INTRODUCTION

No doubt about it: the world is full of problems. Every day, people choose to say and do things that they should not say or do. Their actions contain all of the necessary ingredients for strife. The Bible says a wrathful man looks for the possibility of strife and does whatever necessary to stir it up (Proverbs 15:18A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife.
See All...). Why does he do this? The Bible points out that he is proud of heart (Proverbs 28:25He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife: but he that putteth his trust in the LORD shall be made fat.
See All...) and full of hatred (Proverbs 10:12Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.
See All...). The Bible further describes this work in Proverbs 26:20-21 [20] Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth. [21] As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife.
See All... where it says, “Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth. As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife.” A contentious man seeks to rekindle the flames as he notices the fires of strife beginning to be extinguished.

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS

• (For children): The Jews who hated Paul’s gospel stirred up the people in their own cities: Antioch (Acts 13:50But the Jews stirred up the devout and honourable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts.
  See All...) and Iconium (Acts 14:1And it came to pass in Iconium, that they went both together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spake, that a great multitude both of the Jews and also of the Greeks believed.
  See All..., 2, 5-7). They even followed Paul to another city (Lystra) to stir up trouble (Acts 14:19And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead.
  See All...).
• (For everyone): Have you ever had a conflict with someone? Has it been resolved? Do you find that it seems to be fixed but then spirals out of control again? If so, someone is likely stirring up strife.
• Do you look for ways to turn people against one another? Do you seek to draw things out of people only to tell others and stir up trouble? If so, you need to repent and get right with the Lord!

PRAYER NEEDS

• Ask God to forgive you for times you have stirred up strife.
• Ask God to help you see when someone is trying to cause strife.

HYMN

YIELD NOT TO TEMPTATION

LTB DEVOTIONS ON FACEBOOK

Receive the daily devotions on your facebook wall by clicking "Like" on http://www.facebook.com/kingjamesbibledailydevotions.