Manage That Anger (My Two Cents)

Self-control is becoming a thing of the past.

Another incident of murder out of fear has led to a verdict in a Florida court that has left the nation inflamed and divided on how the jury should have ruled. A lot of attention is put on how people should be charged when they fear for their lives and take action such as killing someone. Self-defense is something that depends upon the opinion of the person that feels threatened.

I used to teach anger management in my former job. I was trained in court mandated anger management in order to learn skills that would prevent workplace violence by recognizing signs or symptoms of people who have anger problems. Everyone gets angry at one time or another so anger is not really the issue; the issue is what our anger motivates us to do. The old way of controlling anger was to count to ten. That only works if you count very slowly and breathe correctly and rationalize what would be the consequences of your actions.

Here is my take on what I understand the facts to be about the case in Florida. The guy should have just got of his car and went inside until the person he was waiting on was finished shopping and they could have both left together; that’s my two cents. We can all form opinions on what should have happened but that does not change the fact a kid died. I wonder if the defendant would have acted differently if he could relive the incident. Who knows?

What I do know is that self-control is becoming a thing of the past. It is rooted in pride believe it or not. We want our way and if we don’t get it, we get mad and then we react. Very few take a deep breath and rationalize the results of actions or inactions. What happens if we don’t get our way? What if the other person does not do what we want them to do? What can we do about it? What difference will it make? That is a lot of questions to ask ourselves when we are mad; but that is the key to self-control; not allowing someone else, or something else to control our actions. We actually do not manage our anger; we manage our behavior when we are angry.

Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance. Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled. (Titus 2:2,6).

Temperance, love, and endurance; the gifts of Christ to those who love Him.

Beatle-mania (Looking back, envisioning the future)

Yesterday marked the 50^th anniversary of the Beatle’s appearing on the Ed Sullivan show. If you are under 50 you may have not even heard of Ed Sullivan or his show, but you have heard of the Beatles. The British Invasion it was called; a new sound of music performed by a new group of kids. I was introduced to them by way of my elder brother; I am eight years younger than he.  I was seven; he was fifteen when he took over our black and white TV set in the living room that Sunday evening. “The Beatles are going to be on the Ed Sullivan show tonight” he said. Like that would have meant something to a seven year old boy. Mom and dad, my aunt and uncle, and my first cousin that lived next door to us; all gathered in our living room to see this show. I cannot remember the first thing about it; I must have been doing something else. What I do remember though is Christmas that year. My brother got a Sears and Roebuck Stereo Record Player with some Beatle records; I got a Big Bruiser wreck truck. For you underprivileged youngsters that never had a record player, it was a machine that played plastic discs with music on them; looked like a giant C.D. except they were black. There were several girls that lived around us in the neighborhood and would gather at our house to catch the school bus in the mornings. On Saturday evenings they would come over, as my mom was the Mrs. Wiley of Ivanhoe; she is the lady on Andy Griffith that had the single parties. We had a big room in the center of our house we called “The hall.” They would dance in there; my brother, his friends, and the girls. I liked that part! The girls always made over his little brother! That Christmas, after dinner, they came over that evening and danced to the Beatles. That is when I was introduced to their music; and really liked them. As we progressed through the sixties, my brother would leave home after receiving his draft notice and then joining the Air Force. I played his records when he was gone. His friends left out, and the girls all seemed to find guys and get married. By 1969 I had decided to be a Beatle. By 1975 my hair was longer than theirs. I was a “postmodern” hippie. I had to take baths and keep my hair clean dad said.  Man, those were the days it seemed. Today I sit and remember those times; the good times, when I was young, carefree, and was living it up. Then something happened; I grew up.  

Today I find myself thinking more about the future than I do the past. Those chapters in my life are gone; never to be recovered. The chapters that lie ahead get my attention now.

 Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes, Chapter 11; “Rejoice young man, while you are young, and let your heart be glad in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and in the sights of your eyes; but know that for all of these things God will bring you to judgment. Remove sorrow from your heart, and put away pain from your flesh, because youth and the prime of life are fleeting.” When I was young I didn’t even know who Solomon was, much less what he may have written; and I did not care anyway. Now that I have gotten older I can see where he was coming from. I can now understand what he means by “Remove sorrow from your heart and put away pain from your flesh.” As we age we kind of wish we were still young; we sorrow that we are not living that carefree life. We may even regret some choices we made, or did not make in our youth. As I look back there were things I wished I would have done, or not have done, but these words of Scripture tell me not to dwell on them.

I do not know if there will ever be another group of kids that will ever impact our nation like the Beatles did. 1964 was a turning point in America. Old things were passing away and things were becoming new. We are reaping today what was sown in the 60’s, but do not lose heart! Growing up and getting old is not to be regretted or despised; it is to be relished just as the days of our youth were. The only difference is now we know to appreciate each day because we have learned, like Solomon said; “Life is fleeting.”

