When Faced With Conflict

Fall in Florida

     Some days in the office run as smooth as silk, but there are other days where it seems as though there is one challenge after another.  Our challenges run the gambit too from computer issues to difficult people to deal with.  In either case, I find myself wanting to escape to a quiet place where I can gather my thoughts and breathe again.
     After I got home, I snatched up my laptop to peruse my emails and visit some of the blogs I so enjoy.  One site that I like to read is called "The Aquila Report".  There are many interesting articles there and one in particular piqued my interest, "Puritan Help for 21st Century Conflict."  This article is written in three sections and can be found at a wonderful blog "God in the Wasteland" by Michael L Johnson (www.godinthewasteland.worpress.com).  The timing could not be more perfect at this hour of conflict within our own country over economics.
     Perhaps the greatest reason I was drawn to read this, however,  was that God knew my heart needed some humbling wisdom.  My ruffled feathers needed smoothing and my jangled nerves needed calming.  The article accomplished this in short order.

Beautiful blooms of October

     In the blog post, the author pointed to a book entitled "The Christian Directory" written by Richard Baxter, a Puritan writer in the 1600's.  One section of this book deals with how to cultivate peace and deal with conflict.  Perhaps this is why it was so meaningful to me because we as Christians need to keep in mind how we are to react when our day turns out to be stormy.
     Some of the practical wisdom includes things like:  humble yourself, be gentle and meek, love your neighbor.  While we may know these things, it is the description that Richard Baxter gives which really touches the heart of the matter.  One such example is the description of not coveting but being content:


"Be not covetous lovers of the world, but be contented with your daily bread.
Ambitious and covetous persons must have so much room, that the world is not wide enough for many of them…[they are like] boys in the winter nights, when the bedclothes are too narrow to cover them; one pulls, and another pulls, and all complain."
     What an accurate description here of what it means when we covet and how it destroys contentment and promotes conflict.  I could not help but think of the Lord's "Sermon on the Mount".  There are so many things we are called to "BE" in Christ that only with His aid can we accomplish them.
     We forego God's peace which passes all understanding when we easily take offense with others, when we covet what someone else has or want things our way.  We are to have the humility of heart that our Savior demonstrated as He walked in this world.  He knows our frailties and is more than able to minister to us.  Hebrews 4:15-16 reads:  "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.  Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."

Our Trees have color too!

     My friends it is when we draw near to the throne of grace that we find not only mercy but also the strength to live as Richard Baxter has suggested in his book.  Our Savior understands how easy it is for us to fall into conflict over many areas of life including government.  However, He will help us to live in peace even in a world that seems to be filled with turmoil.
     I hope you will take the time to visit Michael L. Johnson's blog and read the entire three part series.  It doesn't take much time and I promise you will be blessed.  If you wish to obtain a copy of Richard Baxter's complete book "The Christian Directory", you can find it on Kindle for free at Amazon.  I pray that each one of us can learn to live with contentment, peace and joy in Christ so the world may see the work of Christ in us and glorify God in heaven.  Selah!

Ever Doubt the Sin Nature?

     Here we are once again at the most wonderful time of the year when we prepare to celebrate the birth of Christ.  Warm feelings abound, good will seems to be observed in extra measure and there is a kinder, gentler attitude among our fellow men or is there?
     During the long holiday weekend following Thanksgiving, our daughter and her husband went shopping for bargains during the "early" Black Friday sales.  In one store while they were looking at several items, they heard a fight break out over some video games that were on special.  It was at this point our daughter told us she did not feel safe.  Of course, it could have been worse.  She could have been at the store where a woman pepper sprayed her competition in order to get what she wanted.  At another location, someone was shot.  The newspaper reported a customer saying she witnessed two women fighting over towels which cost $1.28.  I find this all hard to imagine, but the Bible tells us that we should not be surprised since "...all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).  If ever there is evidence of our sin nature, this is one occasion we can see it clearly.
     When Adam and Eve chose to disobey God in the Garden, not only were they cast out of this paradise but they also brought sin and death to all mankind.  As Paul goes on to write in Romans 5, he notes:  "Therefore just as sin came into the world through one man, and death, through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned...."(verse 12).  Because sin has permeated every part of our being (our thoughts, our will, our soul), we are slaves to sin and dead to righteousness.  It is not until the Lord awakens us by regenerating our soul that we can come to faith in Christ who alone liberates us from sin and death.  His atoning sacrifice on the cross and His resurrection has broken the curse for us.  He carried our sin, and by His blood, we are made whole and clean.  However, it does not stop there.  Our life is a journey as we grow in our faith through prayer, study of God's Word and fellowship with other believers. Nevertheless, we would be foolish to think we will not fall into sin again.  As long as the "old flesh" still clings to us (though its power is broken), we can succumb to old besetting sins once more.  This is why it is so important for us to daily walk by God's Spirit, and be aware of what the Bible calls sin.

     In the fifth chapter of Paul's letter to the Galatians, he enumerates the sins of the flesh and why it is important to lean upon the Holy Spirit.  He writes:  "For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.  But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.  Now the works of the flesh are evident:  sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies and things like these I warn you as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God" (verses 17-21).  We need to remember that Paul was writing to believers here.  He knew the frailty of our flesh, and made clear how we must walk by the Spirit.  In fact, verse 16 says:  "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh."  Paul's opening verse of this chapter starts out with a call to take a stand:  "For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery" (Galatians 5:1).  The only way we can over come our tendency to return to the sins of the flesh is to rely upon the Holy Spirit who gives us the strength to stand.
     If ever we have doubted the sin nature, Black Friday incidents certainly point to man's selfishness.  However, it isn't limited to this one day out of the year, and unfortunately, there are times when we see Christians also demonstrate sin in their lives.  The Good News is that the baby born in a manger in Bethlehem came to set us free.  He bought our pardon with His blood.  As believers, we need to meditate on this and live it out day by day as we prepare for this holy celebration.  We do not have to live according to the flesh.  Paul concludes chapter 5 to Galatian believers with these words of encouragement:
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against  such things there is no law.  And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.  If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.  Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another" (Galatians 5:22-26).  Putting into practice this walk in the Spirit will bring glory to God and bless our fellow man.  Take time this Advent season to think on these things and be the example to others of Christ's love.  This is what our world needs much more than a Play Station game or some other bargain on the shelf.  Selah!


I welcome your thoughts and comments here.  Please feel free to leave a word of encouragement.