WRITTEN BY: Bill Crowder (For Our Daily Bread 5/27/12)
In Tennyson’s classic poem “The Charge of the Light Brigade,” valiant cavalry troops riding into battle are described by the imposing phrase, “Into the valley of death rode the six hundred.” Those words portray a sense of foreboding that anticipated the tragedy that lay before them.
When I was a pastor, I sometimes felt a sense of dread when heading to church meetings. Being aware of current or potential areas of conflict can easily cause serious concern. But this does not need to be the case in the church.
To a young pastor struggling with the pressures of ministry, Paul wrote, “Avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife” (2 Tim. 2:23). This applies to pastors as well as church attenders. Our personal conduct can help to reduce the amount of friction instead of elevating it through unwise actions or words. We can model for others the biblical way to avoid, manage, and even resolve conflict. Verses 24-25 encourage us to be gentle, patient, and humble in relating to others.
As James says, “The fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace” (James 3:18). Pursuing the goal of being a peacemaker can reduce the sense of dread that conflicts generate.
O Lord, help us to turn aside
From words that spring from selfish pride,
For You would have Your children one
In praise and love for Your dear Son. —D. De Haan
Christians at war with each other cannot be at peace with their heavenly Father.
READ: 2 Timothy 2:19-26
19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.
20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour.
21 If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.
22 Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
23 But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes.
24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,
25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;
26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.
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Mychal,
I pray for the Holy Spirit to come upon and fill every believer this day. With that annointing, the church will fulfill its’ mission here on earth-bringing heaven to earth.
Horace
horace riley: your name sounds familiar have we met…and I to your invocation I say amen…
In much of the world today we celebrate Pentecost Sunday. This is when the Holy Spirit came upon the Apostles to give them the power and strength to change the world for Christ. To celebrate with them here is a message for all of Mychals loyal fans and readers.
Unlock your hearts to the joyful secret of Prayer.
There is nothing we can ever do that is better for ourselves and/or mankind than turning our attention to our Infinite God humbly in thanksgiving, offering our lives and our work and praising him for his. But the problem is that we often without realizing it permit our finite thoughts and activities or work to overcome us by thinking we are or can become any thing more than simply a child of the Father we call God.
We must first realize and accept that being his child is quite enough. What more could you want than that? For heavens sake, isn’t that the greatest thing you could imagine, being the offspring of the God of the universe? Once you take the time to put your arms around that truth you can begin to understand just what you are, where you are, and gain control of your thoughts in order to properly direct the life graciously given to you by your FATHER.
Jesus, the one you call Lord, the one you hope to follow, the one who teaches us, the one who was sent from the Father to redeem us from our confusion and sin first and always acted, taught, prayed and worked …in the name of the Father. His Father’s business was all he ever had on his mind and couldn’t wait to begin being involved in it even as a child.
Do you really think there is a better thing to do with your life than what Jesus did with his? It is good that we try to follow the lead of Christ in our daily lives giving help to those in need and spreading God’s truth and message of love, mercy, and forgiveness. But never ever forget that what he said or did and the message he gave was that of the Father through their Spirit. This is the same spirit which he sent to his church at Pentecost and on to us after he returned to the Father.
Understanding this we, like Christ, recognize it is the Father’s work we too must be doing and as such we report to him, we go to him for instruction, we ask him for help, and we praise and thank him for our being. How wonderful it is to know and be known by the one who Christ addressed as our father (who is) in heaven and what power and majesty he possesses and that he knows each and every one of us by name and all he asks is that we acknowledge him for who He is. This is the secret that leads us to the joy of personal prayer.
You see, through the works he preformed, our master the Teacher came humbly in human form into our world with great love to gather and instruct God’s children. He proved to all to be God among us as the Spirit had named him at the time of His conception. Thus our merciful and almighty God revealed He would humbly go so far as to be human…. for our sake. Now, the Spirit of Love at Pentecost comes to the disciples, and through them, to all humanity to give us the strength and courage to go forth in His name accepting the challenge to do God’s work on earth…. for His sake.
Our own spirit, made in the image of our creator, now calls upon our humility before the God of the universe, our own Father, to accept the relationship and realize we are not alone anymore. We have all the backing we will ever need to live our life in peace no matter what the challenges of this world sends our way. Know that your ever loving mercifully forgiving always available Father is eternally in control.
It all comes down to this. We have in Christ through God’s Devine LOVE for mankind the armor for the battle against the Evil One who was able in the beginning to convince our first parents man was designed to be more than the simple beloved children of the living God. The Deceiver, a more powerful spirit than man but no match for the creator, proved to be a kidnaper of the Fathers children hoping to lie and make all who would join him captives of corruption. Jesus, God’s very Word and Truth was mercifully sent by the Father to dispel the lie and reclaim the misguided lost and stolen for Him. All those who will believe in Him, regardless of their errors, are welcome to return home with Christ to the love and protection of the Father who alone can give eternal comfort to their spirit. Those who chose not to believe and reject the Father’s love will be lost forever along with the Evil One who despises the Truth.
Pray then, as Jesus did, to your Father in heaven seeking his help and guidance as any obedient child would do knowing how much they are loved. Be mindful always that the Father gives solutions not as this world would conceive but as His eternal Truth would in justice have it. Trust, as Jesus did, that what you ask and what you seek within the Divine Will of our all knowing and loving Father, in his time and his wise judgment, shall be granted to you.
This surrender to Truth will set your heart free in humility and honor to approach the One who loves you. That heart, at ease with our almighty Father, before it even begins to speak will hear his voice saying …Peace to you my child… and our burdens are lifted, life and prayer become joy.
Bill Sr.
bill sr: thks you my friend…