Sunday Flyer

What is God Like?

God is Slow to Anger

Pastor Humphreys Mkandawire

EXODUS 34:5-7
5 Then the Lord came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the Lord. 6 And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, 7 maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.”

How you view Jesus determines how you respond to Jesus

Long of Nose = Patient

Deuteronomy 9:8
“At Horeb you aroused the Lord’s wrath so that he was angry enough to destroy you.”

God’s slowness to anger is not grounded in hesitation but in expectation.

Joel 2:13
Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity.

God looks at you through the lens of who you could become, not through the lens of what you have done.

Romans 5:8
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

God loves you more than he loves your reputation.

1. You could be here saying “God is angry with me”

Exodus 34:7
Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.”

2. You could be here saying: “I am angry with God”

3. You could be here saying “I am angry with them”

James 1:19-20 NIV
“My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,” “because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.”

Romans 12:19-20
19 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 On the contrary:“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
    if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”

DO NOT MAKE THE PERSON THE ENEMY MAKE THE INJUSTICE THE ENEMY

4. You could be here saying “I am hurt”

Ephesians 4:26
“In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold.

Let God handle your pain
Let God handle their offense

1. What are you angry about?
2. Who are you angry with?
3. What has holding onto this anger cost you?
4. How is the Holy Spirit inviting you to respond today?