Day 16:Rejoicing and Not Rejoicing

February 20, 2013 purposeunderheavenLeave a comment

Agape does not rejoice in unrighteousness of heart and life

Agape rejoices in truth

We do not love others with true love if we rejoice in the unrighteousness in their hearts and lives.

Roman 1 discusses unrighteousness. We should never rejoice when lives slip into these harmful ways of living and thinking.

²⁴Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:

²⁵Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

²⁶For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:

²⁷And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.

²⁸And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;

²⁹Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,

³⁰Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,

³¹Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:

³²Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

But we rejoice that God loved us and loved all the people in the world so much that He sent His only son to die for our unrighteousness. Agape love longs for those who have fallen into the unrighteous life to turn back to the truth. There is joy, happiness and peace in the truth.

John 14:⁶Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

⁷If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.

⁸Philip saith unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us.

⁹Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father?

¹⁰Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.

¹¹Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.

¹²Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.

¹³And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

¹⁴If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.

¹⁵If ye love me, keep my commandments.

¹⁶And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

¹⁷Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

¹⁸I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

¹⁹Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.

²⁰At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.

²¹He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

²²Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?

²³Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

²⁴He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me.

²⁵These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you.

²⁶But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

²⁷Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

²⁸Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.

²⁹And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe.

³⁰Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.

³¹But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence.

Let us rejoice in the truth. Let us desire the truth in the life of all who love. Let us rejoice in Jesus.

28 Day Love Challenge · Christian. · February · Love

Day 15:Keep No Record of Wrongs.

February 19, 2013 purposeunderheavenLeave a comment

What seemed tough before just got impossible.
Let’s look at the logic here. A person makes a rude comment hurting your feelings. A few moments later they apologize; they never meant to say something so mean. You accept the apology. A day or so later, the whole scene repeats itself. And again a week after that. Each time they say, “I am so sorry”. Now how can you not at least in your head say, but you keep doing these things. You keep hurting me. And if you are like me. You might actually say it out loud detailing each time you have forgiven them in the past and question just how sorry they really are.

First Jesus says He expects us to forgive them.

Matthew 18:²¹Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?

²²Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

Forgiving includes not bringing it back up again. When God forgives our sins, our sins are not flung back at us. They are separated from us.

^{Psalm 103:11}For as the heavens are high above the earth,
So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him;
¹²As far as the east is from the west,
So far has He removed our transgressions from us.

We love that God forgives us over and over if we are honestly sorry and trying to change. There

are so many times when I hate what I have done. I mean it when I say I will not repeat what I have

done, but I fail. Each time my God forgives me. If I expect forgiveness, I must also forgive.

Mark 11:

²⁵And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.

²⁶But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.

A person who forgives Keeps no record of wrongs.

28 Day Love Challenge · Christian. · February · Love

Day 14: Let’s Hang On Selfish

February 18, 2013 purposeunderheavenLeave a comment

The words “do not seek their own” or selfish hung over me all day. They convicted me. I felt the Holy Spirit saying don’t move on. This one is a biggie for you. I love to help others. But I have realized that I have expectations. I grow a little bitter and resentful if those I help don’t live up to my expectations.

I started thinking about those embers of resentment, the anger and even the hurt feelings that grow just under the surface. They fester in my mind. I care about the person, but a hedge grows.

Let me explain.

Those times when you feel pressured to give money to a friend. They tell you their health is failing and ask for help with their bills because they are paying for medical. You know you don’t have it to give, but you can’t leave the family hurting. You charge it on a credit card or you empty the coin jar to find the money to help. Then a few weeks later you see them driving a new “used” car that didn’t come cheap.

Resentment grows.

Or on a lesser front. You are there for your friend. They say they need you and there you are. You care and you try to be there. Then you want them to help you. Just be there for your or to work on a project with you. Suddenly, they can’t do it. They are busy or not interested. They decide to not be their for you.

I step into situations not meaning for it to be about me, but then later I realize I had expectations. I expected them to not waste money after asking me for help. I expect them to be there for me if I have been there for them.

The ‘I expect’ is the problem. Agape, I expect, should not have the selfishness of ‘I expect’ connected to the love. The I expect is selfish.

