In April 2018, our Br. Aadam Yates was elected to the position of Zion’s Advocate Editor. Br. Aadam shortly thereafter emailed the ministry requesting Zion’s Advocate submissions. I replied and congratulated our brother. My brother replied in return asking if I could write an article on the topic of hope. I told my dear brother I would do so.
It is a blessing to be in the service of God and I HOPE that this article will be a blessing to you. There have been many times when I have read an article in Zion’s Advocate but have not applied it to my life. Therefore, I HOPE that you take advantage of the effort that our Br. Aadam and others put into the Zion’s Advocate publication. I see how we are all tempted to wander away from the Lord and neglect these teachings from God, just as those in our scripture did to their eventual destruction. They had forgotten their first love. They no longer had a thirst for instruction and God’s Word.
Thinking about hope, I realized that there were many ways I could approach the topic. Instead of writing a lengthy dissertation on what scripture says about hope, I decided to keep the article simple and just ask these questions: What things should we be hoping for? What things do I hope for? Would the things I hope for bring edification and value to my life, as well as the lives of my brothers and sisters and those I come in contact with on a daily basis? In trying to answer these questions, I formulated a list of hopes I have for you to consider. Note that I am keeping with the common definition of hope as we understand it in our daily usage of the word.
I HOPE that this list is pleasing in the sight of God. I’ve tried to correlate these hopes below with what I believe is conveyed in the Word of God that we should strive for. The things we hope for should also be converted into prayers that are delivered to our Father in heaven. I fall short too many times in directing my hopes as prayers. Only God truly knows what is good and right and what we need. God will deliver if our hopes and prayers are pleasing to Him and according to His will.
Voici les choses que j’espère :
- J'ESPÈRE que nous n'idolâtrons pas les choses du monde, nous-mêmes, notre sagesse ou notre connaissance au-dessus de Dieu :
I could make a long list of things in this world that draw our attention away from our God, but I will not do that. You know what those things are in your life that you are tempted to elevate above God. Everyone’s list is different. We all have a list of things that have drawn us away from God in our past or even currently.
We also tend to elevate ourselves above God and think we always know what is best. We say to ourselves, “I surely know what’s best. This is me we’re talking about and not them. Everyone else is different from me. I’m special, and I’m the one that is in tune with the Lord and know what’s right. My way always agrees with God’s way.”
Job 31 : 24-28 – 24 « Si j'ai fait de l'or mon espérance, ou si j'ai dit à l'or fin : Tu es ma confiance ; 25 Si je me suis réjoui parce que ma richesse était grande et parce que ma main avait obtenu beaucoup; 26 Si je voyais le soleil quand il brillait, ou la lune marchant avec éclat ; 27 Et mon cœur a été secrètement séduit, ou ma bouche a baisé ma main: 28 C'était aussi une iniquité qui devait être punie par le juge: car j'aurais renié le Dieu d'en haut.
2 Néphi 3:62-62 « Je ne mettrai pas ma confiance dans le bras de la chair ; car je sais que maudit soit celui qui met sa confiance dans le bras de la chair.
Proverbes 3 :5 – 5 « Confie-toi au Seigneur de tout ton cœur ; et ne t'appuie pas sur ta propre intelligence.
Romains 1 :24-25-24 « C'est pourquoi Dieu les a aussi livrés à l'impureté, par les convoitises de leur propre cœur, pour déshonorer entre eux leurs propres corps : 25 qui a changé la vérité de Dieu en mensonge, et qui a adoré et servi la créature. plus que le Créateur, qui est béni pour toujours. Amen."
Ésaïe 2 :8-8 « Leur pays est aussi plein d’idoles ; ils adorent l'ouvrage de leurs propres mains, ce que leurs propres doigts ont fait : »
Psaume 31 : 24-24 « Ayez bon courage, et il fortifiera votre cœur, vous tous qui espérez en l'Éternel. »
- J'espère que nous pouvons être dirigés par Dieu à travers son Esprit au-dessus de l'homme :
We have a tendency as humans to look to man for our answers. In the world we see how pastors and preachers are elevated and worshipped. People attend churches specifically because of the pastor that serves there. They boast of them and lift them up to others. Both the Israelites and those in the Book of Mormon wanted a king. We at times also put people on pedestals and allow ourselves to be led only by them, and neglect direction from God.
