August 16-17, 2003     LIVING LIKE YOU MEAN IT!    James 1:19-27

ANGER MANAGEMENT!

HOW TO MANAGE YOUR ANGER BEFORE IT MANAGES YOU!

1. BY UNDERSTANDING ANGER!

*** James 1:19 “My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry…” [New International Version]

! RIGHTEOUSNESS INDIGNATION! – Getting angry at the right things at the right time in the right way!

*** Romans 1:18 “From heaven God shows how angry he is with all the wicked and evil things that sinful people do to crush the truth.” [Contemporary English Version]

*** John 2:15-16 “Jesus made a whip out of cords and forced all of them, both the sheep and cattle, to leave the Temple. He turned over the tables and scattered the money of those who were exchanging it. Then he said to those who were selling pigeons, "Take these things out of here! Don't make my Father's house a place for buying and selling!" [New Century Version]

2. BY NOT SINNING IN ANGER!

*** Eph. 4:26 (NIV) "In your anger do not sin.”

A. DON’T GET ANGRY OFTEN!

*** Proverbs 14:29 (CEV) “It's smart to be patient, but it's stupid to lose your temper.”

! THE FIVE-YEAR RULE!

B. DON’T LOOSE CONTROL WHEN YOU DO GET ANGRY!

*** Eccles. 7:9 “Don't be quick-tempered, for anger is the friend of fools.” [NLT]

! FIVE LEVELS OF ANGER!

#1 IRRITATION!   #2 INDIGNATION!     # 3 WRATH!

#4 FURY! - Proverbs 27:4 (NIV) “ Anger is cruel and fury overwhelming….”

#5 RAGE! - Proverbs 19:11 “If you are sensible, you will control your temper.”

3. BY AVOIDING THE BY-PRODUCTS OF ANGER!

*** 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.”

A. IT MAKES US HARD OF LISTENING!

Heart! Eyes! Attention! Respect!

*** Proverbs 20:12 (CEV) “Hearing and seeing are gifts from the Lord.”

B. IT MAKES US TALK TOO FREELY!

*** Proverbs 29:11 (NIV) “A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control.”

*** Proverbs 10:19 “Don't talk too much, for it fosters sin. Be sensible and turn off the flow!” [New Living Translation]

C. IT WEAKENS OUR WILL!

*** Jam 1:21 “Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent….”

*** Proverbs 14:17 “ Someone with a quick temper does foolish things, but someone with understanding remains calm.” [New Century Version]

*** Proverbs 30:33 (CEV) “If you churn milk you get butter; if you pound on your nose, you get blood—and if you stay angry, you get in trouble.”

4. BY CONTROLLING OUR ANGER!

A. SWALLOW YOUR PRIDE!

*** James 1:21 (NIV) “Therefore…humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.”

! LET GO OF OUR EGO!

*** Proverbs 15:1 “A gentle response defuses anger, but a sharp tongue kindles a temper-fire.” [ The Message]

*** Proverbs 17:14 (NCV) “Starting a quarrel is like a leak in a dam, so stop it before a fight breaks out.”

*** Eph. 4:2 (CEV) “Always be humble and gentle. Patiently put up with each other and love each other.”

B. OBEY THE WORD, DON’T JUST LISTEN TO IT!

*** James 1:22 (NIV) “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.”

“SOME PEOPLE MARK THEIR BIBLES BUT THEIR BIBLES NEVER MARK THEM!

*** John 13:17“You know these things—now do them! That is the path of blessing.”

*** James 1:23-25 (NIV) “Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it--he will be blessed in what he does.”

C. BY HOLDING OUR TONGUE!

*** James 1:26 (NIV) “If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.”

*** Ephes. 4:26-27 (NCV) “When you are angry, do not sin, and be sure to stop being angry before the end of the day. Do not give the devil a way to defeat you.”

*** Proverbs 16:23 (TEV) “Intelligent people think before they speak; what they say is then more persuasive.”

D. BY LETTING TENDERNESS NOT TEMPER RULE!

*** James 1:27 (NIV) “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”

*** Proverbs 25:21-22 (Msg) “If you see your enemy hungry, go buy him lunch; if he's thirsty, bring him a drink. Your generosity will surprise him with goodness, and God will look after you.”

*** Proverbs 21:14 “An angry man is silenced by giving him a gift!” [Living Bible]

 “A heart at peace gives life to the body…!” Proverbs 14:30 (NIV)