Pastor’s Corner: Danger of anger

— I’ve talked before about how it seems like there isn’t a day go by when we aren’t faced with things that seem, at least in our own minds, to bring us to the that place where we just can’t take any more, and if one more thing happens we are going to simply explode.

I’m sure you understand what I’m talking about.

Maybe it started with feeling just a bit under the weather as you got out of bed and the kids wouldn’t eat their breakfast, or decided to use it for the medium to create the latest and greatest sculpture, located in various places about the kitchen, and progressed a bit - after getting the children off to school - to a migraine brought about by the flat tire on the car and finding the spare tire was flat because you had neglected to have it fixed after the last flat you had.

After phoning work and letting them know you would be a little late because of the flat tires, the tension mounts because, now, you find you live outside the service zone of the expensive auto club you pay yearly dues to and to get someone to make the trip and fix the tires is going to cost extra. As you swallow the lump rising up from your stomach and your blood pressure threatens to rise to dangerous levels and you feel like you have just about had all you can take, you hear the voice on the other end of the line sweetly say “Oh, I’m sorry to have to tell you, but I’ve just checked the schedule and all of our agents are currently helping other customers and it will be after lunch, probably after 1:30 p.m. before we can have someone out to help you.”

About this time you are reminded somehow - you choose the means - “All things work together for the good of those who love the Lord and are the called according to His purpose.” Rather than bringing us the comfort it should, it aggravates your condition and you’re truly now about to blow your top as you make other arrangements to get to work and, once there, are in the mood to take the head off the next person unfortunate enough to so much as look crossways at you. Have you ever found yourself in this scenario for real? Do I hear an ‘amen’?

As humorous as this may seem, this really is a very dangerous scenario for a Christian. It can quickly bring us into disobedience to the Lord and His commandments. How, you may ask?

Because the Word of God tells us in James 1:20: “For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.” In other words, we can’t be madat someone and do righteous works for the Lord at the same time. This is why James tells us in that chapter to “let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath” (v19) and in verses 21-22 to “lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.”

It is so dangerous to a Christian, we are told in Ephesians 4:26 that when we do become angry, we are to “Be ye angry, and sin not: Let not the sun go down upon your wrath.” In other words, we are to take care of any anger we may have before we go to sleep at night.

Why? Anger festers and will increase exponentially the longer it is allowed to remain. The danger? Take a quick look at chapter 20 of the book of Numbers. You will find there that because Moses allowed anger to control him neither Moses nor Aaron were allowed to enter into the land promised to Israel - it didn’t cost Moses anything at that time but his not entering into the new land promised by God. It did, however, cost Aaron his life (see v24-29). Anger is a dangerous thing in a Christian’s life, not just to ourselves but to those around us.

You say, “But pastor, that was the old days, God doesn’t do things like that in these days since Jesus came.”

Doesn’t the Bible say Jesus is the Word of God? (John 1:14) Doesn’t the Bible say in 1 John 5:7 “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: And these three are one.” Perhaps we should look at Malachi 3:6 where God says “I am the LORD, I change not;” or Hebrews 13:8 “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and for ever.” Wrath and anger are things we’re commanded to put away from our lives (Colossians 3:8). While it may not keep us out of Heaven, do you want to take the chance of missing blessings God may have for you because you can’t control your ego and temper?

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Editor’s note: Charlie Newman is pastor of Avoca Christian Church. To contact him, e-mail pastor@pastorcharlie.

net, or write in care of The Times at [email protected] or P.O. Box 25, Pea Ridge, AR 72751.

Church, Pages 2 on 09/12/2012