Overview to resist temptations Empowers Empowers in right relationships Expressed Expressed as peace and joy Experienced Experienced as agape actions Explained Explained of Christian character Essence Essence LOVE

Lesson Overview Love empowers control of … Emotions 1. Emotions Anger … gentleness Eroticism 2. Eroticism Lust …self-control

1. Model

2. GentlenessDefinition emotions, The quality of one who has a quiet, calm, mild manner; one who is in control of his emotions, especially his anger. but power under control.calm, not cold. Meekness is not weakness, but power under control. It has to do with being calm, not cold.

2. Gentleness Proverbs 16:32 Better is a patient man than a warrior, a man who controls his temper than one who takes a city.

2. Gentleness T eaching ACT The wise in heart are called discerning, and pleasant words pro-mote instruction (Prov 16:21). Tact is the art of making a point without making an enemy!

2. GentlenessT A ppeasing CT A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger (Prov 15:1). mild mad Is it true? Does it work? Did you get better results by being mild or by being mad?

2. GentlenessTA C orrecting T Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently (Gal 6:1). Tact is criticising the mistake rather than the person who made it!

2. GentlenessTAC T estifying Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone…. But do it with gentleness and respect (1 Pet 3:15). The message may be offensive, but the messenger should not!

2. Gentleness What about you? 1. What are the three situations where you are most likely to lose control of your emotions? 2. How well does that work? Do you honestly believe it would be to your advantage to remain calm in those situations? 3. What is stopping you remaining calm? What wrong belief are you holding?

3. Self-control God’s Sexual Laws 1. Marriage is a cove-nant of love between one man and one woman for life. 2. Sex is God’s gift to two people commit-ted to each other in a loving marriage co-venant. God’s Sexual Rules 1. Adultery: extramarital sex is forbidden 2. Fornication: prema- rital sex is forbidden 3. Homosexuality: same sex intercourse is forbidden

3. Self-control How do you possess your own vessel in sanctification and honour? How do we control our strong sexual desires so that we can abstain from sexual immorality?

3. Self-control the will of God,your sanctification: abstain from sexual immorality; For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God; that no one should take advantage of or defraud his brother in this matter … 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5

3. Self-control the Lord is the avenger not reject man, but God, … because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned you and testified. For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness. Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit. 1 Thessalonians 4:6-8

3.1 Lust: Defined

Matthew 5:27-28 You have heard that it was said, “Do not commit adultery.” But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. Point: Lust is a form of adultery!

3.1 Lust: Defined Lust Defined act Any thought that would be immoral to act out is sinful lust. mind, stage. Lust is sexual sin in the mind, sexual sin in its initial stage.

3.1 Lust: Defined Are the thought and the act the same in God’s eyes? They are not equal in gravity. Lust is sexual sin, the sin of adultery in its initial stages, but is not as serious as full blown adultery. At what point does temptation become sin? Temptation is not sin. The thought becomes sin the moment you embrace it, when you entertain it and enjoy it.

3.1 Lust: Defined James 1:14-15 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.

3.2 Lust: Causes Matthew 5:29 If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. The Eye

3.1 Lust: Causes Matthew 5:30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell. The Hand

3.2 Lust: Causes Mark 9:45 And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. The Eye

3.3 Lust: Controls Pictures Plain Playing Petting Places People How to avoid sinful thoughts: