ANGER IS A KILLER (1st in Series)

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Do you enjoy visiting friends? More than likely you’re thinking, of course, I do.

 

Now let me ask the other side of the coin - Do you enjoy visiting enemies?

No?

 

Well, I know you must enjoy visiting at least one enemy because, like myself, you probably visit this one quite often. Unfortunately, we all …visit this enemy…whose name is anger.

 

Some visit anger seldom . Some on a regular basis. And during those visits, some spew and others stew…

 

The spewers shout and scream and are a first class pain, but at least they are honest. You immediately see them from what they are. They leave little doubt in your mind what they are so incensed about.

 

With the stewers it is not quite that easy. They often brood and boil in private. You can tell they are mad at you but they never discuss it, let alone scream about it. They pout but never strike out. If you ask what’s the matter, their favorite phrase is, “If you don’t know I’m not going to tell you.”

 

So there it is. A major problem for many and a minor problem for just about anyone else. So let’s discuss it, this hard to control emotion called anger ……that is, unless you are angry with me for bringing it up.

 

First, you have to categorize yourself; which are you, a stewer or a spewer?

 

Next, let’s consider what the Bible has to say on the subject…and actually it has a lot to say.

 

Just for starters, from the book of Proverbs -
“Better a patient man than a warrior, a man who controls his temper than one who takes a city:” (Proverbs 16:32)

 

Then the Apostle James, who in his missionary travels certainly met his share of angry men, says, “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.” (James 1:19)

 

And the Apostle Paul, who could get up a pretty good head of steam himself, admonishes us, “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.

 

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”

 

None of these can be called a ringing endorsement for anger.

 

I know…along about now, you may be thinking, But sometimes the world needs some righteous indignation.

 

And I agree with you…but we just don’t have that many opportunities to be righteously indignant, and we do make many opportunities to be unrighteously mad. So I’m starting out with the breed of anger that is indeed indignant… but hardly righteous. The kind that proves how often we speak and act before we think.

 

(To be continued)

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A Quote from  Wyrick’s Writihgs blog entitled A HEAVENLY CONSTRUCTION PROGRAM

 

I have always been intrigued by a question God put to Adam, “Where are you?” Why did He ask that? What is the meaning behind this? It wasn’t a geographical question, for certainly God knew the answer to that one.

 

It was a spiritual question to which God also had the answer. Then why ask it? For Adam’s sake, and all the Adams and Eves yet to come. For you and me in these 21st century days.

 

“Where are we? And where do we want to go? What do we want to be? And how much, or how little?” And we must never stop trying to answer God’s question as we try to get off a treadmill and aim toward a proper direction.

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To view an abundance of unusual stories and comments by Neil Wyrick go to Neil’s other blog ONE A DAY, YOUR SPIRITUAL VITAMINS

Click on the following URL http://oneadayyourspiritualvitamins.blogspot.com/

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A quote from One A Day blog.

“I am hate. I am committed to destruction.

I live in a dark and melancholy valley, surrounded by mountains of resentment.

There is great silence on my streets
for here people brood from morn till night.

There are no songs or laughter
For all around me give out only rebuke and rage. 

Our population does not often change, but some escape,
made whole again by love.”
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Click on the following URL http://oneadayyourspiritualvitamins.blogspot.com/

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RUST ON MY SOUL (38th IN SERIES)

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RUST ON MY SOUL (A Novel) (Published by Bridge Press in 1985 & Distributed Internationally)


INTRODUCTION (Repeated for those new to the series)


In an old loose leaf notebook, Thomas Kettering wrote when there was a cry from his heart. He wrote when his inner longing spilled over into the reality of his days. He did not write every day, only when he felt he must. How often he wrote or when is not important. The journey is what counts, for it is a diary about all of us, to all of us. “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step,” and even a stumble is a step.

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Mid-Afternoon


Fired! At my age, fired. My God, what do I do now? I was speechless as D.L. quietly informed me my services were no longer needed. The shock waves of my unbelief ricocheted off the old familiar walls.


It hurt. Trust – mine – lay tattered, dirty, dragged through the mud of unconcern. I should have been shocked. The company will save a bundle on my pensions. It happens all the time “Business is not hardhearted, just practical.” I’ve said that. How prophetic.


I’m still shaking and not only just inside now. My hands tremble with rage at the indignity. Resigning is one thing, but being fired! What do I tell people?


Nancy. How do I break it to her that she’s now the breadwinner in this family? Thank heavens I haven’t mentioned the vacation idea I was planning to her. Looks like I’ll have one, but not the kind I anticipated.

