June 22, 2025
How’s Yours?
Galatians
5:22+23
We have
finally arrived at the last of the 9 fruits of the spirit and it is self
control. When we think of self-control we can go off in several directions. For
this to be one of the fruits of the spirit it is clear that this should be used
in a positive way for the followers of Christ. So lets look at some of the ways
self-control is important to not just a believer but for everyone.
When you
think of self control what comes to mind? One of the things that comes to mind for
me is food. I have heard more than one person say they just don’t have any self
control when it comes to chocolate or certain snacks or their favorite food.
Others may say when comes to shopping or on a more negative side alcohol or
gambling. There are many things in life that challenge our self-control and it
is different for every person.
There are
clearly other places that self-control is important to have. When we are having
conversations with one another things can be said that may make us want to
respond a certain way that may not always be helpful. There is the old saying
that encourages us to count to 10, at the very least before we respond.
When we are
working on something or making something and nothing is going like it should be
self-control can help us not make a bad situation worse. As I have been listing
some of these different ways self-control can be very helpful did other examples
or some different situations you have faced come to mind? There are so many
ways self-control can prevent us from making a situation worse than it
needs to be.
Many of the
things I mentioned to begin with, in regard to self-control, help us to be
healthier, happier people if we can limit or eliminate certain things in our
lives. The things mentioned later on sometimes has to do with how we interact
with one another. A couple of verses in the Bible that encourages us to have
self-control when working or speaking to one another is found in James 1:19+20.
There we read “My dear brothers, and I might add sisters, take note of this:
Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry,
for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.”
Self-control
can help each and everyone of us in a number of ways. Whether it’s our eating
and drinking habits or the things we do or even the things we might watch on
television having proper moderation, self-control, can help us keep our lives
more in the balance that will help us in the long run. I believe self-control
is one of the fruits of the spirit because God clearly knows that living a life
where we are in control and not the things in and around us will always be best
for us.
The only way
to do that is to allow the Holy Spirit the freedom to operate in us and
through us as God intends for each one of his children. As important as
self-control is to our health and our well being the verse we read from James
points out that possibly the most important use of self-control can be when we
are dealing with one another. We started off with the sermon title How’s Yours?
As we have looked at a variety of ways self-control is important to us what
kind of score do you give yourself? If you’re like me you might have to admit I
do okay in some areas and not as good in others. Through the power of the Holy
spirit no matter what age we are we can continue to have this fruit continue to
grow in our lives. Self- control is available to every child of God if you’re not
quite where you would like to be ask God to help you have the self-control he
wants you, us to have.
Pastor Larry
Announcements:
Sunday
School 9:00
Tuesdays
9:30
Bible Study
TODAY after
worship—executive committee
June
25 6:30 pm Search Committee meeting—please join us if you
are interested in helping with this important work
June
29 newsletter
submission deadline for July/August issue
July 2
– 6 Annual
Conference
July
10 6:00 Board meeting—commissions first and then full board
First
Sundays: Food Bank donations
Pastor
Larry Traxler (217) 454-2362
Keep in Your Prayers
Bill Traughber; Martha Wood; Stacie
Warren; Nancy Fansler; Ruth Siburt; Dorthea Wood; Mike and Kathy Gentry; Steve
Needham; Larry Traxler; Nancy Gorrell; Nora Hanaver; Ron and Kathleen Petersen;
Doug Larrick; Louis & Carol Sulwer; Shirley & Carroll Clarkson; David
and Jan Bower; Debbie Garvey Leibrock; Adiline Young; Mayo and Darlene Hanaver;
many unspoken requests; victims of shootings and of natural disasters;
shut-ins; the Nigerian church; the Haitian church; the CoB in the Democratic
Republic of Congo; those in the middle of war and violence; military and other
services and their families; Brethren Volunteer Service workers; Disaster
project workers; immigrants, the poor and needy
District Prayer Calendar: Pray for our congregation and for
the work of the CoB Global Missions Office.
