Anger: God's Will vs. God's Expectations

Anger: God’s Will vs. God’s Expectations

Recall the last incident that made you angry: (Write it down)

 

Why do we get angry?

 

God’s Command:

James 1:19-20 (KJV) ¹⁹ Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: ²⁰ For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.
Ecclesiastes 7:9 (KJV) ⁹ Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.
Psalm 37:8-9 (KJV) ⁸ Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.
⁹ For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth.

Ephesians 4:31-32 (KJV) ³¹ Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: ³² And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

Why People get Angry:

1.           Injustices in Life:

o   Anger over Sin.  God’s anger is over sin or injustice. 

o   More mention of God’s wrath in the Bible than man’s anger.

2.           Do Not Get Your Way:

1 Kings 21:1-4 (KJV) ¹ And it came to pass after these things, that Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard, which was in Jezreel, hard by the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. ² And Ahab spake unto Naboth, saying, Give me thy vineyard, that I may have it for a garden of herbs, because it is near unto my house: and I will give thee for it a better vineyard than it; or, if it seem good to thee, I will give thee the worth of it in money. ³ And Naboth said to Ahab, The LORD forbid it me, that I should give the inheritance of my fathers unto thee. ⁴ And Ahab came into his house heavy and displeased because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him: for he had said, I will not give thee the inheritance of my fathers. And he laid him down upon his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no bread.

3.           Jealousy:

·        Saul became angry with David when Saul became jealous of David.

·        Jealousy is the intense interest for another’s honor or prosperity.

·        Jealousy is the apprehension of superiority.

1 Samuel 18:7-9 (KJV) ⁷ And the women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands. ⁸ And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him; and he said, They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom? ⁹ And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.

4.           Things Seem Out of Your Control / Need to Control

·        Your Children

·        Your Reputation

·        Your Security

 

Need to Control…we use anger to control others!

6.           Response to Hurt or Mistreatment:

·        Vengeance anger grows little by little over the years of mistreatment.

·        The slightest mistreatment or hurt can unleash anger reactions.

Ill:           David and Nabal I Sam 25

Nabal was a wealthy land owner.  His flocks and lands were protected by David and his mighty men. He sought food for his men and Nabel said no.  David in anger wanted to take his men, and slay Nabal.

7.           Wounded Pride:

·        Spiritual progress can lead to pride.

·        Pride, wounded, can lead to anger.

Ill:           King Asa

Incident 1:  Faced Ethiopians that outnumbered him two to one.  Asa humbly sought the Lord and the Lord gave Asa victory and brought a great revival to Israel. 

2 Chronicles 15:9 (KJV) ⁹ And he gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and the strangers with them out of Ephraim and Manasseh, and out of Simeon: for they fell to him out of Israel in abundance, when they saw that the LORD his God was with him.

Incident 2:  Baasha came against Asa.  Asa this time paid the Syrian King Ben-hadad to make a new union with Asa. It worked, but the prophet of God Hanani rebuked Asa for not relying on the Lord.  Asa’s response: 

2 Chronicles 16:10 (KJV) ¹⁰ Then Asa was wroth with the seer, and put him in a prison house; for he was in a rage with him because of this thing. And Asa oppressed some of the people the same time.

Asa’s pride led to anger.

8.           Spill Over from Unresolved Guilt:

·        A person with guilt often wields a critical tongue.

·        A person with a sin problem is often harsh at home with spouse and children.

Ill:  David and His Guilt

What was David’s response when Nathan told him the story of the man who took advantage of the poor man?

9.           Physical Conditions (Acute, Chronic Pain, Weariness, Sickness)

10.         To Set Things Right

·        This can be a righteous anger.  When things are wrong, anger can be a motivation to correct things. 

·        Think of Jesus at the Temple with the moneychangers.

Notice all 10 reasons are related to other people or circumstances.

Rectifying God’s Will vs. Godly Expectations

1.           God’s Will:

·        God’s will is basically anything that reflects God’s purpose for our lives, independent upon people or circumstances beyond our ability to control.

