Refreshing

Daily
in God’s Word
Emphasis on
 The Herdsmen
November 1

 Bible Reading: Genesis 13:1-13

 Key Verse: Verse 7- "And there was a strife between
the herdmen of Abram's cattle and the herdmen of
Lot's cattle: and the Canaanite and the Perizzite
dwelled then in the land."
Key Words: And there was a strife

The herdsmen of Abram and Lot had a conflict over

grazing land; but Abram, being older and wiser, realized that
there was plenty of ground for their herds to graze so he
settled the matter by allowing Lot to choose the grazing
ground he desired. Abram and his herdsmen went in the
opposite direction.
This conflict should never have happened. In Genesis
12:1 God commanded Abram to leave behind all his kindred.
We read in Genesis 12:5, “And Abram took Sarai his wife, and
Lot his brother’s son….” Conflict will always be the end result
of someone acting out of God’s will.
Marrying out of God’s will, will result in a conflict.
Your young person running with the wrong crowd will
produce a conflict. Taking a job out of God’s will, will produce
a conflict... and the list goes on and on.
“A West Coast doctor took an informal poll among his
patients to find out what wish each would make if his wish
were granted. The tally was very interesting. Eighty-seven
percent said that peace of mind was their paramount goal.”
~ Roy Zuck

What to do:
✞Be careful what you want…you might get it!
 Who’s In Charge?
November 2

 Bible Reading: II Samuel 15:1-13

 Key Verse: Verse 6 - “And on this manner did
Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for
judgment: so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of
Israel."
Key Words: so Absalom stole the hearts of the men
of Israel

David was the king and Absalom was his son. David
was the king and Absalom wanted to be the king. Conflict is
inevitable.
After listening to Absalom’s promises of what he
would do if he were king, the people sided with Absalom. You
see that while Absalom was David’s son, they were complete
opposites in who they wanted to please. David’s desire was to
please the Lord. Absalom’s desire was to please the people.
As a result, the conflict was in high gear.
Absalom forgot one thing: “If God be for you, who can
be against you?”
Several years ago, a drunk staggered into my office,
leaned over my desk and said, “I’m going to beat the @#
%&@# out of you.” My first reaction was to look him over
and evaluate the situation. After doing so I reached the
conclusion that I could “take him.” It was then the Holy Spirit
took over and seemingly from out of nowhere, the words came
out of my mouth, “If you’re not careful I’ll pray God’s wrath
down on you.” The drunk then fell back into a chair, looked at
me, and said with a drunken slur, “Now, that ain’t fair! I can’t
whip Him!” With that the drunk got up out of the chair and
walked out of the office. I’ve never seen him since.
If God be for you, who can be against you?
What to do:
✞Make sure that God is in charge of your life.

Count the Cost

November 3

 Bible Reading: Acts 15:36-41

 Key Verse: Verse 39 – “And the contention was so
sharp between them, that they departed asunder one
from the other: and so Barnabas took Mark, and
sailed unto Cyprus;”
Key Words: And the contention was so sharp
between them

If Paul and Barnabas could have a conflict then

certainly the rest of us are prone to as well.
In 1937 architect Frank Lloyd Wright built a
house for industrialist Hibbard Johnson. One rainy
evening Johnson was entertaining distinguished guests
for dinner when the roof began to leak. The water
seeped through directly above Johnson himself, dripping
steadily onto his head. Irate he called Wright in
Phoenix, Arizona. "Frank," he said, "you built this
beautiful house for me and we enjoy it very much. But I
have told you the roof leaks, and right now I am with
some friends and distinguished guests and it is leaking
right on top of my head." Wright’s reply was: "Well Hib,
why don’t you move your chair?"
Conflicts are not a matter of “if” but a matter of
“when.” Paul and Barnabas’ conflict was a result of two
men seeing themselves as right and neither of them
being willing to give in. Sometimes it would be better if
we’d just move the chair.

What to do:
✞Count the cost!!
 Asking for a Conflict
November 4

 Bible Reading: Exodus 1:15-22

 Key Verse: Verse 17 - "But the midwives feared God,
and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them,
but saved the men children alive.”
Key Words: and did not as the king of Egypt
commanded

Those who are in charge need wisdom to realize that

some “commands” which are given are nothing more than
asking for a conflict. So it is with Pharoah. His command
could never be obeyed by those who had a Godly conscience.
Those who are leaders need to realize that while they
have a position of leadership, they are not God. They are
simply an instrument of God to carry out his will, not their
own.
Four questions every employer, supervisor, overseer,
or leader should ask themselves before demanding things
from others:
 Is it spiritually appropriate (I Corinthians 6:12)?
 Will it cause some to stumble (I Corinthians 8:9)?
 Is it edifying to all (I Corinthians 10:23)?
 Will it glorify God (I Corinthians 10:31)?

When the leader makes everything about himself, he

or she is asking for a conflict.

What to do:
✞Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
 Conflict Is Coming
November 5

 Bible Reading: Nehemiah 4:1-8

 Key Verse: Verse 8 - "And conspired all of them
together to come and to fight against Jerusalem, and
to hinder it.”
Key Words: and to hinder it

Nehemiah wants to build the wall around Jerusalem.

Sanballat and others have their idea of the Jews building the
wall. Conflict is coming.
My over forty years in the ministry has taught me that
there are times, no matter how hard you may try, that conflict
is inevitable. With Nehemiah he was facing one of those
times.
H. L. Mencken was a newspaperman and magazine
editor in the first half of this century. His critiques of
American life often drew letters expressing outrage and
indignation. He answered every critical letter and handled
each one the same way. Mencken simply wrote back, “You
may be right.” Peace settlements start with the
acknowledgement that the other party “may be right.”
But what do you do when you’re facing one of those
times in which you genuinely cannot say, “You may be right”?
The answer to that question is found in verses 14 and 15. You
prepare for the confrontation and pray for God to intercede…
at least that’s what Nehemiah did and he is a pretty good
example to follow.

