Disarming Anger & Resolving Conflicts

The Four Don'ts of Dealing with Anger

Ephesians 4:26-27 NKJV

26 “Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, 27 nor give place to the devil.

1. Don’t deny your anger. (“Be angry …

Cultivate an atmosphere of honesty.

2. Don’t justify sin because you are angry. (“ … and do not sin … ”)

3. Don’t go to bed on your anger! (“ … do not let the sun go down … ”)

4. Don’t give the devil a place in your marriage!

A. He is a deceiver.

James 1:19-20 NKJV

19 So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; 20 for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

B. He is an accuser.

Four Steps to Resolving Conflicts in Marriage

1. Confront in a loving and positive manner.

Proverbs 15:1 NKJV

1 A soft answer turns away wrath,But a harsh word stirs up anger.

2. Complain and don’t criticize.

3. Listen to your spouse and believe them.

I Corinthians 13:4-7 NKJV

4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

4. Forgive and let it go.

What is the Holy Spirit saying to me through this message?

I'll Arrange It

What we believe about God affects how we live, how we view ourselves and others, and even how we respond to trials we face in life. Our beliefs about God also affect our relationship with Him. 

It’s important to have a healthy view of God—one that is based not on our feelings or opinion but on the truth of His Word. 

In his new series, God Is … , Pastor Robert shares the attributes of God, which will give you fresh perspective into His character and heart. 

You’ll be encouraged as you learn more about your heavenly Father who never changes and loves you more than you’ll ever know. 

This weekend, Pastor Robert shares a message titled “I’ll Arrange It,” where he speaks on how God is fully merciful and fully just at the same time.

Justice: Giving someone what he deserves.

Mercy: Not giving someone what he deserves.

1. God is 100%. 

God is 100% merciful and 100% just at all times. He doesn't have mercy or justice.  If He were, He could run out.

God is 100% grace and 100% truth at the same time.  They do not war against each other.  He is both.  All of God's attributes are 100% active at all time.      

John 1:17 NKJV

17 For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

2. God is 100% merciful.

Psalms 136:1-3 NKJV

1 Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!For His mercy endures forever. 

2 Oh, give thanks to the God of gods!For His mercy endures forever. 

3 Oh, give thanks to the Lord of lords!For His mercy endures forever.

II Chronicles 5:13-14 NKJV

13 indeed it came to pass, when the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the Lord, and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the Lord, saying:

(Quoting Psalm 136) “For He is good,For His mercy endures forever,”that the house, the house of the Lord, was filled with a cloud, 

14 so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God.

II Chronicles 20:21-22 NKJV

21 And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who should sing to the Lord, and who should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army and were saying (Quoting Psalm 136):“Praise the Lord,For His mercy endures forever.” 

22 Now when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated.

Ezekiel 33:11 NKJV

11 Say to them: ‘As I live,’ says the Lord God, ‘I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?’

3. God is 100% just.  

The root of the word just means equal.

Iniquity means Inequity or not equal.  Means not equal with God.  Sin is inequity. 

We can never balance out the scales with God's justice.  Unless we invite Jesus with us on our side of the scales.

I John 1:9 NKJV

9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  

We now have been sentenced to heaven because Jesus took my punishment for me.  

What is the Holy Spirit saying to me through this message?

Robert Morris, Gateway Church

Enjoy the Ride

1. God does because He is. 

God does God because He is good.

We don't really worship God.  We worship our concept of God.  

We don't really witness.  We witness our concept of God. 

Psalms 119:68 NKJV

68 You are good, and do good;Teach me Your statutes.

Hebrews 11:6 NKJV

6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

2. What are attributes?

Attribute

A tribute

Tribe

Tribe: the distinct characteristics of a group of people who have descended from one person. 

Some of God's attributes we will have.  

Exodus 34:6 NKJV

6 And the Lord passed before him and proclaimed,

“The Lord, the Lord God, 

merciful and gracious, long suffering, and abounding in goodness and truth,

Some we will never have.