Actes 5 : 29-29 « Alors Pierre et les autres apôtres répondirent et dirent : Nous devons obéir à Dieu plutôt qu'aux hommes. »
2 Néphi 7:21-21 « Car moi, le Seigneur, le Roi des cieux, je serai leur roi ; et je serai pour toujours une lumière pour ceux qui entendent mes paroles.
- I HOPE and pray that God will allow us to be instruments in the physical healing of others… Through our prayers, administration, and the faith of those being administered to:
As we go through life, at times we may come across someone who is in need of a physical healing or has an ailment of some sort. This might be someone outside the church that we do not even know. We may come across this person sometime during the week during our normal daily routines.
When I see people that need a blessing of healing my heart sometimes pours out with compassion for them. This especially happens to me when I see a child that is suffering. I wish sometimes that they would let me administer to them, that they would have the faith to be healed, and God would bless them with a miraculous healing. Of course this is possible, and we have seen it before. We also read about great episodes of healing in our scripture as Christ walked the earth. The people that Christ administered to had sufficient faith to be healed in many cases. Unfortunately, in our day and age this at times is lacking.
It’s somewhat ironic that I say these things. Shortly after I was called as an elder I had a dream. I was walking around in the back of a church looking out over the congregation. The congregation was full and someone was preaching up front (I don’t know who it was. It was just the shadow of a person). I then saw someone I love sitting in one of the church pews. They are not accepting of my beliefs and are not currently a member of the Church of Christ. They were looking down and shaking their head to the left and right. It was impressed upon me in the dream that they were repenting of how they had treated me in the past because of my beliefs, and that they had made a mistake. I then saw someone else I love walking down the side aisle of the church. My three daughters ran up to this person and gave them a hug. This person also is not a member of the Church of Christ. I believe this occurance will be in the future, and these two people I love will be brought to accept the fullness of the gospel. That is my hope.
In getting to my point, someone then approached me in my dream and asked if I would administer to someone in need. I said yes. I eventually made it over to a room where I was to administer to this person. As soon as I reached the door two elders walked out of the room and said, “They’ve already been administered to.” I then woke up from the dream.
Sometime later I was contemplating about this dream and I realized the point of that last statement. I need to make sure I do my job and administer when it’s required, and offer up my assistance quickly in this regard. When I was first called I would get nervous when administering to individuals. I now try to direct my prayers up to the Lord with compassion for the person more fully, and that nervousness has subsided as I have grown, though I admit a part of me is always a little nervous when I do any work for the Lord. But how can I say I want to see people be healed when I have been reluctant in the past to administer to them?
Do we have compassion for people on our prayer list and people that we pray for during a church service? If we do not, then we are not exhibiting the love of Jesus Christ and fall short.
3 Nephi 8:6-8 6 “And he saith unto them, Behold, my bowels are filled with compassion towards you: Have ye any that are sick among you, bring them hither. 7 Have ye any that are lame, or blind, or halt, or maimed, or leprous, or that are withered, or that are deaf, or that are afflicted in any manner, bring them hither, and I will heal them, for I have compassion upon you; 8 My bowels are filled with mercy; for I perceive that ye desire that I should shew unto you what I have done unto your brethren at Jerusalem, for I see that your faith is sufficient, that I should heal you.”
- J'ESPÈRE que nous lisons notre Écriture :
I had another dream towards the beginning of June 2018. I was in the process of leading a scripture study along with another brother at the Bradley Local. We were discussing various things, and I don’t remember exactly what topic we were discussing; What I do remember is that at one point during the study I paused and then spoke very plainly. I said to those that were listening that it is our responsibility to read our scripture regularly and to apply it in our life. After I woke up that statement hit home and I realized its importance. I had actually been thinking about the need for more personal scripture study during the few months leading up to that dream. The dream reinforced this thinking.
One of my daughters reads scripture with me or my wife every week. Each week she asks, “When are we going to read?” She always reminds me. She has a strong thirst for the gospel and wants to know what she believes. She is not waiting or putting it off. The time to do this is NOW, and she is cognizant of that.
Matthieu 4 : 4 – 4 « Mais il répondit et dit : Il est écrit : L’homme ne vivra pas de pain seulement, mais de toute parole qui sort de la bouche de Dieu. »
- J'ESPÈRE avec le cœur.
In the last year I’ve made an effort to better express my prayers from my heart. We need to be in tune with the Lord if we are going to offer up a prayer. It is certainly hard to pray when our lives aren’t right with God. If we are not right with God, it’s just lip service and we will have difficulty finding the words. If that is the case, then we are not only hurting ourselves but those around us that also need our prayers.
