of the cross. 162 00:12:52,160 --> 00:12:57,000 In Matthew 2653, Jesus shows restraint and self-control as he 163 00:12:57,320 --> 00:13:03,200 acknowledged to his captors that his captors had come and he says 164 00:13:03,440 --> 00:13:10,400 I could call down 12 legion of angels right now to rescue him. 165 00:13:12,200 --> 00:13:17,120 But no, he stayed on the path of obedience. 166 00:13:18,000 --> 00:13:23,760 His self-control served a purpose, and that purpose was us 167 00:13:23,760 --> 00:13:31,960 and our salvation. Hebrews 415 also speaks to to 168 00:13:32,120 --> 00:13:36,120 Jesus, for we do not have a high priest who is unable to 169 00:13:36,120 --> 00:13:40,160 sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has 170 00:13:40,160 --> 00:13:44,840 been tempted as we are. Yet without sin. 171 00:13:46,560 --> 00:13:52,960 He experienced temptation just the same that we do. 172 00:13:53,920 --> 00:13:55,920 He experienced temptation as we do. 173 00:13:57,760 --> 00:14:00,800 You see, this is wonderful because it tells us the type of 174 00:14:00,800 --> 00:14:05,600 person that Jesus is. Our savior didn't stay in some 175 00:14:05,600 --> 00:14:10,280 other dimension, unable to to relate to our lives. 176 00:14:13,120 --> 00:14:18,840 The sun came down and inserted himself into into time and space 177 00:14:18,840 --> 00:14:21,720 and history. He lived in a specific moment in 178 00:14:21,720 --> 00:14:27,480 time, just as you and I do, and faced temptation. 179 00:14:29,240 --> 00:14:35,240 Because of this, Jesus can sympathize with our weaknesses. 180 00:14:36,280 --> 00:14:41,320 He knows where we've been. He knows what you're going 181 00:14:41,320 --> 00:14:46,760 through now. Satan did his best to to tempt 182 00:14:46,840 --> 00:14:49,200 Jesus. Satan first tried to appeal to 183 00:14:49,200 --> 00:14:54,400 the lust of the flesh, the need to eat, but Jesus didn't give in 184 00:14:54,400 --> 00:14:58,800 to his cravings for food. Then Satan tried to appeal to 185 00:14:58,800 --> 00:15:02,320 the pride of life as he commanded Jesus to to jump from 186 00:15:02,320 --> 00:15:04,240 the temple. Jesus had all the glory, the 187 00:15:04,240 --> 00:15:11,200 power and the status, but he didn't use that to demonstrate 188 00:15:11,200 --> 00:15:15,440 how strong he was and who he was by calling angels down for his 189 00:15:15,440 --> 00:15:20,800 rescue. And lastly, when the accuser 190 00:15:20,800 --> 00:15:25,120 tried to get Jesus to succumb to the lust of the eyes by offering 191 00:15:25,120 --> 00:15:30,280 him, look, look at all of this, It can all be yours. 192 00:15:32,320 --> 00:15:36,040 Jesus responds and says You shall worship the Lord your God 193 00:15:36,200 --> 00:15:44,880 and him only shall you serve. Jesus faced Satan, but he 194 00:15:44,880 --> 00:15:48,600 demonstrated self-control, proving his authority and power 195 00:15:48,600 --> 00:15:56,440 over temptation and sin. Now let's look at temptation in 196 00:15:56,440 --> 00:16:01,120 our own lives. You know, it's natural for us to 197 00:16:01,120 --> 00:16:05,720 think of temptation as this outside force to to think that 198 00:16:05,880 --> 00:16:10,680 temptation lies in in that object of desire or that action 199 00:16:10,680 --> 00:16:15,040 that an external force is provoking in us. 200 00:16:16,560 --> 00:16:19,560 But as you'll see, that's not the case. 201 00:16:21,760 --> 00:16:27,840 First of all, each of us has what what we call in theological 202 00:16:27,840 --> 00:16:33,360 terms, original sin. We have original sin. 203 00:16:33,360 --> 00:16:39,200 And you see, that means that sin is hard wired into each of us. 204 00:16:39,200 --> 00:16:48,040 It's hard wired into our DNA. Sometimes you'll hear someone 205 00:16:48,040 --> 00:16:52,680 talk about how good humanity is in in states that people are 206 00:16:52,680 --> 00:16:58,680 basically good. Well, I would contend that 207 00:16:58,680 --> 00:17:04,440 people are not basically good. I don't know about you, but I 208 00:17:04,440 --> 00:17:08,040 never had to teach my kids how to sin. 209 00:17:09,720 --> 00:17:12,880 They came by it naturally on their own. 210 00:17:14,960 --> 00:17:19,079 It takes an outside force for goodness and high character to 211 00:17:19,079 --> 00:17:25,280 turn people good. Ever since that first sin of 212 00:17:25,280 --> 00:17:29,160 Adam and Eve in the garden, people have been sinning. 