Temperance

Good morning and welcome in everybody.  Today, we are going to take a look at a passage of scripture from 1st Corinthians.

1 Corinthians 9 ²⁴ Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.²⁵ And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

Temperance is to avoid excess or extremes, especially regarding one’s behavior. It is to display self-restraint, and maintain a disciplined lifestyle by regularly denying Earthly pleasures. The Christian Life is an extremely high calling, and out of love for the Lord Jesus, we need to display discipline at all times. Every man has their own weaknesses and temptations, but we need temperance in order to resist and overcome them completely. 

“Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.”  Philippians 4:5

Romans 13 ¹¹ And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.

¹² The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. ¹³ Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.

¹⁴ But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

Provision is the action of providing or supplying something for use. Works of the flesh must be completely rejected, and we must humbly submit to the things of the Holy Spirit. 

James 1 ¹² Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. ¹³ Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: ¹⁴ But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. ¹⁵ Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

Lust can be an all consuming desire for something that we shouldn’t have. It has been defined as intense sexual desire or appetites. Our hearts must be completely focused on God rather than lusting after the things of the world

Titus 2 ¹¹ For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, ¹² Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

Surfeiting is the overindulgence of one’s appetite for food, drink or other Earthly lusts. It simply means to have too much of what is actually required. 

“And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.”  Luke 21:34

Peter explain to the Lord Jesus that he was a sinful man. The Apostle Paul told the church that he was the chief of sinners. But the Christian life is about departing from evil and becoming a good person. You must be converted and transformed into an entirely new creature, which will happen through humble submission to the will of God. You might have hung out with people in the past who are still involved in sinful behavior, but a Christian is called to turn away from those lifestyles and bring forth fruits of repentance unto God.

1 Peter 4 ¹ Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; ² That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. ³ For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries: ⁴ Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you: ⁵ Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead.

“Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,” Hebrews 6:1

Our God is very forgiving and merciful. He told Peter to forgive others 70 * 7 which shows the riches of his grace toward us all. But God wants us to change. Temperance is to be capable of bringing your body into subjection, subduing certain routines or sinful practices in your life. 

Romans 13 ¹¹ And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.

¹² The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. ¹³ Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.

¹⁴ But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

When we seek God with all of our hearts, we are not going to be getting caught up in fleshly lusts. This is because our minds are on Him rather than the world.

Galatians 5 ¹⁶ This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. ¹⁷ For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. ¹⁸ But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

1 John 2 ¹⁵ Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. ¹⁶ For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

¹⁷ And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

“Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;” 2 Timothy 3:4

God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, we just need to lovingly submit to Him, and always exercise…

……. Temperance

Let’s think about these things for right now.  We can be found on your web browser by searching, tlkjbc where you can find our diaries distributed through various platforms. We are not associated, nor affiliated with any other religious groups. You can get our entire podcast feeds directly, along with transcripts at tlkjbc.com or I suppose that you could find us somewhere up here, in the Great Northern Minnesota woods. Peace to you all, and Lord willing, we will talk with you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody.❤️

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