Welcome to in Bolden, where through Bible scripture and commentary we seek a bold fate, and in doing so we share the amazing love and message of the saving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Hello, I'm Chris Shatter. I'm an ordinary Christian seeking a deeper relationship with our extraordinary God. Won't you join me?
Hi friends, are you looking for a life full of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and that ever-alusive self-control? Please join me over the next few weeks as we take a look at the Bible's verse in Galatians 5, 22 to 23, so we can experience the Christian life in full bloom. It always seems to start with just one bite, one taste, one look, one try. And we soon find ourselves groaning in disbelief that we hate it all again.
Did the one thing we were working so hard to avoid again? Disappointed someone again, backslid again. You know, the world wants to blame Adam for this problem, but it was Eve, sorry ladies, who started us down this ugly path of weakness, self-gratification, and indulgence. To be fair, it was who she decided to put her trust in that caused the great fall.
Two parties working in concert, Satan and Eve's pridefulness, to disobey God's command that fateful day led us to where we are today. Adam, that poor soul, had a two-against-one situation, convincing him, all was well. Well, of course, it really was two-on-two, if Adam had simply spoke God's name and asked for help. God's omnipotence would have been the finger-pressed heavily on the scale for Adam and Eve and to turn from the fruit and question.
But because they both placed their trust in what Pastor John Ortberg calls a wobbly rock, we find ourselves repeating a version of the world's first story each and every day. Pastor Ortberg describes this wobbly rock like the one he decided to put his trust in one day while crossing the stream. It looked secure and rooted in the soil, and as he leapt on it with his full weight, the rock gave way and into the water he went. It resulted in numerous injuries.
And the question I have for you today is, what wobbly rock are you placing your trust in? Timothy 3, 1 through 5's reminds us of a lot of wobbly rocks. But mark this, there will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power, having absolutely nothing to do with such people.
I suppose we should ask, are we such people that Paul is wherning against? In C.S. Lewis's essay on the three kinds of men, he describes the first type of man as one who lives totally for themselves without any acknowledgement of a higher power who will possibly pass judgment on them or have any expectations of them. It's a lot of those people in that list in 2 Timothy.
And for this person, the idea of self-control is maybe based on the whim of the day. I should or I shouldn't enter into their vocabulary based on maybe family, social group or society's expectations. This person places their trust in a shifting set of rules based on new emotions, facts and desires. Today's well done is most likely tomorrow's regret, not because of eternal judgment but because the rules have now changed.
The second person in Mr. Lewis's essay says, most of society reflects. They know they should live a certain way and certainly try to do so, but only after they have first ensured their own security and happiness. This person believes in the higher power, may even call him God or Jesus.
These are atoms and eaves. They've experienced God in some way, but are divided in where they put their full trust. They give to their church or charities but only as leftovers. They stand up for the higher power as long as it doesn't cost them too much.
They are drawn to wanting to fit in with the latest views on sexuality and morality while at the same time knowing the truth of God's word. They might call their faith personal and wouldn't dream of sharing it. They quote, do the right thing because they think they have to or else God might be angry or maybe to gain favor with God. Their self-control still stems from their own will, but gets a nice dose of God guilt on top when they fail to meet what they think God wants from them.
It's a wobbly rock for sure. Charles Stanley says this is like many times, however, we take it on ourselves to define what's good for us and we can be tempted to doubt God for disagreeing with us. Doesn't that sound exactly like Adam and Eve? Their self-control lasted only as long as something sounded a bit better or reasonable?
You see, Satan didn't erase God from their minds. No, he took God's words and twisted them in such a way that fed their gift of self-will. And I can only imagine the guilt and shame they must have felt as they packed up their fig leaves, a few bags of grain and fruit and passed from the garden gates. And from that day forth, they probably tried really, really hard to do the right thing, yet knew they were weak and could easily black backslide in the self-gratification.
It sounds like them, but it does also kind of sound like us. Before we look at the third man in Mr. Lewis' essay, I have a task for you today. Pastor Ortberg recommends taking this personal inventory to find out with honesty, where we sit with God.
Are we relying on a wobbly rock which either leads us to temporary self-control or a self-control gun with a I have to attitude? Now, this is not a confession to God. It's just an inventory taking. There's no guilt, no correction, just a self-examination.
Be fearless and searching, remembering God loves you. One, pride. Is ego ever on the throne in my life? Self-promotion, selfishness, a sense of entitlement, or lack of being the servant?
Anger. Where's their resentment in me? Where are the obsessive thoughts that I want to strike out at all the time? Have I gotten physically violent or just redrawn coldly?
Sexuality. Are there decisions I've made around my sexual behavior where I feel regret or guilt? Have I been unfaithful? Are there patterns of addiction and sexual pornography?
Have I crossed lines and relationships? Have I been the victim of sexual assault or molestation? Envy. Do I ever compare myself to other people?
Their appearance, career, family, bank account, etc. Gluttony. Do I use food as a way to escape or isn't good for my body? Or are there other types of appetites that would lead my body down the wrong path?
Sloth. This is not just a lack of activity, but is there a failure to do what just needs to be done? And do I ever procrastinate with things that have high value? In greed.
Do I ever hoard? Am I gripped by a false sense of financial insecurity? Do I not manage finance as well? Do I give the way God would want me to?
Remember, after you've completed this searching about where you lack in self-control or have placed your trust? If you are a follower of Jesus, God will lead you out of any guilt or shame. Turn to Him for He is the God who restores. I hope you enjoyed this episode of the emboldened podcast.
Be sure to follow along so you don't miss any episode. And check out my blog at emboldened.net.