Sorry, this is late.

Memory Text: 1 Corinthians 9:27 KJ21 “But I keep control of my body, and bring it into subjection, lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.”

Sunday – Paradox of Self-Control
1 John 2:15-16 Holman “15 Do not love the world or the things that belong to the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him. Because everything that belongs to the world— 16 the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride in one’s lifestyle—is not from the Father, but is from the world.”
1 John 2:15 COMMENTARY GENEVA BIBLE NOTES The world which is full of wicked desires, lusts or pleasures, and pride, is utterly hated by our heavenly Father. Therefore the Father and the world cannot be loved together: and this admonition is very necessary for young and growing youth.
Philippians 4:8 Holman “Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any moral excellence and if there is any praise—dwell on these things.”
Philippians 4:8 SDA BIBLE COMMENTARY The development of Christian character requires right thinking. Therefore Paul outlines a constructive program of mental activity. Instead of thinking about differences with others, or being anxious about daily needs, we should exercise our minds on positive virtues.

Monday – Joseph and the Immediate Results of Righteousness
Genesis 39:7-20 NLT “7 ¶ and Potiphar’s wife soon began to look at him lustfully. “Come and sleep with me,” she demanded. 8 But Joseph refused. “Look,” he told her, “my master trusts me with everything in his entire household. 9 No one here has more authority than I do. He has held back nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How could I do such a wicked thing? It would be a great sin against God.” 10 She kept putting pressure on Joseph day after day, but he refused to sleep with her, and he kept out of her way as much as possible. 11 One day, however, no one else was around when he went in to do his work. 12 She came and grabbed him by his cloak, demanding, “Come on, sleep with me!” Joseph tore himself away, but he left his cloak in her hand as he ran from the house. 13 ¶ When she saw that she was holding his cloak and he had fled, 14 she called out to her servants. Soon all the men came running. “Look!” she said. “My husband has brought this Hebrew slave here to make fools of us! He came into my room to rape me, but I screamed. 15 When he heard me scream, he ran outside and got away, but he left his cloak behind with me.” 16 She kept the cloak with her until her husband came home. 17 Then she told him her story. “That Hebrew slave you’ve brought into our house tried to come in and fool around with me,” she said. 18 “But when I screamed, he ran outside, leaving his cloak with me!” 19 ¶ Potiphar was furious when he heard his wife’s story about how Joseph had treated her. 20 So he took Joseph and threw him into the prison where the king’s prisoners were held, and there he remained.”
Genesis 39:19 COMMENTARY BY MATTHEW HENRY Joseph wronged by his master. He believed the accusation, and either Joseph durst not make his defense by telling the truth, as it would reflect too much upon his mistress, or his master would not hear it, or would not believe it, and there is no remedy, he is condemned to perpetual imprisonment. God restrained his wrath, else he had put him to death; and that wrath which imprisoned him God made to turn to his praise, in order to which Providence so disposed that he should be shut up among the king's prisoners, the state-prisoners.
Personal note: when Joseph became next to the pharaoh in power, Potiphar and/or his descendents would have had to worship Joseph as a virtual god. Joseph, on the other hand, escaped death by being put in prison.
Galatians 6:8 20th Century NT “For he who sows the field of his earthly nature will from that earthly nature reap corruption; while he who sows the field of the spirit will from that spirit reap Immortal Life.”
Galatians 6:8 COMMENTARY BY ALBERT BARNES Punishment, under the Divine government, is commonly in the line of offences. The punishment of licentiousness and intemperance in this life is commonly loathsome and offensive disease; and, when long indulged, the sensualist becomes haggard, and bloated, and corrupted, and sinks into the grave. Such, also, is often the punishment of luxurious living, of a pampered appetite, of gluttony, as well as of intemperate drinking. But if the punishment does not follow in this life, it will be sure to overtake the sensualist in the world to come. There he shall reap ruin final and everlasting.

Tuesday – Samson and the Fruits of Failure
Judges 13:24-25 BBE “24 ¶ So the woman gave birth to a son, and gave him the name Samson; and he became a man and the blessing of the Lord was on him. 25 And the spirit of the Lord first came on him in Mahaneh-dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol.”
Judges 13:25 COMMENTARY BY MATTHEW HENRY The Spirit of God moved Samson in the camp of Dan, that is, in the general muster of the trained bands of that tribe, who probably had formed a camp between Zorah and Eshtaol, near the place where he lived, to oppose the incursions of the Philistines; there Samson, when a child, appeared among them, and signalized himself by some very brave actions, excelling them all in manly exercises and trials of strength: and probably he showed himself more than ordinarily zealous against the enemies of his country, and discovered more of a public spirit than could be expected in a child.

