SPEAKER_00: Welcome to Family Church's Sermon of the Week.
SPEAKER_00: We're so glad you're here.
SPEAKER_00: Each week we share a message from God's Word to encourage your heart, strengthen your faith, and help you grow in your walk with Jesus.
SPEAKER_00: We hope this time blesses you and draws you closer to the heart of God.
SPEAKER_01: Let me start the sermon this morning by asking you a question.
SPEAKER_01: Okay.
SPEAKER_01: How would you feel if somebody deliberately just ruined your reputation and spread lies about you?
SPEAKER_01: How would you feel?
SPEAKER_01: Okay?
SPEAKER_01: So, you know, like what emotion do you think you'd be feeling at that moment?
SPEAKER_01: Shout it out to me.
SPEAKER_01: All right.
SPEAKER_01: Anger.
SPEAKER_01: Somebody said something over here that was a felony, but but uh we'll go with anger.
SPEAKER_01: Anger.
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, that all of us would feel anger.
SPEAKER_01: So we're gonna look at two psalms today that help you figure out how to deal with anger.
SPEAKER_01: Because all of us go through it at some point.
SPEAKER_01: And and maybe right now, maybe right now you're going through something and you're you're dealing with anger.
SPEAKER_01: You're angry at somebody, you're angry at yourself.
SPEAKER_01: Sometimes we just get angry at ourselves when we take it out on other people, but but you're angry at yourself, or maybe you're even angry with God.
SPEAKER_01: And and that that happens.
SPEAKER_01: You know, and actually it's it's okay.
SPEAKER_01: God understands.
SPEAKER_01: But but if you're dealing with anger right now, I want to show you some things from the scripture that that uh will help you to understand.
SPEAKER_01: This is this is how to deal with anger.
SPEAKER_01: And you remember last week we talked about David and and his sin with Bathsheba and everything that went on around that.
SPEAKER_01: You know, there was adultery, murder, this national cover-up, and then uh the prophet Nathan confronts David, comes to him, and he tells him that story.
SPEAKER_01: He said, Hey man, there's a guy in your kingdom who's very wealthy and he has lots of sheep.
SPEAKER_01: And he went over to his neighbor who had one sheep and he took that one sheep.
SPEAKER_01: And David said, You know what?
SPEAKER_01: That sheep stealer should be put to death.
SPEAKER_01: And Nathan looked at David and said, You're the man, you're the sheep stealer.
SPEAKER_01: And David knew exactly what he's talking about.
SPEAKER_01: David repented, David found forgiveness, God forgave him immediately.
SPEAKER_01: But, you know, our sin is not without consequences, even when we repent.
SPEAKER_01: So here's what happened with David.
SPEAKER_01: Nathan delivers God's response to David's sin.
SPEAKER_01: 2 Samuel 12, 11 through 12.
SPEAKER_01: It says, From this time on, your family will live and die by the sword, because you have despised me by taking Uriah's wife to be your own.
SPEAKER_01: This is what the Lord says, because of what you have done, I will cause your own household to rebel against you.
SPEAKER_01: I will give your wives to another man before your very eyes, and he will go to bed with them in public view.
SPEAKER_01: You did it secretly, but I will make this happen to you openly in the sight of all Israel.
SPEAKER_01: Then David confessed to Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord.
SPEAKER_01: Nathan replied, Yes, the Lord has forgiven you, and you won't die for this.
SPEAKER_01: Nevertheless, because you have shown utter contempt for the word of the Lord by doing this, your child will die.
SPEAKER_01: There are consequences to sin.
SPEAKER_01: So from that moment on, David's life was kind of like a dumpster fire.
SPEAKER_01: All this terrible stuff happened to him.
SPEAKER_01: The son that he conceived with Bathsheba died after seven days.
SPEAKER_01: Eighth day is a big day for a new baby because that's the day they circumcise him.
SPEAKER_01: They have a big celebration.
SPEAKER_01: He didn't even make it to that day, died on the seventh day.
SPEAKER_01: A little bit later, his older manic depressive son raped his half-sister.
SPEAKER_01: Then his other son, Absalom, murdered the manic depressive son.
SPEAKER_01: Then Absalom rebels against David and tries to overthrow the throne.
SPEAKER_01: David has to escape Jerusalem.
SPEAKER_01: He's running for his life.
SPEAKER_01: You know, he spent the first half of his life running from Saul.
SPEAKER_01: Now he's on the run again, running from his own son.
SPEAKER_01: And Absalom damaged his father's reputation by spreading lies about him.
SPEAKER_01: Just told flat-out, bold-faced lies about his dad, to make his dad look bad before Israel and to make it easier for him to overtake the throne.
