Current Battles

Welcome to today's word of encouragement from Our Daily Bread. Today's reading titled Current Battles was written by Dave Brannan. When you plug in your toaster, you benefit from the results of a bitter feud from the late 19th century. Back then, inventors Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla battled over which was the best kind of electricity for development. Direct current or DC, like the current that goes from a battery to a flashlight, or alternating current, AC, which we get from an electrical outlet. Eventually, Tesla's AC ideas powered through and have been used to provide electricity for homes, businesses, and communities around the world.

AC is much more efficient at sending electricity across great distances and proved to be the wiser choice. Sometimes we need wisdom as we face issues of concern between believers and Jesus. In Philippians chapter 3, the apostle Paul called us to seek God's help for clarity in such matters.

He said, if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. A few verses later, we see the results of two people who let a difference divide them, a conflict that grieved Paul. I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. Whenever a disagreement starts to tear us apart, may we seek God's grace and wisdom in the scriptures, the counsel of mature believers, and the power of prayer. Let's strive to be of the same mind in Him. This is today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading. It's taken from Philippians chapter 3 verses 12 through 16 and chapter 4 verses 1 through 2. Not that I have already obtained all this or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.

Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do, forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. All of us then who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you.

Only let us live up to what we have already attained. And now chapter 4 verses 1 through 2. Therefore, my brothers and sisters, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, dear friends. I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. Now let's go to God in prayer. Dear Father, help us to seek your wisdom when we're in conflict and we don't see eye to eye with another follower of Christ. May our paramount goal be always to glorify you, to live peaceably, and to have unity with your children. Give us discernment and humility to be of one heart and mind as we seek to follow you. Thank you, Lord. It's in your Son's name, Jesus, that we pray. Amen. Thank you so much for listening today. My name is Wes Ward, and today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.