Daily Reading Week 21
Sunday
James 1
What verse did you connect with today?
Whats been your life experience with conflict?
Respond:
If you haven’t yet, make sure you check out our conversation about this subject for our if series. “How to - Handle conflict”
What’s one takeaway from this sermon?
monday
Matthew 18
What verse did you connect with today?
What should we do if something causes us to sin? Verses 7-9
What does this chapter teach us about forgiveness?
How should we handle conflict with another person? V. 15-17
Respond:
I have always loved this section of scripture. Whenever there is conflict it seems as though the words that relate are gossip, avoidance, and grudges. This chapter challenges our habits of conflict. We should not be gossiping about the issue, instead we should talk to the person about the issue. We should not avoid the person, instead we should go straight to them. We should not hold a grudge, we should continue to work through the problem until it is resolved. It’s understandable why people seem to not want to do this, it’s hard and uncomfortable, no doubt about that. Yet, on the other side of handling conflict there is a weight off of everyone’s shoulders that make it worth it.
tuesday
Ephesians 4
What verse did you connect with today?
What does it mean to live a life worthy of your calling? V.1
Are you a humble, gentle, patient person. Why? Why not?
Why does unity matter?
What gifts has God given you to serve the church?
How does living as a children of the light promote unity?
Respond:
MacLaren’s expositions says this on Paul’s desire to write about unity. , “The thought of the unity of the Church is very prominent in this epistle. It is difficult for us, amidst our present divisions, to realise how strange and wonderful it then was that a bond should have been found which drew together men of all nations, ranks, and characters. Pharisee and philosopher, high-born women and slaves, Roman patricians and gladiators, Asiatic Greeks and Syrian Jews forgot their feuds and sat together as one in Christ. It is no wonder that Paul in this letter dwells so long and earnestly on that strange fact. He is exhorting here to a unity of spirit corresponding to it, and he names a seven-fold oneness-one body and one spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all. The outward institution of the Church, as a manifest visible fact, comes first in the catalogue. One Father is last, and between these there lie the mention of the one Spirit and the one Lord. The ‘body’ is the Church. ‘Spirit, Lord, God,’ are the triune divine personality. Hope and faith are human acts by which men are joined to God; Baptism is the visible symbol of their incorporation into the one body.”
Wednesday
Acts 15
What verse did you connect with today?
What did Paul and Barnabas believe about the salvation process? V.2
How did the church leaders respond to the disunity that was developing? V.6
Do you find yourself making it difficult for people to know Jesus? V. 19
What did they do for the gentile believers? V. 19-35
Respond:
There is some great, unfortunate irony in verses 36-41. After just coming off a major victory for the Church, one that could have really hurt the growth and people of God. There is disunity developed. It’s a shame because the example was right there. Sit down, talk it out, come to a conclusion and push forward. Paul and Barnabas were tight. They did incredible things together for the sake of the gospel, them separating due to conflict is painful. Did God still work it for good? Yes absolutely, but that doesn’t mean there wasn’t a problem in these verses. The takeaway lesson for us is this,
1. Conflict never stops. If you exist and have interaction there will be conflict. Be prepared for it and respond the right way to it.
2. Learn from the past to effect your present. If they would have just looked back on what made them successful in the conversation about circumcision, then maybe they would not have split.
Thursday
Psalm 4
What verse did you connect with today?
How do you have a high reputation with people?
What does David say about sin and anger? Verse 4
How does joy help anger? V.7
What’s the sleep patterns of the angry and the peaceful?
Respond:
Gill’s expositions say this about Verse 7 - Signifying, that he had such a calmness and serenity of mind, amidst all his troubles, that he could not only lay himself down in great peace, and much composure of mind, but sleep also, and that as soon as laid down almost; some lay themselves down, but cannot sleep, through the anxiety of their minds; but the psalmist could do both: or the word rendered "both" may he translated "together" (u); and the sense be either that he would lie down and sleep together with his friends, committing himself and them to the care and protection of God; or that he should lie down and sleep together with his enemies; meaning that he was assured that there would quickly be a reconciliation and peace between them; see Proverbs 16:7;”
Notice how when you have peace in your conflict with others sleep comes more easily.
Friday
Luke 6
What verse did you connect with today?
Who does God bless? V20-22
Why should we be happy when people push against us because of our life with Jesus? V.22-23
How can you love your enemies?
What’s the benefit of loving our enemies?
Are you a judging person? How can you begin to fix that habit?
Respond:
Handling conflict can feel impossible. I know for me, there are a lot of times where I feel hopeless. I don’t want to talk to people about the issue and I definitely don’t want to forgive them. Yet, that is not what God calls us to do. Which leads us to the question. How do we actually handle conflict? Well it starts in one place. That place is building a solid foundation on the Lord. If we do that when the wind blows and the floods come and we feel the tension rising we can take a deep breath and believe that God is going to handle it because he won’t be shaken.
Saturday
Proverbs 13
What verse did you connect with today?
Why do the godly hate lies?
What is the life of the Godly full of? v. 9
How does pride lead to conflict?
Who is someone wise that you can walk with?
Respond:
Matthew Henry says this about verse 10, “Foolish pride is the great make-bate. Would you know whence come wars and fightings? They come from this root of bitterness. Whatever hand other lusts may have in contention (passion, envy, covetousness), pride has the great hand; it is its pride that it will itself sow discord and needs no help. Pride makes men impatient of contradiction in either their opinions or their desires, impatient of competition and rivalship, impatient of contempt, or any thing that looks like a slight, and impatient of concession, and receding, from a conceit of certain right and truth on their side; and hence arise quarrels among relations and neighbours, quarrels in states and kingdoms, in churches and Christian societies. Men will be revenged, will not forgive, because they are proud. 2. Those that are humble and peaceable are wise and well advised. Those that will ask and take advice, that will consult their own consciences, their Bibles, their ministers, their friends, and will do nothing rashly, are wise, as in other things, so in this, that they will humble themselves, will stoop and yield, to preserve quietness and prevent quarrels.”