THROUGH THE BIBLE IN THREE YEARS
Stan, "Why the sad look, Jim?"
Jim, "I just don't understand today's world. It just makes me angry!"
Stan, "What seems to be the problem?"
Jim, "My daughter has a tattoo, my son wears an earring, and my wife makes twice the money that I do."
Stan, "What are you thinking?"
Jim, "I'm just gonna give up and go back to live with Dad!"
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________SCRIPTURE____________________________________________________________________
Jonah 4:4
Then said the LORD, Doest thou well to be angry?
KJV
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_______THOUGHT______________________________________________________________________
I've often contemplated this verse. Here was a man who refused to go where God wanted him to go, simply because he didn't like the people God wanted to save. Here was a man who suffered because of rebelliousness. Here was a man whom God used in a great mission endeavour. Yet, here was a man who was "angry" with God because God saved these people!
There are times when anger is justified. We should be angry with sin because it is constantly seeking to destroy our witness. We should be angry with ourselves when we act foolishly.
But we should never be angry with God when He says "WHOSOEVER will" may come to Him and be saved!
Jonah was so disappointed with God's salvation of the Ninevites, that he went out beyond the city and sat down to pout! There were many other people to whom he could have witnessed. There were many other places he could go and preach. There was much work to be done in the ministry of God. But this man became lethargic and apostate because of his own selfish whims!
God prepared a gourd to shade Jonah. God was trying to show Jonah that his anger would make him dry up and be withered like the gourd. So God prepared a worm to eat the gourd's roots, and the gourd withered away. Jonah didn't see the reasoning, and was angry with God again!
Anger is a sin that frustrates the will of God in our lives.
We tend to focus on the point of our anger, and forget to follow God's plan for us in mission and ministry.
Yes, abortion is murder. But we should be angry at the sin and not the sinner!
In a sense, if we withhold the Gospel from the abortionist, we become a spiritual abortionist!
Yes, gambling, homosexuality, pornography, atheism, are sins. But we should go BEYOND our anger toward the sin and "speak the Truth in love" to the sinner.
Let us go to the cross and crucify our anger.
And let us focus upon following God's plan of salvation.
Let us speak of Christ all the time, and to ALL the people!
Love ya,
Bruce