I want to discuss something from today's "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers:
If . . you remember that your brother has something against you. . . . — Matthew 5:23
If when you come to the altar, there you
remember that your brother has anything against you, not – If you rake up
something by a morbid sensitiveness, but – "If thou remember,"
that is, if it is brought to your conscious mind by the Spirit of God:
"first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift." Never object to the intense sensitiveness of the Spirit of God in
you when He is educating you down to the scruple.
"First be reconciled to your brother . .
." Our Lord’s direction is simple, "first be reconciled." Go
back the way you came, go the way indicated to you by the conviction given at
the altar; have an attitude of mind and a temper of soul to the one who has something
against you that makes reconciliation as natural as breathing. Jesus does not
mention the other person, He says – you go. There is no question of your
rights. The stamp of the saint is that he can waive his own rights and obey the
Lord Jesus.
"And then come and offer your gift."
The process is clearly marked. First, the heroic spirit of self-sacrifice, then
the sudden checking by the sensitiveness of the Holy Spirit, and the stoppage
at the point of conviction, then the way of obedience to the word of God,
constructing an unblameable attitude of mind and temper to the one with whom
you have been in the wrong; then the glad, simple, unhindered offering of your
gift to God.
There are some who tell a person wanting to receive Jesus as Lord and Savior that they must first confess their sin. That is NOT true! It is not even possible! No, the only thing that an unbeliever must confess is Jesus as their Lord and Savior! All sin is covered by that one heart decision! Thank YOU, Jesus! What this devotion is speaking of is something that is between two people that could cause strife and division to continue. Do you remember that Paul said this in Romans 12:18:
18 If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. AMP
The exhortation above also says NOT to agonize over and try your hardest to remember or to drudge up something! As the Spirit of God brings something to you, deal with it in the manner in which HE instructs you! As I was preparing for the ministry, He brought to my understanding a situation that I had not fully dealt with, and He instructed me to apologize and take responsibility for my part in it. Although it was very hard, I KNEW that I could not move forward in the calling on my life to ministry until I did so. I obeyed and I have never looked back! Remember, this has nothing to do with the other person or persons! "...as far as it depends on you,..." is what the Bible instructs! Keep YOUR line of communication open with the Spirit of God Who lives in you! Listen, learn, obey and be blessed! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "Mighty To Save":
Shalom in Him!