I don’t believe you have to be a doormat. I mean Jesus doesn’t give us everything we want. And when we don’t handle what he gives appropriately, God does not give us more. But God cares about us even in the limitations. My expects are not about the other person. It is not about setting boundries. It is about why are you not living up to my expectations.

I spent the day thinking about this issue.

I am like Paul in Romans 7. ” For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.” I want to be the person who loves without seeking self, but the reality is I am selfish and expect specific behavior when I give to others, or care for others, or do for others.

The one who has never let me down is Jesus. I love Jesus because He first loved me. He sought me when I was not looking for Him. When I messed up, He brought me back. He walks with me and cares for me. Jesus loves me. Jesus gives to me. All I have is His.

Today, I realized to love with Agape, I have to love others as if they are Jesus. If He wants me to care for someone, then it does not matter what they do, because Jesus always meets my expectations. Maybe it is not totally selfless. I mean I am loving Jesus because He loves me. I am loving the other person because Jesus first loved me.

Matthew 25:³⁷Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

³⁸When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?

³⁹Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

⁴⁰And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

For me, the only way to love with Agape love which does not self seek is to see Jesus in them. To ask Jesus what I should do, and then any thing I do for my friends, my neighbors, the strangers who pass through my life is my gift to Christ. I owe Him everything. I want to give Him my all.

In addition, at this moment, any ill feelings I am harboring in the back of my mind for people who have not lived up to my standards have to be let go. I forgive them any slight they may have done me. I need so much forgiveness from God and from others in my life. I want mercy.

Matthew 6:¹⁵But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

28 Day Love Challenge · Christian. · February · Love

Day 12:Don’t be Rude

February 16, 2013 purposeunderheavenLeave a comment

The greek words which come next in the list of traits for Agape are translated ‘do not act unseemly’. Several translations interpret the word as rude.

When I first, looked at todays Agape trait and saw rude, I shrugged and said what more is there to say. Don’t be rude. I investigated rude and unseemly to see if there was a secret deep meaning hidden in the definitions.

Unseemly — inappropriate for the time or place. Not in keeping with established taste. Inappropriate behavior, clothing, or speech.

Rude—Impolite, discourteous, harsh

We’re never rude or unseemly right?

The strange thing about rude is it is cultural. What’s polite in California might be totally strange in New York. Being from a part of the country where we apologize to chairs when we bump into them, I might have a higher expectation for the surface level manners.

My husband, a New Yorker, and I visited Coney Island a few years back. We walked side by side down the street. Two police officers passed us. I nodded and waited for the return nod. There was no nod. No recognition of my nod. I felt slighted and angry. My husband laughed. “if they nodded to every person they passed in New York their heads would come off.”

Realizing the little things which people perceive as polite or rude in a group or a region is part of Agape love. Love requires us to take the time to care about what the other person will judge as polite or rude. We also need to not be overly sensitive to what we perceive as rude.

Unseemly?
Ever throw a hissy fit? I have thrown a few and I have a feeling these fall in the unseemly category. Agape does not throw a hissy fit. You can discuss an issue. You can even fight for what you believe is right, but if tempers are flaring, unseemly can’t be far behind.

Or
Internet picking at people. You’re in a debate with a person and you try to ridicule them. I’m guessing that falls under unseemly. I think Agape doesn’t discount their point of view by pointing out they didn’t spell a word right. Or call them stupid. Or a racist. Or a sexist. Or call them a liar. You get my point. The internet is bringing out a lot of unseemly in our society.

Or how about in the car.
Blaring the horn and screaming are not Agape.

Our occasional snide comments about someone else. The gossip pointing out others short comings. Even the use of words or off color jokes that make someone else uncomfortable are unseemly.

I’ve rethought Rude and Unseemly. I think this is a biggie. To avoid being rude or unseemly, we must care about the others around us in the smallest things. We must think of others on a continuous basis. It forces us to have others on our mind in a caring manner at all times.

Agape does not act unseemly, is not rude.

28 Day Love Challenge · Christian. · February · Love

Day 11:Do Bragging, Proud, Puffed Up People Know They Are?

February 14, 2013 purposeunderheavenLeave a comment

I almost never do this. I know the following verses are about confession, forgiveness and prayer. But we are told Agape love does not brag and is not puffed up with pride. Take a look at these two men. If you were suffering, which one would you ask for help?

