But peacemaking just won't work in this situation! (1 Corinthians 10:31)
Dear Members of the Our Savior Lutheran Church Email Prayer Chain Email,

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. –1 Corinthians 10:31

"But peacemaking just won't work in this situation!"

Unfortunately, many believers and their churches have not yet developed the commitment and ability to respond to conflict in a gospel-centered and biblically faithful manner. This is often because they have succumbed to the relentless pressure our secular culture exerts on us to forsake the timeless truths of Scripture and adopt the relativism of our postmodern age. Although many Christians and their churches believe they have held on to God's Word as their standard for life, their responses to conflict, among other things, show that they have in fact surrendered much ground to the world. Instead of resolving differences in a distinctively biblical fashion, they often react to conflict with the same avoidance, manipulation, and control that characterize the world. In effect, both individually and congregationally, they have given in to the world's postmodern standard, which is "What feels good, sounds true, and seems beneficial to me?" 

Taken from The Peacemaker: A Biblical Guide to Resolving Personal Conflict
by Ken Sande, Updated Edition (Grand Rapids, Baker Books, 2004) p. 14

Food for Thought

Biblical peacemaking should never be understood as a better way for you to win arguments where you're "right". It shouldn't even be understood as a more likely way to get to the truth. One or both of those things may happen, but neither gets to the heart of why we engage in biblical peacemaking. Biblical peacemaking is at its core a recognition that even in the midst of an argument where we have a lot to lose and where our opponent may be entrenched in sin, the most important thing we can do is to bring glory to God through our conduct. It is an act of faith that out of this peacemaking witness, God can do things far beyond upholding the truth or vindicating us, though he will also do both these things eventually. The "thing far beyond" that peacemaking makes possible is redemption--especially of those trapped in sin.

Next time you find yourself tempted to say, "But peacemaking won't work in this situation or with this person," remember that what God and you are attempting to "work" may be two entirely different things.

PRAYER REQUESTS -- Week of September 20, 2009

SOMETHING SPECIAL ABOUT WHICH TO PRAY

In our last fiscal year, we were blessed with an 11% increase in giving over the prior year.  Since we adopted our 09-10 budget in May, giving has been down 10% over the prior year.  If this trend continues for the next 10 months, we will end up the year $75,000-$80,000 short on revenues and will not be able to fund all of our ministry activities.  I ask you to pray about the blessings that God has given to you, the ministries that He is calling us to do over the remaining 10 months of this fiscal year and how you can support those ministries with your gifts of time, talent and treasure.

FOR THOSE WHO LOOK TO THE LORD FOR HEALING

Lily Snook                  Hospitalized with health concerns
Dorothy Ordel            Able to return to Jefferson Manor this week
Larry Lose                  Health concerns 

FOR NEW LIFE IN BAPTISM

For Peyton Lee Wacker, son of Kathy and  Doug Wacker
For Owen Nathan Felix, son of Audrey and Nathan Felix 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. --2 Peter 1:2-4

In Christ,
Paul E. Nickel
Director of Christian Education
Our Savior Lutheran Church
 

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