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What Our Words Say About Us
Bulletin: September 26 2021 Bulletin
Newsletter: September 26 2021 Weekly Letter
Scriptures: James 1:19-21, 26, 3:2-12; Psalm 37; Matthew 7:15-20.
Songs:
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- Great is Thy Faithfulness (lyrics; history; Chris Rice)
- Fairest Lord Jesus (video, meditation)
- Trust and Obey
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Joel Russell-MacLean
Anger seems to be one of the most common fruits of this era. Angry words are spoken from all sides against someone or some group that is perceived to be the source of lies, corruption, injustice, or violence. Anger is expressed as if it were a virtue, a mark of godliness.
Is this indignation a sign of increased holiness in society? I doubt many would argue that!
Is there even one verse in the bible instructing us to be angry? There are certainly plenty of verses that warn us against angry words. Do we shake our heads at others and neglect to attend to our own hearts and minds?
Angry words, even righteous anger, exposes the state of our hearts.
The church James was writing to was possibly suffering under religious persecution and likely poverty. It seems it was hard for them to manage their anger and to control their words. They were turning against each other.
James exhorted them with lessons from Jesus. In the midst of their ongoing frustration and pain, he called to them to examine their words as a sign of what was going on inside them.