213 00:17:30,400 --> 00:17:33,800 Psalm 51 Five. David says, Behold, I was 214 00:17:33,800 --> 00:17:37,600 brought forth an iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive 215 00:17:37,600 --> 00:17:41,400 me? No, David wasn't the product of 216 00:17:41,400 --> 00:17:47,200 a sinful affair. He's saying I have always been a 217 00:17:47,200 --> 00:17:50,480 Sinner. From the moments of my 218 00:17:50,480 --> 00:17:54,840 conception till now, I've always been a Sinner. 219 00:17:56,240 --> 00:18:00,080 Ephesians 2 verses one through 3 reads. 220 00:18:01,000 --> 00:18:03,680 And you're dead in the trespasses and sins in which you 221 00:18:03,680 --> 00:18:07,320 once walked, following the course of this world, Following 222 00:18:07,320 --> 00:18:10,960 the Prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at 223 00:18:10,960 --> 00:18:13,040 work. In the sons of disobedience, 224 00:18:13,680 --> 00:18:17,000 among whom we all once lived. In the passions of our flesh, 225 00:18:17,360 --> 00:18:20,640 carrying out the desires of the flesh and the mind, and were by 226 00:18:20,640 --> 00:18:25,640 nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 227 00:18:27,600 --> 00:18:32,280 Why would we be considered children of wrath, children 228 00:18:32,280 --> 00:18:39,120 deserving of God's punishments? Well, because, because we have a 229 00:18:39,120 --> 00:18:44,880 sin nature that resides in each and every one of us, that makes 230 00:18:44,880 --> 00:18:50,120 us children of wrath. The sin nature is there and it's 231 00:18:50,400 --> 00:18:52,720 strong. It's that sin nature that allows 232 00:18:53,000 --> 00:18:57,880 Paul to say you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you 233 00:18:57,880 --> 00:19:03,600 once walked. Not partially alive, dead in 234 00:19:03,760 --> 00:19:10,960 sin. In fact, sin is so hardwired 235 00:19:10,960 --> 00:19:14,680 into us, consider what even the regenerates. 236 00:19:14,880 --> 00:19:21,240 Apostle Paul says this is this is Paul who has the Holy Spirits 237 00:19:21,240 --> 00:19:25,760 living inside of him. Paul says in Romans 7 verse 15 238 00:19:26,360 --> 00:19:31,400 For I do not understand my own actions, for I do not do what I 239 00:19:31,400 --> 00:19:36,480 want, but I do the very thing I hate. 240 00:19:39,280 --> 00:19:43,920 Even Paul struggled with self-control. 241 00:19:45,400 --> 00:19:50,640 He wanted to do the right thing, to be obedient to God, but his 242 00:19:50,640 --> 00:19:55,440 flesh was working against him, causing him to be disobedient to 243 00:19:55,440 --> 00:20:00,480 God and to do the very thing he hated, and to engage in sin. 244 00:20:03,040 --> 00:20:10,040 And that same sin nature is inside each and every one of us. 245 00:20:14,080 --> 00:20:18,520 We have original sin, but that's not the only factor when it 246 00:20:18,520 --> 00:20:22,880 comes to temptation. Temptation actually comes about 247 00:20:23,680 --> 00:20:30,000 when we are enticed by our own desires, when we're enticed by 248 00:20:30,000 --> 00:20:34,280 our own desires. As I said, temptation isn't 249 00:20:34,280 --> 00:20:39,560 something outside of us. It's actually something inside 250 00:20:39,560 --> 00:20:42,600 of us. It begins in our hearts with our 251 00:20:42,600 --> 00:20:48,880 very own desires. Mark 721 through 23. 