TOPIC: HE WAS CONTROLLED: YOU ARE NEXT!
BASIC SCRIPTURE: GENESIS 25: 19-34
Ellen Thorpe, in her book, " Ladder of Bones" (Jonathan Cape 1956), tells the story of how, at the close of the 19th century, an African Chief who was very old beneath the weight of years, struggled on a stick to a hospital and told the missionary doctor that he (the old chief), had taken a girl of sixteen for a wife and wanted some medicine to make him an ardent lover. The doctor did his best to talk him out of his foolishness, but when the old man stubbornly persisted, the doctor gave him a sleeping pill. The old fellow followed the prescription and fell on his mat as dead as a lump of clay. Of course, he woke up and expectedly made trouble for the missionary afterwards. But he had at least been helped to control himself for that day. Most of us need someone like that missionary doctor to help control our appetite for food, sleep, sex, anger, procrastination, our tongue (excessive talking and leaking of secrets), laziness in reading, lust for money and much more, etc. Again, we wish someone had helped Esau to control his appetite. He would not have lost his birthright. On a lighter note, I wished Esau was given a sleeping pill the moment he asked for that suicidal pottage. Today, the Lord is screaming out to someone on the urgent need for self control before sorrow, shame, destruction and regrets take over. The difference between WANTS and NEEDS is self-control. What lies in your power not to do, sometimes you must lose yourself to find yourself. Control yourself or someone else will control you! You cannot control man and demonic forces, if you cannot first learn the secrets of managing and controlling yourself! Begin Today!
PRAYER POINTS: Take Song 2: Fight the good fight...
1. In your own words, pray about today's WORD as led.
2. No power from the bottom of satanic pits will slow down my progress.
3. Holy Spirit, grant me the grace to control these areas of my life (mention the areas of your life where you have a big problem controlling yourself). Pray seriously!
4. I shall not lose my birthright because of (mention that area of your life). Pray seriously!
5. Pray about today seriously now. Pull down SHAME!