Brief Messages for Time Limited Readers Part 4

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 03

MINISTERS BEING RECONCILED WITH OTHER MINISTERS

"If thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; FIRST BE RECONCILED TO THY BROTHER, and then come and offer thy gift" (Matt. 5:23-24).

This message is a very brief sequel to "Brief Messages For Time-Limited Readers 02."  Herein, I shall set forth but two main thoughts ABOUT MINISTERS BEING RECONCILED WITH OTHER MINISTERS:

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Every God-called Minister Should Be Reconciled With Every Brother Minister,

01 -- BECAUSE GOD HAS COMMITTED TO US "THE MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION!"

2 Cor. 5:18-19 -- "And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath GIVEN TO US THE MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION; to wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath COMMITTED UNTO US THE WORD OF RECONCILIATION."

a) As "Ministers of God's Reconciliation" WE FIRST must be reconciled to all other ministers! -- because without being thus reconciled WE CANNOT, WITH CLEAR CONSCIENCE minister to sinners the gospel of their reconciliation to God! -- 1 Peter 4:17 -- "For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God . . ."  The saving of the lost and sanctification of believers is greatly hindered when the gospel is preached by a preacher, hypocritically, who is holding a grudge against a "brother minister."  Neither can we be true "Ministers of God's Reconciliation if ANY "brother [genuinely] hath ought against us!" and we refuse to be reconciled with him\her!

b) Nothing hinders Holy Ghost Revival so much, perhaps, as ministers who are not reconciled with their fellow ministers.  Dost thou say, "Our parting of the ways was HIS\HER fault?"  Take heed lest YOUR heart-attitude toward him\her be wrong in any way!  In order to bring about your reconciliation with that alienated preacher, YOU MAKE THE FIRST MOVE toward reconciliation with that one!

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Every God-called Minister Should Be Reconciled With Every Brother Minister,

02 -- BECAUSE CHRIST CANNOT BE OUR ATONING SACRIFICE IF WE DON'T!

In Proverbs 21:27, God's Word warns us: -- "The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination: how much more, WHEN HE BRINGETH IT WITH A WICKED MIND?"

a) Even under the Mosaic Covenant, the sacrifice of a man who did not intend to live righteously, but who inwardly intended to go right on living wickedly, WAS NOT ACCEPTED OF GOD!  Indeed, the sacrifice of such an one was AN ABOMINATION TO OUR HOLY GOD!!

b) "HOW MUCH MORE" is it an abomination to God for US, under the New Covenant, to PRESENT CHRIST AS OUR ATONING SACRIFICE, if we do not intend to make things right with all others as God requires! -- Especially is this SO when a Minister of the Reconciliation presents Jesus' death AS HIS ATONING SACRIFICE, when he\she KNOWS CLEARLY that he\she has not been reconciled with any, and ALL, other ministerial brethren! -- We should endeavor to "clear up" everything that is OUR FAULT (or which MAY BE our fault) regarding an alienation from any ministerial brother!

Again, dost thou say, "IT WAS HIS\HER FAULT!"  Be very sure of that!  Failing to "clear up" alienating differences COULD rob a preacher of Heaven, or keep a minister from "receiving the FULL REWARD" Christ so greatly desires to give us!

My advice, my beloved preacher-brethren: -- "shew thyself a man" (1 Kings 2:2) -- a loving, big-hearted man regarding any brother who even THINKS he has ought against you, whether he really does, or not.  With over-flowing, PERFECT LOVE, YOU MAKE THE FIRST MOVE toward being reconciled, if possible, with such an one.

Let your heart-attitude be like that expressed in the little poem below:

"He drew a circle that left me out,

A rebel, an heretic, a thing to flout;

BUT LOVE AND I HAD A WIT TO WIN.

WE DREW A CIRCLE THAT TOOK HIM IN!"

OH, WHAT WONDERS we might see Christ perform, if WE, His "Ministers of Reconciliation," would thus do our utmost to unblock the the flood-gate and mighty flow of Holy Ghost Revival TO, and THROUGH us! Selah.

"Our Dear Lord, I pray that You will use this brief message to cause every minister who has need, or who thinks he\she may have need, of initiating a loving reconciliation with some other preacher, TO DO HIS\HER UTMOST to do it, so that You can LET FLOW A MIGHTY STREAM OF HOLY GHOST REVIVAL AROUND OUR POOR, LOST, SIN-BENIGHTED WORLD!  In Your Matchless Name I pray, Amen!"