Anger

Anger is such a strong emotion. Sometimes I find myself infuriated with anger towards a person or a situation that I am not even sure how to act. Most of the time my emotions get the best of me and I just completely fall, or crash, or throw something as hard as I can to try and get rid of the pain inside. It is hard to control my actions when I am so emotionally distraught. Ever feel like that? The Bible talks alot about anger. Most importantly, how we should rid ourselves of anger (Colossians 3:8), be slow to anger ( James 1:19-20) and avoid being angry at anyone (Matthew 5:21-24). God's opinion of anger is pretty clear. Anger can often feed into the desires of our flesh and cause us to sin, instead of acting in our spirit. One of the things God taught me this weekend is that I have to let go of anger and bitterness. Instead of acting out of emotional rage, God has called me to lay it all down and wait for Him to deliver me (Proverbs 20:22). One story of Jesus specifically spoke to me, as I wrestled with some of these feelings. It can be found in John 2:13-18.

13When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14In the temple courts he found men selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. 15So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple area, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 16To those who sold doves he said, "Get these out of here! How dare you turn my Father's house into a market!"

If we break down the scene, and look closer, no where in the passage does it actually say that Jesus was angry. We conclude that He must have been because He overturns tables and scatters money all over the place, tossing and driving the marketplace vendors out with a whip! However, why does He do this? What is Jesus really doing here in the market?

I believe that He is standing up for His Father, I believe that He is driving out evildoers, with the authority He has from God. We learn that even Jesus's name holds the power to drive away Satan. If we call upon His name, we declare that He has saved us from the death of this world.

The book of Proverbs is full of warnings about anger. God does not give us the authority to be angry, and I think that is because He wants us to lean on Him. He wants us to allow Him to stand up and fight against our enemies. If there is something that is eating away at us we should give it to God, submit it to Him, because He has the authority and power to drive away what causes us pain.

In this beautiful passage we see our Saviour physically making a stand. It is so humbling, and so personal to me. I can almost see it all happening. I can see the vendors scattering in fear of Jesus, not one having the audacity to fight against Him. What an amazing man to have on our side!

Later in the passage, Jesus is asked to prove His authority. He answers boldly, "Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days." (John 2:19)

Through Jesus's resurrection He conquered what no other man could.... death. It is through Him that we have our salvation, that we are given new life. So why wouldn't we entrust the struggles that we have here on earth to the One who could not be defeated even by death?

God revealed to me in this passage that we must lay everything down at His feet. Let Him be the one who handles those who strike against us, or disrespect us. Allow God to answer to those who work to cause us pain or frustration. For Jesus also said in John 2:25 "He did not need man's testimony about man, for he knew what was in a man."

God knows us inside and out. He knows what we feel and how we hurt. He hears us when we cry and He sees us when we are struggling to find forgiveness and compassion towards our enemies. Let God turn over the tables, allow Him to drive out those who do wrong.

I hope this passage is encouraging.

Listening and Doing

For those that have ever watched over young children, you know how frustrating it can be when no matter how many times you try to either teach them something or discipline them, it may take a good amount of time before they actually get it. As children of God, He longs for us to listen and know His word. He wants us to not only get it, but live it out in our lives. Let's look at James 1:22-25

22Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror 24and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.

What is the difference between listening and doing? I remember growing up my mom loved to have long talks with my brother's and I. She was always trying to teach us something. Now today when she does that, because I am older and more mature, I might actually take her advice and try doing what she suggests... see how it works out. But back when I was a kid, it was in one ear and out the other most of the time. And how did that work out? Well let's just say my mom got to say "I told you so" alot more than I wanted to hear it.

In the same way, God wants us to not only hear what He has to say, but to latch on to it and actually do what He instructs us to do. I love verses 23- 24 about the man looking into the mirror and then forgetting what he looks like. God is always pointing out the foolishness of not following His word. It is as foolish as forgetting what you look like after you just stared in the mirror! Pretty bold statement. The book of Proverbs, talks about being a fool and how it is often associated with lacking wisdom. Here are some verses:

Proverbs 1:7

Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline

Proverbs 13:1

A wise son heeds his father's instruction, but a mocker does not listen to rebuke.

Proverbs 14:8

The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways, but the folly of fools is deception.

Proverbs 17:24

A discerning man keeps wisdom in view, but a fool's eyes wander to the ends of the earth.

When I was in high school, I struggled with comprehension. I would often have to read over a paragraph again and again just to understand it. Funny that I later became a literature major once I got to college. Because I was so slow to understand, homework usually took longer for me than some of my fellow students. But I found that the more I read every night often making notes and putting information into my own words, I began to find my understanding.

Even today, I write in the margins of my bible, reading passages then putting some of the main ideas into my own words. After I read these verses in James, I just felt convicted, I did not want to forget God's word.

The passages in the Bible are alive. The words can literally live and breathe, and they do that through us. So it is not just reading and understanding God's word, but He calls us to listen and do. I believe that as we read and pray, God allows us to do without even realizing we are doing it.

When I was first saved. I struggled with cursing. I was so used to taking the Lord's name in vain and just spouting out any old bad word the dictionary had. I knew that God was calling me to purify my mind and my speech. Therefore I prayed and when certain things happened or times came when I would normally reach right for a curse word, I stopped or replaced it with another word. As time passed it became more automatic, to the point where I didn't even realize I had changed.

Knowing the word is also trusting in God's power. By reading and guarding the word with all our hearts the power of the Holy Spirit lives in us and through us. Before we know it, we are doing without even realizing it. Prayer is a big part of listening to God, we have to continually ask Him for wisdom. Continually repent when we have sinned, and acknowledge that we can't do everything on our own.