Luke 18:⁹And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:

¹⁰Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.

¹¹The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.

¹²I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.

¹³And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.

¹⁴I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

A few experiences in my life make me believe that our churches are getting the reputation of being more like the first man than the latter.

Sitting in a small group bible study, we went around “discussing” the prepared questions. People answered with the proper answers to all the questions then we moved to the next question. One person, not even upset, suddenly answered a question with an answer not expected. They spoke about an issue with a grown kid who was headed down a bad path.
The group came alive, people started sharing similar experiences from their lives. It was a very honest moment. People took off the “I am a perfect” Christian with perfect kids costume and let others see them vulnerable. This group grew close and the people never played the perfect answer game again.

Move forward a few years, I found myself sitting in a room of mothers whose teens were struggling with issues. Each woman in the room shared their feelings, discussed what had happened and confided their fears. Love was real between them. Most were Christians and Church goers. Or had been regular attenders, but slipped aways as this group became their family.

I asked why they had not found the supported they needed in the Church. They all said (even the ones still going to church multiple times a week) they could not tell the people at church about what was happening. They believed they would be judged or their kids would be judged. A couple of women said that the church did know and had never came to visit the teen or shown them any love. They felt the people in the church would never understand.

Years ago people use to stand up in church services and tell their testimonies. I remember as a teen, people describing hard times and how God provided. Most Christians never tell their stories. We pretend to be perfect people when we are forgiven people trying to follow our savior. When we fall, he reaches down and lifts us up. Maybe we should not be too proud to tell people about our falls, our pain and God’s mercy.

28 Day Love Challenge · Christian. · February · Love · Valentines

Day 10: No Sibling Rivalry in the Family of God

February 12, 2013 purposeunderheavenLeave a comment

Still on envy, but focusing more on our desire to have what other’s have. Their possessions; their talents, their relationships, their everything. But Paul says love does not envy.

You know the story of the Prodigal Son. Father has two boys. One of the sons, decides he wants all of his inheritance before his father dies. He takes the money and goes off to live a wild life. The money runs out and the boy ends up working in a pig pen. Eventually, he realizes that he would be better of as a slave in his father’s house than living the life he is living.

He heads home. The father sees him and runs to him. The boy says he is sorry, but the father has already forgiven him. He is putting good cloths on him, a ring and planning a party. He is so happy to have the son he thought was lost back home.

Let’s look at the other son.

^{Luke 15:25}Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing.

²⁶And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.

²⁷And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.

²⁸And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him.

²⁹And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:

³⁰But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.

³¹And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.

³²It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.

The elder son can not love the father or the brother. Envy acts as a fertilizer for anger. He can not love his brother because he is filled with so much rage.

Another example of envy in the bible and how it strips people of love is Cain and Able. Take a look at Genesis 4. Major sibling rivalry going on there. Very little love.

Envy is the result of your taking your eye off the blessings God has given you, and loosing focus of His purpose for your life. Envy centers your thoughts on self and not on others. Love dies when our focus is on ourselves.

We see what Jesus had to say in a specific instance of envy between Peter and John.

^{John 21:18}Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdest thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.

¹⁹This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.

²⁰Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee?

²¹Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do?

²²Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.

²³Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die; but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?

Isn’t that really the answer to envy. What is that to you? Jesus is telling Peter what he will face in the future and Peter’s focus goes to what will John face. Does it matter?

The path Christ laid out for me. God designed me in the womb; God has a purpose for my life. Just as Peter and John walked different paths and served different roles in the early church. The church did not need two Peters or two Johns. And the body of Christ needs me and it needs you to fill the roles God plans for us. If God choses for another member of the church to have more talent, or money, or family, what is it to you.

Don’t let envy steal your love for others. Follow Jesus.

28 Day Love Challenge · Christian. · February · Love · Valentines

Day 9: Why Can’t I Be God

February 11, 2013 purposeunderheavenLeave a comment

Love does not envy.

God created man and women. He prepared the perfect home for them. They spent their days in a garden filled with life. Lush grasses carpeted the ground. Canopies of trees spread above providing a shelter from the sun. Sweet fruit, berries and grains grew every where to feed the two.

