Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered outside the gate.  Therefore, let us go forth to him outside the camp, bearing his reproach.  For we have no continuing city here, but we seek one to come.

 
 
 

Going to Jesus

Daily Thoughts

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Thought for Today
Aug. 17

THE SEVEN ABOMINATIONS, PART SEVEN

"These six things doth the Lord hate; yea, seven are an abomination to Him."
- David, to his young son Solomon, in Proverbs 6:16

This is the last of the seven sins concerning which David warned his young son Solomon that God especially hates.

"HE THAT SOWETH DISCORD AMONG BRETHREN"

God loves peace, and he has determined that people who love peace will live forever (1Pet. 3:11). "Blessed are the peacemakers," said Jesus, "for they shall be called the children of God." But, as you know, some people are willing to disrupt peace in order to accomplish an evil desire. Yielding to some ungodly spirit, whether of envy, or lust, or pride, or something similar, many a soul has brought trouble to an otherwise peaceful situation.

Children in school cannot learn where there is no authority to maintain peace. A secure, peaceful atmosphere is necessary in order for education to take place. God's children are no different. "Where there is envy and strife, there is confusion and every evil work" (Jas. 3:16), and in such circumstances, the children of God cannot grow and learn as they should. The family of God must have government so that disruptive influences will not constantly command the attention of God's children. Those who interrupt the holy process of guiding the saints into the knowledge of God set themselves against God, whose love for His "little ones" is strong.

SEEDS

In most cases, when discord is sown, discord itself is not what is actually sown. What is really sown is "the seed of discord". It is like an apple tree. What is sown to produce one bears no resemblance to the end product. An apple seed does not even remotely resemble the apple tree that it produces. And the seed of discord usually does not resemble the discord that it eventually produces. No one really sows an apple tree; if they tried, the tree would rot in the ground and produce nothing. Likewise, if "he who sows discords" attempted to force into the hearts of the saints the nasty attitude he has, they wouldn't receive it. His influence would die quickly. But they can sometimes be persuaded to take into their hearts a seed of discord, suggestive comments, or information that should not be spread, or an opinion spoken in sweet tones though emanating from an envious spirit. Describing such a man, David wrote, "The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart" (Ps. 55:21). The sharpest swords can be sheathed in the softest fabric.

Sometimes, the greatest strife is produced by truth, but spoken at the wrong time to and by the wrong person. During the temptation of Jesus, Satan used holy Scriptures in his attempt to lure Christ away from his heavenly Father. There was nothing evil about the Scriptures the Devil used; they were altogether holy and true. But an evil spirit pollutes everything that it touches, and an evil being like the Devil can only use Scripture as seed to produce more spirits like his, not to edify men in righteousness. It is not so much a person's words that produce discord among the brethren as it is the spirit that inspires the words. A minister with an unclean spirit can influence a congregation to commit sin while delivering a sermon about the love of God. Sowing discord is a matter of the heart, not merely of the tongue. A godly man can say anything, and the effect of his words on the lives of God's children will be good. An ungodly man, saying those same things, can ruin happy lives.

When bitterness is hidden in the heart, its roots grow out of the mouth, seeking fertile soil. Do you have itching ears, eager for news about others? If so, you are the kind of soil that receives and produces seeds of discord. You are the kind of person who can be used by the devil to cause trouble where there is peace. Jesus can change you if you ask him, and your feelings toward others will change. Ask Jesus to pour his holy salt onto the seeds of discord that are already growing in your heart's garden before they produce their bitter fruit. He will make you a peacemaker, a real child of God, fit to live with the saints of the ages who suffered to make peace in their time. Neither listen to nor speak anything unless you know that it is pleasing in the sight of God.

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