Who Is In Control?

Who is in control?

Proverbs 25:28; “A person without self-control
      is like a city with broken-down walls.”

   In our everyday lives we like to have some semblance of order. We all like to be in control of our own lives. After all it is our one and only life. Contrary to what people say about re-incarnation you only get one chance at this life.  There are second chances in life, but there are no second chances at this life. So here we stand guided by our dreams and hopes, clawing and scratching and trying our best to be the best we can be. We are controlled by many things, in part by our ability to have self-control. The questions we ask ourselves are; Do we use our self-control the way it was meant to be used? Do we pick and choose when to show self-control? Do circumstances choose our ability to use self-control for us?

   We all have parts of our lives that we find difficult to control. From food to anger from relationships to habits, you name it something is really in control and it is not you. If we take inventory of the things we did this past week, how did you use your self-control in those seven days? Who or What got to you were you either showed self-control or lost it altogether? Here is the truth about self-control; to have it you must surrender control to God. It is only through surrendering to God’s grace and Holy Spirit and clothing ourselves with Jesus that we can have the strength to practice self-control in every situation in our lives.

   Here is what it looks like for some of us. You know you should come go to church yet you choose not to. Then you get this feeling of something missing in the pit of your stomach. You hear of an activity that is design for you to have fun and grow spiritually but constantly choose to go do something else. At the time it seemed like the thing to do, but down deep inside it left you empty. You decide that keeping your faith a secret will help you gain popularity and once you are popular you will tell people about it. You choose to pray when you need help yet you completely ignore God when everything is great in your life. You hear your parents, but you don’t listen. You talk harshly to them even though they are right and trying to look after you.  Do you make your choice of what to watch on TV and the internet or is someone else guiding you? Do you fall for the fancy ads that make everything look good when they are really just drawing you away from what God has for you?

Self-control or selfish-control, you be the judge.

RH

Exerpt from the sermon "The Other F-Word"

*Asking for forgiveness…

   Forgiveness doesn’t work unless we change our attitude of why we forgive or ask for forgiveness. All of us at some point or another consciously or unconsciously will ask ourselves this; what’s in it for me? Selfishness rears its ugly head and whoop there it is! What started as a noble cause turns into a, “I feel better now moment”.  That is why forgiving works for God so well. He is not keeping track of what’s in it for him and you know why? THERE IS NOTHING IN IT FOR HIM, He has everything. There is not one thing in this vast universe that God needs from us, yet the mystery of his infinite heart and mind gives us this ray of hope, HE WANTS US. 

   For some reason God wants you and me and he wants to forgive ALL of our sins……I know what you’re thinking, did he just say that? Yes I did, “God wants to forgive ALL of our sins”, try to put your mind around that thought, I’ll wait a few seconds……..All our sins; name calling, inappropriate relationships, disobedience to parents, authorities or God, cheating of any kind, lustful thoughts towards the opposite sex or same sex for that matter, Complaining and moaning about trivial stuff, not sharing the gospel, not serving others, idol worship (music, movies, TV, Video games, etc.), "That’s the way we’ve always done it" syndrome, gossip, The good old boys club or the good old girls club, “the holy clicks if you will”, the list goes on and on….The point is this, it’s not enough to know your sins, you have to do something about it! God allows us to forget the sins we forgive others, because otherwise we would withhold love from them, but we are given memory of ours to stay humble enough to not go back there ever! 

   If we don’t live the way God wants us to live.  We can bring sorrow to the Holy Spirit by the way we live. Asking for forgiveness must come at a time where we are desperate for God. It has to come at a time like in Psalm 38:5-6   “My wounds are foul and festering because of my foolishness. I am bent over and brought low; all day long I go around in mourning.”

 David ‘s sin towards God created such pain within him he was in the fetal position begging God for forgiveness. Have you been there?…Are you there now but are too proud to admit it? Do you need to cry out to Jesus today; do you have to do that today?…is your sin eating you up in a way that you need to cry out to God like David? Don't wait any longer call out to Him who loves you just the way you are, repent and change your life today.

Day 1

Today I became a blogger. Let's see what good i can do in this world.
rh