Tag: anger
Beware of Pride!
Scripture reading for July 27: 2 Chronicles 26:16-19 “But when he (King Uzziah) became strong, he grew proud, to his destruction. For he was unfaithful to the Lord his God and entered the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense. But Azariah the priest went in after him, with eighty priests of the Lord who were men of valor, and they withstood King Uzziah and said to him, “It is not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the Lord, but for the priest, the sons of Aaron, who are consecrated to burn incense. Go out of the sanctuary, for you have done wrong, and it will bring you no honor from the Lord God. Then Uzziah was angry. Now he had a censer in his hand to burn incense, and when he became angry with the priests, leprosy broke out on his forehead . . ..”
As we look in Scripture for instruction on healing and maintaining health in our bodies, we come to a difficult story. King Uzziah was a good king who initially did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. He began a 52 year reign at 16 years of age. He began by seeking the Lord and God prospered him and the nation of Judah. He loved the soil and had lots of vines and farmers working for him. He built a big army and fortifications and developed a reputation for his military skill. Everything was going right for him.
But when he became strong, he grew proud in his heart and lost his way. His pride was religious. He thought he had just as much right to offer incense to the Lord as the priests who were designated by God to do that task. After all, he thought God would be pleased that he was seeking Him. When confronted, instead of humbly repenting, he raised the censer in anger towards the priest and leprosy broke out on his forehead.
This story reminds us that sometimes disease and sickness can come from spiritual attitudes that are rebellious against God and His established authority. It is so easy to become proud when we are successful and blessed by the Lord. It is easy to make assumptions when we are doing religious things. But God does see and know our hearts. Satan fell because of pride. Beware!
Prayer: Father God, thank You for this warning in Scripture written down for us. Through the Holy Spirit, reveal what I need for healing and restoration. Amen.
Thankful for the Holy Spirit’s Self Control!
Scripture reading for July 20th: Proverbs 25-29
Key Scriptures: Proverbs 29:11, 22 “A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control.” . . .”An angry man stirs up dissension, and a hot-tempered one commits many sins.”
The proverbs give simple truths that stick in our hearts and provide wisdom for wise living. In these and other proverbs concerning anger, believers are warned against allowing anger to take over the spirit. It is foolish to allow our spirit to be consumed by anger because this consuming anger stirs up dissension in a person’s life, a family, a city and a nation. A reputation of being “hot-headed” marks a person as a trouble maker and warns that many sins flow from this character flaw. We see this in our nation today!
Thankful for the fruit of the Spirit: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23) “”In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry and give the devil a foothold.” (Ephesians 4:27-28)
Growing up in Christ!
Scripture reading for August 28th: Ephesians 4
“As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” (Ephesians 4:1-3) Paul was a prisoner in jail but under the Lord’s direct commission. As a pastor, he wanted the church at Ephesus to live out their faith in Christ’s love and character. Patience and humility with great love would be required to produce and sustain the unity of the Holy Spirit in the congregation.
“It was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, and some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” (Ephesians 4:11-13) God poured out gifts upon His Church. These gift people would prepare God’s people for the works they had been assigned and assist them to grow to maturity in the fullness of Christ. All these contributed to the unity of the faith that we must work to maintain.
“Then, we will no longer be infants, . . .Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From Him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.” (Ephesians 4:14-16) God wants His kids to grow up and each person must do their assigned part to see Christ reflected through His church.