Anger Management

Most people know someone with a hot temper. Such a person easily loses their cool, has a short fuse that, when it burns down, blows their stack. It is unpleasant even being around them since it puts you on edge; you don't want to feel or even see their anger.

Many people who struggle with chronic anger aren't even sure what they're angry about. Anger is a secondary emotion caused by the primary emotions of fear, hurt or frustration. Once you identify what you're angry about, you can begin the process of dealing with it. When you become aware of your anger, you have a choice: You can allow your anger to control you, or with the help of the Holy Spirit you can choose to control your anger. Accept the fact that most things in the world are out of your control. Continually trying to control your family, friends or circumstances results in frustration. In truth, no one can "make you angry," even though they can provoke you. You control your response to people and circumstances.

Anger has tremendous potential for good. The Bible mentions anger hundreds of times, including 375 references to God's anger in the Old Testament. Since God tells us to be angry but not sin, and since the Bible refers to God's anger, then it must be a valuable emotion. Examining the good side of anger, we find that it is a powerful source of motivation, providing energy for positive action, which, when wisely invested, can provide greater focus and intensity that leads to increased productivity.

There is a place for "righteous anger" - when one of God's principles is violated. Scripture does admonish us to "not let the sun go down on our anger" though. In other words, when you feel angry, it is important to deal with it and quickly move past it. Proverbs 16:32 says "He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty." Why? Because the power and energy can be focused and directed.

Anger is an emotion that God can use to get our attention and make us more aware of opportunities to learn, grow, deepen, mature and make significant changes for the good. Anger expressed in Christ-like ways can empower us to declare truth, to right wrongs, and to help us and others "become conformed to the image of His Son." Romans 8:29

We all suffer from bouts of anger. Many of us suffer from it frequently. Hang in there and allow God to work you through it. Pray on it and hang out with those who bring you peace. Live it and forget it, but just let it go. Just let God.

Praying that we all find the peace of Jesus,
Pastor Mike

Projects - What We Say and What We Mean

Project slightly behind original schedule due to unforeseen difficulties--
We got so sick of working on this that we decided to do something else.

Major Technological Breakthrough--Back to the drawing board.

Developed after years of intensive research--It was discovered by accident.

Customer satisfaction is believed assured--We are so far behind schedule that the customer will be happy to get anything at all from us.

The design will be finalized in the next reporting period--We haven't started this job yet, but we've got to say something.

Test results were extremely gratifying--It works, and are we surprised.

Extensive effort is being applied on a fresh approach to the problem--We just hired three new guys; we'll let them kick it around for a while.

Preliminary operational tests are inconclusive--The darn thing blew up when we threw the switch.

The entire concept will have to be abandoned--The only guy who understood the thing quit.

Modifications are under way to correct certain minor difficulties--We threw the whole thing out and are starting from scratch.