Seeing The Good

My Friend Lauren Ashleigh Biggs asked this question.

What GOOD do you see coming from covid 19?

Here was my answer...

"1. It has caused people to turn their hearts toward heaven and the Amazing God who dwells there.

2. It has turned our hearts toward home. We are rediscovering the precious gift that is family and good friends.

3. We have been nudged to learn to be more self sufficient in our maybe too modern lifestyle.

4. We are led to lean on God for things that are beyond our control.

5. Our attention to Biblical prophesy has been focused like a lazer.

6. Our desire for the return of Christ has been turned up full blast...we say with John The Revelator "Even so come quickly Lord Jesus"

Accstance With Joy

One of the most profound truths I have learned in recent years is "Acceptance with Joy" there are many things that happen in this broken old world that I don't like.  I change the things I can and should change, there are things that are beyond my ability to change and sometimes God is urging me to move to a place of acceptance. This gives me peace in the midst of the storm knowing that God is using this difficult thing, person or circumstance to shape me into the image of Christ. An artist or sculptor must use a hammer and chisel a file and sandpaper to chip away all that is not necessary to the sculpture. We are living sculptures and God is shaping us with uncomfortable but necessary tools. Acceptance with Joy is illustrated by author Hannah Hurnard.

Quote from hinds feet to high places by hannah hurnard

In all that great desert, there was not a single green thing growing, neither tree nor flower nor plant save here and there a patch of straggly gray cacti. On the last morning {Much Afraid} was walking near the tents and huts of the desert dwellers, when in a lonely corner behind a wall she came upon a little golden-yellow flower, growing all alone. An old pipe was connected with a water tank. In the pipe was one tiny hole through which came an occasional drop of water. Where the drops fell one by one, there grew the little golden flower, though where the seed had come from, Much-Afraid could not imagine, for there were no birds anywhere and no other growing things. She stopped over the lonely, lovely little golden face, lifted up so hopefully and so bravely to the feeble drip, and cried out softly, “What is your name, little flower, for I never saw one like you before.” The tiny plant answered at once in a tone as golden as itself, “Behold me! My name is Acceptance-with-Joy!“ Much-Afraid thought of the things which she had seen… Somehow the answer of the little golden flower which grew all alone in the waste of the desert stole into her heart and echoed there faintly and sweetly, filling her with comfort. She said to herself, “He (the Shepherd) has brought me here when I did not want to come, for His own purpose. I, too, will look up into His face and say, ‘Behold me! I am your little handmaiden, Acceptance-with-Joy

A Great Day and The Greatest Day

We had a great day today.  I took a half day off and took my family fishing. We saw some of the most beautiful scenery in these United States of America. We hiked to a waterfall, climbded on rocks and just had an amazing time. After looking at some pictures read a blog post below from the great writer Robert Morgan anout The Greatest Day Ever...

The greatest day ever... Robert Morgan

This is from Robert Morgan.

"I’ve lived over 21,000 days. I can’t recall each of those in detail; but if you were to ask me for the best day and the worst day of my life, I could instantly tell you.

 

I bet you could do the same.

 

According to the Bible, we never know what a day will bring forth (Proverbs 27:1). Life is vacillating, undulating, unpredictable, and unknowable. There are good days and bad days. But only one day can be called the Greatest Day that Ever Was. Though it occurred before any of us were born, it’s as real as yesterday, as relevant as today, and as expectant as tomorrow. It permeates our hearts with hope. It is the most important day of our lives.

 

It was the day the corpse of Jesus of Nazareth opened His eyes in the silence of a sealed Jerusalem tomb. His heart resumed beating. His chest heaved as resurrected lungs inhaled the dank air of the damp cave. He stood to His feet, His glorified body rising through the binding shroud, and He stepped effortless through the rock wall as though it were air. He was alive—again and forever!

 

Up from the grave He arose, just as the world was rolling over into a new day. And what a day!—a unique day never before seen and never again repeated. It stands as the epicenter of the human story and as the focal point of time and eternity. It’s undeniable history, unfathomable mystery, and unequivocal victory.

 

It’s the Greatest Day that Ever Was"

Rise To The Ocassion

We are at a change point of crisis in our world. The church has a chance right now to "Rise to the occasion" in this crisis time and show the world that we exibit the Christlike character traits of generousity, mercy and compassion. We could see a massive move of God if the world cah see Christ in us as we navagate this and other crisis that may arise. Below is a quote from a missionary statesman of another generation. Rise to the occasion Church this is your hour.

