Welcome to the Forty Days of Focus Daily Reader. This booklet is designed to give you daily insight into discovering and overcoming the Seven Deadly Sins. In the Bible we find particular significance in a 40 day time period on several occasions.
Elijah spent 40 days in the wilderness. God flooded the earth in 40 days. Moses led God’s people for 40 years in the wilderness.
Jonah gave the city of
Nineveh 40 days'
grace to
repent.
Jesus retreated into the
wilderness and fasted during 40 days of
temptation to prepare for his
ministry.
Modern studies have helped us to understand that it takes about 40 days to remove an old habit and replace it with a new one. Although any 40 day period of time can be an effective strategy for focusing on life-change, this booklet was designed to correspond to the 40 day Lenten period that begins on Ash Wednesday and ends at the Easter Sunday Celebration.
During your 40 day journey you should practice fasting to sharpen your focus. Your 40 day fast might exclude caffeine, sugar, bread, meat, TV, soda or some other luxury.
The following components are an important part of this journey:
Small Group Discussion ............... 7 weekly guided discussions
Reading ………………………….……….. 42 daily topical devotions
Sermons ………………….… 7 Sunday Morning Topical Sermons
Fasting …………….………………………… 40 days of partial fasting
Table of Contents
Pride six daily devotions
Greed six daily devotions
Envy six daily devotions
Wrath six daily devotions
Lust six daily devotions
Gluttony six daily devotions
Sloth six daily devotions
Pride
Day One
To Fear the Lord is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech.
Proverbs 8:13
PRIDE: The unwillingness to look at one's faults honestly, or of esteeming ourselves greatly based on an excessive esteem of our abilities or worth. This is vanity.
There is a story told of the one-time heavyweight boxing champion of the world, Muhammad Ali, flying to one of his engagements. During the flight the aircraft ran into foul weather, and mild to moderate turbulence began to toss it about. The passengers were accordingly instructed to fasten their seatbelts immediately. Everyone complied but Ali. Noticing this, the flight attendant approached him and requested that he observe the captain’s order, only to hear Ali audaciously respond, “Superman don’t need no seatbelt.” The flight attendant did not miss a beat and replied, “Superman don’t need no airplane either.”
[1]How honest are you about your own worth? What is your worth based on? Are you more gifted than others? Does that mean you are also worth more? Many of us assume that our worth is based on our abilities and when we compare ourselves to others we come away with an over inflated view of self based on our good attributes. By default we seem to find the best in ourselves while easily criticizing others.
Ali thought himself greater than the others on his plane. Clearly he was using the wrong standard to measure his worth. In 1984 millions watched as Ali ran the Olympic torch to the top of the coliseum steps to begin the Los Angeles Olympics. It was painful to watch. This once proud man struggled to do something most of the viewers could easily do. His body was devastated by the effects of Parkinson’s so that he was barely able to speak, shook from head to toe and was only a frail reminder of the great athlete who once entertained the boxing world.
By using the same standard that made Ali feel like a god (his physical stature), Ali became an almost worthless human being. Yet carrying the torch was a great honor. How could this be? Why was he chosen? It was a humbling moment for all who watched and a reminder that our present success is but fleeting. Unlike God who is the same today, yesterday and forever, we are all destined to decay.
What control did you have over your development in your mother’s womb? Why weren’t you born crippled? Why are you able to read? Did you choose to be born into a world of opportunity and freedom? How would you have developed if you were born into a third-world family and sold as a child sex slave?
Each of us is a trophy of God’s grace. Tomorrow is not a guarantee no matter how much money you have. Today could be the last for each of us. In a moment the lives of countless Americans were transformed by the Hurricane we call Katrina. What about you? Are you proud? Do you see yourself as God sees you or have you chosen to elevate your worth?
Each of us must discover the places where we are tempted to think more highly of ourselves than we should.
1. Do you feel that others overlook your talents and underestimate your worth?
2. How has God assigned worth to you?
Application: Take a moment and ask God to reveal to you areas of your life where you demonstrate pride by assigning worth to yourself. Thank God for giving you His worth by assigning His name and reputation to you.
Pride
Day Two
When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom. - Proverbs 11:2
Do you want to be God? According to the opening chapters of Genesis, when God placed the man and the woman in Eden to be his vice regents on earth, he gave them the maximum freedom, authority and dominion possible for created beings. They were to rule the earth for Him. And there were no apparent restrictions on how they were to do it, except in the matter of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, of which they were not to eat - as a symbol of their dependence upon God.
The fruit was a tangible symbol of the fact that the man and woman, even with great freedom and dominion on the earth, were nevertheless God’s creatures. They enjoyed their freedom and exercised their dominion as a result of God’s free gift. The fruit was a restraint upon them, to remind them that they were not God but were responsible to him. What kind of fruit it was makes no difference.
When Adam and Eve fall into sin through the temptation of Satan, the first revelation of sin’s nature is revealed and thus tells us what is basically wrong with mankind. In essence what Adam and Eve did when they ate of the fruit was to proclaim that were able to provide for their own needs apart from God’s provision. This is pride. It is a declaration of selfishness above all else. They had no need for more food, sex, freedom, comfort, or any thing else, yet they chose to disobey God. This is at the heart of the sin nature.
It would be comforting to think of Adam and Eve as poor creatures who were fooled through the cunning of Satan, caught up in a disastrous day of tragic proportions. However, 1 Timothy 2:14 clearly states: “And Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor.” Yet Adam ate the fruit too. If Adam was not deceived, as 1 Timothy clearly states, then he must have sinned in full knowledge of what he was doing.
Adam’s act of rebellion was a clear statement that in effect was communicating his inward motive, “I don’t care if I am allowed to eat of all the trees north of here east of here, south of here and west of here. So long as that one tree stands in the garden as a symbol of my creaturehood, so long as it is there to remind me that I am not God, that I am not perfectly autonomous – so long as it is there I hate it! So I will eat of it and die, whatever that means.” And so Adam ate of the tree in deliberate disobedience to God. And death, first the death of his spirit but then also the death of his soul and body, passed upon the human race.
1. If you could take Adam’s place, do you think that you would choose not to eat of the Forbidden Tree?
2. Have you ever chosen to taste of something that you knew was against God’s will?
3. What evidence can you see in your life that you struggle to hand control of your life over to God?
Application: Make a list of five things you have done that demonstrate your desire to provide for yourself instead of trusting God for His provision.
Example: “I dated a person who I knew was bad for my relationship with God because I liked the way they made me feel.”
Pride
Day Three
“Better to be lowly in spirit and among the oppressed than to share plunder with the proud.” – Proverbs 16:19
Lets see how God felt about the pride of one of the greatest emperors in world history – King Nebuchadnezzar. In the Book of Daniel we read:
“All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar. At the end of twelve months he was walking about the royal palace of Babylon. The king spoke, saying, ‘Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power and for the honor of my majesty?’
“While the word was still in the king’s mouth, a voice fell from heaven: “King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: the kingdom has departed from you! And they shall drive you from men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. They shall make you eat grass like oxen; and seven times shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses.” (Daniel 7:28-32)
Here is King Nebuchadnezzar congratulating himself on how great he is, what he has done. He is basking in his achievements. He is talking about his mighty power and the honor of his majesty. No mention of or credit given to Almighty God.
The story of Nebuchadnezzar is just one example of a recurring biblical theme concerning the way God runs the Universe. The principle is this, in due time, God humbles proud men, and exalts those who are humble. One place where it is repeated is in the first letter of Peter to the churches:
“Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for ‘God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.’ Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time.” (1 Peter 5:5-7)
God is telling us that our job is to humble ourselves, and His job is to exalt us. If we try to reverse the roles, and do His job, exalting ourselves, then He will do our job for us, and humble us. It is one of the most powerful laws of the Universe.
If we humble ourselves, it will change our destiny. A person or nation against whom God has pronounced judgment can find mercy if they humble themselves.
1. How have you humbled yourself this past year?
2. How has God humbled you this past year?
3. Has God exalted you? How?
4. How have you exalted yourself?
Application: What opportunity has God given you this week to humble yourself? Are you going to do it? What will it cost you?
Pride
Day Four
“The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine and it is now complete. He must become greater; I must become less.” – John 3:29-30
Leonard Bernstein, the late conductor of the New York Philharmonic orchestra, was once asked to name the most difficult instrument to play. Without hesitation, he replied, “The second fiddle. I can get plenty of first violinists, but to find someone who can play the second fiddle with enthusiasm—that’s a problem. And if we have no second fiddle, we have no harmony.”