What to do:
✞Be prepared for the confrontation but pray for
peace.
 A Family in Conflict
November 6

 Bible Reading: II Samuel 13:1-14

 Key Verse: Verse 1 - "And it came to pass after this,
that Absalom the son of David had a fair sister,
whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of
David loved her."
Key Words: And it came to pass after this, that
Absalom the son of David had a fair sister,
whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of
David loved her

The story of Absalom, Tamar and Amnon can be

found in II Samuel 14, and is a good word picture of a
family in conflict.
Absalom and Tamar were “full” brother and
sister, not so for Amnon. David was his father but his
mother was different from that of Absalom and Tamar.
The story goes that Amnon loved (most likely just
lusted after) Tamar, his half-sister. So a plan was made
to lure Tamar into Amnon’s bedroom where he laid
pretending to be sick. Upon Tamar’s arrival in Amnon’s
bedroom, Amnon seized the opportunity to rape Tamar.
When the news of the rape got out David was angry but
Absalom, Tamar’s brother, was enraged. He took the
opportunity to kill Amnon and then because of his
father’s lack of action in the matter, Absalom rebelled
against David and attempted to overthrow him as king.
This sounds like a TV soap opera but it is a true
story of a family in conflict.
While today’s family conflicts may not be like this
conflict, many families today are in conflict. Satan is still
at work. Just as he attacked the earth’s first family he is
still attacking today. Our nation will never be any
stronger than our families which says a lot about why
our nation struggles so today. So many can’t get along
with others. They learned how to not get along from
their home life.
Tim Kimmell is a well-known Christian author.
He does much of his work at a large roll-top desk in his
office. On the top of this desk are a unique set of
pictures. To the far left is a photo of the place where he
was born – Jamison Memorial Hospital. At the far right
is a picture of the place where he will most likely be
buried – Graceland Cemetery. Between those two
pictures is a photograph of his wife and children. It’s a
daily reminder of where life began, where it will end, and
what really matters during the in-between time. Life is
short so seize the moments with your family.

What to do:
✞Seize the moments with your family for as the
children grow in age, those moments become less and
less.

****************************************

Confronting the Sinner

November 7

 Bible Reading: II Samuel 12:1-13

 Key Verse: Verse 7 - "And Nathan said to David, Thou
art the man. Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I
anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee
out of the hand of Saul;”
Key Words: Thou art the man

I guess one of the most difficult things one has to do is

to confront someone who has sinned or is living in sin. That
was Nathan’s situation: he had to confront David for his sin of
adultery with Bathsheba and the sin of deception in sending
Uriah (Bathsheba’s husband) into the most deadly battle so he
would die.
Several observations in regard to confronting others:

1. Nathan had a position that allowed him to

confront David. He was one of David’s
advisors.
2. Nathan was a personal friend of David’s, not
just a casual acquaintance.
3. Nathan did not take it upon himself to confront
David but was told to do so by the Lord.

When one confronts another in God’s will and with

God’s wisdom, good can come forth; but if you confront
another out of God’s will and with human wisdom, much
damage can and will occur.
Like the little fellow who shot the insulators off Cape
Cod’s power line. Immediate confusion reigned. Few had
water; the electric pumps stopped. No one could get gasoline;
again, no pumps. Those who did have gasoline had no traffic
lights to stop and go by. Some had to eat raw food, and some
babies got colic because the electric ranges wouldn’t heat.
Amidst all the pandemonium stood a herd of bawling cows,
their udders near bursting point. The electric milkers couldn’t
milk and apparently no one knew how to milk by hand. Now I
am sure this little fellow never meant for all of this to happen,
but it did…with one shot. The confronters who confront
others out of God’s will can cause a whole lot of trouble even
though they never intended to.

What to do:
✞Before confronting someone, it may be wise to
consider the three observations in this devotion.
 Internal Conflict
November 8

 Bible Reading: James 1:1-8

 Key Verse: Verse 8 - "A double minded man is
unstable in all his ways."
Key Words: A double minded man is unstable in
all his ways

It’s one thing to have conflict with others but

internal conflict can be pure torture.
I, on occasion, will tell people in regard to
decisions: make sure your heart is clean (James 4:8), ask
God for wisdom, seek God’s will through His Word…then
make a decision, live with it and learn from it for the
double-minded person accomplishes very little.
A farmer hired a man to work for him. He told
him his first task would be to paint the barn and said it
should take him about three days to complete. But the
hired man was finished in one day. The farmer set him
to cutting wood, telling him it would require about 4
days. The hired man finished in a day and a half, to the
farmer’s amazement. The next task was to sort out a
large pile of potatoes. He was to arrange them into three
piles: seed potatoes, food for the hogs, and potatoes that
were good enough to sell. The farmer said it was a small
job and shouldn’t take long at all. At the end of the day
the farmer came back and found the hired man had
barely started. “What’s the matter here” the farmer
asked. “I can work hard but I can’t make decisions!”
replied the hired man.
Oh, the woes of being double-minded and the
internal conflict it causes!

