Notes of Faith May 23, 2026
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.
Pastor Charles Covington
Gal 5:22-25
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.
2 Tim 3:1-5
But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. 2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, 4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these.
2 Peter 1:5-11
Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, 6 and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, 7 and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins. 10 Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble; 11 for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you.
Prov 14:29
He who is slow to anger has great understanding,
But he who is quick-tempered exalts folly.
Prov 15:18
A hot-tempered man stirs up strife,
But the slow to anger calms a dispute.
Prov 19:11
11 A man's discretion makes him slow to anger,
And it is his glory to overlook a transgression.
Prov 30:33
33 For the churning of milk produces butter,
And pressing the nose brings forth blood;
So the churning of anger produces strife.
Eccl 7:9
9 Do not be eager in your heart to be angry,
For anger resides in the bosom of fools.
Col 3:8-10
But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, 10 and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him
James 1:19-21
But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; 20 for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God. 21 Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls.
Anger comes easy…(when you are always right. Lol) Self-control is not easy, but it is a very important character trait of Jesus and one we are expected to imitate. There are many things in the human heart and mind that need self-control and we will spend a lifetime practicing the release of control to the Holy Spirit within us that we might live pleasing to God without the sin that seeks to devour us.
Pray with me (for yourself) that your might release the power of the Holy Spirit within you to control your life in God’s will in any and every circumstance!
Pastor Dale