Self-ControlHeaven will be filled with only one kind of person: the kind that so desperately wantedto get there that he absolutely would not be denied.No one will accidentally get to Heaven. No one will just happen upon it one day, havinggone out for a leisurely walk down the path of life with no apparent destination in mind.No one will have the wrong address and mistakenly knock on Heaven’s gate.No one will just end up there.This is because we live in a sin-stricken world. As a result, we are bombarded bytemptations that constantly distract us from the path to Heaven. Because of this, fewpeople will get there. (Matthew 7:13-14)Heaven is reserved only for those who have developed the self-control to get there.Living Without Self-Control......is like letting all of your defenses down and begging to be overrun by the world. It’slike throwing the front door of your life wide open and saying to Satan, “Come on in!”“Like a city that is broken into and without walls is a man who has no control over hisspirit.” (Proverbs 25:28, NASB)Living with self-control, on the other hand, makes a man better “than he who captures acity.” (Proverbs 16:32, NASB) Self-DisciplineJim Rohn once said that, “Everyone must choose one of two pains: the pain of disciplineor the pain of regret.”He was exactly right.We cannot escape that choice. Either we will subject ourselves to the rigors ofdeveloping a disciplined life or we will suffer the true pain of having not developed adisciplined life.If godliness is our goal, self-discipline is a requirement.The Steps Of Self-DisciplineSelf-discipline is achieved by doing three things:1. Training our intellect. The first step toward a life of self-discipline is to gainknowledge. One cannot discipline himself unless he knows he needs to.“...Giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge...” (2 Peter 1:5,NKJV) As Christians, we recognize that the knowledge we must seek is the knowledge thatcomes from God...the knowledge of truth:“This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to besaved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:3-4, NASB)In our quest for knowledge, though, we must guard against that which deceptivelymasquerades as truth:“And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge andall discernment...” (Philippians 1:9, NASB)This is imperative, because the knowledge of the world will fill our minds with nothingof substance. If we pursue this intellectual cotton candy, we’ll be “always learning andnever able to come to the knowledge of the truth” (2 Timothy 3:7, NASB).We must also avoid deceiving ourselves into believing that mere enthusiasm for seekingknowledge is equal to actually having knowledge:“For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according toknowledge...” (Romans 10:2, NKJV)2. Conforming our will to our intellect. The second step in achieving a life of selfdisciplineis to harmonize one’s will with the knowledge he has acquired.Assuming that the knowledge one has gained is the knowledge of truth (knowledge fromGod), this step will orient a person toward the right path.Gaining the knowledge is finding out which path is right. Conforming one’s will to thatknowledge is moving onto that correct path.If the acquired knowledge is not the knowledge of truth, conforming one’s will to thaterrant knowledge will only compound the existing problem. As Stephen Covey said, “Ifyour ladder is not leaning against the right wall, every step you take gets you to thewrong place faster.”Step 1 is about discovering God’s will. Step 2 is about choosing to make His will our will. In the previous lesson, we began to explore the subject of self-control, as we took a lookat its first major component: self-discipline. This week, we finish our exploration of thetopic by considering the second major component of self-control: moderation.

