Temperance

I have been thinking and pondering and chewing on the word temperance. Temperance- moderation or self restraint in action, statement, etc. self control, restraint or moderation, esp in yielding to ones appetites or desires. We as children of God are told in Romans 6 that we have victory in Christ but yet in my own life the only victory at times seems to be going to my flesh. I will start to eat right and before long I give into the temptation of Sonic, Starbucks or anything else that appeals to the fleshly desires of food at the moment that the temptation arises. In the today's society our minds are constantly being programmed to fulfil our fleshly desires, but if you will look at Romans 12: 1 & 2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. The Lord tells us not to be conformed to this world but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind. We need to constantly be filling our minds with the Word of God so that when we are confronted with a situation of temptation we have the word of God in our hearts to be able to combat that temptation and then we can overcome sin in our flesh. It is easy to fall into temptation even with the word of God in our hearts but we must realize that the moment of instant gratification is just that, instant gratification that brings guilt and shame if we are truly trying to have Victory in Christ. God is always willing to help us but we have to have the faith and desire to overcome the things that are dragging us down. Our flesh hates to be told no! You don't believe me, spend some time in the line at Walmart behind the mother that has just told her two year old that he/she cannot have candy, you say, well that is a two year old, Ok, tell me how your flesh acts the next time you fall into temptation of something you are trying to get under control in your life. Christ tells us to crucify our flesh in Galatians 5:24, He wants us to have self control over the affections and lusts of our flesh. We have raised a generation that does not know how to tell its flesh no. Matter of fact, I am not even sure it even crosses the minds of some people today that they should have boundaries in their lives. We as parents need to set the example of temperance and enforce boundaries in the lives of our children today so that when they are adults they have been taught to have victory over thier flesh. A lot of times we tackle the surface problem rather than attacking the root of the problem, which is self control, which a lack thereof is sin. We are not dealing with the sin issue we are putting a band aid on the problem by trying to change ourselves and not tapping into the Lord's power to overcome sin. It is in Him and through HIM that we can obtain Victory in our lives. We must hide his word in our heart, yield to his word when we are confronted, and die to our fleshly desires, whatever they may be. Real joy comes when we die to ourselves not endulge ourselves. Look at our ultimate example, he died to himself and endured the Cross so that we might have life and have life more abundantly.