New Lessons

INTRODUCTION:

1. LET’S DO A “1” MINUTE EXERCISE:
   1. 1.Using the word ANGER—close your eyes: (NOW and think about anger):
      1. (a)What did you say to yourself?
      2. (b)What did you feel?
      3. (c)What did you remember?
2. 2.When was the last time you were angry?
   1. (a)Today? (b) Yesterday? (c) Last Week? (d) Last Month?
3. OUR NATION IS IN AN ANGER…RAGE MODE:
   1. 1.Riots in Minneapolis…
   2. 2.Rage in grocery stores (corona virus, etc.)
   3. 3.Pushing and shouting in line post office, etc.
   4. 4.Driving madness: cutting off, failure to stop.
   5. 5.Family, domestic violence on rise.
4. “ANYONE WHO CAN ANGER YOU HAS CONTROL OVER YOU” (Stoic)
   1. 1.Anger is an emotion created by a choice of thoughts (Prov. 23:7).
   2. 2.“We make ourselves angry” by responding to others.
5. LOT OF INTEREST IN ANGER:
   1. 1.Anger: (Google… 69,400,000
   2. 2.Anger management: … 1,010,000
   3. 3.Bible and Anger: … 21,600,000

I.BIBLE AND ANGER:

A. Passages from:

       1. Proverbs 14:29; 15:1, 18; 16:32; 29:20.

       2. James 1:19, 20.

       3. Ephesians 4:26-31, 5:1 (20 Observations.)

       4. Psalm 7:11; 78:48 (God’s anger).

       5. Genesis 4:5, Cain killed his brother.

B. 8 BASIC TYPES OF ANGER (7 from PSYCHOLOGY):

     1. Passive Aggressive (indirect, subtle insults, insinuations).

     2. Explosive Outburst (Sudden loss of control, “hot tempered”).

     3. Harden Anger (Stuck in quicksand, chip on shoulder, can’t forgive).

     4. Vengeful anger (Get back at person, even after years).

     5. Chronic Anger (Will not let go, continual episodes, DSM mental illness, 2 month or more).

     6. Incidental Anger (Not all negative, God allows emotional, motivated to deal with.)

     7. Empathic Anger (On behalf of a wrong committed against another, arouses sense of caring).

     8. God approved: “Be angry and sin not, don’t let sun go down on wrath.”

C. HOW TO EMPTY YOUR ANGER BANK…PREVENT MAKING DEPOSITS—close the account!

     1. Starts with an event: (Anger Thermometer).

           (a) May be a mental trigger of a memory….Thought fixation.

           (b) May be something you see….media, home, neighborhood.

           (c) May be a perceived violation of your “rights” (Traffic).

           (d) May be a continual occurrence: home, work, school, etc.

     2. Recognizing triggers:

           (a) Know from past experience…button will trigger.

           (b) Face starts getting warm.

           (c) Heart rate increases.

           (d) Sweaty palms, face, body.

           (e) Raising of voice, cursing, yelling.

           (f) Start throwing things, threating.

           (g) Rush, stomp out, and kick stuff.

       3. Start by admitting your worse anger issue:

           (a) Confess it to God and to persons it affects.

           (b) Study and meditate on Scriptures.

           (c) Develop a plan to stay cool…count to 10, 100, etc.

           (d) Do all you can to AVOID situation—eyes always open.

INTRODUCTION:

     Today has been set aside to honor our mothers. We realize that every day is the day to honor mother but, thankfully, today our nation pauses to hold hands and honor that special lady every person has—we all have a mother. Today during the pandemic crisis we are faced with a new set of challenges relative to honoring mom, especially related to physical presence. However we are blessed with numerous media tools we can use to send special messages and gifts to honor our mothers.

     Mother’s Day is …

1. Marked by sadness (Mother is very ill, deceased, in heaven, etc.).
2. Marked with joy (Able to see, visit with, talk with, etc.).
3. Marked with regret (For ways treated mom, bad behavior, etc.).
4. Marked by evaluation (What kind of child am I, was I, and will be?)
5. Marked by thankfulness (So, so many blessing because of mother).
6. Marked by resolve (To do and be better).
7. Marked by giving gifts (flowers, cards, clothing, photo albums, etc.).
8. Marked by guilt (Aborted a child, abused, abandoned, neglected, etc.).

I. REMINDERS FROM SCRIPTURE:

   A. Exodus 20:12: Honor your father and mother, that your days may be long upon the land

         Which the Lord your God is giving you.

 B. Proverbs 23:22: Listen to your father who begot you, and do not hate your mother when

         she is old.

   C. Proverbs 19:26, 27: He who mistreats his father and chases away his mother is a son

         who causes shame and brings reproach. Cease listening to instruct, my son, and you

           will stray from the words of knowledge.

II. SOME ‘THANK YOU’ WORDS FOR MOTHER:

     In EVERYTHING give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you (1 Thess. 5:18).

