From the Shepherd's Heart....Friday, December 15, 2017 - Is Anger a Problem at Christmas?

I know I have never preached through Genesis 4 for Christmas and you most likely have never heard any preacher use any passage in Genesis for a Christmas text, but especially Genesis 4.  But we are finding truths in Genesis 4 that speak to us this Christmas season.

And this Sunday is no different.  We will examine the life of Cain whose life was ruined by anger and bitterness.  So, I ask...Is anger and bitterness a problem at Christmas?

Why should we deal with our anger?

1.  For the sake of our physical health.

Proverbs 14: 29-30 "A patient man has great understanding, but a quick-tempered man displays folly.  A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones."

Anger damages the body;  patience and peace bring health.

The Puritan-pastor Richard Baxter once wrote:  "Observe also what an enemy anger is to the body itself.  It inflames the blood, and stirs up diseases, and breeds the strength of nature, and has cast many into acute, and many into chronical sicknesses, which have proved their death."

Modern science observe the same when they see a correlation between anger and physical illness, including hypertension and stroke, heart disease, gastric ulcers, and bowel diseases.

Anger and bitterness disrupts our sleep, appetite and peaceful existence.

2.  For the sake of our relational health.

Families are in turmoil.  Hate, jealousy, deep hurt, wounds, bitterness, and anger characterize more families today than does peace and joy.  Children breathe the secondhand smoke of their venting moms and dads and are affected in their spirits, souls and ultimately their health.

James 4: 1 ask "Where do wars and fights come from among you?  Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members?  You lust and do not have.  You murder and covet and cannot obtain.  You fight and war."

Jesus said in Matthew 5: 21-26 that if we have anger in our heart toward someone to the degree that we just wish they were dead, then we have committed murder.

Is there someone in your life, in your family - you just wish was not there?

Anger separates us from our family and friends. We will see this in the life of Cain this Sunday.

We need peace in our relationships and it must begin in our hearts.

And I believe anger is the result of rejection.  And anger does not come from without us, but within us.

God reaches out to us for acceptance.  We may, and most likely will, have to repent toward God and possibly others...but our physical health, the health of our families, friends and society and the well being of our soul - is all worth it.

Looking forward to seeing you Sunday as we examine the life of Cain in Genesis 4.