2 John 8–9 (NLT): Watch out that you do not lose what we have worked so hard to achieve. Be diligent so that you receive your full reward. Anyone who wanders away from this teaching has no relationship with God. But anyone who remains in the teaching of Christ has a relationship with both the Father and the Son.

Why is self-discipline so difficult you ask? It is simple – self-discipline is the death of self. You cannot know the fullness of God’s plan and potential for you until you come to the place of personal death.

A relationship with God has in it a constant reminder of who He is and who we are. The realization of this difference does not produce guilt in the mature Jesus follower, it produces desire.

There is a constant pull from this life, not sin really, simply this life, to find a place of contentment and rest, there isn’t one – but in our flesh we search for it every day anyway. What is going to make me happy? What is going to help me? What is going to give me rest? What is going to bring to me fulfillment?

If you answer those questions by searching for them in the things of this world, you have no relationship with God. That is what John is saying. That is like a huge boulder being dropped in our little kiddie pool. Listen carefully, the warring against the things in this world is essential. You can never get all of this world out of you, but you can want it out of you. You can hope and desire for the things of this world to be out of you.

If you could get it all out of you, you wouldn’t need a new body that God is going to give you when you see Him.

The teachings of Christ that John is speaking about are the raising of the awareness of who God is, who Christ is and in comparison, who we are.

Does this sound like works, works, works – got to do more for God? It may on the surface, but that is not what I am saying at all. Jesus said this,

Matthew 23:25 (ESV): “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.”

Jesus is very intense here, and He is pointing to a condition that He does not want you to be in. The condition is doing stuff on the outside for God and at the same time the condition of your heart is not good. He wants us to deal with the condition of our hearts first, so that out of our hearts flow the desire to do good things.

When our hearts are good, we will want to be like Jesus. If our hearts are not good, we will not want to be like Jesus. To be like Jesus requires self-discipline.

The presence of God in you will always promote a more pure life. It never ends because we are in this world.

Some people give up and go with the flow and let this world have its way with them. John says not to do this because in doing so, we will lose our relationship with God. Fret not, God loves you, He is ready to talk with you and restore you – that person simply digresses to a place of not being aware of God in their life.

They sink into religion – a form of godliness without power. Rules and ritual without the presence of God. Hello legalistic church of the Pharisee.

My definition of wisdom is the application of limitation. Applying pressure on places in me that are out of control so that a beneficial outcome can happen. That is also a good picture of self-discipline.

The pressure applied comes from God – it is divine grace, heavenly power, God’s presence that changes me not my gutting it out. That is why self-discipline is a fruit of the Holy Spirit and not something I have to do so that God can come in and do His thing.

I cannot tell you how important it is to be in the presence of God daily. If you do not seek God’s presence, you will wander as John says. You will lose sight of God and His working in your life will dwindle.

Listen friend, this boils down to what is in your heart? Who sits on the throne of your heart? You or God? Don’t answer that with your mouth, let your life answer that. Look at the last day or last week, who controls your movement and your passion? Who do you listen to and obey?

Oh Lord, have mercy on us. Please release us from our bondage to ourselves and give us a renewed sensitivity to Your voice in our being. Let us all receive divine grace from Your heart to ours. We need You desperately. Jesus Your great work upon the cross has made the way for us to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Praise Your name, Jesus Savior Lord!

Blessings

Pastor D