Anger Regrets

Esther 2:1 Later when King Xerxes’ fury had subsided, he remembered Vashti and what she had done and what he had decreed about her. 

Proverbs 29:8 Mockers stir up a city, but the wise turn away anger. 

The wise turn away from anger. It is a wise thing to:

1. Keep our mouth shut. If we shoot off our mouth we lose our peace.

So many regret having done that.

He who holds his tongue is wise. 

2. A Soft Answer turns away wrath. Proverbs 15.1

We can diffuse a potentially explosive situation by being a peacemaker.

3. Thoughts of revenge must be taken captive and made obedient to Christ when we are offended.

Romans 12:18-19 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 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. 

Isaiah 53:7 He was oppressed and afflicted,yet he did not open his mouth;he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. 

1 Peter 2:21-23 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. “He committed no sin,and no deceit was found in his mouth.” When they hurled their insults at Him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly. 

King Xerses allowed his ager to run the gamit and ended up several years later without his wife , Queen Vashti, the beautiful woman.

It is a foolish thing to blow up. It has consequences. 

We are being warned here that the advice we get when we ae angry, even by those closest to us, can be damaging. They want to protect us (by not from ourselves). They want some revenge for our displeasure or hurt we have received. They seldom see our fault or responsibility. 

1. King Xerxes listened to his counselors. His name means "Majestic Prince".

He called them together while he was angry.

Anger can move things. It can also blow things up. Combustion engine- E. Stanley Jones

In some ways they were right, but remember it was because the king was high in spirits from drinking that he made such a request. 

We are warned about excessive drinking in the scriptures:

Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaints? Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes? Those who linger over wine, who go to sample bowls of mixed wine. Do not gaze at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly! In the end it bites like a snake and poisons like a viper. Proverbs 23:29-32

These verses would certainly apply to King Xerxes.

Interestingly this week...

New CDC report – about 3.3 million US women, 15-44 years, are at risk of exposing their developing baby to alcohol because they are drinking and not using birth control to prevent pregnancy.

The #CDC is urging all women to avoid using alcohol unless we women are using contraception, to avoid Fetal Alcohol Syndrome because nearly half of all pregnancies are unplanned and two-thirds of those unplanned pregnancies are unknown until around the third month. What they don't mention is the side effects of drinking with contraception.

Queen Vashti (her name means "beautiful woman) was right to refuse. 

She lost her crown but kept her integrity and dignity.

Proverbs 16:32 Better a patient person than a warrior, one with self-control than one who takes a city. 

Proverbs 14:17 A quick-tempered person does foolish things...

2. Laws are passed by those in Authority

Many times not until they are passed do we find out what implications the have.

Life has a way of showing if our decisions are right.

Things done in anger are often regretted.

Words spiken in anger cannot be taken back. How people who spoke them wish they could.

The counsel King Xerses received from his closest advisors led to his loss. Close friends often come to our side when we are offended and some times do not offer sound advice. We must be careful. They can join in our anger and advise things not thought out well.

Anger is contagious. That is why we are told Proverbs 22:24-25 Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person,do not associate with one easily angered, or you may learn their waysand get yourself ensnared. 

3. Decisions Made In Anger Many Times Have Bad Consequences.

Proverbs 29:11 Fools give full vent to their rage, but the wise bring calm in the end. 

Politics has a way of bringing our anger. Facebook posts can get me angry. So many one sided things

- God has helped me not to respond but to wait. After when my anger has subsided I a so happy I did not respond.

Later when King Xerses' fury had subsided...

Anger/ fury=

heat, rage, hot displeasure, indignation, anger, wrath, poison, bottles fever venom, burning anger

Subsided abate, decrease, allay, diminish, put to rest.

The Book of Esther shows us that amid the shadows God, stands, keeping watch upon His own. He sees and knows and cares for His own. He may be out of their sight; but they are never out of His sight. He Who watches over Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps. He may be invisible but He is also infallible. He may seem strangely silent, but He remains actively sovereign. He may be unsuspected; yet all knowing, ever present and all powerful God, He guides and guards. Eveil may be temporarily permitted, but ultimately it is frustrated. Behind a frowning providence God hides a smiling face. 

- J. Sidlow Baxter

Positive things come from anger if handled correctly... E. Stanely Jones

The combustion engine- harness it and you can move things.

Samaritan's Purse "You feed her!"

Many Relief Groups

A young man was in New Orleans years before he Civil War. He saw men auctioning off another human being on a platform. He watched as this young dark skinned man was sold as a slave by men of his skin color and he said in anger, "If I ever get an opportunity to hit that thing I am going to hit it hard." That young man was Abraham Lincoln.

In your anger do not sin. Ephesians 4.26