5 Things the Bible Tells Us about Anger.....By Brittany Rust

 5 Things the Bible Tells Us about Anger

By Brittany Rust

A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. - Proverbs 15:1

Take it from me: anger is not a lovely emotion to have around. For many years I had a major anger stronghold in my life that acted as a dark cloud hovering over my relationships with family, interactions with friends, and frustrations with strangers. It was something so heavy that I felt like I had no control when it wanted its way.

Having struggled with anger for many years I can speak to its destruction and the flip side of a life away from it. In fact, the Bible has a lot to say as well. Here are five things the Bible tells us about anger.

Words can fuel or diffuse anger. (Proverbs 15:1)

Words have great power and it’s no different when it comes to anger. Proverbs tells us that a gentle word can turn away wrath and that a harsh one can stir it up. The power you have to fuel or diffuse anger in a tense conversation or situation is both heavy and fragile. You can completely change the dynamic of a situation with one word.

When you’re faced with the chance to fuel or diffuse anger, what words will you choose to use?

Stay away from anger. (Psalm 37:8, Ephesians 4:31, Proverbs 29:8)

The best thing you can do is to stay away from anger in the first place. You probably know your trigger points; if you don’t, find out what they are. Then stay out of situations where you know a trigger can be pulled. Or if you sense anger starting to rise up, excuse yourself from the situation. Whatever this looks like for you, try to separate yourself from anger triggers.

Fools allow room for anger. (Ecclesiastes 7:9, Proverbs 19:3, Proverbs 29:11)

Anger is accounted in the Bible as something expressed by a fool many times. It’s because when we give into anger and we lose rational thought, wisdom also goes out the door. We don’t make wise decisions in our anger and in fact, we can make very poor choices. These moments of outburst can be a poor reflection on us and thus, be a reflection of foolishness.

Anger doesn’t just hurt others; it hurts you. (Genesis 49:7, Job 18:4)

If you think anger only hurts another person, you’d be wrong. Anger hurts you just as much as anyone else. You get worked up, worry, and stew on what upset you. It then robs you of healing and forgiveness. Don’t let anger grab hold and steal some good part of you.

Anger can be a good tool if used right. (Nehemiah 5:6-7, >John 2: 13-18, Ephesians 4:26)

Not all anger is bad; there is a righteous anger that has a place. Nehemiah experienced it as well as Jesus. There are times when a righteous anger moves us to action in a healthy way. The key to righteous anger is that we not allow it to move us into sin. It’s when our anger causes us to sin that it becomes a bad thing. Take it from someone who struggled with anger for many years--avoid it, walk away, and/or let it go!

Freedom in the Light.....Denison Ministries

 Freedom in the Light

Denison Ministries

Weekly Overview:

Honesty is more than the words we say. It’s a posture of the heart. We weren’t made to try and be something we’re not. God never asks us to keep up appearances. He longs for us to have the courage to be vulnerable. He longs for us to be so founded in his unconditional love that we live honestly. May you experience new levels of peace and joy this week as we discover God’s heart for honesty.

Scripture:

“And I will lead the blind in a way that they do not know, in paths that they have not known I will guide them. I will turn the darkness before them into light, the rough places into level ground. These are the things I do, and I do not forsake them.” Isaiah 42:16

Devotional:

The imagery of light and darkness is used throughout Scripture as a metaphor for freedom and sin, and God and that which is without God. Jesus consistently refers to himself as the light. In reference to Jesus, Matthew 4:16 says, “The people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned.” Scripture also refers to us as the light in Ephesians 5:8 saying, “For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.” And in John 3:19-21, Jesus describes a freedom that comes from bringing ourselves to the light:

And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.

One of the worst effects of sin is the shame it brings that causes us to hide from God and others. Adam and Eve hid from God because of the shame of the first sin. And still today, even though Christ has paid the price for every sin we could ever commit, we hide ourselves from God.

God longs for us to run to him when we make a mistake. He’s the father in the prodigal son story whose arms are eternally extended to us no matter what we’ve done. He longs to embrace us, restore us, and free us in his eternal embrace. He longs for us to step out of our shame, bring ourselves fully into his light, and be delivered from the destructive effects of our sin.

In Isaiah 42:16 God says, “I will lead the blind in a way that they do not know, in paths that they have not known I will guide them. I will turn the darkness before them into light, the rough places into level ground. These are the things I do, and I do not forsake them.” Nothing you could do could cause your God to forsake you. He’s not surprised by your sin. He knows you are dust. But he longs to embrace you in your weakness. He longs to free you from the power of darkness. You don’t have to hide from him. You can come before your God honestly and live as a child of the light (Ephesians 5:8). You can experience true freedom as your sin is forgiven and times of refreshing come (Acts 3:19-20).