[2]In John chapter three John the Baptist uses an illustration to teach us a very important lesson. It was a lesson John was intimately acquainted with; a lesson on humility. From the day John was born, he lived in the shadow of Jesus. His mother knew that his cousin, Jesus of Nazareth, was divine, being born of a virgin. As John grew he found his calling in preparing the way for Jesus. This meant that he left his place in society, all his earthly possessions and made a life living in the wilderness outside of town.
He made clothing out of animal skins and ate what he could catch. As he began to preach, teach and baptize John gained a great following. I’m sure that John of all people was very aware that it was nothing great on his part that brought large crowds, yet the crowds came just the same. With the crowds came disciples and with disciples came an opportunity for this hairy, dirty, rough man of God to become more than God had made him to be.
When Jesus arrived on the scene to proclaim His earthly ministry of healing the disciples of John came to see what his reaction would be. Would John be threatened by Jesus? If Jesus stole all the fruit of John’s labors would John rebel? So they said, "Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan--the one you testified about--well, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him.”
John answered them with a story about weddings. Can you imagine how crazy it would be if the best man at a wedding kept pushing the groom aside and stealing the show? That would be low down. The best man’s job at a wedding is to be in the shadows, do the hard work, make sure the bride and groom are the center of attention and that at the end of the day everyone remembers how great the groom is, not the bet man. John understood the importance of becoming less so that Christ could become more.
1. Do you struggle with giving up your advantages so that Christ can get the credit for your success?
2. When was the last time you went to a wedding? Did the best man and the maid of Honor steal the show? Do you remember the bride and groom or are your thoughts mostly on the bridal party?
3. Are the people who know you best more impressed with you or with your God?
Application: In the space below write down one thing you could do to become less so that God might become more in your life:
Pride
Day Five
“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.” – Matthew 5:5
Godly Virtue: Humility
The Godly virtue which pride wars against is Christian humility and a contrite spirit, where man has a spiritual aversion to being subject to God or His laws. It is a hindrance to the Christian's recognition of the Sovereignty and Grace of God. To combat this sin, we should strive to see ourselves as the sinners that we really are, and not to compare ourselves to others, that we might appear to ourselves better or more righteous.
“Humility does not mean thinking less of yourself than of other people, nor does it mean having a low opinion of your own gifts. It means freedom from thinking about yourself one way or the other at all.”
Corrie Ten Boom, in her book, Each New Day, gives us a great picture of humility. “When I saw Sadhu Sundar Singh in Europe, he had completed a tour around the world. People asked him, Doesn’t it do harm, your getting so much honor?” The Sadhu’s answer was: “No. The donkey went into Jerusalem, and they put garments on the ground before him. He was not proud. He knew it was not done to honor him, but for Jesus, who was sitting on his back. When people honor me, I know it is not me, but the Lord, who does the job.”
What a great picture of our proper place. The greatest moments we can hope for as Christian people is to be that donkey in the middle of the parade, carrying the King of Kings into our communities, shouldering the weight of the gospel. But at the end of the day, we are just the donkey, never the King.
1. When do you feel most humble?
2. How does the discipline of looking at your sinful habits make you more humble?
3. Are you more likely to focus on your sins too much and therefore believe the lie that God dose not love you or to focus on your sins too little and believe that God is lucky to have you on His side?
Application: Make a point of humbling yourself today when you interact with others.
Pride
Day Six
It is pride which has been the chief cause of misery in every nation and every family since the world began. - C. S. Lewis
Self Check: Pride
Rank yourself on a scale of 1-5, 1 being “true of me” and 5 being “not true”:
_____ I am often aware that I am a miserable sinner.
_____ When I am made aware of an area of my life that is not bringing glory to God, I do everything I can to obey immediately.
_____ Other people feel like I am open to criticism when I am wrong.
_____ I rarely compare myself to other people in any way.
_____ I have given several other Christians both the right and the opportunity to
speak truth into my life if they feel I am not obeying God.
_____ TOTAL SCORE
Top Ten:
In the space below make a list of ten things you can do to become more humble and less proud.
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Greed
Day One
Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” – Luke 12:15
GREED: This sin is the inordinate love of possessions and the desire for either material wealth or to gain more than one needs.
Men who trap animals in Africa for zoos in America say that one of the hardest animals to catch is the ring-tailed monkey. For the Zulus of that continent, however, it’s simple. They’ve been catching this agile little animal with ease for years. The method the Zulus use is based on knowledge of the animal. Their trap is nothing more than a melon growing on a vine. The seeds of this melon are a favorite of the monkey. Knowing this, the Zulus simply cut a hole in the melon, just large enough for the monkey to insert his hand to reach the seeds inside. The monkey will stick his hand in, grab as many seeds as he can, then start to withdraw it. This he cannot do. His fist is now larger than the hole. The monkey will pull and tug, screech and fight the melon for hours. But he can’t get free of the trap unless he gives up the seeds, which he refuses to do. Meanwhile, the Zulus sneak up and nab him.
What Would You Do?
What are you willing to do for $10,000,000? Two-thirds of Americans polled would agree to at least one, some to several of the following:
[3]Would abandon their entire family (25%)
Would abandon their church (25%)
Would become prostitutes for a week or more (23%)
Would give up their American citizenship (16%)
Would leave their spouses (16%)
Would withhold testimony and let a murderer go free (10%)
Would kill a stranger (7%)
Would put their children up for adoption (3%)
There is nothing wrong with having nice things. That’s not greed. How nice the things that you have or want are is not part of the definition of greed. Greed is measured by taking the things you have and want and comparing them to what you should have or want. If God is your provider, He alone should determine what is enough for you. The key is finding His provision and living happily within it.
1. How many people around the world would be happy to trade their possessions for yours?
2. Do you consider yourself blessed to abundance in possessions?
Application: Take a moment to thank God for the things you have that you enjoy.
Greed
Day Two
“What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?” – Matthew 16:26
How Much Land Does a Man Need?
Leo Tolstoy once wrote a story about a successful peasant farmer who was not satisfied with his lot. He wanted more of everything. One day he received a novel offer. For 1000 rubles, he could buy all the land he could walk around in a day. The only catch in the deal was that he had to be back at his starting point by sundown.
Early the next morning he started out walking at a fast pace. By midday he was very tired, but he kept going, covering more and more ground. Well into the afternoon he realized that his greed had taken him far from the starting point. He quickened his pace and as the sun began to sink low in the sky, he began to run, knowing that if he did not make it back by sundown the opportunity to become an even bigger landholder would be lost.
As the sun began to sink below the horizon he came within sight of the finish line. Gasping for breath, his heart pounding, he called upon every bit of strength left in his body and staggered across the line just before the sun disappeared. He immediately collapsed, blood streaming from his mouth. In a few minutes he was dead.
Afterwards, his servants dug a grave. It was not much over six feet long and three feet wide. Apparently we don’t need such a very big piece of land.
[4]We live in an affluent society. Even people on welfare are able to buy home entertainment centers, wear watches, eat fast food and drive new cars. A popular bumper sticker says, “He who dies with the most toys wins.” It is usually on a nice car. What kind of toys do you have?
There is nothing wrong with nice things. In fact, when we read of the Garden of Eden we picture a place full of nice things that God created for mankind to enjoy. Heaven is pictured as a place with streets of gold and with mansions and jewels. God is not against nice things. But how much do you need?
There is a huge gap between a want and a need. We all need air, food, warm clothes, and a place to live. We need companionship and a sense of worth. But none of these are likely to top the list of Christmas requests this year. Instead, cars and appliances, housewares, clothes, electronics, and a number of other gadgets will be on our wish lists.
Most of us already have more possessions than 90% of the world outside America. Yet many millions of people are living fairly satisfying lives without the trappings of the many toys we enjoy. Each generation of Americans has taken materialism to a new level. Yet the more we have, the more we crave.
Not only do we have a lot of stuff, but we have a very difficult time giving it up. Self-storage is a big business in our country. People who have too much stuff are willing to pay to store it instead of getting rid of it. Most people have things stored in their garages and attics and closets that have not been touched in months or even years.
1. Why do we keep all these possessions? Do we really believe that these things will make us happy?
2. What things do you have that you shouldn’t?
Application: Make a plan to get rid of at least one thing today you don’t need. How does it make you feel to think about doing this?
