Cool Your Pipes!

Psalm 37: 8 
Stop being angry! Turn from your rage! Do not lose your temper - it only leads to harm. (NLT)

Psalm 37:8 
Bridle your anger, trash your wrath, cool your pipes - it only makes things worse. (The Message)

I find this verse in Psalm 37 to be an interesting one! As a Counselor I can't tell you how often I have heard people say, "He/she made me so angry that I threw ...... ; or I hit the wall; or I squealed my tires; or; or ; ". and if the truth be known I have blamed my anger on others over the years. However, I have learned in recent years that I am responsible for my own emotions, feelings, and attitudes. I CANNOT blame them on anyone else.

The first blame game of all time started way back in The Garden  when when Adam blamed Eve for his disobedience and then Eve blamed the serpent. always pointing the finger at someone else! WHOA! Has anything changed over the years? No it hasn't, and it won't until we take responsibility for all of it!

It is very interesting to me that the action words used in this verse are:
STOP
TURN
DO NOT LOSE
BRIDLE (YOUR)
TRASH (YOUR)
COOL (YOUR)
all of which are related to the individual doing something regarding their anger.
ANGER can be a very destructive emotion - if we allow it to be.

I am throwing this out there today to encourage you if this is a problem for you. God can help you to change your mind, your behavior, your attitude. You must surrender to Him!

James 1:19 says to be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to get angry; or as The Message says, "Lead with your ears, follow up with your tongue, and let anger straggle along in the rear."

Picture one of your children or maybe your spouse, or a friend straggling along as you take a walk. They are usually quite a few steps behind you.

So, Dear Friends, my suggestion for you today is to "cool your pipes and let your anger straddle along behind you". Have a grace-filled day!

Hugs...

Ruthie 

"Get Behind Me, Satan!"

Luke 4:8
And Jesus answered and said to him, "Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.' "

James 1:19-20
"So then, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath, for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

I have been hit hard in the past 24 hours with the knowledge of the condition of my heart. Hmmmm - I believe some pride had slipped in there to the point where I was thinking I was OK . My heart was hardened to some things, judgmental, and critical. How did that happen? I was slipping in my daily Word reading and prayer life because I was focusing on the wrong things. I spent way too much time focusing on my health issues and upcoming tests and not enough time on HIM! The thief was trying to kill, steal and destroy - as he always does. He is so insidious that I didn't even sense that he was playing with me - til WHAM! I was hit and hit hard! Have you ever been here, dear ones?

I "reacted" in a very unrighteous manner with two of the most loved people in my life.

Oh, the lies Satan filled my head with! And instead of being like Jesus and telling Satan to get behind me; instead of choosing what was right; I responded in anger.

I allowed Satan to tell me lies, to sneak up on me and to try and destroy my joy, my peace, my contentment.

I have had to confess, repent, and ask their forgiveness - neither has responded to that request at this point... How thankful I am that our Heavenly Father doesn't take time to think it over. If we humble ourselvs before Him and are repentent - He forgives. Hallelujah! What a lesson for me.

I Praise God for His mercy - so undeserved by me; and for His grace. He and I have had a long session together - I accept the forgiveness He offers and pray that this situation I find myself in will make me a better person. All I can do now is pray for Him to work in their lives - not because I deserve their forgiveness - but beacuse I don't! I don't want either of them hanging onto the resentment that a situation such as this can leave us with.... not for me - but for them! I pray for HIS love to cover all!

Father God,
I so need You -Your love and mercy. I am so thankful that You looked down upon me and saw such a wretch and gave ME Your amazing grace! I praise You, Lord! Fill me with Your Spirit - May I move forward with more of You and less of me than ever before. I give it all to You.
In the precious and holy name of Christ,
Amen

This is my prayer for each one reading this today... no matter what curve balls life has thrown your way may you ever know that He never changes; He is always just and holy. He never leaves you nor forsakes you. He is always ready to offer His forgiveness to a willing and repentent heart. Come to Him and find rest in Him.

