Category Archives: Conflict

Tongue

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lombardiJERRY KRAMER, AN offensive lineman for the Green Bay Packers, played on championship teams for legendary coach Vince Lombardi…
Kramer recalled the following story from his days of playing for Lombardi:
“One day during the first year I play for him, he rode me unmercifully, pointing out how slow I was, how weak I was, how stupid I was. He convinced me. By the time I dragged myself into the locker room, I suspected I was the worst guard in league history. I sat in front of my locker, head down, contemplating quitting, when Lombardi came up behind me, messed up my hair and said, ‘Son, one of these days you’re going to be the greatest guard in the league.’ Suddenly I was 10 feet tall, ready to do anything for him.”
THOUGHT: In a simple way, Kramer’s story reveals the gerat power of the tongue. It can kill or make alive. Wade L. Webster, “Riches From My Reading” – The Power of the Tongue, The Searcher, Southaven church of Christ, May 29, 2011
KneEmail: “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” Proverbs 18.21
Bible reading for 06.14.11: Acts 1; Ezra 9, 10
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Nugget

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critic.jpgONE AUTHOR TALKS about looking for the nugget of truth even in unhealthy and unfounded criticism we receive as leaders…
It has been my observation that even when receiving criticism that is clearly loaded with false charges and nonsense, there is frequently an underlying element of truth that I need to deal with.
I have three choices.
I can simply disregard and throw out the entire criticism and never think of it again. I can dwell on it and rehash it and mentally defend myself time and time again. During this process I will mull over all of the reasons why the critic is an unwise and mean-spirited person.
I believe neither of these responses is best. The third response is to examine the criticism and discover the one percent or five percent of truth in the criticism and use it as an impetus for change and improvement as a leader. In this way, I can quickly forget the rest of the criticism and refuse to allow it to tear me down. Larry Kreider, “The Criticism Test,” 21 Tests of Effective Leadership, 79
KneEmail: “So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.” James 1.19
Bible reading for 05.03.11: Luke 22.21-46; 1 Kings 14, 15
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Marriage

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THREE FRIENDS MARRIED women from different parts of the country…
The first man married a woman from Wisconsin. He told her that she was to do the dishes and house cleaning. It took a couple of days, but on the third day, he came home to see a clean house and dishes washed and put away.
The second man married a woman from Minnesota. He gave his wife orders that she was to do all the cleaning, dishes and the cooking. The first day he didn’t see any results, but the next day he saw it was better. By the third day, he saw his house was clean, the dishes were done, and there was a huge dinner on the table.
The third man married a girl from the South. He ordered her to keep the house cleaned, dishes washed, lawn mowed, laundry washed, and hot meals on the table for every meal. He said the first day he didn’t see anything, the second day he didn’t see anything but by the third day, some of the swelling had gone down and he could see a little out of his left eye, and his arm was healed enough that he could fix himself a sandwich and load the dishwasher. He still has some difficulty when he goes to the bathroom.
KneEmail: “A merry heart does good, like medicine, But a broken spirit dries the bones.” Proverbs 17.22

Love

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ROBERT THORTON RELATED the following incident from his childhood…
“In the middle of one of my parents’ more memorable disagreements, my father jumped up from the table, grabbed two sheets of paper, and said to my mother, ‘Let’s make a list of everything we don’t like about each other.’ Mom started writing. Dad glowered at her for a few minutes, and then wrote on his paper. She wrote again. He watched her, and every time she stopped, he would start writing again. They finally finished. ‘Lets exchange complaints,’ dad said. They gave each other their lists. ‘Give mine back,’ mom pleaded when she glanced at his sheet. All down the page dad had written: ‘I love you, I love you, I love you.’”
In the the long ago, Peter prayed,
7 “But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers. 8 And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.”] 9 Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. 10 As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11 If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.” 1 Peter 4:7-11
Please pay special attention to what Peter said about love. We are to have love above all things. It is to be first. Furthermore, please not that it is to be fervent. It is not to be lukewarm. Finally, please not that it is to be flourishing. It must cover a multitude of sins. Perhaps, it must cover them on many occasions.
How easy it would be to make a list of things that we do not like about one another. However, what we really need is to give love its proper place in our relationships one with another. Wade Webster, “I Love You, I Love You, I Love You,” The Searcher, August 15, 2010, 1
KneEmail: 4 “Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-7
Bible reading for 09.27.10: Galatians 6; Isaiah 3, 4
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Envy

