November 7, 2011

“When you are angry, do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your wrath.” Ephesians 4:26

Did you know it is not Biblical to tell someone “now don’t get mad”? Godly anger has it’s place. We are to be angry when injustice prevails and innocent people suffer or die. We are to be angry when evil sows it thorns of death and destruction on people’s lives. We are to be angry about things God is angry about. But there is always a catch it seems and so does Biblical anger. While we are being angry, we must not sin. We must control our anger and focus it to correct problems and defend the helpless. We sin when we allow the anger to control us. Controlled anger is splitting an atom inside a controlled reactor in a power plant and producing electricity. Uncontrolled anger is splitting an atom uncontrolled in a bomb and destroying everything in an entire city. How are you with anger? Controlled or uncontrolled? When you see the pettiness, rudeness or evil of others, how do you react? When someone bumps you, what spills out? Do we use our anger to carve up other people, cut them down and inflict all the damage we can or do we use anger to fight for right and correct injustice? Do we turn the anger inward and experience deep depression (depression is anger turned inward) or in love confront the offender and seek restored harmony? Since God made us, He also knew the effect anger would have on us and those around us, so he limited the time we could use it. Anger must be resolved quickly and completely or like unchecked bugs in a potato patch, it will destroy us. Anger can be a powerful motivator to push us to fight evil and wrong, or it can be a deadly villain to wreck havoc and destruction on us and those around us. Be angry about what makes God angry, but leave no place for it to control you before the sun goes down; make peace because “Blessed are the peace-makers.”

Thought for the week: “Nothing you will ever lose matters much if you save your soul; nothing you will ever save matters if you lose your soul.”

Funny for the week: Quick proposal.

At a country-club party a young man was introduced to an attractive girl.  Immediately he began paying her court and flattering her outrageously.  The girl liked the young man, but she was taken a bit aback by his fast and ardent pitch.  She was amazed when after 30 minutes he seriously proposed marriage.

"Look," she said.  "We only met a half hour ago.  How can you be so sure?  We know nothing about each other."

"You're wrong," the young man declared.  

"For the past 5 years I've been working in the bank where your father has his account." 

Wonder if she accepted ? …….Chaplain Barnes

Last week’s answer: What did Moses produce from a rock to pacify the mutinous Israelites while wandering in the desert? (Water -  Exodus 17:6)

This week’s question: Which book in the New Testament says, “But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.”?