Greed
Day Three
“Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.”
1 Timothy 6:17-18
When is enough, enough?
I once saw a sign in a burger joint that said, “I used to dream of making what I’m now starving on.” The first time I saw that sign I was a teenager. Its truth is now more apparent to me as an adult. If you dream of making more money and buying more stuff, you will find that even if your dream comes true, your desire for more will still exist.
John D. Rockefeller was an extremely wealthy man in his day. He was once asked why he continued to work when he obviously had more than enough money for a lifetime of ease. “How much more money will be enough?,” asked the reporter. “Just a little bit more,” was the answer.
King Solomon writes in the book of Ecclesiastes that he tried everything under the sun that money could buy and was not satisfied.
We should rejoice in our abundance. God blessed the Israelites with many material blessings. There is nothing wrong with nice things. But if those nice things begin to fill the void reserved for God, or if they begin to form the foundation for your security, you are in gross sin.
Matthew 6:19-34: 19 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 22 "The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! 24 "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money. 25 "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? 28 "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
1. On a scale of 1-10, ten being absolutely sure, how sure are you that God is ready, willing and able to provide all of your needs?
2. What do you find it most difficult to trust God for?
Application: Take a moment to ask God to be your sole provider and repent for the times you know you have tried to provide for yourself.
Greed
Day Four
Did you hear about the clever salesman who closed hundreds of sales with this line: “Let me show you something several of your neighbors said you couldn’t afford.” - Anon
Why do you want more? The motives for greed are not the same for all people who are greedy. Some desire more because it represents security and they are living in fear. Having more means they will be able to care for themselves even if things go wrong.
Luke 12:15-21
15 Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." 16 And he told them this parable: "The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. 17 He thought to himself, 'What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.' 18 "Then he said, 'This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I'll say to myself, "You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.'" 20 "But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?' 21 "This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God."
Others gather an abundance of things to try to demonstrate that they are significant. By having nice things they assume that their worth will go up. Their pride leads to greed, and they gather an impressive storehouse of expensive things.
Still others consume because of the pleasure of the easy life. They lust for pleasure and long for the life of pampered care.
1. What makes you want more? Security? Pride? Lust?
2. What is the spiritual effect of your possessions on your relationship with God? Do they increase or decrease your love and dependence on Him?
Application: Circle each of the places where you store your possessions…
Garage Closet Car Attic Storage Unit Shed Friend’s
Greed
Day Five
I have tried to keep things in my hands and lost them all, but what I have given into God’s hands I still possess. - Martin Luther
Godly Virtue: Generosity
The Godly virtue that the sin of greed wars against is Christian charity, and greed usually results in one ignoring the spiritual in favor of the temporal. To combat this sin, we should seek to understand that generosity means sacrifice, including our letting others receive credit or praise. The true charity that combats greed is to give, wanting nothing in return.
Charles Spurgeon
Charles Spurgeon and his wife, according to a story in the Chaplain magazine, would sell, but refused to give away, the eggs their chickens laid. Even close relatives were told, “You may have them if you pay for them.” As a result, some people labeled the Spurgeons greedy and grasping.
They accepted the criticisms without defending themselves, and only after Mrs. Spurgeon died was the full story revealed. All the profits from the sale of eggs went to support two elderly widows. Because the Spurgeons where unwilling to let their left hand know what the right hand was doing (Matt. 6:3), they endured the attacks in silence.
We’d all like a reputation for generosity, and we’d all like to buy it cheap.
Are you a generous person? Unless you have learned to give away more than you can afford, you are not generous. You may be more generous than the person next to you, but you are not generous by God’s standard.
1. What have you done this past week that demonstrated generosity?
2. What personal pleasures have you given up so that someone else could enjoy material gain?
3. Do you prefer to give anonymously or in the open?
Application: Give an anonymous gift to someone else today.
Greed
Day Six
Self Check: Greed
Rank yourself on a scale of 1-5, 1 being “true of me” and 5 being “not true”:
_____ When asked what I want for my birthday, I often find it difficult to answer because I already have everything I want.
_____ I have almost no clutter in my house because I don’t hold onto things I don’t use anymore.
_____ I could have bought a nicer car than the one I have, but I chose a more affordable alternative.
_____ If the person who died with the most toys did win, I would be a real loser.
_____ I am happy to be giving away at least 10% of my income to the Lord’s work.
_____ TOTAL SCORE
Top Ten:
In the space below write down ten things you could do to be more generous.
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Envy
Day One
For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. – James 3:16
ENVY: This is the sin of jealousy or perverted love because it is the love and desire to own what belongs to someone else (Exodus 20:17). This transgression is the discontentment over another's superiority over us in possessions or some good fortune. Envy is the resentment of the good others will or have received.
“It is the eyes of other people that ruin us. If all but myself were blind, I should want neither a fine house nor fine furniture.”
“Content makes poor men rich; discontent makes rich men poor.” - Benjamin Franklin
The godly Scottish preacher Andrew Bonar penned a diary entry. He wrote, “This day 20 years ago I preached for the first time as an ordained minister. It is amazing that the Lord has spared me and used me at all. I have no reason to wonder that He used others far more than He does me. Yet envy is my hurt, and today I have been seeking grace to rejoice exceedingly over the usefulness of others, even where it cast me into the shade. Lord, take away this envy from me!”
Envy can grow to such an extreme that it can cause one person to kill another. This was the case when the Jews delivered Jesus to Pilate. We read in Matthew 27:17, "Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, ‘Who do you want me to release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?’ For he knew that for envy they had delivered him."
Of course envy does not always lead to murder, but it does always lead to destruction. Envy destroys relationships, businesses, teams and families.
In James 3:16 we read, “For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.” Envy leads the way to disorder and other evil things. Beware that the gateway to disorder and evil is often Envy. When you long for what someone else has you are walking into a place of destruction. Nothing good can come from it.
There will always be someone who has a nicer house, a better job, a nicer physique or better hair. You will never have the best of everything. God did not create you to have the best of everything. Unless you are content with what He did give you, you will see others and long for what they have. Envy is a killer.
1. Is there someone you’d rather be?
2. If you could switch places with anyone in the world, who would it be?
3. How much more would you appreciate what you currently have if you didn’t consider, even for another moment, what someone else has?
Application: Ask God to forgive you for wanting to have things He has not given you. Thank God for the blessings you enjoy.
Envy
Day Two
A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones. – Proverbs 14:30
I want that!
Have these three words ever come across your mind? All around us we are confronted with the possessions and good fortune of others, and therefore the temptation is always before us to have what others have.
In Matthew 20, Jesus explains how the Kingdom of Heaven works. Unlike in the world where people are always trying to be first, in the Kingdom of Heaven Jesus explains that the “last will be first and the first will be last.”
Matthew 20: 1-16
“For the Kingdom of Heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire men to work in his vineyard. He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard. About the third hour he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. He told them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ So they went. He went out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour and did the same thing. About the eleventh hour he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, ‘Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?’ ‘Because no one has hired us,’ they answered. He said to them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard.’ When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.’
“The workers who were hired about the eleventh hour came and each received a denarius. So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. ‘These men who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of day.’ But he answered one of them, ‘Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give the man who was hired last the same as I gave you. Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’”
1. Who do you rel ate most to in this parable?
2. Have you ever been mad at God because He gave others more than He gave you?
3. What is a better way than envy to view the things others enjoy?
Application: Think of five things you have that the majority of the population of the world does not have. Imagine if they were all taken away from you tomorrow. Take a moment to thank God for these things.
Envy
Day Three
Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else. – Galatians 6:4
The sin of Comparison
Imagine that one night you went to bed in your room and awoke the next morning in a highly impoverished town in the country of India. When you awoke you had no idea initially that anything was different because you were in your house and in your clothes. In fact, everything you own was there with you. You still had your job, your bank account, your car, your house and everything you own or rent. How would your life change?
You would be the wealthiest person in the town. People would seek out your company. Every day you would drive your car to work and see hundreds of people with no shoes walking around gathering what they could to squeeze out an existence.
If this really happened, you would become the wealthiest person in your world. Would this make you happy? What if instead of ending up in a very poor country you were transported into the wealthiest zip code in America with your current house and car, etc. How would this make you feel?
