Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 3:1-10
A question asked by many people over many years. Samuel heard the voice of God, but did not recognize it until he was told by Eli. As pointed out to us in tonight’s scripture reading. How does God communicate with us? How can we be certain that God is speaking? When will we hear God speaking to us? Tonight we look into scripture to get the answer to: “How do we know it is God speaking to us?”
God Communicating In The Old Testament:
Samuel heard an audible voice of God. The Holy Spirit was not dwelling on earth at that time and communication with God was rare. Samuel was an under study of Eli and was learning the Word of God. God was pretty quiet in those day’s, visions and communication was very rare. God called out to Samuel one night, because he did not know God he was confused. Samuel thought that Eli was calling for him. He was told by Eli to listen and answer God when He was called again. God delivered a message to Samuel that night that pronounced Eli and his family’s doom. Samuel was looked to as a profit from that time on.
Gideon had a physical revelation from God, he still doubted what he had heard, so he asked for a sign, not once, but three times:
Judges 6:17-22 Gideon replied, "If now I have found favor in your eyes, give me a sign that it is really you talking to me. Please do not go away until I come back and bring my offering and set it before you." And the LORD said, "I will wait until you return." Gideon went in, prepared a young goat, and from an ephah of flour he made bread without yeast. Putting the meat in a basket and its broth in a pot, he brought them out and offered them to him under the oak. The angel of God said to him, "Take the meat and the unleavened bread, place them on this rock, and pour out the broth." And Gideon did so. With the tip of the staff that was in his hand, the angel of the LORD touched the meat and the unleavened bread. Fire flared from the rock, consuming the meat and the bread. And the angel of the LORD disappeared. When Gideon realized that it was the angel of the LORD, he exclaimed, "Ah, Sovereign LORD! I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face!"
Judges 36-40 Gideon said to God, "If you will save Israel by my hand as you have promised-- look, I will place a wool fleece on the threshing floor. If there is dew only on the fleece and all the ground is dry, then I will know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you said." And that is what happened. Gideon rose early the next day; he squeezed the fleece and wrung out the dew--a bowlful of water. Then Gideon said to God, "Do not be angry with me. Let me make just one more request. Allow me one more test with the fleece. This time make the fleece dry and the ground covered with dew." That night God did so. Only the fleece was dry; all the ground was covered with dew.
How Can We Know That He Is The One Speaking?:
First, we have something that Gideon and Samuel did not, we have the complete Bible. With it we read, study, and meditate on it. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work”
When we have a question about a certain topic or decision in our lives, we should see what the Bible has to say about it. God will never lead us or direct us contrary to what He has taught or promised in His Word: Titus 1:2 a faith and knowledge resting on the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time,
Second, to hear God's voice we must recognize it. Jesus said in John 10:27 “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me”
Those who hear God’s voice are those who belong to Him. That means those who have been saved by His grace through faith in Him. These are the sheep who hear and recognize His voice because they know Him as their Shepherd they know His voice. If we are going to recognize God's voice, we must belong to Him.
Third, we hear His voice when we spend time in prayer, Bible study, and quiet contemplation of His Word. The more time we spend intimately with God and His Word, the easier it is to recognize His voice. Employees at a bank are trained to recognize counterfeits by studying real money so closely that it is easy to spot a fake. We should be so familiar with the Bible that when God speaks to us it is clear that it is God. God speaks to us so that we can understand truth.
God can speak audibly to people. He speaks primarily through His Word. Sometimes through the Holy Spirit to our consciences. Sometimes through circumstances. Sometimes through other people. By applying what we hear to the truth of Scripture, we can learn to recognize His voice.
We have the gift of the Holy Spirit. We have God’s written Word. If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior you will hear God’s voice. Read your Bible, develop a personal relationship with Him, pray, study, and spend time quietly waiting for an answer. Remember that God’s main way of communicating to us is through His written Word. You may not ever hear an audible voice but He is communicating with us. Through you conscience, circumstances, and through other people. One final note, be still, wait for His answer, do not get discouraged, He hears us. Our time is not God’s time, He will answer us when He decides to.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Sunday, August 21, 2011
What’s Happening To Our Youth?
Scripture Reading: Mark 13:12-13
A recent survey by the Barna Group, found that less than 1% of the young adult’s in the U.S. have a biblical worldview. The real shocker is less than .5 of 1% of Christians between the ages of 18 and 23 have a biblical worldview. Tonight we are going to look at why so many young Christians fall from faith.
