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For taking your time to study remain blessed.

TOPIC: SELF-DENIAL      
 AUGUST Monday 13th

TEXT: 1 Corinthians 6:12-13
KEY VERSE: Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. Matthew 16: 24

Self-denial is discipline. It is the willingness to deny oneself of possessions or status or rights in order to grow in holiness and commitment to God. Through it you crucify the flesh so that the soul can live in obedience to God. It is not everything the body needs you give to it. Yes, when the body needs food or water you have to give it to it so that you will not be famished. But sometimes, you have to deny it even of these necessities. There are some foods you cannot eat no matter the degree of hunger because it will be a defilement to you. Daniel purposed in his heart not to eat the king’s meat because it was first sacrificed to idols. There are some drinks that must not touch your mouth no matter how thirsty you are. Alcohol and any strong drink is forbidden for you. Even normal food may be temporarily forbidden when you decide to go on fasting and prayer. Satisfying that burning hunger has to wait in order to satisfy a higher spiritual need. The same goes for other needs and wants in life. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 9:27, “But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.”

Jonadab is another good example of self-denial. He had commanded his sons saying, “Ye shall drink no wine, neither ye, nor your sons for ever. Neither shall ye build house, nor sow seed, nor plant vineyard, nor have any: but all your days ye shall dwell in tents; that ye may live many days in the land where ye be strangers” Jeremiah 35:6-7. The children of Israel had backslidden at this time. They were not serving the Lord anymore but Jonadab was a righteous man. Jonadab feared the Lord, loved the Lord and wanted to stay away from their polluted life. He wanted his people to distant themselves from the pollution of the children of Israel so he restrained them from practicing everything the children of Israel did, including building a house to live in. He told his people, don’t plant vineyard, live in tent, don’t drink wine, so that you do not learn their ways and follow their backsliding. Leadership matters in instilling institutional discipline. Christians practice what they see their leaders do. If a driver is driving his boss and the master does not stop to eat food on the way, the driver will not stop the car to eat.

Thought for the day:    Not all things are beneficial for your spiritual health. 
Song for the day:   His Word be the standard
Bible reading for the day:
Psalms 96-98; Romans 12
#Horemow.

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