Ministry Quarrels
money, position, control, good looks, property, equipment, clothes, connections, results, promises, talents, intellect, success, age, experience, etc... can drive up our pride. and "pride goeth before destruction"(pr16:18). it is an auto-regulating device to keep characters in check. because character is more important than attainment.
a dead man doesn't have any pride. he doesn't hurt. you can kick his grave as much as you want but he will not complain. the Bible says that we should die daily(1cor15:31). but the Bible also says it is good to abound in good works(2cor9:8), and that we should do good especially to those who are of the faith (gal6:10).
at times paul and peter have quarrels because their characters are not yet perfect. (the stresses of life can reveal our edgy characters). also paul and barnabas. but God still supports them both with life, air, water, hearbeat, breath, and their ministries continue till the emotion of their quarrels fade away and they support each other in the end.
let us not let the enemy laugh at us. 1 cor 6:7 says "Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded?".
anyway Jesus felt all our stresses, all our disappointments, all our hurts, all our sufferings, in the cross. He suffers with us. We are not alone. "He has borne our griefs and suffered our sorrows" (is53:4).
we deserve to suffer because of our sins, but He doesn't deserve to suffer. our quarrels hurt Him unnecessarily.
"in beholding Him [we] lose sight of self" 8T 332.
Self is lost in Him and becomes as nothing,-crucified with Him, while we still live by the power of His endless life. Galatians 2:20.
a dead man doesn't have any pride. he doesn't hurt. you can kick his grave as much as you want but he will not complain. the Bible says that we should die daily(1cor15:31). but the Bible also says it is good to abound in good works(2cor9:8), and that we should do good especially to those who are of the faith (gal6:10).
at times paul and peter have quarrels because their characters are not yet perfect. (the stresses of life can reveal our edgy characters). also paul and barnabas. but God still supports them both with life, air, water, hearbeat, breath, and their ministries continue till the emotion of their quarrels fade away and they support each other in the end.
let us not let the enemy laugh at us. 1 cor 6:7 says "Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded?".
anyway Jesus felt all our stresses, all our disappointments, all our hurts, all our sufferings, in the cross. He suffers with us. We are not alone. "He has borne our griefs and suffered our sorrows" (is53:4).
we deserve to suffer because of our sins, but He doesn't deserve to suffer. our quarrels hurt Him unnecessarily.
"in beholding Him [we] lose sight of self" 8T 332.
Self is lost in Him and becomes as nothing,-crucified with Him, while we still live by the power of His endless life. Galatians 2:20.