·        God’s will for our lives is for us to become more and more like Jesus Christ. This is called sanctification. 

1 Thessalonians 4:3 (KJV) ³ For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:

·        We are the only ones who can keep us from doing God’s will in our lives.

·        God’s will does not depend on other people or favorable circumstances.

2.           Godly Expectations:

·        A Godly expectation does depend on favorable circumstances or the cooperation of other people.

·        The problems come when we equate a Godly expectation with God’s will for our lives.

Ill:           Dinner @ 6 with Wife.

Stop for gas, backed up…old man taking his sweet time putting gas in the car, checking the oil, windshield.  He is ruining your Godly expectation of dinner @ 6 with wife!

The old man does not determine who you are, your response to him does.  It reveals the will of God…sanctification…Christlikeness.

Ill:           Godly Expectation of a Loving, Happy, Godly Home!

Who can mess with that Godly expectation?  Everyone in your home!  You cannot control what your spouse will do or what your children will do, but you can control you.  You can control how you act.

What to Do?

1.           Focus on Doing God’s Will!

·        The person or circumstance that tempts you to be angry is an opportunity to do the will of God. 

·        Remember the will of God is to respond like Jesus.  It is to respond in the Spirit of God, the fruit of the Spirit.

2.           You can do the will of God.

·        God’s will is doable.

·        Christ enables us to do God’s will.

Matthew 19:26 (KJV) ²⁶ But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.
Philippians 4:13 (KJV) ¹³ I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

3.           You can’t control People or Circumstances

·        Trust God!

·        Have faith in God!

4.           Manage your Godly Expectations

·        God is not going to make every circumstance and person to your liking.

·        Don’t measure your life by your circumstances, but by your Christlikeness.

·        God’s greatest ministry is in your heart.

5.           Trials are Opportunities to do God’s Will.

Romans 5:3-5 (KJV) ³ And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; ⁴ And patience, experience; and experience, hope: ⁵ And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

·        Each trial is an opportunity to experience the love of God.

Let Go of the Nuts!

Proverbs 13:19 (KJV) ¹⁹ The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul: but it is abomination to fools to depart from evil.

:but it is abomination (disgusting, detest, abhor, loathe) to fools (one who lives life rejecting God and His Word) to depart (decline, to turn off, remove) from evil (bad, morally wrong, wicked, corrupt).

The fool hates to stop doing what he is doing. He despises turning from his sin to God. The wicked man detests giving up the evil to which he clings so tenaciously.

You can't have your sin and freedom too!

The trappers in Africa trap monkeys using this principle. They place nuts in a jar with a narrow neck and ties the jar securely in place. A monkey comes, sees the nuts, and plunges his hand into the jar. However with the nuts in the monkey's hand his fist doubles in size and will not pass through the neck of the jar. The monkey has a problem. If he releases the loved nuts, he can withdraw his hand. If he hangs onto the nuts he is trapped. The monkey chooses to hang onto the nuts. When the trapper shows up, the monkey will chatter with rage, fear, and frustration, but he will not let go of the nuts, not even to save his life. Likewise a fool hangs onto his sins. He is mastered by his lusts, held fast by his evil desires.

Jesus Christ can free us from the power of sin. We must repent of our sin. Repent is simply to change your heart and mind concerning your sins.

1 John 1:9 (KJV) ⁹ If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness

Sugar Addiction?

Why Do We Crave Sugar?

