“God’s Spirit does not make cowards out of us. The Spirit gives us power, love, and self-control*.” (2 Timothy 1:7 CEV).

*FYI: In other translations of this verse, you will see synonyms for self-control such as sound mind, self-discipline, sound judgment, wise discretion, and sobriety.

The above passage was written by Paul to Timothy, a young paster. Paul also wrote to another young pastor, Titus, and said: “Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled. In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and 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.” (Titus 2:6-8). And do not think the rest of us are off the hook. Paul also addressed women (Titus 2:5) and older men (Titus 2:2) about this need for self-control.

In this series, we have been taking the approach of looking at the fruits of the Spirit where they originate, as attributes of God. God, as creator and sovereign, is ultimately in control. “Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control” (Hebrews 2:8). The perfect example of self-control is in the life of Jesus, Son of God. As divine, Jesus had the power to do whatever he wanted, but He came to earth to fulfill his Father’s will as expressed in the Scriptures. He even said, “Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?” (Matthew 26:53-54).

Like many of you, I have spent parts of my life out of control, and I have spent parts of my life desperately seeking self-control. In both cases, I experienced frustration. Can you identify? As I have pondered my somewhat futile efforts toward self-control, I have tried to understand my motivation as well as to evaluate my efforts and the outcomes. At one time I thought that if I could get my life under control, then I could do all the things that God wanted me to do and be the person God wanted me to be. I confess that much of my motivation was self-centered, I wanted self-control for the sake of self-control, to pridefully say I was the master of myself.

This all changed for me when I began to understand the teaching in Galatians about the fruits of the spirit. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22-23). It had originally seemed to me that self-control should have been the first fruit, so that I could then begin to exhibit all the other fruits. But that is not what the Scripture says, is it? In fact, I am not sure there is an order of fruits in this passage from most to least important. What I do know is that I will never possess right self-control unless my motivation is to emulate Christ and his desire to fulfill God’s will. “For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me” (John 6:38).

Paul took this fruit of self-control very seriously. He wrote to the Corinthians: “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but I will not be mastered by anything. (1 Corinthians 6:12). And again, “Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.” (1 Corinthians 9:26-27).

These verses encompass all aspects of human behavior. For me, it can include:

1. Getting up in the morning in time to do my daily devotion (and not getting sidetracked by Facebook, emails, or Wordle).
2. Spending intentional time in prayer.
3. Eating less and drinking more water. Not eating that extra cookie or piece of chocolate.
4. Getting my workout in regularly and staying active rather than so much screen time.
5. Making a point to see to the need of others.
6. Keeping my mouth shut when what I would have said would not have been beneficial or necessary.

You get the point. It is the daily, moment-by-moment Spirit-empowered decisions regarding what we think, say, and do. And the objective is not self-control for the sake of self-control. It is so that we are fit for God’s work and using our gifts and time and resources for His glory, and so that we will not be disqualified for the prize. Self-control is not our ticket to eternal life; but it does work in conjunction with all the other fruits of the spirit as we grow in sanctification, so that our lives will be as aligned and in step with the Holy Spirit as possible.

“For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ…” (Titus 2:11-13).

Seek to do God’s will always and know that you are able. “I can do all this through him who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13).

In Christ,

Judy

Self-Control and the Power of Christ

“After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper” (1 Kings 19:12).

“Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey” (Zechariah 9:9).

We are coming to the end of this study on God’s communicable attributes and how we are to emulate them as we have been gifted by the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). Previous devotions focused on the attributes/fruits of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, and faithfulness. Next week we will focus on the last one, self-control. Today we are focusing on the attribute of gentleness. The first scripture referenced above is about how God chose to reveal himself to Elijah: not with strong wind, earthquake, or fire but with a gentle whisper. The second one is a prophecy about Jesus, son of God, who ministered with gentleness. Isaiah also speaks of this attribute of God in his beautiful Chapter 40 on comfort for God’s people when he writes “He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young” (Isaiah 40:11).

I am especially desiring to write about this attribute of gentleness because it is so desperately needed in our culture when so much of what we see and hear is harsh and hateful. Whether it is a physical confrontation or Facebook rant, anger and hostility drive the conversations rather than love and understanding. All the spiritual gifts listed above are available to all believers through the Spirit, but to think, speak, and act with gentleness requires that we make moment-by-moment choices, empowered by the Holy Spirit, in our interactions with others.

