Healing (Part III)

Temps hit 50 yesterday afternoon, with sunny skies and a firm clue that spring really is coming before too long. The snowfall this morning reminded us that it's still winter, but we're gathered together here to be warmed inwardly, no matter the weather.

Pastor Brad welcomed us and noted that today we will continue with another aspect of healing... the problem of anger.

Announcements
1. Seeking volunteers to help with the sound system. (See Brad or Brooke)
2. It's not too early to think about this summer. If you're interested in helping with VBS this summer please see Brooke.

The worship team then lead us into worship with a song that included this affirmation, "Greater is He that is in me when you praise the hurt away." Brad thanked God for His presence here and offered our worship up to Him.

Chuck read the familiar passage from Corinthians, "If one part suffers, every part suffers." We can't live our lives like islands on the seas. We need are connected and what happens to one happens to all, whether pain or honor. The worship team then sang "I know the Master of the wind." We then together sang from the blue Praise Book.

The offering taken, we spent a period of time in prayer before Pastor presented the message.

Healing (Part III)

Today's message would be drawn from Ephesians 4. The theme centered on anger, in this with regard to our own anger.

Not all anger is bad. It's a matter of what we're angry about. The words anger and fire are in the same verse in one place, and that applies because fire can warm you in the winter and cook food, but can also destroy your house.

Are you giving the devil a foothold? The passage Brad pointed out begins with verses 26 and 27. Anger is a means of opening the door for the evil one to walk in. When Cain killed his brother Abel, God gave a warning because He saw Cain's anger. Be careful.

Then there's the kind of anger which we conceal but it's there. We keep it under the surface but it's there. Angry with people at work, or spouses or the political landscape, and then transfer all that toward anger with God.

There are two kinds of anger. First is the rager, a hot-tempered person who lets everyone know it. Proverbs 29:11 says, "A fool gives full vent to his anger, but the wise man keeps himself under control."

Some people think it's OK to blow up and it's over. They just move on. Problem is, we leave a whole lot of wounded people in our wake when we are this way.

The second group is not ragers, but they are suppressors. Psalm 32: 3 says, "When I kept silent my bones wasted away..." There's a smoldering beneath the surface that will also do damage. This stewing is destructive. It destroy's marriages. It destroys lives.

Luke 15:28 is the story of the Prodigal Son, and when the older brother sees the way the younger brother is welcomed home he begins to stew beneath the surface.

What kind of anger is this? Is it the kind of anger the reflects the character of God? Or is it sinful anger? If the latter, we need holy water to pour over that and put the fire out.

"Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam, so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out." In other words, drop it.

James 1:19-20 is another insightful passage. Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to become angry. Brad shared that he used to have such a serious temper problem he had a nickname given to him because his anger could flare from zero to 100 in seconds.

Yes, Jesus got angry, but He didn't sin. On one occasion he healed a man with a withered hand, and the Pharisees were so critical of Him for helping this man on the Sabbath. The religious leaders tried to trip Him up and though it made him angry He did not hold back His compassion for the man.

Brad then said we need to be angry about the right things. When it's sinful anger we need to drop it. When it's sanctified anger, something that grieves the heart of God, how do we respond?

If it is anger that is hurting other people we need to put it out. Pour the water of the Spirit of God on it. But if you are angry at things that anger the heart of God, throw gasoline on that fire. Let God ignite you to make a difference for the kingdom because fire can be both good or bad.

In all cases, bring it before God in prayer.

“Open Wide and Say Ahhh”

There were a number of visitors with us on this warm, sunny summer day. Pastor Brad welcomed all this Independence Day weekend, foreshadowing his message with comments about James 3 and its emphasis on taming the tongue.

In commenting on our freedoms which we share as Americans, Pastor Brad noted that there are more slaves today than at any time in history, and that we should not take our freedoms for granted.

Scripture reading today, by Ruth Anne:
Zechariah 9:9-12
Romans 7:15-25a

“Open Wide and Say Ahhh”
Has anyone here ever said something they wish they could take back? After sharing a painful personal incident from his younger days, he noted that the Bible says many words about word. Proverb 18:21 states, “The tongue has the power of life and death.”

Words can help someone, or crush their spirit. Words can instruct, or discourage. Words have great power.

In another personal anecdote, Pastor Brad shared how one time years ago he was teaching a Bible study and someone shared something, but his glib reply showed that he was not really listening, and the person brought him up short by pointing this out. “You weren’t really listening to me,” the woman said. He dismissed it, until a week later another person said that he was not listening to them either. The reality is that we need to not only watch what we say, but also watch what we don’t say.

Jesus was the perfect model of how we are to be. He was both grace and truth. He could speak the truth, but with great gentleness and sensitivity. “A bruised reed He will not break,” writes Isaiah.

Pastor Brad then cited the verse, “If anyone speaks, let him speak as if it were the very words of God.”

Unfortunately, sin interferes. As a result, we have a pattern of connecting and disconnecting. From the beginning, when you look behind the fig leaf, Adam and Eve were both harboring shame and guilt.

5Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. ~ James 3:5-6

The evil one wants to divide and destroy what God has done, and uses our words to do it.

There are five areas where we mess up.

1. Name Calling
Even playful name calling can hurt. We’ve all done some of it when young. We don’t realize when we are doing it that we’re hitting a sore spot. People often hide that. But when we see we’ve said something that hurt, we need to apologize quickly. It is better to have verbal discipline and not hurt people.

2. Blaming
Many couples fall into this. “I am the way I am because of you.” Instead of owning their behavior, couples often blame the other. Proverbs 22:13 refers to the sluggard who does not assume responsibility. Rather, he hides himself to avoid pain. The blame game is unhealthy.

3. Generalizing
“You always do that…” or “You never do that…” Proverbs 10:21 says “The lips of the righteous nourish many, but fools die for lack of judgment.” To generalize is to not show good judgment.

4. Critical Comments, Critical Spirit
Critical words stick and hurt for a long time.

5. Anger
Frequently, you will find that angry people grew up in a home with an angry person. Proverb 29:11 cautions, “A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control.”

Pastor Brad reminded us that, on the other hand, when someone comes to us & they’re angry, we should not minimize it by dismissing it or spiritualizing it. Nor should we speak too quickly. Jesus was not rattled by another’s anger. The Scriptures compel us to mourn with those who mourn.

12 Before his downfall a man's heart is proud,
but humility comes before honor.
13 He who answers before listening—
that is his folly and his shame. ~ Prov. 18:12-13

We need to be good listeners and take ownership of our words. Again Past Brad reminded us that we should speak as if our words were the very words of God.

After celebrating, sharing communion together, he reminded us in closing, “On the other side, we need to extend grace to those who have said hurtful things to us.”