by Kelly Quinn

The obvious answer to this question being; because it tastes so good.
While that’s true, there are also scientific and psychological explanations for why so many of us can’t get enough sugar.
Sugar is a ‘simple carbohydrate’ and carbohydrates as a whole, trigger the release of serotonin, a brain chemical which makes us feel good or contented.
Sugar does this through increased absorption of an amino acid called tryptophan which helps the body make serotonin.
Sugar also encourages the release of endorphins; these help us to relax and can promote a natural high.
In addition, if blood sugar levels drop, perhaps as a result of prolonged periods of not eating, our bodies send signals to our brain that we need energy fast and sugar is craved.
This can work in the same way when we are feeling down, our brain realises we need a hit of serotonin and before we know it we’re reaching for the chocolate.
For some women sugar cravings are linked to the menstrual cycle, while some people experience cravings as a result of imbalances in their adrenal gland when insufficient levels of adrenaline can lead the body to search for an energy hit elsewhere.
Psychologically speaking, we appear to be programmed to like sugary tastes; it’s the first taste we prefer as infants. As children we are often rewarded or comforted by being given sweet treats by our parents, which means we develop positive associations with and reliance on sugar.
We don’t seem to be able to escape this trap later in life either; we have been conditioned to need a sugary treat to boost our mood or to reward ourselves. These inevitably make us feel good and this in turn increases our desire to reward ourselves with sweet treats in the future and so it goes on and on.

The problem with using sugar in this way is that although it does give us a boost for a while we quickly ‘crash’ and fall back to our previous state, which starts up the cycle again.
While there is no problem with the occasional reward or treat, some people’s relationship with sugar takes on a role more often associated with illegal drugs, with stages of binging, withdrawing and craving.
In addition, we are liable to experience intense feelings of frustration and disappointment at ourselves when we give into our cravings and emotional distress may itself lead to future cravings for sweet food.
We also need to think about the detriment to our health that the overeating of sugar can cause. The American Heart Association recommends a maximum of nine teaspoons of added sugar per day for men and six for women. Many people exceed these guidelines on a regular basis and, other than gaining weight, prolonged overeating can lead to diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and heart disease.

Tips for curbing the cravings

But enough of the bad news, what can we do to break the cycle, and curb the cravings? Here are some tips on how to do just that:

• Starting with breakfast, avoid carbohydrates as these will just set you up for cravings later in the day, instead opt for a breakfast full of phytonutrients, lean protein and healthy fats.

• Remember too, breakfast is vital in ensuring blood sugars don’t drop to the level where the body cries out for an energy boost, in the form of sugar. Making sure you eat at regular intervals through the day will also help to prevent blood sugar levels falling later on.

• Continuing from there, aim to include lean protein and healthy fats into each meal to control blood sugar levels as the day progresses.

• Make sure you stay hydrated during the day too, as dehydration can trigger cravings.

• Just as important is to ensure you are getting enough sleep, fatigue can lead to our bodies searching for a boost from elsewhere.

• This might seem obvious but try not to keep sweet food in the house, if you make it easy to snack you’re more likely to do it, however hard you try not to. Linked to this too is organisation: plan what food you’re going to need in advance, taking healthy snacks with you when you know you’ll be out and about.

• When you are buying food it’s really important to read the labels carefully, you might be surprised at what foods contain added sugar!

• Remember too that sugar comes in many guises – high fructose corn syrup, dextrose, sucrose and molasses are all forms of sweeteners.

• Thinking of sweeteners, using low-calorie sweeteners will not help you crack your cravings, so avoid where you can. If you can’t live without them opt for Stevia.

• And if you can’t resist your cravings, eat a piece of fruit rather than artificial snacks. Or try chewing gum, some people find a stick of gum can reduce the desire for sugar immediately.

• Some people feel that giving in to cravings in small doses can reduce the possibility of binging later and so should be encouraged, while others feel that going cold turkey is the better alternative. The first 2-3 days are extremely tough but after the first few days, cravings begin to fade away.

• Supplements can prove useful in combating sugar cravings as nutrition deficiency is often cited as a trigger, Vitamin D3, Omega 3 and fatty acids are particularly important. Blood sugar control appears to be improved by Magnesium and Vitamin B3.

• Moving away from food, exercise can be amazingly effective at halting cravings. Exercise releases endorphins making us feel good, it also gives us an energy boost and releases stress, therefore eliminating the need for a sugar hit.

• Distraction and ‘time-out’ can also prove effective when cravings hit. Taking your mind off the craving by engaging in an activity, such as going for a walk, or taking a few minutes to de-stress and focus on breathing can render the need for sugar redundant.