252 00:20:48,880 --> 00:20:53,120 For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil 253 00:20:53,120 --> 00:20:55,480 thoughts. Sexual immorality, theft, 254 00:20:55,680 --> 00:20:59,360 murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, 255 00:20:59,360 --> 00:21:02,240 envy, slander, pride, foolishness. 256 00:21:02,800 --> 00:21:05,880 All these things come from within. 257 00:21:09,560 --> 00:21:14,320 Consider for a moment the desire to be successful. 258 00:21:16,080 --> 00:21:21,000 There's nothing innately wrong with a desire to be successful, 259 00:21:23,400 --> 00:21:27,560 but it becomes a problem when that desire becomes so intense 260 00:21:27,560 --> 00:21:31,960 that it causes you to make bad choices. 261 00:21:34,280 --> 00:21:37,920 A student is led to cheat on a test in order to get better 262 00:21:37,920 --> 00:21:41,360 grades to get into better schools. 263 00:21:44,080 --> 00:21:48,320 The businessman prioritizes 60 hour work week over family time 264 00:21:48,640 --> 00:21:54,760 and investing in his children. Perhaps a mom is so driven to 265 00:21:54,760 --> 00:21:58,080 see her children succeed in school, in sports, or in music 266 00:21:58,080 --> 00:22:02,320 that she ties their value to their performance. 267 00:22:03,840 --> 00:22:07,800 When the child fails to perform to her standards, she withholds 268 00:22:07,800 --> 00:22:11,560 love, becomes excessively critical and manipulates. 269 00:22:13,000 --> 00:22:18,360 Now, of course, these are extremes, but often the extreme 270 00:22:18,360 --> 00:22:22,600 helps us see the core issue that's involved. 271 00:22:22,600 --> 00:22:31,840 It's our desires. James 113 through 15. 272 00:22:34,960 --> 00:22:37,560 Let no one say when he is tempted. 273 00:22:37,760 --> 00:22:42,400 I am being tempted by God, for God cannot be tempted with evil, 274 00:22:42,600 --> 00:22:46,480 and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when 275 00:22:46,480 --> 00:22:50,520 he is lured and enticed by his own desires. 276 00:22:51,000 --> 00:22:54,840 Then desire, when it has conceived, gives birth to sin, 277 00:22:55,840 --> 00:23:00,560 and sin, when it is finally grown, brings forth death. 278 00:23:03,400 --> 00:23:10,960 Temptation comes from inside us. When James talks about that 279 00:23:10,960 --> 00:23:14,440 lure, he's using a fishing illustration. 280 00:23:14,960 --> 00:23:18,120 The fish isn't enticed by the bait that's in front of them. 281 00:23:18,280 --> 00:23:21,480 They don't sit there, and they don't contemplate the worm or 282 00:23:21,480 --> 00:23:23,440 whatever it is that's on the hook. 283 00:23:25,120 --> 00:23:32,040 The fish simply sees the bait, wants it, and is lured into 284 00:23:32,040 --> 00:23:37,160 biting. This is how sin is. 285 00:23:37,480 --> 00:23:43,240 Sin appeals to the desires that are inside of us. 286 00:23:45,280 --> 00:23:49,240 This is a little bit of an oversimplification, but we sin 287 00:23:49,240 --> 00:23:53,760 when we love the objects of our deceitful pleasure more than we 288 00:23:53,760 --> 00:23:59,440 love God. When we love the objects of our 289 00:23:59,680 --> 00:24:05,040 deceitful pleasure more than we love God, then that is when we 290 00:24:05,040 --> 00:24:08,920 sin. That means sometimes I'm prone 291 00:24:08,920 --> 00:24:14,840 to worshipping the idol of my own appetites and desires rather 292 00:24:14,840 --> 00:24:19,360 than worshipping the One who is over all. 293 00:24:21,600 --> 00:24:27,560 What I need to do is lay my appetites and desires down at 294 00:24:27,560 --> 00:24:31,480 the cross. When our desires take center 295 00:24:31,480 --> 00:24:36,360 stage, we're declaring that God is not enough for us and and 296 00:24:36,360 --> 00:24:40,520 we're going to seek satisfaction somewhere else. 297 00:24:44,120 --> 00:24:48,160 So we have this sin nature that is hard wired into us and in our 298 00:24:48,160 --> 00:24:52,880 own desires compel us towards sin and create temptation to 299 00:24:52,880 --> 00:24:56,560 engage with something or in a way that we were never intended. 