Mad At The ‘World’ [v280]

JUNE 2022

Although anger can be a ‘good’ thing, most of the time it is not. The thing is, it really depends on what the anger is all about and ‘who’ it is directed to.

INTRODUCTION
There are lots of things in the world to be angry about. Horrible things happen. People hurt us. Things are out of our control. Life is unfair and sometimes makes no sense at all.

Someone described anger this way: Anger is a human emotional response to situations that are either out of our control or out of our ability to understand, or both.

Now, anger is not inherently bad. In fact, anger is a healthy part of life, as it often moves us to action. When someone or something makes us angry, we are usually motivated to do something about it. We might defend ourselves, leave a bad situation, or help someone else.

However, too much anger can be ‘toxic’. It can control us and damage our relationships, physical health, work, and daily experience. Experiencing anger all the time is exhausting for us and challenging—or even ‘scary’ for the people around us.

[ VIDEO: “How to Stop Being Angry at the World” ].

<<< SUMMARY >>>

The following is a collection of ‘snippets’ from the post that aims to give you the overall ‘jest’ of this post.
[ 10-15 Minute Read ].

TWO DIFFERENT LIVES ‘CULTURALLY’
A few weeks ago, similar ‘significant’ events happened to two people in my life.
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They both passed away suddenly, and both were in their 60s.

MAD AT THE ‘WORLD’
It’s important to note that anger doesn’t always look like shouting or explosive outbursts. Some people keep their anger bottled up inside or directed at themselves. Anger can also lead to passive aggressive behavior and avoidance of responsibilities. Whichever way a person expresses anger, it stops us from communicating what we really want—at least effectively—with ourselves and those around us.

Underneath anger is typically hurt and fear, but anger can seem easier to feel and express. Anger is often associated with aggression, strength, and control. Fear and hurt are vulnerable and can make us feel weak or out of control. For these scenarios, we can learn to express what we are truly feeling when appropriate, instead of responding in unhealthy ways that ultimately hurt us.
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Anger is a VERY powerful feeling, but it does not have to consume one’s entire life. Simply taking the time out of one’s day to do something positive can make a BIG difference. Reading a book before bed helps some people to calm down and focus. Other people like to exercise to get rid of some of their frustrations. One should try to spend one’s time doing ‘positive’ things that will be good for them. One will have an MUCH easier time overcoming their anger this way.
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Below are the most common reasons why you’re angry at the world, and what you can do to release your rage.
– You’ Are Upset At All The Injustices In The World
– The Things You See On The News/Read On Social Media Fill You With Rage
– You Feel Like Those In Charge Are Making All The Wrong Decisions
– Things Are Happening In Your Life That You Can’t Control
– You Are Angry At The World For Changing
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So, remember to always seek the ‘root’ cause. No matter what you’re feeling, there is always an underlying reason for feeling it. If you are feeling tired all the time, then you would determine why that was happening, right? Working long hours, feeling emotionally overwhelmed, not getting enough sleep, being anemic, or otherwise nutrient deficient, fighting off an illness, are all very tangible things that can contribute to someone feeling exhausted. Then, when you get to the root of why you are tired, you can take action to get more rest.

‘SIGNS’ THAT YOU ARE AN ANGRY PERSON
– You’re Always ‘Cranky’
– You Question Everything
– You Think That Society Is Messed Up
– You Feel You Have Been Dealt A Crappy ‘Hand’
– You Are ‘Against’ The World
– You Feel Like The World Should ‘Revolve’ Around You
– You Feel So Alone
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So, what kinds if things can one do when they feel extremely anger? Well, when you are angry, it’s a ‘red flag’ that something needs to change, and when you are extremely angry, something needs to change RIGHT NOW!

In the moment, one must decide which ‘fork in the road’ they should take, then use one or more of the following options:
– Let it Happen
– Separate Emotion from Action
– Identify Why
– Cool Off with Exercise
– Delay Your Reaction
– Distract Yourself
– Do Your Homework
– Don’t Play the Victim
– Find a Safe Haven
– Look Before You Leap
– Discuss Your Anger with Someone Trustworthy
– Listen to Music
– Write an E-mail
– Make a List
– Disconnect from Your Triggers
– Redecorate
– Watch a Funny Movie/Show
– Put Yourself First
– Do Something Relaxing
– Use Anger to Fuel Change

[ Note: Detailed descriptions from the above items is in the “Articles” section below. ]

‘Own’ your anger. Don’t let it own you!

TWO DIFFERENT LIVES ‘SPIRITUALLY’
As I mentioned, I was both ‘glad’ and ‘sad’ in the same week earlier this month (June 2022).

First off, although it was at first sad, that friend of mine who was a swimmer passed away suddenly. While he was doing a routine early morning daily swim at his club, he suffered a stoke, and later had a heart attack and died. He was only 61 years of age.
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After all those years of effort getting to ‘retirement’, he also could not enjoy any of the ‘fruits’ of his labors. He was only 64 years old and died depressed, lonely, and bitter. That made me ‘SAD’ since I do not know whether he went to Heaven or Hell.
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‘BLAMING’ GOD
Many people ‘blame’ God for the bad ‘situation’ or sickness they are experiencing. They say that if God is “loving,” He would not allow this ‘pain’ in their life

The thing is, even though we “groan” in pain here on earth (even as the actual Earth does itself do so – Romans 8:22), this life is but a “vapor” (80-100 years) compared to an eternity with God in Heaven—and the Bible says that Heaven is simply BEYOND DESCRIPTION!

[ FYI: For more details about ‘pain’ in a Christian’s life, see the C.S. Lewis book, “The Problem With Pain,” in the “Resources” section below. ]

[ FYI: For more details about Heaven, view Randy Alcorn’s book, “Heaven” A Comprehensive Guide to Everything the Bible Sway About Our Eternal Home” in the “Resources” section below. ]

So, if you are mad at God, you are in good company. Moses, Job, and David are among the biblical characters who had a ‘bone’ to pick with God about what He was or was not doing. Although they often had to wait, God always responded. So keep talking. God is ‘listening’.

IS IT A SIN TO BE ANGRY WITH GOD?
Have you ever gotten angry with God when you or someone you love goes through hard times? If so, you are not alone. In fact, many people get angry with God from time to time.

God understands when you are angry with Him—you CAN be ‘real’ with Him. You can be honest about whatever is bothering you instead of thinking you must ‘hide’ it or act ‘religious.’ In some of the Psalms, King David openly expressed anger or frustration with God—yet God did not get ‘mad’ at David for being so:
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BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO ‘GOOD’ PEOPLE
We all expect disappointments, but never on a ‘level’ of what sometimes happens in life—the death or debilitating illness of a family member or loved one, losing one’s health or job/business, or many other ‘horrific’ life situations.

Many people are frustrated with how an omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent God doesn’t give them the life they had hoped to have: “If God knows all things—omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent—why can’t He give me the life I want?” (Jeremiah 1:5).

Well, the thing is, God IS ‘there’ in one’s sufferings, He just allows things to happen to either ‘train’ or ‘discipline’. The real question is, “Can you love the Lord with all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength even when your life is falling apart?” (Matthew 22:37) It is one thing to ‘believe’ in God when times are good. It is a radically different thing to find a peace that transcends understanding when personal sorrow is crushing your life (Philippians 4:7).

[ For more details on spiritual discipline,” view this previous “Life’s Deep Thoughts” post: https://markbesh.wordpress.com/growing-in-grace-v240/ ].
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‘DEPRESSION’ ANGER
Anger towards God is one of Satan’s main strategies is to keep us in depression (or any other bondage). He knows how to draw us into self-pity and then blame God for not taking the oppression away. He knows where he can influence our thoughts, or get us to blame others. He knows how to draw us into self-pity, and lead us into unforgiveness.

When people get into self-pity, the next stage is usually anger, then sometimes rage. Then, the Devil will have us pointing our finger at God and saying, “It’s Your fault.” That’s what he wants.

This tactic started in the garden when Adam and Eve made the first sin be eating the fruit. Adam tried to blame God by saying, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.” (and this kind of ‘blaming’ has continued to today). [ Then Eve blamed the Devil ].

IS IT WRONG TO BE MAD AT GOD?
Being angry at God is something that many people, both believers and unbelievers, have wrestled with throughout time. When something tragic happens in our lives, we ask God the question, “Why?” because it is our natural response. What we are really asking Him, though, is not so much “Why, God?” as “Why me, God?”

This response indicates two flaws in our thinking. First off, we operate under the impression that life should be easy and that God should prevent EVERY tragedy from happening to us. When He does not, we get angry with Him. Secondly, when we do not understand the extent of God’s sovereignty, we lose confidence in His ability to control circumstances, other people, and the way they affect us. We then get angry with God because He seems to have lost control of the universe and especially control of our lives.

When we lose faith in God’s sovereignty, it is because our frail human flesh is grappling with our own frustration and our lack of control over events. When good things happen, we all too often attribute it to our own achievements and success. When bad things happen, however, we are quick to blame God, and we get angry with Him for not preventing it, which indicates the first flaw in our thinking—that we deserve to be immune to unpleasant circumstances.
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One thing IS certain: ‘inappropriate’ anger is sin (Galatians 5:20; Ephesians 4:26-27, 31; Colossians 3:8). Ungodly anger is self-defeating, gives the Devil a ‘foothold’ in our lives, and can destroy our joy and peace if we hang on to it.

Then, holding on to our anger will allow bitterness and resentment to spring up in our hearts. If we do this, we must confess it to God. Then, in His forgiveness, we can release those feelings before Him in prayer.
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GOD CAN ‘TAKE IT’
God can ‘take’ your frustrations and struggles, so GO AHEAD and express them to Him. Just realize that, if this the Creator of the universe, after you get everything off your ‘chest’, sit and ‘listen’ for God’s answer to you (most likely this ‘prompting’ will be when you are reading your Bible).

WHY IS THERE ’SICKNESS’?
In a world tainted by sin, sickness, disease, and death will always be with us. We are fallen beings, with physical bodies prone to disease and illness. Some sickness is simply a result of the natural course of things in this world.

It is undeniable, though, that God sometimes intentionally allows, or even causes sickness to accomplish His sovereign purposes (My family member lying on a couch most of the day, looking ‘up’ to Heaven?). Sickness can be a means of God’s loving discipline. It is difficult for us to comprehend why God would work in this manner. But, believing in the sovereignty of God, there is no other option than suffering being something God allows and/or causes.

The clearest example of this in Scripture is found is Psalm 119. Notice the progression through verses 67, 71, and 75: “Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey your word…It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees…I know, O LORD, that your laws are righteous, and in faithfulness you have afflicted me.” The author (King David?) was looking at suffering from God’s perspective. It was good for him to be afflicted. It was faithfulness that caused God to afflict him. The result of the affliction was that he learned God’s decrees and obeyed His Word.

Now, sickness and suffering are never easy to deal with. One thing is for sure, sickness should not cause us to lose faith in God. God is good, even when we are suffering!

ANGER WITH GOD AMIDST GREAT PAIN
People don’t get mad at God when life is good. For that matter, people usually don’t get mad at God unless He is a significant figure in their life. This means if we can avoid being distracted by their anger, one can learn two important things about the person we are ‘ministering’ to:

– Life has been ‘hard’ for them
– God is a central figure in their life

When one gets angry about their experiences of intense suffering, and they think God is unmoved and stoic towards these experiences, they usually get angry at Him. When one believes that God is passive or indifferent, their anger tries to ‘rouse’ Him (cf. Psalm 44:23-26). One’s emotions and God’s emotions are viewed as being at odds. However, when one understands that God is ‘moved’, our emotions can ‘match’ His, and there can be a comfort that one’s emotions do not have to ‘take the lead’.

When we understand that anger in response to intense suffering is (at least, potentially) a form of grief rather than an emotion of defiance, it should FREE ONE up to respond properly. One then can experience the grief without ‘betraying’ God.

‘WORKING’ ONE’S WAY TO HEAVEN
That family member that was frustrated, depressed, and bitter at the end of his life grew up Roman Catholic, and he tended to ‘fall back’ upon beliefs that he needed to ‘work’ for his salvation.

Now, Catholicism is definitely a good ‘foundation—especially for those who read their Bible regularly, and don’t depend only on the priest to tell them what God wants from them. However, this guy was always wondering how much he needed to ‘DO’ to get into Heaven. The thing is, the Bible is VERY CLEAR’ that NO AMOUNT of deeds will get one into Heaven:

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast”
[ Ephesians 2:8-9 ].
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IS THERE A “PURGATORY”?
So, this family member would say that if he didn’t do enough ‘works’ to ‘qualify’ for Heaven, he would go to a place called “Purgatory”—a place of suffering inhabited by the souls of sinners who are ‘expiating’ their sins before going to Heaven.

The thing is, the Bible says that there are NO ‘SECOND CHANCES’—no “Purgatory”—and one must make their ‘peace with God’ here on earth before they pass away:

“Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead [in Christ] will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed”
[ 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 ].
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The very idea of Purgatory —and the doctrines that are often attached to it (prayer for the dead, indulgences, meritorious works on behalf of the dead—fail to recognize that Jesus’ death was SUFFICIENT to pay the penalty for ALL of our sins. If one must, in order to be saved, pay for, atone for, or suffer because of their sins, then Jesus’ death was not a perfect, complete, and sufficient sacrifice!
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Jesus told the dying thief on the cross, “Today you will be with me in paradise” [ Luke 23:43 ]. The Apostle Paul said that to die was to be with Christ (Philippians 1:23), and to be absent from the body was to be present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8). After their deaths, martyrs are pictured in Heaven, crying out to God to bring justice on Earth (Revelation 6:9-11).
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‘RELIGION’ VS RELATIONSHIP
Religion is “the belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power, especially a personal God or gods.” In that respect, Christianity can be classified as a religion. HOWEVER, practically speaking, Christianity has a key difference that separates it from other belief systems that are considered religions. That difference IS ‘RELATIONSHIP’.

Most religion, theistic or otherwise, is man-centered. Any relationship with God is based on man’s ‘works’. A theistic religion, such as Judaism or Islam, holds to the belief in a supreme God or gods, while non-theistic religions, such as Buddhism and Hinduism, focus on metaphysical thought patterns and spiritual “energies.” But most religions are similar in that they are built upon the concept that man can reach a higher power or state of being through his own efforts. In most religions, man is the ‘aggressor’ and the deity is the beneficiary of man’s efforts, sacrifices, or good deeds. Paradise, nirvana, or some higher state of being is man’s reward for his strict adherence to whatever tenets that religion prescribes.
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Christianity is not about ‘signing up’ for a religion. Christianity is about being ‘born into’ the family of God (John 3:3). It is a relationship. Just as an adopted child has no power to create an adoption, we have no power to join the family of God by our own efforts. We can only accept His invitation to know Him as Father through adoption (Ephesians 1:5; Romans 8:15). When we join His family through faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus, the Holy Spirit comes to live ‘inside’ our hearts (1 Corinthians 6:19; Luke 11:13; 2 Corinthians 1:21–22). He then empowers us to live like children of the King. He DOES NOT ask us to try to ‘attain’ holiness by our own strength, as religion does. He asks that our old self be ‘crucified’ with Him so that His power can LIVE ‘THROUGH’ US (Galatians 2:20; Romans 6:6). God wants us to know Him, to draw near to Him, to pray to Him, and to love Him above everything. That is not religion; that is a relationship!
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God wants us to ‘pursue’ Him. Religion kills intimacy. “But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul” [ Deuteronomy 4:29 ].
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WANTS NO ONE TO ‘PERISH’
The thing is, God may put one into a situation—like being very sick, on their back (like my family member, looking up to ‘Heaven’) for most of their day—to have them focus on Him by expressing their frustrations with their current situation to have them realize how they have lived a life of sin towards God and for them to ‘repent’ of that lifestyle.

The Bible tells us that God is MERCIFUL and is just waiting for the person to come to the ‘end’ of themselves and to honestly ‘repent’ of their sins and put their trust into the open ‘arms’ of Jesus, Who has already provided an ‘atonement’ for anyone’s sins who will ‘believe’ in Jesus as their Savior. The ‘bonus’ for that is eternal life in Heaven after they have passed on from this earth!
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‘LEAP OF FAITH’
Many people that diligently study the Bible to try to ‘logically’ determine if God is ‘reliable’ and does He really follow through on His promises. Now, this is great to do (I spent over 10 years in my ‘proving’ quest!), but at the end of the day, one will NEVER find all the answers to all of their questions—I didn’t—and one must just ‘trust’ that God is who He says He is and take a ‘leap of faith’ to experience the ‘transformation’ God will give one when He (the Holy Spirit) comes to ‘reside’ in them.

[ FYI: For more details on a ‘leap of faith’, view this previous “Life’s Depp Thoughts” post:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/learning-to-t-r-u-s-t-v263/ ].
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TRUSTING ‘IN’ GOD
Trusting God can be tough, especially with levels of trust already low. We are bombarded with negative news about politicians, salespeople, pastors, and doctors, among countless others. This only serves to undermine our ability to trust anyone, even God.

Now, I believe that trusting God is one of the BIGGEST CHALLENGES for an unbeliever—and even for a Christian. Often one won’t trust God enough to ‘submit’ to Him, ‘obey’ His Word, or do what He has specifically told them to do. In short, they don’t trust Him at all!

ONE CAN TRUST GOD BECAUSE OF HIS ‘ACTIONS’
– GOD ‘SUSTAINS’
– GOD’S ‘PROVISION’
– GOD’S ‘GOVERNANCE’
– GOD’S ‘SOVEREIGNTY’
– TRUSTING GOD BECAUSE OF HIS ‘FULFILLED’ PROMISES
– GOD’S PROMISES TO ‘ALL’ PEOPLE
– GOD’S PROMISES TO ONLY ‘BELIEVERS’
– OUR ‘EXPECTATIONS’
– ONE’S ‘RESPONSE’
– GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY and OUR RESPONSIBILITY
– ‘CHOOSING’ TO TRUST GOD
– ‘SURRENDER’
– ‘CHILDLIKE’ TRUST
– ‘DEPENDENCE’
– GOD ‘IS’ TRUSTWORTHY
– CAN ‘YOU’ TRUST GOD?

‘ASSURANCE’ OF GETTING TO HEAVEN
The GREAT ‘news’ is that one CAN feel ‘ASSURED’ that they will reside in Heaven one day!

You may say, “Mark, respectfully, one can’t know anything for sure.” Well, don’t ‘shoot’ me (I’m just the messenger), but the Apostle Peter made a profound statement that resonates even in our postmodern world: “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved” [ Acts 4:12 ].

[ Quick question: Do you know for sure that 2 + 2 = 4? If not, your bank is probably ‘taking advantage’ of you! ;^D ]
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Some will argue that it is extremely ‘narrow-minded’ of God to provide only one way to Heaven. Well, frankly, in light of mankind’s rebellion against God, it’s extremely ‘broad-minded’ for Him to provide us with ANY WAY to Heaven! We deserve judgment, but God gives us the ‘way’ of escape by sending His one-and-only Son to die FOR our sins. Whether someone sees this as narrow or broad, it’s what the Bible says. The good news is that Jesus died and rose again, ‘proving’ He was God in the flesh and showing mankind that God the Father ‘approved’ of His sacrifice and atonement for our sins by raising Him from the dead and having Him sit at His “right hand” ‘in Heaven (THE position of authority).
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The Bible says there is one and ONLY ONE ‘WAY’ to Heaven—Jesus Christ—and that only a few will find the way: “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it” [ Matthew 7:13-14 ]. I PRAY you will FIND ‘THE’ WAY!
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‘HOPE’ FOR THE FUTURE
Think of the most hopeless situation you can imagine—maybe being stranded on the most foreboding continent on the earth, Antarctica, somewhere in the middle of the continent. Then, what if, by some horrible circumstance, you were stranded there alone? Would you not call that hopeless?

HOWEVER, it WOULD ‘NOT’ be as hopeless as someone living ‘apart’ from God—at least in Antarctica, you will be alive! Apart from God, the Apostle Paul says, you are “Dead in trespasses and sins… Having no hope and without God in the world” [ Ephesians 2:1, 12 ]. Sounds like being stranded in Antarctica but MUCH worse!

Being apart from God not only means no hope in this world, but in the next, eternal world, as well. Thankfully, we are not without hope: “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved” [ Ephesians 2:4-5 ].

So, don’t be lost without hope in this world, or in the next. Accept God’s gift of mercy and grace ‘in’ Jesus.
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WHAT TO ‘DO’
I’ve got to believe at some point in your life, you have raised your fist and shouted out in anger at God. If you have, don’t feel bad, because most of us have done so.

Maybe your parent died, or you had a friend get seriously sick, or even killed. Maybe you have cancer, or some kind of handicap. These and other serious issues enter our lives, making it easy to ‘target’ God for our pain.

So, what are some of the reasons why one gets mad at God? Well, the ‘main’ reason is that they think He ‘owes’ them something. This usually happens in two ways:
– One Doesn’t Get Something They Want
– One Gets Something They Didn’t Expect
– His Peace
– His Comfort
– His Love
– A Life With Greater Meaning and Significance

So then, what can you do when you are mad at God? Well…

– Tell Him How You Feel
– Place The Blame For Evil On Satan, Not On God
– Pray For Courage, Strength And Peace To Make It Through The Day
– Trust That God Will Use A Hardship For Something Beyond What You Can See
– Get Involved In Other People’s Lives
– Decide To Have A Relationship With God

So then, for a bit more insight about ‘specifically’ how one should respond to God when they are angry, frustrated, and disappointed with Him, let’s take a close look at a well-known Old Testament character named Job, who lost ‘everything’—his 10 children; his health; and his wealth. There seems to be four things that can be considered whenever one is experiencing pain that is incomparable and can’t be understood what God is doing in one’s life.
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Both Nick and Job dealt with anger at circumstances that were out of their control. But both men also realized that their anger was ultimately futile and misplaced. In its place, they adopted an attitude of humility and praised God. Their praise—and the gratitude that followed—ultimately led to a deep joy that couldn’t be shaken by any life situation.
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HOW TO PRAY WHEN YOU ARE ANGRY AT GOD
– Don’t Stop Praying
– Remember That Jesus Knows What Your Pain Feels Like

We all have been ‘there’! Even Jesus calls out from the cross, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken Me?”

So, instead of looking around and wishing for anything other than the story He is inviting you into, be present to your own story—mess and all. It is a story that He is ‘writing’ with you in mind. He isn’t going to give you something you can’t handle with His help!
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PREPARING TO ‘MEET’ GOD
God put you on this earth to ‘prepare’ you for what you’re going to do the rest of eternity with Him. This life is NOT all there is! This life is the “dress rehearsal.” It’s the “warm-up lap” around the course before the real ‘race’ begins.

The Bible tells us that, “When this tent we live in, our body here on earth, is torn down, God will have a house in Heaven for us to live in, a home that He Himself has made which will last forever” [2 Corinthians 5:1].

That sounds great to me! However, just as the ‘wise’ athlete makes diligent preparations prior to running in an Olympic final, the same is true in the spiritual ‘race’ God wants us to ‘win’. We will never reach our fullest potential for Him, and ourselves, until we are willing to make the preparations and sacrifices that are necessary for running the ‘race’.
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This is the same for someone wanting to ‘prepare’ for eternity. The ‘discipline’ of Bible reading and study might be ‘painful’ right now—but its ‘reward’ is “out of this world!”

Again, the writer of Hebrews has some good advice: “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it” [Hebrews 12:11].
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PREPARING FOR THE COMING ‘JUDGMENT’
When we meet someone, in person, for the first time, we both ‘analyze’ each other. It takes just a quick glance—maybe two to three seconds—for someone to evaluate you when you meet for the first time. In this short time, the other person forms an opinion about you based on your appearance, body language, demeanor, mannerisms, and how you are dressed. These first impressions can be nearly impossible to reverse or undo, and they often set the ‘tone’ for the meeting and long-term, the relationship.

In the same way, the ‘unprepared’ will meet God just as certainly as the prepared will. The Scriptures teach that an ‘interview’ with God is inevitable: “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad” [ 2 Corinthians 5:10 ]. God DOES NOT want you to be ignorant or unprepared. So, He sent prophets, and later His Son and the apostles that ‘pleaded’ to people to prepare.

HOW TO ‘MISS’ ETERNAL PUNISHMENT!
– ADMIT THAT YOU’RE A SINNER
– BELIEVE IN YOUR HEART THAT JESUS CHRIST DIED FOR YOUR SINS, WAS BURIED, AND THAT GOD RAISED JESUS FROM THE DEAD.
– CALL UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD.
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‘CAN’ BELIEVERS BE MAD AT GOD?
Children often get angry at their parents for not giving them something they really want (like candy before dinner), or taking something away that they had (like a sharp knife). The parents do this because they see the bigger ‘picture’ and knows what is best for the child. While we don’t enjoy having our children upset at us in such situations, we can handle their anger because we know that we did WHAT WAS ‘BEST’ for them!

Similarly, God sees the bigger picture and knows what is best for His ‘children’. We may get angry and upset, and if we do, He can take it because He knows we just don’t understand. I don’t think such anger is sinful or carnal, but just anger from ignorance. (God would rather have us come to Him in anger than run from Him in anger.)

The Psalmists all understood this, and in the Psalms, we encounter some of the most ‘angry’ writing in all of Scripture, and much of it is directed at God. The Psalmists had raw emotions and were not afraid to vent at God. If you ever feel like yelling at God, I highly recommend you read some of the Psalms and maybe the Psalmists will ‘temper’ your yelling.
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DEVELOPING A ‘CLOSE’ RELATIONSHIP
Now, certainly God is holy, perfect, loving, all-wise, and he NEVER ‘truly’ deserves one’s anger. However, there is ‘friction’ that is inevitable in any close relationship. In fact, the closer you are to someone, the more ‘passion’ you feel about them and the more likely there will be some friction—anger will ‘erupt’.

This is as true in marriage when we get mad at our spouse and it is true in our relationship with God. However, the truth is some believers are ‘afraid’ to get angry at God. Many believe that being mad at God is the “unforgivable sin.” Many well-meaning believers have told them that, no matter what happens, they should just keep thanking and praising God—just keep a ‘smile’ on your face because God has a wonderful plan for your life, and He doesn’t need you second-guessing His plan.
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God just says that we should “Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the Devil” [ Ephesians 4:26-27 ]. That’s the ‘line’ that we SHOULD NOT ‘CROSS’.
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Consider some of the words of the song “Honesty” by Margret Becker (Full lyrics and video in the “Songs” section below):
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There IS a loving Father for the believer that is on one’s ‘side’, who is willing to ‘put up’ with their messy emotions as they work through their issue(s), grow closer to Him, and find that there IS ‘hope’ for their future!
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WRAP-UP
According to psychologists, if you are constantly angry it just might be more about your state of mind than it does about the state of the world around you—an under-recognized sign of depression.

The ‘Stealthiest’ Sign Of Depression?
Picture a person with serious depression. Did you imagine someone with low mood and lower energy struggling to get out of bed? Well, that is the ‘popular’ image of people battling depression, but according to the experts, that is only one way depression can manifest. It might also look like you constantly getting ticked off at your friends, family, or co-workers.
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ANGRY AT GOD
You have been wronged, hurt, and cheated by someone or you have lost your job, a spouse or your health, and you are ‘angry’ at God for allowing it to happen and not changing the circumstances to your expectations. (My family member complained constantly during his life about his “weak” eyes and then about his recent chronic illnesses.)

The thing is, sometimes the ‘negative thing’ that is happened in your life may leave you feeling like God doesn’t care—or wondering why He didn’t intervene when He should have. So then, how can you possibly trust Him? Isn’t He supposed to love you?

Well, it is OKAY to question the trials that you or someone you love are facing. Throughout history, people have struggled to understand why these things happen. Even people in the Bible like Moses, King David, and Habakkuk didn’t hesitate to tell God how they felt.
———
Now, there is a difference between ‘wrestling’ with questions and defiant ‘rebellion’ against God—between expressing our anger ‘to’ God and being angry ‘at’ God. The first is perfectly fine and even healthy, but it is NOT OKAY to be mad at God.

As imperfect, finite people, it is not our place to be angry with an all-powerful God. He sees the big picture and we don’t. He holds the world in balance and we don’t. So what right do we have to disapprove of what He allows?
———
“How one deals with pain, sorrow, and anger will make one either bitter or better.” [ Mark Besh ]
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So. don’t let anger drive a ‘wedge’ between you and God. Discover the depth of His love for you today. The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association suggests the following:
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GOD IS ‘GRACIOUS’
God’s impartiality is seen in His gracious offer of salvation to people of every race. The Apostle Peter said, “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears Him and does what is right is acceptable to Him” [ Acts 10:34-35 ].

God is also impartial in judgment: “There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. For God shows no partiality” [ Romans 2:9-11 ].

God’s love is also ’steadfast’ and will endure forever. This is put on ‘display’ in Psalm 136:

‘VERSES’ TO CONSIDER WHEN YOU ARE MAD AT GOD
Hopefully, the following Bible verses will encourage you in your anger and will help you to get a better understanding of your angry and how God can help you with it:
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Now, I am NOT saying that you won’t still feel like crying over the whole thing (I do.) I’m also not saying that you are not ‘hurt’ (I have been.) But, I AM saying that with a little more time, you will find that God’s plan is for your good and, most likely, the thing that you wanted so desperately wasn’t the ‘right thing’ for you right now.
———
My point in all of these suggestions is that you can’t ‘wallow’ in your anger at God. You can’t let it ‘fester’ and work at you until you no longer trust Him, want to spend time with Him, or grow in your relationship with Him.

He ALWAYS has a plan, and it is ALWAYS FOR YOUR ‘GOOD’! You have to get to that ‘point’ where you ‘REALLY’ believe that.

ONLY ONE ‘CHANCE’ TO GET TO HEAVEN!
While the idea of a second chance for salvation is appealing, the Bible is clear that death is the END OF ‘ALL’ CHANCES! Hebrews 9:27 tells us that we die, and then face judgment. So, as long as a person is alive, he has a second, third, fourth, fifth, etc. chance to accept Jesus and be ‘saved’ (John 3:16; Romans 10:9-10; Acts 16:31). HOWEVER, once a person dies, there are NO MORE chances. The idea of Purgatory—a place where people go after death to pay for their sins—has NO ‘biblical’ basis, but is rather a tradition of the Roman Catholic Church.
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WHAT ‘HAPPENS’ AT ONE’S DEATH?
The Bible classifies the whole human race into two broad categories—the saved and the lost. The saved are those who have trusted Jesus as Lord and Savior. The lost are those who have not done this. What happens to the saved is radically different from what happens to the lost.

– FOR THE SAVED
– FOR THE LOST

DEATH IS BUT A ’SHADOW’
Only one question remains. How can you personally face your own death with confidence? Well, theologian Dr. Donald Grey Barnhouse—beloved Bible teacher of a previous generation—told the following story:
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Death IS NOT the end of the ‘road’, it is only a ‘bend’ in the road. For the believer, death is the doorway to Heaven. For the unbeliever, it is a passageway into unimaginable suffering in Hell. These things are true even if one doesn’t fully understand them. They are true even if we don’t believe them. So, make sure you are ready to die so that when the time comes, so you won’t be surprised by what happens next!

‘DEATHBED’ CONVERSION
Pastor Steven J. Cole tells this story about “old Joe.”
———
So, to calm your doubts about those on the brink of death, the Bible includes a story of a genuine deathbed conversion. The dying thief on the cross asked Jesus to remember him when He came into His kingdom, and Jesus ASSURED him that he would be with Him that very day in Paradise. The story has much to teach us not only about deathbed conversions, but about any conversion.

As theologian John Calvin remarks, “There is… no room to doubt that [Christ] is prepared to admit into His Kingdom all, without exception, who shall apply to Him.” So, there are a few things one CAN know:

– Salvation is always by God’s grace, apart from any human works
– Salvation is always received through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ
– Salvation is granted instantly, freely, and abundantly
– Salvation is available to any sinner right up to the point of death

A wise Puritan once wrote, “We have one account of a deathbed repentance in order that no man need despair; we have only one, in order that no man may presume.” So, even those on their deathbeds still can have the hope that God, in His grace, will save them. HOWEVER, by all means, make sure that you do not presume on God’s grace by putting off repentance and faith in Jesus for another time. You MAY NOT have that opportunity!

So, that family member—who was REALLY ‘MAD’ at God for all the things that had happened to him throughout his life—COULD HAVE been saved by God’s grace on his deathbed. I will not know until I reach Heaven. ;^(

For the past year or so, I made it a point to talk with him about what it ‘takes’ to get into Heaven—just honestly ‘release’ his anger towards God, ‘surrender’ his life over to Jesus, ‘repent’ of his sins, and ‘believe’ that Jesus is the Savior of the world. I said that IS really just that ‘easy’ to do!

The thing is, if you have not repented and believed ‘in’ Jesus, you STILL have a CHANCE to DO IT… RIGHT NOW!

Like my family member, no one knows when they will die, and one MUST repent of their sins and ‘believe’ in Jesus before they die! You have ONLY ONE ‘CHANCE’ to do this! (There is no “Purgatory”).

So, which of the two persons I mentioned would you like to be?:

– The guy who was ‘angry’ and ‘mad’ at God, blaming Him for his current ‘painful’ situation (though God had blessed him tremendously with physical health and financial wealth prior to his recent sickness)

OR…

– The guy who led a joyful life, albeit ‘sprinkled’ with frustrations and pain, though is in Heaven now?

I’m thinking that I probably know your answer, but you have to answer this FOR YOURSELF!

So, let me end this post with a prayer of thanksgiving from King David (adapted from 1 Chronicles 17:16-27) that, if you truly believe, in your ‘heart’, you WILL BE ‘SAVED’ and arrive in Heaven after you die!

Heavenly Father, I am not worthy of what you have already done for me. Yet now you are doing even more; you have made promises to me, and you are already treating me like someone great. What more can I say to you? You know me well, and yet you honor me. Lord, there is none like you; I have always known that you alone are God. Thank you, Lord, for everything.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.

<<< END OF SUMMARY >>>

<<< ALL THE DETAILS >>>

The following is a comprehensive presentation of the topic that follows the ‘headings’ laid out in the Summary.

TWO DIFFERENT LIVES ‘CULTURALLY’
A few weeks ago, similar ‘significant’ events happened to two people in my life.

They were both athletic—one was a “Masters” swimmer, who was a champion in the 500m Freestyle, and the other was an accomplished Triathlete, who was once ranked top 25 in his state in his 50s. Both enjoyed their sport and passionately trained to be the best they could be.

The swimmer, for the most part, enjoyed life despite the typical ‘frustrations’ of life. He was mostly optimistic, always trying to see the good in a situation or in people. The triathlete was kind of a “Debby Downer,” mostly negative and pessimistic. He was constantly bringing up the bad or depressing aspects of life and what had happened to him over the years (although there were times when he actually did enjoy life and time with a long-time friend).

The swimmer was ‘concerned’ with what was happening in the world, and expending some effort in trying to make some things better by being a member of some committees and volunteering for some non profits. The triathlete stayed pretty much to himself, criticized what was happening in the world, but expended no effort in trying to help anyone or try to change what he was criticizing (though he was a very capable person with many ‘gifts’ that he could have shared).

The swimmer had a reasonable, sensible, and balanced view of the world—he was ‘HOPEFUL’ for the world. The triathlete had a prejudiced, unrealistic, and cynical view of the world—he was ‘MAD’ at the world.

They both passed away suddenly, and both were in their 60s.

MAD AT THE ‘WORLD’
It’s important to note that anger doesn’t always look like shouting or explosive outbursts. Some people keep their anger bottled up inside or directed at themselves. Anger can also lead to passive-aggressive behavior and avoidance of responsibilities. Whichever way a person expresses anger, it stops us from communicating what we really want—at least effectively—with ourselves and those around us.

Sometimes we feel angry, and we can’t pinpoint where it is coming from. Even small things that wouldn’t normally bother us set us off and we become increasingly frustrated with ourselves and our actions. While everyone has days like this occasionally, many people dealing with depression, bipolar disorder, substance use disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder can experience increased anger or irritability.

Feeling a profound sense of anger or being angry at something is going to make it difficult for anyone to move forward in life. Sometimes things happen in life or the world that will change the way one interprets events. People go through ‘tragic’ events, and they might wind up questioning why things are the way that they are. They might feel as if they are angry at the ‘world’ itself.

When anger is this severe, it is difficult to know what to do. How does one move forward when their anger makes everything else seem inconsequential? It is important to know that they don’t have to deal with their anger problem alone. They might not realize it now, but other people can relate to what they are going through—to start easing the burden of anger in their life.

When one is angry at the world, it can be difficult to see any good in life. One might be so ‘blinded’ by their anger that everything around them feels negative. However, it IS possible to look at things objectively to find something positive to latch onto. One’s life may not be what they want it to be right now, but that doesn’t mean that things need to stay the way that they are!

When one is in the ‘doldrums’, one should think about reaching out to a close friend. Even when they might be at a very ‘low point’ in their life, true friends really want to help—and some might have gone through some very similar circumstances. Being able to enjoy some companionship can also make it easier for one to see the world in a more positive light. One might be angry about a certain situation, but that doesn’t mean that the entire ‘world’ has turned against you!

Another thing to do is to find other positive things to focus on. One likely has certain things that they enjoy or that they are passionate about. Some people enjoy music and others will be avid sports fans. Spending some time doing the activities that one loves is going to be a great way to diminish the sense of anger that they are feeling.

Anger is a VERY powerful feeling, but it does not have to consume one’s entire life. Simply taking the time out of one’s day to do something positive can make a BIG difference. Reading a book before bed helps some people to calm down and focus. Other people like to exercise to get rid of some of their frustrations. One should try to spend one’s time doing ‘positive’ things that will be good for them. One will have a MUCH easier time overcoming their anger this way.

The link between stress and anger needs to be acknowledged. If one is going through an extremely stressful period in your life, then their schedule might be to blame for their overall anger. It is not uncommon for people to spread themselves too thin when focusing on professional success. Long hours at the office may seem like a good idea at first, but they can start to negatively impact one’s life if they don’t take a break now and then.

Working hard is something to be proud of. One just needs to make sure that they are not ‘burning the candle at both ends’. One should try to ‘balance’ their schedule a bit so that they can feel better about life. It IS important to have fun in order to relieve stress. One will be a much less angry person if they can make some positive changes to their schedule.

One’s career choice may also be an issue. Some people are not well-suited to certain career paths. If one has dedicated many years of their life to one career path, and are completely unhappy, then they may want to think about making a change. People who are ‘stuck’ in careers that they hate are bound to carry around a little bit of anger about it.

Of course, it might not always be practical to suddenly change careers. Even so, one can consider the idea if the stress of their current job is ‘disturbing’ one’s life. They might consider going back to school or take on a different position—even a ‘lesser’ position—to reduce their stress level.

Most of the time people are angry at the world due to something major that has HAPPENED ‘TO’ THEM, that changed in their life substantially. For example, the loss of a loved one can seem completely unfair. Dealing with the grief that one feels after experiencing a loss like that is not easy. Even so, one CAN move forward even when things feel difficult.

An ‘open mind’ will help substantially in addressing change. The world may not be the same as it was before. This does not mean that one’s life cannot be good or that they cannot move forward. In many ways, change is the only constant. Things are never going to stay the same for too long, and it is important to do one’s best to adapt.

In addition to the usual recommendations for coping with those conditions, like therapy, medication, and lifestyle changes, there are changes you can work on yourself to address anger, too. You might want to build up your relaxation skills, deep breathing techniques, exercise, yoga, meditation, journaling, and walking are all activities that can reduce stress both as regular practices and in moments of stress.

It may not seem like it right now, but it CAN BE possible that one’s happiest days just might be ahead of them. The anger that one feels inside just may subside over time—especially if one focuses on the ‘positive’. If one is trying to ‘cope’ with a major loss in their life, they should know that they CAN ‘heal’ and the ‘event’ or situation just may teach them how to be a much more ‘whole’ person. Everyone has moments in life where they are angry at the world and the circumstances that they have been presented with. HOWEVER, finding the strength to move forward is essential, and letting go of one’s fear is absolutely ‘necessary’!

The world is not always a positive place, but it is not completely negative either. One may be suffering right now, but they don’t have to go through this ‘alone’.

Below are the most common reasons why you’re angry at the world, and what you can do to release your rage.

– You’ Are Upset At All The Injustices In The World
You’ve probably heard the phrase “think globally, act locally” so many times that it makes your eye roll. But there’s a reason for that expression’s popularity. There’s very little that the average person can do about all the awful things that go on around the world on a regular basis.

The fact that we get news from all corners of the globe but don’t have the means to do anything about the ugliness out there can be incredibly frustrating. This is especially true if the horror that ‘strikes’ close to home.

This is where acting locally—or taking whatever action you can ‘where’ you are—will mitigate some of that anger. Toppling pillars like Samson might not be something you are capable of, but many small actions can lead to big changes.

Now, you won’t be able to obliterate a child trafficking ‘ring’ on your own, but you can get involved and do what you can to help out.

Every single person on the planet has skill sets they can use to help others. Take the anger you feel and use it to transcend the helplessness and start helping instead. You are guaranteed to feel a lot less anger when you know you’re doing something tangible to make the world a better place.

– The Things You See On The News/Read On Social Media Fill You With Rage
Sadly, facts are sidelined in favor of sensationalism, and opinion pieces from various sources are presented as reality, rather than an individual perspective.

Consider this question: How often do you get irritated about something you have read only to find out later that vital details had been skewed or omitted for the sake of ‘stirring the pot’, so to speak? Or the story misrepresented some items in order to ‘poison’ people against someone or something, while extolling another’s virtues?

The bottom line here is to not believe everything you read or see on the news, or on Social Media. Just because it is broadcast doesn’t mean that it is true. There are always numerous sides to a story, and one ever knows the truth of a situation unless one witnesses it firsthand.

So, learn to be discerning and delve into several perspectives of whatever is going on. Do research, and look at opposing information, even if it makes you uncomfortable to do so. What ‘riled’ you up one moment might cool significantly once you have gleaned a bit more information on the wider picture.

If the information is not ‘vital’ to your (or your job), then consider cutting it out of your life as much as possible. Much like junk food, a treat can become a threat if it is not consumed in moderation.

– You Feel Like Those In Charge Are Making All The Wrong Decisions
Many people feel anger at the decisions being made that affect their lives when they feel like they have no input in the matter.

Children and pre-teens get incredibly frustrated when they feel that they do not have a ‘say’ in their own lives. They feel that every aspect of their lives is dictated to them.

As such, it’s not surprising why so many rebel in their teens. They ‘ache’ for the freedom of personal sovereignty and the ability to make decisions for themselves.

Needless to say, for an adult to feel like they have virtually no say in what is going on in their lives is enough to make anyone incendiary with rage.

When those in positions of power seem to be constantly ‘dropping the ball’, or making decisions that affect people, businesses, and families negatively, a lot of people end up feeling angry and betrayed (Additionally, they didn’t even vote for the people who ended up in positions of authority.)

The best way to deal with this kind of anger is to focus on areas in which one does have autonomy, and work on these as best one can. If something doesn’t affect one personally right now, push it aside and don’t even think about it. Just focus on yourself at that point.

For example, if are you feeling a great deal of anger at the fact that your city council does not do enough outreach work for the homeless—especially in wintertime—then start a program of your own. Get together with members of your neighborhood or faith community and take donations of food, warm clothing, sleeping bags, etc. to the community. Then, create ‘care packages’ that you can pack into a car and deliver them to the homeless in your area.

There are always some actions you can take that do not require permission from ‘higher ups’. Taking this kind of initiative will do a lot for reducing your rage, and will increase your overall sense of righteousness and personal fulfillment.

– Things Are Happening In Your Life That You Can’t Control
The feeling of powerlessness often manifests as anger. This could range from being stuck in traffic, dealing with traumatic memories, a chronic illness, of the death of a loved one.

So then, later in life, when one comes across situations that they can’t control—or feel are unfair to them—old feelings will resurface. Since they never had closure, it is like they just reopened wounds that cause extreme anger when prodded at (If you’ve ever had a bruise that you keep whacking on tables or doorways, you’ll know what that’s like.)

When this happens, ask yourself whether or not you can accept the fact that you have no control over what is going on right now. Once you accept that you can’t change your current circumstances, you can ‘release’ yourself from that feeling. Then, find an ‘outlet’ to release the tension that is ‘built up’ inside you. If you are able to do some physical exercise, that will allow the energetic buildup to flow out of your body, and you will feel a lot ‘lighter’ and more at ease as a result.

Basically, find a way for you to capture what you are feeling in the present moment, and let go of what arises in a healthy, focused manner.

– You Are Angry At The World For Changing
This ties in with the previous point about things that are not under one’s individual control.

I’ve heard from a lot of people that things were so much better “in their day.” Maybe we have all been guilty of this at some point. The music was better, food was healthier and cheaper, movies and books were much more engaging…

Whether this is nostalgia or reality, the fact is that tons of people feel sincere anger and frustration at the world changing around them. This is especially true for those who might be upset at how technologically demanding everything is, if they have difficulty keeping up with it.

Many people take great comfort in sameness and, as a result, they can feel an immense amount of fear and anxiety when change keeps happening around them. They want things to remain as they are, comfortable and dependable, so that they feel safe and secure in their surroundings. When big changes happen, they’re suddenly in unfamiliar territory and can get very angry and combative as a result.

This can extend to their expectations about how others should behave.
In their minds, things are the way they are, and to question that puts their entire paradigm into question. It is much like taking a person who is been immersed in a devout faith their entire lives and dropping them into a country where a totally different faith is practiced. They might not have even been aware of their belief ‘system’

If this is where your anger is stemming from, then determine exactly what it is that is upsetting you, and why, and then make a point of not exposing yourself to it. Similarly, if you don’t like certain aspects of modern culture, keep in mind that nobody is forcing you to engage with it. Just don’t condemn others who choose to walk a different ‘path’ than you do.

Personal choice is often ‘weaponized’ to deprive others of the same. Someone might refuse to take a certain action or speak certain words because they are firm in their personal autonomy, but then want to force others to behave the way they want them to in order to maintain their individual concept of order and security.

The world will change, but you can find your comfort wherever you like. Don’t demand others change or stagnate to suit your whim, and don’t feel obligated to change because others want you to either.

So, remember to always seek the ‘root’ cause. No matter what you’re feeling, there is always an underlying reason for feeling it. If you are feeling tired all the time, then you would determine why that was happening, right? Working long hours, feeling emotionally overwhelmed, not getting enough sleep, being anemic, or otherwise nutrient deficient, and fighting off an illness, are all very tangible things that can contribute to someone feeling exhausted. Then, when you get to the root of why you are tired, you can take action to get more rest.

The same is true for sorting out the source of your anger. You will likely feel more anger—as well as other ‘rollercoaster’ emotions—while doing this. That’s understandable, however, it is the most important part of this investigative process.

Many people choose an externalized subject to project their anger onto in order to avoid or ‘mask’ problems that they don’t want to face head-on. They might be dealing with intense unhappiness in their marriage, for example, and don’t want to face the reality of that. Instead, they choose something outside of themselves to use as a ‘scapegoat’ for their own unwanted emotions.

In a case like this, it isn’t the political climate, social injustice, or anything else “out there” that is causing you to be angry. It is simply aspects of your own life that you are refusing to look at plainly, because confronting and dealing with them will require change—possibly the kind of change you don’t want!

But that is what life is all about. We don’t always—or even often—get the life circumstances we have dreamed about. More often than not, we have to deal with issues we didn’t anticipate, and learn to navigate existence while ‘rugs’ keep being pulled out from beneath our feet. The thing is, we can’t ‘nail’ those rugs in place, but instead have to come up with ways to ride them out with grace.

So, ‘release’ your anger so it doesn’t control you. If you have been avoiding considering the truth of your circumstances and lashing out in all directions, now is the time to stop!

Be ‘real’ about what is actually going on inside you, and what you are really angry about. Once you have that honesty in front of you, you can confront it head-on and develop ‘protocols’ on how to move forward.

Now, that doesn’t mean it will be an easy ‘ride’, nor a pleasant one. But, just like the other situations mentioned above, taking action is the one thing that will quell and release the rage inside you.

Anger is a type of ‘energy’, and needs to be given direction so it can be released. This is exactly why finding an ‘outlet’ for it is so important.

As we mentioned earlier, you can try to release this rage through meditation and physical activity. However, the most effective thing you can do to let go of the anger you feel at the world is to do something about it.

Some people naturally find a way to use their anger in order to ‘fuel’ positive change, but most need a bit of help learning how to harness and channel it. It is a lot easier to be angry and feel despondent than to figure out how to transform that into transformative change. HOWEVER, you CAN do it!

Instead of letting your anger consume you and ‘poison’ your personal life, let it be a ‘fire’ to incessant you to make a change. Throw yourself into doing some good, whether in your community or beyond, and watch that hot rage dissipate into clouds of positivity and growth.

‘SIGNS’ THAT YOU ARE AN ANGRY PERSON

– You’re Always ‘Cranky’
You are not a patient person. you get ‘ticked off’ by the smallest of inconveniences, and you don’t like being bothered most of the time. Your anger sometimes scares people off, but you don’t care. Sometimes people wonder why you act a certain way, but you would never explain to them what is going on.

– You Question Everything
You ‘analyze’ everything. You sometimes blame others for the things that happen to you. You like to feel that it is not your fault these things happen.

– You Think That Society Is Messed Up
You feel that the world is supposed to make you feel welcome and it is supposed to make you feel good about yourself, but instead, it judges you. You can’t stand the fatal ‘flaws’ you think society has. You wish you could just change all of their mistakes and wrongdoings to ‘your’ way of thinking—which you think is correct, all the time!

– You Feel You Have Been Dealt A Crappy ‘Hand’
You feel sorry for yourself ALL the time. You like to mope around all day. You are NEVER contented with what you have. You can’t stop thinking about the life you could have had if you weren’t dealt a bad ‘hand’.

– You Are ‘Against’ The World
You only value your opinion because no one else’s opinion matters. You always think you are right, even when you’re not. If you don’t like something, you will never like it. You don’t tolerate anyone who ‘bothers’ you. or doesn’t agree with you. You also don’t like things that will add to your misery. So basically, you’re against anything that doesn’t make you happy.

– You Feel Like The World Should ‘Revolve’ Around You
You lack appreciation, which is why you act the way you do. You want people to notice you more. You crave attention. You want people to look up to you and follow in your footsteps. But that’s not how it works. People don’t notice the little things you do for them. Sometimes the effort you put into things are, in your eyes, just wasted.

– You Feel So Alone
You think that no one will ever understand the way you feel. You don’t have anyone to run to or rant to. You bottle your emotions and keep everything to yourself. You have a hard time expressing yourself to others. You want to be understood, but you just don’t know how to ‘reach out’ to people. All you want is for someone to understand your pain and deal with it as well. You hate feeling alone. For once, you just want someone who will be by your side through everything.

So, what kinds if things can one do when they feel extremely anger? Well, when you are angry, it’s a ‘red flag’ that something needs to change, and when you are extremely angry, something needs to change RIGHT NOW!

In the moment, one must decide which ‘fork in the road’ they should take, then use one or more of the following options:

– Let it Happen
– Separate Emotion from Action
– Identify Why
– Cool Off with Exercise
– Delay Your Reaction
– Distract Yourself
– Do Your Homework
– Don’t Play the Victim
– Find a Safe Haven
– Look Before You Leap
– Discuss Your Anger with Someone Trustworthy
– Listen to Music
– Write an E-mail
– Make a List
– Disconnect from Your Triggers
– Redecorate
– Watch a Funny Movie/Show
– Put Yourself First
– Do Something Relaxing
– Use Anger to Fuel Change

[ Note: Detailed descriptions from the above items is in the “Articles” section below. ]

‘Own’ your anger. Don’t let it own you!

TWO DIFFERENT LIVES ‘SPIRITUALLY’
As I mentioned, I was both ‘glad’ and ‘sad’ in the same week earlier this month (June 2022).

HOWEVER, he was a “born-again” Christian and, as the Bible says, he was “absent from the body and present with the Lord [Jesus] (2 Corinthians 5:8). THAT’s what made me ‘GLAD’!

The other guy was a family member that also passed away suddenly. However, he had been chronically sick for a number of years—after having been a very athletic person his life—was, as he said many times, “I’m MAD as hell at God” for allowing him to be sick enough that he could no longer enjoy any of the activities he once participated in just a decade ago.

After all those years of effort getting to ‘retirement’, he also could not enjoy any of the ‘fruits’ of his labors. He was only 64 years old and died depressed, lonely, and bitter. That made me ‘SAD’ since I do not know whether he went to Heaven or Hell.

‘BLAMING’ GOD
Many people ‘blame’ God for the bad ‘situation’ or sickness they are experiencing. They say that if God is “loving,” He would not allow this ‘pain’ in their life

[ FYI: For more details about ‘pain’ in a Christian’s life, see the C.S. Lewis book, “The Problem With Pain,” in the “Resources” section below. ]

[ FYI: For more details about Heaven, view Randy Alcorn’s book, “Heaven” A Comprehensive Guide to Everything the Bible Sway About Our Eternal Home” in the “Resources” section below. ]

Most of us have been ‘mad’ at God because, at times, when we start to get into trouble in this life when we try to figure out where God is taking us. The thing is, many problems in this life come from our own selfish desires.

I have questioned God many times over the years. Why did my mom die when I was 14 years old? Why did my dad not remarry so us kids could have that ‘mom’ influence in our lives (as well as an intimate female relationship for my dad)? Why did I have to go through divorce? Why did I have to struggle financially for so many years? Why did I lose my close-up vision after my cataract surgery (since the doctor said I would not lose it)? Why did I have to have three surgeries to make my total knee replacement correct? There were many other questions over the years. Why? Why? Why?

My problems—and your problems—with God will always be an issue when we try to make this world what ‘Heaven’ will be. We must stop believing Satan’s lie that you are the master of your ‘ship’ and in control of your destiny. All we are called to do is put our hand to the plow with our talents, but it is God—and God alone—who sends the ‘rain’. So, n matter how much money you have, how secure your job is, how good your health is, it can all CHANGE ‘DRASTICALLY’ in an instant!

Oh, by the way, STOP trying to make this life ‘heaven’. When a believer looks to death and Heaven as their ‘reward’, then NOTHING on this earth can steal their joy—nothing! THAT gives them ‘TRUE’ peace! (Satan’s plan is to keep all of us—believers and unbelievers—in despair.)

So, is it okay to be angry with God over difficult ‘things’? Well, there’s a difference between being profoundly disappointed, discouraged, or even depressed by a bad situation, and being ‘mad’ at God about it—if being mad for you is ‘BLAMING’ God saying, “It’s your fault.” Blaming God is a DEAD-END ‘STREET’, because in doing so, one turns away from their GREATEST ‘SOURCE’ of comfort!

Many people say that if God is who Scripture says He is, all-powerful, then is He actually “to blame” for all the bad things that happen in the world, and specifically in my life!

Well, let’s see if there is a biblical basis to justify that proclamation. Having strong emotions about a situation is understandable, and certain emotions, in and of themselves, aren’t bad (and there’s value in honestly confessing to God our feelings of hurt, resentment, and anger). HOWEVER, one should direct their emotions (including blame) toward the proper ‘object’ of our sadness, disappointment, and discouragement—the “Fall” (Genesis 3:6; 3:9-10; 3:17-19), the ‘curse’ on this world (Isaiah 24:6), and that Satan is the ‘lord’ of this world (2 Corinthians 4:4).

The thing is, it is sin—sometimes not our sin, but someone else’s—that has resulted in the ‘bad’ things in life. When natural disasters kill people, or when cancer ravages a loved one, instead of getting mad at God, one should feel anger toward the sin (and Satan) that lies at the ‘root’ of all suffering.

Yes, on this side of eternity, one will often not understand why God allows difficult things in our lives that He could prevent. But, the comfort a believer has is this: They can look at the worst thing that has ever happened to them and say, “I’m a child of God, and He ‘promises’ me that somehow, He is going to use this very bad, horrific situation for greater good in my life” (Romans 8:28). One can be assured that whatever difficulty He has allowed in their lives, has been filtered through His ‘fingers’ of wisdom and love. That is the ultimate ‘perspective-maker’.

Now, Jesus is the ultimate example of God bringing good out of the very bad. The worst thing in human history happened on a day we call “Good Friday.” Why don’t we call it “Bad Friday”? Well, because we see that God brought the best good in the universe out of the worst thing that ever happened. If God can do that in Jesus’ life (and other biblical characters like Moses, Job, King David, and Joseph), He CAN do that in our life, too! Are we going to believe it? (Romans 8:28 says yes it will happen!)

God is the source of all good and the standard by which all good is measured. He owes none of us no apology. We may not like what God does, but we are in no position to accuse Him of wrongdoing. Every breath He gives us—we who deserve immediate and eternal death because of our sin against Him—is a ‘gift’.

In his article “It Is Never Right to Be Angry with God”, pastor John Piper wrote:

“Anger at sin is good (Mark 3:5), but anger at goodness is sin. That is why it is never right to be angry with God. He is always and only good, no matter how strange and painful his ways with us. Anger toward God signifies that he is bad or weak or cruel or foolish. None of those is true, and all of them dishonor Him. Therefore it is never right to be angry at God. When Jonah and Job were angry with God, Jonah was rebuked by God (Jonah 4:9) and Job repented in dust and ashes (Job 42:6).”

Again, God owes none of us an apology but we owe Him many! If you are waiting for God to say He’s sorry for the difficulty you have experienced in life, don’t hold your breath!

BUT if, on the other hand, you want to hear Him say He cares about you, and sympathizes with you for the pain you’ve had to endure, if you are downtrodden and brokenhearted, listen to what He says to His ‘children’:

“As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him” [ Psalm 103:13 ].

“Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands” [ Isaiah 49:15-16 ].

Psalm 13 begins, “How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?” It ends, “But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing to the LORD, for he has been good to me” (verses 5-6). King David travels a vast distance in a mere three verses (verses 2-4). Like him, the believer CAN feel the pain of the first four verses of Psalm 13, while affirming the truths of its last two!

“How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me? Look on me and answer, O LORD my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death; my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,” and my foes will rejoice when I fall. But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing to the LORD, for he has been good to me”
[ Psalm 13:1-6 ]

Notice how King David started out complaining, but ended up praising—that’s the ‘KEY’ in all this! Although it is a ‘normal’ thing to be mad with God, it is unfortunate that we get angry with Him, since He should be the believer’s best ‘friend’. Yet, since we are human, it happens. (What is both interesting and encouraging to me is that almost every time David expressed complaints toward God, he ended up praising God—so there’s hope for me!)

So, I am NOT saying that it is a ‘good’ thing to get angry with God. When anyone get angry with Him, they are showing how little they understand His love, His goodness, and His purpose in their life. They just need to face their anger and deal with it—just as King David did—and come to a place of repentance.

So, even though it is ‘normal’ to be mad at God sometimes, it’s NOT ‘OKAY’ to stay mad!

[ For more details on spiritual discipline,” view this previous “Life’s Deep Thoughts” post: https://markbesh.wordpress.com/growing-in-grace-v240/ ].

One of the ‘great’ people of the Bible is Joseph—and he loved God with all of his heart, soul, mind, and strength (The “Shema” in the Old Testament – Deuteronomy 6:5). Then, all of a sudden, his life went sideways. His brothers ‘dissed’ him (Genesis 37:18) and tossed him into a pit (Genesis 37:20), only to later sell him to a group of tradesmen (Genesis 37:27). His slave master’s wife accused him of rape—which he did not do—and had him thrown in jail (Genesis 39:20). He spent 13 years in exile, away from the family he loved. However, in time, he ascended to the equivalent of Vice President of the country that incarcerated him (Genesis 41:40). There was a purpose in the ‘madness’—the ‘eternal’ view.

What Joseph did not know was that God was working His plan in the life of His people. God needed a man that He could trust placed in Egypt. God knew there would be a famine in Israel, and because He loved Joseph and his family so much, He crafted a mind-blowing plan to save him and his family. God knew two things: Joseph loved God—which made him the perfect guy to cooperate with His plan—and Joseph’s brothers were a bunch of ‘rascals’, which made them the ideal people to facilitate His plan (a strikingly similar narrative that would play out in Gethsemane many years later). God took one good man and many evil men, and crafted a masterful plan to accomplish His purposes for His glory and our benefit.

God created a man and a woman and placed them in the Garden of Eden. He commanded them regarding their responsibility to Him (Genesis 2:16-17). Shortly after that, they royally ‘messed up’ the mandate (Genesis 3:6), though their sin did not deter God. He revealed the future to Adam and Eve as He told them about the “heel-biter” and the “head-crusher” (Genesis 3:15). He promised that a “seed would come forth” to secure the believer’s redemption. He raised a family to carry the ‘seed’ that would eventually bring healing to the world. That family came from a man named Abraham (Genesis 12:1). Nothing would stop God from fulfilling His promise to redeem a people.

God is calling one to trust Him. There is a plan, and the believer is part of that plan. It is so easy to want TO BE the ‘author’ of one’s story rather than trust the ‘REAL’ Author of THE ‘story’. If you choose to work on your plan rather than His plan, you will never find true satisfaction and will always be in a relational conflict with God (James 4:6). Trying to be the god of your life is far more complicated than trusting God with your life!

God has a plan for one’s life, however, He will not give them all the details of His divine plan (He did not tell Joseph the details of how his story would work out.)

God is just asking us to love and follow Him by faith. The two things to keep in view are that God is good, and He will use suffering as part of the process to sanctify you, glorify Himself, and practically help many souls.

We have all, at times, blamed God saying something like, “Why did you not take this away from me.” The thing is, we need to repent of any time we have blamed God for a problem that the Devil caused.

When we think about saying that to God, think about how horrible that is. God, who loves us so much, sent His Son to die on the Cross for us, yet we would blame Him for causing our problems? Jesus told us “the Devil comes to steal, kill and destroy, I have come that you might have life and that more abundant” [ John 10:10 ]. The Devil is the one who brings the oppression to us and our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers in the heavens.

God has given mankind free will—being able to choose good or evil—and following the Devil is completely contrary to the will of God. So, when one is moaning and groaning about their ‘issues’, they are on a ‘path’ to giving ‘place’ to the Devil.

Tragedies bring home the awful truth that we are not in charge. All of us think at one time or another that we can control the outcomes of situations, but in reality, it is God who IS IN ‘CHARGE’ of all of His creation. Everything that happens is either ‘caused’ by or ‘allowed’ by Him. Not a sparrow falls to the ground nor a hair from our head without God knowing about it (Matthew 10:29-31). We can complain, get angry, and blame God for what is happening, yet if we will just trust Him and yield our bitterness and pain to Him, acknowledging the prideful sin of trying to force our own will over His, He can and will grant us His peace and strength to get us through any difficult situation (1 Corinthians 10:13).

[ For more details on ‘trusting’ God, view this previous “Life’s Deep Thoughts” post:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/learning-to-t-r-u-s-t-v263/ ].

Many believers in Jesus can testify to that very fact. They have learned to accept, at some point, that there are things they cannot control or even understand with their finite minds.

Our understanding of the sovereignty of God in all circumstances must be accompanied by our understanding of His other attributes such as love, mercy, kindness, goodness, righteousness, justice, and holiness. When we see our difficulties through the truth of God’s Word—which tells us that our loving and holy God works all things together for our good (Romans 8:28), and that He has a perfect plan and purpose for us that cannot be thwarted (Isaiah 14:24, 46:9-10)—then we begin to see our problems in a different light. We also know from Scripture that this life will never be one of continual joy and happiness. Rather, Job reminds us that, “man is born to trouble as surely as sparks fly upward” (Job 5:7), and that life is short and “full of trouble” (Job 14:1). Just because we come to Jesus for salvation from sin does not mean we are guaranteed a life free from problems. In fact, Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble,” but that He has “overcome the world” (John 16:33), enabling us to have peace within, in spite of the storms that rage around us (John 14:27).

One thing IS certain: ‘inappropriate’ anger is sin (Galatians 5:20; Ephesians 4:26-27, 31; Colossians 3:8). Ungodly anger is self-defeating, gives the Devil a ‘foothold’ in our lives, and can destroy our joy and peace if we hang on to it.

The Bible tells us that King David went before the throne of grace on behalf of his sick baby, fasting, weeping, and praying for him to survive ( 2 Samuel 12:15-23). When the baby passed away, David got up, worshiped God, and then told his servants that he knew where his baby was and that he would someday be with him in God’s presence. David cried out to God during the baby’s illness, and afterward, he bowed before Him in worship. That is a wonderful testimony. God knows our hearts, and it is pointless to try to hide how we really feel. So, talking to Him about it is one of the best ways to handle our grief. If we do so humbly, pouring out our hearts to Him, He will work ‘through’ us, and in the process, will make us more like His Son, Jesus (1 John 2:6; Romans 12:1-2; Romans 8:29; Ephesians 2:10; Philippians 1:6).

The bottom line is CAN YOU ‘TRUST’ God with everything, your very life and the lives of your loved ones? Well, that a decision you have to make for yourself, but God IS compassionate, full of grace and love, and as disciples of Jesus one can trust Him with ALL THINGS!

When tragedies happen to the believer, they know that God can use the tragedy to bring them closer to Him and to strengthen their faith, bringing them to maturity and completeness (Psalm 34:18; James 1:2-4). [ Then, we can also be a comforting testimony to others (2 Corinthians 1:3-5), since we went through something similar. ]

Now, I get it, that is easier said than done. It requires a daily ‘surrendering’ of our own will to His, a faithful study of His attributes as seen in His Word, much prayer, and then applying what we learn to our own situation. By doing so, one’s faith will progressively grow and mature, making it easier to trust Him in the future, and to get us through the next tragedy that most certainly will take place (John 16:33).

So, to answer my question at the beginning of this section directly, yes, it is ‘wrong’ to be angry at God. Anger at God is a result of an inability or unwillingness to trust God even when we do not understand what He is doing. Anger at God is essentially telling God that He has done something wrong, which He never does! Does God understand when we are angry, frustrated, or disappointed with Him? Yes, He knows our ‘hearts’, and He knows how difficult and painful life in this world can be.

So, does that make it right to be angry with God? Absolutely not. Instead of being angry with God, one should pour out their ‘hearts’ to Him in prayer, and trust that He is in control of His perfect plan.

WHY IS THERE ‘SICKNESS’?
In a world tainted by sin, sickness, disease, and death will always be with us. We are fallen beings, with physical bodies prone to disease and illness. Some sickness is simply a result of the natural course of things in this world.

Now, sickness and suffering are never easy to deal with. One thing is for sure, sickness should not cause us to lose faith in God. God is good, even when we are suffering!

– Life has been ‘hard’ for them
– God is a central figure in their life

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast”
[ Ephesians 2:8-9 ].

You see, we can never make it to Heaven on our own, because God’s standard is nothing less than ‘PERFECTION’—and who can claim to be perfect? The Bible warns, “For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it” [ James 2:10 ].

HOWEVER, Jesus came into the world for one reason: to make our salvation possible. On the Cross, He ‘purchased’ our salvation by becoming the complete and final sacrifice for our sins, and now He offers eternal life to us as a free ‘gift’. The Bible says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” [ Romans 6:23 ].

So, like any other gift, salvation IS NOT ours until we reach out and ‘ACCEPT’ IT—and that’s what I invite you to do right now.

The thing is, the Bible says that there are NO ‘SECOND CHANCES’—no “Purgatory”—and one must make their ‘peace with God’ here on earth before they pass away:

The primary Scriptural passage Catholics point to for evidence of Purgatory is 1 Corinthians 3:15, which says, “If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.” However, the passage (1 Corinthians 3:12-15) is using an illustration of things going through fire as a description of believers’ ‘WORKS’ being judged. If our works are of good quality “gold, silver, costly stones,” they will pass through the fire unharmed, and we will be rewarded for them. If our works are of poor quality “wood, hay, and straw,” they will be consumed by the fire, and there will be no reward. The passage DOES NOT say that believers pass through the fire, but rather that a believer’s ‘WORKS’ will pass through the fire. [ 1 Corinthians 3:15 refers to the believer “escaping through the flames,” not “being cleansed by the flames”! ]

Catholics view meritorious works as contributing to salvation due to a failure to recognize that Jesus’ sacrificial payment has NO NEED of additional “contribution” (Ephesians 2:8-9). Similarly, Purgatory is understood by Catholics as a place of cleansing in preparation for Heaven because they do not recognize that, because of Jesus’ sacrifice, we are already cleansed, declared righteous, forgiven, redeemed, reconciled, and sanctified!

The very idea of Purgatory —and the doctrines that are often attached to it (prayer for the dead, indulgences, meritorious works on behalf of the dead—fail to recognize that Jesus’ death was SUFFICIENT to pay the penalty for ALL of our sins. If one must, in order to be saved, pay for, atone for, or suffer because of their sins, then Jesus’ death was not a perfect, complete, and sufficient sacrifice!

For believers, after death is to be “away from the body and at home with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:6-8; Philippians 1:23).

The point here is that ALL of us ONLY have THIS ‘LIFE’ to ‘accept’ the gracious offer of Jesus, since after death, one will face God’s ‘judgment’ for their sins.

[ VIDEO: “What Does The Bible Say About Purgatory?” ]

[ FYI: For more details about “Purgatory,” view the discussions in the “Articles” section below. ]

Jesus told the dying thief on the cross, “Today you will be with me in paradise” [ Luke 23:43 ]. The Apostle Paul said that to die was to be with Christ (Philippians 1:23), and to be absent from the body was to be present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8). After their deaths, martyrs are pictured in Heaven, crying out to God to bring justice on Earth (Revelation 6:9-11).

Going to an “intermediate Heaven” when one dies does not mean that we will not be with God—rather, Heaven IS, by definition, the place where God dwells, and where we will dwell with Him. The point of theologians using the term “intermediate” is that Heaven’s current ‘location’ is not permanent, and it will be ‘CHANGED’! We will be with Him in a different place than in the eternal state.

In other words, the ‘Heaven’ we go to when we die (to be with Jesus) is not the “New Heaven” and the “New Earth.” God promises we will come down with Him from the present Heaven to dwell forever with Him on the New Earth—which will be the center of the eternal Heaven. Jesus will come down from the present Heaven to dwell on the New Earth forever, and we will be with Him for a time in the present (“intermediate”) Heaven, and we be with Him forever in the ‘eternal’ Heaven.

[ For more details about the “New Heaven” and “New Earth,” view this previous “Life’s Deep Thoughts” post:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/mankinds-destiny-v247/ ].

However, in that regard, Christianity is NOT a ‘religion’, it is a ‘relationship’ that God has established with His children. In Christianity, God is the aggressor and man is the beneficiary (Romans 8:3). The Bible states clearly that there is nothing man can do to make himself right with God (Isaiah 53:6; 64:6; Romans 3:23; 6:23). According to Christianity, God did for us what we cannot do for ourselves (Colossians 2:13; 2 Corinthians 5:21). Our sin separates us from His presence, and sin must be punished (Romans 6:23; Matthew 10:28; 23:33). But, because God loves us, He took our punishment upon Himself. All we must do is accept God’s gift of salvation through faith (Ephesians 2:8–9; 2 Corinthians 5:21). Grace is God’s blessing on the undeserving.

In Philip Yancey’s book,W”hat’s So Amazing About Grace?,” he related this story:

“During a British conference on comparative religions, experts from around the world debated what, if any, belief was unique to the Christian faith. They began eliminating possibilities. Incarnation? Other religions had different versions of gods’ appearing in human form. Resurrection? Again, other religions had accounts of return from death. The debate went on for some time until C. S. Lewis wandered into the room. ‘What’s the rumpus about?’ he asked, and heard in reply that his colleagues were discussing Christianity’s unique contribution among world religions. Lewis responded, ‘Oh, that’s easy. It’s grace.’

“After some discussion, the conferees had to agree. The notion of God’s love coming to us free of charge, no strings attached, seems to go against every instinct of humanity. The Buddhist eight-fold path, the Hindu doctrine of karma, the Jewish covenant, and the Muslim code of law—each of these offers a way to earn approval. Only Christianity dares to make God’s love unconditional.”

Aware of our inbuilt resistance to grace, Jesus talked about it often. He described a world suffused with God’s grace: where the sun shines on people good and bad; where birds gather seeds gratis, neither plowing nor harvesting to earn them; where untended wildflowers burst into bloom on the rocky hillsides. Like a visitor from a foreign country who notices what the natives overlook, Jesus saw grace everywhere. Yet he never analyzed or defined grace, and almost never used the word. Instead, he communicated grace through stories we know as parables.

The grace-based relationship between God and man is the ‘foundation’ of Christianity and the antithesis of religion. Established religion was one of the staunchest opponents of Jesus during His earthly ministry. When God gave His Law to the Israelites, His desire was that they “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength” (Deuteronomy 6:5; Matthew 22:37). “Love” speaks of relationship. Obedience to all the other commands had to stem from a love for God. We are able to love Him “because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19). However, by Jesus’ time, the Jewish leaders had made a religion out of God’s desire to live in a love relationship with them (1 Timothy 1:8; Romans 7:12). Over the years, they had perverted God’s Law into a works-based religion that alienated people from Him (Matthew 23:13–15; Luke 11:42). Then they added many of their own rules to make it even more cumbersome (Isaiah 29:13; Matthew 15:9). They prided themselves on their ability to keep the Law—at least outwardly—and lorded their authority over the common people who could never keep such strenuous rules. The Pharisees, as adept as they were at rule-keeping, failed to recognize God Himself when He was standing right in front of them (John 8:19). They had chosen religion over relationship.

Just as the Jewish leaders made a religion out of a relationship with God, many people do the same with Christianity. Entire denominations have followed the way of the Pharisees in creating rules not found in Scripture. Some who profess to follow Christ are actually following man-made religion in the name of Jesus. While claiming to believe Scripture, they are often plagued with fear and doubt that they may not be good enough to earn salvation or that God will not accept them if they don’t perform to a certain standard. This is religion ‘masquerading’ as Christianity, and it is one of Satan’s favorite ‘tricks’. Jesus addressed this when He rebuked the Pharisees (Matthew 23:1-7). Instead of pointing people to Heaven, these religious leaders were keeping people out of the kingdom of God.

[ For more details about the “Kingdoms” of God, view this previous “Life’s Deep Thought” post:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/kingdoms-past-present-and-future-v262/ ].

Holiness and obedience to Scripture are important, and they ARE ‘evidences’ of a ‘transformed’ heart, BUT NOT a ‘means’ to attain it. God desires that we be holy as He is holy (1 Peter 1:16). He wants us to grow in grace and knowledge of Him (2 Peter 3:18). But we do these things because we are His ‘children’ and want to be like Him, NOT in order to ‘earn’ His love.

Christianity is not about ‘signing up’ for a religion. Christianity is about being ‘born into’ the family of God (John 3:3). It is a relationship. Just as an adopted child has no power to create an adoption, we have no power to join the family of God by our own efforts. We can only accept His invitation to know Him as Father through adoption (Ephesians 1:5; Romans 8:15). When we join His family through faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus, the Holy Spirit comes to live ‘inside’ our hearts (1 Corinthians 6:19; Luke 11:13; 2 Corinthians 1:21–22). He then empowers us to live like children of the King. He DOES NOT ask us to try to ‘attain’ holiness by our own strength, as religion does. He asks that our old self be ‘crucified’ with Him so that His power can LIVE ‘THROUGH’ US (Galatians 2:20; Romans 6:6). God wants us to know Him, to draw near to Him, to pray to Him, and to love Him above everything. That is not religion; that is a relationship!

Christianity says that you can’t ‘DO’ it yourself. You have to trust in the One who has ‘DONE’ it for you! Whether Catholicism, Islam, or any other religion in the world, they all teach a “works-based” salvation. Christianity is the ONLY ‘religion’ in the world where you are justified by grace through faith in Christ alone (Ephesians 2:8-9). Religion keeps you in ‘chains’, but Jesus sets you free: “And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace” [ Romans 11:6 ], and “Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation. However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness” [ Romans 4:4-5 ].

So, Christianity is a ‘religion’ per se, but believers treat it as a ‘relationship’. I have heard many say, “Jesus hates religion.” Well, yes, in a way, but this is not ‘totally’ true. Jesus hates ‘HYPOCRISY’. Believers obey God’s commandments not to maintain salvation, but out of love and gratitude for their salvation.

When one has ‘true’ religion, you don’t try to seem religious. You don’t try to act like something you’re not. You act as you are which is a “new creation” (2 Corinthians 5:17). Matthew Henry commented on James 1:26 saying, “True religion teaches us to do everything as in the presence of God.” James then continues: “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” [ James 1:27 ].

God wants us to ‘pursue’ Him. Religion kills intimacy. “But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul” [ Deuteronomy 4:29 ].

Since God wants no one to perish, He ‘pursues’ us and delays His coming in judgment in order to give people further opportunities to repent:

“The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but was patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance”
[ 2 Peter 3:9 ]

[ “The Hound of Heaven” (A Modern Adaptation) ]

Sadly, even though many people ‘hear’ this message of hope and blessing, they don’t ‘respond’ positively and spend their eternity in Hell! (That makes me REALLY ‘SAD!!!)

[ VIDEO: “Does God Wish that No One Would Perish?” ]

[ FYI: For more details on a ‘leap of faith’, view this previous “Life’s Depp Thoughts” post:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/learning-to-t-r-u-s-t-v263/ ].

The “Barna Group,” an evangelical Christian polling firm, recently carried out some research and drew this conclusion:

“Driven by social mores, Jew adults who believe they are Christian are willing to abandon worldly objectives in favor of seeking godliness. Only one out of five (22%) stated that they live in a way which makes them completely dependent upon God.”

[ Note: Follow-up research indicated that such dependence usually only emerges in times of crisis or suffering. ]

Sadly, many of us have been ‘conditioned’ by the world around us to remain independent and not to rely on anyone else, least of all God. I have seen others that are “doing well” without God (that family member), and believe that they can achieve the same results without trusting God (Wasn’t this how Israel’s downfall began? Hmmm.)

Trust has been an issue since the ‘Fall’ of humanity. Prior to the Fall, Adam and Eve experienced all of the following benefits: Significance, security, and acceptance. BUT, the Fall caused them to lose their (and our) sense of significance, security, and acceptance in God. We stopped trusting Him completely for everything, became independent, and learned to ‘survive’ on our own.

God created us to know, love, and trust Him, and for Him to be the center of our ‘universe’. But, if we are honest, this is an ongoing battle for most of us—even believers. The Apostle John summed it up well: “And making a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the Temple, with the sheep and oxen. And He poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. And He told those who sold the pigeons, ‘Take these things away; do not make my Father’s house a house of trade.’ His disciples remembered that it was written, ‘Zeal for your house will consume Me’” [ John 2:15-17 ]. God wants us to have THAT kind of ‘zeal’ for Him.

So, what is the main reason that someone stops trusting God? Well, it appears to me that there are a number of considerations:

– Independent spirit (pride)
– A past betrayal
– Trust in one’s own judgment
– God ‘let me down’

Yes, these—and other things like these—create ‘frustrations’ and questions of why they happened (or are happening) to you. HOWEVER, many Scriptures affirm that God is not the author of evil: “God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone” (James 1:13), “God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5), and “God is not the author of confusion” (1 Corinthians 14:33). So, if these are true, God cannot in any way be the author of evil.

Evil originates not from God, but from the fallen creature (us) [ and the Devil has a bit to do with it, too ]. I agree with theologian John Calvin, who wrote:

“The Lord had declared that ‘everything that he had made… was exceedingly good’ [Genesis 1:31]. Whence, then comes this wickedness to man, that he should fall away from his God? Lest we should think it comes from creation, God had put His stamp of approval on what had come forth from himself. By his own evil intention, then, man corrupted the pure nature he had received from the Lord; and by his fall drew all his posterity with him into destruction. Accordingly, we should contemplate the evident cause of condemnation in the corrupt nature of humanity—which is closer to us—rather than seek a hidden and utterly incomprehensible cause in God’s predestination”
[ “Institutes of the Christian Religion,” 3:23:8 ].

For example, Romans 5:12 says that death entered the world because of sin. Death, pain, disease, stress, exhaustion, calamity, and all the bad things that happen came as a result of the entrance of sin into the universe (see Genesis 3:14-24). All those evil effects of sin continue to work in the world and will be with us as long as sin is.

So, one suggestion is to consider God’s ‘character’—who He is, and what He has done.

ONE CAN TRUST GOD BECAUSE OF HIS ‘ACTIONS’

– GOD ‘SUSTAINS’
The Bible teaches that God not only created the universe, but that He upholds and sustains it day by day and hour by hour: “The Son is… sustaining all things by His powerful Word” (Hebrews 1:3), and “in him all things hold together” (Colossians 1:17). Theologian A.H. Strong said, “Christ is the originator and upholder of the universe… In Him it consists, or holds together, from hour to hour. The steady will of Christ constitutes the law of the universe and makes it a cosmos instead of a chaos, just as his will brought it into being in the beginning.”

– GOD’S ‘PROVISION’
As children under His care, believers must walk by faith, trusting that He will provide what we need for our daily sustenance, both physically and spiritually.

In Moses’ time (Exodus 16:1-21), the Israelites had to trust God from day to day for the very provisions that would sustain their physical health. He promised that every evening He would send quail for meat, and every morning He would send manna (‘bread’ from Heaven)—and it happened. They could not save the food from one day to the next, for it would rot. Instead, they had to trust that God would provide each day.

God knows what the believer needs and has promised to provide for their needs (Philippians 4:19; Matthew 6:31-32).

– GOD’S ‘GOVERNANCE’
The Bible also teaches that God governs the universe, not only inanimate creation, but also the actions of all creatures, both men and animals. He is called the Ruler of all things (1 Chronicles 29:12), the blessed and only Ruler (1 Timothy 6:15), and the One who knows when every sparrow falls to the ground (Matthew 10:29).

As God’s rule is invincible, so it is incomprehensible. His ways are higher than our ways (Isaiah 55:9), His judgments are unsearchable, and His paths are beyond inscrutable (Romans 11:33).

– GOD’S ‘SOVEREIGNTY’
No one can act outside of God’s sovereign will or against it. Centuries ago, St. Augustine said, “Nothing, therefore, happens unless the Omnipotent wills it to happen: he either permits it to happen, or he brings it about himself.” Historian and clergyman Philip Hughes said, “Under God, however, all things are without exception fully controlled-despite all appearances to the contrary.” Nothing is too large or small to escape God’s governing ‘hand’. The spider building its web in the corner and Napoleon marching his army across Europe are both under God’s control.

Jesus said, “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father… So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows” [ Matthew 10:29-31 ]. According to Jesus, God does exercise His sovereignty in very minute events—even the life and death of an almost ‘worthless’ sparrow. Jesus’ whole point is that if God so exercises His sovereignty in regard to sparrows, most certainly He will exercise it in regard to His ‘children’. While it is certainly true that God’s love for us does not protect us from pain and sorrow, it is also true that all occasions of pain and sorrow are under the absolute control of God. If God controls the circumstances of the sparrow, how much more does He control the circumstances that affect us. God DOES NOT ‘walk away’ and leave us to the mercy of uncontrolled random or chance events.

Confidence in the sovereignty of God in all that affects the believer is CRUCIAL in trusting Him. If there is a single event in all of the universe that can occur outside of God’s sovereign control, then He cannot be trusted. Theologian R.C. Sproul summarized this thought well: “If there is one single molecule in this universe running around loose, totally free of God’s sovereignty, then we have no guarantee that a single promise of God will ever be fulfilled.”

God’s love may be infinite, but if His power is limited and His purpose can be thwarted, then no one should trust Him. You may entrust to me with your most valuable possessions, and I may love you and my aim to honor your trust may be sincere, but if I do not have the power or ability to guard your valuables, you SHOULD NOT entrust them to me.

HOWEVER, the Bible says that NOTHING is so small or trivial as to escape the attention of God’s sovereign control. Nothing is so great as to be beyond His power to control it, and so NO ‘DETAIL’ of your life is too insignificant for your Heavenly Father’s attention, and no circumstance is too big that He cannot control it.

Believers are in the ‘hands’ of a sovereign God who controls every circumstance of our lives and who rejoices in doing us good (Jeremiah 32:41). That should give them GREAT CONFIDENCE and TRUST in the God of the Bible!

– TRUSTING GOD BECAUSE OF HIS ‘FULFILLED’ PROMISES
The way some people use the term, a “promise” is nothing more than a good intention easily discarded. Like the proverbial saying goes, “Promises are made to be broken.” BUT, when God makes a promise, it is backed with more than just good intentions and wishful thinking. He is giving us his absolutely trustworthy word: “The LORD is trustworthy in all He promises and faithful in all He does” [ Psalm 145:13 ]. Everything God has spoken, every announcement, every message, is a promise based on His perfect, good, and trustworthy character.

We may have a problem keeping our promises, but God is different. He has all the power and wisdom in the universe at His disposal. He will never have to make an excuse for failing to fulfill what He has promised—and we have no excuse for not believing Him!

The Bible tells us how God’s promises reflect those qualities. Because He is all of those things, we do not have to fear when we hear that God keeps His promises on his terms. God’s terms for keeping His promises are clearly stated. What He promises, He ‘DELIVERS’, EVERY TIME!

Now, some promises even come with an “unconditional guarantee”—He will hold up His end of the agreement NO MATTER WHAT WE DO. However, there are promises that carry with them some “conditions” that we must follow if we are to enjoy all the benefits of what He is offering. These ‘conditional’ promises depend on our fulfilling certain requirements.

God ‘unconditionally’ promised King David that his royal line would last forever (2 Samuel 7:16). Because David was an ancestor of Jesus (Matthew 1:1, 6) and Jesus’ Kingdom will have no end (Luke 1:32-33), God was faithful in this promise, despite David’s repeated shortcomings and failures.

When Jesus was on earth, He promised that after He ascended to Heaven, He would send the Holy Spirit (John 16:5-15). In Acts 2, we read exactly how that happened.

Jesus also promised that He would return to earth to judge the living and the dead and fully settle His Kingdom (Matthew 16:27; 25:31-46). Although this has yet to occur, this is an ‘UNCONDITIONAL’ promise, so no one and nothing can stop it from happening.

[ FYI: For more details on Jesus’ return to this earth, view this previous “Life’s Deep Thoughts” post:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/last-generation-v249/ ].

Now, some promises are like ‘product warranties’ (“Conditional”). They will be fulfilled only if the customer meets the stipulations set by the manufacturer. The Bible is replete with these kinds of examples, and here are just a few to consider:

– Adam and Eve (Genesis 2:16-17)
– Moses (Exodus 19:3-6; 20:4-12; and 23:20-33)
– “Promised Land” (Joshua 1:7-9)
– Warning of Judgement (1 Samuel 12:13-15; 13:13-14)

Many cling to the promise that if you “Delight in the Lord,” then “He will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4). Well, this fits well with the promise that, “If we seek what has eternal value, God will take care of our temporal needs” (Matthew 6:25-34). BUT, if one is expecting this to mean a large bank account, a huge retirement plan, or a big vacation home, they are most likely are going to be disappointed—because that IS NOT what it means.

Those are desires when we pursue the values of the ‘world’. But, if one pursues what God delights in (holiness and righteousness), and seek things of eternal value, then their heart’s desires will be ‘in line’ with His, and HE WILL DO THEM!

Perhaps the most familiar and arguably the most important conditional promise is found in the New Testament: “God will forgive if we confess” (1 John 1:9).

Forgiveness is free and waiting for the repentant person, and the only ‘condition’ to receiving it is that they must confess that they need forgiveness. They must admit that they are sinful people who need a Savior. Now, this confession doesn’t ‘earn’ God’s forgiveness, it is a ‘gift’ from God. Recognizing one’s need is simply saying to God, “I want the forgiveness you are offering.”

In our “civilized” world, we consider ourselves independent, strong, capable, intelligent, and overall, pretty ‘good’—certainly not “sinful.” The thing is, our perception makes it difficult to realize the importance of this necessary first step to receive the free gift of eternal life!

[ VIDEO: “Are You a Good Person?” ]

Now, while one tries to figure out how God is going to answer a prayer or fulfill His promises, He is calmly and powerfully working out His plans ‘behind the scenes’ in ways and for reasons that one may not comprehend.

Although His reasons may elude us, and His methods may surprise us, God ALWAYS FULFILLS His promises: “‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,’ declares the Lord. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts’” [ Isaiah 55:8-9 ]. The Apostle Paul reiterated this by saying, “For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength” [ 1 Corinthians 1:25 ].

Some promises may be fulfilled in part because only a portion of the conditions have been met, or the promises may be fulfilled in stages according to God’s plan. The Old Testament promises concerning the Messiah were fulfilled IN PART with Jesus’ First Coming, however, others WILL BE FULFILLED when He returns (in His Second Coming). [ Jesus fulfilled the part of the promise about the suffering Servant (Isaiah 53) and will one day return to set up His eternal Kingdom (Revelation 11:14-19) ].

Many of us have difficulty understanding God’s timing and how He fulfills His promises. Believers can’t wait! They expect results today or tomorrow, not years from now.

As time-bound human beings, we can’t grasp God’s eternal purposes (Ecclesiastes 3:11). The perpetual changes of life are part of God’s ‘pattern’ and plan for all the ages, but from our perspective, it looks like a tangle of threads (like looking at the ‘mess’ on the back of an intricate rug). When we don’t see His promises becoming reality right now, we become impatient and are tempted to ask hard questions of God. But His timing IS BEST!

Solomon puts God’s timing into proper perspective: “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens. [ God ] has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. God will bring into judgment both to the righteous and the wicked, for there will be a time for every activity, a time to judge every deed” [ Ecclesiastes 3:1,11,17 ].

All of the promises of God will be fulfilled in His perfect timing, according to His wisdom. Many of those promises have been fulfilled, and many await fulfillment. The thing is, all who trust Jesus for forgiveness of sins receive that forgiveness and a new life IMMEDIATELY—along with many other spiritual benefits (John 3; Ephesians 1). While some people experience the evidence of God’s love and care through prosperity of life and good health, others experience the love and strength of God through poverty and sickness. In all cases, though, God is true to His word, and He WILL KEEP His promises!

– GOD’S PROMISES TO ‘ALL’ PEOPLE
If you want to stand on God’s promises, you need to be sure you are on solid ‘footing’. Our spiritual lives must be ‘founded’ on what God has said, not merely on what we wish He had said or what we think He might have said. We need to be sure we are not misquoting God when we claim a biblical promise for ourselves.

A few of the promises that apply to all inhabitants of the earth include:

– Salvation to those who believe and condemnation to all who reject Christ (John 3:16-18)
– History that will culminate according to God’s master plan (Daniel 7-12)
– A day of judgment for believers (2 Corinthians 5:10) and unbelievers (Revelation 20:11-15)
– A promise that God’s character will not change (James 1:17)
– Rewards for all who diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6)
– The certainty that everything He says will happen, will happen (Matthew 5:18; 24:34-35).

– GOD’S PROMISES TO ONLY ‘BELIEVERS’
God’s promises both conditional and unconditional are numerous. He equips the believers with all they need to live on earth as His beloved children. He promises to provide:

– Power for living (Ephesians 3:20)
– Strength to do his will (Philippians 4:13)
– Give believers spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12)
– Provide for their physical needs
– Give believers mercy and grace in times of need (Hebrews 4:16)
– He promises to give them wisdom when they are tested (James 1:5)
– A way to defeat temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13)
– Will free believers from sin’s grip (Romans 6:22)
– Provide the ability to make Satan flee (James 4:7)
– Forgive believer’s sins (1 John 1:9)
– Give believers peace of mind (Philippians 4:7)

All believers need to do to receive these ‘promises’ is simply live for Him (2 Peter 1:3-4).

He assures that the believer will have ‘access’ to Him through prayer (Ephesians 3:12), that He will provide help in their praying (Romans 8:26), and that He will answer their prayer (Matthew 7:7-11; 1 John 5:14-15) in the best way for them.

When the believer’s life is coming to a close, they are assured of salvation (John 10:29), eternal life (John 3:16; 5:24), a home in Heaven (John 14:1-4), and ‘rewards’ for service (2 Corinthians 5:10). Then, when the time comes, God promises them ‘resurrection’ into glory (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17)!

