What does your anger look like? What is your anger saying?

Hello Church Family:  Great news Friday… The Gospel is the power of God to kill your anger.  Everybody knows anger.  Anger is everywhere.  Anger is a destroyer.  Anger destroys unity.  Anger destroys people.  Anger is blind to itself.  Anger says, I am right and you are wrong.  Anger sees the speck in everybody’s eye and yet does not see the plank in its own eye.  Anger tends to be atheistic with God and prayer not being part of our anger.  

Do you seek love and unity in your anger?  Does your anger seek reasoning?  What is your anger rooted in?  Is your anger saying, “I am right and you are wrong!” “I am not getting what I want!”  “I am not getting what I demand!”  Most of our anger is rooted in our own selfish desires.  We are focused on our own desires more than the desires of others.  We desire our desires more strongly than desiring that others would have their desires realized.  The Lord has called us out of that selfish mindset commanding us to put the desires of other’s first (Philippians 2:3-6).

Now, if you are saying right about now, “But my anger is righteous anger so it is OK.”  You must ask yourself, would everyone around you agree that your anger is righteous anger?  We are told in James 1:20, that none of our anger produces the righteousness of God.  That is a convicting thought.  None of the anger that we justify today will produce the righteousness of God.  God tells us that He does get angry but His anger is a Holy anger.  His anger is not like our anger.  There is no sin involved in His anger.  That is hard to grasp.  God tells us throughout the Old Testament that He is “slow to anger” .  His anger invites us to speak with Him when He is angry.  God is eager to change our hearts when He is angry.  God’s anger is never irrational unlike ours.  God’s anger has a redeeming root.  God’s anger is for our good and reconciliation and repentance.

There are several times in Scripture where we see Jesus getting angry.  But none of His anger was Him reacting to not getting His own personal needs, wants or desires.  His anger was not in response to Him being ignored or being lied about or being physically tortured.  Jesus’ anger was in response to people creating obstacles that hindered people coming to HIs Father or coming to Him.  Jesus was angry when the Holiness of God and worship were thwarted by self-righteous people.  Jesus’ anger was not self-centered.  

Let us be determined to look at our anger as our enemy.  Our anger will destroy our marriages, friendships, and any other unity that exists in community.  Think about your own sinfulness before you release anger upon someone.  Take the beam out of your own eye before you angrily address the speck in your brother’s eye.  Consider the devastating effects of anger on those not even involved.  Anger becomes an atmosphere that others breathe in and soon become infected with angry hearts.  If anybody ever offends you or does you harm, enjoy and rest in the truth that God will vindicate your cause and settle your accounts much better that you ever could.  Rest in the Gospel truth that you are a justified and adopted child of God who has the promise of God that He will work all of your offender’s offenses against you for your good.  That is a glorious promise that kills the root of sinful anger.

This Sunday we will further look into how the Gospel changes our anger.  I look forward to worshipping with you.  With great love, Steve

Philippians 2:23  When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.