SPEAKER_01: Then look at this verse.
SPEAKER_01: Remember, Nathan was really clear about what would happen to David and concerning David's wives.
SPEAKER_01: And this is kind of PG 13.
SPEAKER_01: This happened like 10 years later.
SPEAKER_01: 2 Samuel 16, 20 to 22 says, then Absalom turned to Ahithophel.
SPEAKER_01: Ahithophel was David's chief advisor when Absalom took over.
SPEAKER_01: Usually, it's like somebody takes over.
SPEAKER_01: Anyone that's true, that's loyal to the former king, they kill him.
SPEAKER_01: So Ahithophel, to save his own neck, said, Oh, hey, yeah, I'll be your advisor.
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I'm all for you.
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, let's get David.
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
SPEAKER_01: So Ahithophel was now Absalom's advisor.
SPEAKER_01: And it says he asked him, What should I do next?
SPEAKER_01: Ahithophel told him, Go and sleep with your father's concubines, for he has left them here to look after the palace.
SPEAKER_01: Then all Israel will know that uh that you have insulted your father beyond hope of reconciliation, and they will throw their support to you.
SPEAKER_01: I mean, how messed up is that?
SPEAKER_01: So they set up a tent on the palace roof, the same roof where David stood and watched Bathsheba.
SPEAKER_01: They set up a tent on the palace roof where everyone can see, and Absalom went in and slept with his father's concubines.
SPEAKER_01: So everything that the prophet said came true, and to add insult to injury, the man that would betray him was his own son.
SPEAKER_01: His own son.
SPEAKER_01: There are consequences to sin.
SPEAKER_01: Now, Bible scholars say that it was during this time when David was on the run that he wrote Psalm 4.
SPEAKER_01: So, you know, you'd think about what he's going through.
SPEAKER_01: You'd think Psalm 4 would be this scathing letter of rebuke to his son.
SPEAKER_01: But look at what he says.
SPEAKER_01: Uh, Psalm 4, verses 1 and 2.
SPEAKER_01: It says, Answer me when I call to you, O God who declares me innocent.
SPEAKER_01: Everybody else was calling him guilty.
SPEAKER_01: God, you have declared me innocent.
SPEAKER_01: Free me from my troubles, have mercy on me, and hear my prayer.
SPEAKER_01: How long will you you people ruin my reputation?
SPEAKER_01: How long will you make groundless accusations?
SPEAKER_01: How long will you continue your lies?
SPEAKER_01: So did David have did he kind of have a right to be angry about what was going on?
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, yeah, kinda.
SPEAKER_01: You know, did he did he did he have did he have it coming?
SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.
SPEAKER_01: You know, absolutely David had it coming.
SPEAKER_01: The prophet said, this is what's going to happen.
SPEAKER_01: But anger is a dangerous place to live.
SPEAKER_01: Anger's a dangerous place to live.
SPEAKER_01: And had David had, you know, had had David been angry at Absalom, everybody would have said, Yeah, no, yeah, he should be angry.
SPEAKER_01: You know, if David had gone after Absalom and tried to take him out and punish him like he would do any anyone else that overthrew the throne, you know, everybody would say, yeah, yeah, I get it.
SPEAKER_01: I understand why David's angry.
SPEAKER_01: If David were angry at God, everybody would say, Yeah, I get it.
SPEAKER_01: You know, David got dealt a bad hand, so I get it.
SPEAKER_01: I understand why he's angry with God.
SPEAKER_01: But in the midst of all of that, here's David's response.
SPEAKER_01: And and in this, from this Psalm, I want to show you uh five ways that you respond to anger.
SPEAKER_01: First, when you're angry, remember that you belong to God.
SPEAKER_01: You belong to God.
SPEAKER_01: Psalm 4-3.
SPEAKER_01: You can be sure of this.
SPEAKER_01: The Lord set apart the godly to himself.
SPEAKER_01: The Lord will answer when I call to him.
SPEAKER_01: That phrase set apart is from a Greek or excuse me, a Hebrew word that actually has a couple of meanings.
SPEAKER_01: And the word is pala, P-A-L-A, in English, P-A-L-A.
SPEAKER_01: And it means to be distinct or separated.
SPEAKER_01: God has set you apart.
SPEAKER_01: But the word has another meaning, and you find it in, it's used that way in Psalm 139, verses 13 and 14, where it says, You made all the delicate inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother's womb.
SPEAKER_01: Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex.
SPEAKER_01: Your workmanship is marvelous.
SPEAKER_01: How well I know it.
SPEAKER_01: In that verse, the words wonderful and marvelous are from the Hebrew word pala.
SPEAKER_01: Okay?
SPEAKER_01: Same word, distinct, wonderful, marvelous.
