2 Thessalonians 3:14-15 And if any man obey not our word by this letter, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.… Do you know nine-tenths of the trouble in this world is the manifestation of a wrong spirit? There was a man down in Georgia, one of the leading members of the Methodist Church in his place. He paid liberally, was wealthy and respected. There was a renter on his farm who belonged to the same church. They had a quarrel, came to harsh words, almost to blows. On Friday the preacher heard of this difficulty. On Saturday he came to his appointment. He first went to the renter and said, "I hear that you and Brother So-and-So have had a difficulty. That won't do for brethren. I want you to agree with me, your pastor, that you will settle it and bury the whole question." "I am perfectly willing to do anything that is right about it. I am ashamed of the way I did and talked. I am perfectly willing to do anything that you and the congregation say is right to do." He drove over to the rich man's and said, "I understand you had a quarrel or difficulty with another brother of our church. I want you to promise me that you will drop the whole matter, and let us all go along as if nothing had happened." This brother said, "That man has treated me badly. I will quit myself if you don't turn him out of the church." The pastor soon saw that he was possessed of a bad spirit. They walked out in the grove together, and the pastor said, "Let us pray," and said he, finally, "My brother, for the cause of Christ, for the sake of souls and harmony in the church, will you not give me your promise?" "If you don't turn him out I will never pay another cent." The preacher looked at him and said, "I have done my best on you, and unless you become reconciled to your brother I will turn you out, if you paid 1,000,000 dols. a year!" That man left the church and became a common drunkard, and has gone to ruin. What was the matter with him? Just a bad spirit. O Lord, create in us a right spirit. If you have a right spirit you will do right. (S. Jones.) Parallel Verses KJV: And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. |
    |