Envy Though Scripture addresses many sins, it describes few as bluntly as it does envy. In Proverbs 14:30, Solomon writes that “...envy is rottenness to the bones” (NKJV).Envy has the ability to consume one’s character in the same way gangrene consumesone’s body, and it can do this with the speed of an unrelenting cancer.The Bible is rife with examples of envy and its destructiveness:• Cain and Abel (Genesis 4)• Sarah and Hagar (Genesis 16)• Rachel and Leah (Genesis 30:1)• Joseph’s brothers and Joseph (Genesis 37:11)• Korah and Moses (Numbers 16)• The Jewish leaders and Jesus (Mark 15:10)• The Jewish leaders and Paul (Acts 13:45)Individuals consumed with envy are often driven to destroy the object of their envy, andthese Biblical examples demonstrate that.Envy is not content to simmer in one’s heart. It does more than compel one to actdestructively, it propels one toward destructive action. The effects of envy are oftenmore than simply disastrous, they are swiftly disastrous.Because of this, God declares in no uncertain terms that those who are envious will notinherit the kingdom of God (Galatians 5:21). The Problems With EnvyHere are four reasons why God detests envy:Envy is carnal. On more than one occasion, Scripture describes envy as appealing totemporal and base desires:“For you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, areyou not carnal and behaving like mere men?” (1 Corinthians 3:3, NKJV)“Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are...envy...” (Galatians 5:19,21, NKJV)The problem with this?It’s exactly the opposite of what Christians are commanded to focus on:“Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, whereChrist is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on thethings that are on earth.” (Colossians 3:1-2, NASB) Envy is contrary to love. 1 Corinthians 13:4 clearly states that love “does notenvy” (NKJV).We can love, or we can envy, but we cannot do both.If our aim is to be godly, the choice is obvious:“God is love and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in Him.” (1John 4:16, NASB)Envy produces confusion and all kinds of evil. Envy is a gateway sin, leading to amultitude of other evils:“For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.” (James3:16, NKJV)Envy leads one to destroy the object of his envy. This was mentioned at the startof the lesson. Envy is not satisfied to merely feel ill toward another, it thrives ondestructive action against another.To drive this point home, we need only remember the heinous death that our Saviorsuffered.Even Pilate could see through the Jews’ murderous motives:“For he [Pilate] knew that because of envy they [the Jews] had handed Himover.” (Matthew 27: 18, NASB) The Heart Of The MatterAt the end of the day, the most important thing in life is relationship.Every command of God revolves around relationship, either to Him or to others. Everysingle one.“‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and withall your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘Youshall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments depend the wholeLaw and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:37-40, NASB)Thus, anything that promotes God-approved relationship is good and right, andanything that destroys God-approved relationship is sin.Envy is the latter. KindnessIf envy rots a person to the core, kindness breathes new life into dead men’s bones.Mark Twain once said, “Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blindcan see.”It transcends language, background, intelligence level, and religious bent. It has thepower to lift up the downtrodden and the power to humble the arrogant.While envy burns bridges, kindness builds them.

When asked what the first commandment of all was, Jesus promptly responded bysaying that one should love the Lord with all his being. He then appended a secondcommand to the first and prefaced it by saying that it is like the first (as in, similar inimportance): “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (see Matthew 22:35-40)If there was any doubt as to the weight of the second command in comparison to that ofthe first, Jesus cleared it up by stating that, “On these two commandments depend thewhole Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:40, NASB)In a similar situation, recorded in Luke 10, Jesus was asked by an individual how hemight obtain eternal life. Jesus responded by citing the same two commands. (see Luke10:25-28)The message is clear: Those who are to be called by Christ’s name must not only lovetheir Creator with complete dedication, but they must view their neighbor as worthy ofthe care and concern usually only reserved for oneself.Charity (or generosity) is not a peripheral command. It is in fact at the very heart ofwhat it means to be a Christian. One cannot be an uncharitable Christian any more thanup can be down or wet can be dry. Charity is inherent in Christianity.No matter what the culture around us screams, Jesus quietly reminds us that, “It ismore blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35)(As a note, this lesson will focus on charity and generosity in the context of money/material possessions, as this is the counterpart lesson to the one on greed. Obviously,though, Christian charity/generosity extends far beyond just our stewardship offinancial/material resources.)The Difference Between Greed and CharityAt its root, greed stems from a person’s misinterpretation of himself. While a charitable person recognizes that he is merely a means to an end (insofar asfinancial/material resources go), a greedy person considers himself an end.While a charitable person understands that he