Sometimes I think Bruce Banner doesn’t have anything on me. I can be going along in my day, everything fine only to end up blowing up in anger. Sound familiar?  If so, tune in to hear the secret that has been making a HUGE difference in my life!   Subscribe to our podcast on your phone to automatically have new messages downloaded weekly: in iTunes (http://my.oswegochristian.com/iTunes) or Android (http://my.oswegochristian.com/Google)

————  Episode Manuscript————

What gets you angry?  I mean, really angry?  This morning, we are going to tamper with our emotions and take a deep dive into anger.  I feel like anger is one of the most prevailing emotions in our world.  People are angry all the time, angry at politics, angry at leaders, angry at spouses and kids.  We’re angry at bosses and more.  This morning, if you are someone who struggles with anger I want you to know, I’m praying for you and hope todays message helps you get a handle on your anger. OPENING ILLUSTRATION:Top 10 list of insults you can use when talking about co-workers1.She’s 3 slices short of a loaf.2.He likes to play the dumb card.3.His brain is like a BB in box car. just rolling around.4.He comes from a shallow gene pool.5.Even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a whilethese are funny, but for most of us,our anger takes us to places we never wanted to goListen, before we go on – you need to know – not all anger is badEphesians 4:2626 “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry,-it’s not wrong to get angry – there are actually really good things to get angry about…Jesus got angry…Mark 3:3-63 Another time Jesus went into the synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. 2 Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath. 3 Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Stand up in front of everyone.”4 Then Jesus asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they remained silent.5 He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored. 6 Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus.Two times Jesus went into the temple and found money changers – they were kind of the loan sharks of the day – taking advantage of poor people, scamming them out of their money.  And both times, Jesus flips over their tables and makes a whip out of ropes and drives them out.  He says:Matthew 21:13“It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.'”Anger that defends doesn’t lead to sin-it is completely appropriate to be angry because marginalized people are being taken advantage of.-anger is a gift from God, that allows you to stick up for people, to respond to injusticeThe problem is when our anger is ongoing and never resolvedBThe problem is when anger becomes a base response to situations.ILLUSTRATION: A few weeks back – Jenni and I were driving back from visiting our foster sons at their new families house.  I had gotten some disappointing news about something I was hoping would go a different way.  I was already secretly fuming inside.  Jenni had wanted italian food, so we had ordered ahead at this restaruant on our road home.  I got a calzone.  Jenni wrapped it up in the foil.  My kids are all fighting in the back of the car.  and I start driving.  I’m thinking about how upset I am that at this disappointment.  I’m wanting my kids to just for once stop fighting.  And I go to take a bite of this calzone.  As I bring it to my mouth, the calzone just starts taking a leak all over me.  Turns out, if you are making a calzone for people driving, you load it