SPEAKER_01: So when you take that into account, it really kind of deepens the meaning, really deepens the meaning of that word.
SPEAKER_01: It's not just set apart, it's wonderfully set apart.
SPEAKER_01: Marvelously set apart.
SPEAKER_01: It's kind of like, you know, I have this box up here, and in this box is my most precious possession.
SPEAKER_01: Okay?
SPEAKER_01: My most precious possession.
SPEAKER_01: And I I could respond to that a couple ways.
SPEAKER_01: I could take this possession and say, okay, this is so precious to me, I'm gonna lock it away, put it in some place where it's not gonna be, it's not gonna be damaged or you know, expose the elements or anything, and I'm gonna make sure that it stays uh uh safe because it's that wonderful, it's that marvelous.
SPEAKER_01: I'm gonna make sure that nothing happens to it.
SPEAKER_01: Or I could take this thing that is so wonderful and marvelous, and I could put it on display for everyone to see.
SPEAKER_01: Guys, you see how I did that?
SPEAKER_01: Okay, it's the little things.
SPEAKER_01: Take notes.
SPEAKER_01: That's good stuff.
SPEAKER_01: All right?
SPEAKER_01: Okay, God has put us on display.
SPEAKER_01: The most marvelous and wonderful thing about you is the fact that God is in you.
SPEAKER_01: Jesus is in you.
SPEAKER_01: If you accepted Christ as your Savior, he's in there.
SPEAKER_01: When you got saved, the Holy Spirit took up residence in you.
SPEAKER_01: That is the most wonderful and marvelous thing that sets you apart from everyone else.
SPEAKER_01: And that's what we put on display.
SPEAKER_01: That's what we put on display.
SPEAKER_01: Verse 3 says, You can be sure of this.
SPEAKER_01: The Lord set you apart, set the Lord set apart the godly for himself.
SPEAKER_01: You are set apart for the glory of God.
SPEAKER_01: That's why you're set apart.
SPEAKER_01: Not not because we're all that, but because he's all that, and we are set apart, marvelously and wonderfully set apart to the glory of God.
SPEAKER_01: So because you belong to God, and because you are set apart to the glory of God, it's important that we control our anger.
SPEAKER_01: And and either we can control our anger or our anger will control us.
SPEAKER_01: That's just the way it works.
SPEAKER_01: Look at verse 4.
SPEAKER_01: Don't sin by letting anger control you.
SPEAKER_01: Think about it overnight and remain silent.
SPEAKER_01: You're set apart because Jesus is in you and you're on display.
SPEAKER_01: And when you're angry, the world needs to see Jesus in you.
SPEAKER_01: You have to be under such control of your anger that even at your angriest moments, the world sees Jesus in you.
SPEAKER_01: Husbands, when you're angry at your wife, she needs to see Jesus in you.
SPEAKER_01: Moms, when you're angry at your kids, you ever get angry at your kids?
unknown: Yeah.
SPEAKER_01: Okay, when you're angry at your kids, your kids need to see Jesus in you.
SPEAKER_01: Whatever the circumstances are, whoever you're angry at needs to see Jesus in you.
SPEAKER_01: And that's how God gets the glory.
SPEAKER_01: If you unleash your anger on anyone, Satan gets the glory then because it takes people's eyes off of Christ in you.
SPEAKER_01: You know, a little a little over a year ago, um, we we went down to Florida for Christmas.
SPEAKER_01: Melinda and me and and uh Travis and Bella, we all drove down there.
SPEAKER_01: Our whole family was together, all our kids, all our grandkids were together for Christmas.
SPEAKER_01: It was awesome.
SPEAKER_01: Three days later, my son Jacob got married.
SPEAKER_01: So it was just it was an awesome time in Florida.
SPEAKER_01: It was great.
SPEAKER_01: So we started uh to make the trip back, and um, and all of a sudden there was a problem with the car, and it was it was a uh water pump or something, you know, something real simple.
SPEAKER_01: So we went and got that fixed, but it set us back a day.
SPEAKER_01: And uh so after we got the car back, we uh um were loading the van and Travis went to open the door, and it was the slider, you know, behind the driver's seat.
SPEAKER_01: So he opened it and he slid it and it slid right off.
SPEAKER_01: You know, usually it stops, but it didn't slide all the way off.
SPEAKER_01: If it had slid all the way off, that would have been easy.
SPEAKER_01: I could have thrown the door in there and gone and got it fixed, but it only slid half the way off, so the front was still connected, so I had to call a tow truck.
SPEAKER_01: So I'm like, okay, we got to get on the road, you know.
SPEAKER_01: I gotta get home.
SPEAKER_01: I'm trying to get home so I can preach on the first Sunday in January.
