Constant Controversy

Have you ever been misunderstood? Have you ever been misrepresented? Has anyone ever taken your words and motives and twisted them around and used them against you? If you live long enough in this world you are going to face that kind of a personal attack.

I can remember an instance in another church when a certain group in that church took my preaching tapes and listened to them to find words and phrases they disagreed with. These disagreeable sayings were brought up in a business meeting and used to attack me personally. It hurt at the time, but it was a good lesson to me. It served to remind me that God’s servants will be attacked. It also reminded me to think about my words before I say them because I might be called on to give an account of them.

The earthly ministry of the Lord Jesus was surrounded by constant controversy. Nearly everyone He met misunderstood Him and what He came to this world to do. Nearly everyone was guilty of misrepresenting His words and His works. The things He did and said in love were used to attack Him in hate!

Alan Carr, The Servant Under Attack

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Differences of Opinions

Dr. Eugene Brice tells a delightful but disturbing story about a minister who returned to visit a church he had once served. He ran into Bill, who had been an elder and leader in the church, but who wasn’t around anymore. The pastor asked, “Bill, what happened? You used to be there every time the doors opened.”

“Well, Pastor,” said Bill, “a difference of opinion arose in the church. Some of us couldn’t accept the final decision and we established a church of our own.”

“Is that where you worship now?” asked the pastor.

“No,” answered Bill, “we found that there, too, the people were not faithful and a small group of us began meeting in a rented hall at night.”

“Has that proven satisfactory?” asked the minister.

“No, I can’t say that it has,” Bill responded. “Satan was active even in that fellowship, so my wife and I withdrew and began to worship on Sunday at home by ourselves.”

“Then at last you have found inner peace?” asked the pastor.

“No, I’m afraid we haven’t,” said Bill. “Even my wife began to develop ideas I was not comfortable with, so now she worships in the northeast corner of the living room, and I am in the southwest.”

King Duncan, quoting Eugene Brice,

Categories: Glume sarate