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Sexual Purity Support & Recovery Group

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Expressions of Anger

SOURCE:  Larry Heath/Living Free

“Short-tempered people do foolish things.” (Proverbs 14:17 NLT)

Anger in daily life can range from irritation to explosive responses.

Without emotional expression, life would be “unfelt” and appear as only rational or cognitive. However, thoughts and behaviors are connected to our feelings. Rational thought alone will not provide the energy needed to function as human beings in experiencing life. We all require feelings to motivate us sufficiently to do the enjoyable in life as well as experience suffering and pain. Anger is one of those feelings.

 We all feel angry at times.

 It may be righteous anger . . . or anger aroused by selfishness. We can choose how to respond to that anger. As the above Scripture points out, we sometimes make matters worse because we respond with foolish behavior. Children, youth, and adults differ in their expression of anger. Children may yell, pout, hit, or even become depressed by holding in the anger. Teens may respond to their anger with by withdrawing, becoming isolated, fighting with peers and siblings, or becoming aggressive with parents, teachers, and authority figures. Adults often express their anger through bitterness, resentment, self-pity, and depression.

It is important that we learn to manage our responses to anger rather than just erupting and lashing out at others . . . or holding everything in. The Bible makes it clear that anger is an ethically neutral instrument or force that we can use to glorify God rather than for expressing sinful thoughts or behaviors. It has potential for danger and can lead to sin.  God wants us to deal with it quickly—and wisely—lest it lead to greater harm. “And ‘don’t sin by letting anger control you.’ Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil” (Ephesians 4:26-27 NLT).

Christian mental and spiritual health that can help us manage anger wisely is characterized by humility, teachability, and peace—not a stubborn, angry, unteachable spirit that gives Satan a foothold.

Father, I know that sometimes I let anger take over and I respond foolishly. Please forgive me. Help me to be more teachable and humble. I know I need your help to manage my anger wisely. In Jesus’ name . . .

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Intimate Mystery Conference (Dr. Dan B. Allender)

May 4–5, 2018

Grand Parkway Baptist Church
12000 FM 1464, Richmond, TX 77407

Intimate Mystery is a conference designed to invite you to an honest exploration of who you are, how your story impacts your style of relating, and what you and your partner create together in light of your unique stories. Intimate Mystery will invite you to candidly engage the inherent joys and struggles of marriage and relationships through the categories of communication, conflict, dreams and demands, family ties, forgiveness, and sex.

Join Dr. Dan B. Allender to explore God’s design for marriage through the matrix of Genesis 2:24 (leaving, weaving, and cleaving). Be moved toward deeper intimacy as you encounter the character and purposes of God revealed through the complexities of your unique relationship.

My wife and I believe this to be the best marriage conference we’ve ever attended in 35 years of marriage and “Christian” effort to do it right.  It is serving to bring us hope through the reality of life and not the empty promises of how to do it better, try harder, or be more faithful. — Intimate Mystery attendee

Dr. Allender leads the conversation with his own vulnerability and challenges couples to lean into their vulnerability, resulting in an experience that moves the conversation on life-giving marriages and relationships beyond techniques and “how-to’s.” Instead, Dan invites you into a place of newfound awareness and ability to engage conflict and desire—as an individual and as a couple.

I am single and have never been married.  I feel like hearing this information now is so helpful.  It will help me as I work through my story and it will also change the way I’m dating. — Intimate Mystery attendee

Intimate Mystery is a conference centered on understanding and developing healthy intimacy, and is applicable to both couples and singles, to those who want to engage Scripture in a provocative, meaningful way, and to those who desire a deeper faith and deeper relationships with others and God.

REGISTER VIA LINK BELOW

Intimate Mystery – May 4, 2018

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What Heroes Do – VIDEO

By now you probably know I LOVE movies!  I grew up watching tons of movies and still do so today.  A short while ago I watched the movie Thor: Ragnarok.  As I watched the movie various scenes stood out to me.  As I have stated before, now that I’m in recovery the Holy Spirit has allowed me to see movies differently and notice subtle (and sometimes blatant) recovery tones within the movie. 

The plot of this movie has been pasted below courtesy of Wikipedia:

Thor: Ragnarok is a 2017 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character Thor.   In Thor: Ragnarok, Thor must escape the alien planet Sakaar in time to save Asgard from Hela and the impending Ragnarök.

What I saw in this movie was a humorous example of what we should do when we confront problems in our lives.  This movie, although not therapy-accurate, brings humor to dealing with life’s problems.  Hopefully, those of us with problems can see the humor in this movie as much as I do.

FAIR USE NOTICE: This video may contain copyrighted material. Such material is made available for purposes such as criticism, comment, teaching, & education, etc. This constitutes a ’fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in Title 17 U.S.C. section 107 of the US Copyright Law NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED! All trademarks and copyrights remain the property of their owners.

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Anger in Relationships

SOURCE:  Larry Heath/Living Free

“Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.” (Hebrews 12:15 NLT)

Unresolved anger can lead to a “root of bitterness” and wreak havoc on a person’s emotional life and personal relationships. Unchecked resentment can grow into hatred and could even lead to physical or verbal abuse.
Genesis 4:1-8 tells about this happening between two of Adam and Eve’s sons, Cain and Abel. Cain was jealous of Abel and the resentment grew and festered to the point that anger became his master. The result? Cain killed Abel.

Of course, unchecked anger doesn’t always lead to murder but it can lead to other painful results. Angry words we can’t take back. Depression. Broken friendships. Divorce. Losing our focus on Jesus and what he wants us to do. The list is endless.

Are you having a problem dealing with anger? Is anger ruining a special relationship? Prayerfully consider these scriptures and others like them. What answers do they provide? How can you apply them to your situation?

  • Instead, be kind to each other, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. (Ephesians 4:32 NLT)
  • “And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.” (Matthew 7:3-5 NLT)
  • Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. (James 5:16 NLT)
  • Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. (1 Corinthians 13:4-7 NLT)
  • Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires. (James 1:19-20 NLT)
  • Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ. (Ephesians 4:15 NLT)

Father, I know my anger has affected my relationships. In fact, it seems to control my attitudes and behavior much of the time. Please help me apply the teaching in your Word to my life. Help me let go of the anger so your love can flow through me to others. In Jesus’ name . . .

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Jim’s Daily Awakenings for February 23, 2018

We never rise above anything we are unwilling to face.
When we run from our fears, they become more powerful and more disruptive in our lives.  Opportunities which could have been ours are stolen from us.
When we ignore bad habits, they grow stronger and deeper within us.  Tragically we stop being able to see these negative behavior patterns.  We either deny their existence, or we confuse them as being part of ourselves.
When we pretend relationships are undamaged, they get worse.  After a time, hardness of heart or hopelessness sets in, and the relationship either ends or endures a living death.
Change and transformation are possible, but only for those who are willing to face their problems.