Pastor’s Pen Pulpit Series in Proverbs

May 25, 2003

“SELF-CONTROL”

Emotion is an extremely powerful force. Most expressions of anger rise out of a lack of self control. Let’s take a look into the Book of Proverbs and get some pointers on dealing with this problem. Get your Bibles out and let’s begin.

King Solomon’s (the author of Proverbs) definition of a fool.

• Proverbs 20:3 – A quarreler.

• Proverbs 29:11 – Has no control over his/her temper.

• Proverbs 29:20 – Doesn’t think before he speaks!

OK! I don’t have much self-control. So what?

• Proverbs 14:30 – You will be miserable, to say the least.

• Proverbs 19:19 – You will suffer the consequences of your actions.

• Proverbs 25:28 – You will be vulnerable to all kinds of things (Numbers 20 tells what happened

to Moses when his temper got the best of him).

How does a lack of self-control affect my conduct?

• Proverbs 14:17 – It causes you to do some very foolish things.

• Proverbs 14:29 – You are absolutely good for nothing, unable to be of help to others.

So I don’t have self-control. It doesn’t hurt anyone but me! (WRONG!)

• Proverbs 15:18 – You will be a trouble-maker wherever you go.

• Proverbs 22:24,25 – You will be a bad influence on those around you.

• Proverbs 29:22 – You will find yourself sinning more and more.

• Proverbs 30:33 – Consistent strife will be your lot!

Wow! King Solomon sure painted a black picture of a person without self-control. How can I keep from being that kind of a person?

• Galatians 5:16, 22, 23 – Walk hand-in-hand with the Holy Spirit, God’s gift to the believer.

• James 1:19-26 – Pastor Dale has been exhorting us to read God’s Word daily and I add a big “Amen” to that! As we walk daily with Him, dig deep into His Word, and come to Him in prayer, the fruit of the Spirit will become more and more evident in our lives.

Can we be angry without sinning (Ephesians 4:26)? Anger in and of itself is not a sin. You sin when you let your anger get out of control or if you are angry at the wrong thing. Our Lord got angry when His Father was maligned. We are to love the sinner but hate the sin!

Anyone can become angry - that is easy, but to be angry with the right person, to the right degree, at the right time, for the right purpose, and in the right way – that is not easy. Aristotle

God bless.