is simply a funnel through whichfinancial and material resources can be spread to those in greater need, a greedy personmisinterprets himself as a collection tank, where resources are to be pooled indefinitely.A charitable person is like a body of water that has streams flowing both into and out ofit. A greedy person, though, is like the Salt Sea, which water only flows into.While the greedy person deludes himself into thinking that a constant inflowing streamof resources (with no balancing outflow) produces a much more vibrant existence, thecharitable person knows that the opposite is true.It’s no coincidence that the Salt Sea is also known as the Dead Sea.Life cannot be sustained when resources only flow inward.The Hang-UpsWhy then do we struggle to be as charitable as we ought to be?Here are three reasons:1. We think what we have belongs to us. This goes back to the concept of an endversus a means to an end.We often forget that we are not owners, we are stewards. Owners are the end. Stewardsare a means to an end.God has surely blessed us with much, but He’s not blessed us with things that are ours.He’s entrusted to us things that are His.From the outset, a clearheaded steward understands that what is put in front of him isto be used for the purposes dictated by the owner. The steward is the instrument bywhich the owner’s purposes are carried out. Nothing more, nothing less.2. We have a scarcity mentality. As opposed to an abundance mentality.One says that there’s only enough for some. The other says that there’s enough foreveryone. When we view material resources as limited quantities (which is exactly the wayadvertisers want us to view them), we consider the attempt to obtain them acompetition: “I’ve got to get them before someone else does, or there won’t be any leftfor me.” There is a winner and a loser: He who obtains wins, and he who doesn’t loses.When we view the reservoir of material resources as able to provide for everyone, we nolonger view the obtaining of them as a compe

“Money, money, money. Always sunny in the rich man's world...All the things I could doif I had a little money.”More than almost any other, this mindset dominates the collective Americanconsciousness in the twenty-first century.Cleverly cloaked by political correctness as “consumerism,” greed has become a drivingforce in our culture. The very thing that draws so many immigrants to our country--the“American Dream”--is often described primarily in material terms. For many years now,the symbol of achievement for Americans has not been freedom, education, or goodhealth...it’s been homeownership.And because money dominates much of our personal conversation, it should be nosurprise that it dominates our political conversation as well. Presidents are often electedbased on their ability to enhance the national economy. If they succeed in that endeavor,we send them back for another term. If they fail, we replace them. The rise and fall ofmen who hold the world’s most powerful office is largely based on their ability to padthe wallets of the Americans who elect them.Oscar Wilde once commented, “When I was young, I thought that money was the mostimportant thing in life. Now that I’m old, I know that it is.” Though most of us wouldn’tlet these words escape from our lips, we betray our hearts by the avaricious lifestyles welive.Nothing New Under The SunIf there is any consolation in this discussion of greed, it’s that greed is not a newproblem. Though Americans have perfected the art, we did not invent it.Scripture is chockfull of individuals overcome by the magnetic pull of greed: From Lotchoosing the better land for his livestock (Genesis 13) to Achan pilfering booty from thewreckage of Jericho (Joshua 7). From Gehazi wrongfully profiting from Naaman (2Kings 5) to Ananias and Sapphira lying about their income (Acts 5). The list isstaggering.And of, course, the story of the very Son of God is inextricably tied to greed. Jesus wasnot betrayed for glory, honor, fame, good health, or a long life...but for 30 pieces ofsilver.The Messiah, the Son of the Creator of the universe, was not delivered over for anythingmore than a pocketful of money.Greed is a plague that has infected mankind almost since day one.The Problem(s) With GreedAccordingly, Scripture has much to say against greed. Consider the following as a nonexhaustivelist of God’s comments on the subject:• Greed is characterized by a tendency to hoard material possessions tooneself. (See Luke 12:16-21)• Greed can destroy one’s sympathy, compassion, and concern for the lessfortunate. (See Proverbs 18:23; Consider also Luke 16:19-31 and 1 Timothy 6:17)• Greed focuses one’s attention on the wrong kind of treasure. (See Matthew6:19-21)• Greed can prompt one to take advantage of others in order to gain wealth.(See James 5:1-5; Consider also Proverbs 13:11)• Greed consumes one’s time and energy. (See Proverbs 23:4)• Greed is never satiated. (See Ecclesiastes 5:10)• Greed can be complicit with a multitude of other sins. (See 2 Timothy 3:1-5)• Greed is the opposite of contentment, which is commanded by God. (See 1Timothy 6:6-8; Consider also Hebrews 13:5)• Greed prevents one from being a public servant of the church. (See 1Timothy 3:8)• Greed prevents one from being a leader in the church. (1 Timothy 3:3, Titus1:7)• Greed leads to grief, ruin, and destruction. (See 1 Timothy 6:9-10)• Greed prevents one from being able to serve God. (See Matthew 6:24)Just Avoid ItIn the final analysis, greed compels us to do what Will Smith once described as“spending money we don’t have to buy things we don’t want to impress people we don’tlike.”And as Christians, we must simply avoid it altogether.