What to do:
✞Take time to pray and meditate but when it’s time to
make a decision, make it and move on.
 Conflicts in the Church
November 9

 Bible Reading: Acts 6:1-8

 Key Verse: Verse 1 - " And in those days, when the
number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a
murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews,
because their widows were neglected in the daily
ministration"
Key Words: there arose a murmuring of the
Grecians

Conflicts in the church do happen; but hopefully

cooler and wiser heads prevail. While the church at
Jerusalem did solve their dispute, that’s not always the
case.
A news story from Wales told of a feud in a church
looking for a new pastor. It read:
"Yesterday the two opposition groups both sent
ministers to the pulpit. Both spoke simultaneously, each
trying to shout above the others. Both called for hymns, and
the congregation sang two--each trying to drown out the
other. Then the groups started shouting at each other. Bibles
were raised in anger. The Sunday morning service turned into
bedlam. Through it all, the two preachers continued trying to
out shout each other with their sermons.
Eventually a deacon called a policeman. Two came in
and began shouting for the congregation to be quiet. They
advised the forty persons in the church to return home. The
rivals filed out, still arguing.
Last night one of the groups called a let's-be-friends
meeting. It broke up in argument."
The item was headlined, "Hallelujah! Two Jacks in
One pulpit!” It could have been bannered, “Two Factions in
One Fellowship."
What a shame!
We should all fulfill Ephesians 4:3, “Endeavoring to
keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”
What to do:
✞Always strive for unity.

****************************************

Conflict Between Brothers

November 10

 Bible Reading: I Samuel 17:12-31

 Key Verse: Verse 28 - "And Eliab his eldest brother
heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab's anger
was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest
thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left
those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride,
and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come
down that thou mightest see the battle.”
Key Words: and Eliab’s anger was kindled against
David

It’s not unusual for brothers to have an occasional spat

but this is more than a spat. It is anger, resentment, and
embarrassment on Eliab’s part; and so he gives his little
brother a piece of his mind. He said of David, “You are
prideful and have a naughty (worthless) heart.” So David
asked Eliab, “What have I done? Is there not a cause?” Then
he turned to the others and asked the same thing. The
people’s response was the same as Eliab’s. Conflicts seldom
stay to themselves. Others feel as though it’s their
responsibility to take part in the family feud.
From all appearances Eliab won the argument but
David will ultimately win the war.
Reminds me of the following…”In a construction
company there was a foreman who always worked hard and
was very conscientious, but he never received a promotion. A
younger employee noticed this apparent breach of justice after
working under the man for several years. He bravely asked
his foreman why management treated him so unfairly in the
area of advancement. The wiser and more mature foreman
explained, “Many years ago I had an argument with my
supervisor…and I won.” Winning an argument can have very
grave consequences.

What to do:
✞It’s always wise to remember that it never pays to
argue with someone who is on God’s side, even if it’s
your sibling.

****************************************

Conflict and Perspective

November 11

 Bible Reading: Exodus 16:1-9

 Key Verse: Verse 3 - "And the children of Israel said
unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of
the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the
flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for
ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill
this whole assembly with hunger."
Key Words: in the land of Egypt…we did eat bread
to the full

Sometimes in the midst of conflict we tend to get bent

out of shape and forget where we came from and how blessed
we truly are.
I remember when gas prices went to over a dollar a
gallon for the first time, and all the “complaining” that
accompanied the rise of the price of gasoline. I did a
comparative study and here is what I found. (These prices are
from the time when gas prices first went over a dollar per
gallon.)
Compared with Gasoline
Diet Snapple 16 oz. $1.29 $10.32 per gallon
Lipton Iced Tea 16 oz.$1.19 $9.52 per gallon
Gatorade 20 oz. $1.59 $10.17 per gallon
Ocean Spray 16 oz. $1.25 $10.00 per gallon
 Brake Fluid 12 oz. $3.15 $33.60 per gallon
Vick’s Nyquil 6 oz. $8.35 $178.13 per gallon
Pepto Bismol 4 oz. $3.85 $123.20 per gallon
Whiteout 7 oz. $1.39 $25.42 per gallon
Scope 1.5 oz. $.99 $84.48 per gallon
Evian Water 9 oz. $1.49 $21.19 per gallon
($21.19 for water and the buyers don’t even know the
source. Evian spelled backwards is Naive.)
Ever wonder why printers are so cheap? Because they
have you hooked for the ink. Someone calculated the cost of
the ink at...(you won’t believe it... but it is true...)
$5,200.00 per gallon.
While all of these prices are high; you do realize, do
you not, that Jesus paid the highest price when He shed His
blood on Calvary for you and me? I am so glad He thought we
were worth the high price He paid for us.
So often we find ourselves in conflict with others and
ourselves because we fail to keep things in a Godly
perspective.

What to do:
✞Don’t get all bent out of shape. Keep things in
perspective.

****************************************

Conflict with Consistency

November 12

 Bible Reading: Matthew 23:1-12

 Key Verse: Verse 3 – "All therefore whatsoever they
bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye
after their works: for they say, and do not."
Key Words: they say, and do not