Wednesday – Paul’s Long Race
1 Corinthians 9:24-27 God’s Word to the Nations “24 ¶ Don’t you realize that everyone who runs in a race runs to win, but only one runner gets the prize? Run like them, so that you can win. 25 Everyone who enters an athletic contest goes into strict training. They do it to win a temporary crown, but we do it to win one that will be permanent. 26 So I run––but not without a clear goal ahead of me. So I box––but not as if I were just shadow boxing. 27 Rather, I toughen my body with punches and make it my slave so that I will not be disqualified after I have spread the Good News to others.”
1 Corinthians 9:25 COMMENTARY BY ADAM CLARKE All those who contended in these exercises went through a long state and series of painful preparations. To this exact discipline Epictetus refers, cap. 35:
"Do you wish to gain the prize at the Olympic games?-Consider the requisite preparations and the consequences: you must observe a strict regimen; must live on food which you dislike; you must abstain from all delicacies; must exercise yourself at the necessary and prescribed times both in heat and in cold; you must drink nothing cooling; take no wine as formerly; in a word, you must put yourself under the directions of a pugilist, as you would under those of a physician, and afterwards enter the lists. Here you may get your arm broken, your foot put out of joint, be obliged to swallow mouthfuls of dust, to receive many stripes, and after all be conquered." Thus we find that these suffered much hardships in order to conquer, and yet were uncertain of the victory.

Thursday – How to Grow in Self-Control
Hebrews 12:1 NIV “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”
Hebrews 12:1 COMMENTARY BY MATTHEW HENRY the Father of our souls never willingly grieves nor afflicts his children. It is always for our profit. Our whole life here is a state of childhood, and imperfect as to spiritual things; therefore we must submit to the discipline of such a state. When we come to a perfect state, we shall be fully reconciled to all God's chastisement of us now. God's correction is not condemnation; the chastening may be borne with patience, and greatly promote holiness.
Colossians 3:1-10 NRSV “1 ¶ So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth, 3 for you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory. 5 ¶ Put to death, therefore, whatever in you is earthly: fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed (which is idolatry). 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming on those who are disobedient. 7 These are the ways you also once followed, when you were living that life. 8 ¶ But now you must get rid of all such things—anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive language from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have stripped off the old self with its practices 10 and have clothed yourselves with the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of its creator.”
Colossians 3:2 SDA BIBLE COMMENTARY Whereas heavenly things pertain to Christ and eternal life, earthly things have to do with the program set up by Satan in rebellion against God, and from them the Christian turns, for they are not his goal.
Colossians 3:5 COMMENTARY BY WILLIAM BURKITT the covetous man does not believe his money to be God; but by his inordinate loving of it; and fiducial trusting in it he is as truly guilty of idolatry, as if he bowed his knee unto it: for God more regards the internal acts of the mind, than he doth the external acts of the body.

Friday – Further Study
Ellen White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 567 – “Physically, Samson was the strongest man upon the earth; but in self-control, integrity, and firmness, he was one of the weakest of men. Many mistake strong passions for a strong character, [BEGIN P.568] but the truth is that he who is mastered by his passions is a weak man. The real greatness of the man is measured by the power of the feelings that he controls, not by those that control him.”
Ellen White, Faith and Works, p. 86 – “If the soul is to be purified and ennobled, and made fit for the heavenly courts, there are two lessons to be learned -- self-sacrifice and self-control. Some learn these important lessons more easily than do others, for they are exercised by the simple discipline the Lord gives them in gentleness and love. Others require the slow discipline of suffering, that the cleansing fire may purify their hearts of pride and self-reliance, of earthly passion and self-love, that the true gold of character may appear and that they may become victors through the grace of Christ.”
Ellen White, Counsels to Writers and Editors, p. 103 – “There are men and women of excellent natural ability who do not accomplish half what they might if they would exercise self-control in the denial of appetite. Many writers and speakers fail here. After eating heartily, they give themselves to sedentary occupations, reading, study, or writing, allowing no time for physical exercise. As a consequence, the free flow of thought and words is checked. They cannot write or speak with the force and intensity necessary in order to reach the heart; their efforts are tame and fruitless.”

JAMES423

WHAT NO QUESTION

dgrimmm60

hahahaha dgrimm, I was thinking the same thing. :)

pk

This is a disappointment. I ALWAYS participate in the poll.

:(

Will ya'll please exercise some self-control? lol

I agree Wayne, Woody gets so dramatic. :)

pk

HEY ALL

WELL I was a little disappointed

dgrimm60

Disappointed in what dgrimm?

pk

Hey Woody! You should ask the question! Just say the word "WHY?"

I have a question related to this lesson.

IF we are saved by faith in Christ; why then is character building so important?