SPEAKER_01: So I start calling around.
SPEAKER_01: I find a guy that says, if you can get it here in an hour, I think I can fix it for you.
SPEAKER_01: I'm like, perfect, awesome.
SPEAKER_01: We'll do that.
SPEAKER_01: So then I called a tow truck, and the tow truck said, Yeah, I'll I can be there, but it's gonna take uh about 90 minutes before I get there.
SPEAKER_01: I'm like, oh.
SPEAKER_01: So I call call the guy back and said, it's gonna be 90 minutes.
SPEAKER_01: He goes, Well, go ahead and bring it, but I can't make any promises.
SPEAKER_01: No promises.
SPEAKER_01: So tow truck comes, we get it on the tow truck, we get it down there, and this whole time I'm taking pictures, you know, because you know, if anything goes wrong, you want to be able to say, Well, this is what happened to your insurance company.
SPEAKER_01: So I'm taking pictures of everything.
SPEAKER_01: So I follow the tow truck down there, we get the get the van off of the tow truck, I take pictures, I go in to talk to the guy that owns the company, and uh, you know, he was he was nice and said, he said, Yeah, I don't think we're gonna be able to get to it today, um, but we'll we'll take care of it first thing in the morning.
SPEAKER_01: I'll call you as soon as it's done.
SPEAKER_01: Shouldn't take long.
SPEAKER_01: Like, okay.
SPEAKER_01: And then I told him, I said, I said, I really appreciate that.
SPEAKER_01: And it's really important that I get on the road tomorrow because I'm a pastor and I have to preach on Sunday.
SPEAKER_01: So now the cat's out of the bag.
SPEAKER_01: This guy knows I'm a Christian.
SPEAKER_01: So um, so I go home, uh, go back to my daughter's house, and and we're we're waiting next morning.
SPEAKER_01: Uh I'm waiting for that phone call, and I'm waiting and waiting.
SPEAKER_01: About 10 o'clock, I call the guy, and he said, Yeah, it's it's gonna be a couple hours.
SPEAKER_01: Um sorry about the delay, but but we should be ready in a couple hours.
SPEAKER_01: A couple hours go by, I'm still waiting, and the whole time I'm thinking, stay calm, John, stay calm.
SPEAKER_01: And uh, so about two o'clock now, I I call the guy and he says, Yeah, it's it's I'll let you know.
SPEAKER_01: Don't worry, I'll let you know.
SPEAKER_01: So I'm like, okay, I'm getting impatient.
SPEAKER_01: So I get in my daughter's car and I just drive down there and I pull in the parking lot, and the door is on.
SPEAKER_01: You know, I see it as I'm pulling in, the door is on.
SPEAKER_01: I'm like, what's the holdup?
SPEAKER_01: Stay calm, John, stay calm.
SPEAKER_01: And I pull over and I get a little closer, and the window behind the slider is broken.
SPEAKER_01: Stay calm, John.
SPEAKER_01: Stay calm.
SPEAKER_01: So I went in and I said, I I I said, I noticed, you know, the the window is broken.
SPEAKER_01: Are you are you like, is it delayed because you're waiting to fix that?
SPEAKER_01: And he said, it came off the tow truck like that.
SPEAKER_01: And I said, No, it didn't.
SPEAKER_01: And he goes, Yeah, I'm pretty sure it did.
SPEAKER_01: I'm like, I'm pretty sure it didn't, and I have the pictures to prove it.
SPEAKER_01: Stay calm, John.
SPEAKER_01: So I pull my phone out and I show him the picture.
SPEAKER_01: I show him a picture coming off the tow truck, parked next to the tow truck, no broken window.
SPEAKER_01: And he goes, That doesn't prove anything.
SPEAKER_01: I said, I'm yeah, I'm pretty sure it does.
SPEAKER_01: Pretty sure it does.
SPEAKER_01: Then he grabs my phone out of my hand and throws it across the room.
SPEAKER_01: Stay calm, John.
SPEAKER_01: Stay calm.
SPEAKER_01: So I walk over and I pick up my phone and I walk back to him.
SPEAKER_01: There's other customers there uh sitting down, waiting on their cars, and I just looked at him and I said, Seriously, is that how you want to do business?
SPEAKER_01: You've got other customers here?
SPEAKER_01: I mean, you could make this right and just fix my window if you broke it.
SPEAKER_01: And then he starts mocking me.
SPEAKER_01: And he goes, Oh, preach your little sermon, Pastor.
SPEAKER_01: Praise the Lord, hallelujah! So now I'm no longer thinking, stay calm, John.
SPEAKER_01: I'm thinking, how do I get this guy to take a swing at me so that whatever happens next is self-defense?