A farmer who doesn’t work doesn’t eat.Crops don’t raise themselves.The farmer who wants produce at harvest must work the whole season.He may try to buck the system. He may try to cheat the system. He may try to beat thesystem. Ultimately, though, he cannot. He cannot break the natural laws that Godestablished; he can only break himself against those laws.“Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sowsbountifully will also reap bountifully.” (2 Corinthians 9:6, NASB)DiligenceDiligence is a defining character trait of the godly individual.Scripture bears this out in multiple passages:• “You will seek Me and find Me when you search for me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah29:13, NASB)• “...He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:6, NKJV)• “The one who had received the five talents came up and brought five more talents,saying, ‘Master, you entrusted five talents to me. See, I have gained five more talents.’His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with afew things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of yourmaster.’” (Matthew 25:20-21, NASB)• “All hard work brings a profit...” (Proverbs 14:23, NIV)Given God’s preference for diligence, He shows little sympathy for the person whochooses laziness:“...if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either.” (2 Thessalonians 3:10,NASB) Characteristics of True DiligenceTrue diligence can be recognized by several characteristics:It results from internal motivation. The diligent person needs no goading orprodding to start what needs to be started. Neither does he need constant supervisionnor chaperoning to ensure that he finishes what needs to be finished.“Go to the ant, O sluggard, observe her ways and be wise, which, having no chief, officeror ruler, prepares her food in the summer and gathers her provision in theharvest.” (Proverbs 6:6-8, NASB)It begins with the end in mind. The diligent person does not expend efforthaphazardly. Instead, he organizes, plans, and maps out his work in such a way that hewill achieve his desired results. He realizes that particular results require particularefforts.“Go to the ant, O sluggard, observe her ways and be wise, which, having no chief, officeror ruler, prepares her food in the summer and gathers her provision in theharvest.” (Proverbs 6:6-8, NASB)The winter stockpile only materializes if the ant plans ahead and starts collecting in thesummer and fall. No forethought, no food in the winter.It is productive, not simply busy. The diligent person recognizes that not all busynessis business. He thus chooses only to engage in productive effort.“For we hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined life, doing no work atall, but acting like busybodies.” (2 Thessalonians 3:11, NASB)It’s possible to be busy without accomplishing anything productive. Not all effort iscreated equal. Wheels can spin both in the sand and on the road, but only one of thoseresults in forward progress.It is ultimately focused on more than self-satisfaction. Diligence brings greatreward to the one exerting the effort:• “...the hand of the diligent makes rich.” (Proverbs 10:4, NASB)• “...the soul of the diligent shall be made rich.” (Proverbs 13:4, NKJV)• “He who tills his land will have plenty of food...” (Proverbs 28:19, NASB)• “In all labor there is profit...” (Proverbs 14:23, NASB) In the end, though, diligence sees a higher purpose:“He who steals must steal no longer; but rather he must labor, performing with his ownhands what is good, so that he will have something to share with one who hasneed.” (Ephesians 4:28, NASB)The Underlying MotivationUnderneath it all, the motivation that ought to drive us to be people of diligence is thatwe work for our Creator.“Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowingthat from the Lord you will receive the reward of

If your life was a garden and God called in the harvest today, how much produce wouldyou have to offer Him?Scripture indicates that we will be judged by our fruit (Matthew 7:15-23). This iscertainly a sobering reality if we must admit that our produce is rotten. But it’sdevastating if we must admit that our tree is barren and has produced no fruit at all.God reserves a special kind of disdain for laziness, apathy, and general inaction:“So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of Mymouth.” (Revelation 3:16, NKJV)In a sense, negative action is better than no action at all.“Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so is the lazy one to those who sendhim.” (Proverbs 10:26, NASB)When we embrace a life of laziness, we become an irritant to the very God who createdus “in Christ Jesus for good works.” (Ephesians 2:10)Work Is Not EvilWork and labor are not the results of sin.Humanity has not been subjected to the rigors of productive activity as a backlashagainst and punishment for its sinful rebellion against God.Though the laziness in us would object to this sentiment, work is inherently good.Consider the fact that one of the main reasons God placed Adam in the garden of Edenwas to work: “Then the Lord God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden tocultivate it and keep it.” (Genesis 2:15, NASB)Yes, the work became much more difficult after Adam and Eve sinned (Genesis 3:17-20),but work existed long before sin entered the world. So, as Christians, we would do well to dispense with the delusion that work is theenemy.Our primary purpose in this life is not to eat, drink, and be merry. It is to be productive.“God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good.” (Genesis 1:31,NASB)That includes having put man in the garden to cultivate it and keep it.Rest Is Only Rest If......it is preceded by work.Otherwise, it’s laziness.“By the seventh day God completed His work which He had done, and he rested on theseventh day from all His work which He had done.” (Genesis 2:2, NASB)God rested, there is no doubt about that. But, He rested after He had worked. (Not justafter He had worked, but after He had created the universe. Maybe that raises the bar abit for what counts as work deserving of rest...)Scripture says that God rested one day out of seven. The majority of His time that firstweek was spent working.Not sitting around twiddling His thumbs. Not being busy just to be busy.The majority of the first week was spent being productive.Not only did God not spend His time the first week being lazy, He did not slog His waythrough the six days of work, simply living for the weekend when He could take a breakand relax.God took joy in His work, even while He was doing it. Seven times in Genesis 1 it ismentioned that God saw what He had done throughout the first six days and determinedthat it was good.The moral to the story?Work is good. Laziness is not.