Shhh!! I’ll let you in on a little secret. One of the

greatest sins of our day is inconsistency. When you study the
pages of God’s Word you will find it over and over again. We
as Christians are known for requiring of others what we do
not require of ourselves or our family. Let me show you.
In Exodus 2, beginning with verse eleven, Moses went
out to check on his Hebrew brethren and saw an Egyptian
hitting a Hebrew slave so Moses cornered the Egyptian and
killed him. Later he saw two Hebrew men fighting. Moses
went and told the one who hit the other that he did wrong.
Now think about it. Moses had just killed a man and he is
telling another man it is wrong to hit. A bit inconsistent, don’t
you think?
In John 8, remember Jesus is in the temple
worshipping and some men bring a woman to Jesus who was
caught in adultery. They wanted to stone her so Jesus said,
He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at
her, so they all left– the oldest down to the youngest. They
wanted to carry out the law on her sin, but not their’s. A bit
inconsistent, don’t you think?
In Luke 18 two men have gone to the temple to pray.
One was a Pharisee and the other a publican (tax collector).
The Pharisee said, “God, I thank thee, that I am not as other
men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this
publican.” He could see other men’s faults but not his own.
But notice what Jesus said in Luke 18:14a, “I tell you, this man
went down to his house justified rather than the other.” A bit
inconsistent don’t you think?
Expecting of others what we fail to do ourselves is the
same problem the Pharisee had. Matthew 23:1-4 says, “Then
spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples, Saying, The
scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat: All therefore
whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do
not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. For they
bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on
men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with
one of their fingers.” So let’s not be Pharisaical, let’s be
consistent.
There is nothing wrong with correcting people if you
are in a position of authority to correct, but if we really want
to have an impact on others, our words and our actions must
match. That’s called integrity, that’s called consistency.
What to do:
✞Remember, inconsistency will always bring conflict.

****************************************

Impatience Equals Conflict

November 13

 Bible Reading: James 1:1-10

 Key Verse: Verse 4 – "But let patience have her
perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire,
wanting nothing."
Key Words: But let patience have her perfect work

Learning to wait: it’s called patience. It is a fruit of the

Spirit. It comes from walking in the Spirit. Oh, how hard it is
to come by, but patience is required in order to succeed in this
spiritual life we live. You can’t avoid it. All of us at some
point in life must learn to “wait on the Lord” Psalm 27:14.
Abraham and Sarah had to wait for their promised
child, Isaac. Their failure to wait produced many trials in
their lives. Noah had to wait for God’s promised rain. Jacob
had to wait fourteen years in order to marry the love of his
life, Rachel.
I have found that most of us want patience and we
want it now!! God causes us to wait for the maturing of our
faith and for His glory.
Our Daily Bread records the following. “The purposes
of God often develop slowly because His grand designs are
never hurried. The great New England preacher Phillips
Brooks was noted for his poise and quiet manner. At times,
however, even he suffered moments of frustration and
irritability. One day a friend saw him feverishly pacing the
floor like a caged lion. ‘What’s the trouble, Mr. Brooks?’ he
asked. ‘The trouble is that I’m in a hurry, but God isn’t!’
Haven’t we felt the same way many times? Some of the
greatest missionaries of history devotedly spread the seed of
God’s Word and yet had to wait long periods before seeing the
fruit of their efforts. William Carey, for example, labored
seven years before the first Hindu convert was brought to
Christ in Burma, and Adoniram Judson toiled seven years
before his faithful preaching was rewarded. In western Africa,
it was fourteen years before one convert was received into the
Christian church. In New Zealand, it took nine years; and in
Tahiti, it was sixteen years before the first harvest of souls
began.”
Our cry should not be “Now, O Lord,” but rather
“Lord, I’m willing to wait so I can watch you work.” Let me
assure you, it’s worth the wait.

What to do:
✞Let patience have her perfect work in your life.

****************************************

Words that Produce Conflict

November 14

 Bible Reading: I Corinthians 15:26-34

 Key Verse: Verse 33 – "Be not deceived: evil
communications corrupt good manners."
Key Words: evil communications corrupt good
manners

Daily air raids were taking a heavy toll on Japan

during the summer of 1945; defeat seemed imminent. On
July 26, Allied leaders issued the Potsdam Agreement: “We
call upon the government of Japan to proclaim now the
unconditional surrender of all Japanese armed forces. The
alternative for Japan is prompt and utter destruction.” But
the offer was also in some ways generous; it allowed Japanese
soldiers to return home without imprisonment.
Emperor Hirohito believed the Potsdam peace terms
“were the most reasonable to be expected.” But Prime
Minister Kantaro Suzuki disagreed; he felt Japan still had
some negotiating leverage with the Russians. Soon, Suzuki
was telling reporters that Japan must mokusatsu the Allied
offer.
 Mokusatsu literally means “to kill with silence.”
Suzuki later claimed he had meant “no comment.” But the
Japanese news agency, Domei, quickly translated the word as
“ignore.” With this, the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
was virtually inevitable.
Just a week later, on August 6, 1945, the Enola Gay
took off on its fateful mission. At 8:15 A.M., bombardier
Major Thomas Ferebee had his target in his sights: the Aioi
Bridge crossing the Ota River in Hiroshima.
About a half mile from his target, the crew of the
Lonesome Lady, which had been shot down just ten days
earlier, were being held as war prisoners along with fliers
from two other American planes – at least 10 GIs in all.
Although the solid brick of their cells managed to
withstand the awesome initial blast, only three of these
prisoners are known to have survived the explosion. Navy
pilot Normand Brissette and the Lonesome Lady’s gunner,
Ralph Neal, stayed nose-deep in a cesspool until the flames
died down. As soon as they emerged, they were recaptured by
the Japanese. During the next days each suffered acutely with
oozing sores and constant vomiting, the result of radiation
exposure. Both men died slow and horrible deaths.
The third American who survived the explosion died
as a scapegoat for the bombing. History doesn’t record his
name, but an eyewitness called him “the handsomest boy I
ever saw.” He was tied to the remains of the Aioi Bridge with
a placard that said: “Beat This American Soldier Before You
Pass.” Besides these military prisoners, more than 3,000
Japanese-American civilians were stranded in Hiroshima
when the war began. Of those who survived the blast, perhaps
1,000 returned to the United States.
The story of any single person who endured the atomic
attack on Japan is appalling. If we then consider statistics in
light of these scenes of individual agony, the extent of human
suffering begins to stagger the mind: the two bomb blasts at
Hiroshima and Nagasaki killed 300,000 people.
Think of it. The evil communication of one man using
one word, mokusatsu (ignore), resulted in the death of
thousands. Never think that your words are not important for
words are powerful, and they either bless or curse!!! What a
responsibility we have to use our words with great care and
caution.
As always, thanks for reading...and be careful what you
say and how you say it.