• Sugar is often used to comfort ourselves when we feel low, try to explore when and why you find yourself seeking comfort in sweet food and address the issues in a different way.

• Sugar also functions as a reward when things go well so try to find other ways to reward yourself. Reward yourself too for resisting your cravings.

Anger: How it Works

Anger: How It Works

Susie’s Father at RU Homes

Susie came to RU homes struggling in life. Her father was an angry man.  He would come each day from a frustrating day at work and take out that frustration on his family.  Her family lived in fear.  He would shout, and scream at her.  When Susie would try to run to another part of the house or to a neighbor’s home, her father would chase her, hit her, and pull her hair.  Several times his anger became violent and Susie and her siblings fled to the nearest police station for safety. 

In addition to her father having an anger problem, her mother dealt with her husband’s anger by being depressed and despondent.  Susie’s mom would spend days in her bedroom sick and sleeping just to get away from her husband.  One day Susie found her mother after she had attempted suicide.  

Susie grew up dealing with the anger and violence out of the one person in life who God has established as His representative in the home, her father.  Is it any wonder that Susie became rebellious towards God and His authority in her life? 

What was going on in her Father’s Brain? 

We will call him Frank.  Frank’s anger was running wild through his cerebral cortex sending signals even deeper into his brain call the hypothalamus. 

Anger activates the hypothalamus which stimulates the sympathetic nervous system.  This restricts the arteries which carry blood to every vital organ in the body.  While this is going on the brain sends a hormonal signal to the adrenal glands to release large quantities of adrenalin, and Corte sol (natural steroid) into the blood system.  As Frank expressed his anger with his family, his muscles tightened, his blood pressure rose, and his heart rate increased.  Frank’s body was prepared to go into action, but no action was normally taken.  

 

Frank’s body was converting the fat to energy that was not used so instead it is turned into cholesterol.  Cholesterol accumulates as deadly plaque on artery walls leading to stroke, heart attack, and even kidney failure. 

Anger and stress are considered a major cause of life threatening illnesses. 

God made man in His own image.

Genesis 1:26-28 (KJV) ²⁶ And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. ²⁷ So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. ²⁸ And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.  

                God made man as a trichotomy. Body, Soul, and Spirit.

Genesis 2:7 (KJV) ⁷ And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

Dust of the Ground:        Physical (Body)

Breath of Life:                   Spirit

Living Soul:                        Soul (Mind, Will, Emotions) 

God has made the outer person and the inner person to work together in harmony. 

Ill:           Brain

Brain = This is the organic piece of tissue that is part of our material body.

Mind = This is the immaterial aspect of our being (the soul: the mind, will, and emotions). 

Brain is like the physical aspect of a computer. 

Mind is like the software. 

The Brain is the Central Nervous System: 

·         12 cranial nerves make up the Central Nervous System:  

·         Branching off of the CNS is the peripheral nervous system that has two distinct divisions…

1^st Division:  Somatic Nervous System

Regulates all muscular function. The SNS takes instruction from our will, which is part of our soul.  Remember, we don’t do anything without first thinking it! 

It may be so rapid, you are not aware that a thought occurred.  We have control over these actions.

2^nd Division: Autonomic Nervous System

·         Autonomic:  means to occur involuntarily and spontaneously.

·         The ANS deals with the regulation of our internal body which would include heart rate, digestion, bladder control etc.

·         The ANS works together with our emotions.

·         We do not have control over the ANS just like we don’t have control over our emotions.

·         We cannot will ourselves to like people we have emotional hatred for.

·         We cannot simply tell ourselves to not be angry, because we can’t directly manage our emotions that way.

·         Telling someone not to feel the way they feel only produces guilt or defensiveness.

·         We can manage what we do when we are experiencing negative emotions.

The Soul is in Control

·         That which is causing the ANS to respond a certain way is not the brain.

·         It is not the brain that causes us to feel a certain emotion or as in this study, anger.

