12. Ensign: Why I Don't Like Arguments

All ye inhabitants of the world, and dwellers on the earth, see ye, when he lifteth up an ensign on the mountains; and when he bloweth a trumpet, hear ye. Isaiah 18:3

AN ENSIGN ON THE MOUNTAINS 20 June 2014

When I was younger, I liked arguments. Often it's the only way I got to talking with people for an extended period of time. Heck, I used to savor arguments like you and I savor a thick, juicy steak now because I was right, I knew I was right, and I could prove it! You want to try and make me feel little with your point of view – oh no, I get to knock you down first! BUT even if I'm right and telling the truth, I sure as heck didn't convince you. In fact, I'm writing this paragraph of the message for the week at half past twelve Wednesday afternoon because a debate a friend of mine and I are having about choice is getting, I feel, antagonistic. And I really don't want to escalate an argument.

(Picking this up Thursday afternoon) And no matter who “wins” in an argument, no matter how educated or not they are, if it's not grounded in the Word of God, Satan wins. This came to me a few months ago when I had to end a friendship with a missionary whose pleas for prayer and celebrations of special events in their part of the world always came back to “give me money”. I said I'd pray for his work but I could not give him money. The presumption here is that because you happen to be in the United States (the person I corresponded with was from India, I believe) you have money to throw at any project claimed to be done to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Think what you want of my view on that, once we're before God in judgment I'm sure it will get hashed out to all our satisfaction! Take a look at how Jesus – and for that matter any of God's prophets in the Old Testament – dealt with the people who disagreed with them. They didn't argue “I'm right and you're wrong” but ultimately gave the same message (because every time we witness for our Lord and our God is the same message) again to a different audience every time. For every Jonah called to preach to Nineveh and the inhabitants of that Assyrian capital repenting, there's Jesus Who came to Chorazin and Bethsaida.

With little-to-no response to God's message to repent (that's ALWAYS God's message, if you take a minute and think about it, turn away from whoever or whatever is distracting you from Him) Jesus pronounced woe to that place (Matthew 11:21 and Luke 10:13). And whenever “woe” was pronounced by anyone truly speaking for God against anyone … not, it should have been and should be a major attention-getter. But no; you and I when we witness are there to share the Gospel message, not to guarantee the people we share it with will receive it. Even God does not do that – the peril and the pleasure of free will. God saying I love you enough to let you reject me.

He doesn't need to win the argument because He already has.

David

P.S. I write this weekly devotional to keep in touch with all of you in my address book, and I hope to be an encourager to action too! If you find that I'm not or you want me to get lost, just let me know -- thank you!

Thank You, Lord, that we can come to You in prayer and that You provide for all our needs, even when we don't know what they are. We pray for the peace of Jerusalem on both sides of the fence there and around the world.

Thank You, Lord, for everyone in leadership and service, both here and abroad. Thank You for the opportunities we have and the promise of new life! I pray that we all seek and have a blessed week. Amen.