And to Knowledge Self-control

2 Peter 1:6a “and to knowledge self-control”

          Lord, I want to camp out on this passage for a while so I do not rush through but can let all of what You want me to know and obey here becomes part of my daily life for Your glory.

          When I was a baby, I had no self-control.  Sometimes I would nurse until I was over full and then would lose a good part of what I had eaten on my mom’s shoulder.  I would emit loud body noised without restraint. (OK, I confess that still happens from time to time, but hopefully not in public!)  I screamed and cried when I wanted or needed something.  Babies are like that.  It fell to my parents and older siblings to teach me better self-control as I got older.  They also had the help of school teachers and Sunday School teachers over the years.  I was taught manner and common courtesy and how to be less selfish and more self-controlled.

          Lord, I need self-control in lots of areas, and now I have Your Holy Spirit to intervene in me to make me more self-controlled.

Speech:

·        Do not interrupt, even if I have something to add or have correction that is needed.  A fool answers a matter before he hears it!

·        Hold my tongue when an evil thought pushes its way into my brain, so it does not spill out of my mouth. If you can’t say something nice, say nothing at all.

·        Hold back a lie and replace it with the truth. Love does not lie but rejoices in the truth.

·        Hold back bitter words and replace them with blessing. Let no corrupt communication come out of your mouth but only what will build up the saints. (PP)

·        Hold my tongue and leave a conversation that is going downhill.

Eating:

·        Restrain when I really want that dessert, second sandwich, second helping of something that I like and is good for me, but that I really do not need.

·        By passing up the junk food and taking in a more healthy diet.

·        Pass up the dessert or snack tray.

·        Don’t put more on my plate than I should eat and get up when that is gone.

Exercise:

·        Instead of being a couch potato, get up and get moving doing something industrious and worthwhile.

·        Don’t use a handicap hang tag for convenience

·        Park in a spot far from the door at work or the store instead of parking in a close spot.

Studying:

·        To actually heed the time slot I have carved out for Bible Study and go into it wholeheartedly.

·        To take the time to actually learn what I am supposed to be learning about the technology given me to do my job more effectively, not just go to the classes and then neglecting the knowledge I have been given.