300 00:24:58,240 --> 00:25:03,200 But this naturally leads to the question of how is it that we 301 00:25:03,640 --> 00:25:07,760 demonstrate self-control in our lives? 302 00:25:09,120 --> 00:25:12,800 And the first key to demonstrating self-control is to 303 00:25:12,800 --> 00:25:20,760 walk by the Spirit. Walking in and by the spirit is 304 00:25:20,920 --> 00:25:25,160 is paramount if you want to get a grip on self-control. 305 00:25:26,440 --> 00:25:29,400 When we walk by the spirit, we're being controlled by the 306 00:25:29,400 --> 00:25:33,840 spirits and not by our own desires. 307 00:25:37,360 --> 00:25:43,720 Galatians 516 through 17. But I say, walk by the spirits 308 00:25:43,720 --> 00:25:47,480 and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh, for the 309 00:25:47,480 --> 00:25:50,880 desires of the flesh are against the spirits and the desires of 310 00:25:50,880 --> 00:25:54,360 the spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to 311 00:25:54,360 --> 00:25:58,720 each other to keep you from doing the things you want to do. 312 00:26:01,040 --> 00:26:08,080 My flesh has its own plans, its own agenda, which is contrary to 313 00:26:08,080 --> 00:26:10,640 the spirits. These two, my flesh and the 314 00:26:10,640 --> 00:26:12,800 spirit, are at odds with each other. 315 00:26:13,000 --> 00:26:17,680 If I live without restraints or self-control, then the flesh 316 00:26:17,960 --> 00:26:23,480 will win. If I walk by the spirit 317 00:26:23,720 --> 00:26:29,160 constantly pressing into him, then I'll be more prone to 318 00:26:29,440 --> 00:26:33,440 naturally demonstrating the fruit of the spirit that we've 319 00:26:33,440 --> 00:26:41,080 been talking about this summer. So how do we make this a reality 320 00:26:41,080 --> 00:26:44,160 in our lives? How do we walk by the spirits? 321 00:26:46,000 --> 00:26:50,720 First of all, it starts in our minds. 322 00:26:51,640 --> 00:26:54,120 Writing to the Romans, Paul says in Romans 8. 323 00:26:54,400 --> 00:26:57,320 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the 324 00:26:57,320 --> 00:27:00,080 things of the flesh. But those who live according to 325 00:27:00,080 --> 00:27:03,160 the spirit set their minds on the things of the spirits. 326 00:27:03,960 --> 00:27:08,360 For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on 327 00:27:08,360 --> 00:27:13,080 the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the 328 00:27:13,080 --> 00:27:16,800 flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law. 329 00:27:16,800 --> 00:27:20,720 Indeed it cannot. Those who are in the flesh 330 00:27:21,400 --> 00:27:31,960 cannot please God. Now, the most important aspect 331 00:27:31,960 --> 00:27:39,320 when it comes to bike handling when I'm riding my bike is not 332 00:27:40,280 --> 00:27:47,080 my legs or my arms or my hands. As important as those things 333 00:27:47,080 --> 00:27:54,840 are, the most important aspect when I am on the bike, the key 334 00:27:55,800 --> 00:28:03,640 to handling the bike is my eyes. Where am I looking? 335 00:28:04,760 --> 00:28:10,920 The reason for this is wherever I look, that's where the bike's 336 00:28:10,920 --> 00:28:15,280 going to go. Whether it's intentional or not, 337 00:28:15,680 --> 00:28:19,480 that is what's going to happen. And this is absolutely 338 00:28:19,600 --> 00:28:21,240 important. When you're bombing down a 339 00:28:21,240 --> 00:28:25,200 mountain at thirty, 4050 miles an hour, if you look at the 340 00:28:25,200 --> 00:28:32,760 wrong line, if you look where you don't want to go off the 341 00:28:32,760 --> 00:28:36,600 road, that's where you're going to go. 342 00:28:39,600 --> 00:28:43,600 So we have to look at the right place. 