I Timothy 1:17 NKJV

17 Now to the King eternal,

immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, 

be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

3. God is good.  

Good looks at all that He does to make sure that it is good.  

When man fell from God's creative goodness, He sent Jesus to ensure His eternal goodness.  

God did not create a messed up world.  We did.     

Genesis 1:4 NKJV

4 And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness.

Genesis 1:10 NKJV

10 And God called the dry land Earth, and the gathering together of the waters He called Seas. And God saw that it was good.

Genesis 1:12 NKJV

12 And the earth brought forth grass, the herb that yields seed according to its kind, and the tree that yields fruit, whose seed is in itself according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.

Genesis 1:18 NKJV

18 and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good.

Genesis 1:21 NKJV

21 So God created great sea creatures and every living thing that moves, with which the waters abounded, according to their kind, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.

Genesis 1:25 NKJV

25 And God made the beast of the earth according to its kind, cattle according to its kind, and everything that creeps on the earth according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.

Genesis 1:31 NKJV

31 Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

Genesis 2:18 NKJV

18 And the Lord God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.”

What is the Holy Spirit saying to me through this message?

Robert Morris, Gateway Church

Why?

II Samuel 9:1-8 NKJV

1 Now David said, “Is there still anyone who is left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” 

2 And there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was Ziba. So when they had called him to David, the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?”He said, “At your service!” 

3 Then the king said, “Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, to whom I may show the kindness of God?”And Ziba said to the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan who is lame in his feet.” 

4 So the king said to him, “Where is he?”And Ziba said to the king, “Indeed he is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, in Lo Debar.” 

5 Then King David sent and brought him out of the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, from Lo Debar. 

6 Now when Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, had come to David, he fell on his face and prostrated himself. Then David said, “Mephibosheth?”And he answered, “Here is your servant!” 

7 So David said to him, “Do not fear, for I will surely show you kindness for Jonathan your father’s sake, and will restore to you all the land of Saul your grandfather; and you shall eat bread at my table continually.” 

8 Then he bowed himself, and said, “What is your servant, that you should look upon such a dead dog as I?”

2 Samuel 4:4 NLT

4 (Saul’s son Jonathan had a son named Mephibosheth, who was crippled as a child. He was five years old when the report came from Jezreel that Saul and Jonathan had been killed in battle. When the child’s nurse heard the news, she picked him up and fled. But as she hurried away, she dropped him, and he became crippled.)

1. Why did Mephibosheth’s nurse run?  

He was in line to be king, and she thought that the new King, David, would kill him after King Saul and his son, Jonathan, died. She ran to save his life from David.  

2. Why did God show up and talk to Abraham?

God showed up to bless Abraham.  

Hebrews 6:13-14 NKJV

13 For when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, 14 saying, “Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you.”

Genesis 15:9-10 NKJV

9 So He said to him, “Bring Me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.” 10 Then he brought all these to Him and cut them in two, down the middle, and placed each piece opposite the other; but he did not cut the birds in two.

Genesis 15:12 NKJV

12 Now when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, horror and great darkness fell upon him.

Genesis 15:17-18 NKJV

17 And it came to pass, when the sun went down and it was dark, that behold, there appeared a smoking oven and a burning torch that passed between those pieces.

18 On the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying:“To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the River Euphrates—

Romans 4:3 NKJV

3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”

3. Why did David show kindness to Mephibosheth?

Mephibosheth's father had a covenant between him and the king. 

II Samuel 9:8 NKJV

8 Then he bowed himself, and said, “What is your servant, that you should look upon such a dead dog as I?”

We must make a covenant with God by receiving Jesus as our Lord and Savior.  

We don't straighten up to come to God.  We come to God, and He straightens us up.  

What is the Holy Spirit saying to me through this message?

Robert Morris, Gateway Church