What Is A Biblical Worldview?:
The Barna Group defines Biblical Worldview as, if you believe that:
1) Absolute moral truth exists
2) The Bible is completely inerrant
3) Satan is a real being, not symbolic
4) A person cannot earn their way into the kingdom of God though good works
5) Jesus Christ lived a sinless life on earth
6) God is the supreme Creator of the heavens and the earth and reigns over the whole universe today
Faith Should Start At Home And Church:
The Fuller Seminary determined the most important factor as to why young people leave the church or remain steadfast in their faith is. If they have a safe haven to express their doubts and concerns regarding the Scriptures and their faith before leaving home. Refuge is found in two places, in their parents and in their church.
Unfortunately, most church youth programs tended to focus on their energies. They provide entertainment and pizza rather than focusing on building up their faith. As a result, our teens are ill-equipped to face the challenges they will encounter in the world after leaving home.
Two studies conducted by both the Barna Group and USA Today, found that nearly 75% of Christian youth leave the church after high school. One of the reasons is intellectual skepticism, the result of not being taught the Bible in their homes or in church.
Kids spend an average of 30 hours per week in public schools being taught ideas that oppose biblical truths (evolution, acceptance of homosexuality). They come home to another 30 hours per week of TV (lewd commercials and raunchy sitcoms) or “chatting” with friends online for hours, or playing games. Time spent weekly in the church Bible classroom is 45 minutes. They are not being taught to intelligently examine the views of the skeptics who will challenge their faith. Most of these kids are not prepared to enter a college classroom where more than half of all college professors view Christians with hostility and take every opportunity to belittle them and their faith.
Proverbs 22:6 “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it”
Parents are the key influence in whether young people remain steadfast in their Christian faith. When both parents were faithful and active in the church, 93% of their children remained faithful. When just one parent was faithful, 73% of their children remained in their faith. However, when both parents were not active at all and only attended church now and then, the percentage dropped to 6%.
Our children should be fully trained in how to respond to their secular friends. They should be fully prepared to give a reason for the hope that we have. 1 Peter 3:15 But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,
They must be better equipped in knowing why they believe the claims of Christianity. Not just for themselves, but for those who ask about their faith. Children need to be prepared for the intellectually challenging questions. The spiritual confrontations that they will meet. Apologetics, and study of defending the truth, is a vital tool. We need to prepare our youth to know how to defend the Scriptures and the authenticity of their faith.
Parents and our churches need to do a better job of developing our children's hearts with the Word of God as well as their minds.
2 Corinthians 10:5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
We Should All Know The Articles Of Faith:
Here are just a few:
1) Deuteronomy 6:4-7 “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.”
2) Ten Commandments
3) 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,
4) 1 Corinthians 1:10 I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought.
1 Thessalonians 5:21 Test everything. Hold on to the good. If we teach our children to examine things for soundness, to know whether to receive or reject them. If we teach them the way that Jesus taught His disciples, it will help them know what we believe and why we believe it today. Remember faith starts at home.
A recent survey by the Barna Group, found that less than 1% of the young adult’s in the U.S. have a biblical worldview. The real shocker is less than .5 of 1% of Christians between the ages of 18 and 23 have a biblical worldview. Tonight we are going to look at why so many young Christians fall from faith.
What Is A Biblical Worldview?:
The Barna Group defines Biblical Worldview as, if you believe that:
1) Absolute moral truth exists
2) The Bible is completely inerrant
3) Satan is a real being, not symbolic
4) A person cannot earn their way into the kingdom of God though good works
5) Jesus Christ lived a sinless life on earth
6) God is the supreme Creator of the heavens and the earth and reigns over the whole universe today
Faith Should Start At Home And Church:
The Fuller Seminary determined the most important factor as to why young people leave the church or remain steadfast in their faith is. If they have a safe haven to express their doubts and concerns regarding the Scriptures and their faith before leaving home. Refuge is found in two places, in their parents and in their church.
Unfortunately, most church youth programs tended to focus on their energies. They provide entertainment and pizza rather than focusing on building up their faith. As a result, our teens are ill-equipped to face the challenges they will encounter in the world after leaving home.
Two studies conducted by both the Barna Group and USA Today, found that nearly 75% of Christian youth leave the church after high school. One of the reasons is intellectual skepticism, the result of not being taught the Bible in their homes or in church.