343 00:28:43,760 --> 00:28:51,120 We have to keep our eyes focused on the right line so that we can 344 00:28:51,480 --> 00:28:54,680 keep going. It's the same with our actions. 345 00:28:56,200 --> 00:29:01,800 If our eyes, if our mind, if, if you will, are set in the right 346 00:29:01,800 --> 00:29:07,600 direction, then my actions will follow. 347 00:29:10,600 --> 00:29:13,880 That's why in Philippians 4, Paul says to think on that which 348 00:29:13,880 --> 00:29:18,840 is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent 349 00:29:18,840 --> 00:29:23,200 and praiseworthy. Thinking the right way will 350 00:29:23,200 --> 00:29:28,360 naturally cause us to act in the right ways and to walk by the 351 00:29:28,360 --> 00:29:36,960 spirit. Next, practice self-discipline. 352 00:29:39,160 --> 00:29:45,720 Practice self-discipline. self-discipline is hard, right? 353 00:29:46,400 --> 00:29:48,360 That's why it's called discipline. 354 00:29:49,160 --> 00:29:52,720 If it was easy, each of us would be the perfect representation of 355 00:29:52,720 --> 00:29:56,520 ourselves that we want to be. I would never miss a day of 356 00:29:56,520 --> 00:29:59,360 spending time with God. I would never make an impulse 357 00:29:59,360 --> 00:30:01,640 buy at the store. I would never overeat, and I 358 00:30:01,640 --> 00:30:05,280 might even give up sugar. Actually, I don't even want to 359 00:30:05,280 --> 00:30:07,240 give up sugar, so I probably wouldn't do that. 360 00:30:07,560 --> 00:30:13,600 But self-discipline takes work. By the way, sugar is natural, 361 00:30:13,600 --> 00:30:18,920 right? It is in fruits, just in certain 362 00:30:18,920 --> 00:30:22,360 amounts. I just like more than naturally 363 00:30:22,360 --> 00:30:28,200 exists. Paul loves his sports analogies 364 00:30:28,200 --> 00:30:31,000 and and he is running to illustrate the impact and 365 00:30:31,000 --> 00:30:36,720 importance of self-discipline. I'm sure you've heard this First 366 00:30:36,720 --> 00:30:41,080 Corinthians 924 through 27 do not know that in a race all the 367 00:30:41,080 --> 00:30:44,200 runners run but only one receives the prize. 368 00:30:44,440 --> 00:30:49,920 So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises 369 00:30:49,920 --> 00:30:53,440 self-control in all things. They do it to receive a 370 00:30:53,440 --> 00:30:56,440 perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. 371 00:30:56,640 --> 00:31:01,120 So I do not run aimlessly, I do not box as one beating the air, 372 00:31:01,360 --> 00:31:05,920 but I discipline my body and keep it under control. 373 00:31:09,080 --> 00:31:13,080 The athlete disciplines herself because she has a goal in mind. 374 00:31:15,720 --> 00:31:19,960 If you want to achieve a certain outcome then you take the right 375 00:31:19,960 --> 00:31:25,200 steps to help you get there. You don't just wake up 1 morning 376 00:31:25,400 --> 00:31:28,400 and decide to go run a marathon without any training. 377 00:31:30,480 --> 00:31:34,240 If your goal is to run a marathon, then you take the 378 00:31:34,240 --> 00:31:36,800 appropriate steps to help you get there. 379 00:31:37,640 --> 00:31:43,120 You run 3 miles, then 5 miles and seven, and 10/15/20. 380 00:31:44,240 --> 00:31:47,520 You discipline yourself all along the way to be able to 381 00:31:47,520 --> 00:31:54,400 handle that extreme challenge of running 26.2 miles in one single 382 00:31:54,600 --> 00:32:01,040 day because you're crazy. God bless anyone. 383 00:32:01,280 --> 00:32:04,160 If we have anyone in here who's run a marathon, God bless you. 384 00:32:04,600 --> 00:32:09,840 Even if you've done 1/2. Major major props to you for 385 00:32:09,840 --> 00:32:12,560 that. I cannot fathom doing that. 386 00:32:13,400 --> 00:32:19,880 I can ride 100 miles much easier than I could run even 13 miles. 