2 Samuel 11:1-5 David provides us with an excellent example of the disastrous consequences that unravel when we lack self-control. In this case, a single impulse that he could have easily overcome led to increasingly more difficult circumstances.

Self-control is telling yourself “no” when you’re tempted to do something wrong and “yes” when you don’t feel like doing something right.

Mark 14:53-63 Jesus provides a sterling counterexample to David. Instead of allowing his own desires or others to push him around, he stays true to God even in the most stressful moments. He knew the prophecy and conformed his behavior to it, even though it was excruciatingly difficult (Isaiah 53:7). Even when he hung on the cross, he continued to resist sin, deceit, returning insults, or uttering threats

Mark 2:14-20 Self-control can become a vice if we overdo it. The Pharisees so trained themselves to control the minutiae of their lives that they devolved into legalism and self-righteousness. They even looked down their noses and accused the only perfect man of not living up to their standards!

Although the Pharisees are famous for going to the maximum with self-control, there was a group of Christians who made the Pharisees look free-spirited. In the sparse reports we have about them, we have the name Ecratites, which translated literally means something like “Self-Controllers.” This group didn’t believe in eating meat, drinking anything but water, or sexual intercourse even within marriage. Even so, Scripture warns us not to fall into such extremes (1 Timothy 4:1-5).

Gentleness

Gentleness and/or meekness is a quality of heart we should have when receiving direction from God.

Psalm 25:9 (KJV)

James 1:21

Zechariah 7:11-12

The fruit of gentleness should guide our hearts in dealing with others.

Galatians 6:1 The spirit of gentleness is how we should approach someone caught up in sin.

2 Timothy 2:23-26 We are not to be quarrelsome with those who oppose us. Rather, the fruit of gentleness should be our guide.

The Apostle Paul was not always gentle before his conversion.

Paul changed from the inside out. Where he was once “furiously enraged” in persecuting the church, Paul changed to a man with a gentle spirit.

1 Thessalonians 2:5-8 This is how the Apostle Paul was among the churches in Thessalonica – “gentle, as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children.”

This is how Jesus is with us. We come to him, drawn by his gentleness towards us.

We should display this fruit of gentleness toward others.

Gentleness and/or meekness is a quality of heart we should have when receiving direction from God.

Psalm 25:9 (KJV)

James 1:21

Zechariah 7:11-12

The fruit of gentleness should guide our hearts in dealing with others.

Galatians 6:1 The spirit of gentleness is how we should approach someone caught up in sin.

2 Timothy 2:23-26 We are not to be quarrelsome with those who oppose us. Rather, the fruit of gentleness should be our guide.

The Apostle Paul was not always gentle before his conversion.

Paul changed from the inside out. Where he was once “furiously enraged” in persecuting the church, Paul changed to a man with a gentle spirit.

1 Thessalonians 2:5-8 This is how the Apostle Paul was among the churches in Thessalonica – “gentle, as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children.”

This is how Jesus is with us. We come to him, drawn by his gentleness towards us.

We should display this fruit of gentleness toward others.

Our God is faithful (Deut 7:9; 1 Cor 10:13), so we too should be faithful (Eph 5:1).

Luke 12:35-48 This is a double parable with the first focusing on a servant faithfully keeping watch for his master’s return home after a late-night wedding feast. The second is about a household manager whom his manager put in charge of faithfully taking care of matters while he is gone. Both of these have much to teach us about remaining vigilant and faithfully serving day after day, year after year, and decade after decade. If Jesus should come back in your lifetime, what do you want him to find you doing? Whatever that is, do more of that.

Luke 16:1-15 This is one of the more colorful parables in Scripture since it features a dishonest employee who gets fired. However, Jesus is not telling this story to endorse cheating the boss by giving discounts out for favors. No, his point is that we need to be wise and generous with our money. Then Jesus appends a conclusion about the importance for his followers to be faithful in the little issues of life.

Luke 19:11-28 Our last parable is about a king who entrusted 1 mina (100 days wages) each to ten of his servants before leaving for a long trip. Upon his return, he calls them to account and is eager to discover how they have improved his estate while he was gone. To those servants who multiplied what he entrusted to them, he said, “You have been faithful in a very little, you shall have authority over ten (or five) cities.”

Are you faithfully serving God? Are you faithfully taking care of the little matters of this life? If not, you can confess this to God since He’s faithful to forgive and cleanse (1 John 5:9).

Luke 12:35-48 This is a double parable with the first focusing on a servant faithfully keeping watch for his master’s return home after a late-night wedding feast. The second is about a household manager whom his manager put in charge of faithfully taking care of matters while he is gone. Both of these have much to teach us about remaining vigilant and faithfully serving day after day, year after year, and decade after decade. If Jesus should come back in your lifetime, what do you want him to find you doing? Whatever that is, do more of that.

Luke 16:1-15 This is one of the more colorful parables in Scripture since it features a dishonest employee who gets fired. However, Jesus is not telling this story to endorse cheating the boss by giving discounts out for favors. No, his point is that we need to be wise and generous with our money. Then Jesus appends a conclusion about the importance for his followers to be faithful in the little issues of life.