Much of the way we feel is a product of our environment. We look at what others have and compare ourselves to them. We don’t really want to be rich, we want to be richer. We don’t really want to be good looking, we want to be better looking than everyone else. We don’t really want to be smart, we want to be smarter than everyone else. We are constantly comparing ourselves to others. This is the sin of comparison and the reason that we envy.
1. If you could drive any car you wanted, what would it be? If you could live in any house you wanted what would it look like?
2. Who should decide how much money you make, where you live, and what you drive?
3. Do you spend more time thinking about what others have that you want or more time thinking about what you have that you don’t deserve?
4. Are you more likely to envy others for their possessions, their looks, their abilities, or their position?
Application: Take some time today to drive through a part of town where things are noticeably more affluent or more impoverished than where you live. Ask God to give you His perspective of your relative wealth. Repent for comparing yourself to others instead of appreciating what God has graciously given you.
Envy
Day Four
And I saw that all labor and all achievement spring from man’s envy of his neighbor. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. – Ecclesiastes 4:4
Lazy Fisherman
Philip Parham tells the story of a rich industrialist who was disturbed to find a fisherman sitting lazily beside his boat. “Why aren’t you out there fishing?” he asked.
“Because I’ve caught enough fish for today,” said the fisherman.
“Why don’t you catch more fish than you need?’ the rich man asked.
“What would I do with them?”
“You could earn more money,” came the impatient reply, “and buy a better boat so you could go deeper and catch more fish. You could purchase nylon nets, catch even more fish, and make more money. Soon you’d have a fleet of boats and be rich like me.”
The fisherman asked, “Then what would I do?”
“You could sit down and enjoy life,” said the industrialist.
“What do you think I’m doing now?” the fisherman replied as he looked placidly out to sea.
[5]What do you really need? If we were to ask this question more often, we’d be much more balanced and enjoy life a great deal more. But sadly we often focus on others around us. The wealthy industrialist might have been just as happy as the fisherman, but these two men were wired differently. It only does harm when we compare ourselves to others. God knows what you need and is able to provide for you. Whether you are catching just enough to live on and enjoying your freedom to sit and rest or you are building a fishing empire, you can become disappointed and envious of others.
The power of envy is stated in Proverbs 27:4, "Who is able to stand before envy?"
1. Does your neighbor have anything you wish you had?
2. Do any of your co-workers or family members have things that you’d like to have?
3. What does Solomon mean when he says in Ecclesiastes 4:4, “a chasing after the wind?”
4. Have you ever been motivated by keeping up with others?
Application: Think about your job. Do you work too much? If so, why? What could you do to take more down time?
Envy
Day Five
But godliness with contentment is great gain. – 1 Timothy 6:6
Godly Virtue: Contentment
The Godly virtue that this sin wars against is Christian contentment (Hebrews 13:5, Philippians 4:11) and true loving of our neighbor as ourselves. We combat this sin by being noble and honestly taking joy over our neighbor's good fortune, as if it were our own. That is loving our neighbor as ourselves (James 2:8) and being meek in spirit.
One way to view contentment is to put it into the equation, Contentment equals expectation over outcome:
CONTENTMENT = EXPECTATION
OUTCOME
Philippians 4:11-13
“I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”
In this passage, Paul reminds us that we can learn to be content even if we were once discontent. This is the secret to letting go and letting God be our provider.
Application: Consider the following verses and answer the questions that follow:
Proverbs 19:23
“The fear of the Lord leads to life: Then one rests content, untouched by trouble.”
1. What does it mean to “fear the Lord?”
2. How does trouble touch those who do not fear the Lord?
Luke 3:14
“Then some soldiers asked him, ‘And what should we do?’ He replied, ‘Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely. Be content with your pay.’”
3. How content are you with your pay? How much more would make you content?
1 Timothy 6:8
“But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.”
4. How many days in your life have you not had food and clothing?
Hebrews 13:5
“Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘I will never leave you; never will I forsake you.’”
5. What is the difference between having money and loving money? Does God promise you will always have money in this verse?
Envy
Day Six
6. Self Check: Envy
Rank yourself on a scale of 1-5, 1 being “true of me” and 5 being “not true”:
_____ I rarely desire to have what others have.
_____ I am content with my job.
_____ I am happy with my love life.
_____ If I could switch places with anyone in the world, I’d pass.
_____ When my neighbors buy a new car or improve their house, I am genuinely happy for them.
_____ TOTAL SCORE
Top Ten:
In the space below write down the top ten things you wish you had and do not.
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Wrath
Day One
For man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. – James 1:20
WRATH: This is the transgression of anger or strong exasperation in rage at something or someone. It is often the result of our impatience or of having our pride hurt.
Have you ever been angry? I mean really angry? The fact is that we all get angry. Someone once said, “To error is human, to forgive is divine.” When someone commits an offense against us, it is more natural to attack back than it is to forgive.
What makes you angry? Who makes you angry? James 1:20 tells us that man’s anger is not part of God’s plan for His people. If you are quick to anger, you are missing out on God’s best for you. It’s likely that everyone around you is missing out too.
For some reason driving seems to bring out the worst in people. We are close enough to interact but still anonymously hidden behind our windows and doors. It’s amazing to watch educated, responsible, affluent people flail their arms and shout at the air because someone didn’t put on their turn indicator.
Another amazing thing about anger is that we most often express it at the people we love most. Mothers yell at their kids, husbands say cutting words to their wives, and siblings throw punches or pull hair. Who can push your buttons best? It’s likely someone you love most.
Where does all this anger come from? It comes from taking too high of a view of ourselves. We expect others to get out of our way, cower to our demands, or defer to our will. Why? Because unless we are careful our pride can be hurt. We think, who are you to say or do that to me?
1. What makes you mad?
2. When you get mad, how do you get over it?
3. Do you make others mad without trying?
Application: Think about the last time you got mad. Go back through the steps from calm to anger. In what ways did you blame others for things that were not their fault?
Wrath
Day Two
On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple area and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. – Mark 11:15-19
Be Angry Like Jesus
Is it always wrong to be angry? Is there such a thing as justifiable anger? If so, how can I know the difference between anger that is justified and anger that is unjustified?
Did you know that the Old Testament says 375 times that God got angry? And we know that God cannot sin. So, there is a right way and a wrong way to get angry. There is a harmful way and a helpful way. The issue is not how can I get rid of all anger, but rather how can I express it in a constructive way?
In re-emphasize Mark 11:15-19, we read: “On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple area and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts.” And as he taught them, he said, “It is written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations,’ but you have made it a ‘den of robbers.’”
I’m sure there was more than one person who was disturbed by Jesus’ putting them out of business that day. Jesus went table by table, person to person, overthrowing tables and destroying a lot of hard work. This was a violent confrontation. It was not a debate. It was not a disagreement. Jesus meant business. The text tells us that Jesus had observed the misuse of the temple and that He hardened hearts of the Jewish people. This was his response. It was a proper and sinless response to a very real problem. But it was an angry, violent one at that.
Can you imagine a world where no one ever got angry for any reason? The only proper response to sin is anger. God hates sin. You and I should too. In a world without anger what would we do with the child molester? The murderer? The thief? It is our justifiable anger with sin that compels us to punish the offender.
1. Can you think of a time when you were angry for the right reasons?
2. How do you feel when a crime goes unpunished? Does it make you angry?
Application: Over the next 24 hours observe those around you. When you see anger in yourself or others, try to decide if it is righteous or unrighteous anger and what the proper response should be.
Wrath
Day Three
In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. – Ephesians 4:26-27
Justifiable anger is also known as indignation. It is an anger that rises up in us as a result of seeing someone or something important to us being mistreated or suffering injustice. It is free from rage or resentment. It is a healthy anger that is aimed at the problem and not the person. It is anger for the right reason in the right way. It’s a controlled anger that is meant to be corrective and constructive.
However, justifiable anger can easily cross the line and become unjustifiable. This is a very real problem with sinful, selfish human beings.
In Ephesians 4:26, Paul tells us that we can be angry and yet not sin. Have you ever thought of anger in this way? Anger is an emotion that has its proper time and place. In the same way that an emotional attraction can be expressed in a wrong way or a right way, anger can be either a good or a bad emotion. The warning in this passage is that during a time of anger we are in danger of crossing a line.
Satan would like to see us become angry for the wrong reasons. When we do, he gains a foothold in our lives. It’s as if a rut is worn into our soul that makes it more likely for us to take the same path again another day. If these ruts get worn deeply enough, they can become too deep for us to get out. This is the idea behind a foothold. We can become stuck in a pit of anger.