When I was growing up, I remember that we kids would get on our mom’s last nerve, and she was constantly having to get on to us. While she was never a screamer, she did raise her voice much of the time because that was the only way she could get through to us kids. Occasionally, Mom would work a temporary job and we would stay with a babysitter nearby. I was always impressed, even as a child, about how this babysitter could command all of us to do what she wanted us to do, and she never raised her voice. For one thing, I was not used to that. For another, she spoke softly, so you had to shut up just to hear her, and then we seemed to settle down and comply. Her gentleness did not conflict with her firmness; she was powerful in her gentleness. That made an impression on me, and I wanted to emulate her manner with my own children and others that I dealt with.

Gentleness, along with kindness, seem like odd attributes, especially in this line up of major attributes such as love, joy, peace, faithfulness, etc. But we certainly see many biblical references to gentleness as an effective tool in our relations with others and in our testimony.

Here are some of those passages.

“A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger” (Proverbs 15:1). We know this is true because we have seen how gentle speech and actions work to de-escalate potential altercations among our guests. Guess what, it works in all types of situations.

“Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation aways be full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone” (Colossians 4:5-6). Instead of harshness, if we speak with love and gentleness, we will be able to communicate so much more effectively. And isn’t that the objective, to understand and be understood?

“But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.” (1 Peter 3:14-16). Our gentleness pleases God because it reflects His nature.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30). This passage is the fulfilment of the prophecy at the beginning of this devotion. Jesus is our rescuer, he is our King of Kings and LORD of Lords, he is mighty, yet he is also gentle and humble in heart.

“By the meekness and gentleness of Christ, I appeal to you–I, Paul, who am “timid” when face to face with you, but “bold” when away” (2 Corinthians 10:1). Paul was empowered by Christ’s meekness and gentleness, and we can be likewise.

What a different world this would be if we would all make a conscious effort to act and speak gently and kindly, even if and especially when the other party is harsh and hostile. It is not the loudest and most angry who will win the day, but the one who overcomes evil with love, kindness, patience, goodness, and gentleness.

“Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near” (Philippians 4:5).

In Christ,

Judy

P.S.: If you would like to talk more about any of these devotions or matters that concern you, please stop by my office, or call or text me at 615-804-3453 to arrange a time, and I will be happy to speak with you.

“Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.” (Psalm 100:4-5). 

“The saying is trustworthy…. if we are faithless, he remains faithful—for he cannot deny himself. (2 Timothy 2:11-13). 

What a gift we have in the faithfulness of God! The Bible is filled with examples and testimonies to God’s faithfulness, from Genesis to Revelation. 

• “God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?” (Numbers 23:19).  
• “For the word of the Lord is right and true; he is faithful in all he does. Every single action God takes is sure and steady. Every word He speaks is always good and true (Psalm 33:4). 
• “And he who was seated on the throne said, ‘Behold, I am making all things new.’ he said, ‘Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true’” (Revelations 21:5). 

Our God is great! Our God is good! And our God is faithful! His faithfulness is foundational to all his other attributes. We can count on God to always prove his attributes. His promises never fail. As you can imagine, there are many Scriptures testifying to the faithfulness of God. Here is a useful source. 

Faith is one of the primary Bible words used to describe our spiritual life; but just what does it mean? 

Some similar words to describe faith are belief, trust, confidence. Biblically, faith is believing in something we cannot see. “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). The Bible is full of examples of people who were faithful. Hebrews 11 is known as the “Hall of Fame of Faith.” These heroes of the Bible lived faithfully to God, and even “though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised…” (11:39). In other words, they never saw the promised Messiah, unlike we who have lived since the first coming of Christ “since God had provided something better for us” (11:40).  

So, if that is how we can understand what faith means, then what does faithful/faithfulness mean? 

Faith in God is impossible without the supernatural gifting of this fruit of the Spirit. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8)— In other words, God, through the Holy Spirit, provides the means for us to believe when we accept Jesus into our hearts as our savior. Thanks be to God for this amazing gift.  

Faith is a gift from God, and faithfulness is a spiritual gift, meaning that it is bestowed on us when we give our hearts to him and accept Christ as our Savior. But faith is not once and done, and this is extremely important.  

In 2 Peter 2:5-7, Peter writes “For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.”  Peter is giving us instructions, and we must make every effort to obey these instructions. Why is this so important? Because disobedience is sin. 

“Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices / as much as in obeying the Lord? / To obey is better than sacrifice” (1 Samuel 15:22). When God tells us to do something, then we must make every effort to do that thing. We must obey with our hearts, not by just going through the outward motions. When we ignore God’s instructions for our lives, at first our conscious might be tinged with remorse; however, when we continue to disobey, it becomes easier. In other word, our hearts become hardened to God’s will. Believe me, brothers and sisters in Christ, this is not a place we want to find ourselves. “But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called ‘Today,’ so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness” (Hebrews 3:13).  

