Thesis: Don’t mistake emotions for worship

Introduction:
1. It’s reported that one of largest pileups ever recorded was on California Hwy 99 starting at 7:45 am and vehicles banged into each other for almost 1-1/2 hours.
2. In the end over 100 vehicles were damaged and more than 2 killed and many people required medical attention from the mishap.
3. What was the cause?
4. A dense fog that arose very quickly and all the drivers continued on driving too fast into the fog, and then they could not react when they saw the taillights in front of them!
5. This type of fog is called a “tule fog” by the people of California and it can become quite dense very quickly, with visibility down to two feet in less than a minute.

Body:
1. Sometimes we as Christians may “drive too fast in our own fog”!
2. By that, I mean that when certain emotions hit us, anger flare-ups, or hurt feelings-- we may let these emotions cloud our senses so that we are not seeing clearly.
3. Then, way too often, we may say and do things, in that fog, that we will regret later!
4. A single word spoken in a fog of emotion, can often remove a lifetime of character building and good reputation.
5. What James wrote can help us understand “the way we need to handle such things” in James 1:19.
19. So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath;
20. for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.
21. Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. (James 1:19-21)

Conclusion:
1. The Jewish Bar Mitzvah says:
The righteous speak little, and do much; the wicked speak much, and do nothing.
2. Those that are hasty in speech are generally of a peevish or angry disposition, from the beginning of the conversation.
Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures. (James 1:18)

Invitation:
1. If you feel that you have offended someone in your anger, work at settling that offence in a Biblical manner.
a. Jesus said in Mat 18:15
"Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. (Matthew 18:15)
2. If someone has sinned against you, remember Jesus’s words in Mk 11:25.
"And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. (Mark 11:25)
3. Do you need forgiveness of you sins and want to be added to the church that Christ built?
4. Let Acts 2:38 be your guide.
Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:38)

By Gary Murphy

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