– OUR ‘EXPECTATIONS’
At times, the believer may fall into the ‘trap’ of thinking that God will keep His promises in the way THEY expect—expecting Him to change their external circumstances and environment when what He really wants them to see is that His promises might just be fulfilled through ‘inner’ changes in them.

God is into ‘long-range’ planning. We see only the surface, here-and-now events, and we do not know how God is working behind the scenes to fit the ‘pieces’ together to form an overall pattern (seeing the front of that intricate rug). The ways God has acted in the past, though, show that He fulfills many promises in ‘stages’ rather than all at once—and in unexpected ways!

Sadly, one may forget the evidence of God’s faithfulness in their lives. They may fail to recall how He has fulfilled His promises to them in the past (we ALL have poor memories!). As a result, they can lose confidence in His ability to be faithful in the future. (That’s why ‘journaling’ can be invaluable for some people.)

All that to say, the believer has a God who NEVER ‘FAILS’. Jesus gave this assurance to those who trust Him: “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one” [ John 10:27-30 ]. NOTHING can separate the believer from the love of God. As He said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” [ Hebrews 13:5 ]. That’s a promise the believer can ALWAYS COUNT ON!

– ONE’S ‘RESPONSE’
So, how should one respond to the fact that God is able to and does, in fact, ‘move’ in the minds and ‘hearts’ of people to accomplish His will? Well, the believer’s first response should be one of TRUST. Their ‘destinies’ are in His hands, not the hands of bosses, commanding officers, professors, coaches, and all other people who humanly speaking, are in a ‘position’ to affect their futures. No one can harm the believer or jeopardize their future apart from the sovereign will of God. Moreover, God is able to and will grant them ‘favor’ in the eyes of people who are in a position to do them good. They CAN entrust their future to God!

– GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY and OUR RESPONSIBILITY
God’s sovereignty does not negate our responsibility to act prudently. When Nehemiah was leading the effort to rebuild the security wall around the city of Jerusalem, he wrote, “But we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat” [ Nehemiah 4:9 ].

Prayer is the acknowledgment of God’s sovereignty and of our dependence upon Him to act on our behalf. Prudence is the acknowledgment of our responsibility to use all legitimate means. We must not separate these two!

The Puritan preacher Thomas Lye, in a sermon entitled, “How Are We To Live By Faith On Divine Providence?” said, “As prayer without faith is but a beating of the air, so trust without prayer [is] but a presumptuous bravado. He that promises to give, and bids us trust his promises, commands us to pray, and expects obedience to his commands. He will give but not without our asking.”

God’s sovereignty does not negate our responsibility to do what we can, however, it DOES give the believer the CONFIDENCE that God will do the BEST THING for them!

Confidence in God’s sovereignty in the lives of a believer should also keep them from becoming resentful and bitter when they are treated unjustly or maliciously by others. Bitterness usually stems not so much from the other person’s actions, but from the effects of those actions on one’s life.

A Scripture passage that can help us keep the doctrine of God’s sovereignty in perspective is: “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law” [ Deuteronomy 29:29 ]. The believer does not know a lot of things God’s sovereign will is planning, however, they DO KNOW that God WILL WORK to accomplish His purpose—which is ultimately for their good!

God recorded in His Word specific instances of His sovereign rule over history in order that we might trust Him in the affairs of history as they unfold before us today. We should remember that, for those experiencing the events recorded in the biblical narratives, God’s ‘hand’ was no more apparent to them in those events than His hand is apparent to us today in ours.

– ‘CHOOSING’ TO TRUST GOD
“When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise—in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” [ Psalm 56:3-4 ].

Primary school teacher and hymnist Margaret Clarkson once said, “Always it is initiated by an act of will on our part; we set ourselves to believe in the overruling goodness, providence, and sovereignty of God and refuse to turn aside no matter what may come, no matter how we feel.”

Trusting God is first a matter of the will—a matter of knowledge. So, if we are to trust God, we must ‘choose’ to believe His truth. We must say, “I will trust You though I do not ‘feel’ like doing so.”

Again, trusting God does not mean that we WILL NEVER experience doubt. It means we believe that God is at work through the occasion of our doubt for our ultimate good. It means we get back into the Scriptures regarding His sovereignty, wisdom, and goodness, and ask Him to use those Scriptures to bring peace and comfort to OUR ‘hearts’. It means, above all, that we do not sin against Him by allowing distrustful and ‘hard’ thoughts about Him to hold sway in our minds. It will often mean that we may have to say, “God I don’t understand, but I trust You.”

The realization that God has ‘ordained’ the believer’s days (“He leads me beside quiet waters… He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake” – Psalm 23:2-3) should be ‘COMFORTING’.

The imagery King David is using there is that of the shepherd leading his sheep. The initiative is with the shepherd. He is the one who determines the watering places and guides the flock as he thinks best. As our Shepherd, God has committed Himself to guide the believer in the ways that He knows to be best for them. God sovereignly guides their lives, so that they do indeed live out, in their daily experiences, all the days ordained for them! Encouraging, soothing, and reassuring (at least for me).

I believe theologian J.I. Packer expressed it well: “God guides our minds as we think. But the important truth for this study is that God does guide. He does not play games with us. He does not look down from Heaven at our struggles to know His will and say, ‘I hope you make the right decision.’ Rather, in His time and in His way He will lead us in His path for us.”

Many years ago hymnist Fanny J. Crosby penned these words, which are so appropriate to this topic of trusting God for guidance:

“All the way my Savior leads me;
What have I to ask beside?
Can I doubt His tender mercy,
Who through life has been my Guide?
Heav’nly peace, divinest comfort,
Here by faith in Him to dwell!
For I know, whate’er befall me,
Jesus doeth all things well,
For I know, whate’er befall me,
Jesus doeth all things well.

“All the way my Savior leads me,
Cheers each winding path I tread,
Gives me grace for every trial,
Feeds me with the living bread.
Though my weary steps may falter,
And my soul athirst may be,
Gushing from the Rock before me,
Lo! a spring of joy I see,
Gushing from the Rock before me,
Lo! a spring of joy I see.

“All the way my Savior leads me;
Oh, the fullness of His grace!
Perfect rest to me is promised
In my Father’s blest embrace.
When my spirit, clothed immortal,
Wings its flight to realms of day,
This my song through endless ages:
Jesus led me all the way,
This my song through endless ages:
Jesus led me all the way.”

SO. the believer CAN trust God to guide them—AND He promises that He WILL lead them ALL THE WAY. In addition to that, when they stand before God’s ‘throne’, they will be able to sing, with Fanny Crosby, “Jesus led me all the way!”

– ‘SURRENDER’
The whole Bible makes it clear that God’s promises are to be found ONLY BY THOSE who are willing to ‘SURRENDER’ to Him.

This important condition of surrender is what Jesus taught when He said, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” [ Matthew 5:8 ]. He said this immediately after saying, “Blessed are the poor in spirit… Blessed are those who mourn… Blessed are the meek… Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness… Blessed are the merciful” (Matthew:3-7).

[ FYI: For more details on “The Beatitudes,” visit my website “Fruits Of The Beatitudes”:
http://fruitsofthebeatitudes.org/ ].

God cannot be ‘found’ by just anyone. Because He is a spirit, He can be only ‘seen’ only by those to whom He chooses to reveal Himself to. This is also true of the Bible. While the Scriptures have been given to lead us to God, they remain a ‘closed’ book to those who are trying to find God on their ‘OWN TERMS’. God WILL BE FOUND in the pages of His book by those who desire to obey Him—or He will NOT be found at all!

Jesus said of God the Father and of Himself, “If anyone wants to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority” [ John 7:17 ].

Salvation itself is a ‘gift’. Forgiveness and eternal life come to us only by grace and through faith in Jesus (Ephesians 2:8-9). But, being able to ‘see’ God in the Bible requires a willingness to do the will of God. Only in surrender do we have the assurance that God will let us see the truth about Jesus in our present circumstances. Only in submission can we see the Father and His Son on EVERY PAGE of Scripture!

[ VIDEO: “Jesus In Every Book Of The Bible (Michael Youssef) ]

– ‘CHILDLIKE’ TRUST
One distinguishing mark of the early Christians was their ‘childlike’, literal obedience to the teachings of Jesus and the apostles. They did not ‘feel’ they had to understand the reason for a commandment before they would obey it. They just trusted that God’s way was always the best way. Theologian Clement of Alexandria asked, “Who then is so irreverent as to disbelieve God, and to demand explanations from God as from men?” They trusted God because they lived in awe of His majesty and wisdom.

The very fact that the early Christians were willing to suffer unspeakable horrors and to die rather than disown their God was, next to their lifestyle, their single most effective ‘evangelistic’ tool (Few, if any, Romans would die for their gods). They trusted God of the Bible, and Him alone, as their protector. That’s the kind of trust God is looking to see from the believer, to trust in the ‘protection’ of His Son, Jesus, who said, “Be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world” [ John 16:33 ].

Jesus asserted to “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the Kingdom of God” [ Mark 19:14 ]. Jesus was saying that only those who are ‘characterized’ as “children”—with helpless dependence—will be received into God’s Kingdom (Heaven).

[ FYI: For more details about God’s Kingdom, view this previous “Life’s Deep Thoughts” post:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/kingdoms-past-present-and-future-v262/ ].

The New Testament scholar Eduard Schweizer wrote:

“But this is the reason they are blessed—just because they [the little children] have nothing to show for themselves. They cannot count on any achievements of their own—their hands are empty like those of a beggar. Jesus enlarges the promise to include everyone. With an authority such as only God can claim, he promises the Kingdom to those whose faith resembles the empty hand of a beggar. Such faith is possible because they have no achievements of their own—their hands are empty like those of a beggar. Jesus enlarges the promise to include everyone. With an authority such as only God can claim, he promises the Kingdom to those whose faith resembles the empty hand of a beggar. Such faith is possible because they have no achievements of their own nor any conceptions of God which can intrude between them and God.”

Every child born into the world is absolutely, completely, totally, helpless. So it is with every child who is born into the Kingdom of God. Children of the Kingdom enter it helpless.

Kingdom entrance first depends on our coming to God in total helpless dependence and unmitigated trust. Children trust others for everything—their food, their lodging, and the arms of others who provide for them. That’s exactly what God wants of His ‘children’.

God also is looking for untutored humility. Children do not engage in the various forms of pride of adulthood. A child does not battle a self-righteousness ‘problem’. Further, a little child is free from intellectual conceit. Children are teachable. Untutored humility leaves a soul open to receiving the greatest of ‘gifts’, one’s salvation.

Children also know how to receive a gift—untarnished receptivity—they simply take it and easily return love for loving gifts. This is what God wants the believer to be like before they enter His Kingdom.

– ‘DEPENDENCE’
Another area of our lives that God must continually be at work on is our tendency to rely on ourselves instead of on Him. Jesus said, “Apart from me you can do nothing” [ John 15:5 ]. Apart from our ‘union’ with Jesus and a total reliance upon Him, we can do nothing that glorifies God. We live in a world that worships independence and self-reliance. “I am the master of my fate; I am the captain of my soul” is the motto of society these days. Because of our own sinful nature, we can easily fall into the world’s ‘pattern’ of thinking. We tend to rely on our knowledge of Scripture, our own business acumen, our own ministry experience, and even our goodness and morality.

The Apostle Paul had to learn dependence on God in the spiritual as well as the physical realm. Whatever his “thorn in the flesh” was, it was an adversity that Paul desperately wanted to be rid of. BUT, God let it remain, not only to curb any tendency for pride in Paul’s ‘heart’, but also to teach him to rely on God’s strength. Paul had to learn that it was not his strength but God’s grace—God’s enabling power—that he must depend on.

So, if God is going to use you (and me), because of our innate pride, He will bring adversity into our lives so that we, too, may learn ‘experientially’ about our dependence on Him.

– GOD ‘IS’ TRUSTWORTHY
The whole idea of trusting God is, of course, based upon the fact that He ‘IS’ absolutely trustworthy. That is why it is crucial to read the Bible, since it is the ‘primary’ source for who God is. One must be firmly grounded in Scriptural truths if they are ever going to trust Him.

One must also lay hold of those great promises of His constant care for us. Five times in the Bible God emphasized that He will not ‘forsake’ His ‘children’. He wants them to firmly grasp the truth that whatever circumstances may indicate, believing on the basis of His promise, and that He WILL NOT leave them to the mercy of those circumstances.

The believer may sometimes lose the ‘sense’ of God’s presence and help, but they WILL NEVER lose them. Job, in his distress, said: “But if I go to the east, He is not there; if I go to the west, I do not find Him. When He is at work in the north, I do not see Him when He turns to the south, I catch no glimpse of Him. But He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold” [ Job 23:8-10 ].

You and I will sometimes have the same experience as Job—perhaps not in the same kind or intensity of sufferings—but in the seeming inability to ‘find’ God anywhere. The things, God will seem to ‘hide’ Himself from us. Even the prophet Isaiah said to God on one occasion, “Truly you are a God who hides Himself, O God and Savior of Israel” [ Isaiah 45:15 ]. The believer should learn from Job and Isaiah so that they are not totally surprised and dismayed when, in the time of our distress, they can’t seem to find God. In those times, they must cling to His inviolate promise, “Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.”

Because God will never leave you nor forsake you, the believer is invited, in the words of the Apostle Peter, to “cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7). So, not only will God NEVER ‘leave’ the believer (the negative side of the promise), He ‘CARES’ for them (the positive side of the promise). He is not just there with them, He cares for them, and His care is constant—not occasional or sporadic. His care is total (“even the very hairs of your head are numbered”). His care is sovereign—nothing can touch them that He does not allow. His care is infinitely wise and good so that, in the words of pastor and hymnist John Newton (“Amazing Grace”), “If it were possible for me to alter any part of his plan, I could only spoil it.”

The believer must learn to cast their anxieties on God. Minister and theologian Dr. John Brown (of Edinburgh) says of this verse, “The figurative expression cast, not lay, seems to intimate that the duty enjoined is one that requires an effort; and experience tells us it is no easy matter to throw off the burden of carefulness.”

So we are back to the matter of choice. One must by an act of the will in dependence on the Holy Spirit and say something to themselves such as, “Lord, I choose to cast off this anxiety onto You, but I cannot do this of myself. I will trust You by Your Spirit to enable me to, having cast my anxiety on YOU, not to take it back upon myself.”

Trust is NOT a ‘PASSIVE’ state of mind. It is a ‘vigorous’ act of the soul by which we choose to ‘LAY HOLD’ on the promises of God, and ‘CLING’ to them despite the adversity that, at times, desires to overwhelm us.

– CAN ‘YOU’ TRUST GOD?
So, now this is really ‘personal’. Can ‘YOU’ trust God? Hopefully, you can answer “Yes” now after the evidence I have provided!

God IS ‘TRUSTWORTHY’, so you CAN TRUST Him! He promises never to fail the believer nor forsake them!

SO then, have YOU trusted God? If not, to grow in your ability to trust God, you must first lay a solid ‘foundation’ of a daily personal relationship with Him—by reading His ‘love letter’ to you, the Bible. Only as you know Him intimately and seek to obey Him completely, will you be able to establish a trust relationship with Him that could possibly conclude in you becoming a ‘CHILD’ of God!

[ FYI: For more details on God’s ‘love letter’ to humanity, view this previous “Life’s Deep Thoughts” post:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/love-letter-v258/ ].

Then, someday (hopefully in the NEAR future) as you develop an ‘intimate’ relationship with God—and in ‘dependence’ upon the enabling power of His Holy Spirit—you will be able to say, “I HAVE trusted God!”

Now, this trust WILL NOT come instantaneously. It is learned one ‘choice’ at a time, one ‘circumstance’ at a time. Trusting God is not a matter of my feelings but of my will. I never feel like trusting God when adversity strikes, but I can choose to do so even when I don’t ‘feel’ like it. That act of the will, though, must be based on belief, and belief must be based on truth. The truth is that the Christian MUST believe is that God is sovereign if they are going to trust Him.

Finally, the only way to trust in God’s sovereign control and rest in it is to ‘KNOW’ of God’s attributes, and know what He has done in the past. This builds confidence in Him. The believer can rejoice in God’s sovereignty, since it is overshadowed by His holiness, goodness, love, mercy, compassion, and ‘FAITHFULNESS’—all ‘proving’ His ‘TRUSTWORTHINESS’!

‘ASSURANCE’ OF GETTING TO HEAVEN
The GREAT ‘news’ is that one CAN feel ‘ASSURED’ that they will reside in Heaven one day!

[ Quick question: Do you know for sure that 2 + 2 = 4? If not, your bank is probably ‘taking advantage’ of you! ;^D ]

Now as then, Acts 4:12 is not politically correct. Today it’s popular to say, “Everyone’s going to Heaven” or “All paths lead to Heaven.” There are many who think they can have Heaven without ‘having’ Jesus. They want the glory, but they don’t want to be bothered by the ‘Cross’, much less the One who died there.

Many don’t want to accept Jesus as the ONLY way of going to Heaven and are determined to find another path. However, Jesus warns us that no other path exists and that the consequence for rejecting His truth is an eternity in Hell! He told us that, “whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him” (John 3:36). Faith in Jesus IS the ‘key’ to open the ‘door’ to Heaven!

Some will argue that it is extremely ‘narrow-minded’ of God to provide only one way to Heaven. Well, frankly, in light of mankind’s rebellion against God, it’s extremely ‘broad-minded’ for Him to provide us with ANY WAY to Heaven! We deserve judgment, but God gives us the ‘way’ of escape by sending His one-and-only Son to die FOR our sins. Whether someone sees this as narrow or broad, it’s what the Bible says. The good news is that Jesus died and rose again, ‘proving’ He was God in the flesh and showing mankind that God the Father ‘approved’ of His sacrifice and atonement for our sins by raising Him from the dead and having Him sit at His “right hand” ‘in Heaven (THE position of authority).

Many people today hold to a ‘watered-down’ Gospel that does away with the need for repentance. They want to believe in a “loving” (nonjudgmental) God who never mentions sin and who requires no change in their lifestyle. They may say things like, “My God would never send a person to Hell.” HOWEVER, Jesus spoke more about Hell than He did about Heaven, and He presented Himself as the Savior who offers the ONLY ‘MEANS’ of going to Heaven: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” [ John 14:6 ].

So, can one ‘guarantee’ that they are going to Heaven? Well, the Bible makes a clear distinction between those who have eternal life and those who do not: “He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life” [ 1 John 5:12 ]. It all goes back to faith. Those who believe in Jesus are made ‘children’ of God (John 1:12). Those who accept Jesus’ sacrifice as the ‘payment’ for their sins and who believe in His resurrection ARE going to Heaven. Those who reject Jesus are not: “Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son” [ John 3:18 ].

As awesome as Heaven will be for those who accept Jesus Christ as their Savior, Hell will be that MUCH MORE ‘AWFUL’ for those who reject Him! One cannot read the Bible seriously without seeing it over and over again—the ‘line’ is drawn.

FYI: Read the story of the Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31) to get a better idea about this. ]

The Bible says there is one and ONLY ONE ‘WAY’ to Heaven—Jesus Christ—and that only a few will find the way: “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it” [ Matthew 7:13-14 ]. I PRAY you will FIND ‘THE’ WAY!

So, again, faith in Jesus is the one ‘means’ of going to Heaven. Those who have faith are guaranteed to get there. Do you TRUST ‘IN’ Jesus?

[ FYI: For more details about the ‘assurance’ of going to Heaven, view this previous “Life’s Deep Thoughts” post:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/knowing-assurance-v243/ ].

[ For more details about the ‘benefits’ of assurance for getting into Heaven, view this previous “Life’s Deep Thoughts” post:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/benefits-of-assurance-v244/ ].

[ For more details about Heaven, view this previous “Life’s Deep Thoughts” post:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/a-place-to-retire-v221/ ].

So, don’t be lost without hope in this world, or in the next. Accept God’s gift of mercy and grace ‘in’ Jesus.

[ VIDEO: My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less” ]

WHAT TO ‘DO’
I’ve got to believe at some point in your life, you have raised your fist and shouted out in anger at God. If you have, don’t feel bad, because most of us have done so.

So, what are some of the reasons why one gets mad at God? Well, the ‘main’ reason is that they think He ‘owes’ them something. This usually happens in two ways:

– One Doesn’t Get Something They Want
Have you ever really wanted a relationship with that perfect girl or guy? Or you really wanted that job you knew, for certain, would be perfect for you? When these things didn’t work out, you no doubt found yourself hurt and disappointed. Sadly, one’s first impulse is almost always to blame God.

When one gets mad at God, it is really like a 2-year-old throwing a ‘fit’ because Mommy or Daddy won’t let them stick their finger in the light socket. The 2-year-old can only see what they want, whereas the parent sees the bigger picture—and the danger. When one is mad at God they show their immaturity, ignorance, and shortsightedness.

– One Gets Something They Didn’t Expect
When something bad happens to someone we love (or to us), or someone gets really sick or even dies, we wonder why these things have to happen. We think of God as a big ‘genie’ in the sky who should only give us good things and prevent ALL the bad.

Both of these situations can make a person feel like God doesn’t care about them. After all the prayers they have prayed, God still didn’t heal their brother’s cancer, or get the job they wanted.

We get angry when we think God ‘owes’ us something, when in fact, God owes us nothing!

We get angry with God when we don’t know all the facts. It is so easy to think we know everything there is to know in a certain situation, but we can only see a very small part of the whole ‘picture’.

So, how can one get over being mad at God? Well, first off, one needs to now what one can ‘expect’ from Him. If one thinks God is going to be our ‘genie in a bottle’ and make everything good in their life, then they are going to be mad at God when something bad happens. Having faith in God IS NOT ‘insurance’ against hardships!

In the Bible, Jesus said, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” [ John 16:33 ]. So, what CAN we expect from God?

– His Peace
If we trust in Him and believe in Him the believer will have peace even in the hard times.

– His Comfort
He promises to be near those who are hurting. “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit” [ Psalm 34:18 ].

– His Love
He promises His love for us. “God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.” [ 1 John 4:16 ]. He loves your heart and is with you in the midst of whatever your circumstances.

– A Life With Greater Meaning and Significance
If we got everything we thought we wanted, we would be spoiled and selfish. God is a wise Father who knows what we need to become the best person we can be.

So then, what can you do when you are mad at God? Well…

– Tell Him How You Feel
The best thing you can do is tell God what you are angry about. He wants to hear from you about whatever you are thinking and feeling. Tell Him honestly where you are at. He knows what is going on inside of you, but He wants to you be able to come to Him with honesty and openness.

– Place The Blame For Evil On Satan, Not On God
God is good, Holy, perfect, and loving. He is the opposite of evil. You may be mad at God because He did not prevent the bad from happening to you, but He is not to blame for the bad thing—Satan is. Jesus says in the Bible that “The thief’s purpose is to steal, kill and destroy. My purpose is to give life in all its fullness” [ John 10:10 ].

– Pray For Courage, Strength And Peace To Make It Through The Day
It is easiest to leave everything in God’s ‘hands’ and pray that He will care for you and do what is BEST for you (Not necessarily what you want, but what is best for you.)

– Trust That God Will Use A Hardship For Something Beyond What You Can See
So, can God use everything you go through for a greater purpose? Yep, so ask Him for understanding to see the bigger ‘picture’. Over time, you may see more clearly how God used your trial for your good.

After many trials, hopefully, you will learn that it is best to accept what God has done and believe that it is for your good—whether you like it or not.

Believing He does have a reason for everything you go through helps you to trust that something bigger is going on here, even more than you can probably imagine or understand.

– Get Involved In Other People’s Lives
A lot of our anger and frustration in life comes from thinking about ourselves too much. We think about the way things are and how different they are from how we wish they would be.

God will not put you through something unless He knows you will be able to ‘overcome’ it. He may also use your experiences to help others who are going through similar things in their lives.

The best way to find joy and peace from the hardships of life is to get involved in other people’s lives. Take an interest in other people and their circumstances, and share in their pain.

– Decide To Have A Relationship With God
The Bible says the only way to know God is by knowing His Son, Jesus. He was basically God with skin-on, and gave mankind a way to know who He is, His love, and how to be in a relationship with Him.

Sometimes only God will know why He has allowed a trial, however, sometimes He will reveal its purpose to you. Sometimes it is because He is preparing you for a greater ‘thing’, and sometimes it is to show you how little you truly love Him—and to allow you to ‘rectify’ that. Trials give you an opportunity to build your faith in a way nothing else can.

Even people who grow up in the Church, sometimes have felt that God has dealt them an ‘unfair hand’. They KNOW that God is good, but they FEEL abandoned.

This seems to be an endless battle: Knowing and Feeling—which is outlined in the book of Psalms. Over and over again, King David asks God those hard “WHY?!” questions that most of us have experienced at some point. (One of the primary reasons the Psalms are in the Bible is for our comprehension and guidance.)

Psalm 13 is one of those ‘low points’ for David: “O Lord, how long will you forget me? Forever?” [ Psalm 13:1 ]. I’m thinking that hits too close to home for all of us. King David goes on to say: “How long must I struggle with anguish in my soul, with sorrow in my heart every day?” [ Psalm 13:2 ].

As I mentioned previously, one should definitely go ahead and be ‘honest’ with God, since He can ‘handle’ one’s frustrations and He knows all of what one is thinking anyway. I read a pastor say that, “To complain ABOUT God is a sin, but to complain TO God is an act of worship” (Sometimes a hard difference to apprehend.)

So the next time you are mad at God, don’t try to hide it. Tell the One who can take it, and the only One who can offer unlimited peace even when life feels impossible.

The first thing is to ‘release’ one’s emotions to God. Job said, “If only I knew where to find Him; if only I could go to His dwelling! I would state my case before Him and fill my mouth with arguments” [ Job 23:3-4 ]. Elsewhere, Job even said that, “cursed was the day of his birth” (Job 3:1). Clearly, Job was REALLY ‘ANGRY’ with God! Not just because of what he was going through, but because it seemed like that, in the midst of his pain, that God was nowhere to be found.

However, one of the most encouraging things about the Bible is that some of God’s greatest servants were, at one point in their lives, very angry with God—and yet God was patient with them, loved them through it all, and blessed their life as a result of all of it. (Note: That’s NOT a ‘promise’ for everyone!)

So, don’t feel ‘guilty’ about it anymore because God already truly knows how you feel. Release your true emotions and be encouraged to know that you are in good ‘company’ of people who have been disappointed and angry with God over the centuries.

A second point is to recognize that God very well may be ‘testing’ you. Job said that he went “to the east, He is not there; if I go to the west, I do not find Him. When He is at work in the north, I do not see Him; when He turns to the south, I catch no glimpse of Him” [ Job 23:8-9 ]. However, it seemed that Job understood something God was doing: “He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold” [ Job 23:10 ]. So, don’t start blaming yourself or trying to figure out why God is allowing you to go through what you are going through (Most of the time you WON’T figure it out).

The Apostle Peter said that one should rejoice during various trials, since they are testing the “genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire” [ 1 Peter 1:7b ]. It very well may be that God is testing you today and that the test is really more for you to see the true ‘temperature’ of your faith.

[ FYI: For more details about God’s “refining fire,” view this previous “Life’s Deep Thoughts” post:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/concept-refinement-v209/ ].

Thirdly, one should resolve to ‘obey’ God during their test. Job said, “My feet have closely followed His steps; I have kept to His way without turning aside. I have not departed from the commands of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my daily bread” [ Job 23:11-12 ]. Again, elsewhere Job said that, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him” [ Job 13:15 ].

Finally, whenever you are experiencing life’s deepest pains, most difficult trials, tribulations, and tests, remind yourself of God’s ‘power’. We later see that Job is ‘restored’ and given TWICE as much as he had before (Job 42:10). [ Note: This should definitely encourage the believer of God’s power and provision, but this is not ‘promised’ for everyone. ]

Sometimes when dealing with difficult situations, one tends to think that their trial will never end. This is when one should meditate on Job’s experience and trust that if God was faithful to see Job through it all that God will be faithful in their life as well.

A recent example of how someone experienced some ‘tremendous’ challenges is the life of Nick Vujicic. In 1982, Nick was born without arms or legs. In addition to typical adolescent struggles, Nick’s childhood was filled with loneliness, depression, and frustration. Nick constantly questioned God why he was born this way.

Many people deal with incredibly painful circumstances that cause similar feelings of desperation and anger. Like Nick, they feel deeply powerless and may question the purpose of their pain—and in the absence of answers, some people channel their anger toward God.

In spite of his handicaps, Nick Vujicic says that he has been ‘restored’ just like Job was. Although his life began with frustration, Nick sought help and inspiration from God, friends, and family. As he grew to praise God, his purpose became clear and his life was TOTALLY changed!

When he was nineteen, Nick shared his experience at his first speaking engagement. Today, Nick has traveled the world and shared his story with millions of people. He is a husband, an author, a musician, an actor, and the founder of the nonprofit ministry, “Life Without Limbs.” He credits his strength and passion for life to his faith in God.

Both Nick and Job dealt with anger at circumstances that were out of their control. But both men also realized that their anger was ultimately futile and misplaced. In its place, they adopted an attitude of humility and praised God. Their praise—and the gratitude that followed—ultimately led to a deep joy that couldn’t be shaken by any life situation.

[ “GOD WILL NOT GIVE UP ON YOU | God’s Plan For You” – Nick Vujicic ]

HOW TO PRAY WHEN YOU ARE ANGRY AT GOD
Sometimes we think our ‘issue’ is a ‘sick trick’ God is playing with one’s life, and they don’t want to listen to God long enough to hear what He has to ‘say’.

They might think, “How could the Maker of the universe—and supposed lover of my soul—allow everything to ‘fall down’ around me?

Well, if you are frustrated with God and are struggling to ‘be present’ in conversation with Him (or have no desire to even think about talking with Him), here are some things to keep in mind:

– Jacques Philippe wrote: “If our prayer consists of nothing more than holding ourselves before God without doing anything or thinking of anything special, without any particular feelings, but with a heartfelt availability and trusting abandonment, then we could not do any better.”

Simply being present and being seen by the Father isn’t a ‘passive’ move—it’s a ‘courageous’ one! Author Brené Brown said, “Courage starts with showing up and letting ourselves be seen.” It takes courage to show up to a conversation with someone who you’re frustrated and angry with.

– Don’t Stop Praying
So, why should I still take time to pray if God already knows what I am thinking and going through?

Well, even though it seems like one of the hardest things to do, DON’T stop praying in times of desolation! Imagine how a marriage would function if every time there was anger or frustration, the couple would stop talking to each other. Instead of processing the anger together, their silence and lack of communication allows the anger to fester between them. So, a ‘season’ of desolation is not the time to change one’s prayer life, but simply to persevere and be present.

Saint Ignatius writes in his rules for spiritual discernment: “In time of desolation, never make a change. Be firm and constant in proposals and determination in which one was in the preceding consolation.”

God wants to help you process this anger and frustration, so don’t shut Him out.

– Remember That Jesus Knows What Your Pain Feels Like
Saint Augustine wrote that, “God had one Son on earth without sin, but never one without suffering.”

Jesus will ‘walk’ alongside you with an intimate knowledge of your pain. He knows what ‘REAL’ pain is like!

The writer to the Hebrews said, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has similarly been tested in every way, yet without sin. So let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help” [ Hebrews 4:15 ].

One of the worst things one can do when they are angry with God is ‘compare’ their stories to the stories of those around us (as did my family member did all the time). Each one of us will process pain, anger, and grief differently. Each one of us will bring those emotions to prayer differently—and that’s okay!

We all have been ‘there’! Even Jesus calls out from the cross, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken Me?”

In the sporting ‘world’, in order to even qualify as a contestant, one must learn to cast aside anything detrimental to their ‘training’ program. Similarly, in the Bible, the Apostle Paul cites examples of certain ‘pitfalls’—things we must learn to “flee” from. Some are ‘blatant’ sin, while others are simply “weights”—but both, if allowed to continue, will deter one’s progress and eventually prevent them from crossing the ‘finish line’ victoriously (1 Corinthians 9:24-27).

The writer of the Book of Hebrews reinforces the concept by saying, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us” [Hebrews 12:1]. Thankfully, he doesn’t just leave us ‘hanging’ there wondering how we can do this. In the very next verse, he says, “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” [Hebrews 12:2]. One needs a steely focus without any extra ‘baggage’.

I can just imagine that even if I showed up at a marathon in ultra-light shoes and running shorts (no excess ‘baggage’) and properly focused mentally, I would still ‘poop out’ long before the finish line—because I have NOT ‘PROPERLY’ PREPARED for it.

So, if I want to complete a marathon, I must be willing to undergo training. In fact, I must subject myself to a very intensive training program. I would need to be willing to let an experienced runner design a whole training regimen for me that would seem, in many ways, irrelevant to the race. Taking my own physique and physical shape into account, he would design exercises carefully calculated to produce pressure and strain on various muscle groups. By ‘cooperating’ with this frustrating and sometimes agonizing training program, I would gradually become ‘hammered’ into shape for a marathon. The biggest reason why I and others are unable to run a marathon is not that they are physically incapable of it, but because we are unwilling to undergo the necessary preparation.

[ MOVIE TRAILER: A new coach leads the cross country program to their first state title with discipline. (Entire movie is in the “Articles” section below.) ].

This is the same for someone wanting to ‘prepare’ for eternity. The ‘discipline’ of Bible reading and study might be ‘painful’ right now—but its ‘reward’ is “out of this world!”

This is kind of the Biblical ‘version’ of the weight lifter’s motto: “No pain, no gain.” Of course, discipline is not joyful, but sorrowful (it wouldn’t be called “discipline” if it was easy to take). But, God wants to use this to transform your character so you can fulfill His purpose for your life. In my humble opinion, a goal valuable enough to warrant any amount of pain necessary! Just like in any sport, only those who ‘submit’ to the training reap the benefit.

Another related matter is that many people focus on the initial ‘speed’ of their progress, but overlook one far greater factor—one evident in successful athletic competition—to ‘ENDURE’ until the end.

At the beginning of a marathon, runners feel strong and energetic. The gun sounds and they take off. Sixteen or so miles into that marathon, though, they no longer feel energetic. Blisters begin to rub raw, and it feels like a ‘knife’ has lodged into their side. Their legs turn to ‘mush’ and their muscles ‘scream’ in pain.

This happens in life, too. We get down the ‘road’, and there’s pain involved. We say, “This hurts too much, I’m going to quit.” But sometimes the race God ‘guides’ us to run is filled with pain. Remember that God didn’t ‘ask’ you just to begin something short-term and stop. He wants you to keep running and be a great ‘finisher’.

At the 1968 Olympics, an hour after the marathon’s winner crossed the finish line, Tanzania’s John Stephen Akhwari limped across the finish line, injured in a fall early in the race. Asked why he didn’t quit, he said, “My country did not send me 7,000 miles to start this race. My country sent me to finish.”

Now, you may ‘succeed’ in the race of life, gain all the material things you want on this earth, become the admiration and envy of others, and yet die not one step nearer Heaven—and end up in Hell, far away from God. Jesus asked, “What shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul?” [Mark 8:36].

We recognize that in every ‘walk’ of life we must run a ‘race’—achievement is by effort. The prize is gained by striving. The student must “scorn delights and live laborious days” if they are to gain the coveted diploma or degree. The artist must practice long to perfect their art. The skill of the craftsman, the ability of the executive, and the capacity of the worker are not gained without effort.

Consider the words of this verse by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow:

“We have not wings, we cannot soar; but we have feet to scale and climb, by slow degrees, by more and more, the lofty summits of our times. The mighty pyramids of stone that wedge-like cleave the desert airs, when nearer seen, and better known, are but gigantic flights of stairs. The distant mountains, that uprear their solid bastions to the skies, are crossed by pathways, that appear as we to higher levels rise. The heights by great men gained and kept were not attained by sudden flight, but they, while their companions slept, were toiling upward in the night.”

‘Step-by-step’ ANYONE can make any journey—as long as they endure to the end. Scripture says, “Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired and weary and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak…and those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint” [Isaiah 40:28-31].

So, let me encourage you to honestly accept the ‘challenge’ that the God of the Bible has set before you: To believe that His Son became the “once-for-all” sacrifice for all of your sins; that He wants to help you through this ‘race’ we call “life”; and He is preparing “a place [in Heaven] for you” to spend the rest of eternity with Him (if you are one of His ‘children’).

This is the promised ‘reward’ for running the ‘race’ successfully—“to get a crown that will last forever” [1 Corinthians 9:25]. There is NOTHING more valuable in this world than this—no other praise, honor, or “crown” compares!

Just like the “kick” of the gold medalist of the last Olympiad’s marathon has at the end of their race, God wants you to be able to ‘sprint’ across life’s ‘finish line’, finishing strong.

I so much want for you to hear these words directed to you from the ‘lips’ of God when you reach Heaven: “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!” [Matthew 25:23].

Don’t merely observe from the ‘grandstand’ and don’t just turn out to jog a couple of ‘laps’ each morning. Prepare diligently—your ETERNAL ‘resting place’ DEPENDS upon it!

God also has been warning that there will be a JUDGMENT ‘MEETING’ that will come: “Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead” [ Acts 17:30-31 ].

The Bible calls this the Judgment Seat of Christ.” It will the be the judgment of all unbelievers based on all their sins: “And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds” [ Revelation 20:12 ]. The need to prepare to meet God is clearly recognized by all who understand WHAT WILL HAPPEN when they meet God!

HOW TO ‘MISS’ ETERNAL PUNISHMENT!
It is ESSENTIAL that one is ‘prepared’ to meet God, since the alternative is simply too horrible to contemplate: “And cast out the worthless slave into the outer darkness; in that place there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth… these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life… these will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power” [ Matthew 25:30, 41; 2 Thessalonians 1:9 ].

For the believer to meet Jesus will be a ‘THRILLING’ EXPERIENCE! The Apostle Paul, near the close of his life, said, “I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand” [ 2 Timothy 4:6 ]. (Death came SHORTLY after he had uttered those words!)

HOWEVER, for the unbeliever, meeting God will be a ‘FRIGHTENING’ EXPERIENCE! The Bible says, “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31) and, “The Lord is long-suffering and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression,” but by no means will He “clear the guilty” (Numbers 14:18). If you resist God’s love, refuse His salvation, and despise His warnings—the day you stand before Him will be a VERY ‘DREADFUL’ DAY!

Let me consider the ‘ABSURDITY’ of procrastination. God’s justice demands that we be punished for our sins, but God’s love has provided a ‘REMEDY’. That remedy is the death of God’s own Son, Jesus. Isaiah says, “The Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” However, in order that Jesus’ death becomes effective as an atonement for your sins, you MUST ‘RECEIVE’ Him into your ‘heart’.

It is my hope that this post has challenged you to think about the End Times and Jesus’ Second Coming (and the “Rapture”), and how to better prepare for them. However, thinking about these times and how to prepare is meaningless unless you actually TAKE ‘ACTION’ and begin to PREPARE. It would be a horrible shame to have read this post and think, “Wow, that was daunting and arduous,” and then do nothing. Please DO NOT allow this to happen!

SO, ‘WHAT’ will it take to persuade you to honestly consider BECOMING ‘PREPARED’?

The Bible says that EVERYONE MUST ‘DECIDE’ while they are alive on this earth—death is the END of ANY ‘OPPORTUNITY’ to get into Heaven, and ‘dispatches’ one to Hell!

You need to GET READY! For a believer to meet God, it WILL BE a wonderful, thrilling thing, a sweet experience. HOWEVER, for those who have ‘rejected’ Jesus, how TERRIBLE that will be!

The thing is, RIGHT NOW would be the BEST ‘TIME’ to ‘punch your ticket’ for Heaven! “Now is the acceptable time and now is the day of salvation” [ 2 Corinthians 6:2 ] and “Seek the Lord while you can find Him. Call upon Him now while He is near” [ Isaiah 55:6 ]. One should search for God and prepare ourselves before it is TOO LATE!

So, is Jesus THE PERSON that you want to meet?

If so, it’s time to GET SERIOUS and ‘PREPARE’ for His RETURN!

‘“HOW’ To Prepare To Meet Someone Important”:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/how-to-prepare-to-meet-someone-important-v276/ ].

So, if possible, PREPARING for such first meetings is critical. Be aware of what is happening and strive for ways to undertake a meeting with more ‘control’—primarily achieved by ‘PRODIGIOUS’ PREPARATION.

Preparation in every area of life here on earth is a necessity and not an option. So, wouldn’t you think that meeting Jesus should be even MORE IMPORTANT?

SO, again, ARE YOU ‘PREPARED’? Have you repented of your sins? Have you put your ‘trust’ in Jesus as your Savior?

You may ask, “What is this repentance you have mentioned?” Well, it is what the prophet John the Baptist heralded during Jesus’ time. It means that you say to God something like the following, from your ‘heart’:

– ADMIT THAT YOU’RE A SINNER.
This is where that godly sorrow leads to genuine repentance for sinning against the righteous God and there is a change of heart, we change our mind and God changes our hearts and regenerates us from the inside out” [ Romans 3:10; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:23 ].

– BELIEVE IN YOUR HEART THAT JESUS CHRIST DIED FOR YOUR SINS, WAS BURIED, AND THAT GOD RAISED JESUS FROM THE DEAD.
Believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and that God raised Jesus from the dead. This is trusting with all of your heart that Jesus Christ is who he said he was” [ Romans 10:9-10 ].

– CALL UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD.
This is trusting with all of your heart that Jesus Christ is who he said he was. Every single person who ever lived since Adam will bend their knee and confess with their mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord, the Lord of Lords and the King of Kings” [ Romans 14:11; Romans 10:13 ].

https://www.jdfarag.org/abc
[ VIDEO: “The ABC’s of Salvation” – JD Farag ]

PDF: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1wCdqLDPF_V6TX-a9S0dW_dJXYc6Po4wu ]

DO NOT put this off any longer! DO NOT delay the MOST IMPORTANT ‘DECISION’ of your life—for ‘ETERNAL’ LIFE! Make TODAY ‘THE’ DAY of your salvation!!!

‘CAN’ BELIEVERS BE MAD AT GOD?
Children often get angry at their parents for not giving them something they really want (like candy before dinner), or taking something away that they had (like a sharp knife). The parents do this because they see the bigger ‘picture’ and know what is best for the child. While we don’t enjoy having our children upset at us in such situations, we can handle their anger because we know that we did WHAT WAS ‘BEST’ for them!

Consider this psalm of King David:

“Why are You so far from helping Me,
And from the words of My groaning?
O My God, I cry in the daytime, but You do not hear”
[ Psalm 22:1-2 ].

That is quite an accusation, isn’t it? But that passage is pretty normal for King David. He even drew attention to the way his body reacted to his anger:

“Attend to me, and hear me;
I am restless in my complaint, and moan noisily”
[ Psalm 55:2 ].

There are many, many more examples in the Psalms. Consider this passage, written by the sons of Korah:

“Awake! Why do You sleep, O Lord?
Arise! Do not cast us off forever.
Why do You hide Your face,
And forget our affliction and our oppression?”
[ Psalm 44:23-24 ].

So, did God really “forget” the affliction of His people? Was He actually sleeping? Casting them off? Hiding His face? Of course not! But that isn’t the point. The point is, those resentments were already present, and if the psalmists had left them there, they would have throbbed and swelled and gotten in the way of their relationship with God. It is far better to get them out.

“This is precisely what Job did when he said,
Will You never turn Your gaze away from me,
Nor let me alone until I swallow my spittle?
Have I sinned? What have I done to You,
O watcher of men?
Why have You set me as Your target,
So that I am a burden to myself?”
[ Job 7:19-20 ]

Such examples are abundant in Scripture. Over and over again, the great men of God were ‘unflinchingly’ honest with their heavenly Father. They wrestled with Him, they argued with Him, and they prayed raw and brutal prayers. Even Jesus Himself, while hanging from a tree, cried out with the words of David, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46; Psalm 22:1).

So, why does the believer try to hide their frustration? Why do they smother their angry prayers? Well, is seems better to follow what Scripture tells the believer: “Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you” [ Psalm 55:22 ]. So, rather than letting your anger fester, ‘cast it’ upon Him, and He will listen and respond to you.

Now, most of the time God won’t snap His ‘fingers’ and bring resolution to your crises. BUT there, most likely, will be a noticeable ‘change’. There will probably be a ‘barrier’ of cold accusation and healing in your heart can begin.

So, since God knows what’s happening already—and what WILL happen—and be honest with Him. so He can set you ‘straight’. Then, rather than forcing smiles onto your face—rather than carrying stale resentments in our chests—it is better to bring Him all the ugliness that He already sees, and let Him carry us instead.

So are you angry at God? Are you angry about something he allowed to happen in your life? Go ahead. ‘Yell’ at God. There is nothing you can say that God hasn’t heard already. Tell God your ‘deepest’ thoughts. Be honest with God about ALL your thoughts and your feelings.

In my own experience, after I have expressed my ‘strong’ frustrations at God, I have often ‘felt’ Him say, “Thank you for letting it all out. I was waiting for you to be honest with me. Now, let’s talk about it.”

So, it’s okay to have those strong emotions—even anger—at God, just as long as it doesn’t turn into you ‘despising’ Him or ‘disrespecting’ Him!

God wants to be with us in our pain and anger, especially if He is the One who allowed/‘caused’ it. This is because going to God when we are angry and frustrated at life and at Him is an indication of our belief/love for Him.

God has promised to ‘walk’ with you, to never leave you, or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5). He has promised to forgive your sins and heal your ‘heart’. It’s time to take Him up on that.

DEVELOPING A ‘CLOSE’ RELATIONSHIP
Now, certainly, God is holy, perfect, loving, and all-wise, and he NEVER ‘truly’ deserves one’s anger. However, there is ‘friction’ that is inevitable in any close relationship. In fact, the closer you are to someone, the more ‘passion’ you feel about them and the more likely there will be some friction—anger will ‘erupt’.

But, that really creates a ‘problem’, since anger is a ‘natural’ byproduct of the inevitable friction in ANY close relationship. Then some of these people think that God is unfair and unresponsive because they ‘stuff’ their emotions and paste on a phony ‘happy face’ that just makes matters worse. (Let’s face it, we don’t like talking to people we are mad at, and we give them the ‘silent treatment’ and withdraw—and don’t relate with them. This usually happens when one’s faith is only an ‘intellectual exercise’—having the tendency of keeping God at ‘arms length’, and a relationship that is very dry and stale. This also tends to have its ‘roots’ in dome unresolved anger that one feels over some perceived injustice or unfairness from God and secretly ‘blaming’ Him for something they decided to do and it didn’t turn out well—a divorce, a financial investment that lost money, etc.) They feel that God ‘let them down’ at a crucial time in their life, and now harbor resentment towards Him (exactly what my family member did).

