Myrtle Beach

Recently we had a family vacation to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. It was a great time, despite the record heat all over the Southeast. We played miniature golf, we went to the campground pool, we went to Pirate’s Voyage dinner and show, we went to a museum of cars from “yesteryear” (that is another word for “when Grammy was young!”). And, we went to Radical Ropes Adventure Park, a ropes course that had multiple levels of ropes, zip lines, etc. It was an awesome facility.

myrtle-beach-radical-ropes-course — Radical Ropes Adventure Park, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

All of the members in our son’s family had done ropes courses before and this one looked like a great deal of fun. But, our daughter’s son, who was traveling with us and was the youngest in the group, had not been on a ropes course and he was not at all sure about this venture. He was, shall we say, a reluctant participant!

myrtle-beach-ropes-course-reluctant-participant — The reluctant participant, at the beginning.

The personnel were detailed in getting the participants suited up with harnesses and hooks and clamps, helmets and gloves, and all were enthusiastic about the endeavor, except for the youngest grandson. He was not so sure, even when the practice run was just inches above the ground, there was an instructor at his shoulder, and his Aunt was going to go on the course with him.

myrtle-beach-practice-for-ropes-course — Practice at ground level.

After significant encouragement, he persevered and participated while letting us know that he was not excited about it at all. The adults in the group knew that this would be a growing experience for him – he would be safe with all the safety equipment and with multiple family members surrounding him, he would be on the lowest course so no fall would prove injurious even if the safety equipment failed, and he had a built in cheering section standing under the course and documenting his efforts so his parents could see his prowess!

myrtle-beach-ropes-course-practice-with-eyebrows-raised — On learning line, at ground level, with “angry eyebrows”.

The first couple of obstacles were met with scowls and an expression that said “I don’t like this but I’ll do it because you want me to!”

However, after recognizing that he could accomplish these tasks, even though they were hard and it took struggle, a transformation occurred in his expression and his enthusiasm. He still had to work hard to walk the line and overcome the barriers that were strategically placed, but his eyebrows were no longer “angry eyebrows” and there was a smile on his face that said “I’m doing it – look at me! I am going to conquer this thing!”

myrtle-beach-ropes-course-working-heard-but-now-smiling — Working hard but with a smile on his face!

At the end, he was tired, but he had the grin of satisfaction glued to his face. He had done something that he had been afraid of – he conquered his fear and had more self-confidence as a result. He persevered and completed the hard task.

myrtle-beach-ropes-course-tired-bear — One tired bear who accomplished the goals set before him.

Perseverance. It seems as though that is a theme for recent blogs on The Ruminant Scribe, but I believe the Lord is leading in that way for some reason. [Most likely it is because I need the lessons that I write, much more than the readers do!]

The Lord said that we would have persecutions and problems, difficulties and trials throughout our Christian lives as His disciples. Some even say that if you are not experiencing persecution because of your faith, perhaps your faith is hidden from the world! Bring it out in the open and the persecution will come!

Jesus promised persecution to those who believe in His name.

“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.”

John 15:18-20

Persecution of the righteous is foretold in Jesus “Sermon on the Mount”:

“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

Matthew 5:10-12

In Ephesians chapter 6, Paul is encouraging the Ephesian believers to remain faithful to the Lord Jesus Christ. And, even though he is in prison in chains because of his preaching about Jesus, he exhorts the people to persevere and to pray for all the saints, including him. Notice that Paul provides a description of the weapons we have at our disposal through the Holy Spirit so that we can persevere and withstand the trials that will come our way.

In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.

Ephesians 6:16-20

I certainly am not equating the ropes course at Myrtle Beach to anything that “the evil one” would send our way [although possibly our young grandson felt this way at the beginning!]. We did not expect him to tackle the highest ropes course the first time he ever tried to do such an event.

While undertaking the lowest course was something that was way beyond his comfort zone, it was also something that we had confidence he could handle. He had his own personal cheering section for support, and it was a growing experience for him. In short, it was a building block in his self-confidence for tasks far more important than just an adventure ropes course. [In this picture he was waiting for his Aunt to cross the obstacle – notice his crossed legs, a position telegraphing “I’ve got this!”]

myrtle-beach-ropes-course-waiting-for-aunt-to-catch-up — Air of confidence as he stands on the platform between obstacles, with legs crossed indicating “at ease” rather than “terrified”.

The same is true in our spiritual life. The Church is our cheering section in heaven and the local Church is our cheering section on earth, while the Spirit is our power from within. Persevering in one endeavor is but one of many steps in our maturing so that we can persevere in each successive task that God presents to us, some of which may strike at the point of our most significant fear.

Praise God that He is willing to lead us so that we grow, progressively, into the image of His Son. Praise His Name that He guides us through our spiritual infancy into spiritual maturity as we bask in His love, rely on His Spirit to guide us, and look to do His will in our world. Praise the Lord that He has promised His grace and support as we go through difficult times.

Father, thank You for your presence with us, even in difficult times. Thank You for your Spirit who undergirds us with His power and strength as we learn to walk in faith and love for Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.

FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT, Series Post No. 23

SELF CONTROL – SELF MASTERY SO WE CAN SERVE GOD IN FREEDOM

PART ONE

You may recall that the initial entry in this list of graces from the Holy Spirit is “love” and this last entry is “self-control” or, in the King James Version, “temperance”. In Greek language structure, it was common to place the elements that you wanted stressed at the beginning and at the end. Thus, the first fruit of “love” would be known to be of paramount importance because of its placement at the head of the line. This is true in our own language construct. However, in the Greek writing, the last item is also intended to be emphasized. Se we need to pay special attention to this characteristic that the Holy Spirit is desiring to develop in us.

