Baggage: Anger

Ok - so we went to CCV: Peoria this weekend, because we had a Neighborhood Group Leaders meeting. And wow. Their campus is large. Worship was great. I didn't experience the vulture-like first impressions - infact, we had to seek out people for directions - the welcome wasn't offered. When we finally got to the information center, the woman we spoke with was nice. Don was speaking in Surprise, so, we were hoping that it would have been a video venue, (to get a sneak peak of what to expect in April) but it wasn't they had a pastor from the Midwest (Phil Ling) speaking on the Baggage: anger. He did a great job - he was funny, engaging, and I felt out of place, like I was at a conference or something. It might have been the argument that I had with my husband that started with the direction of his driving, and the negative attitude that I had, but whatever it was it didn't feel right, and I was NOT happy. And the message on Anger.... yeah.... fueled the fire that Satan had started that morning. Sitting back and reflecting on yesterday really made me realize how we as the body are being attacked.

Anger -
James 1:19-27

There is righteous anger. Ephesians 4:26-27, Ecclesiastes 7:9
There are five faces of anger: irritation, indignation, wrath, furry, rage

There are three negative consequences of uncontrolled anger:

• It dulls our hearing and spiritual awareness. James 1:19
• It loosens our tongue. Proverbs 29:11, Proverbs 10:19
• It weakens our will. James 1:21, Proverbs 14:17

By reacting we paint ourselves into the corner.

Your behavior has a consequence. Proverbs 30:33

Three keys to keeping your temper under control:

1. swallow your pride - don't be defensive. forgive. release. James 1:21
2. obey the word - don't just listen to it. Listen means AUDIT James 1:22
3. restrain your tongue - don't spout off immediately. James 1:26

Proverbs 16:23

James 1:21: The Message "God's righteousness doesn't grow from human anger. So throw all spoiled virtue and cancerous evil in the garbage. In simple humility, let our gardener, God, landscape you with the Word, making a salvation-garden of your life."

I hope you were able to make it to service this weekend at parkway (aka: CCV:surprise ). Let me know your thoughts!