Kids spend an average of 30 hours per week in public schools being taught ideas that oppose biblical truths (evolution, acceptance of homosexuality). They come home to another 30 hours per week of TV (lewd commercials and raunchy sitcoms) or “chatting” with friends online for hours, or playing games. Time spent weekly in the church Bible classroom is 45 minutes. They are not being taught to intelligently examine the views of the skeptics who will challenge their faith. Most of these kids are not prepared to enter a college classroom where more than half of all college professors view Christians with hostility and take every opportunity to belittle them and their faith.
Proverbs 22:6 “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it”
Parents are the key influence in whether young people remain steadfast in their Christian faith. When both parents were faithful and active in the church, 93% of their children remained faithful. When just one parent was faithful, 73% of their children remained in their faith. However, when both parents were not active at all and only attended church now and then, the percentage dropped to 6%.
Our children should be fully trained in how to respond to their secular friends. They should be fully prepared to give a reason for the hope that we have. 1 Peter 3:15 But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,
They must be better equipped in knowing why they believe the claims of Christianity. Not just for themselves, but for those who ask about their faith. Children need to be prepared for the intellectually challenging questions. The spiritual confrontations that they will meet. Apologetics, and study of defending the truth, is a vital tool. We need to prepare our youth to know how to defend the Scriptures and the authenticity of their faith.
Parents and our churches need to do a better job of developing our children's hearts with the Word of God as well as their minds.
2 Corinthians 10:5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
We Should All Know The Articles Of Faith:
Here are just a few:
1) Deuteronomy 6:4-7 “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.”
2) Ten Commandments
3) 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,
4) 1 Corinthians 1:10 I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought.
1 Thessalonians 5:21 Test everything. Hold on to the good. If we teach our children to examine things for soundness, to know whether to receive or reject them. If we teach them the way that Jesus taught His disciples, it will help them know what we believe and why we believe it today. Remember faith starts at home.
Sunday, August 14, 2011
A New Creation By Reconciliation
Scripture Reading: 2 Corinthians 5:11-21
(Vs. 17) “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” The word “therefore” takes us back to verses 14-16. Paul is telling us that all believers have died with Christ and no longer live for themselves. Our lives are no longer worldly, they are now spiritual. Our “death” is that of our old sin nature. Jesus took it to the cross with Him, our sin was buried with Him. As He was raised up by the Father, we are raised up to “walk in newness of life”. Romans 6:4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. That new person is what Paul refers to in Vs. 17 as the “new creation.”. Tonight we are going to look into what Paul is telling us.
What Is Reconciliation?:
An element of salvation that refers to the results of atonement. The end of the estrangement, caused by sin, between God and humanity. John Calvin describes reconciliation as the peace between humanity and God that results from the expiation of our sin and the propitiation of God's wrath. It is an essential term, describing the "substance" of the gospel and salvation. (excerpt from Wikipedia)
What Is A New Creation?:
A new creation is something created by God. John 1:13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. This new birth was brought about by the will of God. We did not inherit the new nature …We didn't re-create ourselves. God didn’t clean up our old nature. He created something entirely fresh and new in us. The creation is completely new. Only God can accomplish this.
What Old Things Pass Away?:
(Vs. 17) “old things have passed away.”. “old” refers to everything that is part of our old nature, pride, love of sin, reliance on works, and our former opinions, habits and passions. What we loved has passed away, the love of self, self-righteousness, self-promotion, and self-justification. We look outwardly toward Christ instead of inwardly toward ourselves. The old things died, they were nailed to the cross with our sin nature.
What New Has Come?:
(Vs. 17) “the new has come!”. Old is replaced with new, all full of life and the glory of God. The newborn soul delights in the things of God and hates the things of the world and the flesh. Our purposes, feelings, desires, and understandings are fresh and different. We see the world differently.
Scripture seems to be a new book, even if we have read it before, there is a truth which we never saw before. The scales have been removed from our eyes and we can now understand it. Everything to us seems to be changed. We seem to be in a new world. We see the new wonders of heaven and earth. We have new feelings toward all people. We have a new kind of love toward family and friends. We have a new compassion for enemies. We have a new love for all mankind.
Things we once loved, we now hate. The sin we once held onto, we now desire to put away forever. Galatians 3:10 All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.". We “put off the old man with his deeds”.
Ephesians 4:24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.. We put on the “new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness”.
What About Christian’s Who Continue To Sin?:
There is a difference between continuing to sin and continuing to live in sin. No one reaches sinless perfection in this life. A redeemed Christian is being sanctified (made holy) day by day. We should sin less and hate it more each time we fail. We still sin, but unwillingly and less and less as we mature in Christ.