I am a man short on words, but I try to make my words count when I do speak. The length of the prayer doesn’t matter, but the intent of the heart. Sometimes the most efficient prayers are the prayers expressed from our innermost being without even speaking a word.
Are we praying to God or praying to those in the church who are listening to our prayers? Are we uniting ourselves with one another as we pray together?
Matthieu 6 : 7-8 – 7 « Mais lorsque vous priez, ne répétez pas en vaines, comme le font les païens : car ils pensent qu'ils seront exaucés à force de parler. 8 Ne leur ressemblez donc pas, car votre Père sait de quoi vous avez besoin avant que vous le lui demandiez.
- J'ESPÈRE que nous pourrons tous être d'accord sur le corps :
This, of course is hard. If it’s not one topic that we disagree upon, it’s another. Some topics are minor and others are much more serious. We may agree with someone on one topic, but find ourselves in complete disagreement with that same person on something else. Therefore, who you choose to ‘unite’ yourself with may vary from year to year. Unite yourself with God first, and then we will become united as a body. I long for this day when we all fully will be in one accord:
Ésaïe 52 :8-8 « Tes sentinelles élèveront la voix ; ils chanteront à voix haute, car ils seront d’accord lorsque l’Éternel ramènera Sion.
Philippiens 2 :1-4 – 1 « S’il y a donc quelque consolation en Christ, s’il y a quelque consolation d’amour, s’il y a quelque communion d’Esprit, s’il y a quelque entrailles et miséricorde, 2 Accomplissez ma joie, afin que vous ayez les mêmes idées, ayant le même amour, étant d’un même accord, d’un même esprit. 3 Que rien ne se fasse par querelle ou par vaine gloire ; mais, dans l'humilité d'esprit, que chacun estime les autres meilleurs qu'eux-mêmes. 4 Ne regardez pas chacun à ses propres affaires, mais chacun aussi à celles des autres.»
- J'ESPÈRE serons capables d'avouer nos fautes et de travailler ensemble pour nous édifier les uns les autres.
I am a great sinner and I make mistakes. I may also have one gift but completely lack in another. We need to work together to take advantage of each other’s strengths. Where I fail I want you to help me. I want to help you where you fail. Also, without an attitude of pure humbleness and love for one another, we will find ourselves tearing down someone instead of building them up. I have seen people torn down in church in front of an entire congregation. Hurtful things are said to people even when one person’s intent may have been to please God. In many of these cases it becomes very painful to the person who was criticized so openly.
Jacques 5 : 16-16 « Confessez vos fautes les uns aux autres et priez les uns pour les autres, afin que vous soyez guéris. La prière fervente et efficace d’un homme juste est d’une grande utilité.
Proverbes 12 :18 – « Il y a ceux qui parlent comme les coups d’une épée ; mais la langue du sage est la santé. »
- J'ESPÈRE pourrons être encourageants.
I am not the best encourager. I know others who are and have greatly encouraged me. I appreciate the encouragement those at the Bradley Local have shown me over the years, as well as many of our apostles who are much wiser than I. Instead of always being a taker, I am striving to be more of a giver. Maybe you have the gift of encouragement? Are you using it? Are you trying to develop that gift?
I have been a supervisor now for a few years. This week I took aside an employee I supervise and let them know what a good job they were doing. It appeared to me they were having a bad day and I wanted to let them know how much I appreciated them. I was able to brighten the day of this person and he really appreciated the things I had to say. I have a long way to go here in developing this characteristic, but it’s a start.
1 Thessaloniciens 5 : 11 – 1 « C'est pourquoi consolez-vous ensemble et édifiez-vous les uns les autres, comme vous le faites aussi. »
- J'ESPÈRE serons capables d'éliminer toute indécision, peur, confusion et méfiance au sein de l'Église du Christ.
These four words were presented to a brother in a vision many years ago. The vision presented was a crossroads with those particular four words placed at that crossroads. I have found myself at times with indecision, fear, confusion, and mistrust – indecision regarding a choice I should make, fear regarding what might or might not happen, confused and unable to follow, understand, or determine the Lord’s direction, and mistrust of someone or something I hear them say. I also have seen these characteristics exhibited by others within the church. These things clearly are among us to this day. (Additional articles have been written about this vision and are available in past issues of Zion’s Advocate such as Volume 92, Number 6, November-December 2015, and Volume 63, Number 7, July 1986).
