Fruit of The Spirit, Temperance,

Temperance

Welcome today. We are wrapping up the Series "The Fruit of The Spirit." We have already discussed Love, Joy, Peace, Longsuffering, Gentleness, Goodness, Faith, and Meekness. Today we wrap things up with Temperance. Have you noticed a pattern?

What is Temperance? "Teetotalism, Abstinence, Abstention, Sobriety, Self-Restraint; Prohibition" As a matter of fact, other translations, nearly all of them, substitute "Self-Control." As a Child of God, we MUST have "Self-Control." And with the Holy Spirit, you can..

"This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would." {Galatians 5:16-17}

Remember....

"For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them." {Ephesians 5:8-11}

WE as Children of God have Grace,

"For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;" {Titus 2:11-13}

So we should be showing it as well. We are no longer part of this world. Oh we are in it. But we are no longer part of it. Nor should we be..

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." {Romans 12:1-2}

See, we are no longer controlled by the Flesh. We are no longer controlled by the things of this World. We are New Creatures and we are NOW SONS and DAUGHTERS, of GOD!!!! WE are joint heirs with Christ Himself. All that is, was, or ever will be, is OURS!!! We will inherit all. We are Princes and Princesses of Heaven. That is our Home now. We have unlimited access to God. We have the ability to boldly walk into the very Throne Room of God. We have unlimited Power.

Yet? We are to BE Love, Joyful, Longsuffering, Gentle, showing Goodness, Meekness, and Self-Control. We are not to be puffed up. We are not to "Lord over" anyone. We are not to be Arrogant or Cruel. We are suppose to be Christ like.

Remember, John warned us about this in 1 John 4

"Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world."

Pretty simple to understand. Is it not? With Jesus, God? Minus Jesus, NOT GOD. Your Religion without Jesus is pointless and wrong. Sorry. I understand that some see this as narrow minded, or exclusive. It really is not. Rather, it is the opposite. It is all INCLUSIVE. It does not matter who or what you are. It does not matter what you have ever done, where you are from, nor, anything else. If you accept Jesus, YOU ARE SAVED. If not, you are NOT Saved.. It is simple. Anything else is a lie.

"Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error."

Remember Jesus even told us we will know the Tree by it's Fruit {Matt 12:33, Luke 6:44 }

"Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins."

Again, God's plan is simple. Believe in Jesus Live? Reject Jesus and Live not. {John 3:16-18}

"Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.

Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world."

Again, we are to be "Christ Like." We have received such Love, we should be showing such Love.

"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. We love him, because he first loved us. If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also." {1 John 4}

You see, it is NEVER about us. What John is telling us here is that God so Loved us that He paid the ultimate price for us. He came to earth in the Flesh, and ALLOWED us to shed His Blood for US. He did so while we were yet Wretched Sinners. While we were wading around in the Muck and Sinful Murk that we created and celebrated in, He came and died FOR us. He Loved us this much. We ought to show this type of Love to others.

You see, in this Series from Galatians 5, we learned that the Flesh has it's Works, or Fruit. But the Fruits of the Flesh are poisonous. They are "Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like." Those in the Flesh WILL Produce these without thought nor effort. It just is. As a Daphne Plant will produce VERY Poisonous Berries and Twigs, the Flesh WILL Produce these Poisonous Fruits.

So we, as Children of God, with the Spirit in us, will now Produce the Fruit of the Spirit, which are "love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law." Which fruit would you rather be enjoying? What fruit, are you, as a Child of God, offering to others?

Do you know Jesus as your Savior? Have you been adopted into the Family of God? If not, say this Prayer. Right now. Wherever you may be. Say it in your own words, and do not doubt in your heart. God will hear you. He will send the Spirit of Life to you. Let us Pray..

"Oh heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Jesus's sacrifice for me. I repent my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Jesus, Amen!"

That's it. It really is that simple. Now go tell someone what you have just done. "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." {Romans 10:9} You need to find a Church that God leads you to, and be Baptized the way Jesus said to be. You are now a Child of God. A new Creature. You "have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him." {Colossians 3:10}

If you want to tell me, or comment, question, give testimonials, or just say "Hi," the Email is opntalk@gmail.com

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. {2 Corinthians 13}

Until next time, be Blessed, be a Blessing, and Jesus IS Lord..