Words Of Christ Devotions

[nChrist]

January 30

Chosen in Prayer

Luk_6:12-16

Christians frequently complain that their prayer life is hollow, weak and meaningless.  We might observe, however, that the relationship between prayer and righteousness is not what we might think:

We feel that if a man is righteous, he has little need of prayer, for he must be in good touch with God.  By that test, Jesus would never have felt the need to pray.

Note, however, that the more righteous a man becomes, the sweeter prayer seems to him.  We think it a burden to endure the "sweet hour of prayer;" he thinks it a joy to pray all night.

In this simple section of Scripture, our Lord gives us a grand example of how to pray:

Note the time of day which he selects.  It is after the rush of business, when all distractions have left.  Ordinary men would rush to sleep, but the man of God has a more urgent appointment.  Now is the time with God alone.

Likewise, consider the place he selects—a mountainside.  Again, he separates himself from all others, to avoid distraction.  Also, in the dark of night he can see the witness of creation reminding him of his Father.

What impresses us most is the time spent—all night.  Evidently he had no fear of running out of topics for conversation with his Father.

Consider, though, the cause of this night of prayer.  It is the selection of the Apostles themselves.  We might think that this list of names would have been revealed to Jesus in an instant, but he takes all night about it.  Was it the selection, or was it our Lord taking each name to the Father, asking for protection and guidance for each man, one at a time?

Note that he selects them all at once.  The inner circle of four we are well acquainted with;  the next four are less known; the outer four are anonymous, except for Judas Iscariot.  Even those who are just a name to us were the cause of an all night prayer meeting for our Lord.

That is comforting, for we know he is our advocate with the Father.  He stayed up all night, praying over twelve men, some great, some unknown.  It is good to know that the "unknowns," like us, are the subject of prayer for our Lord and Savior.

____________________

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[nChrist]

February 1

Those Who Mourn

Mat_5:4

Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.  It sounds like one of the paradoxes of the Bible.  How can mourning be a blessing?
Perhaps it depends upon what you are mourning for:

Most of the scholars of the Bible will quickly point out to you that Christians are commanded to mourn—to have "godly sorrow" - for their sins.  This is a step in the process of repentance.  It is to recognize that you have done wrong, and feel genuinely sorry that you did.  All of us are familiar with the "I'm sorry" of a small child, who is usually sorry that he got caught.  This is the sorrow of one who means it.  It is an art that needs practice!  But consider what happens when you do it.  God, the Almighty, the Just Judge, hears your advocate in heaven, Jesus the Christ, and agrees with his plea for mercy toward you.  Think about it this way:  how do you feel when the traffic cop says, "I'm going to let you off with a warning this time?"  God's comfort is even greater.  In Him you are completely forgiven.

Sometimes we mourn for our circumstances.  We consider our lot in life and say, "Poor me!"  So often when this happens it drives us to our knees in prayer and back to God.  But this is good!  If I could sell you a magic potion that would bring you closer to God, it would be worth a fortune.  But it seems that your troubles already are doing this, at no charge.  Take those troubles to him in prayer, and receive the sweet comfort only God can give.

The word "mourning" is often associated with death.  We say that someone is "in mourning" for the loss of a loved one.  But even here there is comfort from God.  If this loved one trusted the Lord Jesus Christ, you have the sure and certain hope of the resurrection of the dead—and what a grand and glorious day that will be!

Mourning has the virtue that it drives out all other emotions, and keeps us from much that is sinful.  It is the starting point of self-denial.  It is also a method of getting clear touch with reality.  As often as we deceive ourselves about sin, circumstance and death, mourning is our friend to bring us back to a clear view of the truth.  To this our Lord adds the blessing of God, that you might know that he works all things together for the good of his children.

____________________

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[nChrist]

February 2

Blessed Are the Meek

Mat_5:5

J. Paul Getty had a rejoinder to this.  "The meek shall inherit the earth," he said, "but not the mineral rights."  Without knowing it, he has given us the key to understanding this passage.

Getty was once asked how much money was "enough."  His answer was simply, "More."  In this attitude we see the world's view of "who wins."  The winners are the powerful, the strong, those who can take what they want.  The purpose of life is to accumulate more and more possessions.  But then what?

Our Lord gives us a very different view.  He says the meek shall inherit the earth.  But just who are the meek?

The word can also be translated "gentle."  So at the very least these are not those who are the pushy and aggressive so favored by our modern thought.

