Brown's Daily Word 2-8-08

Good Morning.
Praise the Lord it is Friday. We will continue to look at traditional Seven Deadly Sins. If you like to read the past devotionals again, you can visit my web site at "Brownnaik.com".
Today, we will look at ANGER -- the anger of man is often unjustified and is many times uncontrolled. It is often based on insufficient cause and expressed without due regard for the consequences. (Jonah 4:1-11) The first mention of anger was outside the Garden of Eden. Unjustified and uncontrolled anger has led many persons into greater sin, even acts of violence. For instance,“Cain grew hot with great anger” and slew Abel. (Genesis 4:5, 8)
Belligerent people often struggle to control their anger. Their harsh words and sharp tone of voice tend to escalate feelings of hostility in some situations. 70% of arguments are caused or escalated by a harsh tone of voice. "A harsh word stirs up anger, but a soft answer turns away wrath" (Proverbs 14:1).
Faith has a way of turning anger to love. Proverbs 10:12 says, "Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all sins." The Lord’s love enables us to turn our hatred into real love for our enemies.
One family, who turned their hatred into love, is an example of how to turn a tragedy into a triumph. In Janurary of 1981, Chester Bitterman, a Wycliffe Bible Translator was kidnapped, tortured and killed by terrorists in Columbia, South America. You could well imagine the hatred felt by his family toward the captors. However, Bitterman’s family did not project their anger against the murderers. Through faith, the family, their community, and the church decided to do good to the murderers of the friend they loved.
In April of 1982, the family decided to apply Christ’s commandment, "Love your enemies and do good to those who despitefully use you. Then your reward in heaven will be great" (Luke 6:35,36). The entirety of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania contributed money to buy an ambulance for the State of Meta in Columbia, where the young linguist was brutally murdered. Chester Bitterman’s parents even traveled to Columbia to present the ambulance to the people. During the ceremony, Chester’s mother struggled with her emotions, but spoke these words, "We are able to do this because God has taken the hatred from our hearts.
Only God is able to help us substitute love for hatred. Jesus gave us the perfect example of one who returned love for hate. Only through the power of the Holy Spirit are we able to return blessings for curses. With the power of God we are able to return good for evil.
Recognize the damage that fleshly anger can bring. "Anger is the chief saboteur of the mind, a significant factor in the formation of many serious diseases." It is the leading cause of misery, depression, inefficiency, sickness, accidents, loss of work, time wastage, financial loss in industry, marital conflicts, hyper-tension, alcoholism, frigidity, impotence, children’s defiance, rebellion, and many physical illnesses. "Elimination of hostility is a key factor in solving many of life’s serious problems." (Gary Collins, Christian Counseling: A Comprehensive Guide, page 100, Zondervan). Proverbs 15:1 - A harsh word stirs up strife, but a soft answer turns away wrath.
On the other hand, a person who is angry on the right grounds, against the right persons, in the right manner, at the right moment, and for the right length of time deserves great praise. (How many of us can claim to be that person . . . really?)
Understand the righteous causes of anger. Anger may be caused by injustice as when Jesus saw how the moneychangers were turning the temple into a house for profiteers. Jesus said, "My Father’s house is for prayer, but you have turned it into a robber’s den" (Matt 21:13). Paul said in Ephesians 4:26, "Be angry, but sin not, do not let the sun go down on your anger." In other words, there are times when we should be righteously indignant, but do not let anger become a regular part of your thought process or it will destroy you from within.
Appreciate the reasons why some people struggle with anger. When people are rejected, put down, or feel unjustly criticized or humiliated, they may react with anger. When Jesus was unjustly persecuted He entrusted Himself to the one whose judgment is best. Jesus said, "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake."
People who are hurt or threatened often want to take vengeance into their hands. The Bible says, "Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."
"Greater is He who is in you than He who is in the world." "Vengeance is mine, says the Lord I will repay". "Do not be overcome with evil, overcome evil with good."
Understand some of the factors of anger. We can control our attitudes. Jesus said, "It is not what goes into a person that defiles them, but what comes out of a man’s heart. It is not what happens to us that is responsible for our anger, but we are responsible for our reactions to provocation. We should not say that the devil made me angry or a certain person caused me to blow-up. Paul said, "Have the attitude which was in Christ Jesus."
In the spring of 1894, the Baltimore Orioles came to Boston to play a routine baseball game, but what happened that day was anything but routine. The Orioles’ John McGraw got into a fight with the Boston third baseman. Within minutes all the players from both teams had joined in the brawl. The warfare quickly spread to the grandstands. Among the fans the conflict went from bad to worse. Someone set fire to the stands and the entire ballpark burned to the ground. Not only that, but the fire spread to 107 other Boston buildings as well.
Solutions for dealing with anger practice Christ’s humility, forgiveness, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control, Biblical thinking, obedient lifestyle, servant lifestyle, trusting heart, and prayerful habits are the essential characteristics of one who is able to effectively turn away anger.
"Be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ has forgiven us." Most people are starved for a little kindness, so show them that kindness. "Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, brawling, slander, along with every kind of malice" (Ephesians 4:28-32).
Remember this thought: Anger is a wind that blows out the lamp of the mind.
In Christ,
Brown

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