Our new self should hate the sin. The difference is that the new creation is no longer a slave to sin, as we formerly were. We are now freed from sin. It no longer has power over us.
Romans 1:6-7 And you also are among those who are called to belong to Jesus Christ. To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. We are now empowered by and for righteousness.
We now have a choice. Romans 6:11-12 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires.
The new creation is a beautiful thing, formed in the mind of God. Created by His power for His glory. If you have accepted Christ into your heart, you are a new creation. Your old sinful nature is gone. Everything you do should be for the glory of God. Yes, we are going to stumble, but we are going to hate what we have done and learn from that experience. We are no longer slaves to sin, that is what a New Creation By Reconciliation is.
(Vs. 17) “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” The word “therefore” takes us back to verses 14-16. Paul is telling us that all believers have died with Christ and no longer live for themselves. Our lives are no longer worldly, they are now spiritual. Our “death” is that of our old sin nature. Jesus took it to the cross with Him, our sin was buried with Him. As He was raised up by the Father, we are raised up to “walk in newness of life”. Romans 6:4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. That new person is what Paul refers to in Vs. 17 as the “new creation.”. Tonight we are going to look into what Paul is telling us.
What Is Reconciliation?:
An element of salvation that refers to the results of atonement. The end of the estrangement, caused by sin, between God and humanity. John Calvin describes reconciliation as the peace between humanity and God that results from the expiation of our sin and the propitiation of God's wrath. It is an essential term, describing the "substance" of the gospel and salvation. (excerpt from Wikipedia)
What Is A New Creation?:
A new creation is something created by God. John 1:13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. This new birth was brought about by the will of God. We did not inherit the new nature …We didn't re-create ourselves. God didn’t clean up our old nature. He created something entirely fresh and new in us. The creation is completely new. Only God can accomplish this.
What Old Things Pass Away?:
(Vs. 17) “old things have passed away.”. “old” refers to everything that is part of our old nature, pride, love of sin, reliance on works, and our former opinions, habits and passions. What we loved has passed away, the love of self, self-righteousness, self-promotion, and self-justification. We look outwardly toward Christ instead of inwardly toward ourselves. The old things died, they were nailed to the cross with our sin nature.
What New Has Come?:
(Vs. 17) “the new has come!”. Old is replaced with new, all full of life and the glory of God. The newborn soul delights in the things of God and hates the things of the world and the flesh. Our purposes, feelings, desires, and understandings are fresh and different. We see the world differently.
Scripture seems to be a new book, even if we have read it before, there is a truth which we never saw before. The scales have been removed from our eyes and we can now understand it. Everything to us seems to be changed. We seem to be in a new world. We see the new wonders of heaven and earth. We have new feelings toward all people. We have a new kind of love toward family and friends. We have a new compassion for enemies. We have a new love for all mankind.
Things we once loved, we now hate. The sin we once held onto, we now desire to put away forever. Galatians 3:10 All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.". We “put off the old man with his deeds”.
Ephesians 4:24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.. We put on the “new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness”.
What About Christian’s Who Continue To Sin?:
There is a difference between continuing to sin and continuing to live in sin. No one reaches sinless perfection in this life. A redeemed Christian is being sanctified (made holy) day by day. We should sin less and hate it more each time we fail. We still sin, but unwillingly and less and less as we mature in Christ.
Our new self should hate the sin. The difference is that the new creation is no longer a slave to sin, as we formerly were. We are now freed from sin. It no longer has power over us.
Romans 1:6-7 And you also are among those who are called to belong to Jesus Christ. To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. We are now empowered by and for righteousness.
We now have a choice. Romans 6:11-12 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires.
The new creation is a beautiful thing, formed in the mind of God. Created by His power for His glory. If you have accepted Christ into your heart, you are a new creation. Your old sinful nature is gone. Everything you do should be for the glory of God. Yes, we are going to stumble, but we are going to hate what we have done and learn from that experience. We are no longer slaves to sin, that is what a New Creation By Reconciliation is.
Monday, August 8, 2011
Pastor, I’m Angry
Scripture Reading: Ephesians 4:17-27
How do you handle your anger? Do you act out and retaliate? Do you revert to your old ways? Before we were Christians most of us handled our anger in different way’s. I believed, conflict demanded retaliatory conflict only stronger. I had a hard time handling my anger. How we handle our anger is an important. Anger can destroy communication and tear apart relationships. It ruins both our joy and health. People tend to justify their anger instead of accepting responsibility for it. Everyone struggles with anger. As with everything, scripture has principles regarding how to handle anger in a godly manner. How to overcome sinful anger. Tonight we look into what God has to say about anger.
