Achieving Self-Control
/Update From Your Pastors
Dear Welling Church family,
Over the past few weeks the problem of sin and its manifestation through racism, prejudice, bigotry, violence, rebellion, looting, and hatred has caused the church to grieve along with the rest of the world. Many of you may be hurting, anxious, or uncertain about what is happening. Many of you may not know how to feel or what to do. As we begin to contemplate what to do, let the answer always remain the same — Jesus Christ. He is the answer and only solution to all the world’s problems and issues. If that answer seems quaint, trite, or a bit outdated, than let me assure you, you have never come face-to-face with the all-loving and just Saviour of the universe. May we pray that we can be humbly used of God to share his Son with all those hurting and broken around us.
As we begin to think through our next steps as a local fellowship of believers, this has led me to ask the question, “What type of church are we?”
We are a church that is deeply committed to His Word. Our heart’s desire is to grow deeper in love and understanding for Scripture. We are not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and are steadfast in the knowledge that the Gospel is the power of God for all those who believe. May we be a church that boldly proclaims not only the Bible’s life-giving promises but also its uncompromising truths.
We are a church that recognises that only through Jesus Christ can one come into restoration and relationship with God the Father. Although mankind’s sin has brought separation between people and God, the saving power of Christ’s atoning sacrifice on the cross of Calvary has made it possible for sinners to be saved through His blood. We are a church that not only believes this truth, but is overwhelmingly thankful for what God has done and cannot with to share this truth with all that we come in contact. May we be a church that rejoices every time a lost soul is saved.
We are a church that lives by the power and presence of the Holy Spirit. We are completely and wholly dependent on God in all that we do. We do not see prayer simply as a spiritual discipline, but a way of life. We are a church that seeks to enjoy God’s divine presence and glory every time we gather together (whether online or in a building). May we live lives that are radically transformed by miraculous work of God.
We are a church that seeks to be radically generous in all that we do. The greatest in the kingdom of God is servant to all. We are church that is willing to count the cost and sacrificially give in order to make Christ known to our community and world. May we be a church that continues to share Christ’s love with anyone and everyone by showing such care and kindness that it points others to the Gospel.
We are a church that warmly welcomes people from every ethnicity, every generation, every social or economic status, and every walk of life. We are united in Christ and share His love for one another. As a church, our ultimate identity is found in Christ and not our background. May we be a church where everyone feels at home no matter their circumstance or where they came from and are loved and accepted as they are.
I know by His grace and power, we can continue to be this church. God will do exceedingly abundantly beyond all that we could ask or think. I look forward to the days ahead!
Thank you for being a part of our church!
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Prayer Points
Jackie’s friends, Tracey & Tony and their 3 children, Monday was the funeral of their 4 year old daughter Orlagh who passed away with cancer. She is Jackie’s god-daughter and went to class with David who is the son of DD and Abby.
Sally’s mum has come through the fight against COVID, but is still in hospital recovering from being on a ventilator for so long. She is struggling to walk on her own and the isolation from family is still hard to deal with.
Pray that this lockdown can safely come to an end, so that we can meet together as a church once again.
Ministry Opportunity
Chioma has asked for help with cleaning up her back garden. It has become overgrown, and she and her boys need help getting it back into shape. If you would like to help her and the boys, please contact Tarl (07947 751911) to arrange a time to go over.
Weekly Devotional
The Fruit of the Spirit: Self-Control
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22, 23
The ninth attribute of the fruit of the Spirit is Self-control. As a Christian, we still fight against our sin nature and as the famous preacher John Owen once said, “Be killing sin or it will be killing you.” The Holy Spirit offers us help in this fight. He provides a supernatural ability to win the daily battle against temptation. Sin does not cause a Believer to loose his salvation, but it will damage the fellowship he has with the Father. Let’s look at 1 Corinthians 9 and see how we can maintain spiritual self-control which leads to victory in the war against sin.
1. A Christian Must Be Determined (1 Cor. 9:24)
“24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it.”
Paul compares the self-control that is needed to fight sin with that of an athlete determined to win a contest. His first century Greek readers would have had an intimate understanding of athletic competition due to the Olympic and Isthmian games held in the area. Every athlete trains hard and is determined to not only compete, but to win the prize. Paul tells Timothy, “8 Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.” Believers are justified at salvation (Rom. 4:6,11), sanctified by the Holy Spirit (Rom. 6:13), and then glorified upon entering heaven (Gal. 5:5). The prize that awaits every believer is the final, perfected righteousness that is gained upon entering heaven. Only one person can receive the prize in earthly contests, however for the Christian the prize is already won and can be collected when this race is finished. Let’s be determined to run a good race and look forward to the reward that is waiting for us.
2. A Christian Must Be Disciplined (1 Cor. 9:25, 26)
“25 Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. 26 So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air.”
Paul continues his athletic analogy by pointing out the discipline that is needed for an athlete to achieve his goal. Any athlete expecting to win, must be disciplined in his training regime and careful with his diet. So to, every Christian must be disciplined in their daily walk with God. Athletes compete for trophies that will eventually perish, but the Christian is striving for a prize that will never fade away. Peter writes, “4 And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.” Every believer is disciplining himself to be ready to win the fight against sin (1 Tim. 1:18). A boxer hits a heavy bag and practises his footwork so that, when he gets in the ring, he’ll be better prepared for the fight. We do not pray and study the Bible as a practical exercise, nor are we simply going through the motions. We are disciplining and preparing ourselves to meet temptation and sin head-on. If your only time of spiritual discipline is one or two hours of church each week, you can be sure that sin will have victory in your life. We are not alone in this fight. Remember that it is the Holy Spirit that is enabling us to train and to resist sin.
3. A Christian Must Not Be Disqualified (1 Cor. 9:27)
“27 But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.”
The world often accuses Christians of being hypocrites. We preach one thing and then our life reveals something else entirely. Paul disciplined both his physical and spiritual body and kept them under control because he never wanted his actions to untie the knots of biblical truth he had tied through his preaching. A foundational requirement that a man must meet before he can be considered as a pastor/elder of a church is that he must be “…above reproach” (1 Tim. 3:2). This does not mean that he must be sinless, but there must not be anything charge that could be laid against him. All athletic events have rules and penalties that will be handed out if any of the rules are broken. Some rule breaking can even lead to disqualification. Though no believer can loose his salvation because of sin, Paul knew that leaders can be disqualified from their position. Paul disciplined himself so that he would not be disqualified as a spiritual leader (Heb. 12:1, 2). Sin will damage our fellowship with God and cause Him to be unable to trust us with certain responsibilities. Do not let an undetermined and undisciplined spiritual life lead to sin and to you being disqualified from the tasks God has for you to accomplish.
Questions to Consider
Am I living a life that reflects the prize that awaits me?
Am I disciplining myself for the purpose of holiness?
Am I allowing sin to disqualify me for greater things that God has for me?
