Spring is a time of new beginnings.
- The weather hopefully will get better.
- Flowers start to come up
- Time to get ready to plant
- It also reminds me Spring Cleaning
- Getting rid of junk we don’t need
Getting rid of emotional and spiritual junk that we have been hanging on to too long.
Heb 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
Heb 12:2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Heb 12:3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
Ÿ “Anger is the emotional reaction of hostility that brings personal displeasure, either to ourselves to someone else”
Irritation - feeling of being upset brought on by someone or something
Ÿ Indignation - feeling that something must be answered; there must be an avenging of a wrong
Wrath -Wrath is a strong desire to avenge
Ÿ Fury - the word suggests violence, even loss of control
Rage - this is the most dangerous - loss of control involving acts of violence; the angry person scarcely realizes what he has done
The degrees of anger are progressive. One can lead to the next if not dealt with.
Ÿ These garbage bags I'm carrying started out empty. Ÿ Little by little they filled up. Ÿ Same can happen with anger. It can hinder us and keep us from properly relating to others and doing the things we want to do.
Ÿ Sometimes we have carried it around with us so long we don’t even notice it anymore, Ÿ but other people do
Eph 4:27 and do not give the devil a foothold.
- Anger is a God given emotion
Do not let the sun go down on your anger - Don’t prolong the anger - don’t keep it simmering
- Do not give the devil a foothold
- “Don’t allow your anger to be expressed in such a way that you are weakend and the devil reproduces his character through you.” Charles Swindoll
- Jesus wants to reproduce His character through you: love , joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, self-control
Wrong motive
We all like to have our own way
If we choose to be offended when we don’t get our own way, then we are going to be carrying around bags of anger.
The first bag we sometimes carry is anger
Guilt - “the uncomfortable feeling of regret, remorse, shame and self-condemnation that often comes when we have done or thougth something that we feel is wrong, or failed to do something we should have done” Gary Collins
Guilt that is not dealt with properly can lead to
Discouragement
Anxiety
Fear of punishment
Low self-esteem
Isolation
Some of the Causes of Guilt
Past Experiences and Unrealistic Expectations - Standards were set too high
Inferiority - effected by how we perceive the most important people in our lives think of us
Effects of Guilt
Defensive Thinking - Defense mechanisms
Blaming others
Denial
Withdrawing from other people
Rationalizing - finding excuses to justify our actions
Getting angry at others
Self-condemnation
I am worthless - I am no good -I don’t deserve anything good to happen to me
Physical Reactions
Overwhelming guilt can even effect us physically
A cheerful heart is good medicine
A guilty heart will kill you slowly
What do we do about these bags?
After a while the anger and guilt we have carried for so long get to be too much
Heb 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
Heb 12:2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
The answer is the forgiveness we can receive through the cross of Jesus Christ!
Mat 26:27 Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you.
Mat 26:28 This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
Rom 4:7 "Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.
Rom 4:8 Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him."
God will forgive you
God has forgiven you. It is time to live like it.
They are not perfect
They are not obligated to do what you want
You cannot control what they have done to you
But you can control your willingness to forgive them
Let the bag go - it is killing you
Every time you remember what you have done
Remember that Jesus has forgiven you
Bring your bags of anger and guilt to the cross. Jesus will meet you there.
Mat 11:28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
Mat 11:29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
Mat 11:30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
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