Psychologically, when one suppresses one’s anger—toward another person or even God—it usually will affect other aspects of one’s life in a ‘subterranean’ way—at the spouse, their children, at an employee, or even the dog! The thing is, God is a “big boy” that can handle even your most intense emotions. He won’t be ‘surprised’ by any of your comments since He already knows the secrets of your ‘heart’ (Psalm 44:21). He will not ‘strike you down’ for being honest with Him [ or send you to your room without dinner ;^D ].

God knows that we are ‘messy’ people living in a messy world who is compassionate and cares for His ‘children’: “O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness” [ Psalm 86:15 ].

Again, let me be clear that I AM NOT saying that God ‘deserves’ our anger, and that He has ever done anything wrong and somehow is at fault for one’s anger or that our anger is justified. I am just saying that God understands our emotions and our pain, and wants to help us ‘heal’ those emotions.

In the Old Testament times, there are some of the greatest men of God that show us that they were not ‘inhibited’ in expressing their anger against Him. Hear the words of Moses: “Then Moses turned to the Lord and said, ‘O Lord, why have you done evil to this people? Why did you ever send me? For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has done evil to this people, and you have not delivered your people at all’” [ Exodus 5:22-23 ]. You can ‘hear’ the frustration in his voice.

Jeremiah actually accused God of deceiving him. In fact, he said his life was unbearable and he wished that had never been born: “Cursed be the day on which I was born! The day when my mother bore me, let it not be blessed!”… “Why did I come out from the womb to see toil and sorrow, and spend my days in shame?” [ Jeremiah 20:14, 18 ].

King David also did not shy away from ‘venting’ his emotions to God: “How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?” [ Psalm 13:1-2 ]. Guess what? God didn’t ‘strike down’ David for talking like that. In fact, God preserved David’s angry emotions for us to learn from—that it is okay to be honest with Him, and He will be compassionate and slow to anger with you.

God just says that we should “Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the Devil” [ Ephesians 4:26-27 ]. That’s the ‘line’ that we SHOULD NOT ‘CROSS’.

Author Lee Strobel suggests three things to do when you are feeling angry toward God: Pray about it; Think about it; and Talk about it.

So, to ‘PRAY’ about it is the first thing to do—and a difficult thing to do since when we are mad at someone our natural inclination is that we don’t want to ‘talk’ to them. The thing is, with God, we are cutting off the very Person that can comfort us in the pain and confusion that sparked our anger in the first place.

Forget the ‘formality’. Forget the theological ‘niceties’. Forget being ‘poetic’ or even talking in complete sentences. Forget ‘censoring yourself and trifling phrases. Don’t hold back the tears. Just be brutally honest with God.

Consider some of the words of the song “Honesty” by Margret Becker (Full lyrics and video in the “Songs” section below):

“God’s not afraid of your honesty
He can heal your heart if you speak honestly
Humble sorrow and the honest cry
He will not pass by, no

So many of us spend so much time
Smoothing things over, pretending we’re fine
As if life could ever be so cut and dried

But you my, friend
You’ve got that passionate heart
It’ll curse you sometimes
But it can take you far
When you let Him tame it
You will be just fine

. . .

You may feel like you’re crawling
Over broken glass, crying a river
Into the pillows of your past
But you will be free, yeah

Oh, God’s not afraid of your honesty
He can heal your heart if you speak honestly
Humble sorrow and the honest cry
He will not pass by”

God ‘invites’ your honesty because it breeds intimacy with Him and you! The writer to the Hebrews said that God will NEVER leave you or forsake you! (Hebrews 13:5). So, after you ‘vent’ your emotions, a kind of ‘recalibration’ of your emotions takes place, just like King David did: “But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me” [ Psalm 13:5-6 ].

Secondly, one needs to ‘THINK’ it through. One needs to spend some time thinking about what is ‘behind’ their anger—what’s ‘driving’ all of one’s angst. So often people find that the anger they are feeling toward God is that they feel like God broke a promise to them, and upon deeper reflection, they realize that God never made that promise to them.

One may not understand all the aspects of an issue because they don’t have the ‘big picture’. They also sometimes think that they can ‘handle’ it themselves—with no need for God’s help (Hmmm… the omnipotent One with omniscience.) God allows certain short-term things to occur for one’s long-term benefit that they cannot foresee—though will be good for them if they obey God.

Finally, one must ‘TALK’ it through. When one talks to others—specifically mature believers—who have experienced a similar pain that they are going through, most of the time there is understanding and healing. These people can talk honestly about their struggles and how it turned out for them—giving the one going through the pain a bit of insight and sometimes a ‘solution’. That ‘fist’ that you are shaking at God tends to ‘open up’ to accept what God wants to put into it: “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds” [ Psalm 147:3 ].

There IS a loving Father for the believer that is on one’s ‘side’, who is willing to ‘put up’ with their messy emotions as they work through their issue(s), grow closer to Him, and find that there IS ‘hope’ for their future!

Out-of-control anger is recognized as a sign of depression in children, but it is not understood as often as a symptom of the same condition in adults—and that is a BIG ‘MISTAKE’ mistake according to Maurizio Fava, a psychiatrist and professor at Harvard Medical School. He asks, “Why would someone who happens to be irritable and angry when depressed as an adolescent suddenly stop being angry at age 18?”

Brown University psychiatrist Dr. Mark Zuckerman agrees: “Irritability is not that much less frequent than sadness and anxiety in patients who are presenting for psychiatric treatment.” This confusion about symptoms results not just in misdiagnoses by less informed clinicians, but it also stops some people who could benefit from treatment for depression from getting help, as they do not recognize that their flairs of anger are rooted in their psychological issues.

So, if this is an issue touching your life—as it did for my family member for many years—the bottom line is this: if you have recently developed a hair-trigger temper, think carefully about whether what has changed is your situation or your own state of mind. If you suspect your anger might be more about your feelings than the world around you, don’t be shy about seeking help.

There’s a larger point to be noted here, too. Most of us understand anger as situational, something we do in response to something annoying or disrespectful out there. But emotional outbursts, including being quicker to anger than usual, can also be a sign of chronic sleep deprivation or impending catastrophic burnout.

Constant anger, in other words, is frequently (though certainly not always—plenty of things are genuinely infuriating) about what’s going on inside your head and then what’s going on in the world around you. Before you settle to comfortably into your ‘grumpiness’ and dislike of others, spend time soul searching to be sure the issue isn’t your psychology, rather than their bad behavior!

[ FYI: There is an article by Arlin Cuncic, “The Connection Between Depression and Anger” in the “Articles” section below that goes into many more details about this ]

Moses, as he was leading a group of complaining people to their homeland, said to God, “Why have you brought this trouble on your servant? What have I done to displease you…?” [ Numbers 11:11 ]. King David wrote, “How long, Lord? Will You hide Yourself forever? Will Your anger keep burning like fire?” [ Psalm 89:46 ]. The Prophet Habakkuk cried out, “How long, Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, ‘Violence!‘ but you do not save?” [ Habakkuk 1:2 ].

These great Biblical figures—and many others—were not immune to suffering and feelings of injustice, and they were honest about their feelings to God. HOWEVER, they also acknowledged that God is holy and that His ways are above their ways (Isaiah 55:8).

Now, there is a difference between ‘wrestling’ with questions and defiant ‘rebellion’ against God—between expressing our anger ‘to’ God and being angry ‘at’ God. The first is perfectly fine and even healthy, but it is NOT OKAY to be mad at God.

The thing is, God didn’t create evil, and He’s not out to ‘harm’ you (However, God may be ‘disciplining’ you). Whatever you have experienced IS NOT a personal ‘attack’ from God, but either a result of the evil and unfairness in the world, or a ‘refining’ by God to ultimately strengthen you because of His love for you.

[ FYI: For more details about God’s ‘discipline’ of His children, view this previous “Life’s Deep Thoughts” post:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/got-your-attention-yet-v255/ ].

In a remarkable statement, the psalmist in the Bible actually ‘thanked’ God for a difficult experience:

“Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep your word… It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes”
[ Psalm 119:67, 71 ].

Now, we don’t know the nature of the psalmist’s affliction, but the positive outcome was a longing to obey God and a ‘hunger’ for His Word.

The thing is, rarely can we use this truth to comfort those who hurt. Instead, it is God’s ‘word’ to us from His compassionate heart and the touch of His healing ‘hand’.

When one hurts, they feel like they are dying. But, as God wraps His loving ‘arms’ around them—when they ‘cry out’ to Him—they can have assurance of His faithful care!

“How one deals with pain, sorrow, and anger will make one either bitter or better.” [ Mark Besh ]

Anger is a valid reaction to hardship, but when left unchecked, it can lead to hostility, bitterness, and ‘eat’ at you from the inside out. That is why the Bible says, “Be angry, and do not sin” (Ephesians 4:26)—because when we give anger a ‘foothold’, it can lead to all kinds of negative thoughts and actions.

The burden you bear, the problem you face, and the affliction you can’t shake may be painful, overwhelming, and frustrating. Whatever it is, there is nothing ‘wrong’ with telling God about it. In fact, He already knows! Just be sure you are not directing your anger at the One who loves you and wants to help you through it!

So. don’t let anger drive a ‘wedge’ between you and God. Discover the depth of His love for you today. The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association suggests the following:

STEP 1: God’s Purpose: Peace and Life
God loves you and wants you to experience peace and eternal life.
The Bible says:

“We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
[ Romans 5:1 ]

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
[ John 3:16 ]

“I [Jesus] have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”
[ John 10:10 ]

What keeps us from having the life God planned for us?

STEP 2: The Problem: Our Separation from God
God created us in His image. He gave us a will and the freedom of choice; we choose to disobey Him and go our own way—which is called sin. This separates us from God.
The Bible says:

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
[ Romans 3:23 ]

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
[ Romans 6:23 ]

Our choice to sin separates us from God. People have tried many ways to bridge this gap between themselves and God.
The Bible says:

“There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.”
[ Proverbs 14:12 ]

“But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.”
[ Isaiah 59:2 ]

No bridge reaches God… except one.

STEP 3: God’s Bridge: The Cross
Jesus Christ died on the cross and rose from the grave. When He did He paid the penalty for our sin and bridged the gap between us and God.
The Bible says:

“For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus.”
[ 1 Timothy 2:5 ]

“For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.”
[ 1 Peter 3:18 ]

God has provided the only way back to Him. You must make a choice.

STEP 4: Our Response: Receive Christ
We must trust and receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
The Bible says:

“Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”
[ John 1:12 ]

“If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
[ Romans 10:9 ]

Which side are you on? The side with Christ or without Him?

God’s love is also ’steadfast’ and will endure forever. This is put on ‘display’ in Psalm 136:

“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for His steadfast love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of gods, for His steadfast love endures forever.
Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for His steadfast love endures forever;

to Him who alone does great wonders, for His steadfast love endures forever;
to Him who by understanding made the heavens, for His steadfast love endures forever;
to Him who spread out the earth above the waters, for His steadfast love endures forever;
to Him who made the great lights, for His steadfast love endures forever;
the sun to rule over the day, for His steadfast love endures forever;
the moon and stars to rule over the night, for His steadfast love endures forever;

to Him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt, for His steadfast love endures forever;
and brought Israel out from among them, for His steadfast love endures forever;
with a strong hand and an outstretched arm, for His steadfast love endures forever;
to Him who divided the Red Sea in two, for His steadfast love endures forever;
and made Israel pass through the midst of it, for His steadfast love endures forever;
but overthrew Pharaoh and His host in the Red Sea, for His steadfast love endures forever;
to Him who led His people through the wilderness, for His steadfast love endures forever;

to Him who struck down great kings, for His steadfast love endures forever;
and killed mighty kings, for His steadfast love endures forever;
Sihon, king of the Amorites, for His steadfast love endures forever;
and Og, king of Bashan, for His steadfast love endures forever;
and gave their land as a heritage, for His steadfast love endures forever;
a heritage to Israel His servant, for His steadfast love endures forever.”

It is He who remembered us in our low estate, for His steadfast love endures forever;
and rescued us from our foes, for His steadfast love endures forever;
He who gives food to all flesh, for His steadfast love endures forever.

Give thanks to the God of Heaven, for His steadfast love endures forever”
[ Psalm 136:1-26 ].

“My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? Why are you so far away when I groan for help? Every day I call to you, my God, but you do not answer. Every night I lift my voice, but I find no relief. Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel”
[ Psalm 22:1-3 ].

“O Lord, I have so many enemies; so many are against me. So many are saying, ‘God will never rescue him!’ But you, O Lord, are a shield around me; you are my glory, the one who holds my head high”
[ Psalm 3:1-6 ].

“How long, O Lord, will you look on and do nothing? Rescue me from their fierce attacks. Protect my life from these lions! Then I will thank you in front of the great assembly. I will praise you before all the people”
[ Psalm 35:17-18 ].

“‘O God my rock,’ I cry, ‘Why have you forgotten me? Why must I wander around in grief, oppressed by my enemies?’ Their taunts break my bones. They scoff, ‘Where is this God of yours?’ Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again—my Savior and my God!”
[ Psalm 42:9-11 ].

One thing to note in the above verses is that King David always ‘praised’ God at the end. He cried out, protested, and then thanked and praised Him for His goodness and mercy. David never ended on a sour note (like some of us want to sometimes).

I’m thinking that Job had some really good ‘reasons’ to be angry with God, since He allowed Satan to torment him. The enemy took his health, his wealth, and even his precious family. He suffered, alone and in pain. He too cried out to God and even questioned Him, but God did not respond very well to these questions.

All of chapter three of the Book of Job is a ‘lament’ from him but, for me, a few specific verses stand out:

“Oh, why give light to those in misery, and life to those who are bitter? They long for death, and it won’t come. They search for death more eagerly than for hidden treasure”
[ Job 3:20-21 ].

“Why is life given to those with no future, those God has surrounded with difficulties? I cannot eat for sighing; my groans pour out like water. What I always feared has happened to me. What I dreaded has come true. I have no peace, no quietness. I have no rest; only trouble comes”
[ Job 3:23-26 ].

I’ve got to believe that your situation(s)—and mine—are nothing compared to what Job endured, however, God’s sentiments still will ‘ring true’ for you, too!

“Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil”
[ Psalms 37:8 ].

“Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly”
[ Proverbs 14:29 ].

“Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense”
[ Proverbs 19:11 ].

“Be not quick in your spirit to become angry, for anger lodges in the bosom of fools”
[ Ecclesiastes 7:9 ].

Author John C. Boyer said, “Anger and bitterness are two noticeable signs of being focused on self and not trusting God’s sovereignty in your life. When you believe that God causes all things to work together for good to those who belong to Him and love Him, you can respond to trials with joy instead of anger or bitterness.”

Most of the time, you will feel better when you ‘confess’ your anger in prayer—which was different than your original prayers telling God about your anger—and then asks Him to lift it from your ‘shoulders’. If this is your desire, you may want to pray something like this (which can be in your own words):

“Oh Lord. I have been angry with you, and I am ready to be done with it. I am sorry, Lord. I know you know better than me what is best, and I know you have only the best in store for me. I want to trust you. I want to believe in your promises. Help me Lord. Come alongside me and lift me up as only You can. Be the shield around me and lift my head high. I give you great thanks, Lord, for all the wonderful things you’ve done for me and all the blessings yet to come. I praise your holy name now and for ever.
Amen.”

Now, I am NOT saying that you won’t still feel like crying over the whole thing (I do.) I’m also not saying that you are not ‘hurt’ (I have been.) But, I AM saying that with a little more time, you will find that God’s plan is for your good and, most likely, the thing that you wanted so desperately wasn’t the ‘right thing’ for you right now.

My point in all of these suggestions is that you can’t ‘wallow’ in your anger at God. You can’t let it ‘fester’ and work at you until you no longer trust Him, want to spend time with Him, or grow in your relationship with Him.

He ALWAYS has a plan, and it is ALWAYS FOR YOUR ‘GOOD’! You have to get to that ‘point’ where you ‘REALLY’ believe that.

To understand what happens to nonbelievers after they die, we go to Revelation 20:11-15 which describes the Great White Throne judgment. Here takes place the opening of the books and “the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.” The books contain all the thoughts and deeds of those being judged, and we know from Romans 3:20 that, “by the works of the Law is no flesh justified.” Therefore, all who are judged by their works and thoughts are condemned to Hell. Believers in Jesus, on the other hand, are not judged by the books of works, but their names are found written in another book—the “Lamb’s Book of Life” (Revelation 21:27). These are the ones who have believed in Jesus, and they alone will be allowed to enter Heaven.

So, what about those who do not believe? Wouldn’t they repent and believe if they were given a second chance? Well, the answer is “No,” because their hearts have not changed simply because they die. Their hearts and minds “are at enmity” against God and will not accept Him even when they see Him face to face. This is evidenced clearly in the story of the rich man and Lazarus (in Luke 16:19-31). If ever someone should have repented when given a second chance to see clearly the truth, it would have been the rich man. Then, although he was in torment in Hell, he asked that Abraham send Lazarus back to earth to warn his brothers so they didn’t have to suffer the same fate. Notice that there was NO ‘repentance’ in his heart, only regret for where he found himself. Abraham’s answer says it all: “And he said to him, If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded, even though one rose from the dead” [ Luke 16:31 ]. Here we see that the witness of the Scriptures is sufficient for salvation for those who believe it, and no other revelation will bring about salvation to those who do not. No second, third, or fourth chances would be enough to turn the heart of stone into a heart of flesh.

Philippians 2:10-11 declares “that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” One day, everyone will bow before Jesus and recognize that He is the Lord and Savior. At that point, though, it will be TOO LATE for salvation. After death, all that remains for the unbeliever is judgment (Revelation 20:14-15). That is why we must trust in Him IN ‘THIS’ LIFE!

This also negates the increasingly popular ideas of both annihilation and purgatory. Annihilation is the idea that those who do not make it to heaven simply have their souls annihilated or disappear. Purgatory is the Roman Catholic tradition based on the extra-biblical book of 2 Maccabees and church tradition that there is an area of “limbo” or transition in which souls can dwell and later reach heaven. Neither idea finds biblical support.

Philippians 2:10-11 declares that at the end of time, “at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” One day, even those who oppose Jesus in this life with bow before Him. However, at that time it will be too late to change their situation. After death, all that remains for the unbeliever is judgment (Revelation 20:14-15). That is why we must trust in Him in THIS life!

– FOR THE SAVED
The Bible is abundantly clear on this point. When the saved die, they go directly into the presence of the Lord. At this point we remember the words of Jesus to the thief on the cross, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43, emphasis added). This appears to be a straightforward promise that at the moment of death the repentant thief would pass from his life of crime and his agonizing death into the realm called “paradise.” This would seem to contradict the teaching called “soul-sleep,” which implies that at death a believer “sleeps” in a kind of suspended animation until the day of the resurrection. How could the thief be that very day in paradise if his soul went to sleep when he died? At the moment of death, the believer passes immediately into the personal presence of Jesus Christ. This is the believer’s hope and comfort as they stand at the graveside of a loved one.

The Apostle Paul said he had a desire “to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far” (Philippians 1:23). He also said, “We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body (that is, separated from the body by death) and at home with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8). These are the words of a man who believed that Heaven would begin at the moment of his death. So, was Paul looking forward to an unconscious slumber after his death? No, not at all! He was looking forward to the ‘personal’ presence of Jesus Christ.

So, what is ahead for the believer when they die? Well, as pastor Tony Evans says, “Have a good time at my funeral, because I’m not going to be there.”

– FOR THE LOST
The lost fear death, and with good reason. Job 18:14 calls death “the king of terrors.” Hebrews 2:14 reminds us that the Devil holds people in bondage through the fear of death. First Corinthians 15:26 calls death “the last enemy.” At the moment of death, for the unbeliever, death begins an experience of unending conscious punishment!

That punishment is eternal. Mark 9:43-48 speaks of the fire that is not quenched and the worm that does not die—a reference to the continuing existence of human personality in Hell.

The reality of Hell is more than just a theoretical doctrine. There IS a ‘place’ reserved for you in the “Lake of Fire” unless you, by a conscious choice, put your complete trust in Jesus as your Lord and Savior.

While he was still a young man in the ministry, his first wife died. As he was returning from the funeral with his heartbroken children, their car came to a stoplight just as a massive truck pulled up next to them, blocking the light of the sun. Seeing the immense shadow that had overtaken them, Dr. Barnhouse asked his children if they would rather be run over by the truck or by the shadow of the truck. “By the shadow,” the children instantly replied, knowing that a shadow could not hurt them. “That’s what has happened to your mother,” he told them. “Death cannot hurt her because the Lord Jesus Christ took her to Heaven. It is only the shadow of death that took her from us.”

If you know Jesus, you have nothing to fear when death knocks at your ‘door’—and it will come for you one of these days. If you ‘know’ Jesus, then you need not live in fear. Death may be quick and painless or slow and painful. But when the moment comes, you will find yourself ushered into Heaven where you will see Jesus face to face!

Some people wonder if they will have enough faith when they die. They worry about losing their faith and wonder if that will cause God to turn them away. When she was a young child in Holland Corrie ten Boom worried about her own death and whether or not she would have enough courage when the moment finally came. Her father—Papa ten Boom—knew of her fears and calmed her heart with these words: “Corrie, when I am going to take you on the train, when do I give you the ticket?” “Just before we get on board.” “That’s right. Dying is like taking a trip to see the Lord Jesus. He will give you whatever you need just when you need it. If you don’t have the courage now, it’s because you don’t need it now. When you need it, the Lord will give it to you, and you won’t be afraid.”

In another generation, believers talked about “dying grace.” They meant the special enablement God gives to his children as death draws near. Countless Christians who worried about their last moments on earth have exited this life full of faith because God gave them grace just when they needed it most.

Death IS NOT the end of the ‘road’, it is only a ‘bend’ in the road. For the believer, death is the doorway to Heaven. For the unbeliever, it is a passageway into unimaginable suffering in Hell. These things are true even if one doesn’t fully understand them. They are true even if we don’t believe them. So, make sure you are ready to die so that when the time comes, so you won’t be surprised by what happens next!

‘DEATHBED’ CONVERSION
Pastor Steven J. Cole tells this story about “old Joe.”

“He was not a religious man. He had never gone to church. He lived a pretty wild life. He drank too much, gambled a lot, swore without even thinking about it, and was not above lying and cheating when it was to his advantage. He thought that Christians were missing out on all the fun in life. He never thought much about God. Not until recently, that is.

Joe had retired and was looking forward to doing a lot of fishing. He had been having some stomach troubles. Probably too much beer, he thought. But then the doctor’s report came back: cancer. It had spread to several organs. There wasn’t much they could do. Joe might have six months to live, maybe less.

Joe had a nephew who was a Christian. One day his nephew’s pastor dropped by the hospital and began to talk to Joe about spiritual things. For the first time in his life, Joe listened with interest. What the pastor was saying seemed to make sense. It dawned on Joe that he had lived his whole life in a selfish, sinful manner. He knew that if he died, he would face God’s judgment. But the pastor said that Jesus Christ had died on the cross to pay the penalty that he deserved. He offered forgiveness of sins and eternal life as a free gift if Joe would receive it. Joe prayed to receive Christ. He died in peace shortly after, a deathbed conversion.”

Whenever we hear stories like that, hand we are glad and hopeful. But we always have the nagging question, “Was Joe’s conversion real?” Was he truly saved? Can a person live his entire life in sin, but get saved at the very last moment? Are deathbed conversions possible?

Well, of course, we can never know another person’s heart. We can look for evidence of conversion, but the troublesome thing about deathbed conversions is that the person often does not live long enough to give much evidence of true conversion. So we might be inclined to doubt the possibility of deathbed conversions and give up sharing the gospel with those like Joe.

So, to calm your doubts about those on the brink of death, the Bible includes a story of a genuine deathbed conversion. The dying thief on the cross asked Jesus to remember him when He came into His kingdom, and Jesus ASSURED him that he would be with Him that very day in Paradise. The story has much to teach us not only about deathbed conversions, but about any conversion.

The thing is, if you have not repented and believed ‘in’ Jesus, you STILL have a CHANCE to DO IT… RIGHT NOW!

So, which of the two persons I mentioned would you like to be?:

OR…

– The guy who led a joyful life, albeit ‘sprinkled’ with frustrations and pain, though is in Heaven now?

I’m thinking that I probably know your answer, but you have to answer this FOR YOURSELF!

[ Excerpts by: Brad Henry; Randy Alcorn; Doug Britton; Pat Buckley; Got Questions; Brad Hambrick; Billy Graham; Fritz Chery; Bekah; Alan Parr; Ella Hearrean; Jason Hague; Dawson McAllister; Robert Porter; Mental Health America; Finn Robinson; Mica Trinidad; Lee Strobel; Jason Hague; Jessica Stillman; Ray Pritchard; Steven J. Cole ]

RELATED POSTS:

‘Mad’ At The World:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/mad-at-the-world-v280/

“Why Bother With ‘Predictions’?”:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/why-bother-with-predictions-v279/

“‘Fearful’ Of World War III?”:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/fearful-of-world-war-III-v278/

“‘Investigating’ Something”:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/investigating-something-v277/

“‘HOW’ To Prepare To Meet Someone Important”:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/how-to-prepare-to-meet-someone-important-v276/

“‘WHY’ Does Someone Return?”:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/why-does-someone-return-v275/

“‘WHEN’ Will Something Important Happen?”:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/when-will-something-important-happen-v274/

“‘WHERE’ You Return To”:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/where-you-return-to-v273/

“‘WHAT’ Have You Done Lately?”:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/what-have-you-done-lately-v272/

“It’s ‘WHO’ You Know”:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/its-who-you-know-v271/

“What Really ‘Matters’?”:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/what-really-matters-v270/

“A Sense Of ‘Urgency’”:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/a-sense-of-urgency-v269/

“The ‘Final’ Deception”:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/the-final-deception-v268/

“The ‘Ongoing’ Deception”:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/the-ongoing-deception-v267/

“Being ‘Discerning’”:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/being-discerning-v266/

“Gaining A Deep ‘Understanding’”:
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“‘Presence’ Withdrawn?”:
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“‘Protection’ Removed?”:
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“Got Your ‘Attention’ Yet?”:
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“Are You ‘Blind’?”:
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“‘Heed’ The Warning!”:
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“Being A ‘Watchman’”:
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“Last ‘Generation’:
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“Mankind’s ‘Destiny’”:
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“‘Final’ Tribulation”:
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“‘Blessed’ Hope”:
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“Ready For ‘Battle’?”:
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“‘Saved’ From Death”:
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“‘Mayday!-Mayday!-Mayday’”:
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“Are You ‘Prepared’?”:
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“‘Trusted’ Prophecies”:
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‘PRAYER’ OF REPENTANCE
In the Bible, there is a parable that Jesus told about a Pharisee and a tax collector praying the Temple. He notes that the tax collector didn’t even dare to lift his eyes toward Heaven as he prayed. Instead he “beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner’”—and Jesus said that the tax collector “went home justified,” he had been “born again” and ‘reconciled’ by God. (Luke 18:9-14).

If you are ‘sensing’ something like that right now, let me strongly encourage you to HUMBLE YOURSELF, CRY OUT to God, and PLEAD for Him to mercifully ‘SAVE’ YOU! None of us have a ‘claim’ on our salvation, nor do we have any ‘works’ that would cause us to deserve it or earn it—it is purely a gift of Divine grace—and all any of us can do is ask. So, CONFESS YOUR SINS and acknowledge to God that you have no hope for Heaven apart from what He provides through Jesus. [ See Psalm 51 ].

There is no ‘formula’ or certain words for this. So just talk to God, in your own words—He knows your ‘heart’. If you are genuinely sincere, and God does respond to your plea, one will usually have a sense of joy and peace.

Jesus said, “He that comes to Me, I will not cast out” [ John 6:37 ].

[ FYI: This is a great sermon on the “Call to Repentance” by John MacArthur from his book “The Gospel According to Jesus”: https://www.gty.org/library/sermons-library/90-22/the-call-to-repentance (Transcript: http://www.spiritedesign.com/TheCallToRepentance-JohnMacArthur(Jul-27-2019).pdf) ].

[ NOTE: If you have ‘tasted the kindness of the Lord’, please e-mail me—I would love to CELEBRATE with you, and help you get started on your ‘journey’ with Jesus! ].

<<< RESOURCES >>>

“Anger Management – Never Explode Again!: A Powerful 3-Step Guide and Workbook to Quickly Analyze, Understand and Dissolve Your Anger”
By: Zarmina Penner

Did you know that you can use your anger as a tool for personal growth? Discover how to make it happen… and never lose control again.
The Global Emotions report found that the world at the beginning of the decade was more stressed-out, worried, and angry than ever before. Almost 25% of people reported feeling angry – significantly more than previous surveys… So if you’ve been struggling with your anger lately, you’re certainly not alone.

If you’re passionate about life, the chances are, your anger bubbles easily… But this doesn’t mean you have to live with negative consequences.

Anger is a sign that something isn’t right… and it’s possible to welcome the first signs of it as signals that something needs to change.

With the right guidance, you’ll learn how to recognize what that thing is – and what steps you can take towards improvement.

Without this insight, however, your anger could be more of a problem than a blessing. Outbursts of anger can affect both your relationships and your reputation… and that has an impact on your success.

What’s more, when anger is left unchecked, it can leave you with physical problems ranging from headaches to high blood pressure… and mental health problems like depression and anxiety.

But this doesn’t have to be your story. It’s within your power to use your anger as a tool.

When you can recognize its root cause, you can put yourself on the path to self-discovery and personal growth… and find a solution to the problem.

This guide will provide you with a simple three-step formula to help you manage your anger. Discover the STOP!-1-2-3 Analysis and Solution Design model… and along the way, you’ll find:

Exactly how to use the STOP!-1-2-3 model to analyze and resolve instances of anger
Why understanding yourself is key to keeping your cool – and how you can make sure you do
Practical insights about each personality type (along with clear guidance for recognizing your own)
The exercise you should do regularly to make sure you’re aligned with what you really want from life
The two versions of self living inside you – and how you can make sure the right one’s in charge
How you can use meditation to address your specific issues and set you on the path to growth
How to view everything you’ve learned about yourself within the context of your life (and why this matters to your progress)
How to analyze the different types of people you interact with… so you can understand how you react to them – and what you can do in a conflict situation
Case studies, worksheets, and quizzes galore – discover practical activities you can use every step of the way to enhance your understanding of yourself and take steps to move forward
And much more.

Anger is a natural human reaction… and when it’s recognized and allowed to pass, it can be a useful signifier that something needs to change.

Allow it to fester, however, and it can blur your perception and make it impossible to see a clear path forward.

The STOP!-1-2-3 Analysis and Solution Design model is your answer to making sure that path is always clear… and you’re the one who’s in control.

“Anger: Taming a Powerful Emotion”
By: Gary Chapman

Help for anger management — from NYT bestselling author Gary Chapman

Anger is a cruel master. If you struggle even a little with anger, you know how it feels to get mad too easily. To lash out at someone you love. To hold onto frustration. You might even notice others seem uneasy around you.

You know anger is hurting your life, but you don’t know how to fix it.

There is hope. When you understand why you get angry and what to do about it, you can change the course of your life for the better. In Anger: Taming a Powerful Emotion, counselor Gary Chapman shares surprising insights about anger, its effect on relationships, and how to overcome it. His advice and real-life examples will help you:

Understand yourself better
Overcome shame, denial, and bitterness
Discern good anger from bad anger
Manage anger and conflict constructively
Make positive life changes
Let go of your grudges and resentment
Help others (like your children) deal with anger
and more
Whether your anger is quiet or explosive, if it’s clouding your judgment and hurting your relationships, it needs to go. Learn to handle anger in healthy ways, starting today. Gary Chapman is wise and empathetic, and he’ll help you turn over a new leaf.

“Good and Angry: Redeeming Anger, Irritation, Complaining, and Bitterness”
By: David Powlison

Something that matters to you just isn’t right. First you see the problem, then you feel it. It starts with a rush of adrenaline and often a rush of words, but it ends with an overwhelming sense of irritation that impacts how we talk to those we live and work with, complaining, and maybe even a settled bitterness to a person or a group of person. We know anger affects us negatively, but we don’t know any other way to respond when life goes wrong.

Good and Angry, a groundbreaking new book from David Powlison, contends that anger is more than a problem to solve. Anger is our complex human response to things we perceive as wrong in a complex world, thus we must learn how to fruitfully and honestly deal with it. Powlison undertakes an in-depth exploration of the roots of anger, moral judgment, and righteous response by looking in a surprising place: God’s own anger.

Powlison reminds us that God gets angry too. He sees things in this world that aren’t right and he wants justice too. But God’s anger doesn’t devolve into manipulation or trying to control others to get his own way. Instead his anger is good and redemptive. It causes him to step into our world to make wrongs right, sending his own Son to die so that we can be reconciled. He is both our model for change and our power to change.

Good and Angry sets readers on a path toward a faithful and fruitful expression of anger, in which we return good for evil and redeem wrongs. Powlison offers practical help for people who struggle with irritation, complaining, or bitterness and gives guidance for how to respond constructively when life goes wrong. You, your family, and your friends will all be glad that you read this book.

“Uprooting Anger: Biblical Help for a Common Problem”
By: Robert D. Jones

Grandma was right. You’ve got to get the weeds by the roots, or they’ll just grow back. So too with deep-rooted anger. Moralistic efforts to be patient with your coworkers won’t cut it. Regret-riddled resolutions to stop yelling at your kids won’t last. You must rip out those angry roots.

But is uprooting sinful anger a realistic goal? Can it happen? God’s answer in the Bible is “Yes!” Whether you tend to simmer or strike out, whether you implode or explode, there is biblical help for you. Robert Jones shows us how to effect godly change in our lives in this practical Christ-centered resource.

“Angry with God: An Honest Journey through Suffering and Betrayal”
By: Brad Hambrick

No one gets mad at God for something small. When we’re angry with God, it is because we’ve faced something immensely hard. Anger is an often-overlooked part of grieving, and as such, is an appropriate response to profoundly painful events. Counselor Brad Hambrick provides a guided process to being honest with God about your pain to restore and deepen your relationship with him. While we are often prone to interpret our anger about intense suffering as being at God, this book is an invitation to process these intense emotions with God as a source of comfort who is sturdy enough to support these turbulent emotions.

If you are struggling with deep grief that is accompanied with anger and confusion, Angry with God will be profoundly helpful in your journey. Hambrick will patiently walk you through the process of being honest with God (and others) about your pain. You will learn how to articulate your pain, alleviate the effects of this pain, contextualize your experience in light of the gospel, and begin to hope again. God is a good shepherd who is patient and willing to move at the pace of his sheep. God can be trusted in places that merit the name “the valley of the shadow of death.”

Angry with God is part of the Ask the Christian Counselor series. This series walks readers through their deepest and most profound questions. Each question is unpacked by an experienced counselor that gives readers the tools to understand their struggle and how the gospel brings hope and healing to the problem they are facing.

“Surviving in an Angry World: Finding Your Way to Personal Peace”
By: Charles F. Stanley

The premise of this book is that learning to let go of anger—and ultimately forgiving the offender—will transform the foundation of every kind of relationship we have. Stanley defines anger as “a strong feeling of intense displeasure, hostility, or indignation as a result of a real or an imagined threat or insult, frustration, or injustice toward yourself or towards someone who’s very important to you.” Building on this defintion, Stanley…

Helps readers identify the signs of anger, so they can identify anger in themselves.
Reveals the far-reaching consequences of anger, which encompass the spiritual, emotional, and physical.
Teaches readers how to handle anger through thirteen concrete steps.
Walks readers through the steps to true forgiveness and the healing power it brings.

With compassion and a wealth of biblical understanding, Stanley explains that the measure of a person is “the size of thing that makes them angry.” He goes on to distinguish between healthy and harmful anger and reminds us that “righteous indignation” is a divine emotion. However, he skillfully explains that misguided anger eats away at ourselves, our relationships with others, and our relationship with God. By helping readers look honestly at the source of their anger, he gently leads them to the ability to truly forgive and find the peace they seek.

“A Small Book about a Big Problem: Meditations on Anger, Patience, and Peace”
By: Edward T. Welch

A Small Book about a Big Problem by biblical counselor and psychologist Edward T. Welch guides readers to look carefully at how their anger affects them and others through short, daily meditations.

In a fifty-day reading plan journey, Welch unpacks anger while encouraging and teaching readers to respond with patience to life’s difficulties.

This biblically wise resource is a useful tool for pastors, counselors, and lay helpers who are working with people who struggle with a short fuse.

In A Small Book about a Big Problem, Welch invites readers to consider how everyone can find anger in their actions and attitudes, but Jesus, the Prince of Peace, is the only one who can empower his people to grow in patience, peace, and wholeness.

How many times today have you been irritated? Frustrated? Anger is so common—yet it also hurts. It not only leaves a mark on us, but it also leaves a mark on others.

The wounds we inflict on ourselves and others because of anger—loss of intimacy, trust, security, and enjoyment in our closest relationships—give us compelling reasons to look closely at our anger and lift our eyes to Christ.

“Angry at God? Bring Him Your Doubts and Questions”
By: Robert D. Jones

How could God allow this to happen to me? I’m angry with him, but I don’t know if I’m “supposed” to be angry!

Is it ok to be angry with God? If we are angry, should we hold it inside, or voice our feelings outright?

Jones writes that we should not take a “grin and bear it” approach to our anger, nor should we rashly vent our emotions to God. Instead, we need to humbly bring him our struggles, doubts, and questions. We must learn to be transparent in God’s presence, think biblically, and act obediently.

“Angry at God & Everyone?: From Madness To Greatness”
By: Paul F. Davis

Get answers to help you move beyond anger and begin loving, living and building a legacy for your life. Discover the transformative power of applying spiritual principles to your challenging situations to orchestrate divine breakthroughs. Learn how to speak life, work miracles and transcend tragedy to triumph mightily. Learn from living legends and super stars how they overcame anger to make it energize and work for them. Learn the secrets and embrace the process of going from madness to greatness. Paul F. Davis is a Worldwide Motivational Speaker, Life Coach, Wellness Trainer, Author of 30 Books and College & Career Counselor who has touched 76 nations speaking for and inspiring the U.S. Military, Companies, Cruise Lines at Sea, Colleges and Universities throughout the globe.

“Angry With God”
By: Michele Novotni and Randy Petersen

Most people face anger, sadness, frustration, confusion, disappointment, fear, or depression at some point in their lives. We know that we need to get to the root of the problem in order to fix it. But what happens when we feel like God is the root of the problem? What do we do when we are angry with God?
Psychologist Michele Novotni noticed that many of her clients who were working through their anger with people had a parallel need to work through their anger with God. Beneath the psychological issues, many people also silently struggle with their faith.

Yet, many are afraid to give voice to this anger. They’re told that “good” people, “people of faith,” accept what happens without asking questions. Unvoiced thoughts are forced underground, leaving people feeling disconnected and angry with God, but unable to do much about it.

Novotni and Petersen help readers break the silence. It’s not easy making peace with a silent God who seems to have declared war on you. And this book won’t try to talk readers out of their anger, but it will talk them through it, presenting them with an image of a compassionate God who continues to love them.

“God I Am So Angry With You”
By: Mrs. Chepren Carter

Have You Been Angry, With God?

Have you ever wanted to ask, “Why Me”God, but you were told to never question God? Have you ever been Angry with God? Have you ever been so hurt that life didn’t matter anymore? Is the pain of moving forward too much? Author Chepren Carter has been there. She has stood face to face with the enemy and has pressed forward to tell her story. The effects of a lost job, a faith that wavered, and a need for answers brought destruction to a once happy home.

Why would an all-powerful God allow this to happen?

Chepren had believed she was a good-not perfect-person who had lived her faith. While grappling with her anger toward her husband, she felt a companion rage against God. With the thoughts of ending it all, there were a few details she had to consider.

God I Am so Angry With You is her story of fighting her way through the pain to a place of forgiveness and grace.

“Author Chepren Carter has been there in the dark places where light is snuffed out and breathing is impossible. She has stood face to face in prayer with God, asking Him questions that were filled with hurt, shame, and anger,” says Russ Womack in the forward to God I Am So Angry With You. “This masterfully written book is relatable in its honesty, graceful in its story, and exudes a pure love that points not to our circumstances, but rather to the One who loves us more than we know,” adds the author of Orange.

“I’m So Angry!: Dealing with Feelings of Anger God’s Way”
By: Timothy Kostilnik and Janice Lane Palko

How can kids learn to deal with feelings of anger in a Godly way? Follow this story of T.J. Goodson as his perfect day crumbles and his anger grows and grows until he lashes out at the people he loves most. Then it’s up to T.J.’s Grandpa Sol to help him learn the difference between selfish anger and Godly anger and how to make everything right again. T.J. learns valuable lessons about how the Bible can help everyone, even little kids, live a happier, healthier life. This book is the first in the God’sCool Reading Series designed for kids and their families to learn how to handle their feelings and emotions in a Godly way. Each book in the God’sCool Reading Series has a set of Family Discussion Questions after the story to stimulate healthy, meaningful dialog between parents and children. The whole family can learn to grow in Godliness together!

“God, I’m Angry At You: Where were you God when I was hurting?”
By: Lawrence W. Stanfield PhD

There is one question that we usually hear each time when we meet with people who are seeking healing from past hurts and suffering. Eventually, people will ask; “So, if God is such a loving God, then where was He when Joseph was thrown into a well by his brothers, or when the apostle Paul was severely beaten, imprisoned and eventually killed?Dr. Stanfield was confronted a great deal of his life with his own perplexing question; “If God is such a God of love, then, let me ask you where was God when my daddy was abusing me and when my mother and daddy would drink, fight and hurt one another?” Dr. Stanfield, carefully, lovingly and methodically addresses these questions, and many other concerns, as one who personally understands the pain of childhood and adult trauma. This is not just another “self-help book”; rather, it presents the very heart source of today’s global trauma epidemic that is behind global escalating human suffering and pain. We invite you join us on our journey towards meeting the real God of the Bible and to better understand why He sacrificed His only Son to make ‘holistic healing’ available to whoever is seeking to be free of life’s torments and heartache that are the direct result of the Adam and the Eden curse that has progressively impacted humanity.

“The Angry Christian”
By: Andrew D. Lester

In this work, respected scholar Andrew Lester discusses and incorporates the newest behavioral research models, contemporary biblical and theological scholarship, constructivist philosophy, and narrative theory into a comprehensive pastoral theology of anger. In revisiting through the lens of theological anthropology the very subject that brought him to the forefront of scholarship in pastoral care, Lester presents engaging new material and innovative new methods of interventions for dealing with this often-confusing human emotion.

“Angry with God: Understanding the Rules of Earth Life”
By: Scott Frazer

There are many people in the world who have been angry at God at some time in their lives. Whether due to loved ones who passed away before their time, personal crises that God did not resolve, or horrific world events, many religious faithful have questioned God’s decision to not use His power to help them.

“Even Good Girls Get Mad At God: Heal your anger and learn to trust God again”
By: Hope Wilbanks

Have you ever been mad at God because you couldn’t understand why He would allow certain things to happen in your life? Are you still dealing with that anger and hurt? Even Good Girls Get Mad At God takes you through the author’s personal experience with anger and helps uncover the path to healing. Questions This Book Answers Is it okay to be angry at God? How does my anger towards God affect myself and others? What does anger do to me spiritually? What are some things that lead to anger towards God? How can I stop being angry at God? What does the Bible say about anger? Does God stop loving me when I’m angry at Him? You are not alone. Most importantly, God loves you. It’s tough to keep trusting when we can’t understand why some things happen. I know; I’ve been there. There is a way to healing. You can step out of the anger and pain you’re feeling and rest in God’s grace and peace again.

“Angry Conversations with God: A Snarky but Authentic Spiritual Memoir”
By: Susan E. Isaacs

Disillusioned, disenfranchised, and disinterested in anything churchy, Susan E. Isaacs knew of only one thing to do when she hit spiritual rock bottom at age 40. . . . She took God to couples counseling.
In this cuttingly poignant memoir, Susan E. Isaacs chronicles her rocky relationship with the Almighty–from early childhood to midlife crisis–and all the churches where she and God tried to make a home: Pentecostals, Slackers for Jesus, and the über-intellectuals who turned everything, including the weekly church announcements, into a three-point sermon. Casting herself as the neglected spouse, Susan faces her inner nag and the ridiculous expectations she put on God–some her own, and some from her “crazy in-laws” at church. Originally staged as a solo show in New York and Los Angeles, ANGRY CONVERSATIONS WITH GODis a cheeky, heartfelt memoir that, even at its most scandalous, is still an affirmation of faith.

“When You Want to Yell at God: The Book of Job”
By: Craig G. Bartholomew

Think you know Job? Think again. Craig Bartholomew wants to help you read the book of Job from a different perspective. Let go of the Job you think you know?and discover the real man.

Is it true that what goes around comes around? Does right behavior ensure blessing? Is suffering always brought on by wrongdoing? Job’s story refutes these notions, but it proclaims a much greater truth?God is always faithful.

Join Bartholomew in When You Want to Yell at God, and experience the beauty of one man’s struggle with God.

“Sit Down, God…I’m Angry”
By: R. F. Smith

A longtime pastor, Smith examines the death of his son and shares his pilgrimage to a place where he could live, work, and love again.

“The Problem of Pain”
By: C. S. Lewis

In The Problem of Pain, C.S. Lewis, one of the most renowned Christian authors and thinkers, examines a universally applicable question within the human condition: “If God is good and all-powerful, why does he allow his creatures to suffer pain?” With his signature wealth of compassion and insight, C.S. Lewis offers answers to these crucial questions and shares his hope and wisdom to help heal a world hungering for a true understanding of human nature.

“Surprised by Joy: The Shape of My Early Life”
By: C. S. Lewis

Enjoy a great reading experience when you buy the Kindle edition of this book. Learn more about Great on Kindle, available in select categories.
View Kindle Edition
A repackaged edition of the revered author’s spiritual memoir, in which he recounts the story of his divine journey and eventual conversion to Christianity.