The word is sometimes rendered "humble."  Remember that the Bible tells us that Moses was a humble man, so humility is not the opposite of greatness.

Humility starts with an honest evaluation of yourself—by the standards of God.  Things look different from that viewpoint.

Because pride does not cloud their view, the meek can discern what is good, and what is evil—and choose wisely.

Meekness carries with it the ability to withstand evil—not with the weapons of the world, but with patient endurance.  The storm may lash the rock, but it remains a rock when the storm is gone.

The meek are those whose actions are governed by a love of God, and their fellow men.

At the very least these are the kind of people who will enjoy this earth much more while they are here—for they are not concerned with scraping more of it into their back pockets.  Getty was a man who was owned by his mineral rights.

The key to this passage is in the verb—"inherit."  You do not earn an inheritance, it is given to you.  So if you go out to conquer the earth, you cannot inherit it.  But if you remain among the meek, our Lord promises that you shall inherit it.  The day of the New Heaven and New Earth will see new owners evidently—the meek shall then inherit.  It is good to know that they will enjoy this planet much more while they're waiting for it, as well.

____________________

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[nChrist]

February 3

Hunger and Thirst
Mat_5:6

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.  Just what does that mean?

Perhaps it will be simpler to understand if we take it phrase by phrase.  Let's begin with "hunger and thirst."

If you hunger and thirst after something, it's clear that you desire it very much.  It's something that rouses your passions, and more—you think it essential to life itself.  So if you are to be blessed in this way, you must make righteousness like water in the desert or food to the starving.  You must make it a passionate desire.

If you hunger and thirst after something, it certainly implies that you don't have it.  So you must begin by admitting that your own righteousness is not what you are seeking..  If you think you are "good enough" for God, think again.

Anything you hunger and thirst for must be obtained from outside yourself.  You don't generate your own food and water, you get them from outside yourself.  So this righteousness is something you must obtain from outside—from God.

Next, we see that it is a hunger and thirst for righteousness.  We can learn from that as well.

Whatever else righteousness is, it is not something tangible.  We are chasing something spiritual when we pursue righteousness.

If we are pursuing something spiritual, we cannot pursue it in a bodily way.  We may fast to keep the body from interfering with our pursuit, but ultimately this must be sought spiritually, for righteousness is a spiritual thing.  Prayer, study and meditation are the tools of our pursuit.

Last, we can see the promise given: they will be filled.  Again, we can learn from this:

We will "be filled" - not stuff ourselves.  It will not be our own doing which produces this righteousness, but God's action which does it.

But we will be "filled" - we shall have all we need.  God's righteousness, in Christ, is given to us and it is sufficient for our every need.

Passionately pursue his righteousness, in prayer and study, and you will have all you need.

____________________

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[nChrist]

February 4

The Merciful
Mat_5:7

Twilla Paris said it best in song:

If I close my ears to the feeble cry
Of the poor man's child as he passes by
I can mark your Word there will come a time
When my cries will fall— on ears like mine!

Consider the beggar by the road.  You have no obligation to him;  he may appear dirty and ragged and undesirable.  Nothing in him appeals to you of his own merit;  whatever mercy you show must come from within you.

Have you ever considered the fact that you are God's beggar?  God has no obligation to you.  To Him you appear filthy, ragged and undesirable beyond all possibility of self-improvement.  There is nothing in you, of your own merit, by which you can appeal to him.  Whatever mercy He shows must come from his own essence.

The quality of mercy is not strained;
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath: it is twice blest,-
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes
Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice

Mercy blesses both the recipient and the giver.  God reaches out to us in mercy, the mercy of the Cross.  Is it too much for him to ask that we let the world see the Creator in the creature, the workman by the work, as we imitate him in showing mercy?

God's mercy is two-fold for us:

His mercy is shown in his forgiveness to us—the grace bought at the Cross.
His mercy is also shown in the many blessings he gives us in this life, and in the life to come.  He owes us nothing;  he will give us all that we need.

But there is a difference between God's mercy and our mercy.  The mercy of men is small, but the mercy of God is great.  It seems here that we shall receive the great mercy of God in exchange for giving the small mercy of men.  This is so.  When pouring out mercy upon us, God uses our own measuring cup—the one we use to pour it out on others.

