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  document.writeln("<span class=\"body\"><b><span class=\"headings2\"><span class=\"actsititle\">Self-Control</span></span></b><br>");
  document.writeln("<span class=\"actsilinks\"><a href=\"#\" onclick=\"window.print()\">Print this page</a></span>");document.writeln("<br><div id='actsartcl1'>");document.writeln("<font face=\"Times New Roman\" size=\"3\">");
document.writeln("</font><p style=\"margin: 0in;\"><i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal;\"><span lang=\"EN\" style=\"background: white; line-height: 115%; font-size: 12pt; mso-highlight: white;\">For");
document.writeln("the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches");
document.writeln("us to say \'€œNo\'€ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live");
document.writeln("self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in this present age</span></i><i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal;\"><span lang=\"EN\" style=\"line-height: 115%; font-size: 12pt;\">.<sup>1</sup></span></i></p><font face=\"Times New Roman\" size=\"3\">");
document.writeln("</font><p style=\"margin: 0in;\"><b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;\"><span lang=\"EN\" style=\"line-height: 115%; font-size: 12pt;\">&nbsp;</span></b></p><font face=\"Times New Roman\" size=\"3\">");
document.writeln("</font><p style=\"margin: 0in;\"><span lang=\"EN\" style=\"line-height: 115%; font-size: 12pt;\">When");
document.writeln("we hear the hyphenated word \'€œself-control\'€, the first thing that comes to mind");
document.writeln("is usually our temper or other anger issues. But self-control is a word that");
document.writeln("can be applied to many areas of our life where we tend to give too much time or");
document.writeln("attention. Whether it is refraining from consuming too many sweets, using our");
document.writeln("time wisely and spending less time on our devices, holding our tongue in check");
document.writeln("when we do not agree, or keeping our foot on the break when we are cut off on");
document.writeln("the road, we require self-control in almost every area of our day. </span></p><font face=\"Times New Roman\" size=\"3\">");
document.writeln("</font><p style=\"margin: 0in;\"><span lang=\"EN\" style=\"line-height: 115%; font-size: 12pt;\">&nbsp;</span></p><font face=\"Times New Roman\" size=\"3\">");
document.writeln("</font><p style=\"margin: 0in;\"><span lang=\"EN\" style=\"line-height: 115%; font-size: 12pt;\">In");
document.writeln("Galatians chapter 5, verses 22-23, Christians are given a list of nine virtues");
document.writeln("that we are called to live out that serve as proof that the Spirit of God lives");
document.writeln("within us. Among these nine is self-control, mixed right in there with peace,");
document.writeln("patience, kindness, and gentleness. We are not to pick and choose which fruits we want to bear, instead we are called to live them all");
document.writeln("as one. Having self-control is one thing but having it while being joyful and");
document.writeln("patient is quite another! For this reason, God has granted us His grace to be");
document.writeln("able to say \'€œNO\'€ and hold back our big emotions, allowing us <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal;\">to live self-controlled lives.</i></span></p><font face=\"Times New Roman\" size=\"3\">");
document.writeln("</font><p style=\"margin: 0in;\"><i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal;\"><span lang=\"EN\" style=\"line-height: 115%; font-size: 12pt;\">&nbsp;</span></i></p><font face=\"Times New Roman\" size=\"3\">");
document.writeln("</font><p style=\"margin: 0in;\"><span lang=\"EN\" style=\"line-height: 115%; font-size: 12pt;\">Jesus");
document.writeln("is the greatest example of self-control. He had so many reasons to lash");
document.writeln("out in anger over the sins of the people, but he prayed for them. He had");
document.writeln("every reason to let us die in our sins, instead, He died for us. Jesus showed");
document.writeln("love to the unlovely and had patience for the impatient. He showed mercy to the");
document.writeln("undeserving, and he spent his free time in prayer. Learning to have");
document.writeln("self-control might start out by saying \'€œno\'€ to that second cookie or staying");
document.writeln("off of social media today, but learning to be like Jesus requires us to have");
document.writeln("it in a loving, joyful and generous manner. Let\'€™s practice by asking the Lord");
document.writeln("to fill us with self-control today!</span></p><font face=\"Times New Roman\" size=\"3\">");
document.writeln("</font><p style=\"margin: 0in;\"><span lang=\"EN\" style=\"line-height: 115%; font-size: 12pt;\">&nbsp;</span></p><font face=\"Times New Roman\" size=\"3\">");
document.writeln("</font><p style=\"margin: 0in;\"><span lang=\"EN\" style=\"line-height: 115%; font-size: 12pt;\">Suggested");
document.writeln("prayer: Dear Lord, you gave up your life so that we might be able to be filled");
document.writeln("with the Holy Spirit. You have granted us an undeserving amount of grace that");
document.writeln("we, sometimes, withhold from others. Allow me to be filled with the fruit of");
document.writeln("your Spirit and have self-control in every area of my life. In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen.</span></p><font face=\"Times New Roman\" size=\"3\">");
document.writeln("</font><p style=\"margin: 0in;\"><span lang=\"EN\" style=\"line-height: 115%; font-size: 12pt;\">&nbsp;</span></p><font face=\"Times New Roman\" size=\"3\">");
document.writeln("</font><ol style=\"list-style-type: decimal; direction: ltr;\"><li style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;\"><p style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;\"><span lang=\"EN\" style=\"line-height: 115%; font-size: 12pt;\">Titus 2:11-12 (<i>NIV</i>). <span style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></span></p></li></ol><font face=\"Times New Roman\" size=\"3\">");
document.writeln("</font><p style=\"margin: 0in;\"><span lang=\"EN\" style=\"line-height: 115%; font-size: 12pt;\">&nbsp;</span></p><font face=\"Times New Roman\" size=\"3\">");
document.writeln("</font><p style=\"margin: 0in;\"><span lang=\"EN\" style=\"line-height: 115%; font-size: 12pt;\">Today\'€™s");
document.writeln("Encounter was written by: Veronica B. </span></p><font face=\"Times New Roman\" size=\"3\">");
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  document.writeln("<p style=\"font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;font-size: 10pt;\">This and other devotionals by Richard (Dick) Innes <a href=\"http://www.actsweb.org/archives.php\" target=\"_blank\">can be read online</a>.<br><br>Copyright &copy; 1990 - 2025<br /><a href=\"http://www.actsweb.org/\" target=\"_blank\">ACTS International</a></p>");
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