C. S. Lewis—the great British writer, scholar, lay theologian, broadcaster, Christian apologist, and bestselling author of Mere Christianity, The Screwtape Letters, The Great Divorce, The Chronicles of Narnia, and many other beloved classics—takes readers on a spiritual journey through his early life and eventual embrace of the Christian faith. Lewis begins with his childhood in Belfast, surveys his boarding school years and his youthful atheism in England, reflects on his experience in World War I, and ends at Oxford, where he became “the most dejected and reluctant convert in all England.” As he recounts his lifelong search for joy, Lewis demonstrates its role in guiding him to find God.

“U Mad?: U can stop being angry at God, others, and yourself once and for all”
By: Dimitri Bradley

God’s Plan for Overcoming Anger

The world we live in can be an angry place, and if we are not careful, that same anger will overwhelm us. Anger is an issue that affects every race, gender, socioeconomic status, and faith. But there is a much better alternative. U Mad? is designed to show you God’s way to overcome and conquer anger in your own life. Written from a place he once occupied, Dr. Bradley will show you how to trade the frustration and stress of life for peace and healing.

This book will help you discover:

The root of your anger,
How to harness your anger, and finally,
How to put it away once and for all.
“Dr. Dimitri Bradley has done it again! He is wise enough and bold enough to deal with the issues of life that may hold us back. His book, U Mad? is a must read for anyone who wants to go from recovery to discovery in their lives.” –Tim Storey, Life Coach.

“Dr. Dimitri Bradley has written a spiritually insightful, yet practical book, to help you and I recognize, accept, and confront the emotion of anger and overcome it! Drawing from his own experience and personal reflection, he helps us–with humor and without condemnation–to move past denial and embarrassment and deal with the issue of anger authentically and boldly with the power of God’s Word. I highly recommend it!” –Bishop Clarence E. McClendon, Ph.D., D.D. Pastor of “The Place of Grace” and founder of Clarence E. McClendon Ministries.

Dr. Dimitri Bradley is the lead pastor of City Church, formerly known as Mountain of Blessings Christian Center. He and his wife, Nicole, founded MOBCC to reach the lost, teach the Word of God, train disciples, and serve their community. Dr. Dimitri and Nicole live in the Richmond area with their two children, Jordan and Julius.

“If God Is Good: Why Do We Hurt?”
By: Randy Alcorn

Special 10-pack, ideal for church giveaways, grief support group members, or individual gifting to a loved one

The encouragement we crave—when we’re most in need

Out of the deepest hurts of the human condition, Randy Alcorn brings into clear focus our most pressing questions about evil and suffering—including those that wrench our souls when we or someone we love is victimized by evil or assaulted by disease.

He faces these questions with seasoned sensitivity, skillful insight, and a heart of compassion. He dodges none of the difficulties, and never lapses into platitudes, hand-wringing, or oversimplification.

On this troubling but inescapable topic, you’ll find frank acknowledgment of the inherent limitations that set humanity apart from the God who has none. There’s also generous, real encouragement that brings God nearer in our understanding when we need His comfort the most. And amid our heavy doubts and swirling confusion on this topic, Randy Alcorn points us ultimately toward Jesus as “the only answer bigger than the questions.”

“If God Is Good: Faith in the Midst of Suffering and Evil”
By: Randy Alcorn

Suffering is, in the end, God’s invitation to trust him.

“As he did in his best-selling book, Heaven, Randy Alcorn delves deep into a profound subject, and through compelling stories, provocative questions and answers, and keen biblical understanding, he brings assurance and hope to all.” –Publishers Weekly

Every one of us will experience suffering. You may be in such a time now. We see the presence of evil in the headlines every day.

It all raises questions about God—Why would an all-good and all-powerful God create a world full of evil and suffering? How can there be a God if suffering and evil exist?

Atheists such as Richard Dawkins and even former believers like Bart Ehrman answer the question simply: The existence of suffering and evil proves there is no God.

But in this illuminating book, best-selling author Randy Alcorn challenges the logic of disbelief, and brings a fresh, hopeful, and thoroughly biblical insight to the issues these important questions raise.

Alcorn offers insights from his conversations with men and women whose lives have been torn apart by suffering, and yet whose faith in God burns brighter than ever. He reveals the big picture of who God is and what God is doing in the world—now and forever. And he shows the beauty of God’s sovereignty—how it ultimately triumphs over suffering and evil in our lives and the world around us.

“Place of Healing: Wrestling with the Mysteries of Suffering, Pain, and God’s Sovereignty”
By: Joni Eareckson Tada

In this eloquent account of her current struggle with physical pain, Joni Eareckson Tada offers her perspective on divine healing, God’s purposes, and what it means to live with joy.

Over four decades ago, a diving accident left Joni a quadriplegic. Today, she faces a new battle: unrelenting pain. The ongoing urgency of this season in her life has caused Joni to return to foundational questions about suffering and God’s will.

A Place of Healing is not an ivory-tower treatise on suffering. It’s an intimate look into the life of a mature woman of God. Whether readers are enduring physical pain, financial loss, or relational grief, Joni invites them to process their suffering with her. Together, they will navigate the distance between God’s magnificent yes and heartbreaking no—and find new hope for thriving in-between.

“If God is in Control, Why is My Life Such a Mess?”
By: Michael Youssef

God is the Creator of every living thing. And He is in control of it all, down to the tiniest detail – your lifespan, the number of hairs on your head, and even when a sparrow falls to the ground. That is a very comforting thought if you understand the sovereignty of God.

But when tragedies happen or when wickedness seems to triumph, we often ask, “Where is God? Why did He let this happen?”

In If God is in Control, Why is My Life Such a Mess?, author, scholar, and teacher Michael Youssef shows you that you are not alone. Even such biblical greats as Elijah and Esther struggled. Through examples from their lives and his own battles, Youssef illustrates why bad things happen to good people and how you can step back and see the big picture of how God is working in your life and in the world.

Most of all, you will discover that God’s battle-weary believers can experience His tender compassion – and that you can trust God for a good resolution to a bad situation.

“How to Pray When You’re Pissed at God: Or Anyone Else for That Matter”
By: Ian Punnett

When things really go wrong, what do you do with the feeling that God is to blame? A popular Coast to Coast radio host (and Episcopal clergy) provides some answers. In a first of its kind book, Ian Punnett provides a spiritual path for expressing your rawest emotions through prayer and how to rebuild a relationship with one’s higher power–or anybody else in your life.

In this important and practical book, Ian Punnett provides insight on feeling anger and resentment toward God and offers advice on how to deal with the pain and blame that accompanies these emotions. In a book that is edgy, timely, funny and compassionate, Punnett presents real help in everyday language for transforming the negativity of anger into a positive and useful force that will ultimately help us pray more effectively, bring us closer to God, enhance our spiritual relationship, and change the way we live and love others.

After a divorce, a broken friendship, the death of a loved one, the loss of a job or even the accumulation of all the tiny cracks in our spirit from life’s disappointments, it’s easy to feel pissed at God. When anger is left unchecked, it is harmful to our minds, bodies and souls.

“How to Pray When You’re Pissed at God is not “the last word” on angry prayer,” Punnett writes, “but it might be the first words you have ever heard on the topic. By the end of the book, it is my hope that you’ll understand the role of anger in our lives, the benefit of honest prayer, and the need for honest, angry prayer in the lives of the faithful and faithless.”

“Prayer, the Great Adventure”
By: Dr. David Jeremiah

In this Gold Medallion award-winner, Dr. David Jeremiah addresses the challenges to prayer that we all face and the answers to prayer we often miss.

Prayer, the Great Adventure gently encourages us to take the first steps toward fostering a rewarding relationship with God. Drawing from his prayer journals and decades of work, Dr. Jeremiah shares his experiences – blessings, struggles, and insights.

Inside Prayer, The Great Adventure you will:

• Find answers to the questions, “How can I find time to pray when I’m so busy?”
• Discover the detailed roadmap for prayer that Jesus gave us — The Lord’s Prayer
• Read reflections from Dr. Jeremiah’s personal journal on his prayer journey

Get ready to embark on the most satisfying of trips, the great adventure of prayer.

! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

SPECIAL ‘GENERAL’ RESOURCE

“ApologetiX Songbook”
(An interactive PDF)

It features the lyrics to every song on every CD and every “download” from 1993-2020

Special features:

indexed by title, original song, original artist, subject, and Bible verse
each song’s page has icons showing what albums it appears on
each song’s page has a commentary from lyricist J. Jackson
each album’s page includes liner notes and track listing
print any pages you like or use for slides in church
photos from ApologetiX’s debut concert in 1992
discography of out-of-print cassettes
downloadable in PDF format

New features in this edition:

all song commentaries from J. Jackson updated and expanded
also indexed by year when original song spoofed was a hit
J.’s original handwritten rough lyrics to 40 ApX classics
scads of photos from ApX 25th-anniversary concerts
list of 40 ApX parodies most likely to be redone
over 200 new parodies and journal entries
list of the first ApX concerts in each state
six new full-length feature articles
DVD discography and synopses
never-before-seen rare photos
lyrics for over 700 parodies
over 1000 pages!

Interactive features:

click on any page number in indexes or TOC to go to that page
click on any album icon to go to its liner notes and track listings
click on any song title on an album page to go to that song

Note: This e-book is a download-only and doesn’t include sheet music.

The songbook is available for a donation of $50 or more. After we receive your donation, we’ll send you a follow-up email with the link.

Get the Songbook for a donation:
http://www.apologetix.com/store/store.php#songbook

Songbook Demo Video: https://rumble.com/vfazhl-apologetix-songbook-2020-demo.html

“THE SEARCH FOR MEANING” WEBSITE

This site presents discussions on the 12 most commonly asked questions about the Christian faith.

The 12 discussions are accessed by the “tabs” at the bottom of the page. The tabs are numbered 1-12. Roll your mouse over them and you will see the question displayed at the right. Click on the number to select that question.

Within each question (i.e. tabs 1-12), there are subtopics (or dialogues) to select that appear as smaller tabs underneath the numbered tabs. Roll your mouse over them and the title of these topics is also displayed to the right. Click on the open rectangle to select that dialogue.

For each question (1-12), a link to related resources and an optional flowchart is provided. To access this material, click on the respective words, “Related Resources” or “Options Flowchart.”

To play a more detailed discussion of the subject, between two people, select the desired dialogue and click on “Play Audio Dialogue.”

In the upper right-hand corner of the page, there is an icon that looks like binoculars looking at a question mark. Click on this icon to return to the homepage.

In the upper right-hand corner of a “Related Resources” page, there is an icon that looks like some books. Click on this icon to get to an “overview” page that has links to all of the resources for all of the questions. There also are additional “appendices” for most of the questions.

In the upper right-hand corner of a “Flowchart” page, there is an icon that looks like an Org chart. Click on this icon to get to an “overview” page that has links to all of the flowcharts.

http://4vis.com/sfm/sfm_pres/sp_q1_d1_1of10.html

[ Content by: Bill Kraftson and Lamar Smith; Website by Mark Besh ]

“FRUITS OF THE BEATITUDES” WEBSITE
(The ATTITUDES of Jesus that produce the CHARACTER of Jesus)

CLICK ON THE LINK to view:
http://fruitsofthebeatitudes.org/

FACEBOOK PAGE:
https://www.facebook.com/FruitsOfTheBeatitudes/

[ Mark Besh ]

[ P.S.: If you would like to investigate further about why God allows ‘bad’ things to happen to ‘good’ people, visit the following link:
http://www.4vis.com/sfm/sfm_pres/sp_q5_d1_1of10.html ].

<<< ARTICLES >>>

“How to Stop Being Angry at the World”

The world is a big place. Which means there’s lots of things you can get angry about. But just because you can get angry doesn’t mean that you should.

A lot of things people get angry about happened in the past. Which means there’s absolutely nothing any of us can do to change them. If that’s the case with you, there’s a strong case for someone saying “get over it”. Which, whilst it may well be true isn’t the most helpful suggestion they could make.

If you do dwell on the past and let the things that happened – whether they’re recent things or things that happened long ago, maybe not even in your lifetime – then it’s worth weaning yourself off the anger that you allow to build up. Find a way to change how you think about those things. Or, even better, find a way to turn your mind round to other thoughts instead. Since our minds can be easily distracted, that may be easier than you think.

And the method applies whether you’re getting angry about past events, current events or even possible future events.

Think of something that makes you happy – it doesn’t have to be laugh out loud happy, something that brings a smile to your face is fine. In your mind’s eye, make the thought bigger. Amplify any sounds in it. Intensify the colours like you used to do with the TV as a child. Make any smells more aromatic. Get the whole mind scene as though you could step into it. Then anchor that feeling – maybe by touching one of your fingers with your thumb. And tell yourself that whenever you want to get back to this happier state, that’s all you need to do.

Another way is every time you catch yourself getting angry, switch focus. Use your anchor to get back to a happier state. Or just give your mind a distraction – maybe a funny YouTube video, maybe a jokes site, maybe some memes that will turn down the anger in your mind.

And if you’d like more ways to stop being angry at the world, click the link below this video to go to a page where I’ve put down lots of other ideas. Pick one or two that jump out at you from the screen – they’re the ones that your subconscious mind likes the most – and run with them.

Go on!

Start being less angry at the world!

[ Personal Development Success ]

Teaching: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tq5v-E7SfYI

“20 Things to Do When You Feel Extremely Angry”

When you feel extremely angry, wouldn’t it be amazing to throw a juvenile temper tantrum without someone having you committed?

I admit, when I see a kid losing his marbles in the cereal aisle, I don’t cringe. I envy.

At a certain age you start holding back on the immediacy of your emotions, and who can blame you? These days, being too happy is considered naïve, being too sad is an automatic clinical diagnosis, and being too angry is a complete waste of energy.

You’ve heard it all. Suck it up. Let it go. Move on.

Anger isn’t worth it. Right?

Wrong.

Anger is the most important emotion you have. When you’re angry, it’s a red flag that something needs to change, and when you’re extremely angry, something needs to change right now.

There are two ways you can deal with anger depending on the situation at hand: as it happens, or as a building block toward bigger life changes.

In the moment, decide which fork in the road you should take, then use one or more of the options below:

When You Feel Extremely Angry…

Let it Happen
You’ve been given a wide spectrum of emotions for a reason, so use them. Suppressing your anger is unhealthy. It can lead to ulcers and heart disease, never mind the damage it can do to your relationships and overall sense of well-being.

When I feel extremely angry and find myself holding back, I just think of Meg Ryan in French Kiss:

A healthy person is someone who expresses their feelings… Express, not repress… You know what happens to people who shut everybody out? They fester. Inside. Fester and rot.

This might seem strange, but try it! The next time you’re not expressing yourself, just picture a little Meg Ryan on your shoulder: “Fester fester fester, rot rot rot.”

If you attempt to hide or ignore your anger, it won’t go away. It might subside for a certain amount of time, but eventually it will manifest itself elsewhere.

Don’t apologize for or excuse your anger. You’re angry for a valid reason, and acknowledging it is the first step toward resolving what’s bothering you.

Separate Emotion from Action
You’ll likely want to pull a Godzilla and destroy everything in your path, but it’s important to take a step back and feel the emotion before you take action on it, especially when you feel extremely angry—let the anger take its course. Prematurely deciding to take action may cause more angst than waiting to give perspective to your anger.

After you’ve cooled off, you might find:

the situation wasn’t as big a deal as you thought.
in the long run it will lead to better things for you.
it will take more than an outburst to solve the issue.
Or, you might find your anger was triggered by something completely different.

Identify Why
Extreme anger typically stems from a build-up of smaller annoyances. It’s like lighting a match: a person or situation rubs you the wrong way and your suppressed emotions flood to the surface. What’s awkward about this level of anger is when it strikes: it tends to hit at inconvenient times, such as while you’re at work or out with loved ones.

The problem isn’t the delay in dealing with your anger, it’s when the delay turns into avoiding it altogether. Either the initial rage subsides and you try to shrug it off, or you’re so consumed by your schedule that you simply add it to the pile of unresolved issues.

The next time you feel extremely angry, don’t just promise yourself you’re going to deal with it at a more appropriate time—pencil in alone time. Make it happen.

Cool Off with Exercise
A great outlet to reduce tension is physical activity: use your anger as fuel for a healthier lifestyle.

Test various workouts and figure out which are most effective at calming your anger. Some people prefer aggressive exercise, such as kickboxing or running, while others find quieter activities more beneficial, such as walking, gardening, or (gasp!) cleaning.

Delay Your Reaction
If you’re in a situation where dealing with your anger immediately isn’t an option, inhale deeply. As you exhale, count to ten or repeat a phrase that helps you relax. Keep doing so until you feel centered again.
Distract Yourself
If you turn your attention elsewhere, it will help you focus on the present moment and prioritize your emotions.

Think of a pleasant memory, read a book, find your happy place (or borrow Happy Gilmore if you have to).

Do Your Homework
If you feel extremely angry because of something that’s out of your control, like losing a promotion to someone else, do your homework before reacting. Look beyond what’s happened and find out why it has. Look past someone’s actions and look at their intentions: most of the time, they haven’t intended to hurt you.

There are always underlying circumstances—a cause and effect—and it’s crucial to look at a situation from every angle so all perspectives are taken into account. Nothing diffuses anger like logic.

If afterward you’re still angry, find out how others have moved on from similar situations; be the one to come out a better person.

Don’t Play the Victim
The worst thing you can do is blame the entire universe for your problems.

Yes, this person did you wrong, and sure, that situation could have worked out better, but you have a mind of your own: your life isn’t happening to you, so why are you acting like it is?

Until you take responsibility for your part in what’s happened—how your reaction to this person and that situation lead you to where you are today—you’ll just keep making the same mistakes and fanning the fire instead of putting it out.

Don’t ask, “Why me?” Ask, “What now?”

Find a Safe Haven
We all have our “spot”: a primary place we go to think or relax. This can be a room in your home that’s just for you or a piece of the forest you’ve claimed as your own. It doesn’t matter where this spot is, as long as going there makes you feel calm and helps you re-energize.

When you feel extremely angry, you’re physically and emotionally overstimulated—the demands on your time are inevitably getting to you. If the situation allows you to leave and take a time-out, do so and immediately visit your spot.

Sometimes all you need is a change in environment (and pace) to calm yourself down and gain perspective. During these quiet moments, see if you can think of ways to cut down or cut out the triggers that are making you angry.

Look Before You Leap
If there’s a chance someone has betrayed you, your first instinct will likely be to confront and lash out at them.

While I’m a believer in always following your instincts, in this instance I encourage you to step back before confronting them and evaluate the situation: did you hear this through the grapevine? Does it seem plausible or out of character for them? What will you say when you confront them? What do you want to know?

Line your cards up and give them a chance; you don’t want to automatically assume the worst.

If it’s someone you’ve had problems with in the past, do your best to be specific about your anger. Focus on the situation at hand.

If you batch together all the anger you’ve ever felt toward them, this will obviously lead to more anger, and a much larger argument than necessary.

Discuss Your Anger with Someone Trustworthy
When you’re having a frustrating day or going through something that’s causing ongoing stress in your life, find someone trustworthy to talk to. This can be a family member, a close friend, or someone you work with. Even if they don’t offer specific advice, the simple act of sharing what’s bothering you might help you find a solution.

There have been many occasions where I went into a conversation asking a question, and found the answer during my stream of consciousness rant.

Listen to Music
Music is one of the best things to have in your dealing-with-anger arsenal for several reasons:

Listening to aggressive music that matches your mood allows you to work through the emotion productively.
Listening to slower music (such as acoustic) allows you to slow your thought process and calm down.
Listening to specific songs with lyrics that relate to what you’re going through help you put your own experiences into perspective.
Turning up the volume allows you to drown out your thought process when “the little things” are irritating and distracting you.
Decide whether you’re going to use music to work through or distract from your anger, and hit play.

Write an E-mail
After you’ve argued with someone, are wronged by them, or your anger toward them is lingering longer than it should be, create your own closure by writing them an e-mail.

Write out your fury in stream of consciousness format, then continue to revise the e-mail as you think of new things you would’ve liked to say at the time.

Get everything out of your system about the issue on your own time, as the words come to you. Once you have nothing more to say and you’ve perfected the e-mail… delete it.

Use erasing the e-mail as a symbolic gesture toward letting go of what’s bothering you. Trust me, you’ll feel a lot lighter afterward.

Make a List
Make a list of all the things, people, and situations that make you angry. Be as specific and detailed as possible, and then rate each item from 1 – 5, with 1 equaling Annoyed and 5 Infuriated. Next, determine whether you can cut back on it in your life or cut it out entirely.

With the items that have to stay, plan ways to reframe how you feel about them so they don’t send you off the deep end. Do everything you can to phase out what infuriates you, no matter how long it takes—nothing is worth jeopardizing your heart health.

Disconnect from Your Triggers
There are always little things that set us off, no matter how trivial.

Me? Shopping on weekends turns me into a total nutcase. (I won’t even get into the story about the guy who held everyone up trying to return a microwave he apparently hadn’t used, despite the fact that there was food stuck in it!) Not only do I not shop on weekends, I never shop during peak hours: this allows me to fully enjoy my shopping experience.

Be mindful of your triggers. It doesn’t matter why something makes you tick, just recognize that it does and do what’s necessary to work around it—for yourself, and for those who cross your path.

Redecorate
Your home should always be a place that relaxes you. If your home feels less homey and more mental institution-y, take the time to turn it into an oasis.

Declutter, use stress-reducing colors, and why not try feng shui—it couldn’t hurt, right?

Watch a Funny Movie/Show
When you’ve tried everything and still can’t shake your anger, why not laugh it off? (Literally.)

Laughter soothes tension, encourages muscle relaxation, and lightens your mental load. While there’s a lot of controversy surrounding the studies on how laughter improves your health, who cares? Laughing doesn’t suck. Anger does. Period.

Put Yourself First
Many of us don’t put our health first, even though it’s on our minds constantly.

But if you become more mindful about doing so—cutting back on things like caffeine and nicotine, getting more sleep, exercising regularly, and decreasing stress—guaranteed your emotional fuse wouldn’t be tested as often.

Do Something Relaxing
What activities do you enjoy most? Which ones put you completely at ease? Are there activities that you love but never make time for?

Reconnect with the things you love to do. Doing what you enjoy will make you feel more fulfilled, and feeling fulfilled will automatically lessen your desire to feel angry.

Use Anger to Fuel Change
I love anger because I’ve mastered how to use it, and you can too.

There was a time when my life turned out exactly how I swore it never would, and I was so exhausted from the simple act of surviving I had no idea how to make the necessary changes.

Then something happened, something small that was as insignificant as burning your toast in the morning, and that was it. I was done. I had a Scarlett O’Hara moment and refused to live one more day with things the way they were. That anger propelled me to where I am now: building the writing career I’ve always wanted, surrounded by everything and everyone I care about. It gave me the adrenaline rush necessary to see things through.

But maybe you’re not burnt out like I was. Maybe it’s fear holding you back: A fear of failure. A fear of success. A fear of disappointing others. Whatever your fear, anger trumps fear in the rock-paper-scissors of life. It will productively push you to where you want to be, but you have to let it.

Own your anger. Don’t let it own you.

[ Krissy Brady ]

“Anger management: 10 tips to tame your temper”

Keeping your temper in check can be challenging. Use simple anger management tips — from taking a timeout to using “I” statements — to stay in control.

Do you fume when someone cuts you off in traffic? Does your blood pressure rocket when your child refuses to cooperate? Anger is a common and even healthy emotion. But it’s important to deal with it in a positive way. Uncontrolled anger can take a toll on both your health and your relationships.

Ready to get your anger under control? Start by considering these 10 anger management tips.

Think before you speak
In the heat of the moment, it’s easy to say something you’ll later regret. Take a few moments to collect your thoughts before saying anything. Also allow others involved in the situation to do the same.
Once you’re calm, express your concerns
As soon as you’re thinking clearly, express your frustration in an assertive but nonconfrontational way. State your concerns and needs clearly and directly, without hurting others or trying to control them.
Get some exercise
Physical activity can help reduce stress that can cause you to become angry. If you feel your anger escalating, go for a brisk walk or run. Or spend some time doing other enjoyable physical activities.
Take a timeout
Timeouts aren’t just for kids. Give yourself short breaks during times of the day that tend to be stressful. A few moments of quiet time might help you feel better prepared to handle what’s ahead without getting irritated or angry.
Identify possible solutions
Instead of focusing on what made you mad, work on resolving the issue at hand. Does your child’s messy room make you upset? Close the door. Is your partner late for dinner every night? Schedule meals later in the evening. Or agree to eat on your own a few times a week. Also, understand that some things are simply out of your control. Try to be realistic about what you can and cannot change. Remind yourself that anger won’t fix anything and might only make it worse.
Stick with ‘I’ statements
Criticizing or placing blame might only increase tension. Instead, use “I” statements to describe the problem. Be respectful and specific. For example, say, “I’m upset that you left the table without offering to help with the dishes” instead of “You never do any housework.”
Don’t hold a grudge
Forgiveness is a powerful tool. If you allow anger and other negative feelings to crowd out positive feelings, you might find yourself swallowed up by your own bitterness or sense of injustice. Forgiving someone who angered you might help you both learn from the situation and strengthen your relationship.
Use humor to release tension
Lightening up can help diffuse tension. Use humor to help you face what’s making you angry and, possibly, any unrealistic expectations you have for how things should go. Avoid sarcasm, though — it can hurt feelings and make things worse.
Practice relaxation skills
When your temper flares, put relaxation skills to work. Practice deep-breathing exercises, imagine a relaxing scene, or repeat a calming word or phrase, such as “Take it easy.” You might also listen to music, write in a journal or do a few yoga poses — whatever it takes to encourage relaxation.
Know when to seek help
Learning to control anger can be a challenge at times. Seek help for anger issues if your anger seems out of control, causes you to do things you regret or hurts those around you.

[ Mayo Clinic Staff ]

“5 Keys to Controlling Anger”

From VH1’s hit show, Family Therapy, and Spike Network’s show, Coaching Bad, renowned anger management specialist Dr. Christian Conte shares 5 keys to controlling your anger.

[ Dr. Christian Conte ]

Teaching: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KH3PHGjpo5Y

“Control anger before it controls you”

We all know what anger is, and we’ve all felt it: whether as a fleeting annoyance or as full-fledged rage. Anger is a completely normal, usually healthy, human emotion. But when it gets out of control and turns destructive, it can lead to problems—problems at work, in your personal relationships, and in the overall quality of your life.

Anger can make you feel as though you’re at the mercy of an unpredictable and powerful emotion.

What is anger?

The nature of anger
Anger is “an emotional state that varies in intensity from mild irritation to intense fury and rage,” according to Charles Spielberger, PhD, a psychologist who specializes in the study of anger. Like other emotions, it is accompanied by physiological and biological changes; when you get angry, your heart rate and blood pressure go up, as do the levels of your energy hormones, adrenaline, and noradrenaline.

Anger can be caused by both external and internal events. You could be angry at a specific person (such as a coworker or supervisor) or event (a traffic jam, a canceled flight), or your anger could be caused by worrying or brooding about your personal problems. Memories of traumatic or enraging events can also trigger angry feelings.

Expressing anger
The instinctive, natural way to express anger is to respond aggressively. Anger is a natural, adaptive response to threats; it inspires powerful, often aggressive, feelings and behaviors, which allow us to fight and to defend ourselves when we are attacked. A certain amount of anger, therefore, is necessary to our survival.

On the other hand, we can’t physically lash out at every person or object that irritates or annoys us; laws, social norms, and common sense place limits on how far our anger can take us.

People use a variety of both conscious and unconscious processes to deal with their angry feelings. The three main approaches are expressing, suppressing, and calming. Expressing your angry feelings in an assertive—not aggressive—manner is the healthiest way to express anger. To do this, you have to learn how to make clear what your needs are, and how to get them met, without hurting others. Being assertive doesn’t mean being pushy or demanding; it means being respectful of yourself and others.

Anger can be suppressed, and then converted or redirected. This happens when you hold in your anger, stop thinking about it, and focus on something positive. The aim is to inhibit or suppress your anger and convert it into more constructive behavior. The danger in this type of response is that if it isn’t allowed outward expression, your anger can turn inward—on yourself. Anger turned inward may cause hypertension, high blood pressure, or depression.

Unexpressed anger can create other problems. It can lead to pathological expressions of anger, such as passive-aggressive behavior (getting back at people indirectly, without telling them why, rather than confronting them head-on) or a personality that seems perpetually cynical and hostile. People who are constantly putting others down, criticizing everything, and making cynical comments haven’t learned how to constructively express their anger. Not surprisingly, they aren’t likely to have many successful relationships.

Finally, you can calm down inside. This means not just controlling your outward behavior, but also controlling your internal responses, taking steps to lower your heart rate, calm yourself down, and let the feelings subside.

As Dr. Spielberger notes, “when none of these three techniques work, that’s when someone—or something—is going to get hurt.”

Anger management
The goal of anger management is to reduce both your emotional feelings and the physiological arousal that anger causes. You can’t get rid of, or avoid, the things or the people that enrage you, nor can you change them, but you can learn to control your reactions.

Are you too angry?
There are psychological tests that measure the intensity of angry feelings, how prone to anger you are, and how well you handle it. But chances are good that if you do have a problem with anger, you already know it. If you find yourself acting in ways that seem out of control and frightening, you might need help finding better ways to deal with this emotion.

Why are some people more angry than others?
According to Jerry Deffenbacher, PhD, a psychologist who specializes in anger management, some people really are more “hotheaded” than others are; they get angry more easily and more intensely than the average person does. There are also those who don’t show their anger in loud spectacular ways but are chronically irritable and grumpy. Easily angered people don’t always curse and throw things; sometimes they withdraw socially, sulk, or get physically ill.

People who are easily angered generally have what some psychologists call a low tolerance for frustration, meaning simply that they feel that they should not have to be subjected to frustration, inconvenience, or annoyance. They can’t take things in stride, and they’re particularly infuriated if the situation seems somehow unjust: for example, being corrected for a minor mistake.

What makes these people this way? A number of things. One cause may be genetic or physiological: There is evidence that some children are born irritable, touchy, and easily angered, and that these signs are present from a very early age. Another may be sociocultural. Anger is often regarded as negative; we’re taught that it’s all right to express anxiety, depression, or other emotions but not to express anger. As a result, we don’t learn how to handle it or channel it constructively.

Research has also found that family background plays a role. Typically, people who are easily angered come from families that are disruptive, chaotic, and not skilled at emotional communications.

Is it good to “let it all hang out?”
Psychologists now say that this is a dangerous myth. Some people use this theory as a license to hurt others. Research has found that “letting it rip” with anger actually escalates anger and aggression and does nothing to help you (or the person you’re angry with) resolve the situation.

It’s best to find out what it is that triggers your anger, and then to develop strategies to keep those triggers from tipping you over the edge.

Strategies to keep anger at bay
Relaxation
Simple relaxation tools, such as deep breathing and relaxing imagery, can help calm down angry feelings. There are books and courses that can teach you relaxation techniques, and once you learn the techniques, you can call upon them in any situation. If you are involved in a relationship where both partners are hot-tempered, it might be a good idea for both of you to learn these techniques.

Some simple steps you can try:

Breathe deeply, from your diaphragm; breathing from your chest won’t relax you. Picture your breath coming up from your “gut.”Slowly repeat a calm word or phrase such as “relax,” “take it easy.” Repeat it to yourself while breathing deeply.Use imagery; visualize a relaxing experience, from either your memory or your imagination.Non-strenuous, slow yoga-like exercises can relax your muscles and make you feel much calmer.
Practice these techniques daily. Learn to use them automatically when you’re in a tense situation.

Cognitive restructuring
Simply put, this means changing the way you think. Angry people tend to curse, swear, or speak in highly colorful terms that reflect their inner thoughts. When you’re angry, your thinking can get very exaggerated and overly dramatic. Try replacing these thoughts with more rational ones. For instance, instead of telling yourself, “oh, it’s awful, it’s terrible, everything’s ruined,” tell yourself, “it’s frustrating, and it’s understandable that I’m upset about it, but it’s not the end of the world and getting angry is not going to fix it anyhow.”

Be careful of words like “never” or “always” when talking about yourself or someone else. “This !&*%@ machine never works,” or “you’re always forgetting things” are not just inaccurate, they also serve to make you feel that your anger is justified and that there’s no way to solve the problem. They also alienate and humiliate people who might otherwise be willing to work with you on a solution.

Remind yourself that getting angry is not going to fix anything, that it won’t make you feel better (and may actually make you feel worse).

Logic defeats anger, because anger, even when it’s justified, can quickly become irrational. So use cold hard logic on yourself. Remind yourself that the world is “not out to get you,” you’re just experiencing some of the rough spots of daily life. Do this each time you feel anger getting the best of you, and it’ll help you get a more balanced perspective. Angry people tend to demand things: fairness, appreciation, agreement, willingness to do things their way. Everyone wants these things, and we are all hurt and disappointed when we don’t get them, but angry people demand them, and when their demands aren’t met, their disappointment becomes anger. As part of their cognitive restructuring, angry people need to become aware of their demanding nature and translate their expectations into desires. In other words, saying, “I would like” something is healthier than saying, “I demand” or “I must have” something. When you’re unable to get what you want, you will experience the normal reactions—frustration, disappointment, hurt—but not anger. Some angry people use this anger as a way to avoid feeling hurt, but that doesn’t mean the hurt goes away.

Problem solving
Sometimes, our anger and frustration are caused by very real and inescapable problems in our lives. Not all anger is misplaced, and often it’s a healthy, natural response to these difficulties. There is also a cultural belief that every problem has a solution, and it adds to our frustration to find out that this isn’t always the case. The best attitude to bring to such a situation, then, is not to focus on finding the solution, but rather on how you handle and face the problem.

Make a plan, and check your progress along the way. Resolve to give it your best, but also not to punish yourself if an answer doesn’t come right away. If you can approach it with your best intentions and efforts and make a serious attempt to face it head-on, you will be less likely to lose patience and fall into all-or-nothing thinking, even if the problem does not get solved right away.

Better communication
Angry people tend to jump to—and act on—conclusions, and some of those conclusions can be very inaccurate. The first thing to do if you’re in a heated discussion is slow down and think through your responses. Don’t say the first thing that comes into your head, but slow down and think carefully about what you want to say. At the same time, listen carefully to what the other person is saying and take your time before answering.

Listen, too, to what is underlying the anger. For instance, you like a certain amount of freedom and personal space, and your “significant other” wants more connection and closeness. If he or she starts complaining about your activities, don’t retaliate by painting your partner as a jailer, a warden, or an albatross around your neck.

It’s natural to get defensive when you’re criticized, but don’t fight back. Instead, listen to what’s underlying the words: the message that this person might feel neglected and unloved. It may take a lot of patient questioning on your part, and it may require some breathing space, but don’t let your anger—or a partner’s—let a discussion spin out of control. Keeping your cool can keep the situation from becoming a disastrous one.

Using humor
“Silly humor” can help defuse rage in a number of ways. For one thing, it can help you get a more balanced perspective. When you get angry and call someone a name or refer to them in some imaginative phrase, stop and picture what that word would literally look like. If you’re at work and you think of a coworker as a “dirtbag” or a “single-cell life form,” for example, picture a large bag full of dirt (or an amoeba) sitting at your colleague’s desk, talking on the phone, going to meetings. Do this whenever a name comes into your head about another person. If you can, draw a picture of what the actual thing might look like. This will take a lot of the edge off your fury; and humor can always be relied on to help unknot a tense situation.

The underlying message of highly angry people, Dr. Deffenbacher says, is “things oughta go my way!” Angry people tend to feel that they are morally right, that any blocking or changing of their plans is an unbearable indignity and that they should NOT have to suffer this way. Maybe other people do, but not them!

When you feel that urge, he suggests, picture yourself as a god or goddess, a supreme ruler, who owns the streets and stores and office space, striding alone and having your way in all situations while others defer to you. The more detail you can get into your imaginary scenes, the more chances you have to realize that maybe you are being unreasonable; you’ll also realize how unimportant the things you’re angry about really are. There are two cautions in using humor. First, don’t try to just “laugh off” your problems; rather, use humor to help yourself face them more constructively. Second, don’t give in to harsh, sarcastic humor; that’s just another form of unhealthy anger expression.

What these techniques have in common is a refusal to take yourself too seriously. Anger is a serious emotion, but it’s often accompanied by ideas that, if examined, can make you laugh.

Changing your environment
Sometimes it’s our immediate surroundings that give us cause for irritation and fury. Problems and responsibilities can weigh on you and make you feel angry at the “trap” you seem to have fallen into and all the people and things that form that trap.

Give yourself a break. Make sure you have some “personal time” scheduled for times of the day that you know are particularly stressful. One example is the working mother who has a standing rule that when she comes home from work, for the first 15 minutes “nobody talks to Mom unless the house is on fire.” After this brief quiet time, she feels better prepared to handle demands from her kids without blowing up at them.

Some other tips for easing up on yourself
Timing: If you and your spouse tend to fight when you discuss things at night—perhaps you’re tired, or distracted, or maybe it’s just habit—try changing the times when you talk about important matters so these talks don’t turn into arguments.

Avoidance: If your child’s chaotic room makes you furious every time you walk by it, shut the door. Don’t make yourself look at what infuriates you. Don’t say, “well, my child should clean up the room so I won’t have to be angry!” That’s not the point. The point is to keep yourself calm.

Finding alternatives: If your daily commute through traffic leaves you in a state of rage and frustration, give yourself a project—learn or map out a different route, one that’s less congested or more scenic. Or find another alternative, such as a bus or commuter train.

Do you need counseling?
If you feel that your anger is really out of control, if it is having an impact on your relationships and on important parts of your life, you might consider counseling to learn how to handle it better. A psychologist or other licensed mental health professional can work with you in developing a range of techniques for changing your thinking and your behavior.

When you talk to a prospective therapist, tell her or him that you have problems with anger that you want to work on, and ask about his or her approach to anger management. Make sure this isn’t only a course of action designed to “put you in touch with your feelings and express them”—that may be precisely what your problem is. With counseling, psychologists say, a highly angry person can move closer to a middle range of anger in about 8 to 10 weeks, depending on the circumstances and the techniques used.

What about assertiveness training?
It’s true that angry people need to learn to become assertive (rather than aggressive), but most books and courses on developing assertiveness are aimed at people who don’t feel enough anger. These people are more passive and acquiescent than the average person; they tend to let others walk all over them. That isn’t something that most angry people do. Still, these books can contain some useful tactics to use in frustrating situations.

Remember, you can’t eliminate anger—and it wouldn’t be a good idea if you could. In spite of all your efforts, things will happen that will cause you anger; and sometimes it will be justifiable anger. Life will be filled with frustration, pain, loss, and the unpredictable actions of others. You can’t change that; but you can change the way you let such events affect you. Controlling your angry responses can keep them from making you even more unhappy in the long run.

[ American Psychologist Association ]

“How To Control Your Anger“

Who is Jordan Peterson? Dr. Peterson is a psychology professor at the University of Toronto, a widely cited scholar of personality, and the author of best-selling books on Amazon.

[ Jordan Peterson ]

Teaching: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPoYX5FPtak

“Anger Management”

Is your temper hijacking your life? These tips and techniques can help you get anger under control and express your feelings in healthier ways.

Understanding anger
Anger is a normal, healthy emotion, neither good nor bad. Like any emotion, it conveys a message, telling you that a situation is upsetting, unjust, or threatening. If your knee-jerk reaction to anger is to explode, however, that message never has a chance to be conveyed. So, while it’s perfectly normal to feel angry when you’ve been mistreated or wronged, anger becomes a problem when you express it in a way that harms yourself or others.

You might think that venting your anger is healthy, that the people around you are too sensitive, that your anger is justified, or that you need to show your fury to get respect. But the truth is that anger is much more likely to have a negative impact on the way people see you, impair your judgment, and get in the way of success.

Effects of anger
Chronic anger that flares up all the time or spirals out of control can have serious consequences for your:

Physical health. Constantly operating at high levels of stress and anger makes you more susceptible to heart disease, diabetes, a weakened immune system, insomnia, and high blood pressure.
Mental health. Chronic anger consumes huge amounts of mental energy, and clouds your thinking, making it harder to concentrate or enjoy life. It can also lead to stress, depression, and other mental health problems.
Career. Constructive criticism, creative differences, and heated debate can be healthy. But lashing out only alienates your colleagues, supervisors, or clients and erodes their respect.
Relationships. Anger can cause lasting scars in the people you love most and get in the way of friendships and work relationships. Explosive anger makes it hard for others to trust you, speak honestly, or feel comfortable—and is especially damaging to children.
If you have a hot temper, you may feel like it’s out of your hands and there’s little you can do to tame the beast. But you have more control over your anger than you think. With insight about the real reasons for your anger and these anger management tools, you can learn to express your emotions without hurting others and keep your temper from hijacking your life.

Myths and facts about anger
Myth: I shouldn’t “hold in” my anger. It’s healthy to vent and let it out.
Fact: While it’s true that suppressing and ignoring anger is unhealthy, venting is no better. Anger is not something you have to “let out” in an aggressive way in order to avoid blowing up. In fact, outbursts and tirades only fuel the fire and reinforce your anger problem.

Myth: Anger, aggression, and intimidation help me earn respect and get what I want.
Fact: Respect doesn’t come from bullying others. People may be afraid of you, but they won’t respect you if you can’t control yourself or handle opposing viewpoints. Others will be more willing to listen to you and accommodate your needs if you communicate in a respectful way.

Myth: I can’t help myself. Anger isn’t something you can control.
Fact: You can’t always control the situation you’re in or how it makes you feel, but you can control how you express your anger. And you can communicate your feelings without being verbally or physically abusive. Even if someone is pushing your buttons, you always have a choice about how to respond.

How anger management can help you
Many people think that anger management is about learning to suppress your anger. But never getting angry is not a healthy goal. Anger will come out regardless of how hard you try to tamp it down. The true goal of anger management isn’t to suppress feelings of anger, but rather to understand the message behind the emotion and express it in a healthy way without losing control. When you do, you’ll not only feel better, you’ll also be more likely to get your needs met, be better able to manage conflict in your life, and strengthen your relationships.

Mastering the art of anger management takes work, but the more you practice, the easier it will get. And the payoff is huge. Learning to control your anger and express it appropriately will help you build better relationships, achieve your goals, and lead a healthier, more satisfying life.

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Tip 1: Explore what’s really behind your anger
Have you ever gotten into an argument over something silly? Big fights often happen over something small, like a dish left out or being ten minutes late. But there’s usually a bigger issue behind it. If you find your irritation and anger rapidly rising, ask yourself, “What am I really angry about?” Identifying the real source of frustration will help you communicate your anger better, take constructive action, and work towards a resolution.

Is your anger masking other feelings such as embarrassment, insecurity, hurt, shame, or vulnerability? If your knee-jerk response in many situations is anger, it’s likely that your temper is covering up your true feelings. This is especially likely if you grew up in a family where expressing feelings was strongly discouraged. As an adult, you may have a hard time acknowledging feelings other than anger.

Anger can also mask anxiety. When you perceive a threat, either real or imagined, your body activates the “fight or flight” response. In the case of the “fight” response, it can often manifest itself as anger or aggression. To change your response, you need to find out what’s causing you to feel anxious or scared.

Anger problems can stem from what you learned as a child. If you watched others in your family scream, hit each other, or throw things, you might think this is how anger is supposed to be expressed.

Anger can be a symptom of another underlying health problem, such as depression (especially in men), trauma, or chronic stress.

Clues that there’s more to your anger than meets the eye
You have a hard time compromising. Is it hard for you to understand other people’s points of view, and even harder to concede a point? If you grew up in a family where anger was out of control, you may remember how the angry person got their way by being the loudest and most demanding. Compromising might bring up scary feelings of failure and vulnerability.

You view different opinions as a personal challenge. Do you believe that your way is always right and get angry when others disagree? If you have a strong need to be in control or a fragile ego, you may interpret other perspectives as a challenge to your authority, rather than simply a different way of looking at things.

You have trouble expressing emotions other than anger. Do you pride yourself on being tough and in control? Do you feel that emotions like fear, guilt, or shame don’t apply to you? Everyone has those emotions so you may be using anger as a cover for them. If you are uncomfortable with different emotions, disconnected, or stuck on an angry one-note response to situations, it’s important to get back in touch with your feelings. HelpGuide’s free Emotional Intelligence Toolkit can help.

Tip 2: Be aware of your anger warning signs
While you might feel that you just explode into anger without warning, there are in fact physical warning signs in your body. Becoming aware of your own personal signs that your temper is starting to boil allows you to take steps to manage your anger before it gets out of control.

Pay attention to the way anger feels in your body
Knots in your stomach
Clenching your hands or jaw
Feeling clammy or flushed
Breathing faster
Headaches
Pacing or needing to walk around
“Seeing red”
Having trouble concentrating
Pounding heart
Tensing your shoulders
Tip 3: Identify your triggers
Stressful events don’t excuse anger, but understanding how these events affect you can help you take control of your environment and avoid unnecessary aggravation. Look at your regular routine and try to identify activities, times of day, people, places, or situations that trigger irritable or angry feelings.

Maybe you get into a fight every time you go out for drinks with a certain group of friends. Or maybe the traffic on your daily commute drives you crazy. When you identify your triggers, think about ways to either avoid them or view the situations differently so they don’t make your blood boil.

Negative thought patterns that can trigger anger
You may think that external factors—the insensitive actions of other people, for example, or frustrating situations—are causing your anger. But anger problems have less to do with what happens to you than how you interpret and think about what happened.

Common negative thinking patterns that trigger and fuel anger include:

Overgeneralizing. For example, “You ALWAYS interrupt me. You NEVER consider my needs. EVERYONE disrespects me. I NEVER get the credit I deserve.”
Obsessing over “shoulds” and “musts.” Having a rigid view of the way a situation should or must go and getting angry when reality doesn’t line up with this vision.
Mind reading and jumping to conclusions. Assuming you “know” what someone else is thinking or feeling—that they intentionally upset you, ignored your wishes, or disrespected you.
Collecting straws. Looking for things to get upset about, usually while overlooking or blowing past anything positive. Letting these small irritations build and build until you reach the “final straw” and explode, often over something relatively minor.
Blaming. When anything bad happens or something goes wrong, it’s always someone else’s fault. You tell yourself, “life’s not fair,” or blame others for your problems rather than taking responsibility for your own life.
When you identify the thought patterns that fuel your anger, you can learn to reframe how you think about things. Ask yourself: What’s the evidence that the thought is true? That it’s not true? Is there a more positive, realistic way of looking at a situation? What would I say to a friend who was thinking these things?