The past year has been particularly hard for me at times, as I know it has been for some of you as we try to sort out various issues within our minds, pleading to God for His direction. In the past year I had become so frustrated with a situation that it felt like I had put the weight of the entire world upon my shoulders, and it was up to me to solve. It was a heavy burden and was affecting my relationship with others, including some in the church. Satan was working very hard to discourage me. I didn’t understand how God could allow some things to happen, and I still do not understand all of His ways. My discouragement, though, was not what God wanted, and this was made very clear when a sister in the church told me about an experience she had. In this experience she saw my face and felt the weight of this very heavy burden that was weighing me down. I only recently turned this burden over to the Lord. I never want to go back there again. I am no expert on how to fix various problems, and only the Lord can get us to where we need to be. God has the answers we need, and we need to continue to go to Him in humbleness.
3 Néphi 8:47-47 « En vérité, en vérité, je vous le dis : vous devez toujours veiller et prier, de peur que vous ne soyez tentés par le diable et que vous ne soyez emmenés captifs par lui. »
- J'ESPÈRE que nous ne devenons pas trop confiants en nous-mêmes :
I have heard it said that we are “right where we need to be” as a people in the church. This is perhaps true in some ways, but certainly not in many other ways. There’s one particular scripture that I think of:
2 Néphi 12 :25-26 – 25 « Et il en pacifiera d’autres et les endormira dans la sécurité charnelle, afin qu’ils disent : Tout va bien en Sion ; oui, Sion prospère, tout va bien ; 26 Et ainsi le diable trompe leurs âmes et les entraîne prudemment en enfer.
I see how dreams and visions have been given to those in the church who were truly reaching out to God and looking for help in ways they can be corrected. God has offered that correction in various forms to different individuals, including myself. I have also seen others who I have put on a pedestal corrected by God. Please remember that God loves who He corrects. I would rather be loved and corrected than not corrected and not loved.
- J'ESPÈRE que le Seigneur nous utilisera pour apporter la plénitude de l'Évangile aux autres :
The sons of Mosiah risked everything to go and preach the gospel to the Lamanites. They are a great example to us. Jesus Christ gave His all for us, yet why are we unwilling to do the same for others?
Mosiah 12 :1-4 – 1 « Après que les fils de Mosiah eurent fait toutes ces choses, ils prirent un petit nombre avec eux et retournèrent vers leur père, le roi, et lui demandèrent de le faire. accorde-leur de pouvoir, avec ceux qu'ils ont choisis, monter au pays de Néphi 2, afin qu'ils puissent prêcher les choses qu'ils ont entendues et communiquer la parole de Dieu à leurs frères, les Lamanites. , afin que peut-être ils puissent les amener à la connaissance du Seigneur leur Dieu, et les convaincre de l'iniquité de leurs pères ; 3 Et afin qu'ils puissent peut-être les guérir de leur haine envers les Néphites, afin qu'ils puissent aussi être amenés à se réjouir dans le Seigneur leur Dieu, 4 afin qu'ils deviennent amicaux les uns envers les autres et qu'il n'y ait plus de querelles dans tous les pays. pays que l'Éternel, leur Dieu, leur a donné.
- J'ESPÈRE que nous sommes capables de résister à la persécution ou aux difficultés pour le bien de l'Évangile :
Matthieu 5 : 10-10 « Bienheureux ceux qui sont persécutés à cause de la justice : car le royaume des cieux est à eux. »
- J'ESPÈRE serons capables d'éliminer toute fierté :
Is pride really that bad? The Book of Mormon makes it very plain that pride is a terrible and unacceptable thing. This to me is another one of those “plain and precious things” that the Book of Mormon offers.
Alma 3:50 – « Voici, êtes-vous dépourvus d’orgueil ? Je vous le dis : si vous ne l’êtes pas, vous n’êtes pas prêts à rencontrer Dieu.
- J'ESPÈRE que nous pourrons défendre ce qui est juste :
This one is hard for some people and easy for others. Some are very bold while others are more timid. There’s a time to keep our peace, but there’s also a time to speak up.
