Day 10: January 17, 2024
Plant the Seeds of Self-Control
Passage: Romans 8:12 Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. 13 For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.
Ponder: Have you ever heard the phrase, “The proofs in the marshmallow”? Probably not, I just made it up to make a point. Over sixty years ago, Ivy League professor Walter Mischel conducted studies on self-control. In one study, he sat a group of five-year olds in a room by themselves for 15 minutes with one marshmallow. They were asked to not eat the marshmallow and told that if they refrained from eating the one, they would receive two marshmallows as a reward. As expected, some of the children could not refrain from eating the marshmallow, no matter how much they squirmed. Others did refrain and received their promised reward. In the years that followed, Dr. Mischel observed that those who had exhibited self-control as a preschooler, went on to have higher SAT scores, more advanced degrees, were thinner, and dealt with stress better, than those who ate their one marshmallow.
Self-control matters, whether it’s marshmallows, matters of the mind, or managing the appetites of the sin nature. Self-control is the ability to exercise constraint, and to say “no” to the base desires of human flesh, the lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and sinful pride. It is the last of the fruit of the Spirit Paul lists in Galatians chapter five, but it certainly is not least. If we fail to say no to ungodliness and sin gratifying desires, we will pay a destructive price. Plant the seeds of self-control, feed the Spirit within you with God’s Word, prayer and obedience, and starve your flesh nature by cutting off the influences that stimulate sinful thoughts and attitudes. Realize, and always remember you have the Holy Spirit’s fulness giving you the supernatural ability to say “NO” to your marshmallow.
Practice: Are there some things you are viewing, listening to, reading or otherwise participating in that feed your sinful flesh nature? How will you cut that off and give room for the Spirit of Christ to grow stronger in you?
Pray: Make Psalms 141:3-5 be your prayer today;
“Post a guard at my mouth, GOD, set a watch at the door of my lips.
Don’t let me so much as dream of evil or thoughtlessly fall into bad company.
And these people who only do wrong—don’t let them lure me with their sweet talk!
May the Just One set me straight, may the Kind One correct me,
Don’t let sin anoint my head. I’m praying hard against their evil ways!”
Plant the Seeds of Self-Control
Passage: Romans 8:12 Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. 13 For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.
Ponder: Have you ever heard the phrase, “The proofs in the marshmallow”? Probably not, I just made it up to make a point. Over sixty years ago, Ivy League professor Walter Mischel conducted studies on self-control. In one study, he sat a group of five-year olds in a room by themselves for 15 minutes with one marshmallow. They were asked to not eat the marshmallow and told that if they refrained from eating the one, they would receive two marshmallows as a reward. As expected, some of the children could not refrain from eating the marshmallow, no matter how much they squirmed. Others did refrain and received their promised reward. In the years that followed, Dr. Mischel observed that those who had exhibited self-control as a preschooler, went on to have higher SAT scores, more advanced degrees, were thinner, and dealt with stress better, than those who ate their one marshmallow.
Self-control matters, whether it’s marshmallows, matters of the mind, or managing the appetites of the sin nature. Self-control is the ability to exercise constraint, and to say “no” to the base desires of human flesh, the lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and sinful pride. It is the last of the fruit of the Spirit Paul lists in Galatians chapter five, but it certainly is not least. If we fail to say no to ungodliness and sin gratifying desires, we will pay a destructive price. Plant the seeds of self-control, feed the Spirit within you with God’s Word, prayer and obedience, and starve your flesh nature by cutting off the influences that stimulate sinful thoughts and attitudes. Realize, and always remember you have the Holy Spirit’s fulness giving you the supernatural ability to say “NO” to your marshmallow.
Practice: Are there some things you are viewing, listening to, reading or otherwise participating in that feed your sinful flesh nature? How will you cut that off and give room for the Spirit of Christ to grow stronger in you?
Pray: Make Psalms 141:3-5 be your prayer today;
“Post a guard at my mouth, GOD, set a watch at the door of my lips.
Don’t let me so much as dream of evil or thoughtlessly fall into bad company.
And these people who only do wrong—don’t let them lure me with their sweet talk!
May the Just One set me straight, may the Kind One correct me,
Don’t let sin anoint my head. I’m praying hard against their evil ways!”
Posted in Harvest Devotionals
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