If you’re in a crowd of people outside, in a meeting, at a ball game, or in church YOU WON’T stop and use it right then and there.
Why?
Because you have RESTRAINT.
No matter HOW strong the urge, how painful, you would rather hold it in rather than disgrace and embarrass yourself.
Too many times we in the Body of Christ use the excuse, “I just couldn’t help myself!”
Too many Christians are perfectly content using profanity…retaliating…and giving in to their flesh, and quickly use the excuse, “I just couldn’t hold it in”!
Peter is well known for his lack of restraint. On the Mount of Transfiguration he quickly blurted out, “Let us build three tabernacles, one for Jesus, Moses and Elijah!(Matthew 17:4).
After Jesus was arrested, when accused of knowing Him, Peter cursed (Matthew 26:74, Mark 14:71). But, Jesus knew of Peter’s spontaneity, and had already prayed for him and told him that when he is converted to strengthen his brothers (Luke 22:32). One of the things Peter was going to have to do was learn RESTRAINT.
One of the fruit of the Spirit is TEMPERANCE or SELF-CONTROL (Galatians 5:22).
It’s true we can’t do anything without the help of God, but he has given us the power to restrain our flesh as well.
You don’t have to use profanity (cuss).
You don’t have to get even.
You don’t have to let everybody know EXACTLY HOW YOU FEEL.
Just the same as you can HOLD BACK when you have to use the bathroom (flesh), you can hold back when that person of the opposite sex is trying to tempt you.
Let’s be just like our heavenly Father. Because when you think about it, that’s what MERCY is…God holding back the wrath and judgment we deserve.
Have you ever heard a father brag about paying the bills? Putting food on the table? He may even say, “I deserve to run around with the fellas or hang our because he’s holding it down for his family. Have you ever heard a mother brag about taking care of her family? About being at home for her children? Have you heard a father or mother brag about not ‘running the streets’, about dealing with the difficulties of life without turning to drugs or alcohol?
How about this one? ” I’m faithful to my spouse!”
Have you ever heard a child brag about doing their homework and staying out of trouble?
Have you every heard a Christian brag about regularly attending church, being faithful in giving or studying their bible?
This is all good, but it is absolutely nothing to brag about.
Why?
Because they are all doing what they are supposed to do. They are all doing what’s expected of them.
What’s unfortunate that we live in a society where so many people are not doing what they supposed to do, that those who are may seem beyond the norm, or even special…feel they deserve a pat on the back.
One of my favorite movie scenes is in the movie, “Guess Whose Coming To Dinner” when Roy Glenn’s character who played Sidney Poitier’s character’s father was lecturing his adult son about how hard he worked to make sure he had everything he needed, as he objected to his son dating a white woman. He told him this as if his son owed him something for providing for him. Sidney Poitier’s character quickly rebuked his father for making him feel obligated for doing what he was supposed to do. He then lovingly acknowledged his love and respect for him.
In an age absent and distracted parents and rebellious children, those doing their duty can begin to feel special…when they actually aren’t.
Notice what Jesus had to say about simply doing our duty…
Luke 17:7-10 (NKJV)
7 And which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and sit down to eat’? 8 But will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare something for my supper, and gird yourself and serve me till I have eaten and drunk, and afterward you will eat and drink’? 9 Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I think not.[a] 10 So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.’”
Be thankful if God has blessed you with a mind and the discipline to hold down your role as father, mother, son, daughter, employee, citizen, disciple, Pastor as expected. Yes, we all make mistakes, but you haven’t gotten ‘caught up’ or distracted to the level of some others…but we should never think we deserve a pat on the back, are ‘special’,or ‘owed something’ for doing our duty as God expects.
Atheists love to prove not only Christians to be wrong, but anyone who they consider to be a ‘theist’.
In their passion to discredit the God, the bible, and those of us who believe wrong, many go to two sources…
SCIENCE
THE BIBLE
The fact is that if you have had a conversation with atheists, or monitored/participated in an online or physical forum with them, they often quote scriptures from the bible…
Questioning them…
Belittling them…
Mocking them…
Trying to find contradictions in them…
Trying to disqualify them and anyone who believes them.
Many of them dig pretty deep and go as far as to STUDY the bible trying to look for evidence to make their case against it stronger.
However, this tactic is not new. Even the devil himself knows the bible and tried to use it against Yeshua (Jesus Christ) in the wilderness…
Matthew 4:1-11 (NKJV)
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. 3 Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” 4 But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ ” 5 Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, 6 and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over you,’ and, ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’ ” 7 Jesus said to him, “It is written again, ‘You shall not [a]tempt the Lord your God.’ ” 8 Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.” 10 Then Jesus said to him, [b]“Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ” 11 Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.
It’s unfortunate that many Christians are not equipped to contend against an atheist whose using the word of God because they don’t read and study it enough for themselves. It is essential that we in the Body of Christ study the work of God not only for our own relationship with God and spiritual maturity, but so we can be ready to give an answer to those who refute it…
2 Timothy 2:15 (NKJV)
15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
1 Peter 3:15 (NKJV)
15 But [a]sanctify [b]the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;
Psalm 119:11 (NKJV)
11 Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You.
The word of God should be a part of our daily spiritual nourishment. Any Christian who goes days, weeks, months and even years without studying God’s word along with history, culture, biblical language and anthropology…is seriously spiritually malnourished. In many ways believers who don’t study God’s word do more harm to the Kingdom of God than good.
It’s a good practice to add to you prayer life prayers for atheists who read the bible trying to disprove it, that God will let what they read be ‘good seed in good soil’. Pray that God will actually give increase to the ‘seed of the word’ that they read so that they can believe in Him through Jesus Christ. Pray that God actually makes them laborers for His harvest, and give them a passion FOR Him that is even greater than the passion they had against them…
Matthew 9:38 (NKJV)
38 Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”
If Saul/Paul, a man who passionately worked to destroy the church can be converted…anyone can.
How often do you enjoy quality time with God in His word? PLEASE don’t dishonor God by allowing an atheist to know more about His word than you.
BE BLESSTIFIED! 