SELF-CONTROL AND MY IMAGINATIONS
MIND: Imaginations
Genesis 6:5-tells us that man’s imaginations were only evil continually.
2 Corinthians 10:5-“We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,” (ESV) We are to cast down these imaginations.
SELF-CONTROL AND MY PRIDE AND SELFISHNESS
A. MIND: Pride and Self-Preoccupation:
1. a. Isaiah 14:13-14- we read of the fall of Lucifer because of pride and rebellion.
b. Luke 18:11-tells about the Pharisee and his attitude of pride and self-importance. When we as individuals begin to think that we are better or more important than our fellow man and sometimes even God , pride enters in.
c. Romans 12:3-Tells us “not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think.” (ESV)
2. a. Proverbs 13:10- “By pride comes nothing but strife,”
b. Obadiah 3-4-He will bring down the prideful heart.
3. a. Proverbs 11:2-disgrace follows pride.
b. Proverbs 16:18-distruction follows pride.
4. Jeremiah 13:15-the Lord tells us here not to be proud.
B. MIND: Selfish aims and ambitions:
1. Isaiah 56:11– selfishness id described as greedy dogs and shepherds that cannot understand, they all look to their own way and their own gain.
2. a. Romans 15:1- we are admonished “We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves.” (ESV)
b. 1 Corinthians 10:24– gives this admonition, “Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor.” (ESV)
c. 2 Corinthians 5:15-we are given this admonishment, “ For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.” (ESV)
d. James 2:8– tells us we should love our neighbors as we love ourselves.
SELF-CONTROL AND MY EMOTIONS
A. EMOTIONS: ANGER
1. Proverbs 21:19-tells us “It is better to live in a desert land
than with a quarrelsome and fretful woman.” (ESV)
2. Proverbs 29:22– tells us “A man of wrath stirs up strife,
and one given to anger causes much transgression.” (ESV)
3. Colossians 3:8-tells us to put off anger.
4. Matthew 5:22a-tells us that the result of anger is judgment.
5. a. Psalm 37:8-tells us to refrain from anger and forsake wrath.
b. Proverbs 16:32-tells us “Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.” (ESV)
c. Proverbs 19:11-tells us that a man’s wisdom keeps him from becoming angry.
d. Ecclesiastes 7:9-warns us not to quickly become angry, for the foolish become angry.
Anger is such an unpredictable and destructive emotion. It may lead to deep resentment, hatred, and even murder. It can also be misdirected. If we become angry with someone we should apologize to that person and confess our sin to God. We need to ask the Lord to show us what is behind our anger so that we will not fall into that pattern again.
SELF-CONTROL AND HATRED AND JEALOUSY
A. EMOTIONS: HATRED
1. Proverbs 10:12 and 18a-tell us hatred stirs up strife and the one who conceals hatred has lying lips.
2. 1 John 2:9 tells us that if you hate your brother you are still in darkness even if you claim to be in the light.
1 John 3:15 tells us that you will not have eternal life if you hate your brother because “Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.” (ESV)
B. EMOTIONS: JEALOUSY
1. a. Proverbs 6:34 tells us that jealousy makes a man furious and he will not spare when he takes revenge.
b. Song of Solomon 8:6 tells us “jealousy is fierce as the grave. It flashes as flashes of fire, the very flame of the Lord.” (ESV)
2. a. Genesis 37:4 Here we see the jealousy of Joseph’s brothers. Jacob loved Joseph more than his other sons and they became jealous and hated Joseph for this. How careful we must be in the relations in our own family that we do not become guilty of this.
b. Matthew 20:12-in this passage we find the parable of the laborers. Those who had worked only one hour received the same wage. Let us not be guilty of this but rather rejoice with them over their blessings.
c. Luke 15:38– here we find the parable of the prodigal son. The elder brother became jealous because his father made a feast when his prodigal brother returned. He had not left home, he had continued to serve his father all this time, but his father had never made a feast for him. As God’s children we should always want to serve Him and not be jealous when there is rejoicing over someone who turns to God.
C. EMOTIONS: POSITIVE
a. ANGER
1. Mark 3:4-5 Here we see Jesus’ anger at man’s inhumanity and that they were more concerned with the law than with man’s needs.
2. John 2:14 Here it tells us of Jesus’ anger when His Father’s House was being used for the wrong purpose.
Is there a righteous anger that stirs within us when we see these things happening in our day?
b. HATRED
1. Psalm 97:10 tells us we are to hate evil.
2. Psalm 139:21-22 here we see that David is telling us that we are not to hate the sinner but to hate the sin or evil that is done against our Lord.
c. JEALOUSY
1. Exodus 20:4 Here we see a picture of a jealous God.
2. Ezekiel 39:25 Here we see another picture of a jealous God.
A God who would have us serve Him only and uphold His holy name. Are we jealous for our God that our fellow man would serve no other?
3. 2 Corinthians 11:2– This is Paul’s desire for the Corinthians. Do we have this concern for our fellow man?
SELF-CONTROL AND MY TONGUE
1. a. Luke 23:51– we see Joseph of Arimathea who by his actions had not agreed with the plan nor voted for the decision to crucify Jesus.
b. Acts 5:38-39– we see Gamaliel who by his actions prevented the council from carrying out their plans to slay the apostles.
Do we realize how our actions influence other people? How very important it is that we allow our actions to be guided by the Holy Spirit.
2. 1 Samuel 2:3- the Lord weighs our actions.
Our tongue can be such a powerful weapon –for good or bad. Let us look at what Scripture tells us about the tongue:
A. SLANDER AND GOSSIPING
1. Proverbs 10:18b-19 tells us that the one who speaks slander is a fool but one who restrains his lips is wise.
2. Proverbs 11:9 tells us “With his mouth a godless man would destroy his neighbor.” (ESV)
3. Proverbs 26:22 “The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels; they go down into the inner parts of the body.” (ESV)
These verses remind us of how cruel and damaging slander and gossip can be.
4. Psalm 101:5– “Whoever slanders his neighbor secretly I will destroy.” (ESV)
B. COMPLAINING AND CRITICAL
1. Exodus 16:1-8 tells of the complaining of the Israelites against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness.
2. Psalm 39:1 “I said, ‘I will guard my ways, that I may not sin with my tongue; I will guard my mouth with a muzzle, so long as the wicked are in my presence.”
3. Acts 25:7 Here we see the Jews making many grievous complaints against Paul which they could not prove.
Let us be very careful as Christians that we do not have a complaining and critical tongue and thereby become a stumbling block for someone without Christ.
4. Exodus 16:8 Our murmurings are against the Lord.