So lessons of the day:

Read the bible

Listen to what God is teaching

Pray for wisdom and understanding

Do what God is calling us to do.

Patience in times of Suffering

When I think about patience, the word literally annoys me. Even though I regret to admit it, having patience has not been one of my stronger characteristics as a believer. I have often struggled waiting for God to answer my prayers or even just waiting for God to deliver me from difficulties in my life. I think it is easy to have faith and hope when everything in my life is seemingly going as best as I could have planned. Preachers often refer to this as being on the mountain top. When everything is all good we feel closer to God, praising Him for all the blessings He has given us. But like a sudden summer rainstorm, trials and tribulations can often cause our faith to weaken and our patience to be non-existent. James chapter 5: 7-12 talks about patience and holding on to our faith especially when we face difficulties in our lives. Let's look at versus 7-9 first.

7Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord's coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. 8You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord's coming is near. 9Don't grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!

One of my favorite aspects of God's Word is how we are given examples we can relate to, as we try to tackle complex scriptures. The description of the farmer tending to his crop is simple to comprehend and easy to envision. Farming is often categorized as a job that takes alot of patience. The farmer begins nourishing and planting his seeds in one particular season, but it may take a year before his crop has fully grown and he can sell it for profit. In the same way God is calling us as believers to be patient and wait for God to move in each of our lives.

There are a few different ways we can look at these few verses.

1.) Being patient as we wait for God to fulfill the desires of our hearts.

God plants seeds in each one of us. They are the desires we long to see realized in our lives. For me it was meeting a man who loved me and loved God. Someone I could raise a family with. I had to wait patiently for God to not only allow me to find that man, but also wait as He prepared me to receive that man as my husband. Some other desires can be having a particular career, seeing family and friends turn to Christ, or achieving a goal. Whatever our desire, God wants us to turn and trust in Him to fulfill that need.

(Another passage to check out is Psalm 37)

2.) Patiently waiting for God's glory to be realized. We are called to focus on heavenly things (Colassions 3:2). We should always be waiting and anticipating Christ's return.

3.) Like the farmer, God has planted the seed of Christ in us. When we accept Jesus as our Saviour, our faith is like a seed in the ground, it takes spiritual nutrients for it to grow and flourish. We must continually look for God to guide our walk and to tend to our lives, just as a farmer would tend to his crop.

Again, I love this image of our faith being like a plant. We all learned what a flower needs to grow in pre-kindergarten: fresh soil, sunshine and water. As we review verses 10-11 of James 5, think about that summer rainstorm, I mentioned earlier.

10Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.

Job's story is such a testament of faith and perseverance. Here was a man who was blessed with wealth, stability, a family, good health, and people who respected him. He loved the Lord and praised Him for all the blessings of his life. But what about when the rainstorm came? What happened when Job was suddenly hit hard by the difficulties of life?

When Job's faith was tested, and all that he treasured was taken from him, one might of thought that he would have lost all faith and begin cursing God for the hardships that had fallen on him for seemingly no reason. In fact, Satan was certain that Job would turn from God, he bet on it! But Job persevered through the storms in his life and continued believing that God still had a purpose for him, trusting in God's will. Job praised God when his wealth was gone, his family was killed and even his own health diminished, saying "the Lord gives and the Lord takes away" ( Job 1:21). What amazing faith! It was because of Job's faith that God restored even more than Job had originally lost.

God is compassionate and merciful.

Patience in times of suffering is probably the hardest for a believer no matter how strong we think our faith is. When the storms of life surround us, and everything around us seems chaotic, blurry, and uncertain, waiting patiently on the Lord can be the furthest thing from our minds.

I recently lost a member of my family to a horrible ATV accident. He was only 13 years old, had just graduated 8Th grade. To lose someone so suddenly at such a young age, we can begin to question God's intentions, asking "why did God allow this to happen?" Sadly, I still don't know the answer to that question. But my spiritual walk has taught me to trust that God will use this tragedy for good.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him (Romans 8:28)

My family may not know how God will use this tragedy, but I can already see God working. Those members of my family who may have never prayed or thought about God and heaven are now surrounded by those realizations. My husband and I were able to pray for the first time with my Aunt and Uncle, asking the Lord to allow them to put my cousin to rest in peace. I believe that God can use the storms in our lives to draw us closer to Him. I trust in that.

James 5:12

12Above all, my brothers, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. Let your "Yes" be yes, and your "No," no, or you will be condemned.

Our faith is like a seed in the ground. It needs both sunshine and rain for it to grow and flourish. We know that our faith will be tested in times of suffering. Will we allow the crashing waves of the storm tare us away from God? Will we stand firm and not be blown away with the strong winds that try to push us over? Will we believe and trust that God is at work in the midst of our trials? Will we be patient and wait for Him to deliver us? Wait for Him to restore what we have lost like Job?

Faith takes patience, we are called to have patience in the midst of suffering, not because God wants us to suffer, but because He wants us to trust that He will turn our suffering into joy by using something bad for good.

Faith is waiting on the Lord when we do not have the desires of our hearts. There is a reason why you don't have that job, that relationship, or you haven't yet reached that goal, and only God knows that reason. Trust that He knows what He is doing! He has a plan for your life. Pray that God reveals to you what you should be doing in order to put you on the path towards having that desire.

Finally, let your "yes's" be "yes" and your "no's" be "no's" If you say you have faith then don't allow it to be shaken in the midst of trials.