What to do:
✞Words build but they can kill and will cause a
conflict, so use them wisely.

****************************************

The Conflict
(Of a Life with No Meaning)
November 15

 Bible Reading: Ecclesiastes 1:1-11

 Key Verse: Verse 2 – "Vanity of vanities, saith the
Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity."
Key Words: all is vanity

We read in Ecclesiastes 1:2, “Vanity of vanities,

saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.” As
you read these words, does it not sound as one speaking
who is living a life without meaning?
Life without meaning is like words without
punctuation. Take these fourteen words, for example:
that that is is that that is not is not that it it is.
Now punctuate them and they read: that that is, is
that that is not. Is not that it? It is.
The significance of these fourteen unpunctuated
words is not what they say, but the fact that they say
nothing.
Life is that way: unpunctuated, it is monotonous
and meaningless. It takes the exclamation points,
question marks, periods, and the dashes to make life full
of richness and meaning. Life without punctuation is
like a piano with only one note, a phone book with one
number, a thermostat with only one setting.
The question marks of life may perplex you, the
commas may try you, and the periods may momentarily
stop you; but all of these are so that life can have
meaning. It’s the punctuation marks of life that slow us
down and cause us to reflect on what is really important
in life: God, family, and the church.
So today, if life has no meaning, you need a
punctuation mark to slow you down and let you pause
for a moment to think about all the blessings you really
do have to be thankful for.

What to do:
✞Make your life about Christ, for without Him, life is
meaningless.

****************************************

Conflict of Being Wronged

November 16

 Bible Reading: Genesis 37:1-18

 Key Verse: Verse 12 – “And when they saw him afar
off, even before he came near unto them, they
conspired against him to slay him."
Kmey Words: they conspired against him to slay
him

When you are wronged by others, what is your

response? When one is wronged, it tells you three things.
First of all, it tells you about the one who inflicts the wrong.
Hurt people, hurt people. Proud people also hurt people.
Secondly, it tells you about the character of the one wronged,
by how they handle being hurt by others. Those wronged tend
to respond in one or more of the following ways. First, the
person of weak character will be highly offended and attempt
to get even by threatening, by withholding love, attention, or
possessions. They may even withdraw, move on to another
person or place. The person with strong character will forgive
and pray for those who have hurt them.
When Jesus was wronged and falsely accused by the
leadership of the Pharisees, He answered them not a word,
and while dying on the cross, He prayed, “Father, forgive
them, for they know not what they do.”
If you have ever been wronged by others, here are
some verses to remember.
• Matthew 5:9, “Blessed are the peacemakers: for
they shall be called the children of God.”
• Matthew 12:34b, “...for out of the abundance of
the heart the mouth speaketh.” (So what are your
words saying about your heart?)
• Ecclesiastes 5:2c, “...therefore, let thy words be
few.”
• Matthew 7:12, “Therefore all things whatsoever
ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to
them: for this is the law and the prophets.”
• James 3:2b, “If any man offend not in word,
the same is a perfect man.”
• Psalm 19:14, “Let the words of my mouth and
the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight,
O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.”
• I Peter 3:10, “For he that will love life, and see
good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his
lips that they speak no guile.”
• Psalm 119:165, “Great peace have they which
love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.”
I close by giving you four thoughts. 1) Choose your
words carefully. 2) Two wrongs never equal a right. 3)
Remember, your talk talks, and your walk walks; but your
walk talks louder than your talk talks. 4) I am seldom sorry
for what I do not say. But I am often sorry for what I do say.

.
What to do:
✞Remember, it is better to be the one that is
wronged than to be the one who wrongs.

****************************************

Wrong Words
November 17

 Bible Reading: Proverbs 15:1-7

 Key Verse: Verse 1 – "A soft answer turneth away
wrath: but grievous words stir up anger."
Key Words: grievous words stir up anger

How we respond to others who are angry, in all

likelihood, will determine if we have war or peace.
The wise man knows how to use knowledge so that it
shall be for profit. He also knows when to speak and when to
be silent. The fool is always ready with a retort, whether it be
fitting or not.
In Gideon’s answer to the men of Ephraim we have a
precious example of the soft answer that turneth away wrath,
and the wisdom that uses knowledge aright.
As a husband and wife drove together down a highway,
they noticed a mule. The husband looked at his wife and said,
“There goes one of your relatives.” She replied, “Yeah, I
know…by marriage.” No doubt now the war of words is on.
It’s always wise to make your words tender…for
tomorrow you may have to eat them.

