Temperance Part 10

The Lenten Season calls for a reflection of our Christianity.  Let’s reflect on the things that we have tried to Practice these last 9 weeks.  How much do we Love the Lord Jesus?  Do we have Joy in serving Him?  Have we noticed the Peace that passes all understanding? How do we handle the precious Longsuffering? Has Gentleness touched us in a special way?  What do we think about God requiring Goodness?  How strong is our Faith?  Do we have our emotions under control until Meekness is seen in our life? And then there is Temperance!  This Fruit of the Spirit is in the midst of an Exhortation concerning walking in the Spirit so that we do not fulfill the lust of the flesh. In this Scriptural Exhortation from Galatians Chapter 5 we are reminded about the works of the flesh: Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envying, drunkenness, raveling, murders. All this is summed up in VS17 “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.”  This is why the Apostle Paul wrote there is a “warring in my members;” it is the war between the flesh & the Spirit of God that lives in us. We are challenged by the forces of darkness, that we might show forth the Power of God’s strength within us.  It would do us good if we just looked up some of these words of darkness to have a greater understanding of what the Lord is talking about to us.  Today we take a look at Temperance. Temperance has several meanings:  Self discipline, moderation, restraint, habitual moderation in the indulgence of appetites or passions, abstinence from the use of intoxicating drink. Much like Meekness, Temperance is having our members under control. In the Greek Temperance is best translated by the word “Mastery.” Which indicates full control over self and the things that one might desire. There are various Passages of Scripture that remind us that we must Practice Temperance. Rom. 13:14“Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof.” And here is a Powerful thought: 1 Cor. 9:25 “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.”  Loving you, Pastor