387 00:32:21,360 --> 00:32:26,840 Can't fathom it. Self-discipline helps us become 388 00:32:26,840 --> 00:32:29,560 the person that we imagine ourselves being. 389 00:32:29,720 --> 00:32:34,920 In some instances, self-control can can be extremely difficult 390 00:32:34,920 --> 00:32:43,240 to live out, but with practice it becomes easier and that next 391 00:32:43,240 --> 00:32:53,080 step becomes more natural. One of the best ways you can do 392 00:32:53,080 --> 00:32:59,760 this is by fasting. Fasting is a great way to be 393 00:32:59,760 --> 00:33:03,760 self disciplined and reorient your life. 394 00:33:05,400 --> 00:33:11,600 It doesn't just reorient your relationship with food, but also 395 00:33:11,600 --> 00:33:14,120 reorients your relationship with God. 396 00:33:16,280 --> 00:33:18,800 Food is good. It's not just necessary for 397 00:33:18,800 --> 00:33:21,760 survival, but it actually tastes good, right? 398 00:33:23,360 --> 00:33:26,960 God gave us the capacity to appreciate it and and to enjoy 399 00:33:26,960 --> 00:33:32,120 it. However, when I choose to go 400 00:33:32,280 --> 00:33:41,200 without food, it's a declaration that food doesn't own me and my 401 00:33:41,200 --> 00:33:49,960 value and my identity are found in Christ and He is more 402 00:33:50,120 --> 00:33:56,360 important than food. Another key to demonstrating 403 00:33:56,360 --> 00:34:00,960 self-control is be on your guard against addictions. 404 00:34:09,360 --> 00:34:14,639 You know, I know I don't sound good, but you see, when you've 405 00:34:14,639 --> 00:34:19,400 lived for three weeks with all this junk stuck in your throat 406 00:34:21,000 --> 00:34:23,800 and it starts to actually move, it's kind of nice. 407 00:34:28,080 --> 00:34:35,239 Maybe that's TMII don't know. In Matthew 10, Jesus sent his 408 00:34:35,239 --> 00:34:37,960 followers out and he told them to heal the sick, raise the 409 00:34:37,960 --> 00:34:40,960 dead, cleanse the lepers and cast out demons. 410 00:34:41,440 --> 00:34:45,560 Jesus desire was for them to release people from bondage, 411 00:34:45,560 --> 00:34:49,280 whether they were in bondage to sickness or in bondage to the 412 00:34:49,280 --> 00:34:58,240 demonic realm or to sin. 2nd Corinthians 317 Now the Lord is 413 00:34:58,240 --> 00:35:04,200 spirits, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 414 00:35:05,040 --> 00:35:09,600 True freedom comes from God's presence, and in His presence we 415 00:35:09,600 --> 00:35:14,360 find freedom from sin. Whatever sin you're facing, 416 00:35:14,360 --> 00:35:18,040 whatever your addiction, there is freedom in Christ. 417 00:35:18,680 --> 00:35:24,200 That same power that raised Jesus from the grave, that same 418 00:35:24,400 --> 00:35:33,800 power now lives in US. Hold on, did you catch that? 419 00:35:34,400 --> 00:35:41,000 The same power that raised Jesus from the grave now lives in you 420 00:35:41,520 --> 00:35:52,560 and in me, y'all. The same power that raised Jesus 421 00:35:52,560 --> 00:35:58,280 from the grave has taken up residence in your hearts 422 00:35:58,440 --> 00:36:01,440 permanently. Thank you. 423 00:36:03,160 --> 00:36:10,800 This is powerful stuff people. If that doesn't excite you, then 424 00:36:11,600 --> 00:36:17,240 I don't know what will. Jesus has come to live inside of 425 00:36:17,240 --> 00:36:22,840 us and we have his death conquering sin, conquering power 426 00:36:24,000 --> 00:36:32,360 in our hearts. So now we are free to not obey 427 00:36:32,520 --> 00:36:37,840 the flesh. We are free to not sin. 428 00:36:41,160 --> 00:36:46,400 An idol is anything we worship or submit ourselves to other 429 00:36:46,400 --> 00:36:50,040 than God. Don't allow an idol to hold you 430 00:36:50,040 --> 00:36:54,440 back from self-control. Remove that idol from your life. 431 00:36:54,840 --> 00:36:58,680 Don't let alcohol be your idol. Don't let prescription drugs be 432 00:36:58,680 --> 00:37:00,760 your idol. Nor recreational drugs, 433 00:37:00,760 --> 00:37:05,040 caffeine, gambling, shopping, food, sex, porn, social media, 434 00:37:05,040 --> 00:37:09,920 even work addiction. All of these things are on the 435 00:37:09,920 --> 00:37:15,200 list of the top 20 addictions in our nation. 