SPEAKER_01: That's what I'm thinking.
SPEAKER_01: But I can't do anything.
SPEAKER_01: So I just look at him and I say, Look, I I you know, you're you won't pay for the window, I'm not gonna pay for the door.
SPEAKER_01: And he said, get the H E double hockey sticks out of here, and I left.
SPEAKER_01: Now, controlling my anger at that point had nothing to do with me settling that dispute.
SPEAKER_01: It had nothing to do with getting my way, had nothing to do with with uh getting along with someone.
SPEAKER_01: It had everything to do with God getting the glory.
SPEAKER_01: That's what it was all about.
SPEAKER_01: And in that moment, it was more important that God got the glory than it was that I got my window fixed.
SPEAKER_01: And if I had lost, if I had lost my temper in that and said the things I was thinking or done the things I was thinking, Satan would have gotten the glory.
SPEAKER_01: I would have taken the glory, take taken all the glory away from God, and Satan would have gotten the glory.
SPEAKER_01: So it's about controlling, controlling your anger.
SPEAKER_01: And if you don't control your anger, your anger is going to control you.
SPEAKER_01: Number three, sleep on it before you respond.
SPEAKER_01: It also said in verse 4, don't sin by letting anger control you.
SPEAKER_01: Think about it overnight and remain silent.
SPEAKER_01: Some of your translations might say, Don't let the sun go down on your wrath.
SPEAKER_01: And some people will some people mistakenly think that that means you have to settle all of your disputes, all of your arguments before you go to bed at night.
SPEAKER_01: Okay, that's that's impossible.
SPEAKER_01: Because sometimes whatever you're angry about takes more than just a half hour conversation at bedtime to settle.
SPEAKER_01: You know?
SPEAKER_01: Not everything can be settled right before bedtime.
SPEAKER_01: And like if you're mad at your boss, it's a really bad idea to show up at his house at 10 o'clock in your pajamas and try to settle a try to settle an argument.
SPEAKER_01: That's not gonna, that's not gonna help.
SPEAKER_01: It's gonna make matters worse.
SPEAKER_01: So, what that verse is saying is take care of your anger in that situation before you go to bed.
SPEAKER_01: Don't go to bed feeling that anger.
SPEAKER_01: So it might be just a matter of you, you know, if you're if if it's if it's your wife you're mad at or your husband you're mad at, just look at them and saying, hey, look, I know we have a lot to talk about, you know, and and I want to settle this, and I know you do too.
SPEAKER_01: And I love you so much that I'll do everything I can to settle it, but I also know now's not the right time.
SPEAKER_01: Now isn't the right time.
SPEAKER_01: I had somebody uh at the church in in Florida, we were in a staff meeting and or or a leadership meeting, and somebody stood up in that meeting and insulted me and everybody on that staff.
SPEAKER_01: I mean, just not not just kidding, insulting, I mean just flat out insulted us and then walked out of the meeting.
SPEAKER_01: The next, I was livid.
SPEAKER_01: The next day he comes into my office and he says, he says, Hey, I just can we talk about this?
SPEAKER_01: I'm I'm really sorry.
SPEAKER_01: And I and I just looked at him and I said, I really appreciate that you're sorry, I really do, but I can't talk about this now because I'm too angry.
SPEAKER_01: And and I I don't like what I'm thinking and I don't like what I'm gonna say.
SPEAKER_01: So I appreciate that.
SPEAKER_01: I I think we need to talk later.
SPEAKER_01: You know, it's okay to do that.
SPEAKER_01: And so a couple days later, I went to his house and we sat down, we talked and we prayed and we worked things out.
SPEAKER_01: But if if I had tried to talk to him then, I would have said stuff and and things that I I would not have controlled my anger.
SPEAKER_01: So sometimes it might be more important to sleep on it and think about what you're gonna say.
SPEAKER_01: Look at look at James 1.19.
SPEAKER_01: It says, Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters.
SPEAKER_01: You must all be quick to listen and slow to speak and slow to get angry.
SPEAKER_01: If you're angry, speaking is probably not the best thing to do.
SPEAKER_01: You might want to put the brakes on talking and just start listening, just start praying.
SPEAKER_01: So so if you feel like this guy, you probably shouldn't say anything.
SPEAKER_01: Probably shouldn't say anything.
SPEAKER_01: Okay?
SPEAKER_01: Sleep on it.
SPEAKER_01: Sleep on it and think about what you're gonna say.
SPEAKER_01: Pray about it first, okay?
SPEAKER_01: Uh Psalm 4-5 says our sacrifice, excuse me, number four, choose worship over wrath.
SPEAKER_01: Choose worship over wrath.
SPEAKER_01: Psalm 4-5.