In the evening, God came into the garden and walked with the couple. He spent time with them. They walked with God in a close relationship.

This is what our lives are suppose to be like. Jesus gave two commands. He said to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind. When we abide in His love we are suddenly capable of keeping the second commandment to love others as ourself; to love as Christ loved us.

The serpent entered the garden. i won’t go into my whole study of the serpent, but I will mention that the word that is interpreted serpent comes from a root word which is whisper like the snake charmers. This serpent, our accuser, Satan seeks out Eve and tells her half truths and lies.

But look at Eve for a moment.

Genesis 3:3 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which theLord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

²And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:

³But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.

⁴And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:

⁵For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

⁶And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

⁷And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.

⁸And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden.

Please be patient with me while I paraphrase the conversation.

God says do not eat the fruit from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil or you will die. You can have everything else. After debating back and forth between Eve and Satan about just what God said, Satan tells her that God is keeping something great from her. God just doesn’t want Eve to be all knowing like God. God doesn’t want Eve to have everything.

So Eve looks at the fruit. It looks good to eat and Eve wants to know everything just like God.

And there we have it. The cause of the first sin is envy.

That evening, God comes into the garden to walk with Adam and Eve. They run and hide from HIm. The close relationship has been broken. God finds them, cloths them and then sets them out of the garden. The envy of desiring what belongs to God, the envy of not being satisfied and content with who God made them resulted in sin. The sin broke the relationship.

Jesus, our savior, mends that broken relationship. He is one with God and invites us to be one with Him. He mends the breach. But we must accept that what is God’s is God’s. We are not all knowing and all powerful. We must accept that at times we will not understand. What seems good to us maybe really bad for us. Either God is Lord of our lives or we are Lord of our lives.

When we allow God to be God and do not try to replace Him with ourselves, we can once again walk with him in the cool of the evening.

When we are one with Christ, we can start to love others by allowing him to love through us.

28 Day Love Challenge · Christian. · February · Love · Valentines

Day 8: Weaving Together Kindness

February 10, 2013 purposeunderheavenLeave a comment

Next trait of Love. Love is Kind
So what does it mean to be kind. Let’s look at the dictionary.

ADJECTIVE:
kind·er, kind·est

Of a friendly, generous, or warm-hearted nature.
Showing sympathy or understanding; charitable: a kind word.
Humane; considerate: kind to animals.
Forbearing; tolerant: Our neighbor was very kind about the window we broke.
Generous; liberal: kind words of praise.
Agreeable; beneficial: a dry climate kind to asthmatics.

I’ve thought long and hard about the word kind. Be kind. We sort of know it when we see it. But when you try to define it, you use words that are only part of what you mean.

But when you look at the life of Christ you see how the parts weave together into a life of kindness.

Showing sympathy or understanding

^{Mark 5:35}While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house certain which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further?

³⁶As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe.

³⁷And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James.

³⁸And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly.

³⁹And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth.

⁴⁰And they laughed him to scorn. But when he had put them all out, he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying.

⁴¹And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise.

⁴²And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was of the age of twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonishment.

⁴³And he charged them straitly that no man should know it; and commanded that something should be given her to eat.

Considerate

Matthew 14¹³When Jesus heard of it, he departed thence by ship into a desert place apart: and when the people had heard thereof, they followed him on foot out of the cities.

¹⁴And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.

¹⁵And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying, This is a desert place, and the time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves victuals.

¹⁶But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat.

¹⁷And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes.

¹⁸He said, Bring them hither to me.

¹⁹And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.

²⁰And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full.

²¹And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children.

²²And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away.

Caring

^{Matthew 20:29}And as they departed from Jericho, a great multitude followed him.

³⁰And, behold, two blind men sitting by the way side, when they heard that Jesus passed by, cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou son of David.

³¹And the multitude rebuked them, because they should hold their peace: but they cried the more, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou son of David.

³²And Jesus stood still, and called them, and said, What will ye that I shall do unto you?

³³They say unto him, Lord, that our eyes may be opened.

³⁴So Jesus had compassion on them, and touched their eyes: and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him.