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V. P. BLACK MADE the following observation…
“When David went against the Philistines and defeated them he returned home. The women came out of the cities of Israel singing and dancing and saying, ‘Saul has slain his thousands, but David has slain his ten thousands.’ When Saul heard the first part of the song, his heart was lifted up with pride, for they were singing, ‘Saul has slain his thousands.’ But there was a second stanza. The first stanza was no doubt the sweetest music that Saul had ever heard. He got ready for the second stanza, and the second stanza went like this, ‘But David has slain his ten thousands.’ From that day forward Saul began to envy David.”
What a great team Saul and David could have been. However, envy got into the way.
THOUGHT: Let’s be sure that we don’t let the second stanza ruin our song. Wade L. Webster, “The Second Stanza,” Riches From My Reading — The Searcher, Sept. 19, 2010
KneEmail: “Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy?” Proverbs 27:4
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Illegal

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AMONG HOT-BUTTON political issues, illegal immigration certainly ranks toward the top…
I am not naive enough to think I have all the answers, nor am I interested in discussing the political aspects in this article.
I do find some interesting similarities, however, between this subject and a current controversy within the Lord’s body.
Some American citizens espouse an “open borders” policy. Most of them would modify their position to keep out narco-terrorists and others who would overtly harm us.
But short of that, they do not believe that anyone should be denied entrance into the country. They insist that illegal immigrants are hard-working, law-abiding folks, despite the fact that crossing the border illegally prevents any accurate application of the description “law-abiding.” Those advocating open borders paste the label “anti-immigrant” on fellow-citizens who oppose their view.
This reminds me of some of my brethren who insist that anyone with some sort of faith in Jesus is a brother or sister in Christ, a fellow-citizen of Messiah’s kingdom. They know better than to extend the right hand of Christian fellowship to atheists or others who would blatantly deny Christ. However, we are too narrow, intolerant, and exclusive, they complain, when we contend that only those who have believed and obeyed the gospel of Christ are actually to be recognized as Christians (Acts 2:37-38,47).
After all, some who have been sprinkled for baptism or prayed the sinner’s prayer for salvation, or have otherwise deviated from the pattern in the New Testament, are good, hard-working, devout people. They obey New Testament teaching in numerous other ways. Sometimes they might work harder than most who have obeyed the gospel.
Other Americans maintain that those wishing to become citizens must comply with the lawful process Just so, we find brethren within the church who, like myself, stand firmly on the proposition that one wishing to be a citizen in Messiah’s Kingdom must believe and obey the gospel of Christ (Acts 22:16).
We love and admire many good things about people in the denominational world. We do not wish to keep them from citizenship. Indeed, we fervently pray they will obey the gospel; we tearfully plead with them to do so without delay! (Acts 17:30).
But we have neither the desire nor the ability to modify the word of the Lord. We would be cruel, indeed, to pretend that someone is saved when, in fact, that person is still lost in sin.
Unlike becoming an American citizen, entrance into Messiah’s Kingdom involves no waiting in line, filling out endless paperwork, or obtaining approval from some bureaucrat. We can confess Christ this very moment and be immersed in water for the remission of your sins ( Romans 6:1-4). We will enter into a saved relationship with God, and the Lord will add us to His church. Joe Slater at: http://www.forthright.net/guest_writers/illegal_immigration.html
KneEmail: “Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent.” Acts 17:11
Bible reading for 09.22.10: Galatians 1; Ecclesiastes 10 – 12
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Bat

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odom.jpg HIS NAME WAS John…
Unfortunately, he was known to many as “Bat Man.”
John C. Odom demonstrated tremendous talent as a baseball pitcher. With a 90 mph fastball, a sharp curve, and a good changeup, John made the team at Tallahassee (FL) Community College as a walk-on. He later committed to Oklahoma State but signed instead with the San Francisco Giants. After four bumpy years in the Giants’ system (none above Class A) including some time out with injuries, the Giants released him in spring training last year. The Calgary (CA) Vipers of the independent Golden Baseball League offered John a job, but because of a criminal conviction back in 1999, John was not allowed to enter Canada.
Jose Melendez, General Manager of the Laredo (TX) Broncos of the United League, proposed buying John’s contract from the Vipers for $1,000. Calgary team president Peter Young rejected the offer, saying the Vipers didn’t make cash deals because they made the team look financially unstable. However, the Vipers could use some baseball bats. So the Vipers traded John to the Broncos for 10 bats valued at $665.
Instantly, John became known as “Bat Man.”
Although he was assured that the trade was not completed to embarrass him in any way, John couldn’t escape the label. Three weeks after the trade, he abruptly left the team. Six months later, he was found dead in Georgia from an accidental drug overdose. He was 26.
Was there a connection between the trade and his untimely death? No one knows for sure. Some, like Dan Shwam of the Laredo Broncos, believe there is a connection. “This trade thing really bothered him,” said Shwam. “I really believe, knowing his background, that this drove him back to the bottle, that it put him on the road to drugs again.”
Ripley’s Believe It or Not! heard about the trade and offered $10,000 to the Vipers’ children’s charity. Ripley’s has discussed creating an exhibit around them.
I say, “Burn the bats!” No one’s life should be measured in terms of baseball bats!
Each and every person is valuable because each one has been created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27). Even though that image has been marred by sin in every person, God loved us so much that He gave His Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for our sins (John 3:16).
Because of JESUS… WE can be forgiven of our sins when we submit our lives to Him in faith (Acts 16:30-31), repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confession (Romans 10:9-10), and baptism (immersion) into Christ (Acts 2:38; Galatians 3:26-27).
The value of something is often determined by what someone is willing to pay for it. Open your eyes and LOOK at the price that was paid for YOU and for ME!
No, he was NOT “Bat Man.” His name was John! And God also knows YOUR name, and He wants YOU to be His child and live eternally with Him when this life is over.
Won’t YOU submit your life to Him and be born again into His family? David A. Sargent
KneEmail: “For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.” 1 Corinthians 6:18
Bible reading for 09.21.10: 2 Corinthians 13; Ecclesiastes 7-9
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Meekness

