Adding Self-Control to Knowledge

Point of View:
So after adding knowledge to goodness, Peter tells us to add self-control to knowledge. What does that mean? Well to start out, Self-Control is defined as: “the ability to control oneself, in particular one's emotions and desires or the expression of them in one's behavior, esp. in difficult situations”. So why would we need to add self control to knowledge? Well, let’s face it, its easy to learn about God when life is going well and we are happy, but what about when life is not going so well? When we are angry and/or upset, it’s often hard to retain that knowledge or have the desire to learn more about God. This is why we need self-control. We need to learn how to control our emotions and desires so that when the difficult situations come, we can express and behave ourselves in an honoring way. So, how do we do that? Well…

The Challenge:
Be “quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry”. (-James 1:19) Now that’s self-control at its finest! If we can learn to not only practice this knowledge when we are angry, but also daily, then we will find ourselves not growing angry as often. This will result in God being given the glory that he both deserves and desires.
So, if you’re ready to glorify God and add self-control to knowledge, be “quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry”!

Prayer Points:
• Thank God for giving us James 1:19, as it is an awesome display of what self control looks like.
• Ask that you would be able to add self-control to your knowledge. Even when times are tough, control your emotions and desires and God will be glorified.
• Pray that we would be disciplined enough to follow through with being quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to anger.

The Word:
5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control - 2 Peter 1:5-6

19 My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. - James 1:19-20