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I'm so glad you are here! I hope during your visit you get a glimpse of God's heart for we become what we are gazing at. I pray that God refreshes you and gives you readiness to persevere in what He has for you today. My desire is to be a blessing to you in helping you know God more and make Him known so I've made these Resources available to you and have the Missional Living blog tab for practical ideas of how to live on mission right where you are. Delighting in the Anger of God? "Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD. They served the Baals and the Ashtoreths, and the gods of Aram, the gods of Sidon, the gods of Moab, the gods of the Ammonites and the gods of the Philistines. And because the Israelites forsook the LORD and no longer served him, he became angry with them. He sold them into the hands of the Philistines and the Ammonites, who that year shattered and crushed them. For eighteen years they oppressed all the Israelites on the east side of the Jordan in Gilead, the land of the Amorites. Judges 10:6-8 Ok, can I just tell you that I really would love to skip over the Lord became angry and sold them so they would be crushed and shattered part. Ugh! Seriously, who likes to think about the anger of God!? But unless we face the reality of God God's holiness, the cross is foolishness. Or how John Piper puts it, "We will never stand in awe of being loved by God until we reckon with the seriousness of our sin and the justice and wrath against us." So here we see God, angry. Angry at idolatry, angry at sin. My anger is very different than God's. My anger is most often selfish, angry because I don't get my way or my expectations arnt met or I'm not treated the way I think I "deserve". Gods anger is experienced because the ultimate best is not happening but instead of simmering in his anger, He steps into His own anger to deal with it. He wrathed Himself on our behalf. And it's through His wrathing Himself that we have opportunity to experience life! Isn't it incredible that God's anger can lead to something so beautiful! I am pretty sure I have never bragged about the anger of God before. But really, it's very appropriate because if God was unjust, what is there to brag about? So many of His other attributes would be nullified. If He wasn't just, how could He truly be loving (if He doesn't do what's in the best interest of others)? If He wasn't just, He would not be faithful, for faithfulness is willing to stick it out even when it's hard. Someone who is unjust would quit. So, though it might be one of the hardest thing to actually adore God for, I praise You for Your anger God. Oh Lord, thank You for the cross! Thank You for taking Your wrath. Thank You for being just and the justifier! Thank You that when we submit our life to You and recieve Your forgiveness we are free from condemnation, free from Your wrath. What an undeserved gift!  If you haven't already, Subscribe to receive a FREE copy of the Life Purpose Plan; discovering how your uniqueness, current reality and the mission fit together for the glory of God. And if like this post will you like on facebook and share?  Will you join us in glorifying God?Tell the nations about his glory. Tell all people about the wonderful things he has done." 1 Chron. 16:24 Each Friday, I love to give others and opportunity to ban together to show and tell how incredible God is. If you've written something that glorifies God (gives us a glimpse of His character-which could be a whole lot of things since everything good thing and every gift and ability is from Him) I would love to have you link it up below. (Just click the link and follow the prompts) I just humbly ask that you please let your readers know by including a link at the bottom of your post (or somewhere on your side bar) or put my button code (found on my side bar or the Brag on God Friday Tab) so they can find these other great people glorifying God and we can continue to grow as a community. Thanks! You are chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, people who belong to God. You were chosen to tell about the excellent qualities of God, who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light."2 Peter 2:9 I'm linking up with Spiritual Sunday's
24 Comments
I love what you said here: 'I am pretty sure I have never bragged about the anger of God before. But really, it's very appropriate because if God was unjust, what is there to brag about? So many of His other attributes would be nullified.' That is so true and a great way of saying it. When I see people get angry at bad things it increases my respect for them, and that is the same with God. We often skip over it, but it is an essential part of who He is, and His holiness, righteousness and justice. Thanks for the link up :)
Laura, I love this post! Thanks Joe. Totally agree with lumping in terms of good and bad. Seems we do that with so much in life. If we experience one bad thing about a church or person or ministry etc. it is so easy for it to become all bad and visa versa. But I have never realized how we do that with emotions too. Thanks for sharing. 2/2/2012 09:51:13 pm
My grandmother used to tell us that Sunday sermons took them to hell first and then brought them to heaven. I think the anger of God is something that is swept under the carpet in churches today. Granted, we are a broken society that needs a loving Father - I so need that. However, we need to heed the holistic Father - and that includes a God of wrath and anger. I love how you say, "But unless we face the reality of God God's holiness, the cross is foolishness." I've heard phrases like, "We're not the fire and brimstone kind" alot. I am not sure what that is like and have never heard a sermon like that. And I wonder if that is b/c phrases like that were said so much that people shyed away from talking about judgement and justice? It seems we as American culture error more on the side of not telling it like it is/feel good. We sure are desperate for knowing God more and more each day! Good thing He's given us His Spirit, the Great Teacher to give us little glimpses. :) 2/3/2012 12:33:55 am
Dear Laura, God is speaking to me on this subject today, first through aTodd Friel program ("Wretched") I just watched, and now through your excellent, thought-provoking post. The Bible records Jesus as being angry with the money changers in the temple who perverted the purpose of His house of prayer, and most likely with Peter also when he questioned the need for Jesus' death. God is justified in His anger at our sin, but praise God that all His wrath was absorbed on the cross. Now we are justified through the righteousness of Christ.
I love when that happens!!
Laura, your post reminds me of an article I had written a while back - about being a recipient of God's chastisement. We experience His anger because He wants to discipline us, and wants us to realize that this is something that we should take seriously. This is all a part of our life in Him. 2/3/2012 04:08:47 pm
As we view God's anger at the children of Israel, we wonder why he did not just wipe them all out. But Moses stood in the gap and pleaded for them. I can remember hearing about hell and certainly did not want to go there, and we do need to desire not to cause God to be angry with us. Rather we bask in His love, grace and mercy. 2/4/2012 06:45:29 am
The Bible tells me that God is Angry at the Wicked. I am so happy that he is not mad at me! incredibly amazed and thrilled too that He is no longer angry at me either. But I was the wicked. We all are born not measuring up to His standard of perfection. But that beautiful day when Pastor Norm shared the gospel with me and the Holy Spirit helped me understand that I was guilty before Him, I surrendered my life to the King recieving freedom from the fear that held me captive and free from the wrath I deserved. And now, because of Christ I can be along side you in saying I am happy I am not under God's judgement and anger. What an incredible gift we have received! 2/4/2012 08:28:22 pm
The only time I remember God got angry at me was when I became proud of something I had done for Him and He pointed out to me the verse about being a useless servant. It was good for me that God pointed it out, and I never forgot it cause it was totally justified! Patsy from <br /><a href="http://patsypat.blogspot.com"
Interesting post. We don't often dwell on the fact that God gets angry. We like to see the "loving" side of Him, but His "angry" side is also his "loving" side. We need to always be aware that He hates sin. Thank you for sharing this enlightening post. Leave a Reply. |
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