Discipline

Gluttony, Self-Control, and Me

Dr. Mike 2026 , , , , ,

For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control…For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. 2 Peter 1:5-10

Liturgical churches practice Lent before the arrival of Passion Week and Easter. They practice this discipline as a reminder of Jesus’ temptation at the start of HIS ministry. Most will choose fasting from food. Others may choose sacrificing something else. But the focus is disciplining their body under the auspices of the Holy Spirit. The process is to become more like Jesus in one area of their life.

I personally do not observe Lent. But I am all for practicing disciplines to become more like Jesus. This is one of the roles of a disciple. To take part with Jesus in actions which transform the human heart. To become more like HIM in attitude, desires, and actions.

Most often I am led to define a personal weakness and then select an opposing discipline to practice. Over-the-years we have gone to the spiritual gym and worked out specific areas. Each routine becomes the focus of transformation with the help of the Holy Spirit. For example, greed is overcome by generosity. Too-much-talk is introduced to silence. A self-centered viewpoint is dismantled through a Triune God worldview. Laziness discovers diligence. Loneliness meets community. Religiosity is set aside with relationship. Lordship is replaced with servant-hood; and many more. (The longer you live, the more opportunities you have to practice.)

This season of life we are taking on one area that I have refrained until now. It is one of the largest strongholds still possessing me. As I have mentioned at times, I love to eat. I eat whenever there is a reason too. I eat to celebrate. I eat to comfort. I eat to remove boredom. I eat to please my sweet tooth. I may occasionally eat because the body needs more nourishment. As the old joke goes, you can call me anything, as long as you don’t call me late for dinner.

It is one area of my life that the walls of the city are broken. If I be true to God and myself, it is time to rebuild the wall. So, we start again. This time with the intentional purpose to put in place long-term disciplines. Practices that will allow the transforming power of the Holy Spirit to complete HIS work in me. To create the internal condition of self-control in my desires for food.

The Spirit of self-control is evident in many other areas of this life. But with food, I have never made the commitment to totally surrender its mastery over me to our Lord. There have been short periods of time where HIS fruit led the way. But for many reasons, we succumb back to our inner, deep desires. So now we begin again. We begin with grace. We will proceed with grace. We will end with grace. For without grace, I would not attempt this again.

So here we go. Gluttony disbanded with Spirit-led self-control. Our desire is to enjoy food with temperance, gratitude and moderation. Holy Spirit, let us go to work.

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Faith-Integrator, Encourager, Scribbler

“We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,” (Colossians 1:9)

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Spiritual Gym Rat

Dr. Mike 2025 , , ,

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So, I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.  I Corinthians 9:24-27

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 Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.   I Timothy 4:7-8

My father laughed when I joined a local gym in my mid-thirties. At the time, upon the birth of our daughter, I couldn’t walk up four flights of stairs without gasping for air. Something needed to change or I’ll never see my daughter grow up. So, I joined the gym.

He laughed because his work kept him in physical shape. He was always active. There is a family picture of him doing pushups with his three children sitting on his back. He didn’t have to join a gym. He was a rough carpenter building homes for a living. His eight hours a day made him exert physical muscles that I discovered only at the gym.

But the gym then was a life savior for me. The first day the female trainer took me around and showed how to use all the equipment. The embarrassing time came when she would lift the 65-pound bar with ease and I couldn’t lift it once. That is how far this youthful athlete fell into despair.

But over time and effort the body came back into shape. Climbing four flights of stairs was afterwards a piece of cake. Lifting 65-pound weights in any arm was child’s play. The gym help jump start this body to once again appreciate God’s creation. The preparedness gave me confidence to face any physical challenge that came along.

The apostle Paul often compared athletic training with the Christian practice. When one exercises daily disciplines, one trains the body and soul to face life’s adventures. As the athlete focuses on the prize, the Christ-follower aims at becoming more like Jesus. There is purpose and discipline behind every action. Paul’s conclusion is one who pursues and trains in godliness will benefit in this life as well as for eternity.

I have not been in a gym for a long time. But when I did, it was to jump start this body unto a path of both physical and spiritual discipline. Since then, I have included in my daily morning routine activities to build the body and soul. No more gym required. But the discipline is to continue the importance of training the body and soul. To be ready for the challenges of facing everyday life. Both physical and spiritual health requires a game plan. It just doesn’t happen. Poor health most often happens because of negligence. The same with spiritual health.

So, if you don’t have a daily routine scheduled in your day for both, start. Otherwise, when it comes time to climb those stairs or face evil, you may fail the test. The worst part is all could have been avoided if you took the time to prepare your body and soul beforehand.

