Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

July 24
Tuesday


ANGER
MANAGEMENT

READ:
Daniel 3:8-20
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Let nothing be done
through selfish ambition
or conceit, but in
lowliness of mind let
each esteem others
better than himself.
__Philippians 2:3
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Orlando, Florida, is home to several large theme parks that draw thousands of vacationing families each year. But last year, a helath magazine labeled Orlando as the "Angriest City in America." They based that title on things like violent assaults, road rage, and the percentage of men who had high blood pressure.

King Nebuchadnezzar, "in rage and fury," commanded that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego be brought before him because they would not worship the gold image he had set up (Dan. 3:13). When he didn't get his way, he was "full of fury, and the expression on his face changed" toward the three men (v.19).

All of us struggle with anger. But anger is not always wrong. "Be angry, and do not sin" (Eph. 4:26). We should get angry when we see injustice in our world. But most often our anger, like Nebuchadnezzar's, comes from a far less noble place__our own self-interest and pride. If our temper gets the best of us, we can lose control of what we say and do. Paul challenged us, "Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself" (Phil. 2:3).

When we begin to put others first, we may find we've taken a first step toward managing our anger. __Cindy Hess Kasper
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~Spirit of God, please change my heart,~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~And give me a new desire;~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~I want to be a man of peace,~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~Not controlled by anger's fire. __K. De Haan~~~~~~~~
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When a person's temper gets the best of him,
it often reveals the worst of him.

***************Today's Bible Reading __ Daniel 3:8-20*************

8 Certain Chaldeans...said
to King Nebuchadnezzar,
"... 10 You, O king, have
made a decree that everyone
who hears the sound of the
horn, flute, harp, lyre, and
psaltery, in symphony with
all kinds of music, shall fall
down and worship the gold
image; 11 and whoever does
not fall down and worship
shall be cast into the midst
of a burning fiery furnace.

12 There are certain Jews
whom you have set over the
affairs of the province of
Babylon: Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abed-Nego;
these men, O king, have not
paid due regard to you. They
do not serve your gods or
worship the gold image
which you have set up."

13 Then Nebuchadnezzar, in
rage and fury, gave the
command to bring Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abed-Nego.
So they brought these men
before the King.

14 Nebuchadnezzar spoke,
saying to them,"...if you
do not worship, you shall be
cast immediately into the
midst of a burnig fiery
furnace..."

16 Shadrach, Meshach, and
Abed-Nego answered and
said to the king,"..our
God whom we serve is able
to deliver us from the
burning fiery furnace, and
He will deliver us from your
hand, O king. 18 But if not,
let it be known to you,
O king, that we don not serve
your gods, nor will we
worship the gold image
which you have set up."

19 Then Nebuchadnezzar
was full of fury, and the expression on his face
changed toward Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abed-Nego.
He spoke and commanded
that they heat the furnace
seven times more than it was
usually heated. 20 And he
commanded certain mighty
men of valor who were in
his army to bind Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abed-Nego,
and cast them into the
bruning fiery furnace.