It was a quiet civilized cutting of the cord. Why didn’t I let go the piercing scream that heaved in my chest? Why don’t I now let it out?


Because I, too, am civilized. Psychologically sanitized. I’m programmed to quickly clean out my desk, as if I really didn’t get fired but of my own volition am leaving this company that has been my daytime home for over twenty years.

Damn!

Late night

“So what do I do now?” Fear? Despair? Anger? Or all three? Tears filled Nancy’s eyes. “How can I face my friends? No, I will not hide. We’re going to the dance just as we planned.”

“I’ll find another job.” I hope. I just offered myself more assurance than I felt For who wants the unwanted? What’s the market value of yesterday’s success? Indeed, what do I do now?


Come on, Thomas Jordan Kettering. Stop feeling sorry for yourself. Don’t sit brooding. Nancy is right. Tomorrow night is the big country club dance and yes…we’re going. Not just because she is chair person of the planning committee and couldn’t stand to miss it, but also because, even if I have been pulled out of the spotlight, I’ve still got to go on with the show if putting on a good front has gotten me by all these years it’s going to see me though this one, too.


(To be continued)

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BELOW IS A QUOTE FROM A NEW SERIES…

A HEAVENLY CONSTRUCTION PROGRAM(1st in series) (on this Wyrck’s Writing blog)



…“in the world of man” identities are stolen all the time. It happened to us two summers ago. Someone reached into my wife’s purse and stole her identity. Went around proving they were her to a world that was more than willing to accept as fact what was obviously a lie.


We straightened it out, but for a short time “the things that man looks at” created an identity crisis.


But with God? No identity theft will ever take place. He knows who we are, the good and the bad and the in-between. And He loves us despite what He sees rather than because.

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A HEAVENLY CONSTRUCTION PROGRAM(1st in series)

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TO SEND THIS DAYS BLOG TO A FRIEND

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At the moment you were born, what was God thinking? I think He was thinking, as he always has, how important you are. “A little lower than the angels” is the way the Bible puts it.


I love the way the 139th Psalm describes our day of earthly entry. That God, "knit me together in my mother's womb." What a moment of wonderment. Life!


In the book of Samuel 16:7, the mind of God is spelled out quite clearly, It reads “…The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."


This is no small thing, being created by and identified by God in such a way there is never any doubt in the halls of heaven who you are….who I am.

No small thing because “in the world of man” identities are stolen all the time. It happened to us two summers ago. Someone reached into my wife’s purse and stole her identity. Went around proving they were her to a world that was more than willing to accept as fact what was obviously a lie. We straightened it out, but for a short time “the things that man looks at” created an identity crisis.
But with God? No identity theft will ever take place. He knows who we are, the good and the bad and the in-between. And He loves us despite what He sees rather than because.

Yes, God knows us and loves us and forgives us and redeems us… but in return should we not love ourselves enough to take care of ourselves and redeem ourselves from foolish spiritual and physical habits that harm rather than repair?

When I was a little boy, one of my favorite games was hide and seek. To try to outsmart my playmates and manage to elude capture so I could then touch a home base tree first…that showed I had just won. It was fun.


But playing hide and seek with God and His commandments is not a game. Not a romp of competition. And to keep making withdrawals of forgiveness out of a spiritual bank account that never runs dry is great…but how much better to make deposits of good deeds and better resolutions.

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Paul says, "I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from, the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

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“Nothing will be able to separate us…” No matter the context of various scriptures, they just keep saying, in different ways, the same thing over and over again. Where we are…God is. It’s like a giant heavenly theater with a wrap-around screen and God not missing a thing.

And he is watching us and loving us and forgiving us and calling on us to call on His name on a regular basis. And ask the right questions and try to live in such a manner we can give the right answers.
Were our actions this last week good or bad? And why did we perform them? The why being more important than the what. Of course, I am talking about self-examination, and that is sometimes about as pleasant as a trip to the dentist.

Do you ever consider what you are worth? And worth to whom, and why, and when? We get hung up on the word worth and get in all kind of trouble because of it.


A man buys a Cadillac and thinks it gives him more worth.

Another man adds up one college degree after another and thinks they give him more worth.

A job title. A star in sports. Popularity.


But as a sub text…many people eventually get around to believing and accepting full blast, “My greatest worth is that I was made by God.”