When you are justified in your anger, you will find the following components:
1. You will be taking up the cause of another.
2. Your response will be focused on getting things right, not on inflicting pain and suffering or humiliation.
3. You will be looking out for the best interest of the one who has committed the offense.
4. You will be glad to see the one who offended repent and have a change of heart.
5. You will forgive the offender when he repents.
Application: The next time you see an injustice, do something about it. Take action by demonstrating righteous anger. Be careful not to sin in your anger. Remember: Your anger can’t be about you, and your motive must be to build up the person who is the offender, not tear him down.
Wrath
Day Four
Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. – Romans 12:17
Unjustifiable anger is characterized by rage, wrath and resentment.
Colossians 3:8
"But now you also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth."
Most of the anger we feel is unjustifiable. It tears down relationships and produces the fruit of fear, disappointment and isolation. Unjustifiable anger falls into one of three categories. All of them are sin.
Rage is used to describe a short-fused, intense, explosive, uncontrolled anger. It’s a “fly off the handle,” let-it-all-out temper blowout that leaves you and everybody around you torn to pieces. This is what King Saul expressed when he hurled his spear at David (Samuel 18:8-11).
Wrath is anger that wants revenge, that desires to retaliate, that wants to return the hurt or injustice the offender has caused. It’s an anger that holds a grudge. This is what the Jews felt toward Jesus when they sought to kill him (Mark 11:18).
Resentment is anger that stems from a grievance. It is an anger that the person suppresses over a long period of time, allowing it to quietly smolder within. Resentment anger doesn’t blow up, it clams up. It produces self-pity that eventually turns to bitterness. This is what the elder son felt towards his little brother in the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:18-20).
Unjustified anger is sin. It tears down. It breaks apart. It steals life. It kills joy. It is familiar to us all.
1. How do you respond when you are offended? Are you more likely to express rage, wrath or resentment?
Application: Make sure to read each of the Bible passages in parentheses above.
Wrath
Day Five
Remember this my dear brothers and sisters: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to become angry. – James 1:19
Godly Virtue: Love
The Godly virtue that this sin wars against is Christian Love, which is patient in dealing with the faults of others. We combat this sin by reigning in the passion of the flesh, by not neglecting charity and love, by being patient, showing kindness and compassion to others, and by forgiving their transgressions up to seven times seventy times.
One misconception of Biblical “Love” is that it is always comfortable. In our culture we refer to uncomfortable love as “tough love.” Many times in the Bible the love that we are to share is tough love. “Speaking the truth in love” to others is one example of this. Another is church discipline.
However, most of the anger that we deal with is unjustified anger, and therefore it is a sin that must be confessed and fought against.
Romans 12:17-21
Romans 12:17-21 reads: “Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written: ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.’ But if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in doing so you will heap burning coals upon his head. Do not overcome evil with evil, but overcome evil with good.”
1. When was the last time you overcame evil with good?
2. How does the example of Jesus help us to understand how to love our enemy?
3. What might it cost you to be a peacemaker?
Application: At least once each day, pray that God would fill you with His Spirit. One of the fruits of the Spirit is love. If you are having difficulty loving your enemies, you will need to have God’s supernatural power to love the unlovely.
Wrath
Day Six
Self Check: Wrath
Rank yourself on a scale of 1-5, 1 being “true of me” and 5 being “not true”:
_____ When I drive I rarely wish bad things would happen to certain other drivers.
_____ There is nothing more I could do to be at peace with everyone I know.
_____ I am not bitter about past disappointments.
_____ I keep my actions as well as my words under control when I am angry.
_____ It is very difficult to get me angry.
_____ TOTAL SCORE
Top Ten:
In the space below list ten things that upset you and then put a “U” next to those that are unjustifiable. Place a “J” by those that are justifiable. For those that are justifiable, write down an action that you could take to make it right.
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Lust
Day One
For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. – 1 John 2:16
LUST: This is the sin of having an inordinate and intense longing or appetite for sexual cravings. It is often manifested in a self-destructive drive for some pleasure regardless of its value, merit, or legality.
The pull of sexual desire is often much greater than our ability to overcome. What God created for our pleasure often is the source of our destruction. While the world continually finds new ways to rationalize sexual deviance from God’s Word, we find ourselves battling to hold onto the truth.
Without God it is not possible to overcome our desire to sin. Do you believe that God can help you to overcome your desires that war against your mind and destroy your purity?
It is important to remember that sex is not bad. God created sex for our delight, and it serves as a core element in the bond of marriage. Sex is part of God’s plan for reproduction, for communication, and for recreation – but all within the confines of marriage. On the surface it would seem that marriage is the answer to feeding this appetite. But dig just a little and we find that marriage is not the cure-all we wish it would be.
Study after study shows that married couples struggle with sex. Some don’t have sex at all, others very little. Others have affairs or rely on sexually explicit material to fill their desires. Many other couples are frustrated but coping. Is it possible to have good sex, be married, and enjoy marriage the way God intended? Without a doubt, it is. But the key is quality character, self-control, faith and effort.
1. Are you satisfied with your sex life?
2. How have you made sacrifices and demonstrated self-control in order to be pure sexually?
3. In what ways does our society suffer from sexual activities outside of committed Christian marriage?
Application: Talk to God. Commit to making Him the Lord of your sex life. Have you been trying to handle this area of life on your own or have you included God at the center of the process?
Lust
Day Two
But I say unto you, That whoever looks at a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart. – Matthew 5:28
Sex Driven
What drives your life? In Rick Warren’s book, The Purpose Driven Life, he says, “Everyone’s life is driven by something.” Some people are driven by guilt, some by resentment and anger, some by fear, some by materialism, and still others by the need for approval.
One of the top selling books in the Christian world is Every Man’s Battle. It deals with the overwhelming appetite of men for sex outside of God’s provision. Lust expresses itself in many ways. Some men are tempted by women to whom they are exposed in everyday life. Simple things like walking down the street or going to the office can be their main areas of temptation. Others are tempted by magazines or the internet. Pornography is big business world-wide. Some are involved in weekend sexual exploits or affairs. No matter what the expression is, lust is taking the sex drive God gave you and perverting it by trying to meet your own needs outside of God’s provision.
After the book, Every Man’s Battle had been out for about a year, the authors discovered a strange thing: Women were reading the book too. As they began to investigate they realized that women too struggled with lust, only in a different way. Romance novels hold the hearts and desires of many women captive to unrealistic fantasy. Through the pages of these books, the immoral encounters of the characters become a window to the sex drive of thousands of women. Likewise, the internet has become a place of connection for women who feel alone. Through chat rooms, women can connect with men and try to meet their needs for acceptance. Today you can buy the sequel, Every Woman’s Battle.
The human sex drive has driven many people to do things that were dangerous, silly or downright evil. King David committed adultery and murder for the temporary joy of sex with Bathsheba. For the sake of sex, many lies have been told, countless dollars have been wasted, and many dreams have been shattered.
In a world without lust, where men and women exercised their sex drive only through God-honoring marriages, sexual diseases would cease to exist. Pregnancy out of wedlock would cease to exist. Pornography and prostitution would cease to exist. Women would feel cherished and men would feel honored.
1. How has culture made sexual immorality more available?
2. How has our culture redefined sexual immorality over the past few decades?
3. What is the link between sexual immorality and brokenness in families?
Application: Consider the ways you are broken sexually. What changes would you need to make to become whole again? Ask God to give you the faith and strength to make these changes. Think of one person you could share your struggles with and ask them to hold you accountable for these changes.
Lust
Day Three
I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do-this I keep on doing. – Romans 7:18-19
Even in a world free of erotic images, people don't control their lust. In Pakistan men and women never hang out together. Women are covered with clothing from their head to their feet, yet there are still prostitutes for hire.
If men in a country like that can't control their lust, how can we? From the moment we get up in the morning until we climb between the sheets at night, we're bombarded with erotic images and messages.
Suppose you made up your mind you were going to make it through one day without lusting. On your way to work your eyes are drawn to the bikini-clad model greeting you from a billboard. A few moments later as you stop at an intersection, you aren't able to keep from noticing the attractively dressed young woman crossing the street.
At work a friend brags about his or her encounter the night before. On your way home you stop at the grocery store and catch yourself gazing at the seminude models that adorn the magazines and romance novels by the checkout counter. When you finally get home, you plop down in an easy chair and flip on the TV, where you are bombarded with even more erotic images and messages.