What to do:
✞Use soft words. They are much easier to swallow.
 Say What!
November 18

 Bible Reading: Matthew 5:33-42

 Key Verse: Verse 39 – "But I say unto you, That ye
resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy
right cheek, turn to him the other also."
Key Words: but whosoever will smite thee on the
right cheek, turn to him the other also

Dr. Rod Mattoon writes: “When I attended Normal

Community High School, home of the Ironmen (yea!), I went
out for the track team for two years. The month of February
and March were difficult months because we were getting in
shape for the season. This involved a lot of running in track
practice after school. There were times we would have to run
a mile at practice. If our coach was not pleased with our
performance, we would have to run more laps, sometimes
another extra mile. That was rough, believe me! I remember
one time, puking on the track after such a practice. Going the
second mile is uncomfortable and not easy at all and what
Jesus is instructing us to do in this section of His sermon is by
far not easy either.”
We live in a country where we are very concerned
about our rights. Movements have been developed for civil
rights, women’s rights, children’s rights, workers’ rights,
prisoners’ rights, and so on. The principles given here go
against the grain because we have to surrender our rights to
be in compliance with what the Lord is instructing us to do.

What to do:
✞ Remember, it’s better to turn the other cheek than
to live in constant conflict.
 Do the Best You Can
November 19

 Bible Reading: Romans 12:9-19

 Key Verse: Verse 18 – "If it be possible, as much as
lieth in you, live peaceably with all men."
Key Words: If it be possible, as much as lieth in
you, live peaceably with all men

J. Vernon McGee says the following about verses 17

and 18.
“Recompense to no man evil for evil.” The suggestion
is that the believer may expect evil at the hands of the world.
However, we are not to strike back.
“Provide all things honest in the sight of all men.”
There is nothing that can hurt the cause of Christ any more
than a dishonest Christian. The non-Christian is not
concerned about the doctrine you hold – whether you are a
premillennialist or whether you believe in election or free will.
However, he does want to know if you are truthful or not, and
he does want to know if you pay your honest debts. Are you a
person that a man can depend upon? Providing things honest
in the sight of all men is a lot better than giving out tracts, my
friend. Let me illustrate this.
Some years ago in Memphis, Tennessee, a white man
handed a black man a tract. “What is this?” asked the man.
The white man replied, “It is a tract and I want you to read it.”
“I don’t read,” the man replied, “but I tell you what I will do –
I will watch your tracks.” Oh, how accurate that is! The world
is watching the tracks that you make, not the tracts you give
out. Don’t misunderstand me; giving out gospel tracts is
important. But you had better have a life that will back them
up when you give out tracts.
“If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live
peaceably” -- I love this because there are people that you just
cannot get along with; they won’t let you get along with them.
A dear lady who lived alone, a very wonderful Christian, called
me one day in deep concern because she had a neighbor
whom she couldn’t get along with, and she wondered if I
would come and talk with the neighbor. As I was driving out
there, I was thinking that since this lady had been living alone,
although she was a Christian, she might be a little difficult
herself. So I went out and talked to her neighbor. Well, the
neighbor told me what she thought of me as well as this dear
lady. I went back to this wonderful Christian and said, “I
don’t think you need to worry any more if you can’t get along
with her. Nobody can get along with that woman. The Bible
says ‘as much as lieth in you’; it doesn’t say you have to get
along with her. Just do the best you can.”

What to do:
✞Just do the best you can.

****************************************

Greed and Conflict

November 20

 Bible Reading: Proverbs 28:22-28

 Key Verse: Verse 25 – "He that is of a proud heart
stirreth up strife: but he that putteth his trust in the
LORD shall be made fat."
Key Words: He that is of a proud heart stirreth up
strife

The word proud means to broaden, to expand, to have

more or to be greedy. Greed will and does cause conflict in
business, in family,...why, even in churches.
She owns a string of hotels. She owns the Empire
State Building. She is a billionaire. Yet, in September 1989,
Leona Mindy Rosenthal Helmsley was convicted of 33 counts
of tax evasion, for which she faces the possibility of being sent
to prison for 100 years. According to Time magazine, she
emerged as a penny-pinching tyrant who tried to cheat just
about everybody. No amount of money was too small to fight
over. Because of greed, after the sudden death of her only son
at age 40, in 1982, she sued and won the lion’s share of his
estate, $149,000, leaving his four children with $432 each
and his widow with $2,171.
Needless to say, there was a family conflict before she
sued and it continues to this day, even though she passed
away in 2007. Greed really does cause conflict.

What to do:
✞Live for God’s glory or you will end up living for and
in greed.

****************************************

Conflict Brings Out the

Worst in Us
November 21

 Bible Reading: Proverbs 17:1-14

 Key Verse: Verse 14 – "The beginning of strife is as
when one letteth out water: therefore leave off
contention, before it be meddled with.”
Key Words: The beginning of strife is as when one
letteth out water

Small leaks don’t stay small. Either they are

sealed or they become a flood. So it is with conflict. If
not settled in a short amount of time, it will eventually
erupt into a flood of strife and confusion. It is then that
we see the worst in people.
On February 14, 2000, a very special yet unusual
wedding took place. The wedding was between Benny
and Brandy. You might wonder what was so special
about a wedding held on Valentine’s Day. Well, Benny
and Brandy are two dogs. The newspaper ran a story
with a picture of Brandy dressed in white and Benny
with a dog tux on being brought by their owners in
preparation for the unusual wedding ceremony. It
turned out to be a fairly big event in Houston actually, as
dog lovers from all over came to celebrate the union.
That’s interesting, I thought. Here we have Benny and
Brandy trying to be human, and then we have married
couples who act like dogs, fighting and barking at each
other all the time, devouring one another. And we’re
supposed to be the human ones.
Like I said, conflict brings out the worst in us.

What to do:
✞ Repair the small leaks before you are drowned in
the flood.

