"Few things are more destructive to Christians than anger. Anger causes us to lose our self-control and to say and do things we would otherwise never consider. Anger, if allowed to remain, turns into bitterness that eats away at our hearts. Scripture consistently commands believers to put away anger and lists it as one of the sins of the flesh.
We must be careful not to justify our anger with Scripture. That does not mean that we cease to have strong convictions or lose our desire for justice. It does mean we refuse to allow the sins of others to cause us to sin. Anger does not bring about God’s redemptive work; far more often it hinders what God is working to accomplish.
If you feel that you have a righteous anger because of something that has happened, see if you are holding anger in your heart without sin. Is your anger turning into bitterness? Is your anger causing you to speak in an unchristian manner to someone or to gossip about them? Is your anger causing you to make excuses for your own ungodly behavior? Is your anger preventing you from acting in a loving, redemptive, and Christlike way toward someone? You must examine any anger within you and allow God to remove any sinful attitudes that your anger may have produced."
Henry Blackaby, Christian Anger
"'There were also many people with leprosy in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, but not one of these was cleansed except for Naaman the Syrian.' When they heard these words, all the people in the synagogue were roused to fury. They leapt up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the top of the hill upon which their town was built, intending to hurl him off the cliff. However, he passed through the midst of the crowd and went on his way."
Luke 4:27-30
"Surely I would never betray the Lord! Each disciple earnestly pled his loyalty to Christ. As they reclined together in the comfort and security of the upper room, in the presence of their Lord, the disciples could not imagine themselves ever wavering in their loyalty to Christ. Yet Jesus looked at them and said, 'One of you who eats with Me will betray Me.'
How was it possible to share such an intimate and profound moment with the Savior and then rush so quickly toward betrayal and spiritual failure? During the intense pressures of Gethsemane and the cross, the disciples did things they never thought they would do. They had no idea how cruel and hateful the world around them would be to their Lord. But only Jesus knew the full extent of the temptation they would face. In the pressure of the moment the heart does surprising things.
How quickly the surroundings of your life can shift from the security and tranquility of an upper room to the harsh reality of Gethsemane and the cross. Guard your heart. Listen now to the Lord’s gentle warning: the failure that was possible with His first disciples is also possible with you. You, too, are capable of forsaking Jesus, just as the first disciples did. If Jesus is warning you of an area in your life in which you could fail Him, heed His words today!
Henry Blackaby, The Unthinkable
Hate, fear, and anger are not Christian values.
But they are how the world tries to control and distract you, and turn you from the way.
Gold and silver broke out today and stuck a solid close.
The Dollar was only nominally lower.
Stocks were struggling most of the day and turned in a mixed performance.
VIX continues to languish near recent lows.
The big tickle this week is the Fed, with Powell's testimony to the Congress.
But the big one will be the Non-Farm Payrolls report on Friday.
It's all about the bubble, and so its all about the Fed.
Grab something solid and hang on. Rough seas ahead.
Have a pleasant evening.
