Good Morning Everyone,
Our theme for this month: “Conflict”
Our Bible verse for today: “There was such a sharp disagreement that they parted company, and Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed off to Cyprus. Then Paul chose Silas and departed … ” Acts 15:39-40 (HCSB)
Our thought for today: “God sometimes uses our conflicts to accomplish good things”
Throughout this month of devotional messages on conflict we’ve considered the fact that conflict is part of the human condition and sooner or later, we all end up in one. Some of us more often than others, but conflict between people is part of life. Yesterday we considered the example of Barnabas, the Son of Encouragement” who was known for his unique ability to lift people up, encourage them, and to serve as a mediator to help resolve conflicts between others. And yet in today’s Bible passage we read that even he ended up in a major conflict with his closest friend Paul.
In this case, Barnabas was just being himself as the Son of Encouragement. He was attempting to lift up and encourage the young man Mark who had experienced a failure in his life and who therefore needed a second chance. And Paul was being very much himself too, he was much more stern and just a bit unforgiving. The conflict was so heated and the rift so wide, that Barnabas and Paul went their separate ways.
Enter the Holy Spirit of God. If you know your New Testament history then you know that the Holy Spirit went to work in the middle of this situation and used the conflict to accomplish some good things. Paul and Silas went on to establish churches all across that part of the world and Paul ended up being the greatest evangelist Christianity has ever had. Barnabas and Mark went to Cyprus and had similar ministry success for many years. Mark grew and matured and became a dedicated and reliable worker for the cause of Christ – so much so that decades later, in 2 Timothy 4:11, Paul instructed Timothy to “Find Mark and bring him to me because he is useful to me in the ministry.”
Mark also went on to write one of the Gospels. Christian history tells us that Mark had also become a close associate and valued ministry assistant to the Apostle Peter. It was Peter who actually dictated The Gospel to Mark and Mark simply recorded what Peter had to say.
All of this just goes to show that God is bigger than our conflicts and that in spite of our stubbornness He can work in the middle of our conflicts to bring about good things for His kingdom.
God Bless,
Pastor Jim
Oak Hill Baptist Church 