Luke 19:11-28 Our last parable is about a king who entrusted 1 mina (100 days wages) each to ten of his servants before leaving for a long trip. Upon his return, he calls them to account and is eager to discover how they have improved his estate while he was gone. To those servants who multiplied what he entrusted to them, he said, “You have been faithful in a very little, you shall have authority over ten (or five) cities.”

Are you faithfully serving God? Are you faithfully taking care of the little matters of this life? If not, you can confess this to God since He’s faithful to forgive and cleanse (1 John 5:9).

Exodus 33:18ff; 34:1-6; Psalm 145:1ff God is the definition of goodness. To know goodness, look to Yahweh.

Psalm 14:1ff People are not born with goodness as part of their makeup.

Psalm 53:1ff

Romans 3:9-18

Matthew 7:15-18 Inside out

Galatians 5:22 Goodness comes with the spirit.

Ephesians 5:8-17

4:25-29 Watch what you communicate.

Romans 3:9-18 Notice the emphasis placed on words spoken.

Throat is an open grave

With their tongues they keep deceiving

Poison of asps is under their lips

Mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.

James 3:2-11

Romans 13:1-8

I Peter 2:11-17 Honor the president.

Live the goodness that is yours by walking by the spirit, obeying God’s Word.

Philemon 1:14 Godly goodness cannot be coerced, strong-armed; rather, it comes from within motivated by the spirit of God.

2 Thessalonians 1:11 To this end also we pray for you always, that our God will count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Psalm 14:1ff People are not born with goodness as part of their makeup.

Psalm 53:1ff

Romans 3:9-18

Matthew 7:15-18 Inside out

Galatians 5:22 Goodness comes with the spirit.

Ephesians 5:8-17

4:25-29 Watch what you communicate.

Romans 3:9-18 Notice the emphasis placed on words spoken.

Throat is an open grave

With their tongues they keep deceiving

Poison of asps is under their lips

Mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.

James 3:2-11

Romans 13:1-8

I Peter 2:11-17 Honor the president.

Live the goodness that is yours by walking by the spirit, obeying God’s Word.

Philemon 1:14 Godly goodness cannot be coerced, strong-armed; rather, it comes from within motivated by the spirit of God.

2 Thessalonians 1:11 To this end also we pray for you always, that our God will count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Galatians 5:22-23, “But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”

Kindness – “the quality of being generous, helpful, and considerate toward other people”

Kindness is not a typical attribute that our world values. Our world looks at the external, not the internal.

Proverbs 31:30, “Charm is deceptive and beauty is but a vapor, but a woman who fears Yahweh-she will be praised.”

Isaiah 40:30, “Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted.”

It is not what you have on the outside that matters; what matters is what is on the inside-in your heart. That is what makes you who you are.

Proverbs 4:23, “More than anything else you protect, guard your heart, because from it flow the issues of life.”

Romans 2:4, “Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God is intended to lead you to repentance?”

Illustration: 2 Samuel 9:1-13

Showing kindness means showing grace, being generous, thinking of the good of the other, helping, and being considerate.

The lie from the Enemy: kindness is viewed as weakness.

Nice guys finish last??? Not in the kingdom! Kindness will always win the day.

Kindness – “the quality of being generous, helpful, and considerate toward other people”

Kindness is not a typical attribute that our world values. Our world looks at the external, not the internal.

Proverbs 31:30, “Charm is deceptive and beauty is but a vapor, but a woman who fears Yahweh-she will be praised.”

Isaiah 40:30, “Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted.”

It is not what you have on the outside that matters; what matters is what is on the inside-in your heart. That is what makes you who you are.

Proverbs 4:23, “More than anything else you protect, guard your heart, because from it flow the issues of life.”

Romans 2:4, “Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God is intended to lead you to repentance?”

Illustration: 2 Samuel 9:1-13

Showing kindness means showing grace, being generous, thinking of the good of the other, helping, and being considerate.

The lie from the Enemy: kindness is viewed as weakness.

Nice guys finish last??? Not in the kingdom! Kindness will always win the day.

2 Peter 3:9 Our God is a God of patience. He is patiently waiting for more to reach repentance before he brings about the end.

Luke 8:15; Romans 2:6-7 It’s important for us to be patient with ourselves as we seek to produce godly fruit in our lives. We can’t allow ourselves to get frustrated by slow progress. We need to endure steadfastly.

Romans 8:24-25; Hebrews 6:11-15; Psalm 37:7-9 We can get worn down by the world while waiting for the hope. Even so, we must patiently endure in faith, knowing that what God has promised will

2 Timothy 4:2 It’s also important for us to be patient with each other. How much patience has God showed you to get where you are today? Sometimes people have breakthroughs and make huge progress, and other times they become stagnant or backslide. God calls us to be steady-to have complete patience as we seek to help others.

James 5:10 The great Hebrew prophets have much to teach us about patience. Think of the patience of Abraham and Sarah who waited twenty-five years to have their child. What about Elijah whom the government hunted for over three years while drought dried out the land of Israel.

Galatians 5:22-23 We have such an advantage today over those who came before us. We have the full canon of Scripture, the powerful redemptive work of Christ, the aiding help of the holy spirit, and a clear vision of the hope.