More Than Medicine
More Than Medicine
DWDP: Gen 4 - 6 Why are you Angry?
Why does God ask us about our anger? What does our countenance reveal about our hearts? These profound questions form the foundation of today's powerful devotion from Genesis 4:6-7.
When the Holy One asks Cain, "Why are you angry?", all human justifications fall flat. We can explain away our anger to others—citing violated rights, hurt feelings, or personal offenses—but these explanations crumble before the Righteous Judge. Dr. Jackson guides us through Scripture's portrayal of God's righteous anger toward Israel's idolatry and sin, demonstrating how divine anger always flows from perfect holiness and justice.
But what about our anger? The devotion draws a crucial distinction between righteous indignation that fights for others' rights versus self-centered rage over personal slights. Jesus' temple-cleansing anger protected His Father's house and defended the exploited. Similarly, anger that motivates constructive action against injustices like abortion can be appropriate when channeled productively.
The episode features a powerful testimony from Jimmy McPhee, who spent 46 years in prison. He reveals that 20-30% of inmates are incarcerated for crimes of passion stemming from unbridled anger—with many remaining angry despite years behind bars. Jimmy's own transformation came only through an encounter with Jesus in solitary confinement, highlighting that true heart change requires divine intervention.
Perhaps most striking is Dr. Jackson's exploration of how our facial expressions reveal our hearts before we speak. Whether observing toddlers fighting over toys or adults in conflict, our countenance betrays our inner condition. Christians filled with the Holy Spirit carry a radiant presence—"the aroma of Christ"—that stands in stark contrast to Cain's fallen countenance that foreshadowed violence.
Listen to discover how God addresses the lion of sin crouching at our door, and join us next week as Dr. Jackson continues with practical wisdom for "lion taming and mastering sin." Subscribe now for weekly biblical devotions that transform your understanding of Scripture and daily life.
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Welcome to More Than Medicine, where Jesus is more than enough for the ills that plague our culture and our country. Hosted by author and physician, Dr Robert Jackson.
Speaker 2:Papa, can you tell me a story?
Speaker 1:Do you really want me to tell you a story? Well, you go, get your brother and your sisters and I will tell you a story. Well, you go, get your brother and your sisters and I will tell you a story. Welcome to Devotions with Dr Papa. Gather around, grab your Bibles and let us look into the written Word, which reveals to us the living Word, who is our Lord Jesus Christ.
Speaker 1:Well, today we're at Genesis, chapter 4 and verse 6. I think I'll read Genesis, verses 6 and 7, although I'm only going to talk about verse 6 today. Then the Lord said to Cain why are you angry and why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door and its desire is for you, but you must master it. I'm going to focus today on verse 6. Then the Lord said to Cain why are you angry and why has your countenance fallen? Now focus on that first phrase, that first question why are you angry? That's a hard question to answer when the Holy God, the righteous judge, asks the question. If a mortal man asks the question, well then you can prevaricate, you can explain all the justification for being angry, how your rights have been violated, how you have been offended, how your feelings were hurt, how the red was licked off your candy and how you didn't get your way. And, of course, you were angry. But when the Holy One asked the question, well, all of your explanations seem to fall flat and you respond I don't know is represented in Scripture as being an angry God.
Speaker 1:Quite often throughout Scripture he was angry with the children of Israel when they turned back to the gods of Egypt and if Moses had not interceded, god would have destroyed the entire nation and started all over with Moses. God was angry with them during the time of the judges because of their turning away from him to worship the gods of the pagan nations around them, and he allowed the pagan nations to oppress them until they repented and sought his face. Then he provided judges or deliverers to deliver them from the pagan nations that were oppressing them, judges like Samson and Samuel. Ultimately, his anger was aroused again against his chosen people when they resented or, I'm sorry, resorted to child sacrifice and worshipped Molech and even placed altars to the sun god on the roof of the temple in Jerusalem. In his righteous indignation, god turned his back on Israel and turned them over to Babylon for 70 years.
Speaker 1:Is God justified in his anger? Well, of course he is. He is God, the Holy One of Israel, the righteous judge of all the earth, who said you shall have no other gods before me. He is a jealous God and shares His glory with none other. But here's a question what about you and me? Are we justified in our anger? Well, yes and no, it depends.