·         It is the mind and the way it has been programmed

·         It is NOT the circumstances surrounding us or the people surrounding us that makes us angry.

·         It is our perception of those circumstances and people and how we interpret them that will determine whether we will be angry or not.

Ill:           Two Doctors being Sued.

·         Our bodies respond to stressful situations.

·         Pressure causes our body to produce adrenalin and Corte sol into our blood.

·         If the stress persists too long and the stress becomes distress our system breaks down and we become sick.

1:  Doctor one is an unbeliever.  He and his partner are being sued.  He views it as devastating for business and their referral business. Without referrals his practice is doomed to failure. His dreams are dashed and he responds angrily towards anyone who tries to console him.

2: Doctor two is a believer. He believes that success is an individual following God’s will for their lives.  He believes God is in control and will meet every need. The lawsuit has little impact on his life for he believes God is in this and will work this out for his good and God’s glory.  He is disappointed, but he has little stress and no anger.

What is the difference between the two doctors?             It is their belief system.

Can belief in Jesus Christ make that type of difference in how we look at things and how we act towards our circumstances?                                                 A RESOUNDING YES!!

The difference is not their physical make-up, but their soulical outlook!

Proverbs 23:7 (KJV) ⁷ For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.

Our Behavior is determined by our Beliefs

·         Like all emotions, anger is a product of our thought life.

Ill:           Someone knocks you down at the Post Office.

Someone knocks you down and lands on you without you seeing it coming.  Will your heart rate go up? Will your body release adrenalin and Corte sol into your blood stream?  Will the emotion of anger flare up? 

                Your body will respond in the “fight or flight” mode.

If you believe it was an accident, your mind will tell you it was innocent and your body will return to normal.  We will make a decision how to respond based on the data gathered by our 5 senses and filtered through our minds. (Can you see how what you believe will dictate your action)

·         If what we believe does not conform to the truth, then what we feel does not conform to reality.

Ill:           Marital Spat over Money

·         Husband and wife have discussed the fact that financially things are tight.

·         Husband hears at work from his co-worker that his wife spent a lot of money shopping.

·         Husband is angry. 

·         He confronts his wife only to find it isn’t true.  She didn’t spend any money.

·         The husband was angry because he BELIEVED it to be true, but his emotion was not based on reality.

Conclusion:

Romans 12:1-2 (KJV) ¹ I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. ² And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

                1.  We are made in the image of God.  A trichotomy.  A spirit, soul, and body.

                2.  The brain is the hardware, the mind is the software.  God made man for the soul and body to work in harmony.

                3.  The soul is in control.

                4.  Our behavior is determined by our beliefs.

 

 

 

Anger, A Misunderstood Emotion (Introduction)

Anger

A Misunderstood Emotion

Introduction

Statistics: 

·         25,000 people are killed by another person each year in America. A thousand of these murders take place at work

·         1 million or so workers injured each year in violent attacks by coworkers.

·         12-16% of marriages have physical fights

·         25% of women have been battered at one time in their lives.

·         23% of all crimes are considered violent crimes.

·         49% experience anger at work, with 1 of 6 wanting to hit someone.

·         1 million cases of child abuse confirmed in the US per year.

Personality Change in America:

§  Children born in 1958 89% were “never” or “sometimes irritable” and “Mild mannered

§  Now, Road Rage, Shopper Rage, Rage at Sporting Events, etc.

The Question:

                Do we have a right to be angry? 

·         With our government and its decisions? 

·         With moral decisions made by individuals?

·         With moral issues being legislatively legalized?

·         With injustices?  Such as the NJ teacher fired for giving a student his Bible.

·         With being mistreated? Such as victims of violent crimes.

·         When being endangered while driving?

·         When someone takes our parking spot?

Jonah: Doest thou well to be angry?

Jonah was a prophet of God.  He was commanded by God to go to the city of Nineveh and preach.  He, as many of his Jewish counterparts, hated the Ninevites because of the way they lived.

