Purity 353 02/27/2021 Purity 353 Podcast
Good morning.
Today’s photo of the wonderful full moon that we have experienced locally
this week comes from a friend in Hudson, New York. They also happened to catch
one of God’s winged creatures finding their way by the light of this February
moon.
This photo just reminds me of how the Lord has provided life and balance
for us all. The moon not only provides the reflected light of the sun to see by
at night, but it also provides the necessary balance for the earth,
establishing our position gravitationally, marking the passage of time as it
revolves around us, and affecting the tides.
The moon and earth are in a relationship of balance that results in
providing us with the environment that makes it possible to live.
Our feathered friend reminds me of Jesus’ words in Matthew 6:26 where He
points out that birds neither sow nor reap but our Heavenly Father feeds them
and He indicates that we, who are made in God’s image, are valuable too.
If we drift too far away from God, we lose the peace of His presence,
doubt our value, and lose our balance.
We were never meant to live this life alone. So take time this weekend
to find the balance that the Lord provides by recognizing His provision and
presence in our lives and by understanding that you are valuable in His eyes.
(An
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This morning’s meditation
verse is:
1 Timothy
4:4 (NKJV)
4 For every creature of God is
good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving;
Today’s Bible verse indicates that there were significant
changes for the people of God when Christ came to earth. The verses preceding this verse warn us that
people will attempt to deceive us through false teachings and one of the things
they will attempt to command us to do is to abstain from foods which God
created to be received with thanksgiving.
This verse tells us that all of God’s creatures are good and are to not to be refused when received with thanksgiving, pointing to the freedom that comes from the redemptive covenant that we have made with God when we place our faith in Jesus Christ. Faith in Christ changes everything.
The Old Testament dietary restrictions have been lifted as God welcomed the gentile nations into His grace and didn’t demand that they follow the traditions found in the Mosaic laws. Acts 15 shows us that the Holy Spirit revealed that the gentile believers where not required to be Jews to be accepted by God and were not to try to earn their acceptance by following rules when their salvation came through faith in Christ alone.
These “changes” emphasize that God always saved His people by the faith that they put in Him and that the Old Testament law was intended to draw people into a relationship with God and to show that we would be unable to follow it perfectly, demanding that we would throw ourselves upon His mercy and grace rather than try to earn our way into His kingdom.
So rejoice! God loves us! He only asked that we place our faith in Him through the person of Jesus Christ to be approved. Our walk with God is not about perfection. Our walk is about being in His presence, loving Him, and drawing closer to Him by following where He leads us.
So eat what you like, but when you do be sure to do it with thanksgiving, knowing that God has provided it and He is good!
I invite all to mt4chritst.org where I always share
insights from prominent Christian counselors to assist my brothers and sisters
in Christ with their walk.
Today we will share from Dr. June Hunt’s Biblical Counseling Keys on “Anger:
Facing the Fire Within”
As always, I share this information for educational purposes
and encourage all to purchase Dr. Hunt’s books for your own private study and
to support her work:
III. CAUSES OF ANGER
Fear Ignites Anger
Imagine leading thousands of people through the desert with all of them
looking to you to meet both their physical and spiritual needs. While setting
up camp at the base of a mountain, God calls you to climb the mountain and meet
with Him because He plans to give you the Ten Commandments and other beneficial
laws.
As you meet with God, unbeknownst to you, the very people God has instructed
you to lead have turned their hearts away from Him. They melt their precious
gold, mold a golden calf, and merrily worship it! Now, God interrupts your
meeting to inform you that your people have turned against Him. Flushed with
anger and fear, you rush down the mountain to confront them.
Exodus 32:19
states... "When Moses approached the camp and saw the calf and the
dancing, his anger burned and he threw the tablets out of his hands, breaking
them to pieces at the foot of the mountain."
Moses reacted in anger because he was full of fear. He was afraid God's
righteous anger against his disobedient people would result in their
destruction. (That very day 3,000 disobedient Israelites died, and the people
were struck with a plague.) He knew they needed to...
"Worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our 'God is a
consuming fire.'" (Hebrews 12:28-29)
A. What Are the 4 Sources of Anger?
Throughout the natural world, unexpected fires can be started and fueled by
at least four sources: seeping oil, seeping gas, molten lava, or coal bed
methane (a flammable gas that can cause mining explosions). In a similar way,
anger is typically started and fueled by at least 1 of 4 sources: hurt,
injustice, fear, or frustration. Therefore, anger is a secondary response to 1
or more of these 4 roots.