SPEAKER_01: Uh offer sacrifices in the right spirit and trust the Lord.
SPEAKER_01: Anytime the Old Testament tells us to offer sacrifices, you could replace it with the word worship, okay?
SPEAKER_01: Because offering sacrifices was a method of worship in the Old Testament.
SPEAKER_01: We don't sacrifice animals anymore.
SPEAKER_01: So just to make it personal and to understand it, replace the word worship there.
SPEAKER_01: So you could say, worship in the right spirit and trust the Lord.
SPEAKER_01: When you're angry, worship in the right spirit and trust the Lord.
SPEAKER_01: In Ephesians 4, Paul quotes Psalm 4-4.
SPEAKER_01: It says, Don't let anger control you, but he adds this statement in Ephesians 4.27, for anger gives foothold to the devil.
SPEAKER_01: Anger gives foothold to the devil.
SPEAKER_01: That word foothold is a military reference.
SPEAKER_01: Okay?
SPEAKER_01: When an army takes a piece of ground, it means that it has taken a foothold.
SPEAKER_01: All right.
SPEAKER_01: My son Jacob is in the army, and uh he was in an artillery unit uh in the Battle of Mosul in Iraq in 2016, 2017, and there was a time when he and some and others uh went to drive to drive the enemy out of the city of Mosul.
SPEAKER_01: They went door to door looking for people, and and they they moved they drove the enemy out block by block.
SPEAKER_01: And every time they took a new block, they had a foothold.
SPEAKER_01: All right, when you give in to your anger or you just live angry, you have given a foothold to Satan.
SPEAKER_01: You have given that over to him.
SPEAKER_01: And he and he is more powerful in your life, and he has a bigger influence because you have given him that ground.
SPEAKER_01: You have given him that foothold.
SPEAKER_01: So so there's a battle going on in your mind.
SPEAKER_01: And when when you when you dwell on anger and you stay angry, Satan's taking that.
SPEAKER_01: Satan's taking that from you.
SPEAKER_01: James 4 8 says, resist the devil and he'll flee from you.
SPEAKER_01: Come close to God and he will come close to you.
SPEAKER_01: Okay?
SPEAKER_01: So when when when you choose to worship, you are choosing to draw close to God.
SPEAKER_01: And when you choose to draw close to God, God, Satan flees, Satan retreats.
SPEAKER_01: He no longer has that foothold.
SPEAKER_01: So when you're when you're angry, rather than venting that anger, or you know, some people tell you, oh, you gotta vent your anger.
SPEAKER_01: No, you don't.
SPEAKER_01: Nothing in the scripture says you got to vent your anger.
SPEAKER_01: What it says is worship.
SPEAKER_01: So get your Bible out, read some Psalms.
SPEAKER_01: Put on some worship music.
SPEAKER_01: Stop and pray.
SPEAKER_01: Talk to God.
SPEAKER_01: Tell God what you're angry about.
SPEAKER_01: If you're angry with God, tell God why you're angry.
SPEAKER_01: Sometimes we think we can't be honest with God, but if you know if you're if you're angry with God, he already knows it.
SPEAKER_01: You're not telling him anything he doesn't know.
SPEAKER_01: So when you talk to God, and if you're angry with God, you just say, God, I'm I'm angry.
SPEAKER_01: You know, you you you I just lost a loved one.
SPEAKER_01: I just I just lost a relationship.
SPEAKER_01: I just lost a job.
SPEAKER_01: God, I'm kind of angry with you.
SPEAKER_01: God, God understands.
SPEAKER_01: He understands.
SPEAKER_01: And he's not going to strike you with lightning.
SPEAKER_01: Be honest with God.
SPEAKER_01: Let God know you're angry.
SPEAKER_01: Number five, choose joy.
SPEAKER_01: Instead of choosing anger, choose joy.
SPEAKER_01: Look at verse 6.
SPEAKER_01: Many people say, Who will show us better times?
SPEAKER_01: Let your face smile on us, Lord.
SPEAKER_01: You have given me greater joy than those who have abundant harvest and grain and new wine.
SPEAKER_01: So, so who will show you better times?
SPEAKER_01: Probably not the person you're angry with.
SPEAKER_01: They're not going to show you better times.
SPEAKER_01: So venting your anger on them is not gonna is not gonna bring you joy.
SPEAKER_01: It's only gonna complicate the matter more.
SPEAKER_01: And Satan is out for your destruction.
SPEAKER_01: So there is no joy in giving him that foothold.
SPEAKER_01: There's no joy in turning that ground over to him.
SPEAKER_01: God has given you greater joy than anything else you can imagine.
SPEAKER_01: All you have to do is choose it.