The Assyrians worshipped the vicious god Ashur and a multitude of other gods and goddesses. Assyrian brutality and cruelty were legendary. The Assyrians were known to impale their enemies on stakes in front of their towns and hang their heads from trees in the king’s gardens. They also tortured their captives—men, women, or children—by hacking off noses, ears, or fingers, gouging out their eyes, or tearing off their lips and hands. They reportedly covered the city wall with the skins of their victims. Rebellious subjects would be massacred by the hundreds, sometimes burned at the stake. Then their skulls would be placed in great piles by the roadside as a warning to others. Jonah decided that he would rather quit the prophetic ministry than preach to such people.

Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary.

Jonah was the only prophet who fled God.

Jonah 1:1-3 (KJV) ¹ Now the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying,
² Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me. ³ But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.

Jonah repents and calls out to God.

Jonah finds his need to obey God in the belly of the whale.  How often do we turn to God when our plans fail?  How often do we turn to God when we are in trouble? (Jonah 2)

Jonah preaches God’s message in Nineveh.

Jonah 3:1-4 (KJV) ¹ And the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the second time, saying, ² Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee. ³ So Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceeding great city of three days' journey. ⁴ And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.

The people of Nineveh believe and repent.

Jonah 3:5 (KJV) ⁵ So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them.

Jonah 3:9-10 (KJV) ⁹ Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not? ¹⁰ And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.

 

Jonah responds in anger.

Jonah 4:1-3 (KJV) ¹ But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry. ² And he prayed unto the LORD, and said, I pray thee, O LORD, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil. ³ Therefore now, O LORD, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live.

God’s ?...doest thou well to be angry?

Jonah 4:4 (KJV) ⁴ Then said the LORD, Doest thou well to be angry?

·         Does Jonah have a right to be angry?

·         Is Jonah’s anger beneficial?

·         Is it good, is it best for Jonah?

Jonah’s mood was determined by his circumstances.

                When the circumstances pleased Jonah, he was happy.

Jonah 4:6 (KJV) ⁶ And the LORD God prepared a gourd, and made it to come up over Jonah, that it might be a shadow over his head, to deliver him from his grief. So Jonah was exceeding glad of the gourd.

                When the circumstances did not please Jonah, he was upset.

Jonah 4:7-8 (KJV) ⁷ But God prepared a worm when the morning rose the next day, and it smote the gourd that it withered. ⁸ And it came to pass, when the sun did arise, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah, that he fainted, and wished in himself to die, and said, It is better for me to die than to live.

Jonah thinks anger is beneficial. 

Jonah falsely believes his anger is justified. 

Jonah 4:9 (KJV) ⁹ And God said to Jonah, Doest thou well to be angry for the gourd? And he said, I do well to be angry, even unto death.

God reminds Jonah of what is important.

Jonah 4:10-11 (KJV) ¹⁰ Then said the LORD, Thou hast had pity on the gourd, for the which thou hast not laboured, neither madest it grow; which came up in a night, and perished in a night: ¹¹ And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?

Lessons to be learned from Jonah.

1.          We respond in anger when God doesn’t do what we want Him to do.

             2.          We want the mercy and grace of God in our own lives, but the justice of God in the lives of others.

             3.          Anger is a heart problem.

Mark 7:14-15 (KJV) ¹⁴ And when he had called all the people unto him, he said unto them, Hearken unto me every one of you, and understand: ¹⁵ There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man.
Mark 7:20-23 (KJV) ²⁰ And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. ²¹ For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, ²² Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: ²³ All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.

God’s ?...doest thou well to be angry?

Jonah 4:4 (KJV) ⁴ Then said the LORD, Doest thou well to be angry?

• Do we have a right to be angry?
• Is our anger beneficial?
• Is it good, is it best for us?

Some verses to consider…

Galatians 5:22-23 (KJV) ²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, ²³ Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Romans 12:21 (KJV) ²¹ Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

Romans 15:13 (KJV) ¹³ Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

James 1:20 (KJV) ²⁰ For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.

John 14:27 (KJV) ²⁷ Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Philippians 4:6-7 (KJV) ⁶ Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.