CHRIST-DAILY
DEVOTIONS
July 24th

ANGER

" 'Be angry, and do not sin': do not let the sun go down on your wrath (provocation), nor give place to the devil" (Eph. 4:26-27).

The world today is looking to help man with anger management.  Much of this is getting man to operate out of the knowledge of good and evil with his carnal mind to attempt to control carnal or fleshly actions.  As Christians God has a much better Spiritual plan for us in Christ.  Our Father had the Holy Spirit to Spirit birth His sons and place Christ in them for the life and strength.  Christ in us is to be the resource that we draw on for all things in this temporal life.

Paul makes it clear that we can be angry and not sin.  The word angry comes from the Greek root word orge which actually is best described as passion.  Granted anger is certainly hot passion in a negative sense against someone or something.  Wrath comes from the Greek word thumos -- which is white hot anger exploding out with action.  This is NOT what is being discussed here.  Although most scriptures that deal with the wrath of God uses thumos for wrath.  The word used here for wrath is the root Greek word parorgizo which means provocation.  It relates to the irritatation or provocation to anger.  Paul is saying, that it is okay to be angry or passionate, perhaps even to a hot passion degree.  However, it is sinful to hold on to anger, or keep the irritation and provocation inside us without dealing with it.

It is important that these things of anger get settled and resolved.  Why?  If we hold onto them all day until the sun sets on the situation, we will very likely provide an open door to the devil.  The more we let these things go unresolved, the more likely we are going to have a double whammy, with the devil chiming in for his part in it all.   First, we need to see Jesus in us.  Second, we need to see Jesus in others.  Third, we need to allow Christ to express His love-for-others Spirit through us.  His love bridges the differences that provoke anger.  This is not actually us learning anger management techniques.   Rather, it is us truly letting Christ live and express His love-for-others Spirit through us as  us. We now have a shared life in Christ.  We need to make the right decisions, so that Christ and His love can flow forth in His strength.  The love of Christ will dissipate all anger! V

Written by Dwight Davis
Christ-Ministries
 

                                               

F Highlight text with mouse and x "Selection" to print on 1 page E