people to the point of spilling blood?

Before will close for the day, let's look at one more individual in the Bible who allowed his anger and disgust to put others in a dangerous situation. There are emotional combinations that added to anger, make the situation more combustible.

In the story of (Jonah 1:1) we see these same combinations of anger boiling inside a man who wanted to see certain people wiped off the earth. Nineveh was a powerful wicked city. The Assyrians were the enemy of Israel.

God had told Jonah to go preach to the people of Nineveh so they would repent and receive God's mercy and grace. But there was one thing stopping Jonah, his heart of hatred towards the Assyrians. Israel had this reluctance to share God.

They were like a little child who loves to play with new toys but is reluctant to share with others what they have. Jonah's attitude was filled with selfishness. He didn't want these evil Gentiles to receive God's love and favor.

And as a petulant child might do with his toys, Jonah decided to jump a ship to Tarshish. His attitude was so bad he was even willing to spend money to run from God's presence. If it didn't work for Adam and Eve, it wasn't working for him also.

Sometimes when we mismanage these temper tantrums, we find ourselves doing outrageous silly things. Did you know the Bible tells us God laughs. (Psalm 2:4; 37:11-13). God loves us so much that I'm sure he is tickled when we try to hide from him.

We can never run from the presence of the Lord. (Psalm 139:7-10). Jonah was running to a dead in. But here's what Jonah's temper-tantrum did. When anger has no leash on it, it causes nerves of others to be unsettled.

Since God owns the earth and all nature, the Lord sent out a great wind. Imagine that. God didn't send out the wind to destroy everyone, because he loves everyone (John 3:16-17; 1 John 4:9-10). The other men on the ship were afraid.

They thought the wind would destroy their ship. Here’s the lighthearted scene that I laugh about. The captain and his men had enough to sense to cry out to their false gods. They even had sense to wake up Jonah who was sleeping.

But now Jonah's temper-tantrum was going to be uncovered. "Behold your sin will find you out!" (Numbers 32:23). The crew cast lots to find the guilty person, relying on their superstition to give them the answer.

Their system worked, but only because God used it to intervene, letting Jonah know that he couldn’t run away. Jonah found himself in the courtroom filled with questions that led to his confession.

[Jonah does not seem to be capable of simple repentance. He could have sought forgiveness during the storm and committed himself to go to Nineveh. Yet Jonah does have compassion on the innocent sailors.]

His temper it seems had settled because he was willing to sacrifice his life for these individuals but not preach to the ones that God wanted him to in Nineveh. You cannot seek God’s love and run from him at the same time.

Here's the ironic twist in this plot of how far people will carry and hold on to anger and maltreatment. When Jonah told them to throw him overboard the strong winds would become calm.

The men on the ship had more compassion than Jonah did for the people of Nineveh. This a picture that shows how born-again believers should be embarrassed when religious unbelievers show more compassion than them.

Again, the good thing that took place in Jonah's running away tantrum was, it caused the men on the ship to worship the only true God. They watched the storm immediately quiet down. They were awestruck at God’s great power.

Through this amazing event, the sailors repented, but Jonah did not. Jonah would have to go through one more trial before following God in obedience. When we face drastic changes in life we get to stop and stew in the anger.

Sometimes when our anger simmers down, like sitting in a prison cell (or a great fish), we then get to think about opportunities to correct our somber disposition. Jonah preached and the people in Nineveh repented. (Jonah 3:5-10).

However, Jonah's simmered temper-tantrum started to boil again when God spared the people of Nineveh. Again, the people of Israel were like bratty spoiled children not wanting to share the good news with the Gentiles.

This took place in the New Testament also. (1 Thessalonians 2:14-16). They were to proclaim God's blessings to all nations. (Genesis 22:18). Jonah was reluctant to admit these words to the Lord. (Jonah 4:2-3).

He was so despondent and angry he wanted to die. Here was God's response. "Then said the LORD, Doest thou well to be angry?" (Jonah 4:4 KJV). It's amazing that Jonah was happy when God saved him, but he was angry when God saved Nineveh.

