YOU CAN”T TELL by looking at me now, but I was one who had a quick temper. I started out as a redhead! Thru the years of reading and studying God’s Word I have learned to control it. I still get angry but I don’t let it fester and I don’t let it control me. I remember being so hurt that I felt the anger and wanted to take revenge and hurt them back, so I became rebellious. The only one that paid the price was me! Feelings are what anger is made of, it is not a condition. We feel and therefore we become what we feel!
ANGER creates circumstances in our lives that either we create by retaliation, or we suffer by feeding it. Remember the story of Moses and the rock at Horeb that brought water to the Israelites, because they thought they were dying of thirst? God told Moses to strike the rock and he did, giving God the glory. But later at the rock of Meribah; Moses was so angry at the Israelites that he lost control and yelled at them with great indignation and spitefulness. “Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock, and he said to them; “Hear now, you rebels; shall we bring forth water for you out of this rock?” And Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock with his rod twice; and water came forth abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their cattle.” Numbers 20:10-11
DID MOSES PAY A PRICE? Absolutely! “And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron; “Because you did not believe in me, to sanctify me in the eyes of the people of Israel, you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them!” Numbers 20:12-13 God’s plan had become Moses dream, and because of his anger and disobedience, he did not realize this dream. How many times has our anger caused us to fail? How many times has our rage interrupted the peace within our spirit?
THE SCRIPTURE that is most identified with anger is; “Be angry, but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil!” Ephesians 4:26-27
I hope you notice that it does not say “do not become angry!” (Harpers Study Bible (Revised std). We all have feelings and therefore will get angry. When the Holy Spirit comes to live within us we receive the fruit of the Spirit. They begin with love and end with self-control! Self-control means to control your feelings. If no self control, you will have days of anger, indignation, rage and the desire to get revenge. Control yourself!
“AND DO NOT grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, with all malice, and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you!” Ephesians 4:30-32 To grieve the Holy Spirit is to go counter to the will of the Third Person of the Trinity who dwells within us. Since He is holy, loving, true, and peaceable, sins of unholiness, lack of love, untruthfulness, and harshness grieve Him and interrupt fellowship with God. To grieve the Holy Spirit disturbs communion with Christ and results in the loss of the Spirit’s fullness and power. (Ref: Harpers commentary)
WE ARE JUST beginning a brand new year. We all go around wishing everyone “Happy New Year!” We need Christ in our lives in order for us to have joy in all circumstances. In the Psalms it tells us to REJOICE in the Lord! Paul reminds us in his letters to REJOICE in the Lord always! If we are not walking with the Lord, how are we going to find happiness in our New Year? Recheck your feelings; use your mind to decide, instead of how you feel. Seek first His Kingdom and the joy of the Lord will abound in you! We have just celebrated again His birth, and what a celebration it has been! Don’t forget “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life!” John 3:16 In 2016 rest in His promises! Jane Ann Crenshaw 12/29/15
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