The Firebrand & Fire of ANGER

God said to Jonah, Doest thou well to be angry?

Jonah 4:9

"ANGER is not always or necessarily sinful, but it has such a tendency to run wild that whenever it displays itself, we should be quick to question its character, with this enquiry, "Doest thou well to be angry?"

It may be that we can answer, "YES."

Very frequently anger is the madman's firebrand,

but sometimes it is Elijah's fire from heaven.

--We do well when we are angry with sin, because of the wrong which it commits against our good and gracious God; or with

ourselves because we remain so foolish after so much divine instruction; or with others when the sole cause of anger is the evil which they do. He who is not angry at transgression becomes a partaker in it.--

 --Far more frequently it is to be feared that our anger is not commendable or even justifiable, and then we must answer, "NO." Why should we be fretful with children, passionate with servants, and wrathful with companions?--

Many professors give way to temper as though it were useless to attempt resistance; but let the believer remember that he must be a conqueror in every point, or else he cannot be crowned. If we cannot control our tempers, what has grace done for us?"
Charles Spurgeon