Contentions

Hello everyone,

How are you doing on this day? I hope well and bubbling in the Lord. We thank God for His goodness, His faithfulness, His lovingkindness and tendermercies.

Primary Text

“For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.” 1 Corinthians 1v11 (KJV)

“For it has been made clear to me, my brethren, by those of Chloe’s household, that there are contentions and wrangling and factions among you.” 1 Corinthians 1v11 (AMP)

Here, Paul in continuing his letter to the church in Corinth, raises the issue of contentions that he has heard to be among them. A contention could be a “a struggling between opponents; competition; strife in debate; dispute; controversy.” (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/contention?s=t). As individuals we may find ourselves in contention with someone else – a friend, spouse, parent, boss…. Now contentions might rise for different reasons, but we have been called to peace. Proverbs 17v14 (AMP) says “The beginning of strife is as when water first trickles [from a crack in a dam]; therefore stop contention before it becomes worse and quarreling breaks out.” Be careful beloved. Let us see one another as brothers and sisters, not as opponents and those we are in competition in. Ephesians 4v31 (AMP) tells us “Let all bitterness and indignation and wrath (passion, rage, bad temper) and resentment (anger, animosity) and quarreling (brawling, clamor, contention) and slander (evil-speaking, abusive or blasphemous language) be banished from you, with all malice (spite, ill will, or baseness of any kind).” Do you find yourself constantly in contention? Or being bitter, angry, resentful, malicious, … God can change you. As long as you are His child and His Spirit is living in you, submit to the Spirit of God and be changed from the inside out.

Supplementary Text

“But the fruit of the [Holy] Spirit [the work which His presence within accomplishes] is love, joy (gladness), peace, patience (an even temper, forbearance), kindness, goodness (benevolence), faithfulness, Gentleness (meekness, humility), self-control (self-restraint, continence). Against such things there is no law [that can bring a charge].” Galatians 5v22-23 (AMP)

Prayer

Father, we thank You so much for today. We thank You for Your Word. Father, we thank You because we are sinners saved by grace. Lord God Almighty, we pray this day that You will search our hearts, and purge us of everything that is not of You – pride, anger, bitterness, malice, contentions, envy, strife, greed, unforgiveness, lust, jealousy, idolatry – everything Lord that You have not planted in us, please uproot in Jesus name, amen. We ask for a fresh outpouring of Your Spirit and yield to You Spirit of the living God. Please change us God from the inside out, making us vessels of honor unto You. This we pray, knowing You have heard, in Jesus mighty name, amen.