 

Rising to the occasion J. Oswald Sanders

The HABIT of RISNG to the OCCASION "That ye may know what is the hope of His calling . . ." Ephesians 1:18 Remember what you are saved for - that the Son of God might be manifested in your mortal flesh. Bend the whole energy of your powers to realize your election as a child of God; rise to the occasion every time. You cannot do anything for your salvation, but you must do something to manifest it, you must work out what God has worked in. Are you working it out with your tongue, and your brain and your nerves? If you are still the same miserable crosspatch, set on your own way, then it is a lie to say that God has saved and sanctified you. God is the Master Engineer, He allows the difficulties to come in order to see if you can vault over them properly - "By my God have I leaped over a wall." God will never shield you from any of the requirements of a son or daughter of His. Peter says - "Think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you." Rise to the occasion; do the thing. It does not matter how it hurts as long as it gives God the chance to manifest Him self in your mortal flesh. May God not find the whine in us any more, but may He find us full of spiritual pluck and athleticism, ready to face anything He brings. We have to exercise ourselves in order that the Son of God may be manifested in our mortal flesh. God never has museums. The only aim of the life is that the Son of God may be manifested, and all dictation to God vanishes. Our Lord never dictated to His Father, and we are not here to dictate to God; we are here to submit to His will so that He may work through us what He wants. When we realize this, He will make us broken bread and poured out wine to feed and nourish others.

Avoiding The Angst Of Anger part 7

Secondly once you identify how you express anger…
2. STOP and THINK.
When you find yourself in a situation that could cause you to loose your temper ask these three questions:
1st Ask: Why am I angry?
Sometime the reason is not obvious but lies deep below the surface. Anger is not always the root problem but a symptom of a bigger problem. When little issues cause you to over react you might be dealing with residual anger. The pain and frustration of past events could be causing you to become angry over petty issues. At this point it is important to seek the guidance of a trained counselor, someone who can help you get to the core issue and encourage you to go to Christ for healing.
2nd Ask: Is it worth getting angry about?
Not everything that bothers you is worth expressing. It is important that you learn to pick your battles carefully.

3rd Ask: What do I really want out of this encounter? - When you think through it logically where do you want the situation to go?
  one man wrote….I love email. I think email is great. When I get frustrated with someone or a situation I sit down and write an email describing the problem and the solution. Then I save it in my, “To be sent folder.” I leave it there and read it the next day. 9 times out of 10 I never send the email. Sometimes just writing things down and coming back to them the next day is all the resolution you need. Sometimes anger won’t bring about the result we are hoping for.

So once you have identified how you express anger and once you have thought about why you are angry…

3. Replace your anger.  31-32
31Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: 32And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

When you are sick or have a virus the first thing you do is try to get rid of it. You might drink lots of fluids, get plenty of rest or take medications that will combat the effects. Paul is saying when you harbor anger inside do everything you can to get rid of it. Like a virus it wants to gain supremacy over your life but you need to do all you can to replace your anger with something more powerful.

What is the one thing that will help you get rid of your anger? FORGIVENESS
Learn to FORGIVE.
Forgiveness releases the person who has hurt you and gives the pain to God. Forgiving is not forgetting but it is letting go of the pain caused by another person or an event.

How can you learn to replace anger with forgiveness?

1. Believe that anger is a rational choice! People can provoke you to become angry but only you can stay angry. Anger in the end is a choice you have made.

2. Look to the Holy Spirit to empower you. Confess to God that you have not expressed you anger in healthy ways. List the different events where you allowed the situation to be out of control and ask God to forgive you. When you have agreed with God about where you need to change the Holy Spirit will become a strong force in your life for change.

3. Remember, Jesus forgave you!
Go ahead and be angry. You do well to be angry—but don’t use your anger as fuel for revenge. And don’t stay angry. Don’t go to bed angry. Don’t give the Devil that kind of foothold in your life.

Did you used to make ends meet by stealing? Well, no more! Get an honest job so that you can help others who can’t work.

Watch the way you talk. Let nothing foul or dirty come out of your mouth. Say only what helps, each word a gift.

Don’t grieve God. Don’t break his heart. His Holy Spirit, moving and breathing in you, is the most intimate part of your life, making you fit for himself. Don’t take such a gift for granted.

Make a clean break with all cutting, backbiting, profane talk. Be gentle with one another, sensitive. Forgive one another as quickly and thoroughly as God in Christ forgave you.

Proverbs 15 :1 A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.