Is Anger Sinful?:
No, anger is not always sin. There is a type of anger Scripture approves, “righteous indignation”. It is not anger and not emotion. It is a clear understanding of a bad situation because you have a divine viewpoint. So, there is no reaction that leads to anger and sin.
God is angry: Psalm 7:11 God is a righteous judge, a God who expresses his wrath every day.
Mark 3:5 He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored.
Believers are commanded to be angry: Ephesians 4:26 "In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry,
Two Greek words are used for “anger” (orge and thumos), one means “passion, energy” and the other means “agitated, boiling”. Biblically, anger is God-given energy intended to help us solve problems.
Examples of biblical anger are Paul’s confronting Peter because of his wrong example in Galatians 2:11-14, David’s being upset over hearing Nathan sharing an injustice (2 Samuel 12), and Jesus’ anger at God’s temple in Jerusalem John 2:13-18. Look closely, none of these examples involved self-defense, but a defense of others or of a principle.
When Is Anger Sinful?:
1.) When it is selfishly motivated, James 1:20 2.) When God’s goal is distorted, 1 Corinthians 10:31 3.) When anger is allowed to linger, Ephesians 4:26-27. Why? Because the energy generated by anger is not attacking the problem, it is the person who is attacked.
Ephesians 4:15-19 says we are to speak the truth in love and use our words to build others up, not allow rotten or destructive words to pour from our lips. That is a common characteristic of fallen man Romans 3:13-14. Anger becomes sin when it is allowed to boil over without restraint. Anger also becomes sin when the angry one refuses to be pacified, holds a grudge, or keeps it all inside Ephesians 4:26-27. This can cause depression and irritability over little things, often things unrelated to the underlying problem.
How Can We Handle Our Anger?:
1.) Biblically, by recognizing and admitting our selfish anger and/or our wrong handling of anger as sin Proverbs 28:13; 1 John 1:9. This confession should be both to God and to those who have been hurt by our anger. Do not minimize the sin by excusing it or blame-shifting.
2.) By seeing God in the situation,eEspecially when people have done something to offend us. James 1:2-4, Romans 8:28-29, and Genesis 50:20. All point to the fact that God is sovereign and in complete control over every circumstance and person that enters our path. Nothing happens to us that He does not cause or allow. God is a good God who allows all things in our lives for our good and the good of others. Reflecting on this truth until it moves from our heads to our hearts will alter how we react to those who hurt us.
3.) By allowing for God’s wrath. This is very important in cases of injustice, when “evil” men abuse “innocent” people. Genesis 50:19 and Romans 12:19 tell us to not play God. God is righteous and just, and we can trust Him who knows all and sees all to act justly Genesis 18:25
4.) By not returning evil for good Genesis 50:21; Romans 12:21. This is key to converting our anger into love. As our actions flow from our hearts, our hearts can be altered by our actions Matthew 5:43-48. We can change our feelings toward another by changing how we choose to act toward that person.
5.) Communicate to solve the problem. Four basic rules of communication are found in Ephesians 4:15, 25-32:
a.) Be honest and speak, people cannot read our minds. We must speak the truth in love.
b.) Stay current (Ephesians 4:26-27). We must not allow what is bothering us to build up until we lose control. Dealing with and sharing what is bothering us before it gets to that point is important.
c.) Attack the problem, not the person (Ephesians 4:29, 31). We must remember the importance of keeping the volume of our voices low (Proverbs 15:1).
d.) Act, not react (Ephesians 4:31-32). Because of our fallen nature, our first impulse is often a sinful one (v. 31). Take a moment, “count to ten”, reflect upon the godly way to respond (v. 32) and to remind ourselves how anger is to be used to solve problems and not create bigger ones.
We must act to solve our part of the problem (Romans 12:18). We cannot control how others act or respond, but we can make the changes that need to be made on our part. Overcoming a temper is not accomplished overnight. But through prayer, Bible study, and reliance upon God’s Holy Spirit, ungodly anger can be overcome. Just as we may have allowed anger to become part of our lives, we must practice responding correctly until it becomes a habit itself.