****************************************

In Conflict with Ourselves

November 22

 Bible Reading: Galatians 5:1-17

 Key Verse: Verse 15 – "For the flesh lusteth against
the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these
are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot
do the things that ye would."
Key Words: and these are contrary the one to the
other

Have you ever had a conflict between your flesh and

your spirit? Self-conflict can be one of the worst of all
conflicts.
Years ago cars were not as sophisticated as they are
now. When the power steering fluid level was good, turning
the wheel was a breeze with one finger. When your power
steering fluid got low, you’d have to force the wheel to turn.
You’d have to pull and tug. It wasn’t natural. The pull of the
wheel back to the center was so strong that without power
steering, when you’d take your hands off the wheel, it would
snap back to its neutral position.
Some of our lives are like this. We pull and tug trying
to make ourselves better and different. After awhile we get
tired and go right back to where our bodies are naturally
programmed to be. That is what happens when you try to fix
the “body of this death” (Romans 7:24) through human effort.
It is naturally bent to sin.
So it is always going to go back there. Once you take
your hands off of it for one minute, it is going to roll right
back to its natural bent.
So the conflict between flesh and spirit will continue.
It has existed since Adam and will until the Lord returns; but
as for me, I’d rather just obey the Lord and live without the
conflict.

What to do:
✞ It’s always wise to remember that a double-minded
man is unstable (in conflict) in all his ways.

****************************************

Conflict & Righteousness

November 23

 Bible Reading: II Chronicles 26:16-23 (It would be

 helpful to read all of Chapter 26)
Key Verse: Verse 18 – "And they withstood Uzziah the
king, and said unto him, It appertaineth not unto
thee, Uzziah, to burn incense unto the LORD, but to
the priests the sons of Aaron, that are consecrated to
burn incense: go out of the sanctuary; for thou hast
trespassed; neither shall it be for thine honour from
the LORD God.”
Key Words: And they withstood Uzziah
 If you stand for righteousness, you no doubt will have
a conflict with unrighteousness. So it was with Azariah the
priest.
We learn several lessons from Uzziah the king. First,
we learn that your position doesn’t give you the right to do
whatever you desire to do. Secondly, we learn that your
accomplishment doesn’t grant you the right to go and do what
you desire. Thirdly, your past victories do not grant you
permission to do and be what you desire.
Uzziah was a man with great accomplishments but
when his heart was filled with pride, he became an
unrighteous man. From there the conflict with righteousness
is inevitable.
There was a time in India that when the husband died,
he would be cremated. Now, here comes the conflict…not
only would he be cremated, but so would his wife who was
very much alive. When the British government took over
India, they required that this practice be stopped which was
the righteous thing to do. But the leaders of India disagreed
and mutiny resulted. Righteousness and unrighteousness
can’t dwell together. When both are demanding to have their
way, the conflict is on.

What to do:
✞ Remember, standing for right is not for wimps.

****************************************

Stopping Conflict
November 24

 Bible Reading: I Peter 3:1-11

 Key Verse: Verse 10 – "For he that will love life, and
see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil,
and his lips that they speak no guile:”
Key Words: let him refrain his tongue
 Have you ever heard someone say, “I wish I could take
back what I said”? Sorry, but you can’t!! Once you’ve said it,
it’s out there and it will travel far and wide. As it travels, it
grows and as it grows, conflicts begin to blossom.
A young boy one day went to a monk and said, "I have
slandered my neighbor. What can I do?” The monk said,
“Take a feather and put it on every step in the neighborhood.”
And so the boy put out a couple hundred feathers. He went
back to the monk and said, “OK. Now what?”
“Now go pick them up.” But when the boy went to
pick them up, most of them had been blown away by the wind,
to which the monk said, “Once you gossip, it’s nearly
impossible to stop it.”
One way you stop a conflict is by refraining the tongue
from evil.

What to do:
✞Stop conflict by closing the mouth.

****************************************

Peacemakers
November 25

 Bible Reading: Matthew 5:1-12

 Key Verse: Verse 9 – "Blessed are the peacemakers:
for they shall be called the children of God.”
Key Words: Blessed are the peacemakers

We do not become a child of God by being a

peacemaker; but we do become known as a child of God by
being a peacemaker.
Every Christian is a minister of reconciliation and has
the responsibility of bringing harmony where there is conflict.
Put another way, Christians are God’s Peace Corp.
 Some women go to the hairdresser in order to get
“perms.” These perms change the texture of hair from one
thing to another. After applying the perm to the hair,
professional hairdressers will use neutralizing shampoo to
assure that the harsh chemicals don’t do lasting damage.
Christians are called to be peacemakers. A person who
has the ministry of reconciliation has been called by God to
neutralize harsh situations so that damage caused does not
continue.
May God bless those who aid in preventing conflict
because the Lord knows they have a full-time job.

What to do:
✞All of us are peacemakers or conflict-makers. Which
do you want to be?

****************************************

The Fight
November 26

 Bible Reading: Galatians 5:15-26

 Key Verse: Verse 15 –“But if ye bite and devour one
another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of
another.”
Key Words: take heed that ye be not consumed one
of another

I served with honor in the Viet Nam War. On occasion

we would hear of some of our own soldiers who were killed,
not by the enemy but by “friendly fire.” That was always some
of the saddest news to hear.
So it is in our service for God as well. Paul warns us to
not bite and devour one another. No doubt that causes the
demons to rejoice when we kill one of our own with “friendly
fire.”
 A couple of navy stories may help illustrate the sad
result of internal strife and the positive result of unity. Two
battleships met in the night and began to attack each other. In
the conflict, a number of crewmen were severely wounded,
and both vessels were damaged. As daylight broke, the sailors
on the ships discovered to their amazement that both vessels
flew the English flag. Many years earlier, just before the battle
of Trafalgar in 1805, the British naval hero Lord Nelson
learned that an admiral and a captain in his fleet were not on
good terms. Sending for the two men, he placed the hands of
the admiral and the captain together. Then, looking them
both in the face, he said, "Look -- yonder is the enemy!" And
so it is!!

