Control Issues

June 29, 2020

DAILY READING

1 Thessalonians 4:9-12

FIELD NOTES

We can’t control a lot in life.  We can’t control who are family is.  We can’t control where our parents raise us.  We can’t control if we will be laid off or not.  We can’t control if our kids will be boys or girls.  We can’t control if we win the lottery and never have to work again.  We can’t control if it is going to rain.  We can’t control what anyone else in the world is going to do at any given moment. 

We really don’t have a lot of control.  

But what we can control, is our own actions.  We can choose to love.  We can choose joy over sorrow. We can choose to make peace.  We can choose to be patient. We can choose to be kind.  We can choose to do good and be generous.  We can choose to be faithful to what we know is right.  We can choose to have a gentle spirit.

Self-control, our last fruit of the Spirit, is what ties everything together.  We may not control a lot.  But we can control ourselves.

Amen.

QUESTIONS FOR THE FIELD

• Why is self-control so hard?
• What are some growth areas you have in regards to self-control?

PRAYER GUIDE

Lord, help us choose you and your ways always.  Amen.  

FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT CHALLENGE

For the duration of our sermon series, we are offering daily prompts for applying the wisdom from the scriptures to our everyday lives. Each week focuses on how we can encourage those around us and bear fruit! This week we are focusing on the fruit of self-control.

An athlete who refuses to play by the rules will never get anywhere. It’s the diligent farmer who gets the produce.
2 Timothy 2:5-6

Take a moment to reflect on God’s sovereignty. Is there something that God is calling you to give up control over? Is there someone you know who could use encouragement today?

To learn more about the Fruit of the Spirit challenge, click here.