Difficult people

10/01/12 The greatest challenge we face in life is people. People can be difficult to deal with. Even the best of friends can have disagreements that may never be resolved on this side of heaven. The apostle Paul and his encouraging friend Barnabas could not agree on what to do with John Mark. As a result they had to go separate ways (Acts 15:36-40). (Paul did resolve the issue with Mark later is his ministry 2 Tim.4:11.) King David’s long time friend and worship companion, Ahithophel, betrayed him and even sought to kill him (Psa.55:12-14). While I could give more examples of difficult people there is one particular person that causes me the most difficulty and that is the one I want to deal with. And while I’m at it, this person is the most difficult one that you deal with as well. That person is the one you see in the mirror each day. The one who gives me the most grief is me! The reason that I cause others as well as myself difficulty and grief is because of my sinful nature. There is within each of us a sinful nature that the Bible usually refers to as the ‘flesh.’ We inherited it from our ancestor, Adam. Every one that has been born has inherited this hideous sinful nature that is contrary to God and everything that He represents. Most of those who will read this know that sin is wrong, it is breaking God’s law (1 John 3:4) and sin is omitting what we should be doing (James 4:17). But sin runs far deeper that most of us realize. There is not a part of our being that is not tainted by sin. When I am at my very best sin is still a part of what I am doing. The Bible says it this way, “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find” (Rom. 7:18). Paul knew sin was so strong in his life that he was unable to even to do one single ‘good’ act without it being tainted by sin. Remember Joshua the high priest clothed in those filthy garments (Zech.3). Those garments represented his attempts to do ‘good’ things apart from God. His ‘good’ works were so tainted by his sin that the devil could accuse him and be truthful. When you and I attempt to live apart from Christ we will not accomplish anything that is pleasing to our Lord (John 15:5). When we begin to see our wretchedness from God’s perspective we will flee to the cross and allow the blood of our precious Savior to cleanse us and make us fit for the Master’s use. How long has it been since you were convicted of a particular sin? What did you do about it? Prayer: Lord Jesus, if not for you I would be lost in my sins and bound for a hell that I deserve. Thank you for saving me and cleansing me. Work in me and through to do accrdong to your good pleasure. In Your name, amen