April 14

ROMANS 1

¹⁸ For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. ¹⁹ For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. ²⁰ For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So, they are without excuse. ²¹ For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. ²² Claiming to be wise, they became fools, ²³ and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.²⁴ Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, ²⁵ because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.²⁶ For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; ²⁷ and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.²⁸ And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. – Romans 1:18-28

ROMANS 1 GOD’S WRATH ON SUPPRESSION OF TRUTH

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

As you learn more and more about the gospel of truth

You will know the hatred of God towards what is unrighteous

These wicked people may think that they got away with evil

Not knowing that God’s wrath has come upon them already

When they worship the creatures that God created instead of him

They are rebelling against God’s goodness and choosing to sin

When they suppress the truth, they do not acknowledge God

They are saying that there is no God by making their own little gods.

Paul clearly teaches the Roman church the most wicked sins that provoke God’s wrath. It is ungodliness, unrighteousness and suppression of the truth. Paul reminds the believers that the righteous anger of God will inevitably be experienced with these acts. Ungodliness is a disregard for God while unrighteousness is sins against others. Suppression of truth entails exchanging the glory of God for material things, satisfying their pleasures and a life centered on themselves. In the Old Testament, we can physically experience the wrath of God when wicked people were annihilated in a flood and only Noah’s family survived. We saw how the Egyptians were plagued because of their ungodliness and injustice to the Israelites. But in our modern age, many people don’t know that they are already judged while they are still alive. They are left in their foolishness and a debased mind. They live dead and fruitless lives.

REFLECTION

·       What are some ways that God’s wrath is clearly manifested in wicked people?

April 13

PROVERBS 25

²³ The north wind brings forth rain,
    and a backbiting tongue, angry looks.
²⁴ It is better to live in a corner of the housetop
    than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife.
²⁵ Like cold water to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.
²⁶ Like a muddied spring or a polluted fountain
    is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked.
²⁷ It is not good to eat much honey, nor is it glorious to seek one’s own glory.
²⁸ A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls.

                                                                                    – Proverbs 25:23-28

PROVERBS 25 THE WORLD OF THE DIFFICULT & ANGRY PEOPLE

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When a man continually seeks to gain glorify for himself

He will be oblivious and apathetic to anyone else

He is without self-control like a broken city without borders

He will repeatedly manipulate to have control over others

The angry man pursues to destroy anyone who wouldn’t yield

He becomes much more wicked when he is exposed with his schemes.

In these following verses, we are given a deeper dive to the world of the quarrelsome and angry people. In verse 23, the writer describes a type of difficult and angry people: the gossipers and slanderers. Their malicious intent to destroy other people’s character and reputation are likened to the north wind that brings forth rain. The gossip and character assassinations are likened to the north wind that spreads so rapidly and results in rain in the form of divisions, discords, conflicts and heart-murders. They bring about stormy relational weather in all their relationships. In verse 24, the quarrelsome wife is impossible to live with and the writer says it is better to live on the tip of the rooftop rather than being with his nagging & destructive wife because they make life a living hell as they spew out anger incessantly.

In verse 25, there is a break in the description of these angry and bitter people where good news is likened to those who are patient, wise and prudent people, they give you a break from all the negative toxicity that the difficult and angry people so easily and automatically poison relationships with. It is interesting how verse 26 describes that tolerance and compliance of a wise man to the wickedness shown by these difficult, toxic people can actually corrupt their own thinking and compromise their integrity. This way, the evil man defiles the entire community. Just like Paul instructs the Ephesians in 5:11 that they need not take part in any unfruitful works of darkness, but instead, expose them, verse 27 exposes the self-promotion that proud and wicked people employ to get adulation. Verse 28 describes that their lack of discipline reaps ruin, an anxious & fearful mind and a fruitless life.

REFLECTION

·       How must Christians deal with difficult and angry people as the bible instructs them?

April 12

PROVERBS 22

¹⁹ That your trust may be in the Lord,
    I have made them known to you today, even to you.
²⁰ Have I not written for you thirty sayings   of counsel and knowledge,
²¹ to make you know what is right and true,
    that you may give a true answer to those who sent you?