SPEAKER_01: Choose joy.
SPEAKER_01: You choose joy.
SPEAKER_01: When you're angry, uh worship God and you will find joy.
SPEAKER_01: Sleep on it and you'll find joy.
SPEAKER_01: You're not going to find joy by lashing out at the person who has made you angry.
SPEAKER_01: Now, let me show you what happens when you sleep on it.
SPEAKER_01: You choose joy.
SPEAKER_01: You control your anger instead of letting it control you.
SPEAKER_01: Psalm 4 is often called the evening psalm because number one, it said, you know, uh, don't let the sun go down on your wrath, you know, sleep on it.
SPEAKER_01: But it also says this, look at verse 8.
SPEAKER_01: In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, O Lord, will keep me safe.
SPEAKER_01: Okay?
SPEAKER_01: If you're angry, say, God, I'm gonna lay down in peace, knowing that you have control of this, not me.
SPEAKER_01: My anger doesn't have control.
SPEAKER_01: I don't have control.
SPEAKER_01: You have control of this, so I can sleep well.
SPEAKER_01: That's the evening psalm.
SPEAKER_01: Psalm 3 is referred to as the morning psalm.
SPEAKER_01: I would have switched them.
SPEAKER_01: I would have put them in a different order.
SPEAKER_01: They did, you know, morning, then evening, which makes sense, but but the morning is a result of the evening, so I would have switched them.
SPEAKER_01: But here's what Psalm 3, 5, and 6 says I laid down and slept, yet I woke up in safety, for the Lord was watching over me.
SPEAKER_01: I am not afraid of 10,000 enemies who surround me on every side.
SPEAKER_01: So you go to bed the night before and and you turn that anger over to God.
SPEAKER_01: You say, God, you're in control here.
SPEAKER_01: I'm not gonna let anger control me.
SPEAKER_01: I'm gonna choose joy, I'm gonna choose worship.
SPEAKER_01: You're probably gonna have a really good night's sleep.
SPEAKER_01: A lot better than you would if you go to bed that angry, but you're choosing to worship, and you're choosing joy, then next morning when you wake up, you can say, God, I turned this over to you and you are in control.
SPEAKER_01: You kept me safe, you kept my mind safe, you kept my heart safe.
SPEAKER_01: Because I did what you said.
SPEAKER_01: So David's running for his life.
SPEAKER_01: You know, he's he's his son is trying to overthrow the kingdom, he's shaming his father, spreading lies.
SPEAKER_01: And in the middle of all that, David was able to write, I slept well.
SPEAKER_01: I slept well because I knew God was in control, God was watching over me.
SPEAKER_01: That's what it looks like when you control your anger.
SPEAKER_01: When you when you when you give your anger over to God at night, the next morning, that's what it looks like.
SPEAKER_01: And the way you handle your anger will either give Satan the glory or it will give God the glory.
SPEAKER_01: And and it really, it's up to us.
SPEAKER_01: It's our choice.
SPEAKER_01: How we how we deal with it is our choice, no one else's.
SPEAKER_01: And it's easy to blame other people when you're angry.
SPEAKER_01: You can say, well, it's her fault, it's his fault, it's you know, whatever.
SPEAKER_01: But what you do with your anger and how you respond in that situation, that's totally your choice.
SPEAKER_01: Anger's not wrong.
SPEAKER_01: You can be angry.
SPEAKER_01: Anger's a feeling, anger's an emotion.
SPEAKER_01: There's nothing wrong with being angry.
SPEAKER_01: God was angry, Jesus was angry, nothing wrong with being angry, but it's how you deal with it.
SPEAKER_01: It's it's how you it's how you respond in moments of anger.
SPEAKER_01: Are you gonna respond by lashing out?
SPEAKER_01: Are you gonna respond by making someone else feel like they're responsible for the way you feel?
SPEAKER_01: Or are you gonna say, I'm gonna choose to do it God's way.
SPEAKER_01: I'm gonna control my anger.
SPEAKER_01: I'm gonna trust that God is in control.
SPEAKER_01: Let's have every head bowed and every eye closed.
SPEAKER_01: God, thank you.
SPEAKER_01: Thank you that that your word, Lord, Lord, helps us in just the most basic ways, Lord, to deal with to deal with our emotions.
SPEAKER_01: Lord, you help us to deal with our sadness and our worry and our guilt.
SPEAKER_01: But God, you help us to deal with anger and you give us what it takes.
SPEAKER_01: And Lord, I pray that everyone in here, Lord, especially if somebody right now is struggling dealing with with anger.
SPEAKER_01: Maybe they're angry at at maybe they're angry at you, God.
SPEAKER_01: Maybe they're angry at spouse, parent.