____________________

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[nChrist]

February 5

The Pure In Heart
Mat_5:8

Towards the end of the 19th century a scientist named Henri Becquerel put some pitchblende—the ore of uranium—in a drawer with some photographic film.  Upon developing the film he noticed some white, blurred spots, and remembered the ore.  He went back and did it again, and discovered radioactivity.  It has been with us since the beginning;  but we did not know it until photographic film was invented.  We did not have the right instruments for detecting it.

The pure heart, our Lord tells us, is the correct instrument for seeing God.  How can this be?

God need not be seen by us at all.  If he chooses to withdraw from his creation, then we could never detect him.  Why would he do that?  Because he is completely righteous, and can have no alliance with sin.

At a more pragmatic level, have you ever watched a cynic in a living church?  He's trying to figure out what all these people are getting out of it;  what's "the angle."  Because it would never occur to him to have pure motives, he cannot fathom anyone else who does.

Another practical reason is this:  every time someone meets God in the Old Testament, their reaction is to think they're going to die.  "I am a man of unclean lips," says Isaiah.  The Lord must take away his sin before he can see God, or he will certainly die.

To see God is the ultimate in virtue.  We see him "darkly" now, but when Christ returns it will be face to face.  Think of the things that will be so obvious then that are so clouded now!  Purity of heart is the ultimate goal of every righteous person.

But how can this be done?

Faith, says St. Augustine.  This is how God purifies his servants through trial.
Working out love, says St. Paul (1 Timothy 1:5) - for out of a pure heart comes pure love.

Ask God, says David in Psalm 51.  The Creator of all things can create a clean heart in you.

How's your vision?  Does God seem lost in the mist, an empty form to whom you pray with no response?  Or is he the living God seen by those who are pure in heart?

____________________

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[nChrist]

February 7

The Persecuted

Mat_5:10

Mention "persecution" to an American Christian of this time and you will hear a slight clucking noise.  Sympathy with the poor missionaries will be heard; sympathy, but no thought that we could ever join in their sufferings, or would want to.

Why?  Because we are afraid.  Life is comfortable and we like it that way.  The loss appears great, and our courage small.  But the Scripture paints a very different picture, commanding us to be fearless in the face of persecution, even to death.  For hundreds of millions of Christians, the watchword has been that of the Royal Navy:  "Fear God; dread naught."  How, then, can we overcome our fears and please our Lord?

Imitation

A glance at Christian history will reveal any number of martyrs who went to their deaths for Christ.  Indeed, Athanasius tells us that in his time (around AD 400) it was common knowledge that Christians were executed—and went to death boldly.  These were ordinary men with extraordinary faith—and a great example.

But they were doing this in imitation of our Lord.  Are you greater than Christ?  He suffered and died as the Lamb of God.  If you are persecuted for righteousness, you have the privilege of following in God's footsteps.

Results Now

Those who establish persecution are often disappointed with the results.  The first thing it does is strengthen the Christian!  This is not surprising;  muscles grow stronger with exercise, and persecution exercises the muscles of faith.  But persecution does more than that.  As Tertullian put it, "The blood of martyrs is the seed of the church."  As the world watches the persecuted Christian die, the people ask themselves, "Is there really something worth dying for in this world?"  If it is worth dying for, it is worth living for.

In all this we have sweet communion with our Lord, for no persecution can separate us from Him.

Results Forever

One must look at things with "forever eyes."  If we endure persecution with our Lord, we are promised to reign with our Lord.  The world's reaction is completely logical:  the righteous expose the wicked, and the wicked try to stamp them out.  But the world is not forever.  God will some day bring forth the New Heaven and New Earth, and at that time those who saw things clearly will be those who reign.

____________________

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[nChrist]

February 8

Rejoice and Be Glad

Mat_5:11-12

An enduring joke from World War II concerns one of the prayers required of the British Army.  Said at a meal, it was:  "O Lord, for what we are about to receive, may we be truly thankful."  More than a little satire went into the tone of those who recited this just before an artillery bombardment.

Christians tend to have the same attitude when told to rejoice in the face of persecution.  We have come to expect life to treat Christians with respect, but our Lord tells us otherwise:

We will be insulted.  If we stand up for righteousness, we will be called intolerant.  If we stand up for brotherhood, we will be called fools.

We will be persecuted.  It may be blatant, as it is in many parts of the world where just being a Christian is illegal.  It may be subtle, as it is in many corporations where being a Christian is a bar to promotion.  But it will be there.