²² Do not rob the poor, because he is poor or crush the afflicted at the gate,
²³ for the Lord will plead their cause and rob of life those who rob them.
²⁴ Make no friendship with a man given to anger, nor go with a wrathful man,
²⁵ lest you learn his ways   and entangle yourself in a snare. – Proverbs 22:10-25

PROVERBS 22 AVOID THE WRATHFUL MAN

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

Choose your friends carefully by testing if they are guided by truth

God sets apart his people from unbelievers and lies of this world

The world focuses on self-seeking desires, pleasures and longings

It is different from what is right which centers on God-pleasing

The people of God don’t make a habit of fighting and quarreling

They are guided by the Spirit to live in humility and self-control

Avoid a wrathful man at all cost so you will be free from traps

Or you’ll be bondage to sins of self importance and pride.

These following Proverbs cover trusting the Lord and seeking his counsel and knowledge so that we may recognize what is right and true. But it is important for us to remember that we cannot obtain the wisdom of God without the fear of the Lord which is mentioned in Proverbs 9:10. Without the fear of the Lord, we will not get insight that comes from God’s absolute truth. The world’s knowledge is not wisdom. Many people interchange the wisdom of God with man’s knowledge. They are two different things. Because we are human beings, our knowledge is limited understanding while God’s wisdom oversees all things because he is the author of creation. He has infinite knowledge which we do not possess as humans. So, if we don’t acknowledge God or believe in him, it is impossible for any human being to have the wisdom that only comes from him. Thankfully, we are all so blessed to have access to the word of God. Through Scripture, we learn the truth and if we allow it to guide and give us direction on how to navigate this corrupt world, we can obey it and stay faithful to our Maker.

Let’s focus on the other part of these sayings which has to do with avoiding a wrathful man at all cost so you will be free from the traps that he himself has been stuck in. Verse 24 commands us not to have friendships with angry people, not just for our physical and emotional safety but more for the spiritual threat it poses on our hearts, minds and spirits. When we get close to these people even if we are very mature in our faith, we can still fall into the snares of the devil and open doors for us to learn their ways.

REFLECTION

·       Share some experiences why we need to avoid being friends with angry people.

April 11

PSALM 4    

O men, how long shall my honor be turned into shame?
    How long will you love vain words and seek after lies? Selah
³ But know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself;
    the Lord hears when I call to him.⁴ Be angry, and do not sin;
    ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent. Selah
⁵ Offer right sacrifices, and put your trust in the Lord.

⁶ There are many who say, “Who will show us some good?
    Lift up the light of your face upon us, O Lord!”
⁷ You have put more joy in my heart
    than they have when their grain and wine abound.

⁸ In peace I will both lie down and sleep;
    for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.

                                                                                   – Psalm 4:2-8

PSALM 4 BE STILL AND EXAMINE YOUR HEART WHEN ANGRY

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When you are rejected and accused of things you’ve not done

Do not react to those words that are lies against you

Instead, be silent, keep still and know that God is your shield

Do not allow the lies to penetrate deep in your heart or Satan wins

Ponder in your heart while you are quiet in bed, trust in the Lord

It is in Christ that you can dwell in safety and overcome the world.

In this psalm, David runs to God for safety when he was being shamed by his own son Absalom. Sources say that this was written when he was fleeing from him. It seems that he was speaking to his son in verse 2 pleading him to stop spreading all the lies that he continually sought after in order to dethrone his own father and be the king. It seems like there is an actual conversation going on in verses 3-8. David speaks to Absalom, declaring his faith in God that he is set apart from his enemies because he belongs to the Lord and is after his heart. We hear how much trust David had for the Lord. Despite his distress and frustration and anger at what his son is doing, he still sees God’s goodness and protection and promises.

The Lord speaks in verse 5 telling David to offer right sacrifices. What does this mean? I think that what God is referring to here is that he need not retaliate to the rebellion of his son. Instead, he kept silent and did not engage in the provocations of Absalom. He pondered in his heart and relied and trusted his Almighty God. The result of such silence is peace and feelings of safety and calm.