Plato once said that all human behavior flows from only three main sources: desire,emotion, and knowledge. Whether or not this is true, there is no doubt that much of ourbehavior flows from just one of those three sources: desire.We want, so we pursue. We pursue until we obtain the object of our want, we tire of thepursuit, or we are prohibited from obtaining the object of our want.Desire is surely one of the most potent propellants of human activity.And unfortunately, the well of desire is also one of the deepest reservoirs from which sinis drawn.There are three main issues that have significant bearing on a discussion of desire andits fruits. When sin is a byproduct of desire, it is in large part due to these three factors:1. DiscontentDiscontent often manifests itself through the act of complaining.While complaining is a voicing of one’s negative view on his current circumstance, itcarries the implicit expression of a wish for something perceived to be better. Thus, theconcept of desire is intrinsic to the concept of complaining.Historically, God has punished few things more harshly than the attitude of discontent.The children of Israel were expert complainers. Scripture records incident after incidentin which the people murmured against God.And God responded severely:In Numbers 21, God sent fiery serpents among the people to destroy the complainers. InNumbers 16, God delivered a plague that wiped out nearly 15,000 people.God detests discontent. And when desire wells up from the fountain of discontent, it is sin.2. The Grass Is Greener On The Other SideClosely related to discontent is the notion that the grass is greener on the other side.Desire is often an outgrowth of the perception that someone else has it better. It reallymakes no difference whether or not the grass is actually greener on the other side, itmatters only that we think it is.When the perception is that things are better on the other side of the fence, one’s mindbegins to cry, “Woe is me! If he deserves something that good, then I do, too!”We try to keep up with the Joneses.Which is bad enough.But we often go further than that.Many times, we want to do more than just be like the Joneses...we want to be theJoneses. We don’t what simply want something similar to what they have, we actuallywant what they have.And God calls that covetousness...and He bluntly condemns it:• “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife orhis male servant or his female servant or his ox or his donkey or anything that belongsto your neighbor.” (Exodus 20:17, NASB)• “...Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in theabundance of the things he possesses.” (Luke 12:15, NKJV)• “Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth...covetousness, which isidolatry. Because of these things, the wrath of God is coming upon the sons ofdisobedience...” (Colossians 3:5-6, NKJV)• “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as youhave...” (Hebrews 13:5, NKJV)When desire gives birth to covetousness, it is sin.3. ExcessOne of the most pernicious traits of desire is its ability to lead to excess.The New Testament repeatedly condemns excess by commending moderation:• “And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.” (1 Timothy 6:8, NKJV)• “Give us this day our daily bread...” (Matthew 6:11)• “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth...” (Matthew 6:19, NASB)At its core, excess carries with it the concept of waste and waste is a misappropriation ofthe resources over which we’ve been made stewards.Excess also carries with it a sense of entitlement to more than what is actually deserved.When one chooses to live in excess, he chooses to hoard for himself what he mightotherwise use to help those in need.And as one becomes accustomed to living in excess, he is likely to begin overestimatinghis own worth as an individual.When

Week 5: Patience“All men commend patience, although few are willing to practice it.” (Thomas àKempis)Few are the number of virtues that are both more needed and more difficult to obtainthan patience. While our own fallibility convinces us of a deep need to develop patiencewith others, it is that very fallibility in those around us that tends to ignite all butpatience inside of us.Even so, Scripture confirms our conclusion that patience is virtuous:• “A patient man is better than a warrior, and he who rules his temper, than he whotakes a city.” (Proverbs 16:32, New American Bible)• “A wrathful man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger allayscontention.” (Proverbs 15:18, NKVJ)• “A hot-tempered man stirs up dissension, but a patient man calms aquarrel.” (Proverbs 15:18, NIV)• “A man’s wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook anoffense.” (Proverbs 