Truth really can be stranger than fiction.

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La verdad puede ser más extraña que la ficción.

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Manna Minutes Podcast: Eye-opening Bible study in less than five minutes! Access all episodes here.

Manna Minutes en español:

Estudio bíblico que nos hace abrir los ojos en menos de cinco minutos! Acceda a todos los episodios aquí.

Manna Minutes Podcast auf Deutsch:

Augenöffnendes Bibelstudium in weniger als fünf Minuten! Alle Episoden finden Sie hier.

Was There A Curse On Helen's Romantic Life?

The Third Man by Angela Sheffield is based on a true story. Read chapter one now!

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¿Qué tiene que ver conmigo? por Teófila Gottfried

Lo que leemos en la Biblia tiene que ver con todos los seres humanos, sean cristianos o judíos, ateos o agnósticos, budistas, musulmanes o adherentes a alguna de las filosofías o nuevas religiones que surgen en el mundo. ¿Por qué? Ver mayor información sobre este interesante libro.

Scripture of The Day - St. John 14:6

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Escritura del día - San Juan 14,6

Jesús le dijo: Yo soy el camino, y la verdad, y la vida; nadie viene al Padre, sino por mí.

Bibelstelle des Tages - Johannes 14,6

Jesus spricht zu ihm: Ich bin der Weg und die Wahrheit und das Leben; niemand kommt zum Vater, denn durch mich!

Resolving Conflict within the Christian Church the Biblical Way

Sadly, there is much strife among Christians in the church...strife that is not being dealt with, and that has, and continues to cause destruction. After all, if believers in Jesus won't love one another, how in the world are they ever going to reach the high call in Christ to love their enemies? (Matthew 5:44)

Indeed, there are biblical instructions for resolving conflict within the Christian church...instructions that aren't being followed for some very "good" and / or bad reasons. In the Scripture of Matthew 18:15-17, the Lord Jesus says, "If thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone. If he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church. But if he neglects to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican." We see that Christ gives us as many as three steps to take. In other words, there are three levels to resolving conflict within the Christian church.

Step one: Go to the brother or sister alone. If that doesn't work, do step two.

Step two: Take one two witnesses with you. If this doesn't work, move on to step three.

Step three: Take the matter before the church.

If the offending brother or sister doesn't repent after step three, he or she is to no longer be considered a Christian at all. The steps Jesus gives us to follow are not at all hard to understand or do. So why are they not being followed? There is probably more than one reason: timidity, lack of knowledge of what the Scriptures say about strife among Christians, lack of concern, fear of retaliation, etc. But probably the main reason is respect of persons within the church. If the party who was wronged knows he or she is a "second-class" brother or sister, he or she might be discouraged from even attempting the first step. This is most unfortunate. Anytime we don't do things the way God tells us to do them it's most unfortunate. But we have to admit that favoritism does, and will continue to discourage attempts to do things the right way. There's an African proverb that goes, "In a court of swine, the wolf never wins his case."

This also is a sobering reminder that if we do not observe to do ALL that God says, there will be problems that lead to more problems...and sin. The same Lord who said to follow the above-mentioned steps for resolving conflict within the Christian church also said not to have respect of persons.

We read, "If ye have respect to person, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors. For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of ALL. For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law" (James 2:9-11).

One of the first things we would do well to do when it comes to resolving conflict within the Christian church is to cleanse ourselves of the sin of having respect of persons. It is ugly in the eyes of Christ before Whom we all must stand one day.

Based on true events, The Third Man by Angela Sheffield, brings the Bible up close and personal as the characters face real issues of life: Betrayal, deceit, romance, bitterness, anger against God, hopelessness, will power, perplexity, triumph, unforgiveness, mental illness, and the "Alcohol made me do it" excuse. Read chapter one FREE now.

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