REFLECTION

• Why is it important to be still and silent when you are provoked to anger?

April 10

LEVITICUS 19

¹¹ “You shall not steal; you shall not deal falsely; you shall not lie to one another. ¹² You shall not swear by my name falsely, and so profane the name of your God: I am the Lord.¹³ “You shall not oppress your neighbor or rob him. The wages of a hired worker shall not remain with you all night until the morning. ¹⁴ You shall not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block before the blind, but you shall fear your God: I am the Lord.¹⁵ “You shall do no injustice in court. You shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great, but in righteousness shall you judge your neighbor. ¹⁶ You shall not go around as a slanderer among your people, and you shall not stand up against the life of your neighbor: I am the Lord.

¹⁷ “You shall not hate your brother in your heart, but you shall reason frankly with your neighbor, lest you incur sin because of him. ¹⁸ You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord. – Leviticus 19:11-17

LEVITICUS 19 WHEN ANGER LEADS TO UNKIND ACTS

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When you love the Lord your God, you will follow the law of love

You will love your neighbor as yourself and you will obey God’s laws

When someone has done you wrong, abuse or offend you

It is natural to be angry but supernatural to forgive and let it go

When we hold on to anger it can lead to many unkind acts

It can make you bear falsely against others and continue to lie

It can also make you oppress others or steal something that isn’t yours

You may slander or bear a grudge against those who did you wrong

Worst of all, you can avenge yourself and take revenge against them

You may even plot to kill them or continue to hold on to resentment.

The book of Leviticus was written by Moses explaining all the laws of the Lord and how it can show up in the daily lives of the covenant people of God. It is a priesthood handbook. This book was primarily written for all the Israelites chosen by God and were delivered from the Egyptians during their exodus out of Egypt while they were in the wilderness. It was written for the priest to stay holy and undefiled so they can bring offerings to God to appease his anger when they commit sins. These are instructions for the whole people of God to honor so that they can finally receive the Promised land and all of the rest of God’s promises to Abraham and all his people.

These following verses give instructions to God’s people to love their neighbor as themselves. I’d like to tie up anger with regards to these guidelines on how to love our neighbors. Anger in itself is not evil. In fact, God gave us this emotion so we can be able to be kind to those who are experiencing injustice and oppression or neglect. But anger can lead to other sins mentioned in this law of love. When we are angry for no reason at all, we are focused on the “self.” It doesn’t include our neighbor. When it is only the “self” that is the focus, it can lead to many other forms of sins like slander, stealing, oppression and injustice.

REFLECTION

·       Give some examples when your anger has led to other unkind acts?

April 9

MATTHEW 5

²¹ “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ ²² But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brotherwill be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire. ²³ So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, ²⁴ leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. ²⁵ Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison. ²⁶ Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.

                                                                                           – Matthew 5:21-26

MATTHEW 5 BASELESS ANGER & INSULTS ARE HEART-MURDER

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

All those who serve the Lord are called to respect life and not murder

But insulting someone is a different kind of killing and so also is anger

When there is no reason for outbursts of anger, it can be a form of killing

We heart-murder when we insult others based on our own thinking

Those who hold on to offense and unforgiving will be judged severely

When we favor others over another, we are discriminating them harshly

They cannot worship the Lord if they continue to hold on to offense

Groundless anger and insults are also as lethal as physical murder.

The Sermon on the Mount precedes these following verses. Jesus was addressing how the Jews only recognize murder as physical. The Mosaic law as understood by the Pharisees and the Scribes regarding murder were mostly political rather than spiritual. The Jews created more laws in order that the people are burdened instead of obeying God as a covenant people. They missed out on looking at the heart which is the source of murder.

Jesus expounds on the other form of murder in verse 22 when he pointed out another form of murder which is baseless anger and insult. It is a matter of the heart when we decide to kill someone either physically or verbally. Anger in itself is not murder but if there is no reason for the anger and is an expression of disgust, annoyance or vendetta, then they are forms of heart-murder. Insult is another attack on the creation of God. Because we are all made in God’s image, we are assaulting the Creator himself when we insult someone else. Slander and gossip can be forms of heart-murder too because we are spreading untrue things and attacking someone else’s character.