Angry people can carry emotions that are like a yo-yo. They can spread and affect others around them. Yes, the Lord could have allowed Jonah to drown because of his blatant attitude and terrible anger.

But again, God uses our sins to lovingly teach us a lesson. (Jonah 4:5-11). Jonah cared more deeply about a small plant that he didn’t even plant, but he could not see why God would have mercy on a people he created. (Romans 9:14-17).


🗣📢 Last words: In looking at these two cases of how some anger can have a short immediate deadly impact and other emotional outburst can linger and cause lengthy hurt to others, where are your emotions when confronted with anger?

On a scale between one and ten, where does your sit when someone pushes that number? Do you have a short fuse or a long fuse? Does your anger fuse burn fast or slow? I've had people ask me, is it ok to dislike someone in church?

I always respond with the fuse analogy. I usually let them know that not liking someone (When we should be building a relationship of love and respect) is only a short or long fuse towards hating them.

Have you sat down and discussed why you feel this way? Have you tried to seek common ideas with them? Did you know it is easier to like someone than to dislike them? Dislike and anger can be intertwined on the same fuse.

When people are always angry, it makes it difficult to be friends with them. 24}" Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go: 25} Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul." (Proverbs 22:24-25 KJV).

Have you ever come across families where everybody seems to be angry about everything? Is it true that misery loves company? These verses above are an example that anger can rub off to other people.

Satan and his demonic forces love to see families tearing at each other with explosive angry outburst. Cain was a marked man because of his murderous anger. (Genesis 4:14-16). In 2025, people with anger can be marked.

This marking can be in the form of something like Megan's Law, offender registry, or restraining orders due to the violent anger of someone. Again, anger can be like an implosion that hurts everyone around it.

Is it a sin to get angry? No. God gets angry at sin, but he does not commit sin against the one committing it. God gives room for constructive anger. It is natural for you to be angry for someone hurting your loved ones.

But the Bible tells us to be slow to anger. Your anger fuse should be long enough for you to take two fingers and put out that combustible emotion before it explodes. (Galatians 5:22-26; Psalm 103:8-12; James 1:19-21).

Remember beloved, anger is a valid reaction to some hardship, but when left unchecked, it can lead to hostility or bitterness and eat at you from the inside out. That’s why the Bible says, “Be angry, and do not sin."

Why? because when we give anger a foothold, it can lead to all kinds of negative thoughts and actions. There have been many people in our nation who have experienced abusive anger and hurt towards them.

This burden they now carry can quickly affect their lives if allowed to fester and grow into retaliation. The problem some face is truly painful, overwhelming and frustrating. Whatever it is, there’s nothing wrong with telling God about it.

In fact, He already knows! God sees what unleashed abusive anger has done to you. Just be sure you’re not directing your anger at the one who loves you and wants to help you through it. I've met so many people who blame God for their hurt.

Like Cain, we will be victims of sin if we do not resist it and master our sinful desires. We cannot master sin in our own strength. Instead, we must turn to God to receive faith for ourselves and turn to other believers for prayer.

About two weeks ago I met a man in the deli grocery store who was listening to me chat with the deli clerk about the Lord and various topics. After his turn to be waited on was completed, he approached me as I was leaving.

He began to tell me about his wife dying, and everything that's wrong in the world. He started cursing and blaming God for all the pain and suffering in the world. I felt so sorry for him as I stood there listening to his complaints.

In a sense, he sounded a little like Jonah. He told me that God should get off his %$#@% blank and grab the Pope by his blank neck and fix everything. Yes, he grew up in the catholic church, but you wouldn't know it by his words.

I waited for him to finish his ranting about God and then smiled and said, "Sir, Jesus did fix everything when he said the words on the cross, "It is finished!"

He later ascended to his Father and sent the Holy Spirit to those who have received him as Lord and Savior. The man mocked at my words and said, "Boy your good at spinning everything."

