‘The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression’ Proverbs 19:11

Instead of managing emotions when angry, it might just be best to simply ignore the transgression. This might not feel good to your flesh, but you would be surprised how much progress would be made if you are able to do this. Look at the scripture in the Amplified version ‘Good sense makes a man restrain his anger, and it is his glory to overlook a transgression or an offense’. Pass it over, just ignore it – it is good sense to forgive and forget!

There are four things we can notice from this scripture:

• 1) You have the ability to let it go, no matter how it hurts;
• 2) If you are sensible, you can, and will control your temper;
• 3) It is a great virtue to forgive and forget; and
• 4) Be smart and control your tongue.

If each person takes note of these four points, it will be easy to manage and control anger and maintain peace at home, at work, and in the society. I pray for families that have disputes today, that husband and wife will be wise and control their tongue; I pray for business relationships that are about to split because of conflicts that they will be wise to control their temper; I also pray for broken hearted and hurting people in our communities that they will be healed and encouraged so that relationships can be rebuilt and future can be preserved; in Jesus name. God bless your day, amen.

‘It is better to be patient than powerful. It is better to win control over yourself than over the whole city’ Proverbs 16:32 GNB

‘Patience is better than strength. Controlling your temper is better than capturing a city’ Proverbs 16:32 NCV

Patience will help you control your temper better. You might not want to be angry in many instances, but if you are not patient enough, you may end up acting in anger. If a powerful leader is patient, he will lead better. It is no good to us if you can win a whole city and can’t control your emotions. A husband, a wife, a boss, etc., will do better if they can be patient. American Standard Version says ‘He that is slow to anger is better that the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit, than he that taketh a city’.

When you exercise patience in your day to day dealings, you are able to turn issues over in your mind and you will see things clearer and will succeed in hearing the promptings of the Holy Spirit; this will guide you to do what is right in all situations. If husband and wife can be patient with each other, there will be greatness, peace and less cases of divorce.

You might be in the right about a matter, and have the power and tactic to fight back in time of conflict, but if you exercise some patience, you might see a better way to respond in every conflict. As you face the day, remember this word of wisdom, and the Lord will give you understanding, in Jesus name, amen. 

 ‘A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger’ Proverbs 15:1

Every day we are faced with the challenge of being tempted to be angry in our dealings with people. It is also important to note that what we say to people, or how we respond to others, can make others to be angry. The Message version says ‘A gentle response defuses anger, but a sharp tongue kindles a temper-fire’.

When communication begins between two people, each person’s response and counter response will determine the direction and likely end of the conversation. On a general note, hot tempered response leads to sustained argument that can end up in a bad place. The believer can be trained to control how conversations go in the marketplace, or in the family. This is because we have the spirit of God in us and He can help us overcome the natural tendencies of the flesh. Eph. 4:26 (New Century Version) says ‘When you are angry, do not sin, and be sure to stop being angry before the end of the day’ – we are not immune from anger, but we have the ability to stop being angry if we will respond to the promptings of the Holy Spirit.

As you face the day, determine not to be annoyed by what you hear and if you feel angry, be slow to respond and give a soft response. Be careful how you talk to people so that they do not get angry. Consider the following scriptures (New Century Version): Pr. 15:18 ‘people with quick tempers cause trouble, but those who control their tempers stop quarrel’; Pr. 15:28 ‘good people think before they answer, but the wicked simply pour out evil’. Determine to be an agent of peace at home, at work and in the society. God will give you wisdom. You are blessed.  

‘If you stay calm you are wise, but if you have a hot temper, you only show how stupid you are’ Proverbs 14:29 GNB

Today we will start the discussion about managing and preventing the spread of anger in the community. Our scripture for today’s devotional is an interesting one – look at it again in the Message version ‘slowness to anger make for deep understanding; a quick-tempered person stockpiles stupidity’.

To be slow to get angry is referred to here as a sign of wisdom and understanding, while being quick tempered shows stupidity! Maintaining your calmness when you have been offended is certainly a difficult thing – but we need to make up our minds to give adequate consideration to today’s scripture, it says we can control our emotions.

Let’s choose to do that – be slow to be angry. Give a lot of thought to your situation before you talk or take any action. Some people refer to the fact that they would rather express their anger and not be like a hypocrite, but I have found out that it is more difficult not to sin when we quickly respond in anger.

The key point here is; ‘be slow to getting angry’. You will agree with me that we can prevent a lot of problem in the family, among friends, at work, or somewhere in the community, if only we will ‘be slow to be angry’! As you face your day, remember this word of wisdom.  God bless you.

 ‘A wise servant shall have rule over a son that causeth shame, and shall have part of the inheritance among the brethren’ Proverbs 17:2

 There are two things to note from this verse of scripture – parents are challenged to be faithful in raising their children, not to become unruly such that they cause shame; while a servant or a worker is encouraged to be so faithful such that he ends up having a position to share in the inheritance of the children. 

If you are a wise worker, that serves faithfully, you are not only a blessing to your employer, but you are positioned to share in the family’s wealth tomorrow. I know of a family that needed some help with house chores when their kids were young. This helper was so faithful, dedicated and good cultured that if you were a visitor, you would not know he was only a helper in the house. After sometime they decided to send the boy to school while he was still serving in the house. He grew up with the kids, went to college, later studied for a master’s degree, he was given necessary referrals to get a good job, got married and went ahead to raise his own family. These kids are all grown up now, and he gathers together with them, each one with their own family, at large family functions. His views are now sought when important decisions are to be made about the extended family.

In other instances, you find people employed as Janitors in a company serve so faithfully that they end up becoming shareholders and members of the board of directors of the company later. Your faithful service today brings refreshing to your employer and is a seed for your great future.  

