2 Peter 1:5-8
"For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.  For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our LORD JESUS CHRIST."

    A very critical part of all our lives is self-control.  As a mother of 7 children, I learned early that children understand very little about self-control.  When we brought home our second son and tried to integrate him with our first born son, the two of them sat on the floor opposite each other near a dozen or more toys and our oldest would grab up each toy one by one and yell; "MINE, MINE, MINE!"

    Making good choices keeps our lives full of the LORD'S blessings and prevents us from being caught up in the devil's plans against us.  Faced with so many daily opportunities to surrender, we must always be on our guard, and take our concerns to the LORD in prayer.

   It would be wonderful if life was easy, and our self-control was made of concrete, but that is far from reality.  Everyday we have to face making right and godly choices.  The battle rages, the war is on and if we close our heart to GOD'S will by making deliberate bad choices, we may just fall for the enemy's lies.  

    Many women around the world tell how they surrendered their self-control to a sweet talking man they never married.  Before long they found themselves feeling overwhelmed due to being abandoned, left with no money, no place for them and their children to live, and a broken heart as a bonus!

    Regardless of how you personally may have ended up in bad circumstances, don't let them dictate the rest of your life.  Run with all your might to the LORD today.  As you draw near to the FATHER you will know that you are "HIS, HIS, HIS!"