 

What's It Take To Make You Happy? (Philipppians 4:12)

I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation. (NIV)

For some the answer would be simple: “That my terminal illness would be healed.” Others who are facing different but yet difficult circumstances would answer something else.

Families that have turmoil in them would be happy if everybody got along. The unemployed would be happy if they could get a job to support their families. Those who are round the clock caretakers of a homebound loved one would be happy if their loved one was healed. The list could go on and on and each of us has individual answers, yet many we would have in common. Happiness depends on circumstances. Now the pious, super saints among us may say it makes no difference what happens, they are always happy. No, they are not, and they need to be honest. Who is happy that a loved one suffers? Maybe someone filled with hate, but certainly not a compassionate, Spirit filled person.

For some to be happy it takes drugs. For some it takes extramarital affairs. For others it takes money. For some it takes popularity. Whatever it takes; it takes something to create happiness with a “happening.” Usually when things go our way we are happy and think we are content.

The Apostle was not talking about being happy about being persecuted and even stoned and left for dead. He was making a point that circumstances may not always be favorable but we can learn to be content; not happy, but receptive; able to take it. The Greek words used to create our English word content means, “to bear up” and the other “to have enough.” To be content we must put up with the circumstances knowing that Christ is all we need in the long run; He is enough. The circumstances, like the happiness or the sadness they bring with them, are temporary. Temporary in Gods eyes may be 50 years, or 10 minutes.

Seek for joy and not happiness; big difference. I was not happy sitting on the pew while the preacher preached my parent’s funerals, but there was joy in my heart knowing that one day Jesus will take me home and I won’t have to experience anymore grief. Be happy, happy, happy when you can, but more importantly, let Jesus into your heart and His joy will be in you.

Seeing is not always Believing. (Acts 4:4)

But many who heard the message believed. (NIV)

A little girl was afraid in her bedroom one night as a storm was brewing outside. She called out to her parents and her dad came in the room. “Daddy, I’m afraid!” She cried. Her dad put his arms around her and drew her to him and whispered in her ear, “Honey, you need not be afraid; Jesus is right here with you all the time.” To which she exclaimed, “Yeah, but I want somebody with a face!”

Don’t we all? I think the reason the majority of people never place their faith in Christ is due to that very reason; they want to see Him, look upon His face, as the song goes. There will come a day when Jesus will be seen by everyone, but the majority of us depend upon “seeing” Him by faith in Him. Jesus had ascended back to heaven and these people believed because they “heard” the message.

“Thomas,” Jesus said, “Blessed are you because you have seen Me, but more blessed are those who have not seen Me and yet believe in Me.”

Don't Kick Them When They Are Down

“If you were in my place I could also talk like you. I could string words together against you and shake my head at you, but I wouldn’t. I would encourage you with my mouth, and the consolation from my lips would bring relief.”  (Holman Christian Standard Bible)

Well said Brother Job. His friends that we thought were coming to comfort him stabbed him in the heart. As if he was not in enough misery they blamed him for his condition just knowing he had done something terrible to God or he was the poster child for Hypocrites United.

We know what happened and why it happened but Job didn’t and neither did his accusers.

Remember that the next time you see someone suffering. Don’t think they “brought it on themselves” and somehow feel justified in your arrogant judgment like Job’s companions. Maybe it was something they did or did not do that put them in their place; but don’t kick them when they are down; try to lift them back up. Remember, Jesus did not come to condemn people but to save them; so let us not condemn either.

As Pure As It Gets

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.”  (Matthew 5:8 NIV)

We went to lunch Sunday with a grandmother and her two grandsons, (Jack) is six and (Jake) is seven years old. As we were talking I asked (Jack) what his favorite subject in school was. “Recess” he said.

That is pure honesty; words spoken from the heart. He never hesitated or gave any thought as to how he should answer, he just answered. What happens as we get older? Where does the honest innocence go? You think maybe that was what Jesus had in mind when He said, “Unless you change and become like little children, you will NEVER enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Emphasis mine)

I never expected (Jack) to answer with recess but I should have. It was my favorite subject too! Wonder what I would have answered if (Jack) had asked me; “Pastor, what is the best thing you like about your job?” God knows what I would answer. How honest are you with God?

Genesis 1:3 The Beginning of Light

And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.

The first week of 2014 arrived quickly bringing with it plenty to do. I am looking forward to a great year! This year I am concentrating on the Father’s business. I have been about my business long enough. Jesus asked, “Did you not know I must be about My Father’s business?” This blog this year will deal with the Father’s business and not mine. Hope you like it.

First installment; the beginning of light. Darkness cannot exist where there is light. Darkness may surround light at a distance but at the point of light; there is no darkness. Until God brought light into existence there was just darkness; nothing could be seen. Then God created light and everything became visible. So don’t go about life stumbling around in spiritual darkness, come to the Light; Jesus. Then you will be able to see what it is that causes you to stumble.