We will be falsely accused.  The wildest of tales will circulate, "urban legends" that will be displayed as fact, and taken as truth because "experts" say so.

Rejoice

In this, we are to rejoice.  Rejoice?  James tells us to count it "pure joy."  Why?  Perhaps it's because Satan has found in you a worthy opponent—and God has confirmed it, for he would not allow it if you were not able to withstand it.  It is a badge of honor.

Limitations

Our Lord places two limitations on this:
First, the suffering must be for his sake.  If you are suffering on your own account, this may be God's discipline.

The accusations must be false.  If you are being jailed for your offenses, and the charges are true, it is no joy.

Good company

Jesus mentions the persecution of the prophets in this context.  Indeed, most of them met rather grisly ends.  If you will look at it from the eternal point of view, though, the prophets are greatly honored.  Their words came from God;  their suffering under persecution was their service to God.  It is not their words that made them great, it is their suffering.

So rejoice, Christian!  If you are persecuted for Him, you just made the varsity team of eternity.

____________________

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[sincereheart]

Some good stuff in here! 

In this, we are to rejoice.  Rejoice?  James tells us to count it "pure joy."  Why?  Perhaps it's because Satan has found in you a worthy opponent—and God has confirmed it, for he would not allow it if you were not able to withstand it.  It is a badge of honor.
 

Those who establish persecution are often disappointed with the results.  The first thing it does is strengthen the Christian!  This is not surprising;  muscles grow stronger with exercise, and persecution exercises the muscles of faith.  But persecution does more than that.  As Tertullian put it, "The blood of martyrs is the seed of the church."  As the world watches the persecuted Christian die, the people ask themselves, "Is there really something worth dying for in this world?"  If it is worth dying for, it is worth living for.

[nChrist]

February 9

Salt of the Earth

Mat_5:13

Salt occupied a higher place in the society of this time than it does in ours.
The Latin word for salt, salarum, is the word from which we get our word, "salary."  Roman soldiers were paid in salt, because it was valuable and easy to carry.  So salt was akin to gold in that respect.

We know it well today as an antiseptic—has your doctor ever told you to gargle with salt water?  It was their antiseptic too, and they saw it as a cleansing agent.

We also recognize it as a preservative—and a flavorful one at that.  Bacon and ham, for example, are preserved this way.

So we, then, are to be "salt" - to be of high value, a cleansing agent and that which preserves what is good.  Does this not sound like the life of a solid but ordinary Christian?
"of the earth"

We often forget that last phrase.  We are not just to be "salt" amongst ourselves, but in the world.  Why?  Because Christ gave us the Great Commission.  We are to go and spread the good news of Jesus Christ, and in so doing be greatly valued by God, cleansing the nations of sin and preserving all good things until He comes again.  But—the warning is clear—if we lose our saltiness, that which makes us salty, then things will be much worse.  It is much worse to have known the joys of the kingdom and turn your back on them, than to have never heard the word.  How can this happen?  How does salt become unsalty?
Losing saltiness

The salt of that time and region was not quite like the material we buy today.  It could lose its saltiness.

It could lose its saltiness because it was impure.  Other minerals were mixed in it.  So too with us.  If we add to or take away from the faith, we are impure—and in danger.

It lost its saltiness when impure if it was exposed—either to the air, the sun or the ground (which was usually wet).  So it is with the impure among us.  The cleaning air, the discovering sunlight and the water which invades anywhere—the spirit, the knowledge and the obedience of the church—will cause this.

Are you "salt of the earth?"  Taste, and see.

____________________

Words Of Christ Devotions

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[nChrist]

February 10

Light of the World
Mat_5:14-16

The character of light

It is often stated that evil is the opposite of righteousness, just as dark is the opposite of light.  In a sense this is true, for evil is the corruption of what is good.  It has no existence in itself.  Nor does darkness exist in itself;  it is but the absence of light.

Light—our example to the world—does not enlighten.  It does not teach;  it merely makes others able to see.  They must still do the seeing.  But note:  even a little light can be sufficient.  The question is, what do they see?  So then, what do others see when they watch us, the light of the world?
Christ, the Light of the World

In another passage Christ describes himself as the light of the world.  It is not a contradiction, for the light which is Christ is in us;  it is his light.  Have you ever been on a dark river on a starry night?  The reflections of the stars are sufficient to show you the river's path, and navigate to safety.  Christ has kindled the light of the world in us;  we are to keep it burning.
Our Conduct

This little metaphor is very compact;  it packs a lot of observation in it:
Do you teach or preach?  Don't hide the light, but let it be seen.