MOTHER THANK YOU …

     Thank you for enduring 9 months of a parasite invading your body bringing all those changes and pain so you could give me life.

     Thank you for nurturing, helping, changing, clothing and keeping me safe in my infant and helpless years.

     Thank you for teaching me, guiding me, standing up for me, and loving me unconditionally.

     Thank you for sacrificing and doing without all those years so I could have.

   Thank you for disciplining me and being strict when I needed it the most.

   Thank you for being patient with me when I acted-up and was defiant.

     Thank you for loving me with all my faults and negative behaviors.

     Thank you for helping me have an awareness of a loving and saving God.

     Thank you for saying no when I insisted on having my way.

     Thank you for never giving up on me when I seemed hopeless.

     Thank you for being a moral and ethical example of right and wrong.

   Thank you for modeling the virtues I want to see in the mother of my children.

     Thank you for having eyes in the back of your head it prevented me from trying to get by with

     stuff or think I was getting by with something.

     Thank you for modeling what character and integrity look like when practiced.

     Thank you for holding my hand in the early years and my heart in later years.

   Thank you for knowing each one of your children are different.

     Thank you for accepting most of my faults and lovingly warning me about others.

     Thank you for admitting you were not perfect, even though I thought you were most of the

     time.

     Thank you for all the memories that cause you to live every day in my mind, heart and soul.

     Thank you for being a mother to those who were “motherless” and neglected.

     And above all, thank you for being my mother, a gift from God.

III. MOTHER I STILL SEE YOU

     Mother, even though you’ve gone to heaven I “still see you” in so many things, memories of you:

• When I look in a mirror, I see you in my face.
• When I gaze at a flower garden, I still see you.
• When I look at a properly set table of food, I still see you.
• When I gaze at a sunset or sunrise, I still see you.
• When I look at a page in the Bible, I still see you.
• When I see tears in the eyes of a person or my eyes, I still see you.
• When I see ducks flying in order, I still see you.
• When I see birds nesting and caring for their babies, I still see you.
• When I see a clean, orderly, and well-kept house, I still see you.
• When I see a faded apron and old shawls, I still see you.
• When I see a happy person with a smile, I still see you.
• When I see pain and hurt in a person’s eyes, I still see you.
• When I see a mother cuddling and fussing over a child, I still see you.
• When I look at an “impossible” task, I still see you.
• When I see mothers playing games with their children, I still see you.
• When I see dark clouds, see lightening, and hear bellowing thunder, I still see you.

     Mother, you were so alive, so in love with God and His creation; taught me to see beyond the obvious and see life as real and full of gifts and surprises. As I look into the heavens I see your loving and smiling face offering an extended hand to me. Yes, I’m a mama’s boy—your boy. I’ll join you when God calls me. Until then I’ll keep seeing you.

     Let’s pray every day for all our mothers.

In whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them … lest Satan should get an advantage over us: for we are not ignorant of his devices (2 Corinthians 4:4; 2:11).

1. THOU SHALL say you believe in God but don’t take doing His will seriously. You will be among the majority of those who don’t practice what they say they believe. This will aid my cause in a dynamic way. Remember that I believe in God, too.

1. THOU SHALL have a copy of the Bible but never read it seriously, do what it says, or take it with you when you go on vacation; not taking it to church will really help me in fostering ignorance.

1. THOU SHALL attend church services when it is convenient, the mood strikes you, or as often as you desire. The main thing is to audit, never take notes, a wandering mind would be excellent and contribute to you being considered a faithful member, which thankfully you are not. Remember, I never miss a church service.

1. THOU SHALL participate in congregational worship services but not with your heart, only go through the motions, you will not be alone; never take singing seriously or think about the words to apply them to your life. You will appear faithful to those around you who may be doing the same things. Never, no never consider the hypocrisy involve in your behavior.

1. THOU SHALL give when the plate is passed but only if you have any money left after you spend what you have on yourself, needs, and wants. Remember, your needs come first.

1. THOU SHALL depend on the preacher, deacons, and elders to do ministry for you; and remember to be critical and judgmental of their actions, you can always find faults and weaknesses.

1. THOU SHALL question God when He doesn’t answer your prayers quickly by giving you what you have asked for. Remember you don’t need Him to do for you what you can do for yourself. It’s okay to tell people you’ll prayer for them but never get around to it; you’ll look and sound faithful.

1. THOU SHALL be present when the sermons are preached, and even Bible classes if you feel like attending; go ahead and appear to pay attention, even asking questions but don’t take notes, or make any attempt to let what is presented change your thinking or behavior.

1. THOU SHALL always be on the lookout for things you don’t agree with, be a fault finder in others, always be a complainer as well as a gossiper; never, no never offer solutions.

1. THOU SHALL always remember that it is acceptable by your fellow-members to limit your participation to the church building at designated hours; one each week will keep you on the membership roll of the faithful. The rest of the 167 hours during the week belong to ME.