Probing into buried feelings from your past can be painful. Therefore, it
can seem easier to stay angry than to uncover the cause, turn loose of your
"rights," and grow in maturity. When you are seeking to uproot
problematic anger, you must have perseverance because...
"Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and
complete, not lacking anything." (James 1:4)
#1
Hurt: Your heart is wounded.
Everyone has a God-given inner need for unconditional love. When you
experience rejection or emotional pain of any kind, anger can become a
protective wall keeping people, pain, and hurt away.
Biblical Example... The Sons
of Jacob
Joseph was the undisputed favorite among Jacob's sons. Feeling hurt and
rejected by their father, the ten older sons became angry and vindictive toward
their younger brother....
"Israel [Jacob] loved Joseph more than any of his other sons,
because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made a richly ornamented
robe for him. When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any
of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him" (Genesis 37:3-4).
#2
Injustice: Your right is violated.
Everyone has a knowledge of right and wrong, fair and unfair, just and unjust.
When you perceive an injustice has occurred to you or to others
(especially to those you love), you may feel angry. If you hold on to the offense,
the unresolved anger can begin to take root in your heart.
Biblical Example... King
Saul
King Saul's unjust treatment of David evoked Jonathan's anger.
Jonathan, son of Saul, heard his own father pronounce a death sentence on his
dear friend David....
"'Why should he be put to death? What has he done?' Jonathan asked
his father. But Saul hurled his spear at him to kill him [Jonathan]. Then
Jonathan knew that his father intended to kill David. Jonathan got up from the
table in fierce anger" (1 Samuel 20:32-34).
#3
Fear: Your future is threatened.
Everyone is created with a God-given inner need for security. When
you begin to worry, feel threatened, or get angry because of a change in
circumstances, you may be responding to fear. A fearful heart reveals a
lack of trust in God's perfect plan for your life.
Biblical Example... King
Saul
Saul became angry because of David's many successes on the battlefield.
(Read 1 Samuel
18:5-15, 28-29.)
He was threatened by David's popularity and feared he would lose his
kingdom....
"Saul was very angry.... 'They have credited David with tens of
thousands,' he thought, 'but me with only thousands.'.... Saul was afraid of
David, because the Lord was with
David but had left Saul" (1 Samuel 18:8, 12).
#4
Frustration: Your performance is not accepted.
Everyone has a God-given inner need for significance. When your
efforts are thwarted or do not meet your own personal expectations, your sense
of significance can be threatened. Frustration over unmet expectations
of yourself or of others is a major source of anger.
Biblical Example... Cain
Both Cain and Abel brought offerings to God, but Cain's offering was clearly
unacceptable. Cain had chosen to offer what he himself wanted to give rather
than what God said was right and acceptable. When Cain's self-effort was
rejected, his frustration led to anger, and his anger led to the murder
of his own brother....
"In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil
as an offering to the Lord. But
Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his
offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very
angry, and his face was downcast.... Now Cain said to his brother Abel, 'Let's
go out to the field.' And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his
brother Abel and killed him" (Genesis 4:3-5, 8).
Anger and Inappropriate Anger
Question: "What does God want me to do about my
inappropriate anger?"
Answer: God wants
you to examine the true source of your anger. Is it hurt, injustice, fear,
frustration, or a combination of these? Then evaluate whether you are using
anger to try to get your inner need for love, for significance, or for security
met.
- Have you been
hurt by rejection or someone's unkind words? If so, ask...
- —Am
I using anger to try to intimidate or coerce someone to remain in a
relationship with me?
- Have you
been a victim of an unjust situation where you felt powerless? If
so, ask...
- —Am
I using angry, accusatory words to cause someone to feel guilty and
obligated to me?
- Have you
been afraid because of a situation you can't control? If so, ask...
- —Am
I using anger to overpower and control someone in order to get my
way?
- Have you
been frustrated because of something you can't do? If so, ask...
- —Am
I using angry threats and shaming words to manipulate someone to meet
my demands?
- In
searching your heart, decide that you will not use anger to try to get
your needs met. Instead, repent and no longer look to others to meet your
needs. Enter into a deeper dependence on the Lord to meet these God-given
needs, because...
"The Lord will guide
you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will
strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring
whose waters never fail." (Isaiah 58:11)
Biblical Counseling Keys - Biblical Counseling Keys – Biblical Counseling Keys:
Anger: Facing the Fire Within.
----------------------------more
on Monday -------------------------
God bless
you all!
Join our
Victory over the Darkness Discipleship Class via the mt4christ247 podcast!
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