I. Prayer to enter the Lord’s presence:
Be still for a moment. “Lord, I give the day that is now past to you. It is yours. I give the day that is to come to you; help me to see where you are working and to join you there. Speak to me during these moments. I commit them and myself to you.”
II. Prayer of Confession:
“Lord, you are faithful to forgive me and cleanse me of my sin when I confess it to you. I confess my sin(s) of ______________. Thank you for forgiveness.” (1 John 1:9)
III. Prayer of Thanksgiving:
Choose to be thankful, speak out loud of what God has done.
“Thank you, Father, for _________________. Fill my heart and my mouth with gratitude throughout this day.”
IV. Scripture Reflection
Read: Proverbs Chapter 29
Reflect:
Proverbs 29:11
11 A fool gives full vent to his anger,
but a wise person holds it in check.
Remember what a fool is? A person who is stupid or insolent. One who lacks good judgment. Here we find the kind of person who gives full vent to their anger. In other words, a person who lacks self-control, and like a volcano, angrily explodes in full fury, spewing the molten lava of anger over everyone. It’s not that anger is bad. Obviously, there are things we should be angry at, it’s the uncontrolled venting of our anger without any regard for the consequences, that’s the problem.
The second line of the proverb compares the fool to the wise person. A wise person is characterized by having wisdom. Someone skilled at living, a very practical person. Notice that the wise person holds their tongue in check. A fool gives in to his anger, but a wise person maintains control. He “calms it back” like calming a storm.
So how about you, how would you describe yourself? Are you like the fool who gives full vent to anger, or are you like the wise who holds it back—are you self-controlled? Maybe a better person to ask is a close friend, a spouse, or the people you work with. How would they respond?
If you’re a slave to the impulse of anger, you’re in a bad spot. It’s clear that if you’re the kind of person who always loses your temper, you’re acting foolishly. There is not much good that can come from acting this way. And think about it – most of the time, if not all of the time – when we give way to anger (allowing it to boil over without restraint), many times the consequences are devastating.
We’re not called to walk the path of the fool. We don’t have to let bitterness, anger, wrath, or malice rule. Those were a part of our old nature. As followers of Christ, we’ve been set free from our old way of living. Anger doesn’t have to be part of our operating system anymore, we’ve been upgraded—born again! We have the Holy Spirit living inside use, guiding us, urging us to walk the path of wisdom. One of the best ways to walk the path is to remember what God has done for you in Christ—He’s forgiven you! (Eph. 4: 31-32)
Respond:
Don’t be controlled by your anger—which is a lack of self-control. Decide today not to walk the path of the fool.
V. Prayer for others:
Pray specifically for the concerns of your life and the lives of others.
VI. Prayer of commitment:
“Lord God, I commit to love you with all my heart and with all my soul and with all my strength and with all my mind and to love my neighbor as myself. Empower me today to love you and others with everything that I am.” (Luke 10:27)
This Week’s Scripture Memory:
Proverbs 4:23
Above all else, guard your heart,
for everything you do flows from it.