Yesterday we read Jesus’s parable of the king who forgave his servant—who then refused to forgive a fellow-servant. From this parable, we learned that to refuse to forgive is hypocritical. But there’s a second lesson.
Read MoreCategory Archives: Anger
What Does Following Christ Cost?
Following Christ as His disciple is a costly, unselfish decision. It calls for a radical examination of our self-centered lifestyles. Whew! That’s one of those easy things to say but tough to carry out.
Read MoreGod’s Attitude toward Defiance
Solomon planted seeds of willfulness and independence that reaped a harvest of age-old rebellion in his heart. Let’s see what God did in response to Solomon’s defiance. Read 1 Kings 11:9–11. His very first reaction was a strong statement of divine anger. Right off the bat: “Now the LORD was angry with Solomon” (v. 9). What a refreshing balance, what a clean breath of air! Of course God was angry!
Read MorePeace . . . in Spite of Panic
I invite you to focus your full attention on one of the rarest of all virtues. It is a virtue that everybody pursues, but very few possess on a regular basis. I’m referring to the often-longed-for but seldom-found virtue of peace. Peace—something that is needed between nations just as badly as it is needed between neighbors. We are a warring people. Deep down underneath our placid plastic cover we are fighters.
Read MoreTension in the Tank, Part Two
In the northeastern United States, codfish are not only delectable, they are a big commercial business. There’s a market for eastern cod all over, especially in sections farthest removed from the northeast coastline. But the public demand posed a problem to the shippers. At first they froze the cod, then shipped them elsewhere, but the freeze took away much of the flavor.
Read MoreJealousy
Like an anger-blind, half-starved rat prowling in the foul-smelling sewers below street level, so is the person caged within the suffocating radius of selfish jealousy. Trapped by resentment and diseased by rage, he feeds on the filth of his own imagination. “Jealousy,” says Proverbs 6:34, “enrages a man.”
Read MoreMurder and Malice
The Lord’s list of abominations—behaviors He intensely detests—continues with the hands and the heart. 3. Hands that shed innocent blood: The shedding of blood refers to killing someone, not merely drawing blood in a nonfatal injury, and the qualification “innocent” is important. First, Solomon had murder specifically in mind, an act that the Lord considers an abomination.
Read MoreComposed and Quiet
Having chosen to enter a season of quietness, stepping back from public view, David examines the effect of humility on his soul. Psalm 131 contains several curious word pictures. Verse 2: Was that capable and passionate man of war irritated and out of sorts because he had been reduced from captain of the team to spectator? Not in the least.
Read MoreThe War with Evil
Enemy attack? There was a time in my life when I had no enemies. Once I began ministry, however, that changed. It should come as no surprise that many who serve God in full-time ministry become targets of demonic assaults, especially those who serve in regions where the powers of darkness are commonplace. But enemy attacks are by no means limited to those dark corners of the world.
Read MoreRest in God’s Faithfulness
As David’s lament (Psalm 54) over the grind of difficult people draws to a close, he turns from bitter resentment to find rest in God’s faithfulness. David has named his enemies and acknowledged their sins, and he has surrendered his right to justice, placing them in God’s hands. As a result, David finds peace.
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