Your humble servant,
Ruthie

Anger

ANGER

How do you define anger?
Here is a condensed compilation of definitions that I found recently-
· A strong emotion orientated towards a real or supposed grievance
· A strong feeling of displeasure, hostility or antagonism towards someone or something, usually combined with an urge to harm
· A negative emotion caused by a loss of control or opposition
· Vexation, ire, rage

WOW!
These seem to be pretty strong words, don’t they?
Have you ever felt anger over something?
I’m sure you have.
There are lots of “things” that can stir up that strong emotion within us –
· Abuse of children and spouses
· War – and the deaths of young men, women and children
· Cancer
· Infidelity
· Bullying – at school, in the workplace, in the home
· Injustices of all sorts
· Losing a child to a physical illness or thru an accident
· The medical system as it is today
· Slander and defamation of character
· A slight from someone we call ‘friend’
The list goes on and on -

Today I feel led to share what we are to do with our anger.

James 1: 19-20 (Amplified)
Understand [this], my beloved brethren.
Let every man be quick to hear [a ready listener], slow to speak,
slow to take offense and to get angry.
For mans anger does not promote the righteousness God
[wishes and requires].

James 1:19-20 (NIV)
My dear brothers, take note of this:
Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and
slow to become angry,
for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life
that God desires.

Did you notice the additional words in the Amplified version?
“slow to take offense”

UHMMMMMMMM!
As I reflect on that I am reminded that if I am slow to take offense to something/someone then my anger will more than likely
not occur, or it will be lessened;
my response will certainly be different than if I give in to the emotion
at the moment it arises!
Do you agree?

UHMMMMMMMM!
AND - If I am slow to become angry … or slow to RESPOND to or use
that powerful emotion …
the consequences will be different than if I give in to it immediately!

Have you found this to be true in your life?

Another thought –
As one author wrote:
“It is right to be angry about injustice and sin!
It is wrong to be angry over trivial personal offenses!
There is a difference between uncontrolled rage and righteous indignation!”

Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand,
and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves,
and the money changers doing business.
When He had made a whip of cords He drove them all out of the temple,
with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers’ money
and overturned the tables.
And He said to them, “Take these things away!
Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!”
John 2: 13-16 (NKJV)

One Study Bible I researched says this –
‘Jesus took the evil acts in the Temple as an insult against God,
And thus, he did not deal with them halfheartedly. He was consumed with righteous anger against such flagrant disrespect for God.
They were making a mockery of God’s house of worship.
So -
we know that Jesus experienced anger –
some people use that as an excuse for what they do with their anger,
saying,
“Well, He threw them out of the temple and overturned the tables,
so I can ___________________” (you fill in the blank)

OH NO!!!

First of all look at the verse that states, “When He had made a whip of cords” –
This verse says to me that He had some time to think about
what he had just observed and how he was going to react to it.
I’m sure making a whip wasn’t a 2 minute deal!

I also wonder if the whip was something He threatened them with,
not actually beat them with.
What do you think?

What I do know is that He did not immediately respond to His anger at
finding His Father’s house being used for such purposes.

We need to do likewise!
We need to take a “time out” – to think about the offense or injustice
we have experienced - and then -
make a CHOICE as to how we are going to respond to it.

Ephesians 4:26-27 (NKJV)
“Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath,
nor give place to the devil.

Oh, Friends,
if we would only listen and do as God`s Word teaches us to do!
We need to acknowledge our anger; we need to respond in a godly way;
we must not let it fester and become “bigger than life“;
we must not be consumed by our anger;
we must not let the devil get a foothold thru our anger;
and
we must look for opportunities to express the LOVE of CHRIST
to those who have angered us!

Father in heaven,
I pray today for those reading this –
that they will read your Word,
meditate on it and let it “Fill Them Up“ ;
that they will seek You in every aspect of their lives;
and that the next time they feel that emotion of anger brewing
they will step back, and be slow and controlled in their response…
being led by the Holy Spirit thru it all!
Thank You, Jesus!
Amen.

Blessings on you,
Ruthie