Self Control is Simple

You need to practice some self-control. I might need a little work on it too. Which is part of the fruit that God wants to grow in us! Galatians 5:22–23 “ …the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.”

So is SELF-CONTROL about being good when we should?

sort of - it’s really about how God helps us to control how we respond to something or someone in a Godly manner. Other people and things going on in our life are never a reason to sin.

like God tells us in 1 Peter 4:3 “ For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles—when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries.” guys these are all sin

Gentiles is people who don’t know scriptures and were not Jews. We all (even the Jews) Naturally know what it is to be “bad” because we read His Word.

So we can tell right from wrong that way. People who have no self control are like that. They just do whatever they want not what the Word commands us to do.

There is an example of not having self-control in Galatians! Im gonna read 11-14 in the NLT

Galatians 2:11–13 “ But when Peter came to Antioch, I had to oppose him to his face, for what he did was very wrong. 12 When he first arrived, he ate with the Gentile believers, who were not circumcised. But afterward, when some friends of James came, Peter wouldn’t eat with the Gentiles anymore. He was afraid of criticism from these people who insisted on the necessity of circumcision. 13 As a result, other Jewish believers followed Peter’s hypocrisy, and even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy.”

Were they being patient? kind? gentle? What did Paul do?

Galatians 2:14 “ When I saw that they were not following the truth of the gospel message, I said to Peter in front of all the others, “Since you, a Jew by birth, have discarded the Jewish laws and are living like a Gentile, why are you now trying to make these Gentiles follow the Jewish traditions?”

Peter had lost control and forgotten a simple truth

Galatians 3:28 “ There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

You have choices. And consequences therof. If you chose to say yes to Jesus, He will help you! If you chose to obey Jesus, he will help you! Because the HS will live in you.

We each are filled by the Spirit in accordance with where we are at in our walk, you don't have to be jealous because it seems like God is helping someone more than you, instead be happy! Be blessed! God cares even about you when He helps a brother or sister in the faith. Be gentle and filled with joy! God loves you!

God gives you fruit so that you can be a good tree for others and the Lord!

Matthew 7:20 “ Therefore by their fruits you will know them.”

Hey! I know how we can do it! He says in Galatians 5:25 “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”

If I am living in the Spirit i will have the? FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT!

FINALLY, like we are told in Galatians 2:20 “My old self has been crucified with Christ.* It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

Oh wow! So if I just stop trying to be cool, or please people, and trust Jesus and live for Him, I can have that self-control?

Sure can! By just living for Him!

Let’s pray my Fruity Peeples.