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How to Handle Differences with Other Christians

In our ministry, there are doctrinal differences, but no strife—nothing beyond good discussions. As in too many places, there is sin in our local churches. We see a desire of the elders in different churches to lovingly confront and rebuke those in known sin and to take church action in discipline, if necessary. Pastors of several of the believing churches in our area have been meeting weekly for years to sing and pray for revival. There is a real love for the brothers. I would like to encourage you to: 1. Keep short accounts with God (1 John 1:5-10). We would rather say it in terms of John 1:7: “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.” 2. Love each other (John 13:34-35). 1 Peter 1:22: “Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart.” 3. Galatians 6:1: “Brothers, if some...
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The Promises of Psalm 91

Since the summer of 1949, my favorite Scripture has been Psalm 91. I escaped death three times in the first year of the Korean War. I have trusted the promises of this Psalm. Recently, I have noticed the different persons in the Psalm. Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord , “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Surely he will save you   from the fowler’s snare   and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers,   and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side,   ten thousand at your right hand,   but it will not come near you. You will only observe with your eyes   and see the punishment of the wi...
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Lead Us Not into Temptation

This post was written by Bessie Wilson. As Christians, we can say with the Scriptures that temptation is something that our Lord provided for. He did so in the Lord’s prayer. “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil” (Matt. 6:13). Prayer accompanied by our obedience will keep us out of a lot of areas of temptation that some of us are fooling around with. “These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, an heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, a false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren” (Prov. 6:16-19 KJV). A proud look . The NIV renders this “haughty eyes.” In Japanese, it’s taki-buri , which is “high-nosed.” Are ever you tempted to have a high nose? A haughtiness because of your hometown, your college, your forebears, or your race? If you have this proud look, somewhere along the line there was...
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The Son of Man

“ In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed. ” (Dan. 7:13-14) When Jesus calls Himself the Son of Man, He is referring to this person. The Jewish leaders knew what He was saying and did not like it. “ Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory ” (Matt. 24:30) “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that...
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The Good Truth in Giving

We have just finished the season of great giving or great exchanging, probably much of each. Some of us think only of getting, some of giving, some of giving in order to get, and some of giving because we get. Sometimes it is difficult to sort out our own motives. There is a good truth in giving-getting that is not selfish. The motives were/are absolutely pure. Notice a common truth in the following scriptures: the greatest motive for giving is love, and the greatest expressed love was the death of Christ. “This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins” (1 John 4:9-10). “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). “We love because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19). “Out of the most severe trial, th...
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Forgiving Others

There are sins in the Bible that required the death penalty. The death penalty was based on the civil law. The sacrificial law provided forgiveness for sins. The civil law was transferred to the civil government (Romans 13, 1 Peter 2, Titus 3). The sacrificial system was fulfilled in the death of Jesus Christ. Forgiveness for sins is provided. Vengeance was prohibited in the Old Testament and is prohibited in the New Testament. “Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord. On the contrary: ‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:17-21). Something seems ...
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Three Storehouses

Here are verses on three storehouses: earth, heaven, and heart: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break, in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matt. 6:19-21). “You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him” (Matt. 12:34-35). The first has to do with where your treasure is—on earth or in heaven. Where that treasure is, that is where your heart is. The second passage is talking about the storehouse of your heart and what you put in it. What is stored up in your heart determines what comes out of your mouth. “Since, then, you have been raised with...
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