Take time as you enter into guided prayer to bring that which has caused you shame into the light. May you find freedom today as God reveals to you the power of his forgiveness and grace.

Guided Prayer:

1. Reflect on what Scripture says about light and darkness. Allow God’s word to stir up your desire to bring yourself fully to the light.

“For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.” Ephesians 5:8

“And I will lead the blind in a way that they do not know, in paths that they have not known I will guide them. I will turn the darkness before them into light, the rough places into level ground. These are the things I do, and I do not forsake them.” Isaiah 42:16

2. What do you need to bring to the light? What is causing you shame?

3. Bring yourself to the light. Ask God how he feels about that which is causing you shame. Take time to receive his forgiveness and grace and rest in his love.

1 John 1:7 says, “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.” When you commit yourself to walk with God throughout your day, he will guide you to the light. Jesus’ blood is powerful enough to cleanse you from the inside out. There is freedom when your heart is totally and completely his. May you be set free from shame and darkness today as you live openly and honestly before the Lord your God. 

Extended Reading: John 3

Love Keeps No Record of Wrongs.....RACHEL MARIE KANG

 Love Keeps No Record of Wrongs

RACHEL MARIE KANG

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-5 (NIV)

There I am, in the kitchen washing the dishes like I always do — and the kids are crying and complaining. They are calling for me and they are crawling on me, whining and wailing, and I guess I’m the only one who will make it all better.

This isn’t anything new, though. Being the responsible one in the midst of chaos seems to be a curse I carry. I often find myself reeling, broken and bitter, when I’m in that place of feeling like it’s up to me to pick up the literal and figurative pieces … You know, that place of swooping in to save the day because you’ve determined everyone else has tapped out.

The moment pricks my heart and prompts me to ponder the many times I’ve stood at this same sink, washing dishes and drowning myself in memories of moments when I’ve felt unseen and abandoned. Funny how fast the mind can flip through flashbacks. So effortlessly, almost numbingly.

Yet as these piercing memories come flooding to my mind, I hear a familiar phrase whispering within me: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs” (1 Corinthians 13:4-5).

The words catch me off guard, like a long-lost message, a faint echo reminding me of something I once knew and thought to be true. An ancient truth, beckoning believers to embrace the kind of grace that reaches beyond the reality that life does sometimes leave us feeling broken and alone, wounded and left in a whirlwind.

The moment leaves me acknowledging the many records of wrongs that I have.

The strangers who offend me.
The neighbors who judge me.
The friends who misunderstand me.
The people who use me.

The truth is, humans have an innate tendency to count and keep tallies — it’s in our nature to use numbers to tell us how we’re doing and what we need. We do this with bloodwork and budgets, with recipes and odometers. Numbers help us to know when there is too much, or not enough, of something we need.

And I can’t help but think that, maybe, the number of names on our record of wrongs can help us measure the gauge of our grace — whether we are releasing or holding on to the people and places that have cost us and caused us pain.

I am standing at the sink, washing the dishes, but it’s really my heart that’s coming clean as it realizes:

I need God’s grace, and I need to give it, too.

In His great grace, God forgives us freely and infinitely. By His mercy, our sins and shortcomings are no longer measured and remembered. In this, we have been shown the greatest example of a love that cancels debts and keeps them in the past. A forgiveness that does not seek to be owed or given explanation or compensated. A forgiving kind of love that does not belittle hurt but that also does not become embittered by it.

Freely and infinitely, we can release the people and places on our record of wounds and wrongs.

Freely and infinitely, we can forgive.

Father, soften my heart to see and sense Your forgiveness at work in and through me. Help me as I release my record of wrongs. May my grievances give way to grace, and may mercy be the measure of my love. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

What Is Your True Purpose.....Dr. Charles Stanley

 What Is Your True Purpose

 Dr. Charles Stanley

1 Samuel 16:6-13

What do you live for each day? A pay raise? Retirement? Then perhaps you've discovered the reality that basing aspirations on getting ahead in this world typically ends in disappointment. People with a misguided sense of direction often wonder why they feel unfulfilled.

Maybe you've already realized a goal of saving for the future or moving up the corporate ladder. You give to charity and volunteer at church, but somehow still feel a sense of insignificance or aimlessness. If so, there is a truth you need to hear: God gives each of us life for a very specific reason: to serve Him. Nobody finds inner peace without reconciling this fact. Our society teaches us that pleasure, prosperity, position, and popularity will make us happy--but living in the service of self always leaves an emptiness no earthly reward can fill.