19:11, NIV)The Patience of GodIf God’s demonstrations of wrath and righteous indignation compel us to take notice,His demonstrations of patience certainly warrant our attention.Once we wrap our minds around the heinous nature of sin, we have no difficultyunderstanding how God’s wrath is justified. Sin not only deserves severe punishment, itdeserves swift punishment.And it is that very fact that makes the patience of God mind-boggling.Though we don’t relish the thought of righteous judgment being rained down on us, wecan understand it. Justice is logical: If I commit sin “A”, God will justly respond withpunishment “B.” B naturally follows A. Justice is common sense, and because God’swrath is intertwined with His justice, we can also understand His wrath.God’s patience is nearly impossible for us to comprehend, though, because it makes nological sense. It is inextricably tied to God’s grace and therefore offers us something thatwe don’t deserve. When I commit a sin (and truly repent of it), God chooses to respondnot with wrathful punishment, but with patience and grace.Instead of striking me dead on the spot for rebelling against Him, He says, “I love you. Iwant you to come back to Me, and I’m willing to wait for that to happen.”Wow!How poignant are the Psalmist’s words: “But you, O Lord, are a compassionate andgracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.” (Psalm 86:15, NIV)Those who are inclined to disagree with the Psalmist need only read the accounts ofGod’s endurance with the children of Israel or the accounts of Jesus’ longsuffering withHis impetuous apostles.God’s patience is inconceivably great.And because that virtue is so deeply woven into the character of God Himself, those whoespouse His Son as Lord and Savior must weave it into their characters as well.Questions for Thought and Discussion1. Why is patience so difficult for us as human beings? Why doesn’t it come naturally tous?2. “Twenty-first century America is not a culture given to patience.” Give some evidenceto defend or refute this statement.3. How can we, as Christians, develop patience when we live in a society given toimpulsivity?4. This lesson contrasts wrath and patience. How exactly is patience the opposite ofwrath? Or is it?5. Cite one Biblical event, story, or parable that you think teaches the virtue of patience.Then list the practical lessons about patience taught by that story.6. The word “longsuffering” is often used in the same context as “patience.” What might“longsuffering” teach us about the concept of patience? Did Jesus have anything to sayabout the concept of longsuffering?7. Patience and hope are mentioned together in the New Testament on more than oneoccasion (See Romans 12:12, Romans 15:4, 1 Thessalonians 1:3). What is the connectionbetween these two concepts?8. Is there an easy way to develop patience? In other words, is there a shortcut?(Consider James 1:2-4)

Wrath is one of the most overtly destructive forces a human being is capable ofharnessing.By its very definition (“strong, stern, or fierce anger; vengeance or punishment as theconsequence of anger”), wrath is bent on unleashing devastating force against anotherperson. Drawing from a vivid analogy once used by Dan Rather, wrath is the spiritualequivalent of a tornado in a trailer park. It has the distinct ability to transformwholeness into utter carnage in a matter of moments.Accordingly, God does not mince words when it comes to wrath:• Ephesians 4:31: “Let all...wrath, anger...be put away from you, with allmalice.” (NKJV)• Colossians 3:8: “But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger,wrath...” (NKJV)• James 1:19-20: “So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be...slow to wrath, forthe wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.” (NKJV)• Galatians 5:19-21: “Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are...outbursts ofwrath...and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past,that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” (NKJV) Why Wrath Must Be Put AwayLet me suggest 5 reasons that wrath is to be purged from the life of a Christian:1. Wrath assumes the right to avenge oneself. Romans 12:19 plainly states thefollowing: “Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it iswritten, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord.” (NKJV)When we become wrathful, we bluntly retort, “Vengeance is actually mine, I will repay.”Nowhere in Scripture are we granted free reign to avenge ourselves at will. Though wemay desire to do so, we are not given that right. God has reserved that right for Himself,and we do nothing but blatantly defy His authority when opt to dish out our vengeance. 