Good Morning Everyone,
Our theme for this month: “Conflict”
Our Bible verse for today: “Your life should be free from the love of money. Be satisfied with what you have, for He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you or forsake you.’ Therefore, we may boldly say, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” Hebrews 13:5-6 (HCSB)
Our thought for today: “With God looking out for us, we don’t need to worry and we don’t need to fight.”
If you had to guess, where would you say the most conflicts occur? In the Middle East? How about in the halls of Congress? Maybe in the aisles of Walmart on Black Friday? Nope. While all those locations certainly do host an inordinate amount of conflict, the most conflict people are typically exposed to occurs behind closed doors, in the home, and among those we are closest to.
And what do you suppose is the number one source of conflict, especially between husbands and wives? No, it has nothing to do with who left the toilet seat up. The number one source of conflict in the home is usually finances. When money is tight people fight. The pressure that comes with worries over money causes more stress and strain than almost anything else a family has to deal with. Much of the concern is legitimate – job security may be a very real issue; or perhaps there is already unemployment to deal with. The bills have to get paid, the family has to eat, the car has to be repaired. It’s all very real and often very worrisome.
I wish I had financial advice or a job lead that would ease your financial pressures but I don’t. I have something better. I have the promises of God to share with you. In Matthew 6:25-34, in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus addressed this very common concern about income and provisions. In that passage he spoke of how our Heavenly Father is well aware of all our needs and that He has committed in advance to provide for us. The caveat comes in verses 33-34: “But seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you. Therefore don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
This is what the writer of Hebrews was referring to in 13:5-6 cited above. God is aware of your situation. He has promised (repeatedly and in many places throughout the Bible) to be with you and to provide for you. Therefore you do not need to fret and worry, only trust.
What does this have to do with conflict – especially conflict in the home? Just that those closest to us are our allies not our enemies. They are the ones who are going through these tough times with us, and rather than fighting and arguing, they need peace and reassurance just like you do. When a family is going through tough times, that’s the very time they need to come together – in prayer – and together claim the promises of God over their situation. If you will do that as a matter of regular practice, you will discover that the tough times push you closer together rather than driving you apart. With God looking out for us we don’t need to worry, and we certainly don’t need to fight with each other about it.
God Bless,
Pastor Jim
Oak Hill Baptist Church 