Jesus warns us to take these heart-murders as seriously as we would any physical murder. He also makes them aware that this is a form of defilement and if they are to worship the Lord or make an offering, they need to make amends with those that have offended them. The purity of our hearts is what God expects from his people since he is a holy God.

REFLECTION

·       Why is it important for us to address anger at its core and process the source of it?

April 8

PROVERBS 16

²⁸ A dishonest man spreads strife,
    and a whisperer separates close friends.
²⁹ A man of violence entices his neighbor
    and leads him in a way that is not good.
³⁰ Whoever winks his eyes plansdishonest things;
    he who purses his lips brings evil to pass.
³¹ Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained in a righteous life.
³² Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty,
    and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.
³³ The lot is cast into the lap,  but its every decision is from the Lord.

                                                                                        – Proverbs 16:28-33

PROVERBS 28 WHEN YOU ARE SLOW TO ANGER

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When you are slow to anger, you avoid strife

But if you are quick to react, you’ll provoke a fight

A violent man will always end up ruining relationships

While a patient man brings about joy and tranquility

When you are slow to anger, you radiate God’s character

When you are quick to have a temper, you exude the devil

A man slow to anger is better than any conqueror or victor

When someone rules his spirit, he can triumph over anything.

In this saying, the writer focuses on the importance of having a self-controlled life. When he is able to manage and discipline his whims and longings, he will not put himself in conflict with others. He will respect boundaries of others and ensure that he will not instigate any strife among others.

The violent man is also spoken about in verse 29 where they exercise control and manipulation towards others in order to have power over them. We’ve all known people like this in our lifetime once or twice, haven’t we? Those covert angry persons are harder to discover because they are so good at manipulating and hiding their wicked ways. It is sometimes too late for us to see the damage they have done to us.

The writer discusses the benefits of those who are slow to anger or those who have temperance. They know when to respond prudently and can bridle their emotions and tongue even though they are provoked by those who stir up trouble. He stresses the value of these self-disciplined men by comparing them to those conquerors. He considers them stronger than any leader, ruler or king.

REFLECTION

• Why should Christians be slow to anger and not manifest an angry temperament?

April 6

PSALM 37

Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers!
² For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb.

³ Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness
⁴ Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

⁵ Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.
⁶ He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.

⁷ Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one

who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!

⁸ Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.
⁹ For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land.

                                                                                   – Psalm 37:1-9

PSALM 37 BE STILL BEFORE GOD TO FLEE FROM ANGER

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

Without the fear of the Lord, you’ll be prone to anger

The absence of God will make you unstable and anxious

The world is full of evil; guard your heart and flee from it

Do not envy evildoers and their comfort, riches and benefits

Be still before the Lord and commit your way to him

Trust in him and you will not be lured and be tempted to sin

Self-indulgence and self-centeredness lead to self-gratification

It leads you to all kinds of wrath, clamor and self-glorification.

King David points out the brevity of riches on earth because they are all fleeting and not everlasting. He describes that short-lived characteristic of physical wealth in verse 2 when he says that they fade like grass and withers like the green herb. We know how short their lifespan is. David emphasizes the importance of trusting in the Lord and delighting in his word. By doing so, we are befriending faithfulness. We become shielded from all forms of spiritual adultery such as idolatry and all forms of evil. In verse 5, he values the importance of bringing all plans to God. God-dependence keeps us from independence and self-sufficiency.  We are protected from making wrong choices and doing what will lead to sin. He ensures we walk in the paths of righteousness and justice.

David uncovers the antidote to anger in verse 7 which is to “be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him.” He also advises us to refrain from envy over others’ progress. We clearly see here that the main source of anger is not recognizing who is in control and not valuing what are eternal riches. James 3:14-4:4 concisely presents to us the origins of anger. He described bitter jealousy and selfish ambition as the sources of anger which are brought to us by demons.  Warring passions inside each of us also lead to wants and lusts that become desires which we obsess to gratify, thus leading us to sin.

REFLECTION

·       How are envy and jealousy the beginnings of anger according to the book of James?