Wednesday January 7, 2015 “FOR JESUS SAKE, SETTLE IT” Scripture: Philippians 4:1-23 Focus Verse: Philippians 4:2 Now I appeal to Euodia and Syntyche. Please, because you belong to the Lord, settle your disagreement. MY THOUGHTS: It just cannot be avoided. It happens in every walk of life, within every relationship. It doesn’t matter how much people love one another, or how committed they are to the relationship, and it doesn’t matter if someone is an atheist, agnostic or a committed Christ-Follower. People have disagreements. No matter how hard you avoid the subject, sooner or later you will openly disagree with someone you care a lot about. The above statements will tell you why I am not very concerned about disagreements, but I am concerned. The reason is the fact that people, especially believers, have been my world for over 47 years, and I see them becoming less and less capable of resolving their disagreements in according to Biblical principles. People who claim to follow Jesus Christ, seem capable of doing some of the most unChristlike things to people with whom they disagree, both their friends and their enemies. Maybe it’s about time we we focus on some of the Biblical principles of resolving these differences over the next few “Connecting Rods”. Today, we see two friends, two believers, two co-laborers in ministry, two members of the same church… in a disagreement so public that Paul felt it necessary to mention it in a public letter to their church. Paul does not explain what their disagreement was about, who was right or who was wrong, he does not even instruct them in how to find our the answers to their disagreement. Paul just says that they need to get their disagreement settled, “…. because you belong to the Lord”. Exactly what did Paul mean by this statement, “…because you belong to the Lord”? Let me present my take on his admonition. There are things that you and I think are very high on the scale of important things to stand up for in a disagreement. But, I assure you, most of them are of no real concern to our Savior. He made His purpose clear to everyone and we should remind ourselves of it often, “I came to seek and save those who are lost”. (Luke 19:10) When our disagreements hinder that purpose, “For Jesus Sake, Settle It”. One day we will wake up in heaven and be both surprised at what He wasn’t concerned about and disappointed at how we hurt His work because we were. TAKE A MOMENT AND SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS...
Posted on: Thu, 08 Jan 2015 01:45:00 +0000
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