2 The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness.

3 The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.

4 A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit.

Avoiding The Angst Of Anger part 6

Let me share with you three ways to be Good and Angry.
1.

EXAMINE yourself.
The only way you will know if anger is a problem in your life is to stop and do a self exam. Doctors recommend that we examine ourselves physically to detect any abnormalities before they become a problem. Likewise God wants us to examine ourselves spiritually to detect any feelings of bitterness or unresolved anger before they become a habit.
1st ask: How do I express my anger?

four basic ways that we learn to express anger.
1. Maniac (exploder)
A famous golfer was out on the links instructing his son when some reporters came up to him. The reporters began to ask the young boy some questions about his father’s game. One reporter ask, “What has your father taught you when you hit your ball into the rough?” The boy was hesitant to answer the question so his father said to him, “Go ahead Son! Show them exactly what I do when I hit the ball into the trees?” The boy looked again at his father then suddenly took his club and threw it into the water.

You see his father was an exploder. When things didn’t go his way he would over react and take his aggression out on whatever was in front of him. Some of us are exploders.
2. Mute (imploder),
This is the person who is determined never to get angey. Instead of expressing healthy anger he/she bottles it up inside and pretends as if nothing ever bothers him.

Someone once said, ”When I learned to swallow my anger, I later realized my stomach kept count.” Some of us are imploders.
3. Martyr (inflictor), Like Eyore.
This is a person who is excellent at throwing pitty parties. They secretly enjoy being disappointed and feel uncomfortable when things are going well. Their anger is repressed and later manifests itself as depression.

4. Manipulator (exploiter), This is the passive aggressive personality.

Like Lee Iacocca when he was fired from Ford said, “I don’t get mad, I just get even.”
1st identify how you express your anger. Then…
2nd Ask: What kind of person do I want to be? Or what kind of person does God want me to be?

When you have an vision of the kind of person you want to become, you will be more motivated to make the necessary changes. You will have a better idea of what needs to change when you know where your character is headed.

Avoiding The Angst Of Anger part 5

Unresolved anger is LETHAL when molded into words. (29)
29Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
Quick and careless words cause more damage to people than any other known force in the world. When we allow unresolved anger to build within us it will eventually explode into harmful words.
Every year many people are killed all over the world by unexploded bombs. I recently read that hundreds of pounds of explosives are recovered every year in France alone. Many of these bombs were dropped in WWI and II and are now turning up all across Europe. They fell harmlessly from the sky but over the years their contents have sat exposed to the elements. With time and corrosion they have become more and more dangerous, any slight movement could set them off.

There are many people who are like those aging land mines. When anger lingers in the human heart any small problem can set it off, resulting in lethal words. Words that destroy relationships and damage lives.
   

Unresolved anger DISTANCES us from God. (30)
30And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior you are indwelt with the Holy Spirit, God’s Spirit lives in you. But when you allow anger to build up in your life it repels the influence of the Spirit. The Spirit still lives in you but your anger is keeping Him from working fully in your life.

Imagine it this way - Lets say someone is teaching you to play the piano. You start off with a great deal of enthusiasm and energy and make some real progress in a short period of time. Then after a few months you get distracted, you stop practicing and you forget why you started playing in the first place. Your teacher begins to notice that your playing is suffering and he asks you, “Are you sure you want to play the piano?” You say, “Yes”, but over the next few weeks you continue to ignore what you have learned.

How long do you think your teacher is going to invest into you when you fail to practice what you have learned? The answer is not very long.

Well the Holy Spirit works in a similar way. When we fail to put into practice the things the Spirit is teaching us, the Spirit takes a step back in our lives. His voice becomes silent and His influence less evident.
Unresolved anger blocks the impact of the Spirit in our lives. Anger limits how God can use us and keeps us from becoming the person God designed us to be.

Avoiding The Angst of Anger part 4

Unresolved anger is an open INVITATION for evil. (27-28)
27Neither give place to the devil. 28Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

When anger gets a foothold in your life, you are more susceptible to doing things you would not normally do – even stealing. Paul is addressing a real problem that was happening in his churches. Because the people were angry at each other they stopped caring and started stealing. Anger caused them to loose their concern for the community and start focusing instead on themselves.

Unresolved anger causes us to ask: What is best for me? Anger makes us more aware of what we need and less concerned about what is right or best for others.
Proverbs 14:17 17He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly: and a man of wicked devices is hated.

Proverbs 29:22 22An angry man stirreth up strife, and a furious man aboundeth in transgression.

 A hot-tempered person starts fights and gets into all kinds of sin.