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Over and over again the Bible underlines this real worth. From the very beginning in Genesis (1:1, 26-28) In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness…." So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female, he created them. God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number…."
"Through him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made."(John 1:3, NIV)
And quoting Paul, he said in Acts 17:25: …for he himself [God] gives all men life and breath and everything else.


And in 17:28-29: For in God we live and move and have our being.

And again, in 1 John 3:1, 2: “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God”

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A quote from the blog to be posted on my blog entitled “ANGER IS A KILLER” (1st in Series)


“Do you enjoy visiting friends? More than likely you’re thinking, Preacher, of course, I do.


Now let me ask the other side of the coin - Do you enjoy visiting enemies? No?
Well, I know you must enjoy visiting at least one enemy because, like myself, you probably visit this one quite often. Unfortunately, we all …visit this enemy…whose name is anger.

Some visit anger seldom . Some on a regular basis. And during those visits, some spew and others stew…”
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Neil Wyrick’s book RUST ON MY SOUL Serialized is available on amazon.com
To view an abundance of unusual stories and comments by Neil Wyrick go to Neil’s other blog ONE A DAY, YOUR SPIRITUAL VITAMINS
Click on the following URL http://oneadayyourspiritualvitamins.blogspot.com/

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SOME MORE THOUGHTS ON PRAYER

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TO SEND THIS DAYS BLOG TO A FRIEND

JUST CLICK AT THE BOTTOM

OF THIS BLOG ON “TELL A FRIeND”

For Neil's "One a Day Your Spiritual Vitamins"

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I doubt you write out your prayers before you pray them.

You have a need; you petition. You have a gratitude; you pray a prayer of thanksgiving.

It is as it should be.

But though being spontaneous in your daily talks with God is a good and gracious way to proceed it is still good to think through later the structure of what you have prayed; the how, the what, the when and the where.

When you prayed, first did you listen? Some people take the scripture that reads “Speak Lord, for thy servant heareth” and rewrite it to read, “Listen Lord, thy servant speaketh.” (1 Samuel 3:10)


Could what you prayed for be considered a Christian prayer? Remember …if you end your prayer with the words “In Jesus name” you certainly want to have prayed a prayer he would approve.

Was it a prayer you really wanted to be answered, something you really wanted to take place, an improvement in your person you were really committed to following through on. A half hearted prayer is a wasted opportunity.


Promise what you will do to help make the prayer come true. You have prayed for help with your business? Have you promised to work longer and harder?

You have asked for better health? Are you committed to a better diet and more exercise?

Pray your prayer and then be patient.

You really don’t have to remind God about the prayer you just prayed two minutes ago. He heard you.
He will answer your prayer in his own way in his own time. In short, don’t make your prayer an anxiety center.
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Below is a quote from a new series, entitled A HEAVENLY CONSTRUCTION PROGRAM(1st in series)


…“in the world of man” identities are stolen all the time.

It happened to us two summers ago. Someone reached into my wife’s purse and stole her identity. Went around proving they were her to a world that was more than willing to accept as fact what was obviously a lie.

We straightened it out, but for a short time “the things that man looks at” created an identity crisis.


But with God? No identity theft will ever take place. He knows who we are, the good and the bad and the in-between. And He loves us despite what He sees rather than because.
**************************************

To view an abundance of unusual stories and comments by Neil Wyrick go to Neil’s other blog ONE A DAY, YOUR SPIRITUAL VITAMINS

Click on the following URL

http://oneadayyourspiritualvitamins.blogspot.com/


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RUST ON MY SOUL (37th IN SERIES)

************************************

TO SEND THIS DAYS BLOG TO A FRIEND

JUST CLICK AT THE BOTTOM

OF THIS BLOG ON “TELL A FRIeND”

For Neil's "One a Day Your Spiritual Vitamins"

Click on the following URL

http://oneadayyourspiritualvitamins

***********************************
RUST ON MY SOUL (A Novel) (Published by Bridge Press in 1985 & Distributed Internationally) (A new Series has begun and will continue until finished)


INTRODUCTION (Repeated for those new to the series)
In an old loose leaf notebook, Thomas Kettering wrote when there was a cry from his heart. He wrote when his inner longing spilled over into the reality of his days. He did not write every day, only when he felt he must. How often he wrote or when is not important. The journey is what counts, for it is a diary about all of us, to all of us. “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step,” and even a stumble is a step.
Evening
“Let me tell you who I don’t like.”
It is a fussy, frantic, futile litany in our house.


