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Say "NO!"


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:

What Must Be Taught to Various Groups
1You must teach what is in accord with sound doctrine. 2Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance.

3Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. 4Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, 5to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.

6Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled. 7In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness 8and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.

9Teach slaves to be subject to their masters in everything, to try to please them, not to talk back to them, 10and not to steal from them, but to show that they can be fully trusted, so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive.

11For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. 12It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 14who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

15These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you.

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!

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