Good morning and welcome in everybody. Today, we are going to take a look at a passage of scripture from the book of Philippians.
Philippians 4:5 (KJB) Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.
Moderation is being able to avoid extremes and staying within safe and acceptable limits. In our carnal nature, each of us has the tendency to want to go to the extremes. For example, your dad might purchase you a brand new four-wheeler, and rather than driving it sensibly through the woods, you decide to punch it as fast as you can through every mud hole that you find. These activities can excite wildness in one’s flesh, and without any kind of self restraint, can result in you running off the road and right into a tree, breaking your arm and who knows what else in the process. Without moderation, suffering can happen in a blink of an eye.
Some people like to climb mountains, but rather than using safety gear and harnesses, they want to push it to the extremes and do it without any type of safety precautions at all. Because of this, they can slip while they are climbing and fall to their death. In my own opinion, it seems like our carnal nature has a tendency to want to outdo others, like a student at a fraternity party who is trying to outdrink their fellow classmates. I think a lot of you might say, “been there done that”, but these are works of the flesh, caused by our own stupidity, immaturity and foolishness. When it comes to enjoying a meal, there are some people who practically live in a buffet line, spending their wealth on gorging themselves and filling up their stomachs far beyond reasonable limits.
Proverbs 25:16 (KJB) Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it.
Another source of excessive misuse is found in drugs, and I have spoken to many people who have had a great struggle with even prescription drugs. A lot of times people who are involved with these things are attempting to find a place of solace for what they have gone through in their life, which can be especially true when it comes to the usage of alcohol. But not everybody who drinks is dealing with the same issue. I have known many many people in my life who drink regularly who are absolutely wonderful people in their heart. But some people who drink alcohol on a regular basis, can consume it too quickly, and oftentimes, without any food in their stomach. When they choose not to space their drinks out appropriately, it can cause them to become overcome by the effects of alcohol, resulting in drunkenness which can greatly impair their good judgment and behavior. When someone becomes drunk, their actions will start to be controlled by the alcohol rather than themselves. Obviously, it is not a sin to partake of alcohol, and is consumed on a regular basis by many people such as presidents, congressmen, and wedding parties. One of the miracles that was performed by Jesus was transforming water into wine for such an event. But overindulgence in alcohol or any other type of activity is not good.
Luke 21:34-36 (KJB) 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. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
Surfeiting is the complete opposite of moderation, because it refers to excessive indulgence, which in the case of alcohol use, can result in sickness and disgust. Moderation must be practiced in every area of our life because the scriptures warn many times about taking too many liberties when it comes to physical and moral restraints. Rather than adhering to certain limitations, sometimes people can do things that are outside of the boundaries of self-control.
In this modern age that we live in, I have noticed a lot of people who dedicate much of their day to playing certain games or entertainment type activities on game stations, computers and even cell phones. For some people, these activities can become an addiction, one that is just as strong as any heavy drug use. It will captivate their hearts and their minds so much, that they will disappear for hours on end, and get extremely upset if their playing time is disrupted or limited.
Another example is how many wives have watched as their husbands have slowly disappeared because the love of money has slowly crept into their life and consumed their hearts. Over the years I have talked to many different men who explained to me that the reason why they suffered so many problems within their family could be directly attributed to their immoderate and overwhelming desires for financial gain. Rather than focusing a lot of their day on the simple emotional needs of their spouse and children, they developed a strong addiction to increasing their financial status in this world. The love of money is such a wretched and deceitful manifestation of sin, that it will actually convince you that what you are doing is for the good of others, while the truth is that it is an addiction that pulls you away from spending time with those who need you the most. Children don’t need to know the amount of interest that you made this month at the bank. A wife doesn’t need to know the rate of return or percentage gain that you made on the stock exchange this week. Some of the best memories that you will ever have in his life will be found in the simple things that you did with others, something that an immoderate desire for money will completely destroy. A lot of other people will spend lots of excess or unused money to make more, and eventually lose it all in the process. Immoderate gambling is a fire to the flame of those who are involved with the love of money.
When you think about it, what do you really need in the next 24 hours to get by? If you take one day at a time, you really only need food and drink and Lord willing, a warm place to sleep. Without exercising moderation in every area of your life, you will spend hours of your day doing things that really don’t matter to God or your neighbor. Many people condemn drug use as a vile sin, but the love of money is far worse, because it is an addiction that will pull you away from giving others what they need most of all, your time.
1 Timothy 6:6-10 (KJB) But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
When you love things a little bit too much, self control and moderation goes out the window.
1 John 2:15-17 (KJB) 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. 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. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
In order to be faithful to the teachings of Christ, moderation needs to be exercised in every part of our life. Each of us have a tendency to want to overdo it at times, but we must be able to control ourselves. In my own opinion, having the qualities of moderation is probably one of the best qualities that you can have in your life, because if you possess it, you can overcome sin, serve the will of God from your heart, and prevent yourself from loving things a little bit too much, and,….
……Going to Extremes
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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