This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it. He walks us through all of our trials and knows the outcome before we even make the first step. Give Him your praise. I have shared this message in some form or fashion many time over the years and it keeps getting better!
Today’s Prayer
For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. ~ Psalm 91:11-12.
Father, this is one of my favorite comforts from Your Word. I pray and trust that You will command Your angels concerning me, my family, my friends, and their families, that through Your power and Your command, guardian angels will be round about to protect us and lift us up so that we will not strike our feet against stones. Please protect us from all harm and evil. Help us remain pure and devoted to You. For those I know and love and those whom I have not met yet who are fighting addictions of various types, I pray that You would give them strength and power to overcome and that guardian angels will protect them and keep them from stumbling. In the name of Jesus I pray and give You thanks, Amen.
Let’s eat.
Check Under the Hood
But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. – Colossians 3:8
The scripture you have just read talks about the things that as believer’s we should be rid of. The root issue we are dealing with is fear. The physical symptom is control, and when we can’t control, we get angry because of unmet expectations. I came to this conclusion from a conversation in a restaurant with a friend who was separated from his wife. He described his anger and how he never saw some of these characteristics in his life until he entered this marriage.
I remember A mentor of mine once said to me, “Anger is like the lights on the dashboard of your car. They give you a warning that something is going on under the hood. You then need to find out the source of the problem.” Whenever we have expectations of another person and those expectations don’t materialize, our tendency is to get angry. The source of the anger is often the fear that the unmet expectation will negatively impact us. We fear that our finances, our well-being, our image, or any number of things may be impacted by the unmet expectation. My friend’s wife had not met his expectations in many areas of his life, so then, many times it resulted in harsh words that damaged his wife’s self-esteem. Now, it had led to a marriage crisis.
Jesus often spoke of living as though we were dead. How can you live as though you are dead? “In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus” (Romans 6:11). It’s a choice each of us must make. Once you become dead to the things that stir an emotion in you, God is free to change that situation. Until then, you can expect God to allow that situation to remain until you consider yourself dead to the effects of the issue that causes you to struggle.
Is there something that causes anger within you?
Ask God what the source of that anger is. You might be surprised at what you find. Then ask God to give you the grace to consider yourself dead to that issue. You will find new freedom in your relationships and your own peace of mind.
Quote of the Day
God knows how hard you’ve tried. How tired you get, how empty your soul can feel even when your days and nights are crowded with all you do in the name of the Lord. God knows the longings of your spirit, unfulfilled places of your heart. God knows your needs, even when you don’t have a clue.
Penelope J. Stokes
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REV. ELDER G E STERRETT
FOUNDER
GCKRS HELPING HAND FOUNDATION – THE RELATIONSHIP FACTORY
James H. Taylor Sr. – Kankakee City News has published my Daily meal message for a decade.