                                                                                               [J.J. Turner, Ph.D. © 2020]

An old preacher over a hundred years ago, said this about a popular church hymn, “Men sing it, boys whistle it and woman rock their babies to sleep to it.” The hymn referenced was Count Your Blessings written by Johnson Oatman, Jr. in 1897. The story goes that Johnson father was a local merchant and was known as the best singer in Lumberton, N.J. Young Johnson wasn’t even close to singing as well as his father. During his growing up years, he had a deep desire to make a positive musical contribution of his own. After working in the family business he gave it up to go to Divinity School to study for the ministry. After finishing school and ministering in a church he continued to dream of making an even greater contribution during his life.

     During his 36th year, Johnson realized that he had musical talent, not for singing but writing Christian songs for others to sing. It is estimated that every year after making his decision an average of 200 songs flowed from his pen. He eventually authored 5,000 and felt so blessed that his musical compositions he had discovered a way to “preach the Gospel.”

     From the catalog of songs Oatman wrote, two were his favorite, “No, Not One” and “Higher Ground.” Yet in reality, people everywhere adopted a song he wrote in 1897 “Count Your Blessings,’ and remains among the most popular hymns today more than 120 years later. John Oatman died in Norman Oklahoma in 1922. Through his songs, he continues to bless and minister to millions. Here is a verse and the chorus:

                                                       COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS

When upon life billows you are tempest tossed

When you are discouraged thinking all is lost,

Count your many blessings every doubt will fly,

And you will be singing as the days go by.

(Chorus)

Count your blessings name them one by one.

Count your blessings, see what God has done.

Count your blessings, name them one by one

Count your many blessings see what God has done.

     How many times have you heard the phrase “God bless you” or said it to someone? I venture to say, that on an average, from the clerk to the person passing us through a doorway, we hear is almost daily. Many waiters and waitresses write it on the bill they hand us. There words. God Bless You. Wait a minute! What do these three words mean? What is actually being said and understood by these three words?

     If we dash to Webster for a definition we find three basic words, Bless, Blessed, and Blessing with a total of 18 categories of usage. The definitions include, “good wishes or approval; enjoying happiness; bringing comfort and joy; to favor or be endowed; praise or glorify; holy, sacred, dedicated, consecrated; to pronounce, well wishes, etc. Thus, the meanings all seem to be expressions of “good future, happiness, joy, and gifts, etc.” When the word is used by a Christian it is usually related to “gifts and favors from God Himself.” In John 1:16 we read, “Out of the fullness of His grace he has blessed us all, giving us one blessing after another” (GNT Version).

     Here’s our bottom line question, “How can we give and receive blessings if we don’t understand what they are? More importantly, “How can we count them if we don’t know what they are?”

     I once heard a story about an older preacher who had been roughed-up and robbed when walking to his car one night. The next Sunday he preached a sermon titled “The Blessings of Being Robbed.” As you can imagine the building was filled as attendees had come to hear what the old preacher had to say about being robbed. The gist of his sermon was, “I had never been robbed before. He robbed me, I didn’t rob him. He hurt me, I didn’t hurt him. He didn’t get much because I didn’t have much. He is the one who sinned, not me. He stole my Bible but not my message. I forgive him, what he does is between him and God. I learned from this experience what the Psalmist meant when he wrote, “It was good for me to be afflicted, that I might learn thy testimonies (Psalm 119:71), and what Paul meant when he wrote, “In everything give thanks” (1 1 Thessalonians 5:18).

ONE STEP BEYOND COUNTING YOUR BLESSINGS

There can be no doubt from a practical and biblical perspective that counting our blessings is sage advice. When we recognize the amazingly positive things—gifts—which come into our lives every day brings a measure of joy and happiness occurs in difficult situations, etc. However, knowing the basic truths about the benefits of blessings doesn’t mean that we deeply appreciate them at the core of our being. The key is related to HOW does the blessing make your life better? We need to remember the sequence used in making a change in life:

     FIRST, there must be an AWARENESS. This is the first stage of recognizing the event, thing, person, etc. causing the blessing. “Name them one by one.” This is internalizing the blessing.

     SECOND, there must be an UNDERSTANDING of what the blessing means to your body, soul, and spirit. The goodness and benefit you see in the blessings actually touch your being.

     THIRD, there must be an intentional asking and answering this question: “What difference will this make in my life? How can I share it with others?

     FOURTH, there will be an added blessing (or blessings) as you take time to really pay attention to your blessings (“It will surprise you what the Lord has done.”)

     FIFTH, there must be a continual recognition and commitment to practicing acknowledging, counting, and being thankful for your blessings. This will be a physical and spiritual blessing to you and others. Remember, “Even more blessed are all who hear the word of God and put it into practice” (Luke 11:28, NLT).

     What is your total for today? How many blessings have you counted? Name the three that really blessed you:

1. _____________________________________________________________________
2. _____________________________________________________________________
3. _____________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

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