Besides, worldly philosophy won't stand the test of time. Few of us are going to live even 100 years. So whatever we'll become in this life, we're in the process of becoming that right now. Consider David: he was anointed king long before actually assuming the role (1 Sam. 16:12). He spent many years serving the purpose of God in insignificant places while developing into a great man. As his story shows, discovering God's purpose for your life is the surest path to success.

Our heavenly Father's purpose for our lives comes from His heart of love--which is perfect. None of us can foretell the great things He has in store for us, but we can trust His plan completely. Surrender to Him today and say, "Not my will, Lord, but Yours be done."

Don’t Bother Me with Details!.....by Katherine Britton

 Don’t Bother Me with Details!

by Katherine Britton

So Joshua took the entire land, just as the LORD had directed Moses, and he gave it as an inheritance to Israel according to their tribal divisions. Then the land had rest from war. – Joshua 11:23

Every so often I take out my old “Dear Diary” from when I was eight years old, and thumb through it for the sake of hilarity. Most entries go something like this:

“Today I woke up at 7:47 a.m. Then I ate pancakes for breakfast! I love pancakes! Then I did school, and I brought my magnifying glass with binoculars with me to co-op. Then we played outside in the afternoon. I scraped my knee when I fell off my bike, but I rode all the way around the house on the grass!”

Riveting, no?

Amusement carries me through about three (very short) “Dear Diary” entries, then I close the flowery notebook and get back to my current life. After I’ve read through a week of what I had for breakfast, I’m done observing my former status as a “cute kid.” Every little detail that I thought was so important when I was eight just doesn’t thrill me now.

Unfortunately, I’ve had a tendency to take the same approach to certain portions of Scripture. You know the ones I’m talking about – “This is what Moses had given the tribe of Gad… from Heshbon to Ramath Mizpah and Betonim, and from Mahanaim to the territory of Debir.” All the territories and distances and kings of what city etc. are very much like those breakfast entries. That’s nice, God, but frankly, I don’t really care anymore.

I didn’t think it was possible to make a sermon out of such details, but a pastor proved me wrong on Sunday. In fact, he made a sermon out of all nine chapters detailing which tribes and clans got what land when the Israelites finally took Canaan. And – unbelievably – I found myself reveling in the “inane” details.

Consider that this doling out of territory was 600 years in making. A promise made to Abraham six hundred years before this moment, before Egypt happened, before Abraham even had an heir of his own kin. Six hundred years later, God’s promise that Israel would possess the land of Canaan finally comes through – and in all that time, God has not lost sight of the details. In the midst of this plan that span more than half a millennium, the Lord of Israel comes from the span of heaven and picks out every plot of earth that every clan will inherit.

We serve a God who controls both the universe and the finest breath of wind, who orchestrates all of history and the little details for our lives. Nine chapters about plots of land? Apparently, he cares enough about the details to include them in divine revelation. And yet how often do we pass over these same details tucked away in Scripture – even when we’re searching for assurance of God’s hand in our life!

As Abraham Piper writes, “It's true that knowing Michmethah is east of Shechem ranks very low in the list of facts that are important to know from the Bible. But it matters, because the sum of all the dull details that God has accomplished proves that whatever he promises, he will do.”

Intersecting Faith & Life:

Is your life "boring" right now as you work through the inane details of day to day living? Rejoice in knowing that God's hand is at work even in these little things.

Further Reading:

Joshua 21:45
Joshua 23:14

A Prayer of Praise During Sufferings.....By: Emily Rose Massey

 A Prayer of Praise During Sufferings

By: Emily Rose Massey

“Sing praise to the Lord, you His godly ones, And give thanks to His holy name. For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime; Weeping may last for the night, But a shout of joy comes in the morning.”
 Psalm 30:4-5 NASB

I am convinced that sleep deprivation from the baby and toddler phase is the mom version of fasting. My flesh becomes so weakened and my reliance upon God becomes absolutely everything. I cannot help but rely on His grace to do pretty much anything. If start counting sleepless nights in the third trimester (from the uncomfortableness and countless trips of waddling to the bathroom) I literally haven’t slept through the night in almost two years. This isn’t hyperbole. My 17-month-old has NEVER slept through the night. My middle son took 25 months to do so- he got the hang of sleep only six months before my youngest was born. It’s been an extremely physically and mentally (and often emotionally) trying season that has lasted years.
 