You might remember the story of Cain and Able. Cain became angry at Able because God valued Able’s offering above Cain’s. When God noticed the anger that was building in Cain’s heart God warned him in Genesis 4:66And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? 7If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.

 Instead of listening to God Cain allowed his anger to get the best of Him and it resulted in the death of his brother. I imagine Cain’s first thought was not to kill his brother. It was only after anger took control that he did what he normally would not do. Unresolved anger turned a bitter Cain into a killer.

A very similar event happened in the life of Alexander the Great. Though Alexander literally conquered the world he was unable to control his anger. Alexander had a friend and a general in his army named Cletus. On one occasion Cletus became drunk and ridiculed the emperor in front of his men. Blinded by his anger Alexander snatched a spear and threw it at Cletus. Though he had intended to scare him the spear took the life of his childhood friend. As a result Alexander was overcome with guilt and attempted to take his own life. History records that Alexander feel into a deep depression and laid in bed for days calling for his friend.

One historian writing about this event said, “Alexander the Great conquered many countries, but he failed miserably to conquer his own self.” (Lutzer)

When anger gets a hold on your life you are prone to doing things you will later regret.

Avoiding The Angst Of Anger part 3

2. Anger is a WARNING light built in by God. (26)
26 Be ye angry, AND sin not: (KJV)
We can get into trouble when we ignore the signs of anger. When we ignore the warning lights that lead to anger we can find ourselves in a place we never intended to be.

one man said….When I was a new driver I developed a bad habit. Instead of filling up when the gas light came on, I would ignore the warning and see how far I could get. Now, most of the time I would fill-up right before the car stopped running; but what do you do when you run out of gas on the way to your wedding? Even though I had been reminded many times, I ignored the warning and I ignored the signs that indicated trouble is near. As a result I walked the last mile to the church in my tuxedo.
Now maybe you are better than I am when it comes to responding to warning lights, but how well do you respond to anger? How well do you anticipate the things that cause anger? How well do you keep your anger from getting out of control?

God designed anger to be a flashing light yellow light – to say to us - proceed with caution, be aware, know that trouble is near. So when the light comes on – don’t ignore it. Don’t think it will just go away.
3. Anger must be RESOLVED. (End, 26)

26 26Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:

Anger can be a healthy emotion but it is not designed to be a permanent emotion.
When Jesus became angry in the temple and turned over the tables of the money changers, He did not remain angry. After the event He didn’t dwell on what happened, He didn’t allow His anger with the people to impact His love for people.
Look at how Matthew records the events in chapter 21,
“12And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves, 13And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves. 14And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them
Circle the words, IN THE TEMPLE.

I don’t know about you but when I get angry I have a hard time letting go. When I get angry my anger generally gets the best of me, it can ruin an entire day. Anger can cause me to become a person I don’t want to be, it can cause me to say things I didn’t want to say.

I read the results of a study that demonstrates the effects of anger. The researchers found that anger causes the average female’s blood pressure to rise 6 points and the average male’s blood pressure to rise 14 points. It also indicated that unresolved anger is the number one cause for psychological depression. The point is, when we get angry, anger takes control.

But when Jesus became angry He remained the same person, He did not loose control. His anger did not have a negative impact on His character or cause Him to say the wrong things. He went from anger to mercy in the same day. His anger was motivated by His love for people and never became a vehicle for harboring resentment. Anger must be resolved.

Avoiding The Angst Of Anger part 2

Being Good and Angry. 
Ephesians 4:26-4:32
Proverbs 14:17 17He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly: and a man of wicked devices is hated.

Proverbs 29:22 22An angry man stirreth up strife, and a furious man aboundeth in transgression.

Proverbs 16:32King James Version (KJV)

32 He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.

Proverbs 19:11 - The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and [it is] his glory to pass over a transgression.

Proverbs 15:18 - A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but [he that is] slow to anger appeaseth strife.

Proverbs 12:16 - A fool's wrath is presently known: but a prudent [man] covereth shame

Growing up one of my favorite TV shows was the, "The Incredible Hulk." The main character was a scientist named Dr. David Banner. Most of the time he was a nice guy. But when he become angry he would repeat those famous words, “Don’t make me angry, you wouldn’t like me when I am angry.” And if the person ignored his warning right before your eyes he would transform into Lou Ferrigno, this big green monster.
The whole series was built around Dr. Banners search for a cure. Dr. Banner didn’t like what anger did to him and he did all he could to prevent it from happening.
The message many got from the series is that anger is always bad, anger can turn a normal person into a monster. Anger can turn you into someone you don’t want to be. As a result the best way of dealing with anger is to never express it, because anger can be so volital the best way to manage anger is to repress it. And that is how many deal with anger today.

