It’s important for us to think deeply and understand why we believe what we believe.

Do I believe in a religious tradition simply because it’s a tradition?

• Mark 7:1-8

• II John 1:9

Do I carry things over from the Old Covenant?

• Exodus 20 – God gives the Old Covenant law.

• Jeremiah 31:31-32 – God would reveal a New Covenant.

• The New Covenant was in effect from Acts 2 on.

• Hebrews 8:6-9, 13

• Hebrews 10:9-10

Do I just believe what my family believes?

• Matthew 10:32-38 – Jesus must be the priority, even over family.

• Galatians 1:13-14; I Timothy 1:15

Do I just go along with the religious experts?

• Who are the experts?

• The experts are often wrong!

  • Matthew 16:6, 12

  • Matthew 23:1-3, 15

  • Acts 4:1-2, 17-18 – The experts tried to stomp out the gospel!

  • Acts 22:3

Do I just follow what is popular?

• Matthew 7:13-14 – Following the majority is not a good strategy!

• Does God’s truth change based on society? Certainly not!

Do I just believe what seems right to me?

• Acts 23:1; 26:9-11 – Paul did what seemed right to him!

• Proverbs 14:12; Jeremiah 10:23

Why should we believe what we believe?

• John 12:46-50

• Matthew 5:44

• Matthew 13:37

• Because it is what God commanded!

• Mark 16:16

Acts 24:25

It’s the core quality of successful living.

• Titus 2:11-14. See also Luke 9:23. Jesus taught the same thing, and He lived it!

• I Corinthians 9:23-27 – Self-control is for people at all stages of life. Even Paul needed to practice self-control. Self-control freed him up to practice better things.

• Self-control isn’t about just not doing bad things. It’s about putting yourself on the path to serve God.

• II Peter 2:1, 14, 18-19 – Self-control destroys Satan’s seductions.

• This is true in both spiritual and secular realms. Self-control is a better indicator of success than talent, intelligence, and other factors.

You can grow it like a muscle.

• Galatians 5:19-24

• II Peter 1:5-8 – These qualities should be increasing! We must continue working on these things.

• Self-control continues to increase if you work on it!

• Studies show that improving self-control in one area helps in all other areas.

Be thinking of some ways to exercise more self-control starting today!

• Finances – Ecclesiastes 5:10

• Emotions – Proverbs 16:32

• Speech – Proverbs 21:23

• Lust of the flesh – I Thessalonians 4:7

• Lust of the eyes – Job 31:1

• Pride – I Peter 5:5