Tuesday, April 21, 2009, 6:00 a.m. – I woke to this song:
Christ Returneth / H. L. Turner / James McGranahan
It may be at morn, when the day is awaking,
When sunlight through darkness and shadow is breaking
That Jesus will come in the fullness of glory
To receive from the world "His own."
Oh, joy! oh, delight! should we go without dying,
No sickness, no sadness, no dread and no crying.
Caught up through the clouds with our Lord into glory,
When Jesus receives "His own."
O Lord Jesus, how long, how long
Ere we shout the glad song,
Christ returneth! Hallelujah!
Hallelujah! Amen. Hallelujah! Amen.
I woke periodically through the night with a reoccurring dream running through my head, but there was never enough substance to it to formulate it into words. And, I had another dream right before waking, but it faded away as soon as I got out of bed. I prayed, asking the Lord to help me remember them if they were of him, but still they are faded. Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening. I read Titus 2:
My Thoughts: I noticed, in reading this passage of scripture, that the word “self-control” was used four times:
- Older men must be self-controlled
- Older women must live self-controlled lives so that they can teach the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure
- Young men are to be self-controlled
- All of us are to say “NO” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives
And, then we are given the manner in which we are able to live self-controlled lives – it is the grace of God that provides the way and it is the grace of God that teaches us to say “NO!” And, the hope is that first of all Jesus gave himself up to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, and that one day Jesus will return for his bride and we will no longer struggle with sin. Amen!
Self-control: “self-discipline; willpower; restraint; strength of mind; strength of will; the ability to control your own behavior, especially in terms of reactions and impulses” (Encarta Dictionary & Thesaurus).
Wickedness: “corruption, depravity, immorality” (MWC Thesaurus). “Evil; iniquity; sin; malice; profoundly immoral or wrong; deliberately causing great harm or pain” (Encarta Dictionary & Thesaurus on wickedness/evil).
Purify: “to rid something of harmful, inferior, or unwanted contaminants, or get rid of harmful, inferior, or unwanted contaminants; to free somebody of sin, guilt, or defilement” (Encarta Dictionary).
Jesus came to set us free from the bondage to and the penalty of sin. We do not have to be controlled by sin any longer! Hallelujah!! It doesn’t mean we will never sin, but that sin doesn’t have to control us; we don’t have to live in bondage to it; it is to no longer master us, but we are to master it through the grace of God in Christ Jesus, our Lord, through his death, burial and resurrection and his conquering over sin and death. We can say “NO” to sin, because Jesus died to set us free!
Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation—but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God (Romans 8:12-13 NIV).
May we all, by the Spirit’s power within us, put to death the misdeeds of our bodies and then walk according to the Spirit within us to the glory of God. May we daily say “NO” to Satan and to our flesh and may we live self-controlled, godly lives. May we allow the Holy Spirit within us to daily purify us from all unrighteousness so that we can live upright and godly lives while we wait for the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. To God be the glory, great things HE has done! Amen!