Speaker 1:It depends on the source of our anger. Are you concerned for your rights being violated or are you concerned about the rights of another being violated, being violated? Consider Jesus, who was righteously indignant when his Father's house was changed from a house of prayer for all nations into a place of mercenary temple business, taking advantage of people from other nations who must exchange their foreign currency at exorbitant rates for temple currency in order to purchase an approved lamb for sacrifice. His anger was holy anger on his father's behalf. On his father's behalf, are you angry because the abortion doctor snuffs out the life of unborn babies and does that righteous indignation motivate you to volunteer at a crisis pregnant center or go pray at an abortion clinic or lobby for pro-life legislation or campaign for a pro-life candidate? Then I suggest, your anger is just and its expression is appropriate. That's different from the anger that's sourced in your own perceived violated rights or hurt feelings or personal offense that leads to brooding or carnal passions or seeking revenge. That's a very different thing. The Bible tells us to be quick to hear, slow to speak or slow to anger, for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.
Speaker 1:I once asked my friend Jimmy McPhee, who spent 46 years in prison, what percentage of the prison population is there because of crimes of passion, crimes committed because of anger? He thought a few moments and replied he thought a few moments and replied Doc, 40% are there because of crimes committed while intoxicated. Another 20-30% are there because of crimes of passion, mostly unbridled anger, and many of them are still angry despite years in prison and, if released, would immediately find the person they are most angry with and hurt them. I could take you to the cell door of hundreds of angry men who are in prison because of their angry and they are still angry. So I asked what can be done for them, jimmy? Jimmy replied I once was one of them, doc.
Speaker 1:For 25 years I've raged at the system, the guards and the other prisoners. It was never my fault. I was blind to my faults. Then I met Jesus in solitary confinement and he changed my heart. He gave me a new heart and took away the anger. God replaced the anger with forgiveness and love and peace. Only Jesus can change the hearts of those angry men. Now let's move on. Angry men, now let's move on.
Speaker 1:God also asked Cain why has your countenance fallen? Did you know that your facial expression reveals what's in your heart? Why else do people ask you what are you so happy about? Why are you so sad today? And they often ask you that question when you just simply walk into a room and you haven't even said a word. You see, people can read your heart by looking at your face.
Speaker 1:I have 19 grandchildren. All of them are under 11 years old, except for three of them. I observe them at family gatherings when they play together no-transcript Usually it's a toy of some sort. Their angelic facial expression turns immediately demonic and they respond with physical violence punching, pulling hair and screeching like a wild animal. The same thing happens in bars and juke joints every weekend night, but usually over beer, women and perceived insults. But you can observe the anger in the heart and on the countenance before the violence ensues in these so-called adults.
Speaker 1:Some people have a hard heart and they have a hard countenance, hard facial expressions, and you can tell what's in their heart by observing the hardness of their countenance. Conversely, some Christian folks have a heart full of Jesus, full of sweet peace, and it shows on their facial expression. They have a radiant countenance. More than that, they have the aroma of Christ all about them. You can almost diagnose them as a Christian before they even opened their mouth. They have that radiant expression and that atmosphere about them that is unique to Christ followers who are full of Holy Spirit, but not Cain.
Speaker 1:His heart was full of anger. He had rejected the truth-telling of his righteous brother, whom Jesus called righteous and a prophet. And now he was mad because God had rejected his offering and it was plain as day on his face. In verse 7, god gives Cain some strong advice about dealing with sin, which was crouching at his door like a lion. Next week we're going to talk about lion taming and mastering sin, and until then, may the Lord bless you. Real good, you're listening to Devotions with Dr Poppe. We'll be back next week.
Speaker 2:Thank you for listening to this edition of More Than Medicine. For more information about the Jackson Family Ministry or to schedule a speaking engagement information about the Jackson Family Ministry or to schedule a speaking engagement, go to their Facebook page, instagram or webpage at jacksonfamilyministrycom. Also, don't forget to check out Dr Jackson's books that are available on Amazon. The Family Doctor Speaks the Truth About Life in his first book, and the Family Doctor Speaks the truth about seed planting equipping believers for evangelism is his second. This podcast is produced by Bob Sloan Audio Productions.