Tip 4: Learn ways to cool down quickly
Once you know how to recognize the warning signs that your temper is rising and anticipate your triggers, you can act quickly to deal with your anger before it spins out of control. There are many techniques that can help you cool down and keep your anger in check.

Focus on the physical sensations of anger. While it may seem counterintuitive, tuning into the way your body feels when you’re angry often lessens the emotional intensity of your anger.

Take some deep breaths. Deep, slow breathing helps counteract rising tension. The key is to breathe deeply from the abdomen, getting as much fresh air as possible into your lungs.

Get moving. A brisk walk around the block is a great idea. Physical activity releases pent-up energy so you can approach the situation with a cooler head.

Use your senses. You can use sight, smell, hearing, touch, and taste to quickly relieve stress and cool down. You might try listening to a favorite piece of music, looking at a treasured photo, savoring a cup of tea, or stroking a pet.

Stretch or massage areas of tension. Roll your shoulders if you are tensing them, for example, or gently massage your neck and scalp.

Slowly count to ten. Focus on the counting to let your rational mind catch up with your feelings. If you still feel out of control by the time you reach ten, start counting again.

Give yourself a reality check
When you start getting upset about something, take a moment to think about the situation. Ask yourself:

How important is it in the grand scheme of things?
Is it really worth getting angry about it?
Is it worth ruining the rest of my day?
Is my response appropriate to the situation?
Is there anything I can do about it?
Is taking action worth my time?
Tip 5: Find healthier ways to express your anger
If you’ve decided that the situation is worth getting angry about and there’s something you can do to make it better, the key is to express your feelings in a healthy way. Learning how to resolve conflict in a positive way will help you strengthen your relationships rather than damaging them.

Always fight fair. It’s okay to be upset at someone, but if you don’t fight fair, the relationship will quickly break down. Fighting fair allows you to express your own needs while still respecting others.

Make the relationship your priority. Maintaining and strengthening the relationship, rather than “winning” the argument, should always be your first priority. Respect the other person and their viewpoint.

Focus on the present. Once you are in the heat of arguing, it’s easy to start throwing past grievances into the mix. Rather than looking to the past and assigning blame, focus on what you can do in the present to solve the problem.

Be willing to forgive. Resolving conflict is impossible if you’re unwilling or unable to forgive. Resolution lies in releasing the urge to punish, which can never compensate for our losses and only adds to our injury by further depleting and draining our lives.

Take five if things get too heated. If your anger starts to spiral out of control, remove yourself from the situation for a few minutes or for as long as it takes you to cool down.

Know when to let something go. If you can’t come to an agreement, agree to disagree. It takes two people to keep an argument going. If a conflict is going nowhere, you can choose to disengage and move on.

Tip 6: Stay calm by taking care of yourself
Taking care of your overall mental and physical well-being can help ease tension and diffuse anger problems.

Manage stress. If your stress levels are through the roof, you’re more likely to struggle controlling your temper. Try practicing relaxation techniques such as mindfulness meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, or deep breathing. You’ll feel calmer and more in control of your emotions.

Talk to someone you trust. Nothing eases stress more effectively than chatting face-to-face with a friend or loved one. The person doesn’t have to provide answers, they just need to be a good listener. But talking about your feelings and seeking a different perspective on a situation is not the same as venting. Simply venting your anger at someone will only fuel your temper and reinforce your anger problem.

Get enough sleep. A lack of sleep can exacerbate negative thoughts and leave you feeling agitated and short-tempered. Try to get seven to nine hours of good quality sleep.

Exercise regularly. It’s an effective way to burn-off tension and ease stress, and it can leave you feeling more relaxed and positive throughout the day. Aim for at least 30 minutes on most days, broken up into shorter periods if that’s easier.

Be smart about alcohol and drugs. They lower your inhibitions and can make it even harder to control your anger. Even consuming too much caffeine can make you more irritable and prone to anger.

Tip 7: Use humor to relieve tension
When things get tense, humor and playfulness can help you lighten the mood, smooth over differences, reframe problems, and keep things in perspective. When you feel yourself getting angry in a situation, try using a little lighthearted humor. It can allow you to get your point across without getting the other person’s defenses up or hurting their feelings.

However, it’s important that you laugh with the other person, not at them. Avoid sarcasm, mean-spirited humor. If in doubt, start by using self-deprecating humor. We all love people who are able to gently poke fun at their own failings. After all, we’re all flawed and we all make mistakes.

So, if you’ve made a mistake at work or you’ve just spilled coffee over yourself, instead of getting angry or picking a fight, try making a joke about it. Even if the joke falls flat or comes out wrong, the only person you risk offending is yourself.

When humor and play are used to reduce tension and anger, a potential conflict can even become an opportunity for greater connection and intimacy.

Tip 8: Recognize if you need professional help
If, despite putting these previous anger management techniques into practice, your anger is still spiraling out of control, or if you’re getting into trouble with the law or hurting others, you need more help.

Anger management classes allow you to meet others coping with the same struggles and learn tips and techniques for managing your anger.

Therapy, either group or individual, can be a great way to explore the reasons behind your anger and identify triggers. Therapy can also provide a safe place to practice new skills for expressing anger.

Anger isn’t the real problem in an abusive relationship
Despite what many believe, domestic violence and abuse does not happen due to the abuser’s loss of control over their temper. Rather, it’s a deliberate choice to control another person. If you are abusive towards your spouse or partner, know that you need specialized treatment, not regular anger management classes.

[ Melinda Smith, M.A. and Jeanne Segal, Ph.D. ]

“The Connection Between Depression and Anger”

Table of Contents:
– What Is Depression?
– What Is Anger?
– Anger and Depression
– Causes of Anger in
– Treatment for Angry Depression
– Coping With Angry Depression

Anger can be a common emotion among people experiencing depression. You may feel angry at the world, angry about events from your past, or even angry at yourself. This anger can be intense and difficult to control, to the point that it worsens your depression and affects your personal and professional relationships.

What Is Depression?
Depression is more than just passing sadness. It is a diagnosable mental health disorder that involves feelings of low mood combined with other symptoms such as trouble concentrating or trouble sleeping. A diagnosis of major depressive disorder is made by a mental health professional according to the criteria laid out in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5).

What Is Anger?
Anger is not a diagnosable mental health condition. Rather, it is an unpleasant emotion that may be experienced by those with various mental health disorders as well as the non-clinical population. While it is natural to feel angry from time to time, feeling uncontrollable or maladaptive anger, particularly when you also have depression, can be a sign of a deeper underlying problem.

Anger and Depression
Anger is a common emotion that can be destructive when it isn’t responded to in an adaptive manner. In the case of depression, anger can take several different forms. Below are some examples of the types of anger you might experience while depressed.

Irritability
Irritability is a feature of depression itself, so it’s not surprising that this form of anger is connected to depression. If you have depression, it may show up as snapping at others over trivial things or being unable to handle small disappointments without reacting in a negative way.

Hostility
Going a step beyond irritability, a person with depression who expresses their anger outward may become hostile toward others. This means responding not only with an irritable mood, but also being outwardly angry and attacking those around you.

Anger Attacks
Rapid and intense onset of anger (also sometimes called an “anger attack”) can also be a feature of depression. These rapid onset attacks may come in response to trivial matters (e.g., seem to appear out of the blue).

Causes of Anger in Depression
What are the causes of anger related to depression? There is some evidence to suggest that serotonergic dysfunction may be partly to blame. In other words, the balance of neurochemicals in your brain may be off-kilter, leading to irritability, depression, and anger. For this reason, medications used to treat depression may also help to relieve your symptoms of anger.

Anger Turned Inward
Anger turned inward may be common in those who are depressed. This act of turning anger inward may also worsen the severity of depression, according to a 2013 study conducted in the UK1 .

Inwardly turned anger in depression may reflect an overly critical negative inner voice that makes it hard for you to move past feelings of shame. It may also lead to feelings of low self-worth.

When you listen to your inner critic, you may feel even more depressed and find it hard to do things that will help to alleviate your depression (e.g., doing things that you once enjoyed; spending time with other people or going out and being social).

Instead, staying angry at yourself only prolongs your feelings of depression, makes you feel more sorry for yourself, and focuses your thoughts on the negative. This leads you to feel more powerless and negative over time.

In this way, anger turned inward at yourself serves to prolong depression and worsen the severity of your symptoms.

Anger Turned Outward
Not only do those who are depressed turn their anger inward, but they may also turn it outward and lash out at those around them.

When you are depressed, you are more likely to feel irritable, which can lead to snapping at other people over trivial events. Your depression may amplify your negative emotions in the moment, making it hard to control them, even though you likely feel badly about it after the fact.

You may find that this is a vicious cycle that you have trouble escaping from. Eventually, it may lead to problems in your personal and professional life. For example, if you are unable to deal with stress in the workplace, you might lash out in anger at coworkers, managers, or even customers.

And, if you struggle to control your anger around friends and family, you may find that this leads to strained relationships and the loss of people in your life.

Treatment for Angry Depression
Treatment for depression that is combined with anger is similar to treatments that exist for depression alone. In short, medication and therapy are both empirically validated treatments for depression that may also, at the same time, help to alleviate feelings of anger, hostility, and irritability.

Therapy
One specific type of therapy that may be helpful for angry depression is Emotionally Focused Therapy developed by psychologist Les Greenberg.2 In this type of therapy, anger is viewed as being of two types: adaptive vs. non-adaptive.

Adaptive anger helps to motivate you toward taking assertive action. Imagine a situation in which you have gained weight due to unhealthy eating habits and lack of exercise. Adaptive anger would involve being angry at yourself for letting the situation get out of hand, but also feeling inspired and motivated to make a plan to eat healthy food and join a gym. In this way, adaptive anger is controlled and directed.

On the other hand, maladaptive anger does nothing to motivate you to take action. In the above example of having gained weight, instead of feeling motivated to eat healthy and join a gym, your anger would lead to a downward spiral of self-pity and feeling stuck.

One way to manage anger related to depression is to develop a sense of compassion for yourself. It’s better to be kind to yourself than to direct your anger inwards. Since this can be hard to do, it might be helpful to think about yourself in terms of how you would treat a friend.

What would you say to a friend struggling with the same issue? When you have a kinder view toward yourself, you will be less likely to direct your anger inward. For this reason, self-compassion may be particularly helpful if you mostly engage in inwardly directed anger.

You might feel as though you are a victim of poor circumstances (e.g., not being able to afford healthy food, not having time to go to the gym). You might become withdrawn and sulk instead of reaching out for help from others.

You likely also engage in self-criticism rather than self-compassion. You might be critical of yourself for having gained weight. You might view yourself as helpless to change the situation. In essence, maladaptive anger involves giving away your power so that you feel helpless.

This type of unhelpful anger is thought to be rooted in a critical inner voice that sometimes arises due to traumatic experiences.

While adaptive anger helps you to move toward taking action and relief from your problem, maladaptive anger causes you to remain in a state of suffering and pain. Maladaptive anger is also more likely to lead to or worsen anxiety and depression.

Moving From Maladaptive Anger to Adaptive Emotions
Emotionally focused therapy involves transforming your maladaptive emotions by addressing their root cause. One way to do this is by verbalizing your critical inner voice. For example, in the case of gaining weight, the critical inner voice might sound something like this.

“Look at how much weight you’ve gained. You have no self-control and you’ll never be able to lose it now. You might as well accept that it’s hopeless and you’ll be overweight forever. Nothing you try ever works and you just don’t have any willpower.”

Thus, the idea is to put the critical inner voice into words as though they are being spoken by someone outside of your head. This involves expressing feelings behind thoughts and making sure to use “you” statements so it sounds as though the critical inner voice is coming from someone else. This allows you to separate yourself from those thoughts and see them as coming from outside of yourself.

Once you are able to step outside of your thoughts and view them as an external critical voice, the next step is to develop insights into where that critical voice might have developed. This is the process of transforming the maladaptive emotion.

The next step involves responding to the critical inner voice and answering back against the criticisms. In this way, you are essentially “taking your own side.”

For example, in the case of the critical inner voice that talks about your weight gain, you might respond to that voice in the following ways.

“I know that I’ve gained weight, but it’s not the end of the world. I do have self-control, but I’ve been through a really hard time in the past year. It’s not impossible for me to lose weight, I just need to put some healthy habits into place.

I don’t need to accept this situation and it’s certainly not hopeless. I’ve tried some things that haven’t worked, but that doesn’t mean I am out of ideas. Willpower is less important than me being clear on my goals. I know that I can do it if I try.”

Emotionally focused therapy has been shown to help relieve depression, improve self-esteem, and reduce distress in interpersonal relationships. For this reason, this type of therapy may also help you to relieve anger related to depression, particularly since anger is a maladaptive emotion.

Medication
Medication is a treatment option for depression that could be helpful in also reducing feelings of anger or irritability. While medication is not a direct treatment for anger, alleviating symptoms of depression may have an indirect effect on feelings of anger.

Anger Management Techniques
Anger management techniques may also be helpful on their own for the management of anger that is related to depression. You could attend anger management classes, read an anger management self-help book, find an anger management support group,

Coping With Angry Depression
How can you cope with angry depression on your own? There are a number of things you can do to manage anger related to depression. Below are some ideas to get you started.

Develop Self Compassion
Manage Triggers
Are you aware of people, places, or situations that trigger your anger related to depression? If so, it may be helpful to expand on that awareness and prepare yourself for those stressful situations. While eventually, you will want to learn to manage your anger, learning to identify and manage triggers can be an effective way to cope in the meantime.

Stand Up to Your Inner Critic
As discussed in the section on emotionally focused therapy, being able to stand up to your inner critic will help to alleviate your depression and possibly also reduce your anger. This requires you to acknowledge your anger and emotions, rather than avoiding your feelings.

This is best done with the help of a therapist; however, you can also engage in this process by writing about your feelings in a journal, identifying your critical inner voice, writing responses to your critical inner voice

Accept Your Anger
It may also help you to cope if you are able to accept that anger is part of your depression, but that you have tools to help you feel better. Fighting against your anger, just like fighting against anxiety, will tend to only make it worse.

Express Your Anger
Along the same lines as accepting your anger, is learning to express your anger in healthy ways. This goes back to the idea of adaptive and maladaptive emotions. Anger that is expressed in a healthy way may help you to move out of a place of being stuck toward taking action. This in turn may help you to feel less depressed, which will create an upward cycle of positive emotions.

Expressing your anger in healthy ways means acknowledging your anger and releasing it, without letting it become explosive. This would be the opposite of the anger attacks that were discussed previously. When you are able to express your anger outwards, you will find that your depression may lessen.

Alleviate Anger Before it Worsens
Do you find that your anger gets out of control because you keep it bottled inside? If so, you may benefit from learning healthy ways to express your anger before it gets out of control. This might includes ideas such as learning to be more assertive or learning to express your emotions. Both of these activities will help to reduce the chance that your anger builds to the point that you must explode.

Practice Breathing Exercises
Just as with anxiety, anger will fuel itself if you let it. For this reason, it may be helpful to learn breathing exercises to help you calm yourself down in the moment when you become angry. One such exercise that you may wish to try is called 4-7-8 breathing developed by Dr. Andrew Weil. This breathing technique is based on the yoga technique known as pranayama, which helps yogis to control their breathing.

Breathing helps to bring your body into a state of relaxation and to increase the oxygen flow in your body. This helps to get control of the fight or flight reaction that you might experience when your anger is triggered.

To practice 4-7-8 breathing, find a comfortable place to sit or lie down. Put the tip of your tongue against the roof of your mouth and keep it in place throughout the breathing exercise. Then, go through the following steps, which counts as one cycle of breath.

Open your mouth and make a whoosh sound while exhaling completely out through your lips.
Then, close your mouth and do a silent inhale through your nose to the count of four.
Next, hold your breath for seven seconds.
Finally, exhale through your mouth for the count of eight seconds while making a whooshing sound.
Then, repeat this cycle for each set of breaths. Where does the number “4” come in? The ideal number of times to repeat this process is at least four times. Although you can gradually work your way up to doing eight breaths. Remember to hold your breath for the full seven seconds, as that is most critical to creating relaxation in your body.

Mindfulness Meditation or Yoga
If you enjoy deep breathing, you might also enjoy practicing mindfulness meditation or yoga to help you manage your anger related to depression. Given that depression means you are probably lacking motivation, this might not be the right fit until your depression is being treated (either through medication or therapy).

However, if you’re feeling motivated enough to try, the act of doing yoga itself may help to reduce your stress and improve your mood. Overall, we know that exercise releases endorphin which leads to reductions in depression.

If you are interested in trying out mindfulness meditation, then you will want to find a meditation that focuses on anger, depression, or the combination of both feelings and emotions. Good meditations will lead you into a deep state of relaxation, help you to release your emotions, and then bring you back to present awareness.

Develop a Support System
If you are struggling with depression and anger, you will also want to develop a strong support system. While this might be problematic if you are living with depression, having at least one person you can rely on for support will be helpful.

If there is nobody in your personal life that you feel provides you support adequate for your needs, you might benefit from joining a support group specifically for depression and/or anger. In one of these groups, you will find others struggling through the same challenges as you.

And, unlike a friend or family member, you aren’t likely to be given advice or told that what you are feeling isn’t that bad. Instead, you’re likely to find yourself spending time with people who completely understand your situation.

In addition, if you join a group with a facilitator, you may find that you are offered helpful strategies to better manage your depression and anger. Having a support group who understands what you are going through will be important, especially if you find yourself relapsing after treatment.

A Word From Verywell
If you are struggling with anger and depression that is impairing your daily functioning, it is important to see a mental health professional for advice. If you have not already seen a professional about your situation, you may be offered a diagnosis as well as treatment options that might include therapy and/or medication. The first step to receiving help is talking to your family doctor.

In addition, it’s important to know that you are not alone in your feelings. Many people struggle with anger and irritability related to their depression. This is not a personal failing on your part, and it’s not something that is necessarily within your control. However, there are coping strategies that you can use to escape a bad mood, manage your anger, and feel better.

There’s no need to feel ashamed about reaching out for help, asking friends or family for support, or joining a support group. In fact, asking for help or making yourself a priority might be what it takes for you to improve your relationships and feel better about your daily life. Treat yourself with the same kindness and respect that you would treat a friend if they came to you for advice. You deserve your own self-compassion.

[ Arlin Cuncic ]

“Anger Management Techniques“

Did you know that excessive anger can lead to everything from the common cold to heart attacks? On today’s WellCast, we’re going to teach you how to healthily process your anger in just three simple steps!

[ WellCast ]

Teaching: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsVq5R_F6RA

“5 Options And Timeline For Processing Anger”

We have five basic choices in managing the emotion of anger.

Suppression (worldly) – the conscious intentional exclusion from consciousness of a thought or feeling. This choice stops healthy processing. It also contributes to a toxic level of internalized anger.

Aggression (worldly) – any offensive action, assault or attack. This choice seeks to hurt others openly and to exact revenge.

Passive Aggression (worldly) – expression of negative emotions in passive, indirect ways such as manipulation or noncooperation. This choice pretends to be ok, but seeks revenge covertly rather than openly.

If we choose any of these (suppression, aggression or passive aggression) we are attempting to process our anger without God’s help. It won’t work.

Assertive to bring about good change (Godly) – faith-led effort to protect others. This choice has phenomenal potential to use suffering and anger so others can be protected against similar suffering and anger.

Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) is an example of using anger from a loss to bring about social change to protect others in the future.

Drop it (Godly) – release desire to understand or get even. This

choice is challenging because it forces us to trust God and rely on faith. It can be the most liberating.

If we choose either of these (assertive to bring about good change or drop it) we are obeying God’s command: “In your anger do not sin.” (Ephesians 4:26) This allows God to direct our response and the processing of the anger.

God has provided clear instructions and a timeline for processing anger.

Consider the following Scripture. It holds some keys for how we can handle anger in the way that God instructs us.

“In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.” (Ephesians 4:26-27)

Now, let’s take the verses apart and examine them:

“In your anger do not sin.”

God does not tell us to never experience anger. He tells us not to sin through the expression of our anger. Only by faith can we process our anger. If we express anger apart from faith, we sin. Romans 14:23b says, “. . . and everything that does not come from faith is sin.”

“Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry.”

I cannot keep the sun from going down. I can, with God’s help, be aware of and process my anger as I go through the day.

“Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.” (Ephesians 4:31) “…and do not give the devil a foothold.” (Ephesians. 4:27)

Spiritual footholds almost always come about as a result of sin. The devil knows how important faith and forgiveness are to God. He also knows that our sin grieves the Holy Spirit of God (Ephesians 4:30). When the Holy Spirit is grieved, He withholds the Fruit of the Spirit. The Fruit of the Spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23) This allows the devil, through our sinful nature, to produce the fruit of the flesh, which includes sexual immorality, impurity, debauchery, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, orgies and the like. (Galatians 5:19-21)

[ Mike Marecle ]

“Why Are We so Easily ‘triggered’?“

Most of us are aware that, around certain topics, we’re uncomfortably easily ‘triggered’, that is, we react with far too much emotion to situations that don’t call for it. Learning not to be so swiftly triggered means looking back into our past to understand the origins of our behaviour – and being confident that what now feels ‘automatic’ is in fact very changeable once we grasp where it comes from.

[ The School of Life ]

Presentation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-C_7OuhXh50

“Is it wrong to be angry with God?”

Is it wrong to be angry with God? Is it a sin to be mad at God? Does God understand if are angry at Him? Is having anger towards God a sin?

Teaching: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-cxgQAIdHw

“ANGER QUIZ”
TAKE THIS QUIZ TO DETERMINE WHY YOU ARE FEELING ANGRY.

[ First Baptist Church Naples ]

QUIZ: https://angerquiz.fbcn.org/?page=angryfornoreasonquiz

“Anger Quiz”

Do you have questions or want to talk to someone about how you can experience hope with Jesus? Click here to get connected: http://bit.ly/2wvdCdk

[ CV Outreach ]

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4oQsw4UffQ

“Anger & Me”

If unchecked, our volatile emotions have the potential to propel our lives into dark places. Are you their master? Or does your anger master you?

Do you have questions or want to talk to someone about how you can experience hope with Jesus? Click here to get connected: http://bit.ly/2wvdCdk

Presentation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1NBrkzZckw

“Jeremiah Complains to God”

12 Lord, if I argue with you,
you are always right.
But I want to ask you about some things that don’t seem right.
Why are wicked people successful?
Why do people you cannot trust have such easy lives?
2 You have put these wicked people here like plants with strong roots.
They grow and produce fruit.
With their mouths they say that you are near and dear to them,
but in their hearts they are really far away from you.
3 But you know my heart, Lord.
You see me and test my mind.
Drag the evil people away like sheep to be killed.
Choose them for the day of slaughter.
4 How much longer will the land be dry?
How long will the grass be dry and dead?
The birds and the animals of this land have all died,
and it is the fault of the wicked.
But they are saying,
“Jeremiah will not live long enough to see what happens to us.”

God’s Answer to Jeremiah
5 “Jeremiah, if running in a race against men makes you tired,
how will you race against horses?
If you trip and fall in a safe place,
what will you do in a dangerous place?
What will you do in the thornbushes
that grow along the Jordan River?
6 These men are your own brothers.
Members of your own family are making plans against you.
People from your own family are shouting at you.
Don’t trust them,
even when they speak to you like friends.
[ Jeremiah 12:1-6 ]

“What does the Bible say about Purgatory?”

What does the Bible say about Purgatory? Is Catholic Purgatory true? Is it true that there is a temporal consequence for sin? Is the doctrine of purgatory anywhere in the Bible? In this video, Pastor Nelson with Bible Munch, answers the question, “What does the Bible say about Purgatory?”.

[ GotQuestions ]

Teaching: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qINJ35cjtAQ

“Refuting Purgatory”

I have recently been discussing Catholic doctrine with a neighbor. Contrary to official Catholic teaching, my neighbor appears to believe that salvation is by grace alone by faith alone in Christ alone. I say appears because my neighbor still believes in purgatory.

As part of our discussion, my neighbor sent me an article authored by Tim Staples of Catholic Answers. His article, I was told, gives scriptural references to support the teaching of purgatory. After reading the article, I decided to respond with a refutation of purgatory. Since so many Christians have Catholic family and/or friends, I thought this refutation of the false doctrine of purgatory might be helpful.

First, as he does in his article, we need to see what the Catholic church officially, and “infallibly”, teaches about purgatory. (I say infallibly because the Catholic church teaches that anything the pope and magisterium teach regarding faith and morals is infallible. Since this teaching comes from their catechism, it is infallible according to the Catholic church and must be believed by the Catholic faithful.) From the Catholic catechism:

III. The Final Purification, or Purgatory
1030 All who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven.

1031 The Church gives the name Purgatory to this final purification of the elect, which is entirely different from the punishment of the damned. The Church formulated her doctrine of faith on Purgatory especially at the Councils of Florence and Trent. The tradition of the Church, by reference to certain texts of Scripture, speaks of a cleansing fire:

As for certain lesser faults, we must believe that, before the Final Judgment, there is a purifying fire. He who is truth says that whoever utters blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will be pardoned neither in this age nor in the age to come. From this sentence we understand that certain offenses can be forgiven in this age, but certain others in the age to come.

1032 This teaching is also based on the practice of prayer for the dead, already mentioned in Sacred Scripture: “Therefore Judas Maccabeus] made atonement for the dead, that they might be delivered from their sin.” From the beginning the Church has honored the memory of the dead and offered prayers in suffrage for them, above all the Eucharistic sacrifice, so that, thus purified, they may attain the beatific vision of God. The Church also commends almsgiving, indulgences, and works of penance undertaken on behalf of the dead:

Let us help and commemorate them. If Job’s sons were purified by their father’s sacrifice, why would we doubt that our offerings for the dead bring them some consolation? Let us not hesitate to help those who have died and to offer our prayers for them.

Now, to make sure I don’t misinterpret what is meant above, here is how the author interprets this:

“This seems so simple. It’s common sense. Scripture is very clear when it says, “But nothing unclean shall enter [heaven]” (Rev. 21:27). Hab. 1:13 says, “You [God]… are of purer eyes than to behold evil and cannot look on wrong…” How many of us will be perfectly sanctified at the time of our deaths? I dare say most of us will be in need of further purification in order to enter the gates of heaven after we die, if, please God, we die in a state of grace.”

So, to summarize, according to the Catholic church, all who are not without sin at death must go to purgatory in order to become clean, that is, without sin, in order to enter heaven. That is the purpose of the “purifying fire”, from which they get the name purgatory.

Before addressing each argument he makes to support purgatory, let’s look at what Scripture says about the above official, “infallible” Catholic teaching. First and foremost, purgatory denies the sufficiency of Christ’s sacrifice. (Interestingly, the author mentions this in the article but then never gives any support as to why purgatory does not deny this sufficiency.) Purgatory teaches that when we die we still have sin that has not been forgiven, thus it must be “purged”. However, Scripture teaches just the opposite. In each passage, it is my emphasis added.

Hebrews 7: “23 The former priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers because they were prevented by death from continuing, 24 but Jesus, on the other hand, because He continues forever, holds His priesthood permanently. 25 Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. 26 For it was fitting for us to have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens; 27 who does not need daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the sins of the people, because this He did once for all when He offered up Himself. 28 For the Law appoints men as high priests who are weak, but the word of the oath, which came after the Law, appoints a Son, made perfect forever.”

Hebrews 9: “11 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation; 12 and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.”

Hebrews 10: “11 Every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins; 12 but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God, 13 waiting from that time onward until His enemies be made a footstool for His feet. 14 For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. 15 And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us; for after saying, 16 “This is the covenant that I will make with them After those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws upon their heart, And on their mind I will write them,” He then says, 17 “And their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” 18 Now where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer any offering for sin.”

1 Peter 3: “18 For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit.”

Romans 6: “10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. 11 Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.”

John 13: “9 Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, then wash not only my feet, but also my hands and my head.” 10 Jesus said to him, “He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.” 11 For He knew the one who was betraying Him; for this reason He said, “Not all of you are clean.””

Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross was a one time event, and through His sacrifice, He paid for the sins of His children once for all. If he paid this only once, and if it provided redemption for believers, then by definition, He paid for all of our sins, past, present and future. By His blood, Jesus has obtained for us eternal redemption. By faith in Him, we immediately have this eternal life, and we are clean, just as God’s holy word says. Indeed, God has said He will remember our sins no more; if He no longer remembers our sins, how is it we must be “purified” from them? The author also quotes Habakkuk, which says nothing unclean can enter heaven. Yet, Jesus tells us that if we are His, we are already clean (John 13:10). In addition, the author says almost no one will be perfectly sanctified at the time of our death. Hebrews 10:13, however, says, “For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified,” meaning all believers are perfectly sanctified.

Purgatory says the sins we die with must be paid for by the “purifying fire” of purgatory. Scripture, however, says that Christ’s death on the cross paid for our past, present and future sins. Likewise, Christ’s righteousness is imputed to the believer, so God sees us as He sees His Son, perfectly righteous. This is why we are perfected, and it is why God will remember our sins no more, since they have been punished on the cross. As the Scriptures above demonstrate, God’s word proves purgatory to be a false teaching. Even worse, it blasphemes the gospel of Christ by teaching that His sacrifice and imputed righteousness was not sufficient. Purgatory is part and parcel of the false gospel of Catholicism

Let’s now consider the arguments the author makes for purgatory.

Argument 1 for Purgatory
He first turns to II Maccabees 12:39-46, which says:

“39 On the following day, since the task had now become urgent, Judas and his companions went to gather up the bodies of the fallen and bury them with their kindred in their ancestral tombs. 40 But under the tunic of each of the dead they found amulets sacred to the idols of Jamnia, which the law forbids the Jews to wear. So it was clear to all that this was why these men had fallen. 41They all therefore praised the ways of the Lord, the just judge who brings to light the things that are hidden. 42 Turning to supplication, they prayed that the sinful deed might be fully blotted out. The noble Judas exhorted the people to keep themselves free from sin, for they had seen with their own eyes what had happened because of the sin of those who had fallen. 43 He then took up a collection among all his soldiers, amounting to two thousand silver drachmas, which he sent to Jerusalem to provide for an expiatory sacrifice. In doing this he acted in a very excellent and noble way, inasmuch as he had the resurrection in mind; 44 for if he were not expecting the fallen to rise again, it would have been superfluous and foolish to pray for the dead. 45 But if he did this with a view to the splendid reward that awaits those who had gone to rest in godliness, it was a holy and pious thought. 46 Thus he made atonement for the dead that they might be absolved from their sin.”

II Maccabees was never part of the Hebrew Scriptures, and is considered an “apocryphal” book, meaning it was never part of Holy Scripture. The original OT canon was Jewish, and contained the twenty two books (the same thirty nine in today’s Protestant Bible; some were combined as one). This canon was known as the Palestinian canon. When the Hebrew OT was translated into Greek (the Septuagint) in Alexandria, Egypt, included in the canon were fifteen books known as the Apocrypha. These were likely included due to the tradition of many churches viewing these books as “useful”, but not canonical (indeed, not all of these books were accepted by the Council of Trent, an “infallible” Catholic council). There are many good reasons why Christians reject the apocryphal books as being included in the OT canon. These include history and evidence from some of the books themselves. Specifically:

No apocryphal books were written by a prophet. All of the OT Scriptures were written by prophets, while none of the apocryphal books were; therefore, the apocryphal books are not canonical. Scripture attests to this view in that the OT is referred to as the Scriptures of the prophets.
The apocryphal books were not accepted by the Jews as part of the OT. If these books were part of the canonical OT, then surely Jesus would have criticized the Jews for excluding them from Scripture, yet He never does.

Jesus and the apostles never quote from the apocryphal books. The OT testifies of Christ, and He gives testimony to the validity of the OT by quoting from many of its books. The apostles, likewise, quote from the OT. Yet they never quote from any of the apocryphal books.

Many Jewish scholars and early church fathers rejected the apocryphal books as canonical. Jewish writers such as Philo and Josephus, and the rabbis at the Council of Jamnia all rejected the apocryphal books as canonical. Most of the early church also rejected them, including Origen, Athanasius, Hilary, Cyril, Epiphanius, Ruffinus, and Jerome. Interestingly, cardinal Cajetan, the man the Catholic church sent to debate Luther, also rejected these books as canonical.
Some apocryphal books contain many historical and geographical inaccuracies. The Bible does not contain such inaccuracies. These errors prove the books that contain them are non-canonical.

Some apocryphal books contradict Scripture.
The apocryphal books were never accepted as canonical by the church until the Council of Trent. Roughly 1,500 years after these books were written, the Catholic church decided to “officially” recognize the apocrypha as Scripture. These books were not accepted as canonical Scripture by either the Jews or the early Christian church.

No apocryphal book makes the claim that it is the word of God. While most OT books do claim to be God’s word, none of the apocrypha claim this status.

Furthermore, there are several problems in the Maccabees text itself. First, the passage acknowledges that the men were killed by God for idolatry (v. 40). Thus, they died in their idolatry, and Scripture says this of idolaters: “9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, 10 nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.” (1 Corinthians 6) In addition, Scripture makes clear that there is no “second chance” once a person dies. Hebrews 9:27 says, “And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment.”

The passage goes on to say that the Jews took up a collection for an “expiatory sacrifice” for the idolaters. Yet, Scripture says, “No man can by any means redeem his brother Or give to God a ransom for him—8 For the redemption of his soul is costly.” (Psalm 49) Furthermore, Hebrews 10:4 says, “For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.” This contradicts v. 46 in the Maccabees passage. Finally, the passage contradicts itself. Verse 45 says there is a reward for those who have gone to rest in “godliness”. Yet, v. 40 says they died as idolaters, meaning they died in ungodliness.

As if acknowledging that II Maccabees is not God’s word, the author says this: “Rejecting the inspiration and canonicity of II Maccabees does not negate its historical value. Maccabees aids us in knowing, purely from an historical perspective at the very least, the Jews believed in praying and making atonement for the dead shortly before the advent of Christ. This is the faith in which Jesus and the apostles were raised.” (emphasis in original) So, here the author is making two absurd assumptions. First, he assumes that what the Jews believed and practiced at the time of Christ was correct. Second, he implies that Jesus and the apostles agreed with such practices since this is the faith in which they were raised.

To show just how absurd his reasoning is, let’s extend his logic to other practices of the Jews and see if Jesus approved. First, the Jews practiced what they called “Corban”. We find this in Mark 7: “9 He was also saying to them, “You are experts at setting aside the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition. 10 For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who speaks evil of father or mother, is to be put to death’; 11 but you say, ‘If a man says to his father or his mother, whatever I have that would help you is Corban (that is to say, given to God),’ 12 you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or his mother; 13 thus invalidating the word of God by your tradition which you have handed down; and you do many things such as that.”” Clearly, Jesus did not approve of everything the Jews practiced, especially those that contradicted the word of God. Since we have seen that what these Jews did in Maccabees also contradicted God’s word, it would be impossible that Jesus would have approved or believed in such things.

As demonstrated above, it’s obvious why II Maccabees was not included in Scripture. The text contradicts God’s word as well as itself. Therefore, this passage cannot be used to support purgatory.

Argument 2 for Purgatory
Next, the author turns to Matthew 12: “31 “Therefore I say to you, any sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven people, but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven. 32 Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.” (emphasis added) The argument here is that Jesus implies that sins can be forgiven in the age to come, that is, after death. Thus, he says this supports the view of purgatory.

From a purely logical perspective, this passage can mean at least two things. First, it could mean what this author suggests, that people can be forgiven after death. Second, it could mean that Jesus is simply emphasizing that blasphemy against the Spirit will never be forgiven, using the “age to come” for emphasis.

How do we know which one? If we find Scripture that does not support the author’s view, we have to reject it, and indeed we do. As mentioned above, Hebrews 9:27 says, “And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment.” If judgment comes after death, then it is logically not possible that a person could be forgiven after death.

Furthermore, this passage does not support purgatory based on the very logic of Catholic teaching. According to the Catholic church, purgatory does not “forgive” sins, of which Matthew 12 speaks. Rather, in their own words, purgatory “purifies” “lesser faults”. Their own teaching says nothing about sins being forgiven in purgatory; instead, the person must atone for these sins via the purifying fire of purgatory. If they were forgiven, there would be no need to atone for anything. Thus, Catholicism’s own teaching refutes purgatory.

Therefore, this argument does not support purgatory.

Argument 3 for Purgatory
The author next cites Matthew 5 as evidence for purgatory: “25 Make friends quickly with your opponent at law while you are with him on the way, so that your opponent may not hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. 26 Truly I say to you, you will not come out of there until you have paid up the last cent.” He goes on to state that the word for prison is the Greek word phulake, which he says is used in 1 Peter 3 as a temporary holding place, which he says gives further support for his argument. What he does not say is that phulake is also used for the word “prison” throughout the New Testament, so there’s nothing special about how it’s used in 1 Peter 3.

So, is Jesus referring to purgatory here? As demonstrated above, Christ has paid for all of our sins, once for all, and God will remember our sins no more. Therefore, this can’t mean purgatory. In this passage, Christ is simply emphasizing that a sinner will never be let out of prison since he cannot pay for his sins because he lacks the ability to pay, namely, the sinlessness of Christ. What Jesus is saying, then, is that those who are guilty (everyone) should settle his sin before he gets to the judge. The only way to settle our sin is by believing in Jesus. The judge here is God, who will punish with an eternal death in hell all who have not settled their sins by faith in Christ, a punishment from which there is no “repayment.

John Calvin wrote about this passage (you have to love his sarcasm):

“But it is highly ridiculous in the Papists, to construct their purgatory out of a continued allegory on this passage. Nothing is more evident than that the subject of Christ’s discourse is the cultivation of friendship among men. They have no shame, or conscientious scruple, to pervert his words, and to torture them into a widely different meaning, provided they can impose on the unlearned. But as they do not deserve a lengthened refutation, I shall only point out, in a single word, their shameful ignorance. The adversary is supposed by them to be the devil. But Christ enjoins those who believe on him to be agreed with the adversary. Therefore, in order that the Papists may find their purgatory here, they must first become the friends and brethren of devils. A farthing is well known to be the fourth part of a penny: but here, as is evident from Luke, it denotes a mite, or any small piece of money. Now, if we were disposed to caviling [irritating or annoying objection], we might here obtain another exposure of the absurdity of the Papists. For, if he who has once entered Purgatory will never leave it, till he has paid the last farthing, it follows, that the suffrages (as they call them) of the living for the dead are of no avail. For Christ makes no allowance, that others may free a debtor by satisfying for him, but expressly demands from each person the payment of what he owes. Now, if Moses and other satisfactions are useless, however warm the fire of Purgatory may be, yet the kitchens of priests and monks, for the sake of which they are so anxious to maintain it, will be cool enough.”
Therefore, this argument does not support purgatory.

Argument 4 for Purgatory
Finally, in his last argument, the author brings up the classic Catholic passage in support of purgatory, 1 Corinthians 3:11-15:

“10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it. 11 For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. 14 If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. 15 If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.”

It’s useful here to go back to the “infallible” definition of purgatory. It says, “As for certain lesser faults, we must believe that, before the Final Judgment, there is a purifying fire.” In the passage above, v. 14 says a person will receive a reward. The fire here is solely to reveal each person’s works. Yet, purgatory is supposed to be for those who need their sins (“certain lesser faults”) purified by fire. How is it they receive a reward? Indeed, the definition of purgatory makes no mention of receiving a reward, as it is not even about rewards.

This passage, however, is speaking solely about the rewards to which a Christian can look forward in heaven. In fact, this is even mentioned in the verses immediately preceding this passage: “8 Now he who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. 9 For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.” Thus, it’s clear that Paul is speaking solely about rewards in the verses that follow.

The quality of our works will be tested as though by fire. Those works done with the right motivation for the glory of God, and in the power of the Spirit will survive, just as gold, silver and precious stones would survive a fire. For these works, we receive a reward. Our works done out of a selfish motivation and not for God’s glory will not survive the testing fire. As a result, we will suffer loss in that we will receive no reward. Importantly, notice the text says we will be saved even if we have no works worthy of a reward. Clearly, then, this passage says nothing about purifying our sins.

A related passage is in 1 Peter 1: “6 In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, 7 so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

Notice that God gives us trials in order to demonstrate the proof of our faith. This will produce works that, when tested by fire, will survive, so much so that when our Lord comes He will give us praise for these works.

The fire in this passage reveals the quality of the believers’ works; some are burned up, while others pass the test for a reward. The fire of purgatory is to purify a person’s sins; if this passage supported purgatory, it would speak of a fire that purifies the gold, wood, hay, etc. Therefore, this argument does not support purgatory.

The doctrine of purgatory begs the question: if God intended for us to believe in purgatory, why would He cloak this teaching in such veiled verses as this author suggests? Why would He not simply explain it as the Catholic church has in the catechism above? The obvious answer is that purgatory is a false doctrine.

As part of the Catholic gospel, purgatory is anything but good news. Scripture says the gospel is good news because Christ has paid for every sin we have committed or will commit, and because we are declared righteous in God’s eyes because He has credited Jesus’ righteousness to us. I hope you can share this good news with your Catholic family and friends, and explain to them why purgatory is a false gospel. Just as He has done for us, may He lead them out of darkness and into His marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9).

[ Brian Smith ]

“The False Hope of Purgatory”

Let’s be clear from the outset: The Roman Catholic doctrine of purgatory is taught nowhere in Scripture. It was invented to accommodate Catholicism’s denial of justification by faith alone. And it offers false hope to millions who anticipate ample time beyond the grave—perhaps eons, if necessary—to achieve their own justification.

Scripture very clearly teaches that an absolutely perfect righteousness is necessary for entry into heaven. Jesus said, “I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:20). He then added, “Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48)—thus setting the standard as high as it can possibly be set.

The Only Way to Heaven

Later in His ministry, when the rich young ruler approached Jesus to ask how he might enter heaven, Jesus upheld this same standard of absolute perfection. He began by challenging the clear implication that the young man hoped he could attain a sufficient goodness of his own to merit heaven: “Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is only One who is good” (Matthew 19:17). Notice: Jesus did not disclaim that He Himself was sinlessly perfect (a common misinterpretation of this passage). He was simply pointing out plainly that the standard of perfection required to earn heaven is impossible for fallen creatures.

Because the young man was undeterred by this, however, Jesus told him that to obtain eternal life, he must have a track record of perfect obedience to the law (Matthew 19:17-22). Again and again, Jesus made the required standard of righteousness impossibly high for all who would seek to earn God’s favor on their own.

The young ruler clearly did not understand or acknowledge his own sinfulness. He assured Jesus that he had indeed kept the law from his youth up (v. 20).

Jesus subtly pointed out the young man’s covetousness (v. 21), which was a violation of the tenth commandment. From the outset of His conversation with the young man, the Lord was prodding him to confess that no one but God Himself is truly good. But the rich young ruler was unwilling to face his own sinfulness, and so he went away without salvation.

The disciples marveled at this. The young man was evidently—from a human perspective—one of the most righteous individuals they’d encountered. Notice that no one disputed his claim that he had obeyed the law. That suggests there were no overt sins in his life that anyone could point to. He seemed the best of men. So the disciples were floored when he walked away with no assurance of eternal life from Jesus. In fact, Jesus told them, “Truly I say to you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God” (Matthew 19:23-24).

There’s no mistaking Jesus’ point. He was setting the standard at an impossible height. He was saying that the most fastidious legal observance is not enough. The most flawless external righteousness is not enough. All the worldly advantages of wealth are of no help. Only absolute perfection is acceptable to God. Our Lord kept underscoring these truths because He wanted people to see the utter futility of trying to earn righteousness by any system of works.

The disciples got the message. They asked, “Then who can be saved?” (Matthew 19:25).

And Jesus replied, “With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26).

Accepted By Imputation

We know from Paul’s treatise on justification in Romans 4 that God saves believers by imputing to them the merit of Christ’s perfect righteousness—by no means because of their own righteousness. God accepts believers “in Christ.” He clothes them with the perfect righteousness of Christ. He declares them perfectly righteous because of Christ. Their sins have been imputed to Christ, who has paid the full penalty. His righteousness is now imputed to them and—through His imputed righteousness—they receive His full merit. That is what justification by faith means. The Father “made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

In other words, God does not first make us perfect, then accept us on that basis. He first legally justifies us by imputing to us an alien righteousness, then perfects us by conforming us to the image of Christ. He “justifies the ungodly” (Romans 4:5).

Paul wrote, “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1). “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). Those verses describe our justification as something already accomplished—a completed reality, not something we are striving for. Jesus Himself described justification as an immediate event when He told how the repentant publican was saved after begging God for mercy: “I tell you, this man went to his house justified” (Luke 18:14).

Scripture clearly and consistently attests to justification as a settled fact for every believer; it is not an ongoing process. We stand before God in faith right now, fully acceptable to Him because of Christ’s righteousness—not because of any doings of our own.

False Doctrine and False Hope

Roman Catholic doctrine denies all of that. Catholicism teaches that justification is an ongoing process that depends on the degree of real, personal righteousness we achieve. According to Rome, Christ’s merit imputed to us is not enough to save; we must earn more merit of our own through the sacraments and other good works. Righteousness is infused into us (rather than being imputed to us). But it is obvious that we are not perfectly righteous by any practical measure. So the righteousness we obtain by grace must be perfected by our own efforts.

According to Catholic teaching, this real, personal righteousness that resides in us is the necessary ground on which God accepts us. And our justification is not complete until we are really and completely perfect—by an inherent righteousness, not merely by a legally imputed righteousness. This actually reverses the biblical order, suggesting that we must first be perfected, and only then is our justification complete. In other words, in Roman Catholic doctrine, God does not justify the ungodly.

The Catholic view of justification poses an obvious dilemma. We know too well that even the best Christians fall far short of perfection. No one (Catholic teaching actually says almost no one) achieves absolute perfection in this life. And if our own perfection is a prerequisite for heaven, it would seem no one could enter there immediately upon dying. Any remaining imperfections would need to be worked out first.