I put my hand on his shoulder and offered him something to read. He rejected it. I walked away praying for him because I could discern his hurt and bitterness towards God. I have added him to the "Precious Souls" list.

I knew this man needed a living relationship with Jesus. His bitterness and anger led him to dismiss all things pertaining to God. Here's all he needed to know about anger.

That he needs to deal with it before it implodes on himself (Ephesians 4:26-32). That a wise person avoids it. (Proverbs 19:11). Here's what Jesus said about it. Please read these verses into your spirit. (Matthew 5:21-23).

He should know that anger is like acid that destroys its own container. That sudden anger is like a tornado; it just pops up and does damage. (Proverbs 14:7-9; 15:17-18; 25:8; 29:20).

How should this man and others like him conquer anger?

1} Confess it- Don't try to deny your way through it. Don't repress it. I'm a christian I'm not mad. Your stomach keeps the score, along with your blood pressure. (1 John 1:9).

2} Consider it- Ask the Lord to examine your emotions. (Psalm 77:5; 119:59, 128; Proverbs 21:12; 24:12, 32). You can prayerfully ask the Lord "Please show me." Analyze it.

3} Control it- Yes you can control it. (Galatians 5:22-26; Psalm 141:3; Proverbs 15:1; 18:21; 21:23). (Example: When the phone rings). Most individuals, while extremely angry or yelling have answered their phone and softly said "Hello." 

⚠️ KNOW THE SIGNS

🛑 Don't stir up anger or store up anger.

🚫 Sinful anger is to be condemned.

🚫 Sudden anger is to be controlled.

🚫 Stubborn anger is to be conquered.

😡 😇 Sanctified anger is to be channeled correctly. "When someone jostles or upsets you, does Jesus spill out of you?"

👇 Definitions: (Ephesians 4:26-32).

Bitterness is like a weed you chop off but leave the root.

Wrath- slow burn leading to a boil.

Anger- violent emotions.

Clamour- Shouting "I'm not shouting" when you truly are.

Evil speaking- When you use words like "your stupid", "I hate you."

Malice- it’s when you want to hurt someone. To do harm to them in a mean way. To destroy your testimony. Desire to injure someone. To have ill-will towards someone.

The two greatest commandments are about loving God and loving others. If we are true followers of Jesus, clearly, we are saturated in the love of God, aren’t we?

Jesus has sent the Holy Spirit to help believers to overcome the anger of sin through our lifetime that fully concludes once we see Jesus face to face. Are you angry with someone right now? You can extinguish that burning fuse today.

What can we do to resolve our differences? As God is slow to anger and doesn't hold grudges, may we imitate that godly nature, learning to manage our anger to live more peacefully with one another.


🛐 Here’s a prayer you can pray to overcome that combustible emotion. "Heavenly Father, I thank you for today's message of gaining victory over the person I have to live with, me. Lord, my anger meter boils at times.

Jesus, I realize from your Holy word that anger can well up inside me. I understand this flesh has no profit connected to it. I now know my carnal mind can be tempted to do destructive, evil things that lead me astray.

Lord, please help me to surrender all these unstable emotional feelings into your capable hands. Some of my  feelings are glorious and blissful, but others, left unchecked, can steer me away from you.

Please keep my anger from starting as a dull flare to a throbbing flame, to a wildfire, to scorching those around me, including myself. Help me, Lord, to remember your instructions throughout scripture about anger.

Help me to honor your words. Help me to stamp out my anger before it becomes a fiery flare. Help me, Lord, to remember your instructions throughout scripture about anger. Help me to honor your words.

Sometimes my anger can fester so long and so deep that it begins to rot inside of me. It causes others to put distance between me and them. Jesus, I surrender, help me!" "Forgive me and save me!"

Jesus, I need your Holy Spirit to help me to remain calm and talk things out in love with the spirit of correction and accountability, rather than fighting, resentment and bitterness. Please let seeds of love and reconciliation grow.

Allow my anger to make room for you, to bring that peace that passes all understanding. Lord, give me the spirit of reconciliation and rest in you. In your holy name I pray, Amen."


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