Text 709, 128 rader
Skriven 2005-11-04 04:46:48 av Bob Hoffman (8:8/2)
Ärende: You Make the Trenches
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Faith's Checkbook

November 4

You Make the Trenches

"And he said, Thus saith the LORD, Make this valley full of ditches. For thus
saith the LORD, Ye shall not see wind, neither shall ye see rain; yet that
valley shall be filled with water, that ye may drink both ye, and your cattle,
and your beasts" (2 Kings 3:16-17).

Three armies were perishing of thirst, and the LORD interposed. Although He
sent neither cloud nor rain, yet He supplied an abundance of water. He is not
dependent upon ordinary methods but can surprise His people with novelties of
wisdom and power. Thus are we made to see more of God than ordinary processes
could have revealed. Although the LORD may not appear for us in the way we
expect, or desire, or suppose, yet He will in some way or other provide for us.
It is a great blessing for us to be raised above looking to secondary causes so
that we may gaze into the face of the great First Cause.

Have we this day grace enough to make trenches into which the divine blessing
may flow? Alas! We too often fail in the exhibition of true and practical
faith. Let us this day be on the outlook for answers to prayer. As the child
who went to a meeting to pray for rain took an umbrella with her, so let us
truly and practically expect the LORD to bless us. Let us make the valley full
of ditches and expect to see them all filled.

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I Wish You Hadn't Said That

Guidelines for Speaking Correctly in Small Groups

I know you've been there. It's prayer request time in your small group meeting
and someone says something that makes you squirm.

"I think we should all be praying for Jane. She's been on my heart lately. She
told me confidentially . . . "  "We should be praying for our leadership. I
still can't believe they decided to . . . " "My husband wouldn't tell anyone
this, but he . . ."


Despite our best intentions, prayer request time and open discussion in a small
group setting can be like an obstacle course. We want everyone to grow close
and to talk freely about genuine issues in their lives, but while doing so, the
group has to conquer hurdles of gossip, criticism and indiscreet speech. How
can we both encourage honest communication and guard against unprofitable
conversation? The following guidelines may help.

Don't tell the group anything about another church member that you don't have
permission to tell. Some people in crisis would love to have your small group
praying for them, but others choose to ask for prayers from only a few close
friends. Be sure to ask before you mention their situation to your group.

Don't tell the group anything so personal about your spouse or child that it
would break their confidence. It's important to remember that people feel
differently about what's appropriate to share with the group. A good rule of
thumb is, "What would happen if one of the group decided to discuss this
situation with my family member?" If your spouse or child would be
uncomfortable in such a situation, you should probably keep quiet. Also, be
careful to avoid criticizing your family members in speaking to others. If you
need counsel or support in a difficult family situation, choose one trustworthy
person to talk to, not the whole group.

Don't repeat what you hear in the group without permission of the one who
shares the information. If the individual experiencing a trial wants the whole
church to know, he or she will tell them or give you permission to do so.
Keeping confidences will build trust among the members of your small group.

Don't use the meeting to air your complaints against the church. Negative
speech against the church or its leaders is always inappropriate in this forum.
The Bible forbids both complaining (Philippians 2:14) and listening to idle
complaints against elders (I Timothy 5:19). Exploring grievances in a small
group forum is divisive because it breeds discontent and distrust (Proverbs
6:16-19; Titus 3:10-11). Talking directly to the leadership is the appropriate,
biblical way to deal with genuine concerns (Matthew 18:15-17).

Remember that confidentiality within the group does not override God's
instruction concerning church discipline. Don't expect the group to keep it a
secret from the church leadership if you are continually and unrepentantly
sinning in some area. If you are having an affair, harboring a grudge, etc.,
and make it clear you plan to continue in this sin, the group is obligated to
act according to biblical guidelines (Matthew 18:15-17; Galatians 6:1; James
5:19-20; 1 Corinthians 5).

Everyone in the group is responsible for the conversation and its content. If
the group strays into unprofitable speech, you need to correct them. If you are
uncomfortable with the way the conversation is leaning, take responsibility to
gently redirect it. Stopping a friend in mid-sentence with "Maybe we shouldn't
be talking about this . . . . By the way, how did your prayer request from last
week turn out?" is much kinder than allowing them to continue in speech they'll
regret later. Silently enduring a session of gossip or criticism profits no
one.

How to use these guidelines:

If you are starting a small group in the near future, consider presenting these
ideas at the first meeting, and reviewing them periodically with the group.
Existing groups can also adopt these guidelines. If your group doesn't, you can
at least use them to monitor your own speech.

Let no corrupt speech proceed out of your mouth,  but such as is good for
edifying as the need may be,  that it may give grace to them that hear. 
Ephesians 4:29

Copyright C 2005 Susan Verstraete.  Permission granted for not-for-sale
reproduction in exact form including copyright. Other uses require written
permission. See more ministry tools at

www.CCWonline.org
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