But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?

Mark 4:35-41

But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing? Mark 4:38

I continue my study of Mark, leaning on the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for Mark.  Today, I my focus is a commentary-assisted review of Mark 4:35-41, which is the text for the next chapter of the commentary - which offers six divisions for this text. Excerpts from the commentary's third (of six) division (v38): 

• The commentary's title for this division is "We Panic When We Lose Faith in the One We Should Trust." 
• "[The disciples] demand, “Do you not care that we are perishing?” They question His love and concern for them. Frustrated by what appears to be indifference to their plight and facing a desperate situation they have no hope of handling themselves, they lash out in a rude outburst rather than exhibiting faith in the One who has proven Himself trustworthy." 
• The commentary reminds us that we all have these moments where our faith is tested and we lash out in frustration or panic.

It's important that we not stray far from God's Word, His people, prayer, etc. for us to remind ourselves that God is in everything and that He never leaves or forsakes us. Anger is often one of my responses.  Yet I have seen God's hand in helping with my anger and I am reminded by James 1:2-4 that I will experience trials of "various kinds." Surely, I can cry out to God but I should avoid using words to tear down and anger - see James 3:6, 8b-9, and James 1:19-20. 

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Heavenly Father, what an awesome God You are that You love me and are so full of mercy, patience, and compassion for me - even when my trust in You fails and I sin by lashing out in anger and frustration.  Thank You Jesus for Your mercy, compassion, grace, and patience.  I am not deserving of my salvation nor these blessings.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger...A king's wrath is a messenger of death, and a wise man will appease it....Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city....but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.

Proverbs 25-29

A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger...A king's wrath is a messenger of death, and a wise man will appease it....Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city....but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. Proverbs 15:1, 16:14,32, 1 Peter 3:15-16 

I continue my study of Proverbs week 9 from my study workbook, which focuses on Proverbs 25-29.  My focus for today is question 2-4 from my workbook.  These questions examine how (1) Proverbs offers guidance about how to resolve relational conflict and how Jesus builds on this teaching by offering more prescriptive guidance for those in the church, including an escalation model (Proverbs 25:9-10, Matthew 18:15-17); (2) Proverbs offers teaching on how to respond during times of disagreement (Proverbs 25:15, 15:1, 16:14, 32, 1 Peter 3:15-16); and (3) Proverbs teaches us that there is no "one size fits all" set of words for how to share the gospel in our daily lives - we are to tailor the words to the circumstances (Proverbs 25:20, Romans 12:15). In particular, I can use the teaching from (2) - to offer soft responses without harshness, anger or tension, and to be gentle and respectful in response.  God please help in this area of my life.

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of gentleness and respect, and who is slow to anger - thank You Jesus for the softness with which You respond to me - even though I am deserving of Your wrath and anger...we all are due to our sin.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me turn from and overcome my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride. Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools.

Ecclesiastes - Various 

The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride. Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools. Ecclesiastes 7:8-9

Day 149 of my chronological study of the Bible with The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) (available by purchase through Amazon - author F. LaGard Smith) continues with a study of Ecclesiastes; much like my study of the Psalms and Proverbs, my commentary presents the chapters of Ecclesiastes according to topic areas and this morning my focus is on the value of wisdom (wisdom comes from sorrow, danger of extremism, few choose wisdom, and enriching nature of wisdom).

Highlights from my reading this morning:

The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride. Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools. Ecclesiastes 7:8-9

Indeed, there is no one on earth who is righteous, no one who does what is right and never sins. Ecclesiastes 7:20

Do not pay attention to every word people say, or you may hear your servant cursing you—for you know in your heart that many times you yourself have cursed others. Ecclesiastes 7:21-22

Do not revile the king even in your thoughts, or curse the rich in your bedroom, because a bird in the sky may carry your words, and a bird on the wing may report what you say. Ecclesiastes 10:20

It is better to heed the rebuke of a wise person than to listen to the song of fools. Ecclesiastes 7:5

Do not be overrighteous, neither be overwise—why destroy yourself? Ecclesiastes 7:16

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who has blessed me by transforming my heart, mind and life.  Thank You Jesus for helping me see and heed the wisdom from Your Word.  I know there is much work to do but I am grateful for what You have done so far.  Please forgive me Jesus for my sin - I am easily distracted by the world and by own comfort.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me. Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, You have brought trouble on me by making me obnoxious to the Canaanites and Perizzites, the people living in this land.

Genesis 34

Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, You have brought trouble on me by making me obnoxious to the Canaanites and Perizzites, the people living in this land. v30

Shechem defiled Jacob's daughter Dinah and is easily understood that Simeon and Levi would be angry.  Yet revenge is for the Lord.

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.  Colossians 3:12-13 

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. James 1:19-20

God wants us to forgive others as He forgave us.

Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Luke 6:37

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are truly an awesome God who has forgiven me - overwhelmingly for my sins.  You are SO full of grace and compassion.  Thank You Jesus.  Please forgive me for my worry.  Help me overcome such sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day. 

But the Lord replied, “Is it right for you to be angry?”

Jonah 4

But the Lord replied, “Is it right for you to be angry?” v4

I MUST remember that God is in control.  

He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.  Colossians 1:17

If I can remember that God is in control - I can have a better appreciation of how God has me where He wants me. If I don't like the circumstances and I am angry or I complain it is because I am angry at God.

In the desert, Moses reminds the Israelites that when they grumbled about no food or water, they were really complaining about God.

Who are we? You are not grumbling against us, but against the Lord. Exodus 16:8

God does not want us to grumble.  He wants us to be at peace so that others see Him in us.

Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky. Philippians 2:14-15

..instead we are to:
 

...give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:18

 



My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God full of love and compassion for me...and yet I still am often angry and I complain.  Thank You for Your patience for me but please forgive me!  Help me overcome and turn from my sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do.  Help me not grumble.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Fools give full vent to their rage, but the wise bring calm in the end.

Proverbs 29

Fools give full vent to their rage, but the wise bring calm in the end. v11

God wants me to be the "light of the world", so I must demonstrate patience, kindness, peace, etc. (fruits of the spirit).

You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:14-16

If I am and demonstrate Jesus to others (see Romans 12:1) one would see the fruits of the Spirit:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Galatians 5:22-23 

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. James 1:19-20

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God whose love knows no bounds and who is quick to listen and slow to anger.  I am thankful for such a God because I am broken and I know I often fail to be the man You intend for me - yet You love me all the same.  Thank You Jesus.  Please forgive me and help me overcome such sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith. Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal and cure Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo. Help me lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and have them choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Help me lead and serve You, my family, the church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.

James 1

Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. v21

Anger is another form of complaining, which is of course a sin (see here, 1 Cor 10:10, Phil 2:14-15).  I am to be content and as James puts it, "humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you."

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You have me right where You want me and I know You are doing great things in my life and You have already done great things in my life!  Hallelujah!  What a great God You are.  I have been blessed well beyond what I deserve...thank You Jesus!  I do thank You, and I desperately need You in my life to continue to work in my life...and also for forgiveness.  I am way too quick to anger and impatient (although You are a patient with me).  Please forgive me Jesus and help me turn from such sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Please help me humbly accent my circumstances as Your will.  Help me be content with You and Your word because that is all that I need!  Give me strength.  Give Lisa comfort, strength and freedom from pain and discomfort.  Please heal and cure her of this cancer.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.