436 00:37:16,360 --> 00:37:21,960 Don't let any of those things become an idol in your life. 437 00:37:22,160 --> 00:37:25,640 Surrender it all to God, remove the idol from your life and seek 438 00:37:25,640 --> 00:37:28,640 his healing. What does Jesus say? 439 00:37:29,120 --> 00:37:35,920 He says, come to me, all you who labor and are and are heavy 440 00:37:35,920 --> 00:37:44,280 laden, and I will give you rest. Relief from your addiction, 441 00:37:44,280 --> 00:37:49,080 relief from sin, from the burdens that you're carrying is 442 00:37:49,360 --> 00:37:55,240 in. Jesus Christ has set you free. 443 00:37:55,440 --> 00:37:59,760 Guard yourself in His ways and don't allow yourself to live in 444 00:37:59,800 --> 00:38:05,520 bondage to sin. So we walk by the spirit, we 445 00:38:05,520 --> 00:38:09,200 practice self-discipline and aware to be on guard against 446 00:38:09,480 --> 00:38:12,280 addictions and the sin nature in US. 447 00:38:13,880 --> 00:38:20,480 Lastly, don't give in to anger or fear. 448 00:38:22,880 --> 00:38:28,160 Don't give in to anger or fear. And I know you may be looking at 449 00:38:28,160 --> 00:38:31,080 this and thinking, well, that's an interesting combination. 450 00:38:31,080 --> 00:38:33,520 But but yes, these are two different areas. 451 00:38:33,520 --> 00:38:36,880 But, but there's a connection here. 452 00:38:38,880 --> 00:38:44,800 First of all, anger and fear are accompanied by impulsive 453 00:38:45,080 --> 00:38:50,040 actions. When when we're angry and when 454 00:38:50,040 --> 00:38:52,920 we're fearful, we make rash decisions. 455 00:38:53,040 --> 00:38:56,880 We lose the capacity to think before acting, to be rational 456 00:38:56,880 --> 00:39:04,840 human beings. What is it that that we want to 457 00:39:04,840 --> 00:39:08,160 be quick about? James says. 458 00:39:09,920 --> 00:39:15,080 Know this, my beloved brothers, let every person be quick to 459 00:39:15,080 --> 00:39:19,920 hear, slow to speak, slow to anger, for the anger of man does 460 00:39:19,920 --> 00:39:22,240 not produce the righteousness of God. 461 00:39:22,240 --> 00:39:26,680 I have a paraphrase for this, for this passage. 462 00:39:27,880 --> 00:39:32,360 It's a little trite, but I, I, I say it's just just listen, shut 463 00:39:32,360 --> 00:39:36,200 up and chill. It's that simple to keep anger 464 00:39:36,200 --> 00:39:39,960 at Bay. Just listen, shut up and chill. 465 00:39:40,880 --> 00:39:44,160 Open your ears. You know the saying, there's a 466 00:39:44,160 --> 00:39:46,440 reason God gave you 2 ears and one mouth. 467 00:39:49,120 --> 00:39:58,080 So listen, be quick to hear, slow to open your mouth, and 468 00:39:59,320 --> 00:40:04,520 chill. Relax, Don't, don't get angry. 469 00:40:05,880 --> 00:40:11,520 Why? Because, James says our anger, 470 00:40:12,040 --> 00:40:16,360 the anger of man, does not produce the righteousness of 471 00:40:16,360 --> 00:40:21,800 God. When we get angry, we completely 472 00:40:22,080 --> 00:40:25,880 lose control and we do stupid things. 473 00:40:27,040 --> 00:40:29,520 There's a reason that when Paul listed qualifications for 474 00:40:29,520 --> 00:40:32,920 leaders in the church, he says they should be self controlled. 475 00:40:36,920 --> 00:40:40,040 If leaders in the church aren't self controlled, then they're 476 00:40:40,040 --> 00:40:44,440 likely to do something stupid when they get upset or become 477 00:40:44,520 --> 00:40:50,480 angry. Now turning towards the topic of 478 00:40:50,480 --> 00:41:01,320 fear, first of all, I will say that fear can cause you to act 479 00:41:01,760 --> 00:41:08,080 in anger, But second Timothy one verse 7 says for God gave us a 480 00:41:08,080 --> 00:41:12,920 spirit, not a fear, but of power and love and self-control. 