I’ve been on Facebook actively now for about a year (perhaps to my detriment?). I post dreams and visions from those within the Church of Christ for people to consider. I know I have probably offended some people (particularly those outside of the Church of Christ that I know resist it). There are also three people I work with that see my postings. I’ve wondered if that’s a good thing. On the other hand, multiple people I know that are not members of the Church of Christ are reading these dreams and visions and are learning about God through them… They have told me this. From time to time an old friend from high school contacts me and tells me he is reading the dreams and visions. My neighbor reads them regularly and seems to find comfort, direction, and hope in them, though they are not a member of our church. (They even have liked some of the Book of Mormon scriptures I have posted though they don’t use the Book of Mormon in their church.) A part of me didn’t expect this would happen, but of course my whole reason for posting them in the first place was to reach out to others. I believe these are blessings God has given to me, as He understands the intent of my heart and has blessed my efforts.
In order to make a difference, sometimes we have to speak boldly, and God requires it of us no matter what others might think. One day we will be rewarded, assuming those things we speak of boldly are in harmony with God. That is the hard part if we are not careful.
Actes 9 : 29-29 « Et il parla hardiment au nom du Seigneur Jésus, et discuta contre les Grecs : mais ils allèrent le tuer. »
Jude 1 : 3-3 « Bien-aimé, lorsque j’ai pris toute la diligence de vous écrire au sujet du salut commun, il m’a fallu vous écrire et vous exhorter à combattre avec ferveur pour la foi qui a été une fois transmise au saints. »
- J'espère que nous ne nous séparerons pas les uns des autres si nous ne sommes pas d'accord :
I’ve seen articles in older Zion’s Advocates about this very subject. I see it in the present-day Church of Christ to some extent. People separate from one another when they disagree on even minor matters. Sometimes we aren’t willing to love someone, talk to them, or even sit down with them for lunch or dinner at a reunion or during conference. If you separate yourself from a brother or sister and one day you realize it was you that had the problem or were in error, then you will regret it later. It will be to your and their detriment. This may cause others to stumble as well. Don’t you know that your positive influence may help that brother or sister in need?
Matthieu 5 : 44-44 « Mais moi, je vous le dis : aimez vos ennemis, bénissez ceux qui vous maudissent, faites du bien à ceux qui vous haïssent, et priez pour ceux qui vous maltraitent et vous persécutent ; »
- J'ESPÈRE que nous ne faisons pas trébucher un frère ou une sœur à cause de ce que nous enseignons ou croyons :
This is a hard one because we all are capable of sinning and misleading others. We all are capable of making the wrong choices and being led by Satan one way or another. Sometimes we have to make choices. If I choose incorrectly, then I may cause someone to err also, and that could have very serious consequences. Before making a quick judgment (of which I have been guilty of doing), take some time to go to the Lord and get it right before you promote a particular belief. Hopefully, your belief will be in harmony with God’s Word.
1 Néphi 3:175-175 « Et à cause de ces choses qui sont ôtées de l’Évangile de l’Agneau, un très grand nombre trébuchent, oui, à tel point que Satan a un grand pouvoir sur eux ; »
Matthieu 18 :6-7 – 6 « Mais si quelqu'un offense un de ces petits qui croient en moi, il vaudrait mieux pour lui qu'on lui pende une meule au cou et qu'il se noie dans les profondeurs de la mer. 7 Malheur au monde à cause des offenses ! car il faut nécessairement que les offenses surviennent ; mais malheur à l'homme par qui vient l'offense !
- J'ESPÈRE , nous pourrons nous rétablir tout en restant utiles les uns aux autres :
I’ve seen church people make wrong choices in their lives, but have later repented of those choices and made changes. Unfortunately, some brethren reject them entirely for the remainder of their life or question their service because they once made an incorrect choice; that being enough for them to permanently separate themselves from their fellowship. A permanent lack of trust develops, as does their opinion about that person. Perhaps this can be related to that crossroads vision that had the word, “mistrust.”
Mosiah 9:28-28 « Et alors, il arriva qu'Alma, qui avait fui devant les serviteurs du roi Noé, se repentit de ses péchés et de ses iniquités, se promena en privé parmi le peuple et commença à enseigner les paroles d'Abinadi ; »
1 Jean 1 :8-10 – 8 « Si nous disons que nous n’avons pas de péché, nous nous trompons nous-mêmes, et la vérité n’est pas en nous. 9 Si nous confessons nos péchés, il est fidèle et juste pour nous les pardonner et pour nous purifier de toute injustice. 10 Si nous disons que nous n'avons pas péché, nous le faisons menteur, et sa parole n'est pas en nous.