What to do:
✞ Remember, if you fight fire with fire, in the end all
that’s left is ashes.

****************************************

The Conflict Still Rages

November 27

 Bible Reading: Genesis 21:9-21

 Key Verse: Verse 13 - “And also of the son of the
bondwoman will I make a nation, because he is thy
seed.”
Key Words: will I make a nation, because he is thy
seed

The Jews and Egyptians and Arabs claim that the land
of Israel is theirs because all of these peoples have Abraham
as their “father” and the land was promised to Abraham. But
God cleared the whole matter up when He declared Jacob to
be Israel; however, the conflict still continues and will until
the Lord returns.
 I found a toy car under one of the seats in my vehicle.
Not knowing where the toy came from, I declared it to be
mine. One day a grandchild asked me about it so I gave it to
him. Later another grandchild said it was theirs. Well, it was
a conflict and I had to settle it so I let the original grandchild
who saw it first, have it. That was my right, that was my
decision to make and I made it. Now the other grandchild
wasn’t happy and for several weeks there was a battle over
ownership; but remember it was a useless battle. I had
already decided whose it was. So in the end, that child was
going to win!!
So it is with the land of Israel. God decided thousands
of years ago and in the end, Israel wins. No doubt about it.

What to do:
✞ Follow the Bible and you will never go wrong.

****************************************

Criticism
November 28

 Bible Reading: Jeremiah 11:18-23

 Key Verse: Verse 19 - "But I was like a lamb or an ox
that is brought to the slaughter; and I knew not that
they had devised devices against me, saying, Let us
destroy the tree with the fruit thereof, and let us cut
him off from the land of the living, that his name may
be no more remembered.”
Key Words: that his name may be no more
remembered

The religious (but lost) Jews did not care for Jeremiah.
They criticized him continually and in Chapter 11, their
criticism was so great that Jeremiah felt like a lamb about to
be brought to the slaughter (verse 19). It’s not until the end
though that Jeremiah was victorious and his critics, well let’s
just say, they were defeated. In the end Jeremiah never
pleased his critics nor did he desire to. Neither will you please
your critics, nor in most cases, should you desire to.
When Robert Fulton first introduced his new
invention the steamboat, plenty of critics crowded on the river
bank. These critics yelled, “It’ll never start. It’ll never start.”
Fulton proved them wrong. After a lot of clanking and
groaning, it started moving down the river. The critics were
momentarily quiet. Then they rallied and hollered, “It’ll never
stop, it’ll never stop!” Never strive to please the critics,
because you never will.

What to do:
✞Time used trying to please your critics is called
wasted time.

****************************************

The Beginning of Conflict

November 29

 Bible Reading: Isaiah 14:1-14

 Key Verse: Verse 13 & 14 - "For thou hast said in thine
heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my
throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the
mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:”
(vs. 13) “I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I
will be like the most High.” (vs. 14)
Key Words: I will

Conflict didn’t begin on earth; it began in heaven when

Satan and his “angels” rebelled against God. Where you find
Satan, you find conflict.
A play-action pass is where the quarterback receives
the ball from the center. He turns and he fakes a handoff to
the running back. The goal of the fake is to get the defense to
trap the running back. The quarterback then tucks the ball
and goes in the other direction to throw to a receiver. If he’s
done his job well, the defense has been distracted for a
moment, thinking that someone else has the ball so that the
quarterback can throw it to a wide-open receiver.
Satan has run a play-action pass on us. He has faked
us out with the wrong purpose and we keep chasing it so that
he can distract us from the real play. Like a pickpocket who
loves a crowd, Satan has been robbing you of your purpose,
getting you distracted from God’s plan. He brings conflict
into your life and will continue to do so. The answer is just a
closer walk with Jesus. He is the answer for all conflicts.

What to do:
✞Have victory over conflict by walking in the Spirit.

****************************************

It Is Finished
November 30

 Bible Reading: Revelation 20

 Key Verse: Verse 10 – “And the devil that deceived
them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone,
where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall
be tormented day and night for ever and ever.”
Key Words: day and night for ever and ever

On this day we will say with the song writer, “It is

finished. Conflict will end.”
The song “It Is Finished” came from the Gaithers
hearing a message by evangelist B. R. Lakin. The end of his
message is as follows.
“And the drops of blood from His precious hands
seeped into the sand below the old rugged cross and said to
the sand, ‘It is finished.’ The grains of sand whispered their
message to the blades of grass, ‘It is finished!’ A little bird
swooped down and plucked a blade of grass and flew to the
top of the pine tree and carried the message to the uppermost
branch, ‘It is finished!’ The pine standing like a sentinel raised
its branches to the sky and repeated to the forests around and
the clouds above, ‘It is finished!’ The heavens echoed the
wondrous liberating news, ‘It is finished!’ until the winds blew
across the sea and the waves lapping on the shore repeated
the message to the farthest oceans, ‘It is finished!’”
And so one day it will be and then we can sing “It is
finished!” Until then we sing, “What a day that will be when
my Jesus I shall see.”

What to do:
✞ Rejoice, dear friend, conflict is not forever.

Notes:
I deeply appreciate the help
of

Mary Parsons

Glenda Myrick

And my lovely wife, Linda

Without God using these

people to help, this
devotional would not have
been possible.
 is a ministry of

5568 Chalkville Mountain Road

Birmingham, AL. 35235
(205) 854-2741
www.mountainviewbaptist.org