Brief Messages for Time Limited Readers Part 3

These brief messages were created by Rev. Duane Maxey, who I consider to be my main mentor after Rev. J. Herbert Norton.

 Brief Messages For Time-Limited Readers 02

ABOUT "FALLING OUTS" WITH OTHERS

For this brief message I shall quote from Genesis 45:24.  The words are those of Joseph to his brethren after he had revealed himself to them and instructed them to take wagons wherewith to bring their wives, their little ones, and their father Jacob down into Egypt where he (Joseph) would see to it that they had bountiful provisions during the remainder of the 7 years of famine.  Thus Joseph "sent his brethren away, and they departed: and he said unto them, SEE THAT YE FALL NOT OUT BY THE WAY."

Adam Clarke says, "This prudent caution was given by Joseph, to prevent his brethren from accusing each other for having sold him; and to prevent them from envying Benjamin, for the superior favour shown him by his brother."

They had a "Good News Gospel" (as it were) to preach to Jacob, "JOSEPH IS YET ALIVE, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt."

You and I also have THE GOOD NEWS GOSPEL to preach to all the world: -- "JESUS IS YET ALIVE, AND IS GOVERNOR OVER ALL MANKIND!"  Further, "IN HIM dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily" (Col. 2:9), and by coming to Him and dwelling in Him, our "God shall supply all" the needs of every obedient soul, "according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus!"  There is not one spiritual, physical, or eternal need He will not supply!   HALLELUJAH!

As followers of the LIVING JESUS, He has commanded us to "Go ye into all the world, and preach" this GLORIOUS GOOD NEWS OF "the gospel to every creature."

Joseph did not want his brethren to "HAVE A FALLING OUT" that would in any way hinder their bearing their "Good News Gospel" -- and JESUS, likewise does not was US, as brethren, to have "A FALLING OUT" with each other that will hinder the fulfilling of the Great Commission.  I believe that His command to us also as we walk the Narrow Way is: -- "SEE THAT YE FALL NOT OUT BY THE WAY!"

Nevertheless, throughout the centuries of the Church Age there have no doubt been countless thousands, perhaps numbers of millions, of "falling outs" between Christian brethren.

Not all such "falling outs" are carnal (a la that of Paul and Barnabas, concerning Mark), and sometimes deeply spiritual men and women feel compelled to cease working together.  Nevertheless, every such "falling out" scatters the power of the Holy People.

THREE THINGS THAT I THINK WOULD HELP, if you have had a "falling out" with a fellow Christian:

1) Ask God to help you love that differing Christian "with a pure heart FERVENTLY" (1 Peter 1:22), making very sure that you do not have a grudge in your heart, or wrong attitude, toward that one with whom you are now divided:--

Leviticus 19:18, "Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the Lord.

James 5:9, "Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door."

2) Pray often for that one from whom you are divided, asking God to meet his or her deepest needs, and, at the same time asking God to show you how you can assure that one, in spite of your great difference, you STILL LOVE him, or her.

3) Contact that one with whom you had "a falling out" -- by a personal visit, or by email, letter, or phone (whichever of these 4 means of communication is possible and seems best), and let that one know that you LOVE HIM, are praying for him, bear no ill-will toward him, and hope to spend eternity with him in Heaven.

The apostle Paul commended those at Corinth concerning one problem, saying to them, "what clearing of yourselves . . . WHAT VEHEMENT DESIRE, YEA, WHAT ZEAL . . . IN ALL THINGS YE HAVE APPROVED YOURSELVES TO BE CLEAR IN THIS MATTER!" (2 Corinthians 7:11).

My beloved brethren, when we stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ, we shall need to be "CLEAR IN ALL MATTERS" -- among which are matters involving our heart attitudes toward those Christian brethren with whom there has been "a falling out."

I feel confident that there was "a clearing of the matter" of the "falling out" between Paul and Barnabas, because BOTH of them had a "VEHEMENT DESIRE" to see the work of Christ move forward, without being hindered by "irreconcilable differences" -- a term which married couples sometimes falsely use to excuse their divorce.

May we ALL have within us a "VEHEMENT DESIRE" to promote the Gospel, as much as possible, in "the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" (Ephesians 4:3).