July.21.04: Light for the Day - "Anger" -- Ephesians 4:26-27 26 "In your anger do not sin": (Psalm 4:4) Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 for anger gives a mighty foothold to the Devil. -- Psalm 4:4 "In your anger do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent." -------------------- A woman in a fancy luxury car waited patiently in a crowded mall lot for a parking place to open up. She drove up and down between rows until finally she saw a man with a load of packages head for his car. She followed him and parked behind him, waiting while he opened his trunk and loaded it. Finally he got into his car and backed out. Just as she was preparing to pull forward into the space, a young man in a little sports car -- coming from the opposite direction - turned in front of her, zipped into the space, got out of his car, and started walking away. The woman was livid. She shouted from her big luxury car, "Hey, young man! I was waiting for that parking place." The teenager responded, “Sorry, lady, but that's how it is when you're young and quick." She instantly put her car in gear; floor boarded it, and crashed into the sports car, crushing its right rear fender. Now it was the young man's turn to jump up and down, shouting, “What are you doing?" The woman in the luxury car calmly responded, “Well, son, that's how it is when you're old and rich." Most of the world's problems and conflicts could probably be resolved if, instead of retaliation and revenge, apologies were made all around. -- G's LDB ------------------ God grant me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change, Courage to change the things I can, and the Wisdom to know the difference. ------------------ Anger. It's easy to define the noise of the soul. Anger. The unseen irritant of the heart. Anger. The relentless invader of silence. ... The louder it gets the more desperate we become...  Some of you are thinking ... you don't have any idea how hard my life has been. And you're right, I don't. But I have a very clear idea how miserable your future will be unless you deal with your anger. X-ray the world of the vengeful and behold the tumor of bitterness: black, menacing, malignant. Carcinoma of the spirit. Its fatal fibers creep around the edge of the heart and ravage it. Yesterday you can't alter, but your reaction to yesterday you can. The past you cannot change, but your response to your past you can. ++ Father, at one time or another we have all looked at the circumstances of our life and wondered why these things happen. We have the courage to wonder, when we read page after page in the Bible sharing the agony of those who sought you. And we find great encouragement from those found you. ----------------- -- Psalms 37:8 Stop your anger! Turn from your rage! Do not envy others - it only leads to harm. -- James 1:20 for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. -- Psalms 78:38,39 38 But He, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, And did not destroy them. Yes, many a time He turned His anger away, And did not stir up all His wrath; 39 For He remembered that they were but flesh, A breath that passes away and does not come again. -- Psalms 30:5 For His anger lasts only a moment, but His favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning. -- Psalms 86:15 But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness. -- 1 Peter 5:8 Be careful! Watch out for attacks from the Devil, your great enemy.  He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for some victim to devour. -- James 4:7 So humble yourselves before God.  Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you. -- Ephesians 4:31,32 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. -- 2 Corinthians 2:10,11 10 When you forgive this man, I forgive him, too.  And when I forgive him (for whatever is to be forgiven), do so with Christ’s authority for your benefit, 11 so that Satan will not outsmart us.  For we are very familiar with his evil schemes. -- Romans 12:17-19 17 Never pay back evil for evil to anyone.  Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. 18 Do your part to live in peace with everyone, as much as possible. 19 Dear friends, never avenge yourselves. Leave that to God. For it is written, "I will take vengeance; I will repay those who deserve it," {De 32:35.} says the Lord. 20 Instead, do what the Scriptures say:  "If your enemies are hungry, feed them.  If they are thirsty, give them something to drink, and they will be ashamed of what they have done to you."  (Greek: and you will heap burning coals on their heads. Pr 25:21-22.) 21 Don’t let evil get the best of you, but conquer evil by doing good.