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Faith-Integrator, Encourager, Scribbler

“We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,” (Colossians 1:9)

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The Reprobate Mind

Dr. Mike 2021, grace, Spirit Follower , ,

Romans 1:28-32

Since they didn’t bother to acknowledge God, God quit bothering them and let them run loose. And then all hell broke loose: rampant evil, grabbing and grasping, vicious backstabbing. They made life hell on earth with their envy, wanton killing, bickering, and cheating. Look at them: mean-spirited, venomous, fork-tongued God-bashers. Bullies, swaggers, insufferable windbags! They keep inventing new ways of wrecking lives. They ditch their parents when they get in the way. Stupid, slimy, cruel, cold-blooded. And it’s not as if they don’t know better. They know perfectly well they’re spitting in God’s face. And they don’t care—worse, they hand out prizes to those who do the worst things best! (Message)

God uses multiple ways to train us through discipline. One way is by giving us what we desire even though HE has expressly instructed us such an item will negatively impact us. Yet because of our rebellious and prideful heart, HE may remove a portion of HIS favor upon us so we taste the world without HIM. The experience may feel like God’s wrath has come upon us, but in reality, HE is being merciful and teaching us by experiencing the pain of how life apart from HIM is unsatisfying for the long term.

The first chapter of the Book of Romans outlines how God deals with people who do not accept HIS authority in their lives. The Bible speaks about the wrath of God which is the attitude mankind has toward a God who doesn’t give them what they want.

Like a two-year-old who is upset and angry at their parents for denying them her desire because the parent believes it will be harmful for them, the child looks at the decision as an act of malice. She may call her parent mean and state she hates them, but is emotionally upset and may not understand the entirety of the situation. You and I as children of the living God may occasionally act the same way toward our heavenly Father.

Again, the first chapter of Romans shows that when God pulls his favor away from people, they begin to act with a reprobate mind; a worthless mind which loses any sense of value. The ability to determine right from wrong, good from evil, and up from down soon disappears. The person becomes like an animal without divine attributes.

We witness in the Book of Daniel, when God disciplined King Nebuchadnezzar by allowing him to experience life as an animal because of his prideful attitude.   After seven years, God restored his human spirit and the king glorified God learning from the ordeal. From a human perspective, one could easily get angry at God for such an act. Yet when understood over time, one learns that God has our best intentions in mind.

The first chapter of Romans also outlines the type of behavior one naturally craves when God’s unmerited grace is removed from everyday circumstances of life. Initially, one begins to worship the creation rather than the Creator (24-25). Soon thereafter, people forget what it means to be human. Instead of living life in the image of their Creator, they follow animalistic tenancies. Their sexuality becomes deprived (26-27). Soon thereafter their carnal, debased, destructive attributes become the norm (28-32).

A reprobate mind causes harm to the person and those around them. The love of God is missing. The care for human life is gone. The purpose of living and building a prosperous society for the next generation is replaced with a now only attitude. Fear becomes the standard measurement for decision making. Me, myself, and I become the three amigos which each person hangs around with. Marriage is replaced with unwritten partnership contracts; commitments last only as the feeling stays. The human race is subdivided into skin color or classes and pitted against each other. Though rich in material possession, the reprobate mind doesn’t know how to enjoy his riches in peace. The person is screaming for help but still refuses to turn to God who knows what is best for the person.

Like a prodigal child who takes his Father’s inheritance and spends it on himself until broke, busted, and beaten, he needs to burn himself out to truly realize what he needs and wants is a deep relationship with his Heavenly Father (Luke 15:11-32). Sometimes this is what it takes for us humans to fully understand our need for Jesus Christ.  

Mankind may think they know what is good, moral, righteous, and virtuous, but one’s opinion is another person’s anti-opinion. Unless there is a God with absolute, objective values who reveals HIS knowledge of goodness, men & women only think they know. Humans need Jesus Christ to fully understand the logic, meaning, and purpose of life. As many theologians and non-theologians have observed, if there was not a God, mankind would need to make one if they want to survive as a human race. The problem has always been to narrow the scope and identify the real deal rather than man-made religious beliefs. When one studies into the life of Jesus Christ, one can only leave with the understanding that HE is who HE claimed to be, or he was a liar or lunatic.

When history completes its final chapter, hindsight will reveal the answer for many who fail the choice to believe HIS claim. So rather than wait until then, if this be you, how about making today the first day of throwing away that reprobate mind and participate with Jesus Christ in HIS way of life?

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Encourager & Author of e-Books

 *  Dancing With God: Life-Giving Theology Explained
 *  Great Business Emulates a Good God
 *  Be Radical…Follow Christ!
 *  Simply The Messenger
 *  Unequally Married

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