Temperance
Video Notes
Joy, Temperance, and Repose (rest, tranquility) slam the door on the doctor’s nose. -- Longfellow, 1800’s
Temperance is much more than avoiding alcohol or limiting sugar intake.
How do we practice temperance/moderation in our own lives?
Stimulants (caffeine, nicotine) and Depressants (alcohol) are poisons to the body and mind.
Practicing temperance will help you regain and maintain balance, focus, direction, and control.
The key to practicing temperance is in your mind.
Your mind is the “springboard” for all of your thoughts, feelings, and actions. (Romans 12:1-2; Psalm 51:10)
If you learn to use your mind carefully and wisely, you will win the battle against intemperance (against self).
- Too much of anything (even a good thing) is bad. (water, sunlight)
Temperance is much more than avoiding alcohol or limiting sugar intake.
- Temperance is a state of mind, wherein you seek to practice balance with your body and passions.
- Temperance is an age-old conflict of our (sinful) human nature.
How do we practice temperance/moderation in our own lives?
- Temperance = Self-Control = Learning how to control our thoughts, emotions, actions.
- Temperance is a Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23)
- Eating & Exercise Choices (habits, lifestyle) = Obesity & Disease OR Health & Fitness
- When making food choices, think “temperately.”
- Eat enough to sustain your physical needs.
- Choose nutrient-rich foods that will make your body happy.
Stimulants (caffeine, nicotine) and Depressants (alcohol) are poisons to the body and mind.
- Scientific health “benefits” of drinking small amounts of alcohol. (?)
- Very limited and specified application.
- Very questionable research parameters with contradicting “conclusions.”
- Newer research has totally debunked any health benefit in using alcohol.
- Occasional, light drinking > heavy, habitual drinking = Serious health and safety hazard
- Addiction (chemical/behavioral dependence) = impaired (or lack of) self-control
- The “moderate” use of alcohol, tobacco, coffee (poisons) is Total Abstinence
Practicing temperance will help you regain and maintain balance, focus, direction, and control.
- If you are over-reliant on technology (or any worldly thing):
- Put your phone down. Turn off the TV.
- Take a few moments to collect your thoughts.
- Breathe, pray.
- Engage with friends and family.
- Have a real conversation.
The key to practicing temperance is in your mind.
- Safeguard your thoughts.
- Learn the power of forgiveness (self and others).
- Monitor (regulate, modulate) your emotions.
- Learn to release feelings of anger, grief, and fear (anxiety, worry, insecurity).
- Learn to express your thoughts and feelings appropriately and effectively.
- Adjust your perceptions. Do a reality check. Is your thinking distorted?
- Learn to be humble, kind, and patient (less reactive).
- Experience genuine empathy and compassion.
- Thoughts – Feelings – Actions. Change one, and you change the other two.
Your mind is the “springboard” for all of your thoughts, feelings, and actions. (Romans 12:1-2; Psalm 51:10)
If you learn to use your mind carefully and wisely, you will win the battle against intemperance (against self).
True Will Power
Many are inquiring, “How am I to make the surrender of myself to God?” You want to give yourself to Him, but you are weak in moral power, in slavery to doubt, and controlled by the habits of your life of sin. Your promises and resolutions are like ropes of sand.
You cannot control your thoughts, your impulses, your affections. The knowledge of your broken promises and forfeited pledges weakens your confidence in your own sincerity, and [these thoughts] cause you to feel that God cannot accept you; but you need not despair. What you need to understand is the true force of the will. This is the governing power in the nature of man, the power of decision – the power of choice.
Everything depends on the right action of the will (self-denial, surrender). The power of choice God has given to men; it is theirs to exercise. You cannot change your heart, you cannot of yourself give to God its affections; but you can choose to serve Him. You can give Him your will (your power of choice, let God make your decisions); He will then work in you to will (desire and decide) and to do (empower and act) according to His good pleasure (obedience to the natural – health – and moral laws of God).
Thus, your whole nature (thoughts, feelings, actions) will be brought under the control of the Spirit of Christ (partaking of the divine nature); your affections will be centered upon Him (Christ); your thoughts will be in harmony with Him. -- Steps to Christ, p. 47.1
You cannot control your thoughts, your impulses, your affections. The knowledge of your broken promises and forfeited pledges weakens your confidence in your own sincerity, and [these thoughts] cause you to feel that God cannot accept you; but you need not despair. What you need to understand is the true force of the will. This is the governing power in the nature of man, the power of decision – the power of choice.
Everything depends on the right action of the will (self-denial, surrender). The power of choice God has given to men; it is theirs to exercise. You cannot change your heart, you cannot of yourself give to God its affections; but you can choose to serve Him. You can give Him your will (your power of choice, let God make your decisions); He will then work in you to will (desire and decide) and to do (empower and act) according to His good pleasure (obedience to the natural – health – and moral laws of God).
Thus, your whole nature (thoughts, feelings, actions) will be brought under the control of the Spirit of Christ (partaking of the divine nature); your affections will be centered upon Him (Christ); your thoughts will be in harmony with Him. -- Steps to Christ, p. 47.1
Christ-centered and Christ-empowered temperance (self-control) is the ultimate “stress management technique” and will bring true health and happiness!
Temperance > self-control > surrendering your will to Christ in faith > Christ’s Righteousness
Temperance > self-control > surrendering your will to Christ in faith > Christ’s Righteousness
A lifestyle of Temperance is a Self-Controlled, Victorious, Overcoming lifestyle!
For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure. -- Philippians 2:13
For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure. -- Philippians 2:13
In achieving your goal of living to 120, practicing temperance (self-control) is one of the most important habits that you should make part of your healthy lifestyle.
Notes & Worksheet
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