Untraditional Lent- What Anger Does

People argue. Arguments come in all different sizes, some are calm, while others are anything but with harsh words and maybe even physical violence. Is it possible for people to disagree and not to become angry? Is it possible that being angry is okay?

            In the Old Testament there are many representations of God’s anger. He becomes upset when people build idols. This is explained as a jealous anger. He is also mad with Uzzah when he touches the Arc of the Covenant. Of course God also flooded the earth to rid it of all unrighteousness. He also destroyed Soddom and Gomorrah. In the New Testament Jesus becomes angry with the Pharisees due to their stubborn hearts. They were upset with Jesus due to his healing on the Sabbath. Jesus also became mad when people were misusing the temple. Many people would call this righteous anger.

            I think there are times in this world that when it is okay to become angry. Watching the news or having a friend that has gone through an abusive relationship, racism, pornography, bullying or sex trafficking. I think these same things still cause God to become angry today.

There is a lot wrong with the world and it should cause us to be upset. But how do we handle anger in the everyday. We cannot become angry about everything. This is no way to go through life. The end result is loneliness as anger can drive a wedge in our relationships. The bible address anger quite a bit. Look at some of these verses.

Proverbs 12:6- Fools quickly show they are upset but the wise ignore insults.

Romans 12:19- My friends do not punish others when they wrong you.

Ephesians 4:26 "When you are angry, do not sin, and be sure to stop being angry before the end of the day"

James 1:19-20 My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, ²⁰ because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires

1 Timothy 2:8 Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing.

These verses can give us some very applicable ways to deal with anger.

1. Get over it quickly, do not dwell on it, and stop being angry before the end of the day. This can cause you to have a restless night and not sleep very well. Do not hold grudges. It will affect you more than the person you are angry with.
2. Listen well. Most of our anger is because we do not fully understand. Let others talk to hear how they feel. This will allow the person you are communicating with you respect and care what they have to say.
3. Be quiet. Allow what you hear to sink in, think about it, you don’t have to settle the conversation that day. Come back and revisit what you are thinking. When we react to what people have to say we are usually responding out of pride. When we take time to think, it allows the truth to sink in.
4. Slow to become angry- What are the things that anger you? If you get angry about everything, you go from a person who becomes angry to an angry person. No one wants to be defined as that

John the Baptist lived out all of this. When approached one day by his disciples in John 3 they had just been arguing. They were upset about some things one of them being that Jesus and his disciples were baptizing and people were going to them. This means less people were coming to John and his disciples. They were making it about them. I like how John responds. He tells them about the Bridegroom and how he should be the center of attention on the big day. John goes as far to say that he is more of a best man. His actions are to make this day special for the groom. John adds, “He must become greater, I must become less.”

How amazing would it be if we all had this attitude with Jesus and our neighbor? It would definitely keep a lot of arguments from ever happening.

Untraditional Lent- What Arrogance Does

Arrogance. John the Baptist, however is one of those guys that is the complete opposite of this. One might describe him as humble.  Traits of being humble are that they think more about others than they do themselves. They do not necessarily have a low opinion of self but hold such a high view of the relationships they have that they are willing to do anything and everything for.

At Heartland right now we are looking to shift our souls from this attitude of arrogance to an attitude of humility. This is a work that is done in the fabric of who we are. We literally want to shift from a selfishness to a selflessness that puts God and others before ourselves. We call this shift from Me to You.

There are a few things that we have to achieve to see this happen. First we have to be real about who we are. Our opinion and perspective is not always truth. John the Baptist definitely knew who he was. John 1:19-34. (Please check it out.) John was talking with some others and they wanted to know who he was. Was he the Christ, Elijah, or the Prophet? He answered no to all three.  So they asked him again who he was. This was his reply; “I am the voice of one calling in the desert. Make straight the way for the Lord.” Even his answer shows that he was humble in who he was. By pointing to the Christ, he took the attention away from himself.

Next we are to, Build up others, not yourself. The culture today would rather seek fame than character. We have replaced real heroes from the military, firemen, and police to those who become famous by releasing a sex tape, being on a reality series, or one who can play guitar. If we are willing to do anything for fame then we have lost our humanity in the process. John the Baptist never sought fame for himself but always tried to bring attention but to Christ.

Third we should be authentic enough to talk about our faults, not about the faults of others. John said this about Jesus, “the throngs of whose sandals I am not worthy to tie.” This is the job of a servant and he sees that he is not even worthy of doing something like this for Jesus. Our world is missing authenticity and humility in the worst way. How many of us would “rather serve than be served.” But this was the mission of Christ from the beginning. We must be willing to serve.

We must also use the gifts God blessed us with to build the kingdom. Some of you may be a little too humble, thinking that God could never use you because of your past or still present lives. Do not limit God by saying your gifts are not good enough. God is the one who gave you the gift, and he gave it to you to be used to serve the world and build His kingdom.

Gal 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Next week- What Anger Does.

Untraditional Lent- What fear and doubt do

This was originally for an article I wrote for the Progress Review Which I will be continuing for the month of March.

Zechariah was visited by an angel in Luke 1 and he was “gripped with fear.” I am sure at some point in your life you have been scared, whether watching a movie, a friend surprising you, being held at gunpoint or being told that you have cancer. This can be a scary thing.

Fear can be paralyzing, not knowing what to say or how to react. Some people when scared have a reaction to fight back with words or in a physical way. Others react with flight by running away. These are very common reactions when we are afraid.

Fear can lead us to do a lot of things. Fear can hinder our faith. But it also can cause us to avoid. Let me explain. I am afraid of roller coasters. The combination of the height and speed just seem unnatural to me. At times, fear leads to I don’t. My fear of roller coaster leads to the fact that I DON’T ride roller coasters.

The angel told Zechariah that his wife was going to have a baby. Zechariah basically laughed off this comment and said, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.” Zechariah was filled with doubt. He didn’t believe what the angel was sharing with him. Zechariah’s doubt led him to say I CAN’T. 

He knew that he and his wife had never had children and why would that ever change at his age. Zechariah was more focused on what he could not do rather than what God can do. Is not this what we do so often by focusing on our own limitations, imperfections, failures, hurts and doubts. We rely on what we cant do as our only experience. Zechariah was right, he would never be able to get his wife pregnant. But there is something at work in this that is more powerful than Zechariah and Elizabeth.

Due to his doubt, Zechariah had his voice taken away. So he could not go home and share this news with his wife. But I am sure that Zechariah was ecstatic a few months later to here his wife was pregnant. God provided this couple with a miracle and even though Zechariah and Elizabeth could not do it, Christ could, and Christ did, and he still can.

Faith is bigger than our self. We might not believe it, but that does not mean it cannot happen. Because of my limitations I don’t have great faith in myself. Because of others imperfections I don’t have great faith in others. But I do have a great faith in Christ and his ability to transform myself and others. Do not let your fear of something tell you that God wont. Do not let your doubt tell you that God is not able. In fact I think we should doubt our doubt more than we do our God.

Philippians 4:13 says, I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” Focus on the second part of that line. We only have strength through God. Matthew 19:26 says, Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”