Christian Anger

"Be angry, and do not sin.; do not let the sun go down on your wrath. - Eph 4:26

Few things are more destructive to Christians than anger. Anger causes us to lose out self-control and to say and do things we would otherwise never consider. Anger, if allowed to remain turns into bitterness that eats away at our hearts. Scripture consistently commands believers to put away anger and lists it as one of the sins of the flesh (Eph 4:31). At times, we try to defend our anger by citing eps 4:26. As additional proof we argue that Jesus cleansed the temple in "righteous indignation." Ephesians refers to anger that does not lead to sin. Jesus was capable of being angry without sinning. When Jesus cleared the temple, Scripture does not indicate that He was angry.

If you feel that you have a righteous anger because of something that has happened, see if you are holding anger in your heart without sin. is your anger turning into bitterness? Is it causing you to speak in an unchrisitian manner to someone or to gossip about them? Is it causing you to make excuses for your own ungodly behavior? You must examine any anger within you and allow God to remove any sinful attitudes that your anger may have produced.

Are you angry today? What are you angry about or whom are you angry? Take a full assestment of this anger and see if it is justified. Is the cause of your anger noble and true? How is it affecting you? Take time today to pause and ask yourself these questions!

God is Faithful

He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it. - 1 Thessalonians 5:24

God never calls us to do anything without faithfully keeping His word and enabling us to do it. We are not always faithful to do what God tells us, but He remains faithful and stands by his word to fulfill what He has promised. (Isa. 46:11)

When the children of Israel reached the Red Sea, they might have concluded that God had abandoned His promise to them. The sea was blocking their advance, and the murderous Egyptian army was racing to overtake them. Yet God proved then, as He has ever since, that He is absolutely faithful to every word He speaks to His children.

God may have spoken to you about something in particular - a ministry at church, the way to raise you kids, or what you do or should do in your job. You have obeyed Him, but now you face that Red Sea experience. It seems that what you thought God wanted to accomplish is not happening. All of what you thought He wanted is falling apart, is it?

Now is the time to trust in the character of God. It is His nature to be faithful. Regardless of how bleak your present situation maybe, do not lose hope. No one has ever experienced unfaithfulness on God's part. Allow time for God to reveal His faithfulness to you. Someday you will reflect on what God has done and praise Him for His absolute faithfulness to you.

As you wait on God, and there are going to be times that you will be waiting for his time table, do not stop praying, reading his Word and attending your local church. These physical acts are so important to keep you ready for his answer.

Not Sorrowing as Others

But I do not want you to be ignornat, brethen, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. - 1 Thessalonians 4:13

In Jesus' day, a funeral was a time for an impassioned demonstration of grief. It was a sign of respect for the remaining relatives of the deceased to wail loudly at the event. There was probably no time in human experience when people felt more helpless or vulnerable than at a funeral.

When Jesus conquered death, He forever changed the way Christians view death. Christians still experience the sorrow of losing someone we love, but we have hope because we know that God will bring good out of any situation (Romans 8:28). We have hope in the knowledge that nothing, not even death, can separate us from God's love. (Romans 8:38-39). We have hope because Jesus will bring us to join him in heaven so that we might enjoy eternity in fellowship with him.

We cannot escape the sorrow of death, but we can have hope in the resurrection.

Many people do not plan their funerals - it does seem a little morbid. But I recommend that you take sometime to do so. The music, the tone of the event, the casket if possible, the pallbearerers, the options of burial or cremation. Put these plans somewhere and tell someone that the exist. Your family will appreicate the fact that you cared enough to plan your entrance into heaven!

A Part of Something Bigger

Moreover, He said, "I am the God of your father - the God of Abraham, the God of Issac, and the God of Jacob" An Moses his his face, for he was afraid to look upon God. - Exodus 3:6

We tend to think, esp, in today's thinking, only of the present. We want immediate results and lack a sense of eternity. We often act as if God had not been working at all where we were before. He approached us. We expected that anything God does through us will be completed while we can see the results. We become impatient if God intends to complete what He began in us through another person or even another generation.

Moses came to understand that his involvement in God's work was in context of hundreds of years of divine activity. When Moses came face to face with the same God who had guided his forefathers, he was deeply humbled. Do you sense that your life is a part of God's eternal purposes?

Can we have the patience to wait for an answer, can we appreciate the fact that God may answer your prayers though your kids or even your grandkids? This is a difficult concept, but one that I have seen and have appreciated recently. His plan is perfect, and true, and will be completed in his time.

Losing Your Life?

"For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it." - Matthew 16:25

These are tough words to hear for anyone. I will have to admit that it is good to live near my daughter and her family. Grandkids are great, but what if God wanted me to move away from them? To do his work in another city or another continent? Would I be willing to say yes, be willing to move away from those that care to another place?

Jesus modeled perfectly this attitude towards life and where we need to be. He had a legitimate right to enjoy the comforts of heaven and not bother. Yes, He did not look at his staying in heaven as a right that he needed to hold on to, but He saw for our sake that leaving he would provide the perfect sacrifice for us. As a result, God highly exalted Him and brought salvation to a broken world.

Has the world convinced you that there are certain rights you must protect? Certain situations? Certain people? Are you trying to save your current life for yourself? Have you noticed that in so doing, you are actually losing the life God wants you to have?

These are not easy questions to answer but ones that you need to ponder in your life. Listen to him, quiet yourself to hear him and take in what he has for you.

Message from Blackaby

I read a daily devotion from Henry T. Blackaby and Richard Blackaby pretty much everyday. If you have not been able to go through their bible study called "Experiencing God" I highly recommend it.

Here is the one for Nov 10

Brethen, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting these things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead. Phil 3:13

The world will tell you that the dominating influence, in your life is your past. If you came from a difficult home, that will determine the direction of your life. If your culture was treated unfairly, that will dictate the condition of your life today. If you were hurt or abused or if your youth was spent in rebellion, the remainder of your life will be spent struggling with your past.

Christians, on the other hand, live in freedom to because Christ has overcome our past. The "old things" have been done away with and the "new things" have come (2 Cor 5:17). God has so totally forgiven the Christians's sin that He chooses not to remember it (Isa. 43:25). Christians do not forget the past, but we are not controlled or motivated by it. The Christian looks to the future with hope.

The people of the world focus on what they are overcoming. Christians focus on what they are becoming. Christians know that the Holy Spirit is conforming them into the image of Christ. Chrisitans know that eventually every injustice will be addressed and every hurt comforted. They know that Satan, and death itself , will finally be brought to an end. The Christians's future is so full and rich and exciting that is supersedes whatever happended in the past.

If you are preoccupied with your past, ask God to open your eyes to the incredible future that awaits you and begin, like Paul, to press on to what is ahead.

This really struck me today that we live in and have become this society. I challenge all that read this BLOG to change that thinking to live as Christ would want us to, and become what he wants you to become and stop trying to overcome something that you cannot and will not change your past!

Colorado in Iowa

The above images are from my backyard. Last night was a great night in Iowa to enjoy a fire, but enjoying that fire in Colorado would have been even better. I have tried to create as much of that as I can. The trees are white pines that sound and smell awesome and the "stream" by the house has a huge pump attached to try and create a running water sound. I know that it is not real, but in the dark, it does feel somewhat like Colorado.

Here is a video clip from last night by the fire - enjoy and think Mountains.