Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense. (Proverbs 19:11, ESV) Recently, two men did not end up quite where they planned to go that day, and I’m positive neither was happy about his interrupted plans. While I wasn’t there to view…
“He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.” (Proverbs 16:32, NKJV) Self-control. Discipline. Willpower. The King James Version of the Bible calls it temperance. Whatever word we use, self-indulgence is easier than self-control. Ask anyone…
“For the Lord disciplines the one he loves and punishes every son he receives” (Romans 12:6, Christian Standard Bible). It was a bright, sunny Saturday morning, and a friend and I were on vacation at a beautiful spot near the shore. What better way to start our morning than to…
“A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls” (Proverbs 25:28, English Standard Version). Have you ever said to yourself, “Self, I am so proud of you. You are so disciplined and have everything under control!” Me either. Most of us struggle with this self-control…
“And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; II Peter 1:6 The third step in our journey towards becoming more like Jesus is temperance. Just what does that word mean to us? In the 19th and early 20th centuries, one of the larges and most influential…
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“Losing self-control leaves you as helpless as a city without a wall.” (Proverbs 25:28 in the Contemporary English Version of the Holy Bible). Ancient cities that had no walls were easy prey for their enemies. A person without self-control is just as defenseless against Satan’s attack. Self-control enables us to counteract external and internal negative forces that can cause us to make wrong choices. We need the Spirit of God working in us to help us do what is right.
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Prayer: Lord, I ask You to activate Your Spirit inside me to enable me to turn away from wrong actions. Though the temptation to lose control of my emotions and desires will challenge my faith, I will choose to build a wall of self-control around my heart. In Jesus Name, Amen.
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Devotion by: Julie Long