How do you handle your anger? Do you act out and retaliate? Do you revert to your old ways? Before we were Christians most of us handled our anger in different way’s. I believed, conflict demanded retaliatory conflict only stronger. I had a hard time handling my anger. How we handle our anger is an important. Anger can destroy communication and tear apart relationships. It ruins both our joy and health. People tend to justify their anger instead of accepting responsibility for it. Everyone struggles with anger. As with everything, scripture has principles regarding how to handle anger in a godly manner. How to overcome sinful anger. Tonight we look into what God has to say about anger.
Is Anger Sinful?:
No, anger is not always sin. There is a type of anger Scripture approves, “righteous indignation”. It is not anger and not emotion. It is a clear understanding of a bad situation because you have a divine viewpoint. So, there is no reaction that leads to anger and sin.
God is angry: Psalm 7:11 God is a righteous judge, a God who expresses his wrath every day.
Mark 3:5 He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored.
Believers are commanded to be angry: Ephesians 4:26 "In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry,
Two Greek words are used for “anger” (orge and thumos), one means “passion, energy” and the other means “agitated, boiling”. Biblically, anger is God-given energy intended to help us solve problems.
Examples of biblical anger are Paul’s confronting Peter because of his wrong example in Galatians 2:11-14, David’s being upset over hearing Nathan sharing an injustice (2 Samuel 12), and Jesus’ anger at God’s temple in Jerusalem John 2:13-18. Look closely, none of these examples involved self-defense, but a defense of others or of a principle.
When Is Anger Sinful?:
1.) When it is selfishly motivated, James 1:20 2.) When God’s goal is distorted, 1 Corinthians 10:31 3.) When anger is allowed to linger, Ephesians 4:26-27. Why? Because the energy generated by anger is not attacking the problem, it is the person who is attacked.
Ephesians 4:15-19 says we are to speak the truth in love and use our words to build others up, not allow rotten or destructive words to pour from our lips. That is a common characteristic of fallen man Romans 3:13-14. Anger becomes sin when it is allowed to boil over without restraint. Anger also becomes sin when the angry one refuses to be pacified, holds a grudge, or keeps it all inside Ephesians 4:26-27. This can cause depression and irritability over little things, often things unrelated to the underlying problem.
How Can We Handle Our Anger?:
1.) Biblically, by recognizing and admitting our selfish anger and/or our wrong handling of anger as sin Proverbs 28:13; 1 John 1:9. This confession should be both to God and to those who have been hurt by our anger. Do not minimize the sin by excusing it or blame-shifting.
2.) By seeing God in the situation,eEspecially when people have done something to offend us. James 1:2-4, Romans 8:28-29, and Genesis 50:20. All point to the fact that God is sovereign and in complete control over every circumstance and person that enters our path. Nothing happens to us that He does not cause or allow. God is a good God who allows all things in our lives for our good and the good of others. Reflecting on this truth until it moves from our heads to our hearts will alter how we react to those who hurt us.
3.) By allowing for God’s wrath. This is very important in cases of injustice, when “evil” men abuse “innocent” people. Genesis 50:19 and Romans 12:19 tell us to not play God. God is righteous and just, and we can trust Him who knows all and sees all to act justly Genesis 18:25
4.) By not returning evil for good Genesis 50:21; Romans 12:21. This is key to converting our anger into love. As our actions flow from our hearts, our hearts can be altered by our actions Matthew 5:43-48. We can change our feelings toward another by changing how we choose to act toward that person.
5.) Communicate to solve the problem. Four basic rules of communication are found in Ephesians 4:15, 25-32:
a.) Be honest and speak, people cannot read our minds. We must speak the truth in love.
b.) Stay current (Ephesians 4:26-27). We must not allow what is bothering us to build up until we lose control. Dealing with and sharing what is bothering us before it gets to that point is important.
c.) Attack the problem, not the person (Ephesians 4:29, 31). We must remember the importance of keeping the volume of our voices low (Proverbs 15:1).
d.) Act, not react (Ephesians 4:31-32). Because of our fallen nature, our first impulse is often a sinful one (v. 31). Take a moment, “count to ten”, reflect upon the godly way to respond (v. 32) and to remind ourselves how anger is to be used to solve problems and not create bigger ones.
We must act to solve our part of the problem (Romans 12:18). We cannot control how others act or respond, but we can make the changes that need to be made on our part. Overcoming a temper is not accomplished overnight. But through prayer, Bible study, and reliance upon God’s Holy Spirit, ungodly anger can be overcome. Just as we may have allowed anger to become part of our lives, we must practice responding correctly until it becomes a habit itself.
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