Another Life Group Message

Life Group Message
Feb 2nd 2008
The Effect Of Anger.
Ephesians 4:21 – 29
21 Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, 22 throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. 23 Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. 24 Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.
25 So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body. 26 And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.”(psalms 4:4) Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 for anger gives a foothold to the devil.
28 If you are a thief, quit stealing. Instead, use your hands for good hard work, and then give generously to others in need. 29 Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.
Psalm 4:4
4 Don’t sin by letting anger control you.
Think about it overnight and remain silent.

I want to see that last part, “Don’t let the sun go down while your still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil.” to be practiced within our lives. Don’t let something that bothers you build and build. The more you stuff away and the longer it sits dormant the worse it will be. When we get angry about something or at someone and you don’t resolve it that day, your perception becomes blurred of what is really happening, the devil takes those thoughts and whirls them around and starts telling you things that haven’t or didn’t happen.

James 1:19 – 25
19 Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. 20 Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires. 21 So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.
22 But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. 23 For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. 24 You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. 25 But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.
This section is very true, I think we all need to focus on these verse when we get angry, “Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires.” Anger can do some serious damage to us if we don’t flush our systems of it quickly. Gods word has many examples of how anger is bad for us, and our relationship with God. The enemy can smell anger for miles around and he will latch on us like a hungry lion finding a good catch for dinner. Then he uses that anger against us and against those around us.

Have the attitude of Christ. –

Philippians 2:1 – 5
1 Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? 2 Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.
3 Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.
5 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.

This is truly a verse to live by, it is one of those, “put others before yourself” verses. As Christians, this is a definition of who we are and how the world should see us.

Philippians 2:6 – 8
6 Though he was God,  he did not think of equality with God
 as something to cling to.
 7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;
 he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being.
 When he appeared in human form, 8 he humbled himself in obedience to God
 and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

Never forget this.

“Dear Children, lets not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions. Our actions will show that we belong to the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before God. Even if we feel guilty, God is greater than our feelings, and he knows everything.” – 1 John 4:18 – 20

Found an old Life Group Message..

So, for awhile during 2007 and part of 2008 I lead a Life Group, basically it’s a small group (which is a group of people that come together and do life together and study the Bible).

This is probably one of the first ones I did. So without further ado, here are the notes I had, there was of course some conversation about each verse, but you get the general idea.

 

Life group Message – “What is Selfish Pride”
11/24/2007
Dan Walker
Originally By: Wayne Blank
Does “God oppose the proud, but give grace to the humble”? Read 1 Peter 5:5
What is Pride? The dictionary says pride is, “a high or inordinate opinion of one’s own dignity, importance, merit, or superiority, whether as cherished in the mind or as displayed in bearing, conduct, etc.”

What is Selfish? The dictionary says selfish as being, “devoted to or caring only for oneself; concerned primarily with one’s own interests, benefits, welfare, etc., regardless of others.”

What is Selfish Pride?
Selfish pride can be defined as “excessive confidence or glorification in one’s self, possessions or nation.” The concept is found in The Bible, along with pride itself, in words such as arrogance, haughtiness and conceit, among others, all of which are opposite of Godly humility. The wrongness of self-centered pride is essentially twofold. On a spiritual level, it inevitably leads to disregard, disrespect and disobedience to God i.e. self-centered pride is primarily what transformed the once-righteous Lucifer into the wicked Satan after he became too impressed with himself, Isaiah 14:14 says, “I will make myself like the Most High.” On a worldly level, selfish pride very often results in self-destructive behavior because, while a form of self-delusion, it isn’t necessarily as much an overestimation of one’s self as it is a dangerous underestimation of others, hence, Proverbs 16:18 says, “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” The Bible also speaks of a good pride, but it differs greatly from selfish pride.
Selfish pride is sin:
“To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse     speech.” (Proverbs 8:13 NIV)
“12 For the sins of their mouths, for the words of their lips, let them be caught in their pride. For     the curses and lies they utter,
13 consume them in wrath, consume them till they are no more. 
     Then it will be known to the ends of the earth that God rules over Jacob. Selah.”
    (Psalm 59:12-13 NIV)
“3 He boasts of the cravings of his heart; he blesses the greedy and reviles the LORD. 
    4 In his pride the wicked does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for     God.” (Psalm 10:3-4 NIV)
“When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.” (Proverbs 11:2 NIV)
God will humble those who don’t humble themselves:
Leviticus 26:18-21 -
    “18 ‘If after all this you will not listen to me, I will punish you for your sins seven times     over. 19 I will break down your stubborn pride and make the sky above you like iron and     the ground beneath you like bronze. 20 Your strength will be spent in vain, because your     soil will not yield its crops, nor will the trees of the land yield their fruit. 21 ‘If you     remain hostile toward me and refuse to listen to me, I will multiply your afflictions seven     times over, as your sins deserve.”
“The eyes of the arrogant man will be humbled and the pride of men brought low; the LORD alone will be exalted in that day.” (Isaiah 2:11 NIV)
“A man’s pride brings him low, but a man of lowly spirit gains honor.” (Proverbs 29:23 NIV)
The Bible also speaks of a good form of pride, but there is a difference – it’s based on a pride for others who are living in obedience to God.
“1Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that     contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.2Make room for us in     your hearts. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have exploited no one. 3I     do not say this to condemn you; I have said before that you have such a place in our hearts that     we would live or die with you. 4I have great confidence in you; I take great pride in you. I am     greatly encouraged; in all our troubles my joy knows no bounds.” (2 Corinthians 7:1-4 NIV)
“We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity     to take pride in us, so that you can answer those who take pride in what is seen rather than     in what is in the heart.” (2 Corinthians 5:12 NIV)