Pastor Dale - Blog

The topic of conflict is a big one. Much too big to handle completely in a blog. However, there are some easy things you can implement into your approach during conflict to ensure that you handle things correctly. Conflict can and does arise from faulty interpersonal communication with coworkers, friends, strangers, family members and spouses. Even if you are trying your best to avoid conflict, there are times that you can slip into a situation and find yourself at odds with another. However you don’t need to stay there. Here are a couple of truths that will help you the next time you cause a situation that pits you against another:

Don’t:

• Pretend you are not at fault (Proverbs 12:22): The LORD detests lying lips, but he delights in men who are truthful.

If you have offended someone take the necessary steps to confess your fault to God (1 John 1:9) and to the offended party (James 5:16).  Be quick to be a peacemaker because as James 3:18 states, “Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.” If you happen to be the offended party please read Matthew 18:15-17.

Don’t:

• Let time heal (Matt. 5:23-24): “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.”

Regardless of what you have heard or believe, time does not heal all wounds. The fact is this – wounds that go untreated, can over time turn to ugly infections and potential amputation (loss of relationship). So be quick to deal with your conflict Biblically so that you can effectively minster the truth of Christ to those around you.

“Some day you will read in the papers that D.L. Moody of East Northfield, is dead. Don’t you believe a word of it! At that moment I shall be more alive than I am now.” - Dwight Lyman Moody

This week I officiated a funeral for a woman who was a follower of Christ and though her believing family and friends were saddened by her physical death, I watched them hold on tightly to the truth of her promised physical resurrection (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18) and rejoice at the truth of her spiritual birth while here on earth (Ephesians 2:1-10). They focused on the truth that her body would be made perfect for all of eternity and talked about a coming reunion with her, where they would spend eternity in fellowship with each other as they worshiped God. I watched them speak boldly before, during and after the funeral ceremony, to believers and non-believers alike, about the coming day where God will fulfill his promises.

I couldn’t help but to feel joy for this woman and hopeful for all of us who are followers of Christ. At the same time, a tremendous burden swelled up in my heart for those who don’t know the truth about Christ. I was reminded at that instance of the reason God sustains our lives. He wants us, no, he commands us to share the truth of Christ with all (Matthew 28:18-20). While we Christians rejoiced in the knowledge that this woman had entered in to eternity with our Lord, we were also reminded that our work here on earth is not finished and that God is only sustaining our lives further so that we might be used by him to share the truth of Christ with others so that they too might have the same hope that we do.

Under the ‘simply because I was curious’ file, this morning when I opened up my Internet browser I performed a search for the words “self help”. I was amazed at what my inquiry netted in just .13 seconds: 92,500,000 hits!

We live in a culture where people are constantly seeking to gain knowledge, especially so-called ‘new knowledge’, and even though their search is in vain, they still continue their search (Eccl. 1:9).

There are worldly ‘experts’ writing self-help books on relationships, parenting, employment, diets, sexuality, and religion (to name a few) and they are all vying to be the next author that the Church of Oprah crowns as the new prophet of truth. I guess we should expect this kind of behavior from the world, but what do we do when we see some in the church following in step?

To be clear, I don’t have a problem with books. I love books. I think books can be great and that they can add to our knowledge base and help hone our thoughts on a given topic, especially when the author’s intent is to teach real truth.

The problem with most self-help books that the world is reading is they are based on opinions that are often derived from the author’s feelings or experience. Even well meaning Christian authors are sometimes guilty of writing from the premise of their feelings rather than from the premise of what God has to say from his word. We need to guard ourselves from this error by knowing the truth.

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” – 2 Timothy 3:16-17

So here is the question, why seek the self-help wisdom of man when we have available to us God’s help and wisdom throughout the Scriptures? Simply stated, the primary source of understanding for every Christian should be God’s word. When you know the Scriptures it is easy to identify when a Christian author is using them to support his or her own ideas, rather than letting the text direct the thought pattern of the truth that has been revealed by God.

Sadly, many Bibles remain unopened on nightstands and bookshelves collecting dust as we first seek to gain wisdom and understanding from secondary sources from the best-sellers list. Again, it is appropriate that Christians are well read, but we should never use man’s thoughts and ideas as a substitute for the primary source of our wisdom.

So Compass Bible Church, when you are seeking direction in your life are you running to the Compass Bookstore, Barnes and Noble, Sonshine or Amazon.com first, or are you reaching for your Bible?

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” - 2 Timothy 4:7
For many people, the beginning of their walk with Christ is filled with great anticipation and excitement about what God will do in their lives. Some even make the mistake of thinking that their lives will somehow become easy and free of struggle. For most, it doesn’t take long to figure out that the Christian life can be filled with trials, hardships and challenges that are difficult to navigate.

The apostle Paul described his life as an ongoing struggle that required great perseverance. Throughout the epistles he penned (under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit), we discover that the apostle faced betrayal from other Christians and persecutions from governing authorities. He also faced physical calamities (2 Corinthians 12:8-10) and many other hardships that tested his faith in Christ. Paul’s walk was anything but easy, yet he persevered to the end.

