DATE WRITTEN: Wednesday, 2021-01-13
WRITTEN AT: Paul B Johnson State Park, Hattiesburg, MS

BIBLE REFERENCE: Matthew 5:21-22
TRANSLATION: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

BIBLE TEXT: ²¹ You know that our ancestors were told, “Do not murder” and “A murderer must be brought to trial.” ²² But I promise you that if you are angry with someone,^[f] you will have to stand trial. If you call someone a fool, you will be taken to court. And if you say that someone is worthless, you will be in danger of the fires of hell.

OBSERVATION: It seems like anger will always bring out the worst in us, and it is something that we have all dealt with at one time or the other in our lives. Parents dealt with it, friends tried to deal with it, bosses wouldn’t tolerate it and nor does God. So let’s looks at our own hearts today through the lens of God’s Holy Word on the subject of ‘Anger’.

APPLICATION: So what made you lose your cool the very first time that you could remember? How did you overcome it? Do you remember re-friending someone with whom you were once very angry with? How long do you suppose it took for them to regain their faith and trust in you? Do you suppose that you were a good, or bad witness for the Kingdom while you were angry? These are all very challenging questions for us to ponder, and answer, as we reflect back on times that we were less than perfect! Why do you suppose God made us with this particular flaw? I believe that God may have waited for us to show our real strength in Him, and our dependence on Him when we didn’t get our own way, or when another path was chosen instead of the one we suggested. However, instead of turning to God, or instead of imitating Him, we exploded in anger with whomever crossed our path first. Friends, I believe that with any of our flaws, if we would keep our eyes fixed on our King, and if we would keep our eyes in the Book and study the perfect example of Jesus, and if we ask for His help daily to obediently follow all that He teaches to us through His Word, then perhaps we would be more like Him in responding to challenging and tempting times. What might we expect to do better, if our minds are constantly being filled with whatever shows are on television? Do we think for a moment that we are strong enough to watch whatever we want, absorb all the evil and cheating that takes place in the shows and movies that we watch, and still act like Jesus? I don’t believe we were designed by God to respond like that. In our Scripture we are told that Old Testament prophets and lawmakers were concerned about murder, but God knows full well that an angry man could very easily be tempted to murder, should the situation ever present itself. I was particularly moved by the command of not calling anyone worthless, because it reminded me of a weakness I probably share with many of my readers. Oh that we would never call anyone ‘worthless’, even if they couldn’t do what comes very easy for us, or if they are not as successful as we wish they would be, for I believe that we are then calling God less than perfect because He made someone that doesn’t meet our standards. God don’t make ‘junk’, so we should learn a lesson in meekness, and appreciate the blessings of God, instead of looking down on someone for their inabilities. Let’s try to always remember: God looks at our actions, words and thoughts when He evaluates sin in our lives. We may not have murdered, but in our thoughts we may have done a lot worse. Be careful, my friend.

PRAYER: Father, thank You for loving me in spite of my inadequacies, my failures, my anger and my sin. Thank You for drawing me unto Yourself and for forgiveness of my sin. I believe that many of my readers could probably say these words in harmony with me, as they probably feel the same. Please give us the strong desire to fill our minds with Your Word each day, so that we may receive that much needed tune-up and refresher. May we receive the necessary power, and always strive to learn the perfect ways of Jesus Christ, and may we boldly strive to live in His footsteps each and every day, so that Our Father may be glorified, instead of us being ridiculed. It’s all about You Lord, may You be glorified in and through us each day. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There are two more pages on my blog at https://NuggetsFromGodsWord.org that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’. If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading or listening to this devotional, please go to the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and see all of my posts, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. I would encourage you to find a church home near by your home, and attend as frequently as you could. Get to know God, and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian walk, while making every effort to be a blessing to them. God is at work among His people! Please consider growing in your faith, as you worship with fellow believers!