However in Ephesians 4, God gives us a different way of looking at anger. Instead of dismissing anger as evil, Paul tells us that anger can be a good and healthy emotion. Anger itself is not wrong, it is the reasons and motivations for our anger that cause us to loose control.

Let me share with you six ways to look at anger. The first three are positive descriptions of anger and the last three describe what happens when anger takes control.

1. Anger is a normal emotion. (26)
26 Be ye angry, AND sin not: (KJV)

The point is it is possible to be angry and not sin. Anger in and of itself is not bad, God created anger for a good purpose – with good intentions.

You might remember the story of Jesus entering the temple. When Jesus saw what the religious leaders had done to corrupt the temple, Jesus became angry. His anger was not directed at hurting people but at the wrong things they had done in God’s name. Jesus was angry because the people had violated God and His anger was an expression of God’s anger. Jesus demonstrates that it is possible to be angry and not sin. There is such a thing as good anger or Godly anger.

The question we need to ask is: What did Jesus do that allowed Him to express His anger in healthy ways?

The answer is found in His focus. Jesus never allowed His emotions or pain to take His focus off of God and onto himself. Jesus was able to keep God as His first priority even when He was angry.

Our problem is we seldom become angry for the right reasons or motives. Human anger tends to be self-motivated rather than God-motivated. We become angry when someone does something that hurts us or hurts someone we love. Human anger is generally an offensive weapon we use to defend our pride.

As a result, Anger is like a fire. If the fire is controlled, it can be helpful and productive but if the fire gets out of control it can be harmful and deadly. Anger is the same way! Though anger is a natural emotion, we must be careful how we use it because it can have devastating effects.

Aristotle said it this way, “Anybody can become angry… But to be angry with the right person, to the right degree, at the right time, for the right purpose, and in the right way - this is not within everybody’s power….”

In other words anger is a normal emotion, but we must be very careful how we express it.

Avoiding The Angst Of Anger

Avoiding The Angst Of Anger 1                               

19Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: 20For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. 21Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.  James 1:19­-21

Illustration: Buried Anger Will Explode

  In a 1994 article, "Wars' Lethal Leftovers Threaten Europeans," Associated Press reporter Christopher Burns writes: "The bombs of World War II are still killing in Europe. They turn up--and sometimes blow up--at construction sites, in fishing nets, or on beaches fifty years after the guns fell silent.

  "Hundreds of tons of explosives are recovered every year in France alone. Thirteen old bombs exploded in France last year, killing twelve people and wounding eleven, the Interior Ministry said.

  "'I've lost two of my colleagues,' said Yvon Bouvet, who heads a government team in the Champagne-Ardennes region that defuses explosives from both World War I and II. ...

  "Unexploded bombs become more dangerous with time, Bouvet said. 'With the corrosion inside, the weapon becomes more unstable, the detonator can be exposed.'"  What is true of lingering bombs is also true of lingering anger. Buried anger will explode when we least expect it."     -- Barry McGee, Anderson, California.  Leadership, Vol.

Listen to this paraphrase of James 1:19-21.

"Post this at all the intersections, dear friends: Lead with your ears, follow up with your tongue, and let anger straggle along in the rear. 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."  

James offers some steps toward overcoming anger.

Be slow to speak (v. 19). 19Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath

The Delany twins two centenarian twins have what they call, Graveyard Talk.

  "Know when to keep quiet. When we decide something is private, we'll say it's "graveyard talk." That means it's between you and me and the tombstone, honey."

  -- Sadie and Bessie Delany, Christian Reader, Vol. 33, no. 2.

“Slow to speak.” God gave us two ears and one mouth—there must be a very definite reason for that. There is a real danger of our talking too much.

The story is told about Socrates and a young man who was brought to him to enter his school. Socrates was a school teacher as well as a philosopher. The young man came in and was introduced to Socrates. Before he could say a word, the young man started talking, and he talked for about ten minutes. Finally, when the young man finished, Socrates said, “I’ll take you as a student, but I’m going to charge you twice as much.” The young man asked, “Why are you going to charge me double?” Socrates’ reply was this: “First I am going to have to teach you how to hold your tongue and then how to use it.”

Weigh your words carefully (Prov. 17:28  Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.

Prov. 29:20. Seest thou a man that is hasty in his words? there is more hope of a fool than of him.