As Chrysostom tells us, we must be careful of our "walk and conversation" — for they will certainly be seen.

The men who received this were unknown at the time—and soon lit up the world.  No matter what the world thinks, the Gospel light cannot be hidden.

We are to "let" it shine.  It is to happen naturally, not something of a religious exercise.  We don't have to shove the light in the faces of others.

The light has a focal point:  the glory of God.    We are not to do this so the world will know what great Christians we are;  we are to do it so they'll know how great God is.

The bushel

Sometimes it goes wrong.  It's fitting that the bushel basket is used as the covering, for it represents the things of this world.  The desires of the flesh get in the way of letting the light of God illuminate the world.  But please notice one thing:  you can't put that basket over the light—unless it's empty.

____________________

Words Of Christ Devotions

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[nChrist]

Some good stuff in here! 

In this, we are to rejoice.  Rejoice?  James tells us to count it "pure joy."  Why?  Perhaps it's because Satan has found in you a worthy opponent—and God has confirmed it, for he would not allow it if you were not able to withstand it.  It is a badge of honor.
 

Those who establish persecution are often disappointed with the results.  The first thing it does is strengthen the Christian!  This is not surprising;  muscles grow stronger with exercise, and persecution exercises the muscles of faith.  But persecution does more than that.  As Tertullian put it, "The blood of martyrs is the seed of the church."  As the world watches the persecuted Christian die, the people ask themselves, "Is there really something worth dying for in this world?"  If it is worth dying for, it is worth living for.

Hello Sincereheart,

I don't know how I missed your post, but I did. There is a lengthy history of persecution and execution for the LORD and the Gospel. YES, the LORD and the Gospel are worth dying for. I have a subscription to Voice of the Maryrs, and it's a good reminder about how much we take for granted. There is much to pray about and much to give thanks for. Appreciation for what we have is the real lesson that we should learn.

There might come a day when Christians in this part of the world will face some real persecution. We've really had it easy, and we need to educate ourselves about what Christians in other parts of the world are going through. If nothing else, we should be motivated to pray for Christians around the world and use the freedom that God has given us for His Glory.

Love in Christ,
Tom

Romans 15:1-3 NASB  Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and not just please ourselves. Each of us is to please his neighbor for his good, to his edification. For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, "THE REPROACHES OF THOSE WHO REPROACHED YOU FELL ON ME."

[nChrist]

February 11

Law and Righteousness
Mat_5:17-20

Christ came to "fulfill" the Law—what could that mean?

It means that he, alone among men, kept the law in perfection, fulfilling its every demand, and becoming the acceptable sacrifice for our sins.

It means that, by his sacrifice on the cross, he fulfilled the demands of the Old Testament Law.  That Law required a spotless sacrifice for sin, and he became that sacrifice.  When he did, the need for sacrifice ended.  It was fulfilled.

It means also that his coming was in accordance with the prophecies of the Old Testament.  He is the Messiah foretold for 1500 years in Israel.

It also means that he came to establish the fullness of that Law—to literally "full fill" it, or fill it up completely.  What the Law left unexplained, he showed in his teaching.

The Least Stroke

Until recently in human history, most men would have agreed that the universe is a moral place.  The universe has certain moral laws which are connected to it just as much as the law of gravity.  There is great common agreement between the religions of the world on this.  The disagreement is on the source.

Christ is that source.  He, the agent of creation, put the moral law in the universe.  He would no more invent a "new morality" than he could invent a new gravity.  So it is his teaching completes the law, and makes it new, yet eternal.

The teacher's burden

Do you have an heirloom?  Imagine a piece of sterling silver, handed down from previous generations.  Would you take great-grandmother's tea service and drill holes in it to install a radio?  Of course not.  You would take care to pass it on just as you received it, for it is precious.  So it is for the teacher;  he must pass on, untarnished, unmodified in any way, the shining silver of the Gospel of Christ.

Righteousness exceeding

The call to righteousness in these verses is high and holy indeed.  It is well to admit that we cannot, in ourselves, have such righteousness.  But praise God!  He has sent his Son to fulfill the Law and the Prophets, that we might have his righteousness, the eternal righteousness.  Let us take great care to pass the faith along, untarnished, unmodified, unblemished.