The invention of purgatory was necessary to solve this dilemma. Deny that we are justified by faith alone, and you must devise an explanation of how we can make the transition from our imperfect state in this life to the perfect state of heaven. Purgatory is where Roman Catholics believe most people go after death to be finally purged of their remaining guilt and gain whatever merit they may be lacking to enter heaven. Catholicism teaches that this process involves intense pain and suffering.

Oddly enough, although Catholic doctrine denies that the imputed righteousness of Christ is sufficient to save sinners in this life, it does allow the imputation of righteousness from living sinners to those in purgatory. This is why masses are said for the dead. Supposedly the righteousness earned by way of the sacrament is imputed to the person in purgatory, which shortens his or her stay there.

The Catholic doctrine of purgatory offers false hope to people hoping to atone for their own sins on the other side of the grave. Rome’s warped and perverted view of justification will undoubtedly usher into eternal torment many who expected to have more time to achieve perfection.

[ John MacArthur ]

“Why Does God Allow So Much Suffering and Evil?”

One of the most pressing challenges to Christianity is the problem of evil. Unbelievers are quick to ask how Christians can believe in the existence of a good God in the face of so much evil. In this session, Dr. John MacArthur will examine what Scripture teaches regarding evil and suffering and why it exists in the world.

[ John MacArthur ]

Presentation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LFzk1afiD8

“The Thief on the Cross”

[ John Piper ]

Presentation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6QfizmMgmg

“Remember Me! Thief on the cross – Paradise (Luke 23:26-43)”

Join Pastor Wayne as he teaches about the awakened thief on the cross.
Luke 23:26-43

[ Pastor Wayne ]

Sermon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvCOWEbhbEg

“The Two Thieves at the Cross”

There are only two responses to Jesus Christ, and these two responses are represented by the two thieves who were also crucified with Christ. Every single person stands in line behind one of the two thieves in how they respond to Jesus Christ.

[ Jesse Barrington]

Sermon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZNX8BN4D-8

“Why Were Both Thieves Criticizing Jesus On The Cross?”

Bobby speculates on this apparent contradiction found in the Gospels.

[ Bobby Conway ]

Teaching: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34lsoL8vDgw

“The Problem of Pain by C.S. Lewis (Summary+Review)”

How can there be hell if a good God exists? Why do people suffer? Is God a moral monster? C.S. Lewis tries to answer these question in his apologetic book “The Problem of Pain”.

Read the book online for free:
English: http://www.samizdat.qc.ca/cosmos/phil…

Listen to the book online for free:
English: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_efsO…

Review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9M97fD1O94

“Religion Vs Relationship: Do You Know The Difference?”

Do you know the differences between Religion vs Relationship with Jesus Christ? Understanding the difference between the two is a crucial part of a born-again believer.

This page/post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, as well as an affiliate of other programs, this means if you purchase something using these links, I will receive a commission on qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you! For more detailed information, please visit our Affiliate Disclaimer page. For detailed information, on Bible Verse Translations see our Copyright FAQ

Do you want to learn how to have a relationship with God vs keeping a bunch of man-made rules and regulations that dictate how you can earn salvation?

Jesus Christ longs for you and I to have a relationship with Him, not a religion? Jesus came to save us, therefore, having a relationship, not a religion.

The Israelites were looking for a King to save them from the Romans and thought Jesus came to fulfill this. However, Jesus only wanted people to “follow” him into a relationship with him, not be their “King!”

Born again followers of Jesus Christ should NOT be seeking to “convert” people to a religion. Our calling as Jesus’ disciples is to introduce Jesus Christ to the lost, broken, and hurting people of this world by sharing the “gospel”, not a “religion” simply stated our job is to introduce others to JESUS, not Christianity…There’s a huge difference!

Religion vs Relationship do you know the difference the Difference

CONTENTS

1 RELIGION VS RELATIONSHIP DEFINITIONS IN CHRISTIAN LIVING
1.1 WHAT IS THE DEFINITION OF RELIGION?
1.2 WHAT IS THE DEFINITION OF A RELATIONSHIP?
1.3 SPIRITUAL VS RELIGION
1.4 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SPIRITUALITY AND RELIGION
1.5 THIS IS RELIGION-BASED NOT A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD!
1.6 WHY IT’S IMPORTANT TO LET OTHERS SEE JESUS IN YOU
1.7 WHAT PEOPLE ARE SEARCHING FOR AND NEED IS A RELATIONSHIP
1.8 HOW TO RECEIVE A RELATIONSHIP, NOT RELIGION
1.9 REMEMBER, IT’S NOT ABOUT RELIGION IT’S ABOUT A RELATIONSHIP
1.10 IT’S NOT ABOUT RELIGION IT’S ABOUT A RELATIONSHIP
2 IN CONCLUSION ON RELIGION VS RELATIONSHIP IN CHRISTIAN LIVING

Religion Vs Relationship Definitions In Christian Living

In the new testament, the disciples of Jesus Christ identified themselves as Jesus’ followers rather than identifying themselves as a religion.

To them Jesus was “the way” “the truth” and “the life” and his disciples were devoted to following “the way of Jesus”.

Simply stated they didn’t ask people to become a part of a “religion” they provided an opportunity for others to meet Jesus, therefore, coming into a relationship.

SOAP Bible Study sheets opt-in
WHAT IS THE DEFINITION OF RELIGION?
According to Merrian-Webster Definition of Religion:

The belief in a God or in a group of Gods

The organized system of beliefs, ceremonies, and rules used to worship a God or a group of Gods.
An interest, a belief, or an activity that is very important to a person or group.
WHAT IS THE DEFINITION OF A RELATIONSHIP?
Completely trusting in God to get us through each day and believing that He is our sustainer is the way to have a relationship with Him.
Although we may not see changes immediately, we will begin to see them over time, and all the truths will become clear.

Can you see the obvious difference between religion vs relationship already?

Sadly in today’s time, many believe just because they attend church this automatically means they have a relationship with Jesus Christ.

This being said however their lifestyle contradicts what God’s word says. Now I am by no means perfect nor am I judging anyone but it’s clear to see there is no evidence of a changed heart.

DEFINE YOUR PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP

Spiritual Vs Religion
When you ask someone if he or she, has a personal relationship with God one of the most common responses you’ll hear is, “Of course, I’m a Christian.

I go to church, don’t I?” Friends, there’s a huge difference between religion vs relationship.

I don’t mean to sound harsh, but just because you attend Church on Wednesdays and Sundays, does NOT automatically, make you a follower of Jesus Christ.

Difference Between Spirituality And Religion
MISGUIDED EXAMPLES ON RELIGION VS RELATIONSHIP IN CHRISTIAN LIVING

Read your Bible
Attend Church
Pray every day
Help those in need
Serve in your community
Follow your Church Doctrines
Do excessive good deeds
THIS IS RELIGION-BASED NOT A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD!
Religion-based:

Where we follow rules, hoping to be living right, and doing the right thing.
Serving God out of duty because we think we have to.
Relationship-based:

First and foremost we surrender our heart and life to Jesus Christ and our sanctification deepens as we walk with HIM daily.

Secondly, we serve Christ not because we think we HAVE to out of obligation or “rules” but because we WANT to and do ALL things according to HIS will for us.

WHY IT’S IMPORTANT TO LET OTHERS SEE JESUS IN YOU
Have you been asked:

What is so different about you?
How can you ALWAYS have a smile on your face, with all you go through?
You have a presence about you that draws me, can you explain what it is?
I’d like for you to share with me what I must do to receive it?
In other words, if you have a “personal” relationship with Jesus Christ not “religion” people will notice the difference. It’s a true inward “heart change” not just outward change. Broken people are used in helping other broken people.

When people can witness a true authentic change in someone It reaches the broken place within their life, therefore, giving them hope that can ONLY be found in Jesus Christ.

See beloved, what’s missing in this broken world, is that people think Jesus is a dictator/religion NOT realizing the difference as religion vs relationship. There’s a huge difference!

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SEARCHING FOR AND NEED IS A RELATIONSHIP
Grace
Love
Hope
Forgiveness
Salvation
Our good works alone cannot save us. If we could be saved by good works alone then Jesus Christ died for nothing! You must have a Relationship, not Religion.

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

HOW TO RECEIVE A RELATIONSHIP, NOT RELIGION
Good intentions are NOT enough. If you want to be a BORN AGAIN, a follower of God, you must realize you are a sinner.

Jesus …Christ finished the work of salvation on the cross. We can be saved ONLY by trusting His finished work on the Cross not rituals or putting on a show such as the Sadducees and Pharisees did…that is religion.

You can pray, believe in miracles, hear sermons, and even believe in its truth, and not be saved. not only this but you can live what “THE WORLD VIEWS,” as a good person, and believe in your heart you’ll make it to Heaven, but that isn’t Biblical beloved.

But God shows his love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

And there is salvation in NO ONE else, for there is NO OTHER NAME under heaven, given among men, by which we must be saved. Acts 4:12

Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9

For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast. Ephesians 2:8-9

Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy, he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost. Titus 3:5

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins. Ephesians 2:1

TO BE A BORN-AGAIN FOLLOWER OF JESUS CHRIST YOU MUST:

Repent: Means to “change” or to “turn”
Remorse: More than just sorry, for your sins
Many people feel remorse for their sin, but never truly repent. Remorse is being sorry repentance is being sorry enough to stop, and turn away from. Receive Jesus in your heart to be saved and have a relationship with him.

But as many as received him, to them gave he the power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name. John 1:12

And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved. Acts 16:31

REMEMBER, IT’S NOT ABOUT RELIGION IT’S ABOUT A RELATIONSHIP
Sadly, many people who claim to have a relationship with God, do NOT, which is considered to have Religion…NOT a relationship!

I am by no means bashing ANY Denomination, search your Heart, read Scriptures for yourself. Don’t take MY WORD for anything. Take GOD AT HIS WORD!! THE HOLY BIBLE!

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Matthew 7:21

On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name? Matthew 7:22

And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness. Matthew 7:23

For whosoever shall call, upon the name of the Lord, shall be saved. Romans 10:13

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IT’S NOT ABOUT RELIGION IT’S ABOUT A RELATIONSHIP
Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 1 John 4:15

Friends, the Joy you see in me, comes from the salvation I have in Jesus Christ. In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began. Titus 1:2

But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God and that by believing you may have life in his name. John 20:31

I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. 1 John 5:13

Can I encourage you to please watch the video below because it goes more in detail on this topic and he states the differences perfectly on how IT’S NOT ABOUT RELIGION IT’S ABOUT A RELATIONSHIP

Why I Hate Religion but Love Jesus and His Spoken Word: Religion vs Relationship

IN CONCLUSION ON RELIGION VS RELATIONSHIP IN CHRISTIAN LIVING
I sincerely hope you can now tell the differences between Religion vs Relationship with Jesus Christ.

Friends, if you are unsure where you will spend Eternity, find a Minister, Pastor, Lifegroup or Small Group Leader, or Elder, to talk to you because your eternity is at stake! Heaven or Hell? Place your hope in Christ today.

Search your heart and soul, to know if God dwells within you and is the ruler of your heart and not just going through the motions of religion.

If I can help you in some way, I will be more than happy, to try and answer your questions. If I don’t have an answer I can point you to someone who will.

REMEMBER, IT’S NOT ABOUT RELIGION IT’S ABOUT A RELATIONSHIP

God is longing for a relationship with you! Make the choice today to surrender.

[ Angela – Resounding His Love ]

“T.R.U.S.T.”

There could be many acronyms I could come up with for “T.R.U.S.T.,” but in my ‘travels’ on the Internet, I found a little devotional by Sarah E. Brown that I thought would present a different viewpoint than mine on this—and I like it. Even though he primarily used the acronym “T.R.U.S.T.”, she supplemented it with “A Command. A Commitment.”:

A Command
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”
[ Proverbs 3:5-6 ].

When God says, “Trust in Me…” it’s not just a suggestion. He doesn’t say, ”If you WANT to trust Me…” He TELLS us to trust. And really, it’s not so much a COMMAND as it is a PLEA.

Ok, so God really wants us to trust Him, but what does that really mean? I figured that a good place find the meaning of the word trust would be in a dictionary.

What does it mean to trust God?
Dictionary definitions:
– To regard as right or true (belief)
– To put into the possession or safekeeping of another (action)

I was so amazed by the profoundness of the two simple definitions. Trust is not JUST a belief or Christian catch-phrase (“Lord I trust you). Trust involves both the BELIEF that God will keep His Word, and also the ACTION of placing one’s whole life in His care.

To make this easier to remember I came up with a little acronym for TRUST….

Acronym: T.R.U.S.T. is…
– Turning over every aspect of one’s life to God
– Realizing that He already has a perfect plan for me
– Understanding that I may not always understand!
– Seeking His will every step of the way
– Thanking Him when things don’t turn out as expected

T is for Turning over every aspect of my life to God.

Turning over my life to God
“Trust in the Lord, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass.”
[ Psalm 37:3-5 ].

This really goes back to the definition, “Putting into the possession or safekeeping of another.” Are you willing to put your life into the possession and safekeeping of God?

R is for Realizing that God already has a perfect plan for me.

Realizing He has a plan
“Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.”
[ Jeremiah 1:4-5 ].

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”
[ Jeremiah 29:11 ].

The way God has led me in my school decisions has showed me the truth of these promises! Sometimes I was so set in my ways that I had to go in a certain direction, and then He would firmly close that door—right in my face! But the doors that He has opened instead have turned out to be far better than the ones I was pursuing. He was simply waiting for me to trust Him. Are you willing to trust God’s promise that He has “plans for good” in store for you?

U is for Understanding that I may not always understand!

Understanding… even when I can’t!
“Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him. Even so, I will defend my own ways before Him.”
[ Job 13:15 ].

“The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord.” In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong.”
[ Job 1:21c ].

Wow, those are powerful, faith-filled words. Are we willing to trust God, even to the point of death? Are we willing to say, like Job did, “The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord”?

S is for Seeking God’s will every step of the way.

Seeking His will
“We can make our own plans, but the Lord gives the right answer… Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed.
[ Proverbs 16:1, 3 ].

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.”
[ Matthew 7:7-8 ].

One thing the Lord has been teaching me is to actively pursue His will. It would be a mistake to say, “Lord, I trust you to show me your plan for my life,” and then sit back and do nothing, waiting for Him to somehow show you His plan. Remember the dictionary definitions of TRUST? It’s not just about belief or a catch-phrase. It also involves action. Are you willing to diligently “ask, seek, and knock” to know God’s will for your life?

Lastly, T is for Thanking God even when things don’t go one’s way, since god knows what’s best

Thanking Him for the unexpected
“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand.”
[ Philippians 4:6-7a ].

This is really the most important part of TRUST. When I’ve done my part and earnestly sought God’s direction, but things still don’t turn out like I might have hoped, it’s can be a temptation to worry. But if I am experiencing worry and anxiety, then I know that I am not truly trusting. I will only experience the “peace that passes understanding” when I’m willing to thank God for leading—wherever He may have led. Are you willing to thank God and trust Him, even when outcome isn’t what you wanted?

When we’re will to trust…
– Fear is expelled from my life: “In God I have put my trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?
[ Psalm 56:11 ].

– Perfect peace reigns: “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!
[ Isaiah 26:3 ].

– God can use us for a greater purpose than we could have ever imagined!

You see, God can do great things with us when we’re willing to trust Him. He’ll expel fear, as promised by the words of David. He’ll give us His peace, as promised through the words of Isaiah. And He’ll use us in ways we could never have imagined. Don’t you see now why He would plead with you to trust Him?

[ Sarah E. Brown ]

“‘KNOWING’ GOD”

We can’t trust someone we don’t know, and there is only one way to know God—through His Word, the Bible. There is no magic formula to make us spiritual giants overnight, no mystical prayer to pray three times a day to mature us, build our faith, and make us ‘towers’ of strength and confidence.

There is only the Bible (Sola Scriptura), the single source of power that will change one’s lives from the inside out. BUT it takes diligent, everyday effort, to even start to know the God who controls everything. However, if we ‘drink’ deeply of His Word and let it fill our minds and hearts, the sovereignty of God will become clear to us, and they will rejoice in it because one will know intimately and trust completely the God who controls all things for His perfect purpose.

Sadly, it is possible for a husband to live with his wife for 50 years, eat at the same table, and share the same routine every day but never ‘really’ understand her. In the same way, one can attend church and read books about God without ‘truly’ knowing Him. We get to know God by spending time in His presence and reading what He has revealed about Himself in His Word.

[ FYI: For more details about the “presence” of God, view this previous “Life’s Deep Thoughts” post:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/presence-withdrawn-v257/
].

Getting to know God isn’t something that happens automatically. It comes through spending time with Him and a lifelong ‘journey’. The Apostle Paul put it this way:

“Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

“Straining Toward the Goal
“Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” [ Philippians 3:8-14 ].

THE BIBLE IS ‘CONVICTING’
The Bible is VERY different from any other book you read. One reads other books but this book ‘READS YOU, because it is ‘alive’!

Again, I like what Presbyterian minister E. Paul Hovey said about this: “[People] do not reject the Bible because it contradicts itself but because it contradicts them.” The Bible judges the thoughts and intentions of the ‘heart’. It is a ‘convicting’ book (“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword” – Hebrews 4:12).

THE ‘PROMISES’ OF GOD
The Bible is full of God’s promises and reminders that He is faithful. Take encouragement from the truth that God is ‘with’ the believer!

God keeps promises because He is good and faithful. He keeps promises because there are never circumstances beyond His control, never situations He did not foresee.

The absolute security of the promises of God is like an anchor for our souls in times of trouble (Hebrews 6:19). This anchor produces hope that holds us fast and sure as the waves of life toss us about. We may get a little seasick, but we won’t drift away in the current. We won’t sink in the waves.

This year has been filled with hardship and heartache. But whatever you’re facing today, God knows and He is able. You can trust in His presence and hold fast to His promises. Find comfort and peace today in His Word.

God DOES NOT break promises… Period! God PROMISES to help those who desire His help (Philippians 4:19).

The following Scriptures are just a sample of the many promises God makes in HIs Word, for the believer:

God will be present with you (Isaiah 43:1-2):
God does not promise His people that we won’t go through trouble. But He does promise He will go through it by their side.

God will provide for your needs (Matthew 6:25-33):
Jesus assured us that the Father knows our every need and will meet it. Sometimes His provision doesn’t look exactly like what we expected. So, although we cannot trust in a specific provision, we can trust in our divine Provider.

God loves you (Romans 8:39):
No matter the quality of your other relationships, as a child of God, we can always depend on our heavenly Father’s love for us.

God will ease your fears (Psalm 34:1-7):
God is greater than anything that can hurt or harm us. He can deliver us from trouble and whatever He does allow into our lives He will deliver through it, even if it’s all the way to glory. We have no need to fear what today or tomorrow holds because God holds us.

God will trade His peace for our anxiety (Philippians 4:4-10):
When we bring our anxious thoughts to God and meditate on His good things, He will trade our anxiety for His peace.

God will give you soul rest (Matthew 11:28-30):
This world gives us lots of burdens to carry. But God invites us to lay them down and experience His rest.

God gives us spiritual protection (1 Peter 1:3-5):
When we enter into a saving relationship with Jesus, we never have to wonder if we will “get to heaven.” God spiritually shields and protects those who belong to Him.

God will always provide a way to say no to temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13):
We do not have to give in to temptation. God promises to show us a way out and the strength to say, “No.”

God gives contentment in any situation (Philippians 4:10-13):
No matter our physical circumstances—plenty or need—Jesus will give us the strength to be content.

God will make all things right (Revelation 21:1-4):
At the end of history, when Jesus comes again, God will abolish all sin, grief, death, and mourning!

THE ‘KINGDOM’ OF GOD
Jesus said, “But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” [ Matthews 6:33]. This is one of the MOST IMPORTANT things He said to His disciples!

[ FYI: For more details about the importance of the “Kingdom of God,” view this previous “Life’s Deep Thoughts” post:
https://markbesh.wordpress.com/kingdoms-past-present-and-future-v262/ ].

To emphasize this, Jesus makes this REALLY IMPORTANT since He makes it the first ‘concept’ He mentions in the “Lord’s Prayer” [ for me, the “Disciple’s Prayer” ], when praying to God: “Your Kingdom come. Your will be done. On earth as it is in Heaven” (Matthew 6:10). This is praying for a day when God will bring Heaven to earth and will bring His rule on this planet. God still has a plan for planet Earth. He will rule and reign here, and His ‘children’ will rule and reign with Him!

When we TRUST and seek the Kingdom of God, we are also praying for the rule and reign of the Kingdom of God in our lives. This is when Jesus is in charge. On one occasion Jesus said, “For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:21), where He was speaking of Himself. When you are under His lordship, and when He is in control of your life, that is the Kingdom of God. It is not rules and regulations, but “righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17). Here are some Scriptures to help you understand this:

“But seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” [ Matthew 6:33 ].

“Jesus answered, ‘My Kingdom is not of this world. If my Kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my Kingdom is not from the world’” [ John 18:36 ].

“And saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the Gospel’” [ Mark 1:15 ].

“Being asked by the Pharisees when the Kingdom of God would come, he answered them, “The Kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed, nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the Kingdom of God is in the midst of you” [ Luke 17:20-21 ].

“From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” [ Matthew 4:17 ].

“Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in Heaven, saying, “The Kingdom of the world has become the Kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever” [Revelation 11:15 ].

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven” [ Matthew 5:3 ].

“Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God” [ John 3:3 ].

“The Lord has established His throne in the Heavens, and His Kingdom rules over all” [ Psalm 103:19 ].

“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven” [ Matthew 5:10 ].

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in Heaven” [ Matthew 7:21 ].

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away” [ Revelation 21:1-4 ].

‘ASK, SEEK, KNOCK’
If you already believe the Bible is God’s ‘message’ to humanity, GREAT!—continue to delve the ‘depths’ of His character.

HOWEVER, if you still don’t TRUST that the Bible is the ‘inspired’ communication directly from the God that created the universe, then let me strongly encourage you ASK, SEEK, and ‘KNOCK’ (Matthew 7:7). IF you are honesty desiring to TRUST God’s ‘book’—and therefore God Himself—He WILL give you His attention and ‘hear’ what you are asking, He WILL allow you to ‘find’ Him when you seek Him, and WILL open the ‘door’ for you to ‘find’ Him to develop a relationship with Him and, HOPEFULLY, then become one of His ‘children’! “Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long” [ Psalm 25:4-5 ]. Be like the boy’s father that was pleading for Jesus to heal his son’s convulsions, “I do believe; help my unbelief!” [ Mark 9:24b ].

100% TRUST
As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, sadly, most people don’t trust others, and there are lots of reasons why. However, on the other hand, it seems that people trust ‘inanimate’ things sometimes more than they do people—like cars, traffic lights, airplanes, buildings, tables, chairs, stove/oven, computers, electricity, plumbing, medicine, food, and MANY other items that they use every day—and some that they trust 100% without having absolute knowledge of their veracity!

So, some people say that those are things that they can see and touch. Well, we can’t see or touch gravity, and it literally keeps us ‘grounded’, day in and day out, without us having to think a single thought about it. We can’t see or touch air, but we have 100% TRUST in it that it is going to keep us alive, moment to moment!

That’s kind of like the trust one needs to put in God. We can’t see or touch Him, but there are MANY other things that ‘point’ to His existence and care for humanity.

As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, “General Revelation” is God’s way of ‘revealing’ Himself through nature (creation) and conscience (humanity). This tells everyone in the world some of who God is: that He exists, that He is good, and that He is powerful (Romans 1:19-20).

Then, there is “Special Revelation,” that is not available to everyone—only to the ‘believer’. Special Revelation discloses God’s plan of redemption. It is God’s intervention to make His will and knowledge available that would not otherwise be available through General Revelation. The primary purpose of Special Revelation is to impart the knowledge and understanding of Jesus Christ, salvation, and the atonement—an explicit knowledge of Jesus and His Gospel—primarily given to humanity through the Scriptures.

So, all that to say that God IS Someone you CAN TRUST, ONE HUNDRED PERCENT!

I began this post with the team-building exercise called the “Trust Fall,” in which a person deliberately falls, trusting the members of a group (spotters) to catch them. Let me then suggest that you ‘trust fall’ into God’s ‘arms’. The Bible GUARANTEES that He WILL ‘CATCH’ YOU! “Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the LORD will uphold them by His hand” [ Psalm 37:24 ].

SO, my prayer for EVERYONE is that you will be able to genuinely say someday, “In you, Lord my God, I put my trust” [ Psalm 25:1 ].

[ Mark Besh – From the “Life’s Deep Thoughts post “Learning To ‘T.R.U.S.T.’” (v263) ]

“A Bible Lesson on Anger | How To Control Your Anger”

Pastor Josh Surratt shares a Bible lesson on anger and the formula that James 1:19 gives for how to control your anger.

[ Josh Surratt ]

Sermon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Lrgysh7QrU

“How to handle anger the Christian way’

The Bible tells us to “get rid of anger.” But just pretending you never get angry doesn’t work. Here’s what does.

[ Dmitri Bilgere ]

Teaching: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9K0UUebjWC8

“3 Ways to Deal When You’re Angry at God”

Do you ever have moments when you are angry at God? Moments where you are quick to point out what you think He should have done to help you in different life situations?

What do you do?

I tell Him why I’m angry. I used to think this was a bad trait, but I noticed when I tell God how I feel, I also find myself drawn closer to him and reminded of all the good I have to be thankful for. I learned these moments of anger change everything.

So, I wanted to share this experience to remind you that it’s not always sinful to be mad at God; you can tell Him you’re angry and allow Him to grow you and change your attitude.

Related: How to be grateful during hard times

Anger Towards God
Not too long ago, I was having a rough week. It felt like things were spinning out of control. We had been praying for renters to move in or someone to buy our now-vacant house, and all we heard was crickets. I was okay with that. I trusted God and knew it was a process. But then life happened.

One Sunday, right as we were about to leave for church, I ran to the basement to grab something. Instead of finding what I was looking for, I found a basement soaked. The sump pump had failed overnight, and water was everywhere.

We spent the morning taking everything out of the basement and up to the main level and garage. During the lifting and moving, my husband tweaked his back and could no longer help and was in a lot of pain.

I felt like things were falling apart. I started to throw a pity party for myself. I even argued with God. Here we are trying to be faithful by giving money to the church even when we are draining funds in a vacant home. Yet, instead of finding financial blessings, we were hit with extra stressors.

I was beginning to panic. It didn’t feel fair.

The next day things didn’t get any better as my husband drove over a piece of metal on his way home from work and had to get a new tire.

Despite the circumstances and what felt like blow after blow, one thing changed in that 24-hour period—my attitude. My pity party had ended, and I began to trust and lean into God. I realized I was holding on too tight to the things of the world. And even on to the money I had already given to God. It was like I was giving a gift and then asking for it back.

It wasn’t my finest moment.

What Does God Say About Being Mad?
In the Psalms, David regularly calls out to God with the emotion he is feeling. In Psalms 22: 1, David says, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning?”

David doesn’t hold back his emotion. He confronts God and tells him how he feels about the situations he is in. The way David tells God the truth he feels is an excellent reminder to us. God wants to hear our pain. God wants to know how we feel. Sometimes our anger can lead to withdrawing from God or feeling guilty for being angry. But that is the opposite of what God wants. Instead, we should pour our hearts to God.

How to Deal with Anger Towards God
Be open and honest with Him. Initially, anger was how I responded to God. Through honest prayers of stating how I felt. Telling God how I felt hurt and betrayed.

Consistent Prayer. Instead of feeling distant from God, I felt a closeness and peace from the situation and had a heart that turned my anger into prayers for peace.

I wish I could say I said one prayer and felt God’s peace, but my attitude shift took time and lots of prayer. So I continued to pray throughout the day. Every time I started to worry or felt my anxiety rise. I prayed for peace. I prayed for a new heart and attitude.

Praise God for the good He’s done. As the day went on, I found myself spending less time praying and more time praising God for the good things in my life. An attitude shift. A change of perspective.

Related: Blessings in the Midst of Trials

Unworthy Of His Grace
God answered a prayer I didn’t feel worthy to receive, but he freely gave. He didn’t take away the situation, but still, things were different. Unworthy of His grace, He took away my frustration. He gave me peace that changed me even though my life situation was still the same.

Sometimes, it is easy to get into the mindset that God’s blessings are tied to what we give as if we give to get. I believed we gave in order to receive protection from life’s realities, but this couldn’t be farther from the truth.

I previously lived as though we pray to receive God’s blessing, and then that protects us from the world, but that isn’t how life works. We don’t give to receive anything. We give because it is what God requires us to do. And we should give because we are so fortunate.

For many Americans, giving is a matter of giving away money we would use on wants, not requirements.

In Mark 12:41-44, Jesus observes a woman giving two small copper coins worth very little in monetary value, but Jesus saw that she gave all she had. The heart of giving isn’t about how much we offer, and it certainly is not about giving what is comfortable or what is left over. Instead, we are to give in those in need and give back to God as a way to thank Him for all we have been given.

As the week continued, God kept showing up in unexpected ways. And I could only see the blessings that were cropping out of a challenging situation.

My husband’s injured his back, but he was able to go to the chiropractor and felt almost back to normal by the end of the week.

The basement was flooded, but with insurance and doing some work ourselves, it could be updated and remodeled for a minor out-of-pocket cost. We could have had family scheduled to visit us, but they had just left two weeks prior, and the timing worked great for a basement remodel.

And then a prayer request outside of the current circumstances was miraculous answered in a way I never expected.

God continues to show me that even when things seem to be going wrong everywhere, He is still there. He is there to listen, to comfort, and to provide peace.

Related: Preparing your Heart for a rough season ahead

Why Is God giving me a Hard Time?
I recently heard a sermon that God didn’t provide the American dream in His promises. As Americans, we can get wrapped into a culture that we can forget what is important and what God requires and what he gives.

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” – John 16:33 NIV.

Life isn’t going to be easy. Look at the story of Job, and you will see all the devastation he experienced. We may not ever know why God allows us to go through hard times, but we can trust that he will use it all. With God’s peace and the right perspective, even the more challenging parts of life can be something we can learn from and grow closer to God.

And that house that was empty now has a family living it—another unexpected answer to prayers.

Praise Jesus!

[ Amanda Huffman ]

“How can I be sure that when I die I will go to heaven?”

Can we really know for sure we will go to heaven when we die? The Bible says we can. In 1 John 5:13 we read, “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life.” The question in this verse is whether we have truly believed in the Son of God. John 3:16 shares, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” If we do believe in Him, we can rest assured that we will enjoy eternity in heaven with Christ.

How do we know if we have believed in the Son of God? Romans 10:9 says, “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” This verse reveals the essentials necessary for believing in Jesus. First, we must believe Jesus is Lord. In other words, we accept Him as God’s Son who came to earth as “God with us” (John 1:14). Second, we must believe Jesus rose from the dead. His power over death proved His teachings were true; He is the King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 19:16).

When we believe in Him, we receive salvation as God’s free gift of grace through faith: “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). Our salvation is not based on our good works, therefore we cannot lose our salvation because of mistakes we make in seeking to live for Christ. John 14:3 even teaches that Jesus returned to heaven to prepare a place for us to live with Him forever: “if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.”

Romans 8 speaks at length regarding the confidence we have as believers in Jesus about our eternal home in heaven. Its first verse notes, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” When we believe in Jesus as the risen Lord, we are no longer condemned before God. We are forgiven and will be accepted as part of God’s family (John 1:12). By the end of Romans 8 we are promised, “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39).

Are you certain that you have placed your faith in Jesus Christ as the risen Lord? If not, you can decide right now to trust in Him. There is no special prayer you must pray, but the following prayer can be used to help you take the important first step in believing in Jesus:

“Dear God, I realize I am a sinner and could never reach heaven by my own good deeds. Right now I place my faith in Jesus Christ as God’s Son who lived a perfect life, died in my place, and rose from the dead to give me eternal life. Please forgive me of my sins and help me to live for you. Thank you for accepting me and giving me eternal life.”

Have you made a decision for Christ because of what you have read here? If so, please click on the “I have accepted Christ today” button below.

[ Got Questions ]

“Going to Heaven – how can I guarantee my eternal destination?”

Face it. The day we step into eternity may come sooner than we think. In preparation for that moment, we need to know this truth—not everyone is going to heaven. How can we know for sure that we are going to heaven? Some 2,000 years ago, the apostles Peter and John were preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ to a large crowd in Jerusalem. Peter made a profound statement that resonates even in our postmodern world: “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

Now as then, Acts 4:12 is not politically correct. Today it’s popular to say, “Everyone’s going to heaven” or “All paths lead to heaven.” There are many who think they can have heaven without having Jesus. They want the glory, but they don’t want to be bothered by the cross, much less the One who died there. Many don’t want to accept Jesus as the only way of going to heaven and are determined to find another path. But Jesus warns us that no other path exists and that the consequence for rejecting this truth is an eternity in hell. He told us that “whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him” (John 3:36). Faith in Christ is the key to going to heaven.

Some will argue that it’s extremely narrow-minded of God to provide only one way to heaven. But, frankly, in light of mankind’s rebellion against God, it’s extremely broad-minded for Him to provide us with any way to heaven. We deserve judgment, but God gives us the way of escape by sending His one-and-only Son to die for our sins. Whether someone sees this as narrow or broad, it’s the truth. The good news is that Jesus died and rose again; those who are going to heaven have received this gospel by faith.

Many people today hold to a watered-down gospel that does away with the need for repentance. They want to believe in a “loving” (nonjudgmental) God who never mentions sin and who requires no change in their lifestyle. They may say things like, “My God would never send a person to hell.” But Jesus spoke more about hell than He did about heaven, and He presented Himself as the Savior who offers the only means of going to heaven: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

Who will actually enter God’s kingdom? How can I guarantee that I’m going to heaven? The Bible makes a clear distinction between those who have eternal life and those who do not: “He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life” (1 John 5:12). It all goes back to faith. Those who believe in Christ are made the children of God (John 1:12). Those who accept Jesus’ sacrifice as the payment for their sins and who believe in His resurrection are going to heaven. Those who reject Christ are not. “Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son” (John 3:18).

As awesome as heaven will be for those who accept Jesus Christ as their Savior, hell will be that much more awful for those who reject Him. One cannot read the Bible seriously without seeing it over and over again—the line is drawn. The Bible says there is one and only one way to heaven—Jesus Christ. Follow Jesus’ command: “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it” (Matthew 7:13–14). Faith in Jesus is the one means of going to heaven. Those who have faith are guaranteed to get there. Do you trust in Jesus?

[ Got Questions ]

“When You’re Mad at God”

[ Lee Strobel ]

Presentation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUDJ4SU7UeM

“What Does the Bible Say About Anger?”

Do you have questions or want to talk to someone about how you can experience hope with Jesus?

[ CV Outreach ]

Teaching: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-DrKEK6a1k

“What to Do When You’re Angry at God”

I just recently watched the Monica Zuniga Bailey White Chair Film. The details of her story differ from my own, of course, everyone is unique. But one thing that’s the same for you, me, Monica, and everyone else: sometimes terrible things happen to us. And when those terrible, painful, or disappointing things inevitably happen we can either run away from God or run to him. But if we are really going to run towards God a conversation is going to need to happen. It’ll need to be honest. It’ll need to be real. And sometimes it’ll even need to be angry. Here’s how I’ve learned to talk angry with God.

Tell Him When You Are Mad
I remember the first time I got angry with God. My best friend all the way back to middle school killed himself. I was the last person he called the night before he decided to take his own life. And I missed the call. I figured I would just call him back the next day. I never got the chance. I was angry at myself, at God, at my friend, at the injustice of death, but especially at God. And I told him that. Verses like this one helped me know that it was okay to be angry at God:

“Awake, Lord! Why do you sleep?
Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever.
Why do you hide your face
And forget our misery and oppression?”
[ Psalm 44:23-24 ]

A group called “The Sons of Korah” wrote this particular line in the Bible. They accuse God of falling asleep on the job and forgetting their misery, a pretty big set of charges to lay against the God of the universe. But God takes it. And he can take it when you are angry, too. And let’s be honest, he knows when you’re mad at him anyways. This just shows us he’d rather you talk with him about it than just stew in it. So tell him when you are angry.

Tell Him When You Are Right
Everyone knows that you’re supposed to confess your sins to God. That’s God 101 type stuff. But did you know you can defend yourself to God, as well? I’ve done this one, too. My wife and I had a child that was born dead. I told God in very clear language that I thought his plan for my life at that exact moment was terrible. I had served him well and remained faithful to him in ways that others had not. My friends were all having healthy babies. It wasn’t fair for mine to arrive dead. I told him these things.

That same group, “The Sons of Korah,” agreed with my approach:

“If we had forgotten the name of our God
Or spread out our hands to a foreign God,
Would not God have discovered it,
Since he knows the secrets of the heart?
Yet for your sake we face death all day long;
We are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
[ Psalm 44:20-22 ]

In their prayer they are reminding God that if they had betrayed him, he would know it. If they had been unfaithful or gone after other gods, he would know. But in fact, they and their loved ones were giving up their lives in service to God. So why wasn’t he listening to their prayers?

Now, you have to be careful with this one, because you are going to God to protest your innocence. Make sure you really are. He does indeed “know the secrets of the heart.” But if you think he’s treating you unfairly, then tell him. He knows you’re thinking it, anyways. You might as well talk with him about it.

Remind Him of His Promises
The writers of Psalm 44 were direct descendants of a man named Jacob. This man and his descendants received special promises from God for protection and blessing. God decreed that if they remain faithful to him, he would remain faithful to them. So they reminded him of this promise,

“You are my King and my God,
Who decrees victories for Jacob.”
[ Psalm 44:4 ]

Sometimes the things we want from God, he never promised to give us in the first place. We can still ask him for these things. It just wouldn’t make any sense to be angry that he didn’t do what he never said he would do. Proper anger towards God is when you feel he hasn’t kept his promises or that he’s been slow in keeping them. The longer you journey with God, the more you’ll realize that his seeming “slowness” is really him just finding a more perfect timing. But that’s not always how it feels in the moment. And when those moments come, he gives us permission to remind him of his promises and ask him to hurry it up.

Trust. Trust. Trust. Trust.
In the end, what makes an angry prayer work is not the anger, but the trust. If you’re mad at God or feel he hasn’t kept up his end of the deal, then tell him. He wants you to talk it out with him and he might even show you an explanation. But undergirding all of that anger, must be trust.

“I put no trust in my bow,
My sword does not bring me victory;
But you give us victory over our enemies,
You put our adversaries to shame.
In God we make our boast all day long,
And we will praise your name forever.
[ Psalm 44:6-8 ]

Despite all the anger and frustration that “The Sons of Korah” expressed in this prayer, under it all is a stream of trust. They knew God keeps his promises and will come through in the end. They wish he would do it faster, in a different way, and without all the pain and trouble. But they do still trust him. You’ll find that God is the same today as he was then. I’ve been through a few hard times myself and I’ve come to that same spot with God. I’ve told him I thought his plan for my life, at various points, was terrible, but I also told him I’ll trust him because of all the times I’ve already seen his plan work out in the end.

Monica and Nicole Round Table

We recently sat down with Monica to talk more in depth about her story. Get access to that conversation by joining our community for free!

[ Doug Bender ]

“Why does God allow sickness?”

Why does God allow sickness? What are some of the possible reasons why God would allow someone to get sick?

[ Got Questions ]

Teaching: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGMRuIVGSNc

“What if I’m mad at God?”

we may receive good things too
but all those things can work together
for good
because if things never went wrong for
us by our own earthly natures and or by
our own earthly expectations
we would never grow would we
[Music]
i’m actually
not exactly a christian right now but
it’s i’d say i’m i’m a freshman in my
faith right now okay good going into it
so far
i

i had a small question like maybe it
might be bouncing off of what you talked
about today but
how do you deal when you’re angry at god
it says like it says a lot of times even
in psalm 37 where say that says refrain
from anger and forsake wrath fret not
yourself it tends only to evil
and like me personally like growing up
the background i came from as well
it talks a lot about like if if there’s
something wrong happening with you or
there’s something bad that’s happened
it’s probably your mistake
so
god’s probably punishing you for doing
something that you might have done like
maybe in the past or something that
you’re about to do maybe that’s that’s
what you did wrong that’s why you’re
paying the price for it it’s kind of a

kind of a karma view you mean

exactly yeah

but like
when it’s it talks about in christianity
that
god is never angry at you
like there’s always grace he always
forgives you there’s no boundaries
between you and him once you believe in
him completely but
how does it work the opposite way when
when you know god is such a powerful
being like there’s no one ever closer to
him but
how does it work the opposite way when
you’re the one who’s angry at him
well first of all you can be angry at
god because many of the psalmists are
angry at god like god where are you why
is all this happening we haven’t even
been sinning and things aren’t going
well right god can handle your emotion i
know this is gonna sound weird but do
you know that you can’t hurt god by
being mad at him and you can’t help him
by worshiping him yeah
right he’s an infinite being you can’t
add to an infinite being you can’t take
away from an infinite being so he can
handle all your emotions it’s okay to be
mad at god but if you’re mad at god you
know what that means
in your mind god exists
you can’t be mad at somebody that
doesn’t exist right
yeah okay that’s true so god
we we get mad at god because our
expectations aren’t met
yeah so the question is what kind of
expectations should we expect as a
christian
just loving him and and what do we get
back from him we may get disciplined

that’s uh hebrews chapter 12 we may get
persecuted
jesus said that if they persecuted me
they’re going to persecute you and paul
said anyone who lives a faithful life in
christ jesus will get persecuted we may
receive good things too
but all those things can work together
for good because if things never went
wrong for us by our own earthly natures
and
or by our own earthly expectations
we would never grow would we
i mean think about if any of us in this
room got whatever we wanted every time
if i got whatever i wanted every time
i’d be even more of a moral monster than
i already am
i’d become some sort of self-entitled
celebrity who would pitch the hissy fit
every time my water wasn’t at 14.6
degrees right
you you gotta have obstacles and
difficulty and people saying no in your
life if you don’t you’re not gonna grow
i mean think of kids right what do we
call kids who get everything they want
spoiled why are they spoiled they get
everything because their characters
spoiled if you give a kid everything he
or she wants you’re going to ruin them
you need to put boundaries you need to
say no you need to make things difficult
sometimes
so when when things aren’t going well
according to our expectations god is
still at work and if you read luke 13
luke 13 jesus basically says the tower
that fell
on the people at siloam that killed
those 18 people or the galileans that
pilate mixed their blood with the
sacrifices he said do you think those
people
were worse than you there were sinners
in you and that’s why they were killed
he said no but unless you repent the
same thing’s going to happen to you
in other words he’s not saying that
because things go bad it’s because you
might you may have done something evil
maybe you did and that’s why it went bad
but that’s not necessarily the reason
there may be a thousand other reasons
that this bad thing has happened but god
can still bring good from it
so it’s not a one-to-one relationship
that you know if you do x god’s gonna
necessarily do y
there’s something called the ripple
effect out there you know about the
ripple effect right yeah that everything
that happens now ripples forward into
the future to affect trillions of other
things in fact if you think about the
ripple effect in your own lives think
about all the ripples that needed to
take place for you to be alive today
your parents had to meet their parents
had to meet their parents had to meet
that and all those things that caused
them to meet had to happen
there’s so many ripples out there that
we can’t keep track of and of course god
can so when we see a ripple that comes
along and we go or something happens we
go i can’t see any good coming from this
well of course we can’t we can see this
much of reality god sees the whole thing
he can see the end from the beginning
it’s an infinite horizon that’s right
but it’s okay to be mad at god but it’s
not a good long-term strategy
hopefully okay all right just wanted to
let you know all right thank you so much

[ Frank Turek ]

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-4xWFYBmb0

“How Can I help People Who Are Mad At God?”

How to deal with the emotional problem of evil.

[ Frank Turek ]

Teaching: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKLy5hrqTvY

“R.C. Sproul – Being Angry at God is Dangerous”

this person writes in tragic I am trying
to reconcile the death of my adult son
whom I believe not to be saved with my
Christian faith how do I deal with my
anger toward God and this long dark
night of the soul repent and repent in
dust and ashes crawl over glass any
repentance if you’re angry at God
there’s never been anything that’s
happened to you in your whole life
including this great tragedy and most
painful experience that could ever
possibly justify being angry at God
there are 10 million reasons why he
should be angry at you
God does not owe us a life without pain
and tragedy he’s given a life us a life
of grace and a promise of eternal
Felicity and any being who does that for
us
a hundred percent graciously can never
righteously be the object of our anger
only of our gratitude we understand
humanly speaking the the anger because
if you’ve experienced anger it’s always
caused by some kind of pain behind the
anger is pain and you’ve allowed that
pain to produce an anger that will
destroy you and it has greater
consequences than even the loss of the
one that you love so well so really
you’ve got to deal with this and
understand that God does all things well
and if we were listening carefully to
Dericks sermon where he talked about
Genesis 18 and the plea for the sparing
of Sodom you know the comment that Abram
made far be it from the Oh God
to do that which is not right and even
Abraham our Father I don’t think at a
clue of how far it is from God to do
anything wrong and when we accuse him of
it and are mad at him for it then we
don’t understand who he is or who we are
so I couldn’t be more it’s devastatingly
harmful for anybody to be angry with God
no matter what

[ R C Sproul ]

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SlnotLHqGY

“Lewis’ Anger with God over Joy’s Death | A Visit From C. S. Lewis”

Kevin Radaker as C. S. Lewis
http://www.cslewislive.com/

A dramatic portrayal featuring
Lewis’ nonfiction and Christian apologetics

“Professor Radaker’s portrayal of C. S. Lewis mesmerized the audience. It was a tour de force! His voice and physical appearance were a near double for Lewis. Even those familiar with some of Lewis’ writings came away feeling as if they had met Lewis in a new and wonderful way. This is a performance no one, familiar or not with Lewis’ works, should miss!”
–C. Mac Hamon, Senior Pastor, Castleton United Methodist Church, Indianapolis, Indiana

“A Visit from C. S. Lewis” is now available to offer the voice of the most highly acclaimed and popular Christian writer of the twentieth century to your place of worship, campus, library, or organization.