It is important to realize that faith in God is not proved by simply stating your allegiance to Christ (Matt. 7:21). True faith is a faith that perseveres through trials (James 1:2-4). The Christian life is not easy, however if you live out your days as the apostle Paul, trusting Christ in everything and for everything, you too will be able to claim, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” As the apostle Paul proved, there is no better testimony for faith than that.

How rich would we all be if we had a dollar for every time someone said to us “don’t judge me, Jesus said you aren’t supposed to judge. Only God can judge me”?

If you make a comment about someones inappropriate behavior, you are tagged as a ‘judgmental person’. If you dare to explain to someone why they might be wrong about how they are living their lives (e.g., homosexuality, adultery, anger), you are forced to wear the scarlet letter of “J” – thus deemed a “Judger”!

Granted, there is Biblical support not to judge (hint: at least in certain circumstances).

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Matthew 7:1-2

These words of Christ (if not put into context) would seem to put a moratorium on all judging that we as people do. But frankly, this would make for an interesting world filled with relativistic mores that would promote a social “free-for-all” resulting in cultural chaos.

Is that really what Jesus was trying to accomplish? Let’s look at the full context of his statement:

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”- Matthew 7:1-5

In context, Jesus is clearly stating that we are not to judge others hypocritically or to be self-righteous in our judgments. To get specific, if you are a liar who has not repented, don’t judge someone else who lies. If you are guilty of lust and have not repented, don’t dare pass judgment on somebody else who is guilty of lust. Basically, don’t be like the hypocritical Pharisees who made a living at judging those around them, while they themselves were guilty of unrepented sin (John 8:1-11)

So, now that that is cleared up, are Christians supposed to judge? Simply stated, yes.

If a believer has sinned against you, it is your Christian duty to lovingly and respectfully confront that person in their sin (Matthew 18:15-17). Of course, in order to surmise if someone has sinned against you, you would have had to have made a judgment against that person.

In 2 Timothy 4:2 the apostle Paul states:

“Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.”

By any standards, that text is calling Timothy to make judgments concerning others’ Christian behavior. The text implies that there will be those who need correcting and rebuking and that, in this case, Timothy was called to do the correcting and the rebuking.

In conclusion, basic common sense would tell us that in order for there to be any functioning Christian community, the ability to judge one another is essential. The Scriptures tell us that our judgments cannot be hypocritical and that they must be reasonable and fair:

“Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”- Galatians 6:1-2

© Pastor Dale Thackrah, all rights reserved.

“The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” - Matthew 4:3

After His baptism Jesus withdrew to the wilderness where He fasted for 40 days, seeking to commune with and learn the will of the Father for His upcoming ministry. Satan, ever crafty and scheming, also went into the wilderness in order to tempt Jesus and to thwart God’s plan for redeeming mankind.

The first temptation from Satan came in way of a challenge. Knowing that Jesus was physically hungry Satan suggested that He use His divine power to turn the stones into bread. Jesus replied with God’s word found in Deut. 8:3, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

It’s important to realize that Jesus was led into the wilderness by God to fast, but Satan wanted to lead Jesus in the opposite direction. Satan was attempting to take Jesus away from God’s will. Satan hasn’t changed his mode of operation since that exchange in wilderness over 200o years ago. He still seeks and attempts to have those who are seeking after God’s will, to turn in the opposite direction.

Of course, we know that Jesus didn’t give into the Tempter’s scheme. Jesus being 100% man, was tempted in the very way that you or I would have been, yet because Jesus is also 100% God, He didn’t sin (Heb. 4:15). Jesus answered Satan’s temptations with the truth that is found in the Scriptures. As believers we have the amazing opportunity to learn God’s word, Old and New Testament alike, and to call upon the truth that is found within to beat back the lies and temptations of the great Deceiver as he tries to derail our effectiveness in ministry. I pray that we all arm ourselves as we engage in this battle with the enemy.

“No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” - 1 Corinthians 10:13

© Pastor Dale Thackrah, all rights reserved

“Give us today our daily bread” - Matthew 6:11

Jesus would often remind his followers not to be anxious about potential problems, pointing them instead to a daily dependence upon God. In our daily struggles (relationships, jobs, bills, etc.) we too would be wise to listen to the words of Christ found in Matthew 6:25:

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?

When the Israelites were wandering in the desert there was no food for them to gather because of the desolate conditions. But God provided manna each new morning as a very important and tangible reminder to His chosen people of the love He had for them. In fact, if the Israelites tried to store food for the next day, God ensured that it would spoil. He wanted them to trust Him daily for their provision.

Today God wants us to trust Him for our every provision as well. This is not a call to be a poor steward or not to plan, rather a call to truly understand and trust in the One who is providing you with what you need every day in order to serve Him and glorify Him.

This understanding will help to truly recognize our dependence upon Him. God knows the problems that we will face today and tomorrow and He has already supplied everything we will need to overcome them. All He asks is that we trust Him everyday.

© Pastor Dale Thackrah, all rights reserved.