Gaining Control Of My Temper

GAINING CONTROL OF MY TEMPER

+ The average man loses his temper 3 times a week

+The average woman loses her temper only three times a week.

+ Women get mad at people.

+ Men get mad at things.

+ Single adults express their anger twice as often as married adults.

+Men are more physical with their anger than women.

+You are more likely to express your anger at home than anywhere else.

Today I want to minister to you about Gaining Control Of Your Temper.

Proverbs 16:32, “It is better to be a patient man than a warrior, a man who controls his temper than one who takes a city.”

One day Alexander the Great struck his favorite general. In a fit of anger he killed his best friend. In response

to his deed Alexander cried out, “I have conquered the world but I can't even conquer my own soul.”

Have you ever felt like that? Proverbs say that you should do three things.

I. YOU WEIGH THE CONSEQUENCES.

Why? Because every time you blow up there are negative results.

Proverbs 29:22, “A hot-tempered man commits many sins.” Do you agree with that verse?

Proverbs 15:18, “A hot-tempered man causes dissension.” How many of you ever got in an argument as a result of a hot-temper?

Proverbs 14:29 (GN), “. . . anger causes mistakes.” Have you ever made a mistake because you were so angry that you did

something dumb? We have all had our moments, haven't we?

And then in Proverbs 14:17 it says, “People with hot tempers do foolish things.

Have you ever done something foolish because of your temper? Of course you have.

Will Rogers said, “People who fly into a rage seldom make a good landing.” That is too true to be funny.

When you lose your temper, you always lose. You can lose your respect. You can lose your health.

You can lose your job. You can lose your spouse. You can lose your family.

Proverbs 11:29, “He who brings trouble on his family will inherit only wind . . . “

In the Living Bible it says, “The fool who provokes his family to anger and resentment will finally have nothing worthwhile left.”

ANGER THAT STARTS IN THE FAMILY WILL HAVE A DEVESTATING EFFECT!! .

ILLUSTRATION: A while back there was an article in the James Dobson magazine entitled “When You Feel Like Screaming.”

A survey was taken of nine to twelve year old children. They were asked two questions. What do you like most

about your mom and what do you like least? The answers to the first question were varied; but, almost unanimously

the answer to the second question was “when she screams.”

Why do we scream and pitch a fit? Simply because it works. There is a short term effect. When most people are screamed at,

they will comply out of fear. “Whoa, OK, I'll come clean up my room.” But the truth of the matter is, in the long run, you lose. It is a

fact that anger causes alienation. So, Proverbs, as a warning to us, encourages us to weigh the consequences.

II. COUNT TO TEN BEFORE ACTING

If we could ever get into the habit of thinking before reacting, our lives would have a lot less stress.

Proverbs 29:11, “A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control.”

ILLUST: A good examples of this is the fit of anger that was shown by Dennis Rodman when he kicked the cameraman.

That quick loss of his temper cost Dennis more than a one-and-one-half million dollars in lost playing time and

settlement with the cameraman. The Scripture says that a fool gives full vent of his anger.

Have you noticed the longer you hold your temper the better it is? If you let it off quickly, it is bad news.

ILLUST:Thomas Jefferson once said, “When you are angry, you count to ten.

When you are very angry, you count to one hundred.”

A FACT OF LIFE IS THAT ANYTHING YOU CAN DO TO DEOLAY YOUR RESPONSE, THE BETTER OFF YOU ARE!!

I am sure that there are some of you here who are thinking, “Pastor, that may sound good in church, but I just can't do that.

You don't understand my circumstances.” Oh, yes I do and yes you can. You can control your anger, because anger is a

choice. You just don't want to control your anger. Have you ever been in an argument with someone and in the middle of

your screaming and arguing the telephone rings, and you answer it in a nice and pleasant voice? “Hello!” The truth of the

matter is you control what you want to control. The Bible says a wise man remains under control.