As for the other fruit of the Spirit, the world speaks of this fruit but the meaning and application is greatly different than that which the Spirit imparts.

For example, Oscar Wilde has said “The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it.” No self-control there!

Tom Wilson (An American cartoonist, 1931-1978) said: “About the only time losing is more fun than winning is when you’re fighting temptation.”

cat-exercising-self-control — The look says it all!

Benjamin Franklin came closer to the Scriptural meaning when he said: “Remember not only to say the right thing in the right place, but far more difficult still, to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment.”

In his World Biblical Commentary, Richard Longnecker says that the word “self-control” has a long history among Greek classical writers. Plato used the term in contrast to overindulgence in both food and sex. Aristotle gave it significant treatment in his writings on ethics, specifically pointing out the difference between the person who has powerful passions but keeps them under control (self-control) while its opposite (incontinence) is the person who does not deliberately choose the wrong but who has no strength to resist temptation. The term “incontinence” is also called wantonness. Aristotle thought self-control was primarily related to bodily enjoyment but that it was not improper to be incontinent with respect to money or temper or glory.

Later, Augustine said that incontinence was not a problem of knowledge, which is of knowing but not acting. Rather, it was an issue of will. He found that it was an everyday occurrence that men failed to exercise self-control by choosing the lesser over greater goods.

Romanticism came into vogue and the incontinent choice of feeling over reason became increasing more welcome. Blake wrote that “those who restrain desire, do so because theirs is weak enough to be restrained.”

All this progressed in a downhill spiral until the 1960s with the breakdown of conscience by “letting it all hang out” – acting out and emotional self-indulgence and drama. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incontinence_(philosophy)]

What does Scripture say?

We have come to the final entry in the fruit of the Spirit that Paul lists in Galatians 5:22-23.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Galatians 5:22-23.

At the time of Paul’s writings, self-control was a central concept in Hellenistic ethics. Indeed, Josephus uses the noun in various places to refer to self-control in sexual matters. Therefore, we can understand Paul’s placement of self-control at the end of the list as intending emphasis as well as to highlight the direct contrast to the list of vices of “drunkenness” and “orgies” that concluded the listing of the works of the flesh in verses 19-21. The Spirit’s fruit of self-control is not limited to either control of the appetite for drink or the consequent tendency to unrestrained and immodest behavior.

The Greek word for self-control is Egkrateia – self-control. The Lexicon defines the term as being 1) the virtue of one who masters his desires and passions, especially his sensual appetites and 2) restraint exercised over one’s own impulses, emotions or desires.

Philip Rykers in the Reformed Expository Commentary on Galatians says that self-control means temperance or moderation, especially like drinking, sex, and eating. He refers to this virtue as “a sober virtue” and says that it prevents liberty from becoming license in the Christian life. A person with self-control has the restraint and self-discipline not to be ruled by passion, and, therefore, she is able to resist temptation.

James Montgomery Boice describes self-control as the quality that gives victory over fleshly desires and which is therefore closely related to chastity both in mind and conduct. It is the “great quality which comes to a man when Christ is in his heart and it is that quality which makes him able to live and to walk in the world, and yet to keep his garments unspotted from the world.”

How does this apply to my daily life?

Dr. R. C. Sproul references the frequent description of our world today, when we warn someone to “be careful, it’s a jungle out there!” Then he notes that God put man in a garden, not a jungle. What is the difference between the two?

dscn2248 — Jungle like conditions in bird habitat at Brookgreen Gardens, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

used-flower-garden — Formal gardens at Bellingrath Gardens, Mobile, Alabama.

Both are places where things grow. Both are places where there are animals of various types. Both are places of a variety of plants and trees and shrubs. But one is wild – not structured – not subject to any control. The other is under control and has an intentional structure; the garden is actively tended – continually groomed, monitored, fed and weeded so that the plants can grow to their fullest potential. The jungle is ignored and unrestrained; there is no intentional structure, rather anything is allowed to grow without any attention or direction.

God, in creation, put man in the Garden. Because of man’s sin, he was ejected from the Garden and thus exchanged the Garden for a jungle and chaos was substituted for God’s order. Self-control, temperance, is the fruit of the Spirit which replaces the jungle of uncontrolled emotions, passions, violence and chaos with a desire for God and His order. It is our restraint through the Holy Spirit that conquers the chaos of the flesh and allows us to embrace the life that our Lord desires us to have through His Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is not the author of confusion but of order, harmony and self-control, and it is this self-control that we must nurture by reading our scripture, prayer and reliance on the Holy Spirit for guidance and growth.

What is the difference between self-control as a fruit of the Spirit and self-discipline or sheer willpower?

Paul provides a distinction between living by the flesh and in the spirit in Romans 8:13-14:

For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.

Again, Paul in Colossians 2:20-23 said:

If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations – “do not handle, do not taste, do not touch.” These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.

The self-control of the flesh is strict adherence to rules and regulations. In contrast, the self-control from the Holy Spirit gives us restraint based on God’s strength, not on ours.

We tend the garden of our heart by the exercise of self-control so that the weeds of the world cannot transform our garden into a jungle which is out of control and outside of God’s plan for us.

Blessings to you and I pray that you will continue to walk with me as we learn about the fruit of the Holy Spirit and as we mature in our transformation into Christian believers who speak and act as Jesus did and who share in the passions that Jesus had for the lost sheep and for the worship of His Father, the Almighty God.