WHEN GOOD PEOPLE DIFFER....

                      WHEN GOOD PEOPLE DIFFER

Consider with me Romans 14:1 – 15:7. This passage instructs us “how” to deal with certain disputables that arise among believers. These are those kinds of matters upon which good and faithful men differ. The paragraph begins and ends similarly. 14:1 reads, “Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things.” And, 15:7 says, Therefore, receive one another, just as Christ also received us, to the glory of God.” Too often such issues lead to the rejection of one another. Such is not God's plan for His family.

NOW FOR NINE GUIDING PRINCIPLES:

1.   THAT OF DIVINE IMPORTUNITY (14:4)

“Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand.”
(In other words, God ever works sanctifyingly with His people. Because He's doing this, it is His major concern not mine. I need not meddle or be overly intrusive, although, if what my brother or sister is doing is highly offensive to me, I should "go" and confront, as per Matthew 18.)

2.   THAT OF INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY (5)

“Let each be fully convinced in his own mind.”
(Each of us must prayerfully and carefully make life decisions. It may not always meet with the approval of others, but I should have 'elbow room' to make them. I need also to give others the same freedom.)

3.   THAT OF AN HIGHER AUTHORITY (6-9)

Six times in these verses the phrase “to the Lord” occurs, and then, twice again the “Lord” is referenced.
(The eyes of the Lord are ever upon us. We must make daily decisions with that in mind. He is Lord, that is, Master of our lives. Each decision I make I must ask whether or not it meets with His approval.)

4.   THAT OF FUTURE ACCOUNTABILITY (10-12)

“So then each of us shall give account of himself to God.”
(Notice we will stand there very individually...."each one"......)

5.   THAT OF BROTHERLY CHARITY (13-21)

“Yet if your brother is grieved because of your food, you are no longer walking in love.” (15)
(We must ever take note how what we do affects others.)

6.   THAT OF BELIEVING INDIVIDUALITY (22,23)

“Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God.”
(In some matters what we do privately before God may not be our prerogative in public.)

7.   THAT OF SELFLESS DIPLOMACY (15:1-3)

“Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification.”
(Our behavior must be conducive to the strengthening of our brothers and sisters in Christ.)

8.   THAT OF BIBLICAL SUPREMACY (4)

“For whatsoever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.”
(All the Bible is our text book for life. We must be sure we are understanding it correctly. If we are it will be a source of comfort and hope, as well as inner reassurance.)

9.   THAT OF CHRIST-LIKE HUMILITY (5,6)

“Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus…”
(We must love others as we do ourselves, so our Lord taught us. It's the mind of Christ who humbled Himself and left heaven's glory for us. Self sacrifice is an important Biblical principle.

A.W. Pink remarked: “Few things more adorn and beautify a Christian profession than exercising and manifesting the spirit of peace.”

-dc 

HOW GOD MAY ANSWER OUR PRAYERS.....

I BELIEVE GOD ANSWERS OUR PRAYERS BOTH DIRECTLY BUT, MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, INDIRECTLY. OR, PUT ANOTHER WAY, HE CAN SPEAK AND IT IS DONE, OR, HE MAY USE 'MEANS' TO BRING 'WHATEVER' TO PASS.

There was a preacher who fell in the ocean and he couldn't swim. When a boat came by, the captain yelled, "Do you need help, sir?" The preacher calmly said "No, God will save me." A little later, another boat came by and a fisherman asked, "Hey, do you need help?" The preacher replied again, "No God will save me." Eventually the preacher drowned & went to heaven. The preacher asked God, "Why didn't you save me?" God replied, "Fool, I sent you two boats!

I do believe God could have reached down with His own arm and plucked the preacher from the water. After all He led Israel waterlessly through the Red Sea. Water is no problem to God, and, to use the prophet's words, His arm is not shortened that it cannot save. But in another instance He sent a big fish to save Jonah and directed that fish to spit him up on dry land. In this way God used other than human means. However, God could have saved both Jonah and the preacher directly, even as He delivered the Hebrew men from the fiery furnace. He mysteriously appeared right there in the furnace with them. 

But, in the cases cited, He rather chose to use 'means.' And, more often than not 'the means' principle' applies to any area of life.

We can obtain wisdom from God, indirectly, even by means of a tiny ant. In Proverbs 6:6 He directs: "Go to the ant, O sluggard, observe her ways and be wise..." So, we fascinatingly observe and learn.

OR.....

"But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him."

Therefore, we should not presume upon God but actively learn wisdom from sources all around. Nor should we limit God but seek Him intensely to give what we need at any given moment. So, we look down and around for wisdom; we also look up for it.

 However we go about it, (or He goes about it) God loves to give what is needed in every day life in whatever way He pleases. Let us not limit Him but be so in touch with Him that we will read His responses correctly even while refusing to limit Him in His self chosen ways of doing what He will do. 

- dick christen