With the high level of erotic stimulation you face on a daily basis, do you believe you can bridle your lust alone? You may think, "I'll never have a problem with sexual lust."
If that's true, you're stronger than Samson, godlier that David, and wiser than Solomon.
1. If it were possible to control your sexual desires and live a pure life on your own power, wouldn’t you have done it by now?
2. Does lust come from outside influences or from an inner desire?
3. What can you do to gain more power over sin?
Application: Think about the areas you struggle with most in the area of lust. What triggers these thoughts? What actions do you follow these thoughts with? How have you tried to overcome these bad habits on your own power? Did you succeed?
Lust
Day Four
“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. – Galatians 6:7-8
James 1:13-15
“When tempted, no one should say, ‘God is tempting me.’ For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.”
Daily choices make eternal differences. Someone once noted, “It may be true that there are two sides to every question, but it is also true that there are two sides to a sheet of flypaper, and it makes a big difference to the fly which side he chooses.” Some choices lead to life and others to death. God wants to help you make good choices.
Joshua 24:15
“But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”
Not only must you choose to serve God, you must do it daily. In response to Joshua’s challenge the people committed to following the Lord. But did they keep that promise? I’m sure they did great that day. The problem was the day after that.
Choosing to serve God is a day-to-day, moment-by-moment decision. As often as you know that you are tempted to lust, you need to make a conscious decision to turn away from the temptation. If you do, one day at a time you will create the legacy of purity that brings life to you and those you love.
1. Do you blame others for your lust or take the responsibility for it yourself?
2. Do you have a daily time set aside to commit your thoughts and desires to God?
3. Does a busy schedule keep you from making good decisions?
Application: Decide on a time each day when you will stop what you are doing and commit to choosing righteousness. Hint: try doing it before you turn on the TV or car stereo.
Lust
Day Five
Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought with a price. Therefore honor God with your body. – 1 Corinthians 6:18-20
Godly Virtue: Self-Control
The Godly virtue that this sin wars against is Christian self-control. The Spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak; thus, to combat this sin, we should seek to remove from our realm or sight all temptations or snares that might cause us to sin because of our weakness. Furthermore, we must be filled with the fruit of the Spirit, which is self-control, on a daily basis. Being in accountability to another person is key.
Lust is a problem in our culture. Marriage is not the cure. Neither is removal of external temptations. These might be helpful, but the problem is much deeper. It comes from within. Blind married people struggle with lust, too, just like you.
If you are serious about overcoming lust, you are going to need to learn to rely on God’s Spirit to overcome the desires of your heart that cause you to want more than what is good for you. Sowing to please the Spirit means planting seeds that will grow into something much greater in time. Another way to say this is that establishing godly habits will lead to godly character – character that is in line with purity and righteousness.
Every day, you have an opportunity to get rid of old habits and establish new ones. The problem is that you might like your bad habits more than you desire to have good ones. Thus, the place to start is with your will.
God wants to change the way you think and the way you feel. But you have to let Him. He won’t force Himself on you. When was the last time you prayed for God to change the way you think and feel?
Once you hand your will over to God, He will challenge you to change your actions to align with His will. Just like weeding and caring for a garden is hard work, the work of sowing good seeds or establishing godly habits is hard work.
Application:
The following is a work list for establishing good habits:
1. Start by confessing your sins and inviting God to change you from the inside out. Give Him permission to change not only your actions, but also your desires and thinking.
2. Ask God to reveal new areas where you need to change direction and repent of both old and new areas of sexual sin.
3. Memorize one Scripture passage from the section in this devotional on Lust and repeat it whenever you are feeling tempted.
4. Get into a small group or accountability relationship where you will have support from another Christian person of the same sex.
5. Take it one day at a time. Each day is an opportunity for a fresh start. Daily, submit to God by asking for forgiveness and asking for the Spirit’s power to live right and think right. Meet regularly with your accountability partner or group and be honest.
Lust
Day Six
Self Check: Lust
Rank yourself on a scale of 1-5, 1 being “true of me” and 5 being “not true”:
_____ There is nothing about my sex life that I would be ashamed to admit.
_____ I do not view sexually inappropriate images.
_____ I do not read sexually provocative books.
_____ I have chosen to remove myself whenever I have been tempted by sexual desires outside of God’s provision.
_____ My sex drive does not cause me to make poor decisions.
_____ TOTAL SCORE
Top Ten:
In the space below fill in the top ten action steps you need to take and put in parenthesis the name of one person who will hold you accountable for doing each one.
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Gluttony
Day One
Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat, for drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags. – Proverbs 23:20
GLUTTONY: This sin manifests in someone who indulges himself excessively in eating or drinking. It is a desire to satisfy the appetite or to give pleasure to the flesh through consuming things that provide temporary relief or euphoria.
Given our human tendency to rationalize, it is not surprising to see our present society deeply resistant to self-responsibility. Most people today have convinced themselves that they are not personally responsible for their actions, and this applies to gluttony. They reason, "It must be genetic" or "I have a disease." Gluttony is considered to be merely socially unpleasant rather than a sin. Few in this society know what it is or why it is wrong.
What is gluttony? Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary: Tenth Edition defines a glutton as "one given habitually to greedy and voracious eating and drinking." Voracious is "having a huge appetite: ravenous; excessively eager: insatiable." Synonyms for "gluttony" are greed, avarice, gorge, epicure, cram, stuff and guzzle. Children who eat voraciously are said to "eat us out of house and home," and an adult who overeats often "plays a good knife and fork."
We associate gluttony most often with overeating, but it can occur in many other forms such as drinking, smoking, gambling, sex, accumulating material things, or even too much studying and researching of a narrowly defined subject in theology, health, genealogy—the list is endless. The key term, however, is "too much." Signs of gluttony are too soon, too eagerly, too quickly or too much.
1. Do you pursue food, alcohol, tobacco or drugs in ways that are harmful to your health, your budget or your relationships?
2. Why does our culture seem to treat this as a “lesser” sin than the other six?
3. In what ways does our culture condone gluttony? The Church?
Application: Think about your last three meals. Are you eating beyond hunger? Are you eating for health and energy or for pleasure and comfort? If you are struggling with gluttony, ask God for forgiveness and for help understanding your addiction.
Gluttony
Day Two
Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips. Let not my heart be drawn to what is evil, to take part in wicked deeds with men who are evildoers; let me not eat of their delicacies. – Psalm 141:3-4
Gluttony Is Destructive
The Bible ascribes a great deal of destructive
power to gluttony, as in
Proverbs 30:21-22: "For three things the earth is perturbed, yes, for four it cannot bear up: . . . A fool when he is filled with food. . . ." Physically, what is so harmful about it?
An old English proverb says, "Gluttony kills more than the sword." Another maintains, "There are more gluttons than alcoholics in the grave." This certainly seems true today. In the last five years, sales of oversized coffins at the nation's largest casket company are up 20 percent. Why?
It is easy to be gluttonous in an affluent society where everything is at our fingertips and where there is more than plenty of whatever the heart desires. Both men and women are getting fat in epidemic proportions. Well over half of all American adults—about 63 percent of men and 55 percent of women age 25 and older—are overweight. In a special issue devoted entirely to obesity, the Journal of the American Medical Association reported new statistics that are nothing short of astonishing for a nation seemingly so obsessed with health and fitness: The rate of obesity—18 percent—has soared from 12 percent just seven years ago, making the United States now secure in its position as the fattest nation in the developed world.
"The rate is shocking," says Jeffery Koplan, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "and it means that we have a huge public health problem." Indeed, depending on weight and age, obesity significantly increases the risk of high blood pressure and high cholesterol, diabetes, and gallbladder disease.
Gluttony is sheer defiance of reasonable and balanced behavior. Benjamin Franklin says of man's proclivity to overeat, "In general, mankind, since the improvement of cookery, eats twice as much as nature requires." Each person must determine what is necessary to sustain him, measuring his indulgence in eating and drinking to ensure that it is healthy for him.
1. Are you healthy?
2. How much weight would you have to loose to become healthy?
3. What negative effects does gluttony have on your health?
Application: Decide what needs to change in your appetites for you to become healthy.
Gluttony
Day Three
When you dine with a ruler note well what is before you, and put a knife to your throat if you are given to gluttony. Do not crave his delicacies for that food is deceptive. – Proverbs 23:1-3
Gluttony Is Sin
When we use food or drink in a way that injures our health or impairs our mind, we are guilty of the sin of gluttony. God is furious when we yield to intense craving—lust—because it controls our will.
