Sermon on the Mount-HOT ONES

Anger and grudges are dangerous, first of all, because Jesus said, "Don't do it", and secondly, because it leads to more and worse anger. Emotions at our core need to be controlled by the Holy Spirit, and we can read the following scripture, but a change in direction may not be that easy. Matthew 5:²¹ “You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.’²² But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell. We see a lot of anger from a lost and corrupt world that seems to be fighting for evil and not for good. Oh well. That should not be a surprise!! This anger can get out of control to the point that the person getting angry goes into an "anger coma" and doesn't even remember what happened. It's like the show Hot Ones, where each hot sauce gets worse and worse, and then comes number 8, and it is so elevated that they cannot handle it.

So does our anger get the same way when we let it get out of control. Our hearts belong to Jesus, so dealing with anger is going to need His Spirit to control our impressions of what is happening and let His love "talk us through it!" Years ago, I had someone I really trusted hurt me behind my back, and it has beaten up my trust for anyone, but my condition worsened when I thought I deserved justice. I went through a spell when Jesus really convicted me of my anger, and I had to leave it in His hands, because I was handling it very poorly. After going through quite a few stages of counseling with my Wonderful Counselor, Jesus showed a way through it. The trust issues are still present, but I am improving in that area as well.

Jesus is so awesome to replace this anger with love and understanding, and in the process, we come out in better shape than before. I am not saying I want another experience so I can grow some more, but Jesus was a very present help in my time of trouble, and He can be there to walk you through your anger issues also.

The Pilgrimage Continues,

David Warren