481 00:41:14,000 --> 00:41:16,280 As followers of Christ, we're not to live in fear. 482 00:41:16,280 --> 00:41:17,800 There are a number of reasons for this. 483 00:41:18,080 --> 00:41:21,120 First of all, we're not to live in fear because we have God's 484 00:41:21,120 --> 00:41:28,040 presence in and with us. Second, fear engages our our 485 00:41:28,040 --> 00:41:32,560 fight or flight mechanism. Now when you're in fight or 486 00:41:32,560 --> 00:41:38,560 flight mode, you're not acting, you are reacting, you're not in 487 00:41:38,560 --> 00:41:44,320 control, you're out of control. And every action is an impulse. 488 00:41:46,240 --> 00:41:50,200 When that happens, when we, when we act and and speak out of the 489 00:41:50,200 --> 00:41:54,680 heart, it's what's in the heart, what's really inside us, our 490 00:41:54,680 --> 00:41:59,880 true nature that's going to come out in fearful circumstances. 491 00:41:59,880 --> 00:42:09,440 Let me say that again. When we act and speak in fearful 492 00:42:09,440 --> 00:42:15,960 situations, when we're scared, when we're afraid, when we're 493 00:42:15,960 --> 00:42:21,480 living in fear, it's what's in the heart, what's really inside 494 00:42:21,480 --> 00:42:31,040 of us that's going to come out that reveals who you really are. 495 00:42:32,400 --> 00:42:38,320 Are you a person of self-control, of temperance, of 496 00:42:38,320 --> 00:42:44,080 patience, Lovejoy, peace, all the rest of the fruits? 497 00:42:47,440 --> 00:42:50,080 Or do you have an unsettled spirit? 498 00:42:54,600 --> 00:42:58,440 Since a person without self-control is like a city with 499 00:42:58,440 --> 00:43:05,400 its walls broken down, think about where the broken walls are 500 00:43:05,400 --> 00:43:13,440 in your life. Is it your tongue speaking 501 00:43:13,440 --> 00:43:17,240 carelessly? Do you have bad habits and find 502 00:43:17,240 --> 00:43:21,680 yourself prone to indulging without restraints? 503 00:43:24,400 --> 00:43:28,840 Or is the problem in your mind allowing every distracting 504 00:43:28,840 --> 00:43:38,080 thought to run wild? This week, with the help of the 505 00:43:38,080 --> 00:43:41,760 Holy Spirit, commit to rebuilding one wall. 506 00:43:42,880 --> 00:43:48,480 Repair 1 area where you're vulnerable. 507 00:43:51,400 --> 00:43:57,680 With the Holy Spirit working in you, you have the power to close 508 00:43:57,960 --> 00:44:06,080 the gates to repair the wall. So let's start that today. 509 00:44:07,640 --> 00:44:09,160 Let's bow our heads and close our eyes. 510 00:44:18,080 --> 00:44:27,600 As we prepare to close, take a moment to consider what's the 511 00:44:27,600 --> 00:44:32,400 one wall that you need to repair? 512 00:44:47,560 --> 00:44:56,360 As the Holy Spirit speaks to you, that area of concern the 513 00:44:56,360 --> 00:45:02,200 Holy Spirit brings to mind. Offer it back to God. 514 00:45:02,880 --> 00:45:08,040 Confess it. Say God, I am sorry for this. 515 00:45:11,360 --> 00:45:18,040 Say, help me to live in your power to build up this defense 516 00:45:18,040 --> 00:45:46,420 in my life. God, we come to you as people 517 00:45:46,420 --> 00:45:56,500 who want to be controlled by the Holy Spirit working in us, not 518 00:45:56,500 --> 00:46:02,140 controlled by the flesh, but by your power. 519 00:46:06,440 --> 00:46:10,640 Would you increase the fruit of self-control in our lives? 520 00:46:14,920 --> 00:46:20,400 Make us more and more like Jesus Christ as we surrender our lives 521 00:46:20,640 --> 00:46:27,640 to you? It's in His name we pray, Amen. 522 00:46:28,760 --> 00:46:32,400 Would you stand as we sing our closing song this morning?