Self-control is a fruit of the
Holy Spirit, and if it is totally lacking a person cannot produce other fruits of the Spirit.
Wisdom's Children
Matthew 11:18-19 provides a principle to determine if our actions are gluttonous. Responding to accusations of extremes in eating and drinking against John the Baptist and Himself, Jesus remarks:
“For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a gluttonous man and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ But wisdom is justified by her children.”
What are the children of wisdom? Good works and good fruit. Whether what we do is wise or foolish is seen in the fruit we bear and in what we accomplish. An alcoholic produces sorrow for himself and his family, battered wives and children, poor health, and a shorter life. A glutton produces a bad example for his family and his brethren, poverty, poor health, and eventually death. We must control our desires because excess desire is the driving force behind gluttony. When we lose control of our desires, we sin, feeding the god that is in our belly, the god of excess, the god of too much, too fast, too eagerly.
The way the wise live destroys the credibility of false accusations. Avoiding gluttony is one way to show that we are living in wisdom. The foolish—the opposite of the wise—tend toward gluttony.
God considers gluttony a character trait of an evil person, and so He tells us in
Proverbs 23:20 to avoid those who eat and drink too much: "Do not mix with winebibbers, or with gluttonous eaters of meat." In this verse, meat represents food in general since meat partaken in a meal usually indicates a substantially filling meal. Since associating with gluttons could entice us to eat too much, it is wise to avoid close associations with them, as with any willfully sinning person. Familiarity with sin rubs off on us and wears us down.
1. Are you influencing others to eat too much?
2. Who is having the greatest effect on how much food you consume?
Application: During the next 24 hours each time you eat, stop and ask yourself, “Why am I eating this? Am I hungry for it?”
Gluttony
Day Four
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. – 1 Corinthians 10:31
Land of the giants
For anyone who has ever done international traveling, it comes as no surprise that Americans are known for being fat. Across much of the globe, people are amazed when they enter our airports for the first time. We live in a land flowing with milk and honey, and apparently we are eating it up.
As a culture we have accepted gluttony to the extent that many pastors stand before their congregations week after week preaching obedience and temperance, all the while carrying in excess of 100 pounds of extra weight.
We acknowledge that obesity is unhealthy, but few are willing today to agree with the Bible that it is sinful. Our society answers the call to be thin in many ways, but none address the root problem, which is sin.
One way we deal with overeating is to create diets. Every year new diets come out that promise the solution to the problem. But after decades of dieting, the evidence is in. Diets don’t solve the problem.
Another way to deal with the problem is surgery. Instead of moderation, we have guts that are sewn up and fat that is sucked up. Faces are lifted and everything looks good on the outside. But has this done anything to deal with the root problem?
Health clubs offer exercise facilities that are top notch. You can ride, run, lift, dance, meditate and swim your way out of having to deal with your obsession with eating. Can you imagine how much money Americans could send to help the starving people of the world if we would only stop overeating and take the money we save on diets, work-out equipment, health clubs and surgeries, and send it overseas?
When all else fails we have a last resort solution for weight problems. We just decide that we were created that way and keep on eating. After all, it is genetic, right? As if this is an excuse to overeat. Certainly some people are more inclined to weight gain than others, but unless you eat more than you need, you can almost never have a weight problem. This is true of alcoholics as well. Some people are more inclined to this vice, but that does not mean they are without hope of being sober.
1. What makes people keep eating too much food even when they know that they will suffer health problems?
2. Do you think that God is more concerned with your weight or your heart motives? Are they mutually exclusive?
3. How are smoking and drinking similar to overeating?
4. How is the sin of gluttony different than the request in the Lord’s Prayer, “give us this day our daily bread?”
Application: Choose one healthy change you are going to make. Commit it to the Lord and share it with your accountability partner.
Gluttony
Day Five
Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: ‘Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!’? – Colossians 2:20
Godly Virtue: Moderation
The Godly virtue that this sin wars against is Christian moderation and sound judgment. We can combat the sin of gluttony by temperance in accepting the natural limits of pleasures and by praying for strength to reduce our desire to eat. We should learn to quit eating before we are feeling stuffed or full.
Paul writes in
Philippians 3:18-19 that gluttons tend to concentrate on physical things, neglecting their spiritual relationship with God:
“For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things.”
We may think such idolatry is rare among us, but the apostle says there are "many . . . whose god is their belly," their appetites, their physical senses. They break the
first commandment, "You shall have no other gods before me," because their desire becomes a higher priority than their Creator and Sustainer.
Feasting is not the sin. It is good to feast in the right way. God obviously enjoys feasts: He gives His church six throughout the year. We must learn to use with balance and restraint the wonderful blessings God has given, setting good examples as Christians representing His way of life. In doing so, we will bring glory to Him!
Colossians 2:20-23
“Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: ‘Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!’? These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings. Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any real value in restraining sensual indulgence.”
The problem is not the food. It is easier to blame the food or restaurants than it is to blame our own sinful desire. Be careful not to jump on the blame bandwagon. Restraining sensual indulgence is the work of God’s Spirit. There is no substitute.
1. How have you blamed others for your weight problem?
2. What foods have you purchased to solve your indulgence problem instead of just eating less?
Application: Instead of focusing on food that has no fat, consider changing your diet to reflect a reliance on God for healthy eating.
Gluttony
Day Six
Self Check: Gluttony
Rank yourself on a scale of 1-5, 1 being “true of me” and 5 being “not true”:
_____ I am OK with leaving food on my plate when I am finished eating.
_____ I have not had to change clothes sizes much since high school to accommodate my growing body size.
_____ I eat when I am hungry, not necessarily at certain times of the day.
_____ I have a difficult time finishing my meal at most restaurants when I go out to eat.
_____ I rarely eat any snacks between meals.
_____ TOTAL SCORE
Top Ten:
1. Lose slowly. It improves your chance of not seeing weight come roaring back.2. Low-fat is NOT the answer. Nothing is making us fatter than the "low-fat/no-fat" fad. Many studies have shown that, for practical purposes, 1 calorie of fat is no worse than 1 calorie of protein or carbohydrate. Because we have been lulled into believing low-fat is better, we eat far more food than we otherwise would.3. Reduce sugar. Americans consume 150 pounds of sugar and corn sweeteners per person per year, 33 pounds more than 20 years ago.4. Pump fiber into your diet. It fills you up and speeds food through your body, cutting calorie consumption.5. Portion control is vital. Let appetite dictate consumption, not package sizes, restaurant portions, or what others eat.6. Count calories. Do not obsess over each one, but eat only small portions of high-calorie foods.7. Cut out little things. For example, if you drink a 280-calorie bottle of juice five days a week, drink water instead, thereby eliminating 73,000 calories (18 pounds) a year.8. Exercise. There is a clear connection between regular vigorous exercise and losing and keeping off weight.9. Turn off the TV. Watching fattens you, studies show.10. There is no weight-loss magic. It takes perseverance and hard work.
It is important to note that for any regimen to work the desire to overcome this problem must first be present.
Sloth
Day One
By much slothfulness the building decays; and through idleness of the hands the house drops through. – Ecclesiastes 10:18
SLOTH: This sin is the inclination to be lazy or to abhor the work ethic. Man is to provide for himself and his household, and being idle is a contradiction to this command of God.
Sloth is insidious. It whispers that you might as well put something off until tomorrow, that nobody will know if you cut corners here and there to save yourself some trouble, that the world will be the same in a hundred years no matter what you do, so why do anything? Sloth says, ‘Don’t strain yourself,’ ‘What’s the big hurry?’ and ‘Just give me five more minutes.’
Sloth hits the snooze alarm, hits the remote control, and hits the road when the going gets tough. Sloth cheats on exams, drinks straight from the milk carton, and leaves exactly two sheets on the toilet roll so that it will have to be replaced by the next poor soul who finds out too late that the remaining paper is nothing more than a mirage.
Sloth does slightly less than the right thing. It doesn’t bother returning something to the lost-and-found, pocketing it instead, and it doesn’t tell the clerk he has undercharged. Sloth has never written a thank-you note, sent a birthday card on time, or entertained angels. All of this simply takes too much effort.
