Running To Win on Oneplace.com

It can take years to form the deep divisions that keep families and former friends apart. And it may take just as long to heal those wounds. Today we'll learn the steps to take to seek and find real reconciliation from the teachings of Jesus.

Jesus never complained when He suffered. So why do we haul fellow believers into court when we think we've been cheated? Maybe it's because we think we can get justice from unbelieving judges. In reality, God wants us to get our justice from His hand. It's better to suffer a wrong than to tarnish the name of Jesus in a court of law.

Making sure you get justice is a big deal in the world's value system. That's why so many people file lawsuits. When Christians absorb the world's values, they file lawsuits along with everybody else. The Bible tells us that such actions defame the cause of Christ. Today: a call for believers to act like believers and let God be their final bar of justice.

It's almost fashionable to sue someone these days. Court dockets are overflowing as people demand payback for injustice. Sadly, too many of these cases involve Christians, in violation of the New Testament. The Apostle Paul has some pointed words for those of us who'd like nothing better than to stick it to a fellow believer in court. Today, some counter-cultural teaching.

When you're under constant attack, you cry out for God to intervene. When God deposed King Saul, David was anointed to be king of Israel. And Saul didn't go quietly--he pursued David for ten years. So, what lessons was God teaching David--and us?

Saul didn't like it when God removed him as Israel's king. He spent ten years trying to kill his replacement: David. And like David, some of us have been on the receiving end of spears thrown by those who hate us. Today we'll look at some of the techniques people use to destroy those they despise--and how believers should respond when they're attacked.

Spear throwers. Some may call them destroyers. They're self-absorbed and they're out to make sure they look better than anyone else--and they will hurt people to keep appearances up. There are many people who are under constant attack by these destroyers. What drives these "spear throwers?" And how do we, as believers, handle long-running attacks from others? Today, we'll look at David and Saul for a biblical approach on what to do when reconciliation is not possible.

The best part about a feud is when it ends--when forgiveness terminates the acrimony and hatred. The Bible's account of Joseph and his estranged family points the way for those of us trapped in family feuds.

Family feuds can last for centuries. Generation after generation nurse old grudges that keep people apart. But the cycle can be broken. Forgiving others dissolves years of hatred in mere moments. That's what happened when Joseph forgave his brothers for selling him as a slave. Join us today for one of the most unforgettable episodes in all of the Bible.

Falsely accused of rape, Joseph found himself rotting in a dungeon, wondering if he'd ever see daylight again. While in prison, he helps a cupbearer who then forgets about Joseph's plight. Injustice followed him wherever he went, but he didn't give up hope. And he didn't give in to bitterness. What would you do if caught in this kind of family feud with no apparent way out?

Families can be torn apart by feuds. Whether due to real or imagined hurt, some feuds go on for generations and conflict becomes a way of life. Unless the cycle is broken, hatred can consume blood relatives. So, is there a way out?

Using the story of Jacob and Esau, Pastor Lutzer shows us that family divisions can be devastating and last for decades. We see how Jacob spent most of his life manipulating events to get what God had already promised--the older would serve the younger. But after Jacob confessed that he was a "cheater," God renamed him Israel. Sometimes God needs to humble us and bring us to a point of great need in order to reconcile us to Himself--and to others.

It would be nice if all disputes could be resolved and all conflicts reconciled. But that's not always possible, and in some cases, resolution is not an option. Sometimes we have to shut the door and set the deadbolt. Today: guidance from the life of Jacob on when and where to bar the gate.

Jacob and Esau are classic examples of how different two siblings can be. Conflict was almost inevitable. Jacob (the younger brother) conspired to get the birthright of Esau (the elder brother), and the lifelong battle began. Today, we learn some lessons from the family of Isaac.

We all recoil from stories of killers who slay without conscience or remorse, and then complain if they're not treated properly. In their minds is a double standard of behavior. They're like Cain who had no sorrow for killing Abel, but was quite worried that someone might kill him. In today's message: understanding the mind of the self-absorbed.