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bible-image2.jpg WHEN CHRISTIANS SWITCH from talking about football to talking about Christ, they often kick into a “religious twang” or a “stained-glass voice…”
It doesn’t help. Sometimes they flip their argument switch when the subject touches religion, as though evangelism were an intellectual wrestling match. We argue as though Jesus needed defending. We do it, I think, because our ego is at stake, and we must engage and defeat the adversary at all costs. We wind up shooting ourselves in the foot.
Generally speaking, a highly argumentative non-believer isn’t anywhere near the Cross. Entering into heated debate with him will drive him further away.
There’s a basic principle of communication interwoven in this discussion. The louder the noise, the weaker the argument. That’s why a confident, gentle spirit can be so powerful. It exasperates the opposition. Your opponent wants you to join him in the shout and shove match. Don’t! You both lose. Wives who have spiritually indifferent husbands are told they can win them without a word (1 Peter 3:1-4). The supernatural wardrobe of a “meek and quiet spirit” can do what nothing else can do. Joseph C. Aldrich, “Scouting the Other Team,” Gentle Persuasion, 76-77
KneEmail: “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.” 1 Peter 3:15
Bible reading for 08.27.10: 1 Corinthians 9; Psalm 120-122
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Correction

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talking.jpg THERE ARE TWO distinct ways of seeing a person’s faults: conviction and condemnation…
God convicts of sin, whereas Satan condemns. The divine purpose in addressing sin is to call us to repent so that we will become the people He created us to be. God’s motive in correcting us is pure love. But Satan’s motive in addressing our flaws is pure hate. The demonic intent is to produce despair, self-condemnation, and self-hatred because Satan’s goal is to decimate, destroy, and kill.
When we’re trying to persuade a person who is sinning to do what is right, our purpose must be like God’s. We must never correct in a way that reflects judgmental harshness, leading to despair and discouragement of condemnation. The motive of the heart must be: “I love you too much to see you do this. I want God’s best for you. Please repent before it’s too late.” Rebecca Manley Pippert, “Meekness: The Remedy for Anger,” A Heart for God, 185
KneEmail: “Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.” Galatians 6:1
Bible reading for 06.28.10: Acts 9:1-21; Job 11-13
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Battle

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Soldier_Brushes_by_BacklashCBD.jpg THE APOSTLE PAUL bluntly warned the Ephesian Christians that life in the world could be a heavy battle…
The enemy of one’s spirit, he said, is not always visible. Rather, he is often invisible, fighting from ambushes whic appear at first glance to be attractive and beneficial. Paul’s advice: be prepared, alert, and equipped to stand firm. To the Corinthians he said that we should never be ignorant of the enemy’s designs. Peter agreed in his epistle, and he described the enemy as one who is like a roaring lion, “seeking whom he may devour.” These men weren’t kidding around. Theirs was no paranoic fantasy. They were well aware that spiritual survival demands a dramatic effort.
The effective father also takes this kind of thing seriously, and he trains his eye to discriminate between those things that will build and those that will destroy his children’s lives. He begins to notice repetitive hostile patterns in various areas of life which demand acute, sensitive awareness, lest from among the good things the destructive elements emerge that erode and tear at his children’s spirits.
A spiritual mine dectector might register a few things capable of exploding in a family’s face. Gordon MacDonald, “It’s Not A Phony War,” The Effective Father, 32-33
KneEmail: “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” 1 Peter 5:8
Bible reading for 06.15.10: Acts 2:1-21; Nehemiah 1-3
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