If you’ve been living around other lazy people, you may not even be aware that you are a sloth. Do the people around you take care of their homes, their appearances, their work and their ministries? Do their dishes get done each meal? Each day?
Balance is the key. Becoming a workaholic is no better than being a sloth. It is important to ask yourself the following questions:
1. Do I often do slightly less than the right thing?
2. Would others consider me clean and tidy?
3. Is my car always dirty?
Application: Over the next 24 hours look for areas of your life where you have cut corners and left things undone because of laziness.
Sloth
Day Two
Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger. – Proverbs 19:15
Disposable Time
How do you spend your evenings and weekends? Most of us feel like we don’t have enough time in a day to get everything done. Yet, at the same time, most of us fit several regular television appointments into our schedule without much of a problem.
Do you have disposable time? How many hours each week? How much of that time do you spend on family? How much do you spend on your self? How much do you make available for the Church? Balance is the key in all areas of life. How you spend your time is no different.
The Five most important things for me to spend my time on are:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
During an average week:
_____ Total number of hours spent working
_____ Total number of hours spent sleeping
_____ Total number of hours spent eating
_____ Total number of hours spent on leisure (TV/Movies/Internet/Reading/Hobbies)
_____ Total number of hours spent in Christian service (Church/Ministry)
_____ Total number of hours spent with family and/or friends
1. How do your weekly habits compare to your values list?
2. How can a person determine if his life is in proper balance?
3. Why do you believe more people don’t volunteer to work in the church?
4. How do you choose what to do with your time?
5. Where did you learn how to work?
Application: Decide what you would have to change in your week to align your time with your values.
Sloth
Day Three
For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either. For we hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined life, doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies. Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to work in quiet fashion and eat their own bread. – 2 Thessalonians 3:10-12
Colossians 3:23-24
“Work hard and cheerfully at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward and the Master you are serving is Christ.”
A popular misunderstanding of Scripture regards work as part of our universal punishment for Adam’s original sin. In truth, God’s plan includes work of various kinds. Not only are we expected to help others and perform mission-related work, but we also are to serve our employers.
Regardless of a human boss’s actions or temperament, God is always our ultimate job authority. He expects that our work, whether driving a truck, sweeping floors, or managing investments, will be carried out with excellence. Performing well is one way that we honor the Lord.
Laziness is an obvious dishonor to God. A lazy employee might arrive late, leave early, execute duties poorly, or play on company time. Far more subtle is the choice to focus exclusively on a paycheck instead of investing oneself in the company’s good performance and reputation. Far too many people do only what is required. Believers are called to go farther and to enthusiastically give their best efforts.
Work is not simply about receiving a wage; our performance on the job also impacts our eternal rewards. Simply stated, God shows favor to those who choose diligence over laziness. Wherever the Father places us, that is where we are to work for His eternal “payoff.” Believers who do sloppy work cannot expect the Lord to rain down blessings, though in His goodness, He will still give such people a home in heaven and some comforts on earth. But if we desire God’s favor — the best of everything He has to offer — we must offer our finest efforts in all we do.
1. What motivates you? Are you known as a hard worker?
2. What difference does it make if you are working to honor God and not man?
Application: Thinking about the job you have, is God pleased with the way you do it? Do you need to repent?
Sloth
Day Four
Laziness casts into a deep sleep, and an idle man will suffer hunger. The sluggard buries his hand in the dish, but will not even bring it back to his mouth. – Proverbs 19:15
Are you Diligent?
Consider this reflection on diligence from one mother’s perspective:
“I have often chosen Mondays also as my day of rest. I may even go further and choose a part of Tuesday. Then of course, Wednesday falls in the middle of the week, and should be a lighter day, as it seems to be helping me get through the week. Thursday is usually the day that I do actually get much needed work done. Then we all know that Friday is the end of the week, and is to be treated as a lighter day. Of course Saturday is more a day of fun, than of work.”
“Considering the above, I will now admit I am, though not quite that extreme, perpetually lazy. What I've realized is that perhaps being lazy isn't quite the right word, but lack of diligence might be correct in describing my lack of great character. You see, I have great intentions! However, those great intentions rarely produce the good fruit I am seeking in my life. I am great at starting wonderful projects, and bad at finishing them completely.”
“Six months after painting my daughter's bedroom, which I did on a lark because I didn't want to work on another project, like preparing dinner, I discovered beneath her bed the pan and all the sponges and brushes I used on the room. The completed project held less enjoyment for me, because of the shadow of laziness that seems to loom after me.”
“My own lack of diligence has followed me into every arena of my life, from my housekeeping abilities to my inability to maintain a healthy lifestyle, and even into my own relationship with the Lord. ‘If I were only diligent, I would be able to have a daily quiet time with the Lord.’ I would lament to no one in particular. ‘If I could just get my act together, then perhaps I could lose those twenty pounds I gained back after being diligent for a short time.’”
1. What excuses usually keep you from doing what you should?
2. Do you ever find yourself comparing your work ethic to your neighbor’s work ethic? Why is this dangerous?
3. What has lack of diligence cost you? What has it cost your family?
Application: Make a list of things you need to get done and have been putting off. Share the list with your accountability partner and make a plan to get them done in a reasonable time frame.
Sloth
Day Five
As the door turns on its hinges, so does the sluggard on his bed. – Proverbs 26:14
Godly Virtue: Christian Zeal
The Godly virtue that this sin wars against is Christian zeal for the Work ethic. We can combat this sin by repentance and by praying to God for an ardent and energetic interest or desire to respond to God's commands against our disdain for physical exertion or Kingdom building.
If someone looked at your life, what would they see? An attitude of hope, enthusiasm, and energy, or a chin perpetually on your chest in a posture of resignation and defeat? Are you the kind of person who spells "life," p-a-s-s-i-o-n, or the person who, when asked to define "apathy," says, "I don't know, and I don't care?"
Consider again Colossians 3:23-24: "And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ." In these two verses, we find four handles by which passion may be seized on a daily basis: the scope, the strength, the secret, and the source of passion. This passage can become a Passion Principle for you as you go "from Accomplishment to Zeal" every day.
The Scope of Your Passion. Note that Paul says, "Whatever you do...." I don't think Paul meant whatever only in a spiritual sense, such as praying, singing, studying the Bible, and witnessing. Do you know what the word "whatever" means in the Greek? It means "whatever!" Everything we do in life should be done heartily as if we were doing it for the Lord.
Are you that excited about your life? Don't make the mistake of dividing your life as a Christian into a "sacred" part and a "secular" part. All of the Christian's life is sacred – your spiritual life, your work, your hobbies, your entertainment – and should be done heartily as unto the Lord.
The Strength of Your Passion. Do you have a sense of God's pleasure in all you do in life? Paul says that whatever we do – teaching, running, plumbing, "lawyering," preaching, parenting, "businessing," – we should do it "heartily." Do it with heart! We ought to be lion-hearted about life, attacking every day with the strength and vigor that comes only from the Lion of Judah, the Son of God Himself. That is the strength we have been given.
The Secret of Your Passion. The secret of the Christian's passion is simple: Everything we do in life we do it "as to the Lord and not to men." The passion we put into any project or activity in life is a good reflection of how we esteem the One for whom we work.
Paul said, "For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ" (Galatians 1:10). Knowing that we serve a Savior who gave His all for us should ignite in us a passion to give our all for Him in whatever we do.
The Source of Your Passion. The source of the Christian's passion is "the Lord Christ" whom we serve. All great developmental leaders say that it's impossible to impart passion to anyone. Instead, the challenge is to discover the passion that is already within and to build on it, fanning it into flame, making it come alive!
“Laziness is nothing more than the habit of resting before you get tired.” Jules Renard
“He that is busy is tempted by but one devil; he that is idle, by a legion.” Thomas Fuller
Application: The next time you do something that no one else will notice, do it with excellence as unto the Lord. Begin to see everything you do as a service of excellence for an audience of One.
Sloth
Day Six
Self Check: Sloth
Rank yourself on a scale of 1-5, 1 being “true of me” and 5 being “not true”:
_____ I work at least 40 hours each week at my “job.”
_____ I keep my house, car and yard in good condition.
_____ I spend more than two hours each week doing church ministry (not including sitting in church or Sunday School).
_____ I keep my body in shape with regular exercise.
_____ I have a good reputation as a hard worker.
_____ TOTAL SCORE
Top Ten:
In the space below write down five things you should spend less time doing during your week and five things you should spend more time doing.
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5.
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Introduction
