Scriptures: Proverbs 16:32, 15:18, 19:19, 14:29, 29:11, 19:11, 15:1, 22:24-25, Psalm 7:11, 4:4, Mark 3:5, 1 Samuel 11:6, 1 Kings 11:9, Isaiah 5:20-25, Galatians 5:23, Ephesians 4:26

Everyone can get angry--even the best of us. Moses, David, the prophet Jonah, and Jesus all had one thing in common--they all experienced anger. Anger leaves tracks on the paths of life that are easy for anybody to find. One small spark of anger can start a raging fire that can consume a lifelong friendship in an instant.There is a burning caldron of anger running over in our society, spilling into our schools, our government, and even our homes. More than 60% of the homicides in America are committed by angry family members. You probably know that the number killer in America is heart disease. But it would interest you to know further that the number one cause of heart disease is--you guessed it--anger. In this message, Dr. Merritt explains how you can temper your anger, and understand how you can be angry and still remain obedient to Scripture.

"But let me let you in on secret number two, which is this: Anger is a God-given emotion. Solomon’s father, David, said, 'Be angry and do not sin.' (Psalm 4:4) There are at least two occasions when we ought to be angry. The first is when God’s people openly disobey Him. The other is when people in authority and power stand against what is right for what is wrong, and hurt others in the process. The way to be angry, and not sin, is to be angry at nothing but sin. The old Puritan, Thomas Watson, put it best when he said, 'That anger is without sin that is against sin.'" --Dr. Merritt

Keywords: anger, vengeance, heart disease, Israel, Solomon, Thomas Watson, Fortune Magazine, Charles Mahuka, Miguel Conzales, Benjamin Franklin, Poor Richard's Almanac, wrath, temper, destruction, punishment, John Hunter