2 Chron. 14:10-14; 16:7-12, Self-Control (2)

Scripture applies “self-control” to many areas of life.  Let us consider some of these.

·       Action (vs. hastiness).

o   Prov. 3:5-6: By self-control we will acknowledge God first before taking action.  When first married a fellow college student came over one night to sell us some insurance.  We told him in advance we would not make a decision on the spot.  When we reminded him of that at the end of his pitch, he was upset.  We stuck with our plan and, in the end, didn’t buy something we didn’t need.

o   Prov. 19:2: Also it is not good for a soul to be without knowledge, and he sins who hastens with his feet.  It’s like the people caught up in a cause of some sort: “we don’t know where we’re going but we’re on our way.”

o   Here are some Biblical illustrations. 

§  In Joshua 9 Joshua and the leaders of Israel made a bad decision about the Gibeonites, one that they discovered to be bad just three days later. 

§  King Asa took time to acknowledge God before battle with the Ethiopians, and God brought about victory (2 Chron. 14:10-14).  Later, King Asa did not seek God in times of distress, and lost God’s blessing (2 Chron. 16:7,12).

·       Anger (vs. losing one’s temper).  Righteous anger is a good thing.  But without self-control, anger takes control and produces exactly what we don’t want.

o   Prov. 16:32: He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.

o   Prov. 29:11: A fool vents all his feelings but a wise man holds them back.

o   Eph. 4:26-27:  Paul tells us there is a place for “righteous anger.:  But if we allow anger to overtake us, we give place to the devil.

o   James 1:19-20: Let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.  That is a profound statement.  A man’s tirades do not produce what God desires.

o   Here are some Biblical illustrations.  Moses’ anger without self-control put him on the run from Pharaoh (Ex. 2:11-15) and later kept him from entering the Promised Land (Num. 20:9-12).  Saul’s anger, without self-control, morphed into full-blown bitterness in his hatred of David (1 Sam. 18:8-11).

·       Companionship (vs. seeking popularity).  It’s easy to let the desire for friends lead to bad situations. We need self-control is our relationships.

o   Prov. 25:17 applies this to “too many visits” to the neighbor’s house.  1 Cor. 15:33 (Bad company corrupts good morals) and James 4:4 (friendship with the world is enmity with God) apply it to lifestyle.  Prov. 18:24 applies it to “too many friends” rather than a few “choice friends.”  Prov. 27:6,9,17 remind us that the best friends are those who will confront us and sharpen us. 

o   Here is a Biblical illustration.  The relationship of David and Jonathan (1 Sam. 18:1-4) illustrates every good truth from the above passages.