Dramatization: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lft99Hpmn-o

“What Happens to a Believer after Death?”

The intermediate state is the time in which the spirit, or soul, of the believer exists between physical death and the resurrection of the body. Though the Bible does not have a whole lot to say concerning the intermediate state of the believer, there are some basic conclusions we can make.

Spirits With God

The spirits of departed believers are with the Lord. The Bible says.

Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it (Ecclesiastes 12:7).

The writer to the Hebrews says.

and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect (Hebrews 12:23).

Christ’s Presence

At death, the spirit of the believer enters into Christ’s presence. Jesus promised the dying robber on the cross that he would be with Him immediately after death.

And Jesus said to him, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise’ (Luke 23:43).

Immediately Present

The Apostle Paul also taught that believers would be in Christ’s presence upon their death.

For we know that if our earthly house, this tent is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed, we shall not be found naked. . . We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:1,2,8).

Paul wrote to the church at Philippi.

For I am hard pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better (Philippians 1:23).

Paul says that his death would be far better for him than remaining alive because he would be in the presence of Christ.

Be With Jesus

Jesus talked about believers being with Him in the next world.

Father, I desire that those also, whom You have given Me, may be with Me where I am, to see My glory, which You have given Me because you loved Me before the foundation of the world (John 17:24).

Stephen

Upon his death, the martyr Stephen called upon Jesus to receive his spirit.

And he [Stephen], being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and said, ‘Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!’. . . And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit’ (Acts 7:55,56, 59).

The usual picture of Jesus is sitting on the right hand of God the Father. But when Stephen was about to die, Jesus stood to welcome him into God’s presence. This is another indication that the believing dead go immediately to be with Christ.

Not Place Of Final Reward

The intermediate state is not the place of final reward for the believer. Final rewards will occur after the resurrection – which is still future. Though Christians who die go to be with the Lord, this is not when they receive their final reward, or their resurrection body.

Conscious

Believers are in a state of awareness after death. Jesus told the religious leaders in His day that God was the God of the living. He reminded them what God had said to Moses.

I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living (Matthew 22:32).

With God

When the beggar Lazarus died, the Scripture says.

So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. And the rich man died and he was buried. In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side (Luke 16:22,23).

The rich man in Hades saw both Lazarus and Abraham. Each were in a better place.

Live Together

Paul told the church at Thessalonica that believers will always be with the Lord.

Who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him (1 Thessalonians 5:10).

Rest And Blessedness

Believers who die are in a restful state. The Bible says.

When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the Word of the Lord and for the testimony they held. And they cried with a loud voice saying, ‘How long O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?’ And a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants, and their comrades, who would be killed as they were, was completed (Revelation 6:9-11).

Those with the Lord are also blessed.

And I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, ‘Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’ Yes, says the Spirit, ‘that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them’ (Revelation 14:13).

Activity

Though the intermediate state is a place of waiting, it is also a place of activity.

For this reason they are before the throne of God, and worship Him day and night within His temple, and the One who is seated on the throne will shelter them (Revelation 7:15).

Holiness

The believers are in a state of holiness. In the Book of Revelation, the Apostle John asked an angel the identity of certain individuals.

I said to him, “Sir, you are the one that knows.” Then he said to me, “These are they who have come out of the Great Tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb (Revelation 7:14).

The clothes which they are wearing, white robes, speak of holiness.

Emphasis On Final State

Though we have some information from the Bible on the intermediate state, it is not something that is emphasized. The hope of the believer is the coming of Christ. It is at that time the dead are raised in a glorified body, judged, and receive their rewards. The intermediate state is only a short interval between this life and the fulness of God’s promises. Hence the lack of emphasis.

Limited Amount Revealed

The Bible only reveals a limited amount of information about what goes on in the presence of the Lord. Paul wrote of his experience.

I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know – God knows. And I know that this man – whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows – was caught up to paradise. He heard inexpressible things, things that people are not permitted to tell (2 Corinthians 12:2-4).

Paul was not allowed to tell what he had experienced. If we knew exactly how wonderful it was, we probably would not be content to remain for one more hour on the earth. Being with the Lord will truly be an incredible experience!

Summary

After examining what the Bible says about the “intermediate,” or “in between” state of the believer, we can conclude the following.

Upon death, the soul or spirit of the believer goes immediately to be with God.
The Bible also says the believer goes to be with Christ in the presence of the Lord.
Believers are alive and conscious in this state.
Though it is not their final reward, it is a place of rest, waiting, activity, and holiness.
Paul, who was caught up in the presence of the Lord, says that he heard inexpressible things that a person is not allowed to communicate.
Although believers have a natural curiosity about the intermediate state, Scripture focuses on the time when Christ returns. At that time He will raise and judge the dead, and then set up His everlasting kingdom.

[ Don Stewart ]

“Is There a Second Chance After One Has Died?”

I was recently asked a question about the possibility of a second chance after one has died. The question was along these lines: What happens to souls that pass before they can attempt to make it right with Jesus? Do they have an opportunity to respond to Jesus Christ after they die but before the day of judgment?

Some have promoted the idea of a second chance after death. But the Bible does not indicate that people get an opportunity to repent or to put faith in Jesus after they die. Hebrews 9:27 says, “People are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment.”

Jesus said that people will be judged based on what they did during their lives. In Matthew 16:27, Jesus said, “For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.”

Some point to John 5:25 as evidence that those who have died will have the gospel preached to them: “Very truly I tell you, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live.”

But this interpretation takes the verse out of its context. The entire passage is John 5:25-29, which makes clear that the context is the final judgment. The passage reads as follows:

“Very truly I tell you, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man. ‘Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out– those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned.’”

Verses 27-30 make it clear that the context is final judgment. Everyone, including those in the graves will “hear his voice” and then be raised from the dead either to a resurrection of eternal life with God or to a resurrection of condemnation where they are separated from God. All people will “hear the voice of the Son of God” when the Son of God judges the world and not at some pre-judgment event when he preaches the gospel to people who have died but never accepted him.

Consider also the parable Jesus told in Luke 16:19-31, which indicates that the rich man went immediately to a place of punishment. There is no indication that he was going to get another chance. In fact in the story, Abraham says that no one can pass over from the realm of punishment to the realm of reward or vice versa (16:26).

Despite these truths, however, we need to be careful of assuming the eternal destination of people based on our external assessment of their lives. We are not in the position of God to know the inner workings of a person’s heart and mind, particularly in the hours preceding death. We need to rest in the assurance that both judgment and salvation belong to the Lord (Psalm 96:13, Jonah 2:9) and that the God of all the earth will do what is right (Genesis 18:25).

At Grand Canyon University, we incorporate Christian principles into faith, learning, work and everything that we do. Learn more by visiting our website or contacting us using the green Request More Information button.

[ Andrew McClurg, Ph.D. ]

“Can a Person Be Saved After Their Death?”

This article was written on the day that Rob Bell and his very controversial book titled, “Love Wins” came out on the market.

For those of you who do not know about Rob Bell, he is a Christian pastor from Michigan who is trying to say that everyone will eventually end up in heaven. He is thus trying to take out the doctrine of hell and eternal damnation from our Bible.

His theory is that God’s love is so powerful and overwhelming, that it will eventually melt the hearts of every single person, thus no one will ever end up in hell for all of eternity.

He now has left the church he has been pastoring since 1999 and is seeking to spread his message of Universalism to a wider and broader audience. We feel he is going to be doing some serious damage to a lot of the people who are on the fence post with the Lord regarding their eternal salvation in Him.

With Rob now being a full-pledged Universalist, this now brings up the question that I want to address with this specific article. And that question is – can people get saved after they die and cross over, or do they have to get saved and born again before their death and departure from this world?
If Universalists believe that everyone will eventually get saved, then some of these people are going to have to get saved after they die and cross over, since many people will never find and accept Jesus this side of heaven.

As you will see in the specific Scripture verses I will give you in this article, God is making it very clear and very plain that we have to accept His free gift of eternal salvation through His Son Jesus this side of heaven, not the next. In other words, we only have this one earthly lifetime to find and accept Jesus, and we have to do it before we die and leave this world. If we think we can do it after we die and cross over, we will find out very quickly that we were sadly mistaken and will thus have to pay with our eternal lives in the most horrible place imaginable.

This is why what Rob Bell and the rest of the Universalists are preaching is so deadly and so dangerous. If someone is on the fence post with the Lord regarding their eternal salvation in Him, and then they hear a message from a Universalist like Rob Bell telling them they can still get saved with Jesus after they die and cross over, can you see what this will do to some of these people?

It will get them to put off making this life-altering decision until either later in their life or when they die and cross over. They will see no need or have any desire to want to repent since their sins will be forgiven anyway once they die and meet Jesus face-to-face for their eternal salvation. As a result, many people are going to be led straight into the pits of hell once they die and cross over as a result of putting off accepting Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior in this one earthly lifetime in which they had to do it in.

How some of these Christian pastors are falling for this demonic doctrine of Univeralsim is simply beyond me, as it goes directly against what God is telling us in His written Word on how He has the big picture set up with all of us.

Now I will go to the specific Scripture verses which will answer this question once and for all since these verses are all coming direct from the mouth of the Lord Himself.

The Scripture Verses
Study the specific wording I will now give you in these Scripture verses very, very carefully, as they will all clearly answer this question for you as to whether or not a person can get saved after their death and departure from this world.

Once again, I believe God is meaning exactly what He is saying in each one of these verses, and I thus see no room for any type of Universalistic doctrine in any of these verses.

It is Appointed For Men to Die Once – And Then We Face Judgment
This first verse, in my opinion, completely answers this question as to whether or not we can still get saved after our death and departure from this world. Here is the verse, and then I will point out a few key things to really grab a hold of.

“And as it is appointed for men to DIE ONCE, but after this the judgment …” (Hebrew 9:27)

Notice the following:

a) If God ever had any opening in one of His verses to let all of us know that we could still receive eternal salvation through His Son Jesus after we had already died and crossed over, this verse would be it. If this was a possibility with the Lord, then I believe He would have put that kind of statement in this verse. But notice He did not.

This verse is flat out telling us that we will only get one earthly lifetime to get our act together with Him. We are not going to be reincarnated back into another body to get several more chances to find and accept Jesus this side of heaven. We only have one earthly lifetime in which to be able to do this.

b) And then notice what it says after our one earthly lifetime is up down here – we will then all face judgment with God Almighty Himself. There is no wording whatsoever that we will get some kind of extra time on the other side to find and accept Jesus.

This verse is telling us that we are going to face judgment – and this judgment is going to be based on what we have done down here on this earth. There is nothing in this verse that will tell us that we will be judged on anything we will be doing on the other side once we die and cross over into it.

If God ever had one verse with a big huge opening in it where He could tell us that we could get saved after our deaths, this verse would be it. There is an opening in this verse wide enough and big enough to drive a mack truck through. But notice how short, sweet, and very straight-forward and direct-to-the-point this verse is.

Bottom line – we only have this one life down here on this earth to live, and after this one life has been lived, we will then die and cross over to face God for our own personal judgments on our lives. And again, this judgment is based upon what we have done down here on this earth, not for what might have occurred on the other side once we have died and crossed over.
The fact that God is completely leaving out any kind of possibility that we could get saved on the other side of heaven is flat out telling me this is not even a possibility with Him. We thus have to take this very serious verse at face value and believe what it is directly telling us. We cannot try and take this verse out, or try to discount it because it does not agree with how we think God should have the big picture all set up.

God Will Judge Us For the Works That Were Done in the Body
These next 4 verses are now going to add more to the first verse above. These 4 verses are specifically talking about all saved and born-again Christians. The first verse will completely set the stage for all of us.

This first verse is telling us that we will all have to appear before the Judgment Seat of Jesus, and from there, we will be judged for the things we have done in the body. The 4 keys words to really hone in on are things that we have “done in the body.”

I believe the word “body” is referring to our earthly, human, physical bodies. As a result, we will all be judged for the things we have done down here on this earth, not for what might have occurred on the other side once we had died and crossed over. And again, if there was any kind of possibility that we would also be judged for things that might have occurred on the other side once we had died and crossed over, then Jesus would have specifically told us so in this verse.

But when Jesus is specifically isolating all of the things we have done in our earthly physical bodies as to what will be judged, then you know He is talking about what we have done down here on this earth. This thus leaves no room or any kind of possibility that we can get saved on the other side of heaven.

Here are four more good verses to add into this argument:

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things DONE IN THE BODY, according to what He has done, whether good or bad.” (2 Corinthians 5:10)
“… and each one will receive His own reward ACCORDING TO HIS OWN LABOR.” (1 Corinthians 3:8)
“And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to everyone ACCORDING TO HIS WORK.” (Revelation 22:12)
“… I am He who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you ACCORDING TO YOUR WORKS.” (Revelation 2:23)
The last three verses are all stating the same thing, that we are going to be rewarded by Jesus for the labor and works we have done for Him down here on this earth. And again, these are for works and labors that are done down here on this earth, not for might have occurred up in heaven once we had entered there.

Again, if there was any possibility that we could get saved up in heaven, then Jesus would have put that kind of specific wording in all 4 of these verses.

The Great White Throne Judgment
If all Christians will come before the Judgment Seat of Jesus for their own personal judgments in Him, then what kind of judgment will all of the unsaved have to face before the Lord?

This next verse will answer this question for you, and this judgment is called the Great White Throne Judgment. Here is the verse, and then I will point a few key things in this verse to really grab a hold of:

“Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened.

And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.

The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:11-14)

Notice several key things in this verse:

a) This judgment is only for the unsaved, it is not for all born-again Christians. How do you know this? Because this passage is using the words that the “dead” are the ones who are appearing before the Lord for this final judgment.

Also note the wording that “Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them.” This phrase is telling you that all of the people who are appearing before the Lord in this last and final judgment are all coming from Hades, which is where they have all been during the 1000 year millennial reign of Jesus.

Born-again Christians are not dead, we are all fully alive, especially since we have now all died and entered into heaven, and then came back down with Jesus to rule with Him during the 1000 year Millennium Kingdom.

And then notice what the dead are being judged for? They are being “judged according to their works.” And again, these are works that were done down here on this earth, not for what might have occurred on the other side once they had died and crossed over.

b) Again, if there was any possibility that the unsaved could get saved once they die and cross over, this verse would definitely be telling us this. But once again, it does not. As such, we cannot attempt to add something to this verse that is not in there.

This verse, along with the 4 verses above about Jesus rewarding and judging us for what we have all done in the body, are all showing us that both of these judgments will be made on what we have done down here on this earth, not for might have occurred on the other side once we had died and crossed over.

How any Christian can fall for the doctrine of Universalism, when these kinds of verses from Scripture are all so clear and plain is just beyond me. If you believe that all of the Holy Bible is truly the inspired and infallible Word of our Holy God, then there is simply no other conclusion you can come to on this topic.

The Rich Man and Lazarus
The last verse I will leave you with that will also answer this question is the one on Lazarus and the rich man. After they had both died, Lazarus goes straight to Abraham’s bosom, and the rich man ends up going straight down into hell for the kind of life he had lived.

And then notice what happens next. The rich man is crying out that he is burning alive in a flame of fire. And then Abraham answers the rich man telling him that it is now too late. There is a great gulf separating these two places from one another and the rich man cannot cross over into Abraham’s bosom where Lazarus is now at.

Also notice the rich man says absolutely nothing about being able to make it right with the Lord after he had died and entered into hell. The implication is all there that this rich man immediately entered into hell right after his death. This verse is thus confirming the first verse listed above that we are appointed to die once, and then when we die, judgment is then set on our lives as to where we will end up going.

Again, this is another verse where there is a huge opening for the Lord to tell us that we can get saved after we die. But once again, there is absolutely no wording whatsoever in this verse that we can do this with the Lord. This verse is following the same pattern as the rest of the above verses are doing, all showing us that we have to find and accept Jesus in this one earthly lifetime.
Here is this verse, once more driving home the point that we have to get saved this side of heaven, not the next side:

“There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table.

Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. So it was the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried.

And being in torments in Hades (Hell), he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. Then he cried and said, “Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’

But Abraham said, “Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’

Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’ Abraham said to him, “They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’

And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ But he said to them, ‘If they did not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’” (Luke 16:19-31)

Conclusion
If there was any kind of possibility that we could get saved after our death and departure from this world, then I believe God would be telling us so in these kinds of verses. But since He is not, we have to take Him at His Word and believe what these verses are literally telling us.

As we have said in our article titled, “The Reality of Hell,” the doctrine of hell and eternal damnation is without question, the most gut-wrenching and heart-breaking doctrine in all of the Christian faith. But just because this doctrine may not agree with how we would have arranged for the big picture to be set up does not mean we can try and discount it or take this doctrine out of our Bible.

This is the way our God has the big picture all set up, and woe to any man or woman who will try and take this doctrine out of our basic tenets and try to replace it with the false doctrine of Universalism. With all of us only having one short lifetime in which to find and accept Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior, these Christians who are now teaching this false doctrine are treading on extremely dangerous and serious grounds with God the Father.

This false heretical doctrine is going to lead a certain amount of people into hell because they will think they have all of the time in the world to accept God’s free gift of eternal salvation through His Son Jesus, even to the point of believing they can accept this gift once they die and cross over to the other side.

To any of you who know other Christians who have fallen for this demonic doctrine, we ask that you continue to pray for them, asking God to bolt in there with His divine truth so they can get their wrong thinking straightened out on this very important issue.
We already have enough people who are going to end up in hell due to their own stupidity, stubbornness, and rebellion without making matters worse and teaching this kind of insanity, which is going to lead them even more astray from what the real truth is on how God has the big picture story of redemption all set up for the human race.

[ Michael Bradley ]

“Can a Sinner Be Saved After Death?”

In the last podcast, episode 178, I asked, “Can a sinner repent and be saved in the final moments leading up to their death?” Here’s a related follow-up question: Pastor John, can a sinner repent and be saved after death?

The answer is no. And there are several passages of Scripture that make me clear about that. I remember again my father preaching, and I can see the kind of squint in his eyes when he quoted Hebrews 9, which he did numerous times. He said, “It is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). He would say, “When you die, here is what you look forward to — judgment — not some kind of intervening space where you get another chance.”

The Great Chasm
But the most clear passage of Scripture is Luke 16 and the story of Lazarus and the rich man. People may remember that Lazarus was poor and sat at the door of the rich man. The rich man walked by him indifferently every day, manifesting that he had no love for him, no trust in God, and they both die. Lazarus, who evidently had been trusting in God, goes to Abraham’s bosom and is rewarded and relieved of all his lifetime of suffering with delights and pleasures in the presence of God.

“People who resist God and suppress the truth will pass into judgment for which there is no second chance.”
The rich man goes to a place of torment and anguish, where he is longing to have just a drop of water put on his tongue. And there is this imaginary conversation that Jesus creates between them, and he says, “Can’t you just send Lazarus down here?” And Jesus says, “No. I can’t, because there is a gap.” Luke 16:26: “Between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.”

So one of the reasons there is no salvation after death is that there is this chasm fixed. And I think the reason it is fixed is because the Holy Spirit is given, he is poured out on this world, to bring people to conviction of sin, and there is no Holy Spirit promised in hell. If we push Jesus away and refuse to yield to the work of the gospel in our hearts in this world, there will be no reason to think that our hearts will be softened in the conflicts or in the torments of hell.

One Possible Exception
I can think, Tony, of one possible exception to this. Let me bring it up because it comes up all the time — namely, infants who die. Here I just admit I am in the area of speculation. I don’t think the Bible says explicitly what I am about to say, and so people should take it carefully.

It seems to me that there are pointers in the Bible, like Romans 1:19–23 and John 9:41, that God’s desire for public justice to be done and manifested will lead him not to bring infants who die into everlasting judgment and condemnation. Which raises the question, “Well, how then will they come to faith in Jesus who alone is their Savior?” So I am leaving open the possibility that in some way that I do not know and don’t want to speculate too far about, God might be pleased to make that possible for them to come to faith after death.

“The implications of believing that there is no second chance beyond death are very, very serious.”
But the context for those who have mental frameworks whereby they can construe the evidences that are available to all human beings (as it says in Romans 1) — those people who resist God and suppress the truth that is available to all human beings who have the mental processes to grasp them — those people will pass into judgment, for which there is no second chance.

Hence the urgency of the call to people all over the world. Hence my commitment to world missions and my love for this conference that is coming in December about the cross and its mobilizing of young people to reach the nations of the world. The implications of believing that there is no second chance beyond death are very, very serious and big.

[ John Piper ]

“WHY WHY WHY”

When things seem out of our control, the question we most often stop to ask is: Why? If we aren’t careful, this desire to know everything will breed doubt in our minds. Pastor Jack discusses how to walk in faith when we don’t have all the answers.

[ Jack Hibbs ]

Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RR6ZjYZjEY

“Happy Adversity?”

Count it all joy when you fall into various trials. —
James 1:2

On the back of a wedding anniversary card were some wiggly lines drawn by our 3-year-old grandson. Alongside was a note from our daughter explaining that Trevor told her what he had written: “I’m writing a letter for your love and happy adversity.”

Trevor’s “mistake” has become our watchword, because “happy adversity” embodies the biblical principle of facing difficulties with joy: “Count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience” (James 1:2-3).

From our perspective, adversity is anything but happy. We have the idea that the Christian life is supposed to be trouble-free, and we see little value in hardship. But God sees it differently.

J. B. Phillips’ translation of James 1:2-3 reads: “When all kinds of trials and temptations crowd into your lives, my brothers, don’t resent them as intruders, but welcome them as friends! Realize that they come to test your faith and to produce in you the quality of endurance.”

Affliction does not come as a thief to steal our happiness, but as a friend bringing the gift of staying power. Through it all, God promises us His wisdom and strength.

So don’t be offended if I wish you “Happy Adversity” today.

By: David C. McCasland

Reflect & Pray
Be assured beyond all doubting,
In the trial you’re passing through,
That the Lord’s great love and mercy
Is at work for good in you. —Anon.

Life’s burdens are designed not to break us but to bend us toward God.

[ Our Daily Bread ]

“Does God Wish that No One Would Perish? (2 Peter 3:9)”

[ WWUTT – Gabriel Hughes ]

Teaching: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHguOt3-62o

“God Does Not Want Anyone to Perish, Including You! (2 Peter 3:9)”

“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).

What does it mean that God does not want anyone to perish? What does it mean that He wants all to come to repentance? What role does repentance play in life? Do you need to repent to be born-again? Bob Wilkin and Shawn Lazar discuss.

Are you interested in learning more about God’s free grace?

Teaching: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBx1eqweer8

“How Could the Thief on the Cross Be Saved?”

Some ask, “How was the thief on the cross saved if he didn’t live a righteous life?” Let us consider what this implies about how they believe a person is declared right before God.

[ Pastor Tim ]

Teaching: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmo8NkvtXqg

“Going to Heaven – How can I Guarantee my Eternal Destination?”

What does the Bible say about going to heaven and the way to heaven in passages like, John 14:6, and Matthew 7:13-14, among others? What does Christian theology say about, how to go to Heaven, receive God’s forgiveness, be born again, and enter for all eternity the Kingdom of God? When speaking of going to heaven, how can I guarantee my eternal destination? In this video Pastor Nelson answers the question, “Going to Heaven – how can I guarantee my eternal destination?”

[ GotQuestions ]

Teaching: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLaS8AIMnMc

“Remember The Goal”

A female coach (Allee-Sutton Hethcoat) fresh out of college takes over the cross country program at an all girls’ Christian school and attempts to lead them to their first ever state title. As the runners begin to train, the top 5 girls all deal separately with particular issues relevant to teen life. As each of these stories unfold, so does the wisdom of the young coach as she guides the girls along the pathway of life.

[ Dave Christiano/FiveAndTwoPictures ]

Movie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zH0EGqlb7eg

<<< SONGS >>>

“Honesty”

Tonight by the glow of the firelight
You found the courage to speak your mind
And tear down the walls
You’ve been hiding behind

You spoke of your struggle
And you cried from the pain
You spoke of your failure
And then you turned in shame
You said, you knew you’d never be alright

God’s not afraid of your honesty
He can heal your heart if you speak honestly
Humble sorrow and the honest cry
He will not pass by, no

So many of us spend so much time
Smoothing things over, pretending we’re fine
As if life could ever be so cut and dried

But you my, friend
You’ve got that passionate heart
It’ll curse you sometimes
But it can take you far
When you let Him tame it
You will be just fine

Oh, God’s not afraid of your honesty
He can heal your heart if you speak honestly
Humble sorrow and the honest cry
He will not pass by, no, no, ooh

You may feel like you’re crawling
Over broken glass, crying a river
Into the pillows of your past
But you will be free, yeah

Oh, God’s not afraid of your honesty
He can heal your heart if you speak honestly
Humble sorrow and the honest cry
He will not pass by

God’s not afraid of your honesty
He can heal your heart if you speak honestly
Humble sorrow and the honest cry
He will not pass by

[ Margret Becker – “Immigrant’s Daughter” album ]

Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZL7JM1shLJE/

“Blessings”

We pray for blessings, we pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering
And all the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You’re near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise?

We pray for wisdom, Your voice to hear
And we cry in anger when we cannot feel you near
We doubt your goodness, we doubt your love
As if each promise from Your Word is not enough
And all the while, You hear each desperate plea
And long that we’d have faith to believe

When friends betray us
When darkness seems to win, we know
That pain reminds this hearts,
That this is not, this is not our home…..
It’s not our home

What if my greatest disappointments,
Or the aching of this life,
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can’t satisfy.
What if trials of this life,
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are your mercies in disguise?

[ Laura Story – Album: “Blessings” ]

Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOOFAaUGfRE

“Angry All The Time”

Here we are
What is left of a husband and a wife four good kids
Who have a way of gettin on with their lives
I’m not old but I’m getting a whole lot older every day
It’s too late to keep from goin’ crazy
I got to get away

The reasons that I can’t stay don’t have a thing to do with being in love
And I understand that lovin a man shouldn’t have to be this rough
You ain’t the only one who feels like this world left you far behind
I don’t know why you gotta be angry all the time

Our boys are strong the spittin image of you when you were young
I hope someday they can see past what you have become
And I remember every time I said I’d never leave
But what I can’t live with is memories of the way you used to be

Twenty years have came and went since I walked out of your door
I never quite made it back to the one I was before
And God it hurts me to think of you
For the light in your eyes was gone
Sometimes I don’t know why this old world can’t leave well enough alone

The reasons that I can’t stay don’t have a thing to do with being in love
And I understand that lovin a man shouldn’t have to be this rough
You ain’t the only one Who feels like this world left you far behind
I don’t know why you gotta be Angry All The Time

I don’t know why you gotta be Angry All The Time

[ Tim McGraw – “Set This Circus Down” album ]

Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8NLPScdrEE

<<< APOLOGETIX SONGS >>>

“Let’s End the Fight Together”
(Parody of “Let’s Spend the Night Together” by The Rolling Stones)

(Ba da da dum, bum, bum, ba da dum)
Oh, my, my, my, my

Don’t you worry if it’s your fault or mine, oh my
(Ba da da dum, bum, bum, ba da dum)
My memory’s blurry — that’s a waste of time, oh my
(Ba da da dum, bum, bum, ba da dum)
So much was said that my tongue’s gettin’ tired
(My tongue’s getting’ tired)
From overhead comes a thought that’s inspired
Oh my, you may be shocked, shocked, shocked, oh my

Let’s end the fight together — now I’ll meet you toward the center
Let’s end the fight together now
(Ba da da dum, bum) Oh, my, my, my, my
(Ba da da dum, bum, bum, ba da dum)

I feel so strong, but I can’t be wise, oh my (Let’s end the fight together)
If I can’t just apologize, oh my (Let’s end the fight together)
Don’t angry up and get rewound (Don’t get rewound)
Because that sun is going on down, and down, and down, upon your wrath

Let’s end the fight together — now Ephesians 4 says it better
Verse 25 through 7 now
Let’s end the fight together (dooo dooo do do)
God will redo what was severed (dooo dooo do do)
(Do do do do do do do do do do)

You know I’m tryin’, baby (ooooooh) Please don’t go silent, baby (ooooooh)
Read Matthew 5 verse 24 (ooooooh)
I think we both know better (ooooooh) Let’s end the fight together (ooooooh)
Let’s end the fight together now (ooooooh)

This doesn’t have to be the end of the day, oh my (Let’s end the fight together)
No excuses I could ever say, oh my (Let’s end the fight together)
I’m mad at myself for gettin’ extreme (For gettin’ extreme)
And now I hope you will ratify peace — oh, my, my, my, my, my, my

Let’s end the fight together — now I’m seeking your forgiveness
Let’s end the fight together now
Oh, my my, my, my, my, my, my (Let’s end the fight together)
And now I need to beg you for forgiveness, oh my (Let’s end the fight together) I’m gratified you’re listenin’ to me, oh, my friend (Let’s end the fight together) And now I know my Lord will pacify me, oh my my (Let’s end the fight together) I thank you, baby, from the bottom of all my heart (Let’s end the fight together) So come on now, let’s praise the Lord, my, my, my (Let’s end the fight together) I thank you, baby

[ Apologetix – “Music Is as Music Does” album ]

“Full of Yourself (Distinguished Young Man)”
(Parody of “Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man)” by Styx)

Repent! Make it easy!
You see the world through your physical eyes
You’re in trouble yet man’s eyes can’t tell
The God of all isn’t part of your plans
But your plans met success and you can’t see the rest

And you’re full of yourself if you don’t have Jesus
You’re filling yourself with your own diseases

Christ must have grieved the distinguished young man
Who refused Him when Christ tried to lead
The proud can’t perceive ‘cause their sin is too grand
That the Christ was a lamb sent to bear sin for Man

And you’re full of yourself (full of yourself) if you don’t have Jesus
You’re killing yourself (killing yourself) with your own diseases

Give up! (Give up!) — yes, that’s what you need
Your whole world’s incomplete and you know it
Yeahhh c’mon! (C’mon!) — and see what He’s got
Just make Him a spot and He’ll show it
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh!

Colossians 1:27

Annnnd you’re full of yourself (full of yourself) if you don’t have Jesus
You’re killing yourself (killing yourself) with your own diseases

Give up! (Give up!) — He has what you need
Everyone’s incomplete and you know it
Ohhh c’mon! (C’mon!) — yes, He’s the true God
Just make Him a spot and He’ll show it
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh!

[ ApologetiX – “Sandwich Platter” album ]

“Makes Me Cranky”
(Parody of “Hanky Panky” by Tommy James & the Shondells)

My baby brother makes me cranky
Yeah, my baby brother makes me cranky
My baby brother makes me cranky
My baby brother makes me cranky
Hey, my baby brother makes me cranky

My baby brother makes me cranky (yeah)
Yeah, my baby brother makes me cranky
Hey, my baby brother makes me cranky
My baby brother makes me cranky
Hey, my baby brother makes me cranky

I saw him walkin’ all proud and fine (yeah)
You know my brother is the very worst kind
A little tattletale and we call him “Joe”
He’s daddy’s favorite in a great new coat
I’d better stop him, yes, sir, he’s a problem

My baby brother makes me angry
Yeah, my baby brother makes me angry
My baby brother makes me angry
My baby brother makes me angry
My baby brother makes me angry
Ah, let’s move him out! Let’s go! Oh, yeah!

I saw him talkin’ about the time (yeah)
He dreamed he saw us all up there in the sky
And then 11 stars and the sun and moon
Bowed to the favorite and they played his tune
We’d better stop this, yes, sir, he’s obnoxious
Let’s get him alone one time now, all of us

Hey, my baby brother makes me cranky
Yeah, my baby brother makes me cranky
My baby brother makes me cranky
My baby brother makes me cranky
My baby brother makes me cranky
Let’s knock him dead one time, let’s go!

Yeah, my baby brother makes me cranky
My baby brother makes me cranky
Yeah, my baby brother makes me cranky

[ ApologetiX – “Zebraic” album ]

“What’s in Nahum”
(Parody of “What’s Your Name” by Lynyrd Skynyrd)

Well, if there’s any spot in the Bible I don’t know
It’s all those little prophets in between the New and Old
I’ve done made some friends with the major prophet types
But not those little teeny guys, so I should read ‘em twice

What’s in Nahum – Nineveh — what’s in Nahum?
Should I explain – did ya know – what the dude was sayin’?

Back in the Old Testament when God was upset
He’d send them one of His crew there like Jonah to utter a threat – ah yes
When the folks who sinned He was angry about wouldn’t change
The Lord sent someone else there and had ‘em make His plan plain

What’s in Nahum – Nineveh — what’s in Nahum?
Should I explain – did ya know – all his ancient claims
What’s in Nahum – Nineveh — what’s in Nahum?
Should I explain – did ya know – what the dude was sayin’?

Ohhhh, yeah!
LEAD

What’s in Nahum – Nineveh — what’s in Nahum?
Should I explain – did ya know – what the dude was sayin’?

Nineveh was nasty and repented before
But after 612 B.C. well, there was no more hope, oh nope!
And Nahum said the attack would come — it sure was planned
And Ninevah, my dear, it’s clear they’ll never see you again

What was in Nahum – Nineveh — what’s in Nahum?
Should I explain – did ya know – all his ancient claims
What was in Nahum – Nineveh — what’s in Nahum?
Should I explain – did ya know – what the dude was sayin’?

Woo

[ ApologetiX – “Minor League” album ]

“More Than Works”
(A parody of “More than Words” by Extreme)

They might tell you theres lots of works God wants to see from you
Thats not the right attitude none are saved by things that man can do
But Jesus said the deed was done on Calvary
More than works cause all the good you do aint no big deal
And it couldn’t get you saved thats too costly — the Bible tells me so

What would you do if I quote Ephesians 2
No mans works can save his soul thats so nobody can boast
The Good Book says that its not by works but grace
And you couldn’t make things new without faith in our Lord too

More than works

Now they might try to talk to you and make you one of them
(But) all you have to do is hope in Christ and just be born again
And trust the Holy Ghost Hell never let you go
More than works is John 6:28 and now too sure
That the good work that you need is to believe cause Christ already rose

What would you do if your heart was born anew
Your good works could show your faith, but you must first take His grace
What do you say? If you trust His Word today
Then you could still make things new just by praying why don’t you?

[ ApologetiX – “Apol-acoustix” album ]

“Brash, Impulsive”
(Parody of “Brass in Pocket” by The Pretenders)

It’s not brash or impulsive
Not prideful, angry, or ruthless
It’s tender and feels no envy
But I think you, think you, think you know this

It’s not boastful, but stays real hopeful
Keeps tryin’ — keeps no grievance
Loathes evil — it ain’t self-seekin’
But I think you, think you, think you know this

Gonna use my heart, gonna use my head
Gonna use my smile, gonna lose my sadness
Gonna lose my anger, gonna lose my snide pride and my impatience

‘Cause Christ showed the way to be
And nobody else here knows love like He
I’m fragile (fragile)
So fragile (fragile)
I gotta have something more substantial, listen to me

First Corinthians, chapter 13
Got a news flash — go read
Love’s something — that we can all choose
But I think you, think you, think you know this

Gonna use my heart, gonna use my head
Gonna use my smile, gonna lose my sadness
Gonna lose my anger, gonna lose my, my, my — my impatience

‘Cause Christ showed the way to me
And nobody else here shows love like He
I’m fragile (fragile)
So fragile (fragile)
I gotta learn from the Lord’s example given to me

‘Cause Christ showed the way, you see
And nobody else here showed love like He
I’m fragile (fragile)
So fragile (fragile)
I gotta start showing more potential — listen to me

Oh oh oh oh oh
In the way I walk

[ ApologetiX – “Doves in Snakes’ Clothing” album ]

“Get Serious”

J. Jackson talks about ApologetiX’s mission: “To reach the lost and teach the rest,” and that they take the Bible VERY SERIOUSLY!

(Video is audio only)

<<< DEEP THOUGHTS >>>

“Angry people are not always wise.”
[ Jane Austen ]

“When angry, count ten before you speak; if very angry, count to one hundred.”
[ Thomas Jefferson ]

“When I am right, I get angry. Churchill gets angry when he is wrong. We are angry at each other much of the time.”
[ Charles De Gaulle ]

“An angry man is again angry with himself, when he returns to reason.”
[ Publilius Syrus ]

“Don’t waste your life on resentment. Some people really spend too much time being angry.”
[ Author unknown ]

“Whatever is begun in anger, ends in shame.”
[ Benjamin Franklin ]

“When we are angry or depressed in our creativity, we have misplaced our power. We have allowed someone else to determine our worth, and then we are angry at being undervalued.”
[ Benjamin Spock ]

“Two things a man should never be angry at: what he can help, and what he cannot help.”
[ Thomas Fuller ]

“Do not say, ‘I cannot help having a bad temper.’ Friend, you must help it. Pray to God to help you overcome it at once, for either you must kill it, or it will kill you. You cannot carry a bad temper into heaven.”
[ Charles Spurgeon ]

“Be not angry that you cannot make others as you wish them to be, since you cannot make yourself as you wish to be.”
[ Thomas a Kempis ]

“To be angry about trifles is mean and childish; to rage and be furious is brutish; and to maintain perpetual wrath is akin to the practice and temper of devils; but to prevent and suppress rising resentment is wise and glorious, is manly and divine.”
[ Isaac Watts ]

“To be angry when things don’t work out the way you want them to, is to question God’s will. Acceptance is the only path to peace.
[ Yasmin Mogahed ]

“Pain is unmasked, unmistakable evil; every man knows that something is wrong when he is being hurt…God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world…A perception of this truth lies at the back of the universal human feeling that bad men ought to suffer. It is no use turning up our noses at this feeling, as if it were wholly base. On its mildest level it appeals to everyone’s sense of justice.”
[ C.S. Lewis ]

“[A lot of people] think that Christianity is you doing all the righteous things you hate and avoiding all the wicked things you love in order to go to Heaven. No, that’s a lost man with religion. A Christian is a person whose heart has been changed; they have new affections.”
[ Paul Washer ]

“Most men, indeed, play at religion as they play at games, religion itself being of all games the one most universally played.”
[ A. W. Tozer ]

“There’s never been anything that’s happened to you in your whole life—including any great tragedy and most painful experience—that could ever possibly justify being angry at God. There are 10 million reasons why He should be angry at you!”
[ R.C. Sproul ]

“It’s OK to get angry with God. He can take it.”
[ Regina Brett ]

“I feel it’s okay to get angry with God. He can take it. Just don’t stay angry. It takes courage to believe that the best is yet to come. I hold steadfast to that belief, especially when I come face-to-face with adversity.”
[ Robin Roberts ]

“I was at this time living, like so many Atheists or Antitheists, in a whirl of contradictions. I maintained that God did not exist. I was also very angry with God for not existing. I was equally angry with Him for creating a world.”
[ C. S. Lewis ]

RELATED SCRIPTURE VERSES:

“O Lord, how long shall I cry for help, and thou wilt not hear?” Habbakuk 1:2

“How long, O Lord? Wilt thou forget me for ever? How long wilt thou hide thy face from me? How long must I bear pain in my soul, and have sorrow in my heart all the day?” Psalm 13:1-2

“My soul also is sorely troubled. But thou, O Lord—how long? I am weary with my moaning; every night I flood my bed with tears; I drench my couch with my weeping.” Psalm 6:3,6

“Why dost thou stand afar off, O Lord? Why dost thou hide thyself in times of trouble?” Psalm 10:1

“How long, O Lord, wilt thou look on? Rescue me from their ravages, my life from the lions!” Psalm 35:17

“How long, O Lord? Wilt thou hide thyself for ever? How long will thy wrath burn like fire?” Psalm 89:46

“How long, O Lord? Wilt thou be angry for ever? Will thy jealous wrath burn like fire?” Psalm 79:5

“Why dost thou forget us for ever, why dost thou so long forsake us?” Lamentations 5:20

“My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Why art thou so far from helping me, from the words of my groaning?” Psalm 22:1

“I say to God, my rock: “Why hast thou forgotten me? Why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?” As with a deadly wound in my body, my adversaries taunt me, while they say to me continually, “Where is your God?” Psalm 42:9-10

“Lord, if I argue with you, you are always right. But I want to ask you about some things that don’t seem right. Why are wicked people successful? Why do people you cannot trust have such easy lives?” Jeremiah 12:1

“The Lord is near to all who call upon him…” Psalm 145:18

“I will not cause pain without allowing something new to be born.” Isaiah 66:9

“He reached from on high, he took me, he drew me out of many waters.” Psalm 18:16

“…I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; behold, I will heal you…” 2 Kings 20:5

“You have taken account of my wanderings; Put my tears in Your bottle. Are they not in Your book?” Psalm 56:8

“…consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to [come].” Romans 8:18

“He will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.” Hosea 6:3

“What I am doing you do not know now, but afterward you will understand.” John 13:7

“When you pass through the waters I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.” Isaiah 43:2

“The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be still.” Exodus 14:14

“A quick summary of the Christian “Gospel”:
JESUS’ PROPITIATION made our SINS FORGIVEN and IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS to us so that we have GOD’S ACCEPTANCE into His Heaven and receive ETERNAL LIFE.”
[ Mark Besh ]

Hope you enjoyed some of these insights—share them with your friends and colleagues—so we can have a larger ’pool’ to receive from, and more to share with! Also, remember to include your name as the “source,” if some of this wisdom is of your doing. I would like to give credit where credit is due!

<<< FOCUS VERSES >>>

“Then Moses turned to the Lord and said, ‘O Lord, why have you done evil to this people? Why did you ever send me? For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has done evil to this people, and you have not delivered your people at all.’”
[ Exodus 5:22-23 ]

“Why have you brought this trouble on your servant? What have I done to displease you…?”
[ Numbers 11:11 ]

“But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul.”
[ Deuteronomy 4:29 ]

“Oh, why give light to those in misery, and life to those who are bitter? They long for death, and it won’t come. They search for death more eagerly than for hidden treasure.”
[ Job 3:20-21 ]

“If only I knew where to find Him; if only I could go to His dwelling! I would state my case before Him and fill my mouth with arguments.”
[ Job 23:3-4 ]

“But if I go to the east, He is not there; if I go to the west, I do not find Him. When He is at work in the north, I do not see Him when He turns to the south, I catch no glimpse of Him. But He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold.”
[ Job 23:8-10 ]

“My feet have closely followed His steps; I have kept to His way without turning aside. I have not departed from the commands of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my daily bread.”
[ Job 23:11-12 ]

“Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him.”
[ Job 13:15 ]

“Why are You so far from helping Me,
And from the words of My groaning?
O My God, I cry in the daytime, but You do not hear.”
[ Psalm 22:1-2 ]

“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”
[ Psalm 34:18 ]

“Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.”
[ Psalms 37:8 ]

“‘O God my rock,’ I cry, ‘Why have you forgotten me? Why must I wander around in grief, oppressed by my enemies?’ Their taunts break my bones.
They scoff, ‘Where is this God of yours?’ Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again—my Savior and my God!”
[ Psalm 42:9-11 ]

“Awake! Why do You sleep, O Lord?
Arise! Do not cast us off forever.
Why do You hide Your face,
And forget our affliction and our oppression?”
[ Psalm 44:23-24 ]

I am restless in my complaint, and moan noisily.”
[ Psalm 55:2 ]

“Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you.”
[ Psalm 55:22 ]

“When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise—in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?”
[ Psalm 56:3-4 ]

“O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.”
[ Psalm 86:15 ]

“How long, Lord? Will You hide Yourself forever? Will Your anger keep burning like fire?”
[ Psalm 89:46 ]

“Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep your word… It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes”
[ Psalm 119:67, 71 ]

Give thanks to the God of Heaven, for His steadfast love endures forever.”
[ Psalm 136:1-26 ]

“The LORD is trustworthy in all He promises and faithful in all He does.”
[ Psalm 145:13 ]

“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”
[ Psalm 147:3 ]

“Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly.”
[ Proverbs 14:29 ]

“Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense. -[ Proverbs 19:11 ]

“Be not quick in your spirit to become angry, for anger lodges in the bosom of fools.”
[ Ecclesiastes 7:9 ]

“Truly you are a God who hides Himself, O God and Savior of Israel.”
[ Isaiah 45:15 ]

“Seek the Lord while you can find Him. Call upon Him now while He is near.”
[ Isaiah 55:6 ]

“Why did I come out from the womb to see toil and sorrow, and spend my days in shame?”
[ Jeremiah 20:14, 18 ]

“How long, Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, ‘Violence!‘ but you do not save?”
[ Habakkuk 1:2 ]

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”
[ Matthew 5:8 ]

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”
[ Matthew 7:13-14 ]

“Today you will be with me in paradise.”
[ Luke 23:43 ]

“Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.”
[ John 3:18 ]

“The thief’s purpose is to steal, kill and destroy. My purpose is to give life in all its fullness.”
[ John 10:10 ]

“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”
[ John 10:27-30 ]

“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
[ John 14:6 ]

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
[ John 16:33 ]

“Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”
[ Acts 4:12 ]

“Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.”
[ Acts 17:30-31 ]

“There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. For God shows no partiality.”
[ Romans 2:9-11 ]

“Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation. However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness.”
[ Romans 4:4-5 ]

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
[ Romans 6:23 ]

“And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.”
[ Romans 11:6 ]

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.”
[ 2 Corinthians 5:10 ]

“Dead in trespasses and sins… Having no hope and without God in the world.”
[ Ephesians 2:1, 12 ]

“But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.”
[ Ephesians 2:4-5 ]

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
[ Ephesians 2:8-9 ]

“Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the Devil.”
[ Ephesians 4:26-27 ]

“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has similarly been tested in every way, yet without sin. So let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help.”
[ Hebrews 4:15 ]

“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”
[ Hebrews 13:5 ]

“genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire” [ 1 Peter 1:7b ]

“The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but was patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”
[ 2 Peter 3:9 ]

“He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.”
[ 1 John 5:12 ]

“And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds.”
[ Revelation 20:12 ]

If you have a ‘neat’ story or some thoughts about an issue or current event that you would like me to try to respond to, I would be glad to give it a try… so, send them to me at: mbesh@comcast.net

Disclaimer: All the above jokes & inspirations are obtained from various sources and copyright are used when known. Other than our name and headers, we do not own the copyright to any of the materials sent to this list. We just want to spread the ministry of God’s love and cheerfulness throughout the world.

Mark

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LIFE'S DEEP THOUGHTS