It’s a learned response. We reverberate off each other’s revulsions. Prejudice is a package we used to pass around, but not anymore. Now we each have our own private little containers.


We aren’t restrictive on our list of rejections. We move from racial slurs to economic digs to super snobbishness at the drops of a rancor. And it isn’t funny. And it isn’t clever. It’s plain punk.
You can’t pass hate out your front door without dripping it all over your living room. 

Animosity refuses to be selective. Even when you’re on target it splashes back. 
“That little snip, who does she think she is? Just because she’s a cheerleader –“ Connie was on another dinner table recital.
“I knocked more than the chip off his shoulder” Billy banged the table to emphasize his point.
“You should have heard that woman at the hairdresser. If just one more time she –“ Nancy, not to be outdone or overwhelmed, related her tale of woe.
Tonight, I too had an anger to share. We hurt inside from so much outward anger.
Evening

I need a vacation. Not so much away from here but away from me. I’m tired.
Physically, psychologically, emotionally I feel worn out. Can mountain air refurbish my psyche? Can the seashore wash away the ashes of my burned-out emotions? I don’t know, but my only choice is to try.
Damn, I forgot! Nancy might be a problem.
Always before she has been ready and able to go anywhere, anytime. Now, with this job of hers, she might not be able to take the time off.
Well, we’ll just have to see. Damn!
Must I always be profane?
Compared to most of today’s profanity mine is that of a mild-mannered Clark Kent. But that’s hardly the point.
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A quote below to be posted on this Wyrick’s Writings blog entitled ANOTHER THOUGHT ON PRAYERS


“Some people take the scripture that reads “Speak Lord, for thy servant heareth” and rewrite it to read, “Listen Lord, thy servant speaketh.” (Samuel 3:10)
Could what you prayed for be considered a Christian prayer? Remember …if you end your prayer with the words “In Jesus name” you certainly want to have prayed a prayer he would approve.”
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The book RUST ON MY SOUL is available on amazon.com
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To view an abundance of unusual stories and comments by Neil Wyrick go to Neil’s other blog ONE A DAY, YOUR SPIRITUAL VITAMINS
Click on the following URL
http://oneadayyourspiritualvitamins.blogspot.com/
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GOD'S FRUITSTAND

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Your Spiritual Vitamins"

 

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A woman was wandering through a marketplace when she came upon a sign that stopped her in her tracks. It read God’s Fruit Stand. Without hesitation she rushed over and began to exclaim, “I would like a perfect banana, a perfect cantaloupe, a perfect strawberry and a perfect peach.” It was then she recognized who was behind the counter, God. And looking at her with a heavenly smile, He simply replied, “I’m sorry but I only sell seeds.”


That is the hope given to us on the first Christmas, when God come to earth in the form of a little child.


Hope with a capital H named Jesus. Eternity with a halo.

 
That through Christ, men and women would take God’s seeds and make peace more often than war; offer tolerance more often than prejudice; give joy more often than sorrow.


Take these seeds of greatness that are within us all and make good things rather than bad things happen. Make the world a little better than a little worse. Never perfect, never that…but at least getting things aimed in the right direction, certainly in the direction of love for…

Some say love is a river that drowns the tender reed.
Some say love is the razor that leaves our soul to bleed.
Some say love is a hunger, an aching endless need.
I say love is a flower and you and I,
its only seeds
(anonymous, slight rewrite)

Archbishop Desmond Tutu of Africa summed it up so very well. What this grand and glorious promise of Christianity is all about. Remember, he personally experienced the abundant evils of apartheid and yet still he was able to write, “Goodness is stronger than evil; love is stronger than hate; light is stronger than darkness; life is stronger than death, victory is ours through Him who loves us.”

It is the manger message that will not, should not ever go away. It is why there are so many today looking for spiritual answers because all the technology in the world is still writing so much of their happiness with fading ink.


And why is there such solace when we find the Savior and give ourselves to Him?


Well, because “The Lord travels in all directions at once... Wherever we are, we find that God has just departed. Wherever we go we find God has just arrived before us.” (editing of quote from Thomas Merton)
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A quote from THE BLOG entitled DECEMBER, THE WARMEST MONTH IN THE YEAR”

“There has been only one Christmas…the rest are anniversaries...”
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The book RUST ON MY SOUL is available on amazon.com


To view an abundance of unusual stories and comments by Neil Wyrick go to Neil’s other blog ONE A DAY, YOUR SPIRITUAL VITAMINS

Click on the following URL

http://oneadayyourspiritualvitamins.blogspot.com/


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