A wicked messenger falleth into mischief: but a faithful ambassador is health. Proverbs 13:17

A wicked messenger falls into evil, but a faithful ambassador brings healing. Proverbs 13:17AMP

You will find here two categories of messengers – A wicked messenger and a faithful ambassador.  From this scripture, the point being stressed is: When somebody is not faithful, he is being wicked! You can ask yourself again: are you a faithful or a wicked messenger? Are you faithful to your boss? If you are not loyal or dependable – not having your boss or the system in which you serve at heart, then you are not faithful – you are a wicked person.

If you are an employer and you notice unfaithfulness in any of your employees, don’t waste your time, call the person immediately to address this issue. Do not waste your time keeping an unfaithful worker in your staff. If you are an employee, I employ you today to be faithful. Decide to bring health to your boss or the system in which you serve. This is wisdom.

Many people today have ruined their future because they wounded the place where they served and when their future came they also got wounded. Think about this.

Life is about seed time and harvest; as a matter of fact, life in itself is a seed! Decide today to be a healer, to bring refreshing, by being loyal; by being faithful, and you will reap it in future. May God bless you, in Jesus name. Have a great day.

A faithful man shall abound with blessings, but he who makes haste to be rich [at any cost] shall not go unpunished. Proverbs 28: 20 AMP

If you would find wisdom in being faithful, you will find wealth. A faithful man shall abound with blessings. I Cor. 4:2 also state clearly; ‘it is required of a man to be faithful’. If you are found to be faithful in stewardship, you will experience the reward of faithfulness. There is reward in being faithful.

As an employee, your boss is depending on you. Do not serve with the intention of stealing their business ideas and running with it.

Be faithful where you are serving right now, because you will abound with plenty when it is time to start your own.  What does it mean to be faithful? Be loyal to them, be trustworthy, be dependable – be there for them. Don’t be in a hurry for your time, because you can’t draw the time closer by yourself. Your time will come; when it comes you will abound with plenty. Be faithful, be loyal, your future will be sustained if you do that.

Determine to cultivate this character in your life – at home, at work and in Church. May God bless your day, in the name of Jesus, amen.

Like the cold of snow [brought from the mountains] in the time of harvest, so is a faithful messenger to those who send him; for he refreshes the life of his masters. Proverbs 25:13 AMP

This scripture says a faithful messenger refreshes the life of their masters. To be faithful is to be loyal, trustworthy, constant, and reliable. Faithfulness is a person’s attribute that can make him/her be preferred over a contemporary or an opposition.

Prov. 20:6 says ‘Most men will proclaim everyone his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find? Here is the question; are you a faithful worker, can your boss rely on you? When he is able, then we could say that you bring refreshing to his/her life. Otherwise, you bring a hurt. Nobody wants to have someone that will be a pain in the neck!

You might be diligent, very good – excellent in all you do. But if you are not trustworthy, it negates all your other qualities and your loyalty is in question.  If the boss leaves the office and has some doubt on your faithfulness and your total commitment, in spite of your skill and diligence, then there is a lot in question about your life. A faithful person can also be described as a ‘constant’ person.

Also, can your spouse describe you as being faithful? Would God say you are a faithful person?

As you begin your day today, I encourage you, be faithful; bring refreshing to your employer, to your spouse, to your friend, and to God. If you do, great shall be your reward.

God bless your day, in Jesus name. Amen

‘Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he’ Proverbs 29:18

‘Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint; but blessed is the one who heeds wisdom’s instruction.’ Proverbs 29:18 NIV

The word ‘vision’ talks about redemptive revelation – an understanding of God’s plan and purpose. Vision is the ability to see the desire, dream and goals that God has crafted ahead for you before they exist in the natural.

The word ‘perish’ mean ‘to cast off restrain’, or to live anyhow, unguarded, unfocused and an undisciplined life. So, where there is no understanding of God’s plan and purpose, people live in an indiscipline way! That’s why God is challenging you to seek His divine plan for your life. Jer. 29:11 makes it clear that God has a clear and definite plan for every aspect of your life, which He has laid out before you were formed in your mother’s womb. In fact, you were fearfully and wonderfully sculptured to suit this plan.

Therefore, it is important that you devote appropriate time to seek this divine plan. It is when you know God’s plan for every aspect of your life that you will be able to pursue it right. As a businessman for example, you will beat about the bush in business until you understand God’s plan for your business. This is true for every one about every area of life – home, health, etc. If you would therefore invest time to discover this plan, and you follow it, you will experience God’s peace and arrive at His expected end for you, in Jesus name, amen.

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children. Hosea 4:6

God sculpted you, and made you beautifully – He has a plan for you that He has made even before you were formed in your mother’s womb. Even when you are confused about your life, In Jer. 29:12, God said, when you come to me and you pray to me I will listen! It does not matter who you are – either you have accepted Christ as your saviour or not; or even if you have made many mistakes in your journey of faith and have walked away from God. You could have made ‘booboos’ of your life as some people would say; if you come back to God, He will still connect you to His original divine plans for you. 

Hosea 4:6 says ‘people are ruined because they lack knowledge of God’s plan for their lives’. That scripture makes it clear that you will only be rejected or destroyed if you refuse God’s divine plan for your life. Get to seek God’s plan for your life, and you will not live a frustrated life.

I believe what God is saying is ‘I really desire you to remember my word, my will and my plans for your life’. The only reason why you will be frustrated in life is if you do not get back to God and His plans for your life; and not because He is not accepting you. His hands are open today – get back to God and His plans and He will reconnect you with His destiny for you. God bless your day in Jesus name.