Tuesday... It can be so unreasonable. It really can.
What makes you angry? Not the righteous anger but the self-centered anger.
John over in chapter 7 of his book tells of these religious leaders who were angry with Jesus. Jesus said in verse 23 (NLT), "So why should you be angry with me for healing a man on the Sabbath?" They were so angry at him that they wanted to kill him. They were very, very unreasonable.
We have a lot of anger in our world today and much of it is so unreasonable. Even in the church there is such anger. Yes there is righteous anger but most of it is self-seeking, self-righteous anger. In verse 24 Jesus said, "Look beneath the surface so you can judge correctly." And that is what we need to do. Where is the anger coming from?
Over in Psalm 55:1-3 (NLT) David writes, "Listen to my prayer, O God. Do not ignore my cry for help! Please listen and answer me, for I am overwhelmed by my troubles. My enemies shout at me, making loud and wicked threats. They bring trouble on me and angrily hunt me down."
Later in verses 12-13 he writes, "It is not an enemy who taunts me - I could bear that. It is not my foes who so arrogantly insult me - I could have hidden from them. Instead it is you - my equal, my companion and close friend. What good fellowship we once enjoyed as we walked together to the house of God."
We need a revival of love in our world and even in our churches and also in our families.
Are you angry today? John 7:23 in the Amplified Bible says, "If, to avoid breaking the Law of Moses, a man undergoes circumcision on the Sabbath, why are you angry with Me for making a man's whole body well on the Sabbath?" Our anger can so many times be so unreasonable. And then Jesus says, "Do not judge by appearance [superficially and arrogantly] but judge fairly and righteously."
Proverbs 25:21 (NLT) says, "If your enemies are hungry, give them food to eat. If they are thirsty, give them water to drink. You will heap burning coals of shame on their heads, and the Lord will reward you."
And then verse 23 (AMP), "The north wind brings forth rain. And a backbiting tongue, an angry countenance." In other words, let's give food and water instead of backbiting on Facebook. As the GNT puts it, "Gossip brings anger."
By the way, they will know we are Christians by our love. Now that is very reasonable. Yes, yes! #todaysbeginning
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