Giving

Mark 10:⁴⁵For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

28 Day Love Challenge · Christian. · February · Love · Valentines

Day 7: Anger, Caution: Use Only with Holy Spirit Supervision

February 9, 2013 purposeunderheaven1 Comment

Anger means a strong feeling of displeasure or hostility

Ephesians 4:²⁶be angry and do not sin; let not the sun go down upon your wrath,

²⁷neither give place to the devil;

²⁸whoso is stealing let him no more steal, but rather let him labour, working the thing that is good with the hands, that he may have to impart to him having need.

²⁹Let no corrupt word out of your mouth go forth, but what is good unto the needful building up, that it may give grace to the hearers;

³⁰and make not sorrowful the Holy Spirit of God, in which ye were sealed to a day of redemption.

³¹Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil-speaking, be put away from you, with all malice,

³²and become one to another kind, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, according as also God in Christ did forgive you.

Be angry and do not sin. The verse tells us to deal with the issue immediately and to not sin while dealing with it.

So let’s look at the perfect life to decide about anger.

First Jesus and the Pharisees:

Mark 3:3 And he entered again into the synagogue; and there was a man there which had a withered hand.

²And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse him.

³And he saith unto the man which had the withered hand, Stand forth.

⁴And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they held their peace.

⁵And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other.

⁶And the Pharisees went forth, and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him.

⁷But Jesus withdrew himself with his disciples to the sea: and a great multitude from Galilee followed him, and from Judaea,

Jesus felt strong displeasure at the attitude of these men. They worried more about accusing Jesus than loving the man. His displeasure at their attitude is described as anger. He dealt with the anger immediately by explaining to them why they were wrong. He healed the man and reprimanded them. He handled the situation immediately, but that does not mean people with ill intent won’t respond in a negative manner.

Another example:

Matthew 21:¹²And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves,¹³And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.

Here anger had a little more hostility involved. These people harmed other people. They were cheating and forcing people to buy items in order to worship God. They were disgracing God’s temple. Jesus ran them out.

I think, and this is just me thinking, that some times we may have to resort to strong action. When we are called on to to protect someone.

Anger is not wrong, but as a person, I am not capable of knowing when to act or how to act without the direction of the Holy Spirit. We need to slow down the minute anger arrives and ask God to guide us with His Spirit. I personally am more likely to be angry for selfish reasons and to act in unchristian ways. I even can find myself proud of the harm I cause when I act in anger. No, I am not capable of responding properly when anger is involved. I have to have guidance.

Anger needs to come with a big label.

Caution Pray before Acting and Handle only with Holy Spirit supervision.

28 Day Love Challenge · Christian. · February · Love · Valentines

Day 6: Slow to Anger–Pearl or Explosion?

February 8, 2013 purposeunderheavenLeave a comment

I read through the list of words associated with makrothymeō and the slow to anger hit a nerve. I saw the words and knew I needed to explore this deeper.

An intruder, so small you can only see it under a microscope, invades the oyster and settles inside the shell. The irritation causes a secretion. The secretion builds layer after layer to form a beautiful pearl. The slow process of dealing with an irritation creates something beautiful and useful.

A different scenario.

Microscopic grain dust collects in the air. The potential builds. Then an ignition source occurs and boom. The dust explodes like a bomb.

People deal with anger in similar ways I think.

The hot tempered ones who blow up over a situation. They fire off with anger. Words are said. They pop off like a fire cracker.
The slow boiling ones who collect all the wrongs until the moment when they explode as if a bomb detonated.
They recognize the irritation, they take appropriate protective behaviors to reduce anger and the sources of pain.

But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you Matthew 5:44

Ignoring the hurt is not the best method for “slow to anger”. The pearl approach is the right approach. Go to God. Place the issue before the Lord. Pray for the people who are causing you anger. Focus on their well being. You can not do that on your own. Take the irritation to God where he can build a hard seal around it. He will take the irritation and create something beautiful out of it.

Do not try this on your own. When we collect the little irritations and do not deal with the hurt, an explosive environment builds just waiting for a source of ignition.

Journal

How do you handle anger?

List hurts that you have experienced. Take them to God. Pray sincerely for the person. Ask God to take the pain. Ask the Lord to resolve issues this person my have. Ask Him to bless the person. Seek His guidance in how to deal with the situation. Ask him to create a pearl.

Tomorrow, when is anger the right response?