____________________

Words Of Christ Devotions

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[nChrist]

February 14

Legal Advice
Mat_5:25-26

Abraham Lincoln put it this way:  "Discourage litigation.  Persuade your neighbors to compromise whenever you can.  Point out to them how the nominal winner is often a real loser in fees, expenses and waste of time."  (And Lincoln was a lawyer.)

Some of us are so fond of argument that this saying bothers us greatly.  Why should I settle quickly?

First, do you really need the effect of a long, vicious argument upon your soul?  The matter is merely money;  eternity needs none of that.  You may win the case but lose control of your temper.

Next, is it not better that you should settle the matter here—before your opponent dies?  After all, the day of Judgment is coming, and he will have another chance to press his case—at a much higher court.

Our Lord says not only "quickly," but he emphasizes the point with "do it while you're on the way."  It's as if "quickly wasn't fast enough.

Others will complain, "It's a matter of principle.  I'm in the right."  Let us suppose you are.  Christians are forbidden to go to court against each other, for the sake of the reputation of the church.  As Paul said, "Why not rather be wronged?"  Are you completely unwilling to risk injury at your Lord's command?  Is this a matter of principle—or obedience?

Still others will say, "I can't afford it.  I have to win."  What a terrible lack of faith this is!  Do you suppose your Lord is not capable of providing for you a hundred times over?  If you suffer loss for Him, has he not promised to do so?  Take him at his word.

The word used for "agree" in this passage is unique in the New Testament.  It means "well minded" if you translate it literally.  Jerome says that it means benevolent or kind in agreement.  We are to make our agreements not with an eye to squeezing out the last possible dollar, nor to produce triumphant vindication, but to show the world (and our Lord) that we are his disciples.  His covenant with us provides salvation and eternal life, blessing and comfort, and does so at the price of the Cross.  With such an example before us, shouldn't we be both quick to agree and generous in settlement in our disputes with others?

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Words Of Christ Devotions

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[nChrist]

February 15

Adultery
Mat_5:27-28

Emotions were not designed to be put in a bottle.

Have you ever bottled up your anger?  How it festers in the soul!  You chew over the raw ends of dispute in the middle of the night, and imagine revenge.  Is this sin?  Sin is that which damages the soul, and this is sin.

Have you every bottled up your envy?  Why should that man have so much;  why do I have so little?  It's not fair!  Is it sin to degrade your brother in your mind and think evil of him for what you desire?  Sin is that which damages the soul, and this is sin.

Have you ever bottled up your greed?  Oh, if only that rich relative would have the courtesy to die and leave me the money!  Is it sin to wish your brother dead in return for mere money?  Sin is that which damages the soul, and this is sin.

But if I say the same about lust, what do you say?  "What harm could there be in that?"  Let me tell you a story:

Once there was a lady who was stunned to find her husband's lawyer serving her with divorce papers.  We fell to talking about it.  I asked her how she met her husband.  "At the college," she said.  "I was in one of the classes he was teaching.  He divorced his first wife to marry me."  Would you hazard a guess as to where he found his new lust?

Desire is the incubator of sin.  If you will allow your desires to go unchecked, sin will be at your door.  We restrain our desire for safety at all costs, and call it courage.  We need the same restraint with our eyes, men, for without it we will certainly sin against our wives.  It may not result in divorce, but it will result in the endless comparisons.  Over and again, in subtle or direct ways, she will hear that she no longer pleases you because she is no longer young.  Would you condemn your wife to such misery, having her know that you'd really rather have someone else in your marriage bed?  Would you do that just because God allows the human body to change with age?  Controlling your lust is not just self-discipline;  it is a matter of justice toward your life-partner.

The world's solution to emotions in a bottle is to "let it all hang out."  Behave like animals, like sheep in rut.  God's solution is self-control;  behave like spiritual beings in communion with God.  One leads to death, the other leads to eternal happiness.  But you must choose now.

____________________

Words Of Christ Devotions

Dist. Worldwide in the Great Freeware Bible Study package called
e-Sword by Rick Meyer: http://www.e-sword.net/downloads.html
Full Featured - Outstanding - Completely FREE - No Strings Attached

(The goal of Rick Meyer is to distribute excellent Bible Study
Software to every country on earth in their own language FREE
of charge, and that goal gets closer by the day.)
____________________