2. Wrath is destructive. This point has already been stated, but it is one of the mostprominent features of wrath. By its very nature, wrath is given to harming its target. It isthe ultimate flexing of one’s destructive muscles, with no other intention than to see itsenemy reduced to rubble.3. Wrath is impulsive. Wrath lives by the mantra, “Ready, fire, aim.” It explodes nowand asks questions later.Proverbs 12:16 confirms this: “A fool’s wrath is known at once, but a prudent man coversshame” (NKJV). There is wisdom in working through one’s emotions “behind closeddoors.” Wrath, though, throws the doors wide open and announces itself in all its nakedshame.Impulsivity goes hand-in-hand with foolishness and wrath bows down to both: “He whois slow to wrath has great understanding, but he who is impulsive exalts folly” (Proverbs14:29, NKJV).4. Wrath is addictive. One can gain a reputation for being a hothead rather quickly.This is due to the fact that wrath is habit-forming. The explosive release of emotion iscaptivating and quickly takes hostage anyone foolish enough to embrace it.As Proverbs 19:19 says, “A man of great wrath will suffer punishment; for if you rescuehim, you will have to do it again.” (NKJV)5. Nothing good comes from wrath. If one’s goal is to bear the fruit of therighteousness of God, wrath is the precise way not to do so. Period.“...for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God” (James 1:20, NKJV). ~~~In the end, Christians are commanded to be people of unmistakable self-control(Galatians 5:22-23; 2 Peter 1:5-6). There are few characteristics that more flagrantlydefy this directive than wrath.We would do well to flee from it.

To say that Jesus defied the expectations of the Jews would be anunderstatement...roughly equivalent to saying that the sun is hot.Jesus was not at all who the Jews were looking for.What they wanted was a well-heeled blue blood. What they got was the “illegitimate”son a poor carpenter.What they wanted was a king who would triumphantly march into Jerusalem on hisroyal steed and reclaim the holy city from the barbaric Romans. What they got was aking who made His royal ascent into Jerusalem on a donkey and was subsequentlynailed to a cross.What they wanted was a Messiah who would trumpet their piety and condemn thefilthiness of everyone around them. What they got was a Messiah who verbally floggedthem for their self-righteous hypocrisy and praised the faith of the “sinners.”Jesus was not who the Jews were looking for simply because they were not who Jesuswas looking for.~~~And the same might be said of us.If the “foolishness” of the gospel (1 Corinthians 1:18-25) still seems a bit backward to us,it’s likely because we’re still operating from human wisdom.If what we’re looking for is a Christianity that extols what we so often hold dear...selfconfidence,self-assurance, and self-reliance...we’re destined for eternal disappointment.Because it simply doesn’t exist.While humanity praises the self-confident, Jesus praises the meek (Matthew 5:5).While humanity glorifies the self-assured, Jesus glorifies the poor in spirit (Matthew5:3).While humanity commends the self-reliant, Jesus commends the God-dependent(Matthew 6:25-34).HumilityThere is hardly a more central concept to Christianity than humility. It is at the veryheart and soul of everything that Jesus taught.To speak of a “proud Christian” is to speak of an impossibility. A person can be one orthe other, but not both. Pride and Christianity are mutually exclusive.To speak of a “humble Christian” is to speak redundantly. A person cannot be aChristian without being humble. Humility is inherent in Christianity.Not surprisingly then, Scripture speaks often and favorably of humility and those whopossess it:• Psalm 18:27: “For you will save the humble people, but will bring down the haughtylooks.” (NKJV)• Psalm 25:9: “The humble He guides in justice, and the humble He teaches Hisway.” (NKJV)• Psalm 147:6: “The Lord lifts up the humble; He casts the wicked down to theground.” (NKJV)• Psalm 149:4: “For the Lord takes pleasure in His people; He will beautify the humblewith salvation.” (NKJV)• Proverbs 3:34: “Surely He scorns the scornful but gives grace to the humble.” (NKJV)• Proverbs 15:33: “The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom, and before honor ishumility.” (NKJV)• Proverbs 22:4: “By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches and honor andlife.” (NKJV)• James 4:6: “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” (NKJV)• James 4:10: “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord and He will lift youup.” (NKJV)Jesus and HumilityIf Christ proclaimed the virtue of humility and commanded His followers to becharacterized by it, we should find conclusive evidence that Christ exemplified this traitin His own life.