The website Got Questions provides a good explanation of why we must be concerned about our obedience: “Sin causes hearts to grow hard, especially continual and unrepentant sin. Now we know that ‘if we confess our sins, [Jesus] is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins” (1 John 1:9). However, if we don’t confess our sins, they have a cumulative and desensitizing effect on the conscience, making it difficult to even distinguish right from wrong. And this sinful and hardened heart is tantamount to the ‘seared conscience’ Paul speaks of in 1 Timothy 4:1–2. Scripture makes it clear that if we relentlessly continue to engage in sin, there will come a time when God will give us over to our “debased mind” and let us have it our way. The apostle Paul writes about God’s wrath of abandonment in his letter to the Romans where we see that godless and wicked ‘men who suppress the truth’ are eventually given over to the sinful desires of their hardened hearts (Romans 1:18–24).” Like I said, this is not where we want to find ourselves! 

To circle back around, God’s faithfulness means that he, our Righteous God, will always do what he says he will do. And Jesus said, “I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me” (John 6:38). And when we emulate this attribute of faithfulness, then we make every effort to obey God’s instructions and follow God’s will. We do this not for salvation, because that is also God’s gift to us. We are faithful out of gratitude for our salvation and out of love for God who loved us first. 

“Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands” (Deuteronomy 7:9). 

In Christ, 

Judy 

Great Is Thy Faithfulness (from Lamentations 3:23) 

“Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever” (Psalm 23:6).

“O, taste and see that the Lord is good” (Psalm 34:8).

Goodness is an attribute of God, as we see from these verses above. But what does God mean by his “goodness?” And how do we as His image-bearer demonstrate “goodness.”

Good is one of those words that is used in several ways. We understand from the grammatical usage as an adjective that “good” is positive, but better is comparatively “more good” and “best” is superlative. So, is there something better than “goodness?” Is there a “bestness?” This is not what is meant by the verses above. Sometimes we characterize the function of a thing as good, meaning that it is working effectively and efficiently. For example, when you get your car serviced, the mechanic will say that your car is in “good working order.” Or when we finish with a project we might say “it is all good,” meaning that it is complete. This might be closer, but still not what we mean by “goodness.”

The Anglo-Saxon root from which the word God is derived means good. A. W. Pink adds, “His goodness is underived; it is the essence of His eternal nature.” God told Moses, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the Lord, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion” (Exodus 33:19). Goodness truly is God’s essence: His sovereignty, justice, mercy, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; in fact, all his attributes both communicable and incommunicable, all combined in the one true God.

The Bible frequently links God’s goodness with our gratitude. “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever” (Psalm 107:1). The blessing of our childhood: “God is great, God is good; let us thank Him for our food” contains the most basic and profound theology. I am convinced It should be on our breath every day.

Paul tells us that as believers we must exhibit the spiritual fruit of goodness (Galatians 5:22-23). Peter has assured us that “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness,” and he then instructs us: “For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge….” (2 Peter 1:3,5).

So, we must make every effort to demonstrate goodness. But how can we ever hope to imitate Christ’s goodness? The trouble is, as Paul Tripp writes in Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands (p. 16), “We are fundamentally unable to do what is right.” Only God can be good. In Matthew 19:17, Jesus says, “Why do you ask me about what is good?” and answers his own question thus: “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.” (Matthew 19:17).

As a student of biblical counseling, I was so encouraged by my professor who quoted the Apostle Paul: “I myself am convinced, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with knowledge and competent to instruct one another” (Romans 15:14). But still, I wanted to say, “Who, me?” The website Got Questions provides helpful advice:

“Goodness is virtue and holiness in action. It results in a life characterized by deeds motivated by righteousness and a desire to be a blessing. It’s a moral characteristic of a Spirit-filled person. The Greek word translated “goodness,” agathosune, is defined as “uprightness of heart and life.” Agathosune is goodness for the benefit of others, not goodness simply for the sake of being virtuous.

Someone with agathosune will selflessly act on behalf of others. Confronting someone about a sin demonstrates goodness. So do giving to the poor, providing for one’s children, visiting the sick, volunteering to clean up after a storm, and praying for an enemy. Expressions of goodness are as varied as the Spirit is creative.

Goodness is not a quality we can manufacture on our own. James 1:17 says, ‘Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights.’ This certainly includes a life characterized by goodness. In letting the Holy Spirit control us, we are blessed with the fruit of goodness. As others see our good works, they will praise our Father in heaven (Matthew 5:16).”

“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8). 

In Christ,

Judy

The Goodness of God