I don’t share all of this to complain or receive sympathy or ask for advice. I share to remind you (and myself) that the Lord is near to the weak. In your suffering, He brings unspeakable joy that is not dependent upon your circumstances. No matter how overwhelming your circumstances may feel, His grace is sufficient in your weakness. Lean upon Him, and He will strengthen you and transform you to look more like Him.
 
When I was praying in the midnight hours during the on and off wakings, I said “God, I know he is a gift… please help me.” And as I reflect upon this trying season, I’m realizing the ways my son is a gift from the Father, along with all my children, of course. I cannot help but praise God amid my pain, for the Lord has been faithful to me. Even though my circumstances have not changed, He is changing me. I am encouraged by these verses in Psalm 30 to give thanks and remember that joy always comes in the morning:

“Sing praise to the Lord, you His godly ones, and give thanks to His holy name. For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime; Weeping may last for the night, but a shout of joy comes in the morning” (Psalm 30:4-5 NASB).

When my flesh is weak because of the difficulties that come with this season of motherhood, and I am humbled to my knees, by God’s grace, I am able to bear fruit and walk in the Spirit in a way that pleases the Lord. Instead of asking God to rescue me from my weeping and struggles with my son’s sleep, I find myself thanking God through tears of joy for this sleep deprivation. Suffering is a gift and with it comes joy and a heart full of praise to God for His faithfulness. May we ask the Lord for eyes to see our suffering in that way.

Heavenly Father, 

I’m weary and hurting. I have asked so many times for this suffering to be removed and for You to rescue me from this storm. I feel depleted. I feel like I’m drowning. But I realize that You have not called me to live by my feelings or by what I see happening around me; You have called me to walk by faith.

And as my faith in You rises up in me, I trust that You have me exactly where I am supposed to be- totally dependent upon Your grace. In my weakness, I know that You are my strength. I praise You in my pain, and I ask that You would use this trial, this suffering, this storm to change me to look more like Christ- all for Your glory. I know that I may endure weeping in the night, but Your joy always comes- a joy that is not dependent upon my circumstances but is everlasting and sustaining even in the darkest of nights. Thank You for Your nearness to me in my greatest time of need and pain. You are a faithful Father, and I am so thankful to receive Your mercy and be called Your child. 

In Jesus’ name, Amen. 

Stinky Feet.....by Laura MacCorkle

 Stinky Feet

by Laura MacCorkle

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.
John 13:34-35, NIV

Do you celebrate Maundy Thursday?

The word maundy means "a new commandment" and is derived from the Latin word Mandatum in translating Jesus' commandment in John 13:34-35.

Before He said that, Jesus had demonstrated His love that same evening during the Last Supper, as He humbled Himself and washed His disciples' feet (John 13:4-5). This act perfectly illustrated His new command.

So he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

After reading this, I can only imagine what washing someone else's stinky feet must be like. 

Think about where your feet have been, especially if you live in a back-to-nature, shoe-optional locale. This starts getting very up close and personal. And, depending on the individual and their hygiene habits or lack thereof, perhaps not too pleasant. Washing another's feet is not a glamorous act of service at all. But neither is anything related to the role of a servant, since it represents a position of humility and a mindset of putting others first.

In this day and age, I know there are certain churches that do have foot-washing services on Maundy Thursday to commemorate Christ's actions and his command. I have not participated in one like this, but I am sure it is a great object lesson to help all ages understand how to love one another.

Taking this a step further, The Bible Knowledge Commentary has this to say about foot-washing:

"Foot-washing was needed in Palestine. The streets were dusty and people wore sandals without socks or stockings. It was a mark of honor for a host to provide a servant to wash a guest's feet; it was a breach of hospitality not to provide for it. ...[Jesus] had done a humble service for [the disciples]. Meeting others' needs self-sacrificially is what they ought to do too. This passage emphasizes inner humility, not a physical rite. Not to follow the example of Jesus is to exalt oneself above Him and to live in pride. No servant is greater than his master (cf John 12;26)."

So when we humble ourselves and serve the Lord as He served us, it is He who lifts us up. When we love Christ, He changes our hearts and motivates us to love others. And if showing this love means washing some stinky feet, then so be it. 

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and keep my laws (Ezekiel 36:26-27).

Intersecting Faith & Life: Who is God impressing upon your heart today? Is he calling you to show love to this person? Determine your course of action that will show a humble heart: make a phone call, send a note, lend a hand, speak a kind word or wash some feet! And then follow through as you love one another!

Further Reading

Luke 10:27, The Message