Gluttony, Fornication, Avarice, & Anger

Gluttony - The first practice the desert church fathers would teach their disciples was how to fast because they believed Gluttony had connections to all the other deadly thoughts. If you learn to have self control in eating it teaches a person how to have self control in other areas of their life. 

Godly Virtue - Temperance (moderation)

Action ideas to try - Fasting. Sometime during the month the Disciple and disciple maker will fast together for an extended time. Whether a day or a week, its up to them and what they decide on together in order to experience hunger and the act of the mind over the body telling it no to the need to eat. 

Fornication - Gluttony and Unchastity were connected in the mind of the spiritual desert fathers. These two informed each other. This is one of the areas the enemy has major control over our men and we aer excited about getting this into the open in discipling relationships. 

Godly Virtue - Chastity

Action ideas to try - 30 days of sexual sobriety which means no form of sex with self or persons other than spouse. Take captive thoughts of lust.

Resources - Celebrate Recovery, Sexaholics Anonymous, Defeating Repetitive Sin (Right Now Media)

Avarice (Greed) - This deadly thought along with gluttony are two that go less talked about within the church, but as the scripture tells us through Paul, "the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil."

Godly Virtue - Generosity

Action to try - Set aside $100 each (disciple and disciple maker) to give away over the course of the month. Tell stories when you meet of what it was like to live more generously over the course of the month. 

Resources - Financial Peace University, Conversations of Tithe should happen here. 

Anger - Anger is a block between us and our relationship with God. It is one of the most destructive thoughts toward relationship, with people and God. 

Godly Virtue - Forgiveness

Action to try - Do a spiritual inventory of those who have wronged you in your life and those who you have wronged. Work through the process of forgiveness for those who have wronged you and ask for forgiveness for those who you have wronged as long as you are not hurting the person by asking for forgiveness. 

Resources - Jamie Winship on Anger, Jim Wilson's Bitterness Book, The Art of Forgiveness by Lewis B Smedes.