SPEAKER_01: Lord, maybe they're maybe they're angry with someone who is who is long gone and they can't they can't deal with that person.
SPEAKER_01: But God, they can they can deal with that anger through you.
SPEAKER_01: God, I pray that you would just bless anyone in here that's struggling with anger.
SPEAKER_01: And so with heads bowed and eyes closed, if if just nobody looking around, if you're dealing with anger on any level, just throw your hand up.
SPEAKER_01: Let me pray for you.
SPEAKER_01: You're dealing with anger.
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, lots of people.
SPEAKER_01: God, thank you for the honesty of these people.
SPEAKER_01: Lord, you know their hearts.
SPEAKER_01: You you know every detail of every situation for every person in this room.
SPEAKER_01: There's nothing, nothing that escapes, escapes you.
SPEAKER_01: So, God, we just trust that you will you'll do a do a work in the lives of these people who have admitted that they are they're dealing with anger.
SPEAKER_01: Lord, I pray that they would turn to you, they would worship you, they would choose joy.
SPEAKER_01: And Lord, that people would see you in them, they would see your son in them in moments of anger.
SPEAKER_01: Lord, I pray for pray that they would be able to resolve their anger.
SPEAKER_01: If it's with someone else, they'd be able to resolve those differences in a biblical way.
SPEAKER_01: Lord, if it's with you, that they would just be able to talk to you about it, and that your Holy Spirit would give them the peace, knowing that you are in control.
SPEAKER_01: Even in the worst of circumstances, God, you're in control.
SPEAKER_01: Still with heads bowed and eyes closed.
SPEAKER_01: If you're here today and you've never accepted Jesus as your Savior, you know, it's got to start there.
SPEAKER_01: You're not gonna have joy, you're not gonna have peace until you have given your life to Jesus.
SPEAKER_01: And so if you're here today, you've never accepted Christ.
SPEAKER_01: It's just a matter of saying, I'm gonna trust in his death, burial, and resurrection, I'm gonna trust in his shed blood for the forgiveness of my sin, and I'm gonna choose to follow Jesus.
SPEAKER_01: And you can you can say that or do that however you want.
SPEAKER_01: If you struggle putting that into your putting what's going on in your mind and in your heart, you're struggling, putting that into words, you can just pray something like this and say, Dear God, thank you for sending Jesus.
SPEAKER_01: Thank you that because of him I can be saved, I can have eternal life in heaven.
SPEAKER_01: So today I trust in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus for my salvation.
SPEAKER_01: I trust in his blood that was shed on the cross for the forgiveness of my sin.
SPEAKER_01: And today I confess to you that I'm a sinner.
SPEAKER_01: And I ask forgiveness for that sin.
SPEAKER_01: And I choose to follow Jesus.
SPEAKER_01: Do me a favor, if you just prayed that, just lift your hand so I can pray for you.
SPEAKER_01: Nobody's looking around, nobody's gonna call attention to you.
SPEAKER_01: All right.
SPEAKER_01: God, thank you.
SPEAKER_01: Thank you for this uh young man that prayed to receive Jesus today.
SPEAKER_01: Lord, I pray that you would uh just help him to understand the decision that he's made.
SPEAKER_01: Lord, it's it's it's it's it's an easy decision to understand, but sometimes it's hard to go the next step.
SPEAKER_01: So Lord, help him to understand uh your love form, help him to understand the sacrifice that you made.
SPEAKER_01: Pray that you would surround him with family that will help to explain uh the decision that he's made.
SPEAKER_01: And Lord, help his church to come around him.
SPEAKER_01: God, we thank you for your love for us, Lord.
SPEAKER_01: Thank you for all that you've done for us.
SPEAKER_01: And Lord, we just pray that you would bless uh this church, Lord, those that are dealing with anger.
SPEAKER_01: Lord, pray that you would bless our church as we move forward as a church to become an autonomous church.
SPEAKER_01: Lord, Lord, bring us the people that are going to help us make that happen.
SPEAKER_01: Lord, help everyone in this room to this week be mindful of the people around them, people that need Jesus, Lord, people that need an invite to church.
SPEAKER_01: Lord, whatever it is, help us to be the hands and feet of Jesus and show your love uh uh through the people of this church.
SPEAKER_01: Lord, we ask all this in Jesus' name.
SPEAKER_01: Amen.
SPEAKER_00: Thanks for listening to Family Church's Sermon of the Week.
SPEAKER_00: We pray this message encouraged you and helped you grow in your faith.
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SPEAKER_00: You can learn more about Family Church at myfamilychurch.com.
SPEAKER_00: If you are in the area, tweet us Sunday mornings at 10 a.m.
SPEAKER_00: Weekly at Patriot High School.
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