- J'ESPÈRE que nous faisons partie des choses stupides et faibles du monde :
God indeed has used the foolish and weak things of the world to do His work in the past. Who among the ministry was called into his position because of a degree or speaking ability? I see within the church that the humble people are the ones God truly works with. It’s the humble and weak ones that God powerfully uses to achieve His purposes. Consider Joseph Smith Jr., the boy that God used to do a great work. He was certainly perceived as foolish and weak by the world. I see young men in the church who have not put any confidence in themselves, and they cry out to the Lord. It is certainly possible that one day these men may be called into the ministry. Others perhaps need more humility before they are able to do even a greater work for God. I think many members of the ministry had to go through this process prior to their calling, including myself. I need to stay in that place of weakness and humbleness for the remainder of my life.
1 Corinthiens 1 :25-29 – 25 « Parce que la folie de Dieu est plus sage que les hommes ; et la faiblesse de Dieu est plus forte que les hommes. 26 Car vous voyez votre vocation, frères, que peu de sages selon la chair, peu de puissants, peu de nobles, sont appelés. 27 Mais Dieu a choisi les choses insensées du monde pour confondre les sages ; et Dieu a choisi les choses faibles du monde pour confondre les choses fortes ; 28 Et les choses viles du monde et les choses qui sont méprisées, Dieu a choisi, oui, et les choses qui ne sont pas, pour anéantir celles qui sont, 29 afin qu'aucune chair ne se glorifie en sa présence.
Éther 5 :28-28 « Je donne aux hommes la faiblesse, afin qu'ils soient humbles ; et ma grâce suffit à tous les hommes qui s'humilient devant moi ; car s’ils s’humilient devant moi et ont foi en moi, alors je rendrai fortes pour eux les choses faibles.
- J'ESPÈRE qu'il n'y aura plus de contestation :
Since joining the Church of Christ in 2005, and especially after becoming an elder, I have seen things that have broken my heart. I also look back at things I have done that I regret doing. On the other hand, I have seen some very special things, and there have been great blessings.
I never thought something so beautiful could be so hard at times. I am learning more and more that it can be hard to wander through various problems and make sense of them. I wonder why some of us can’t get along, and then I realize the great power Satan has to tear us apart.
After my first Ministers’ Conference I walked out the door to that piece of land we call the temple lot and cried. I saw anger and contention that was exhibited on that particular day, and I, too, have even participated in this to a degree on a few occasions. I was told that another brother had the same experience the first time he attended the Ministers’ Conference. These contentions make grown men weep and cry just as Nephi wept on his pillow at night for his people.
Another brother was in a Ministers’ Conference and listened while the ministry discussed a topic on which there was much disagreement. After taking a break and then moving into the next session, this brother spoke up and said he had heard the Holy Spirit weeping as the ministry debated on the matter from the previous session.
I also see unhealthy contention exhibited on social media sometimes and it breaks my heart, especially for those that are looking in as outsiders on the conversation. It’s very difficult to not slip up on these occasions and say something we shouldn’t. People disagree on a matter, and some may think they are justified in saying hurtful things to another for the entire world to see without any shame. If we have something against a brother or sister, it’s more appropriate to talk to that person individually instead of over Facebook, or even for us in front of everyone at church, at Conference, a Ministers’ Conference, or other. Be careful what you write electronically for the world to see. Believe me, I know. If I am not careful, I will slip up again in the future. We all face this danger if we use social media. There are some emails and texts I would certainly like to have back (personal as well as work emails)!
Nous connaissons si bien certains de ces versets :
3 Néphi 5:30-30 « Car en vérité, en vérité, je vous le dis, celui qui a l'esprit de querelle n'est pas de moi, mais il est du diable, qui est le père de la querelle, et il attise le cœur des gens. hommes à combattre la colère les uns contre les autres ; »
Jacques 3 : 13-18 – 13 « Lequel d’entre vous est sage et doué de connaissance ? qu'il montre, par une bonne conversation, ses œuvres avec douceur et sagesse. 14 Mais si vous avez une envie amère et des querelles dans votre cœur, ne vous glorifiez pas et ne mentez pas contre la vérité. 15 Cette sagesse ne descend pas d'en haut, mais elle est terrestre, sensuelle, diabolique. 16 Car là où il y a l'envie et la querelle, là est la confusion et toutes les mauvaises œuvres. 17 Mais la sagesse qui vient d’en haut est d’abord pure, ensuite paisible, douce et facile à prier, pleine de miséricorde et de bons fruits, sans partialité et sans hypocrisie. 18 Et le fruit de la justice est semé dans la paix par ceux qui font la paix.
Ecclésiaste 3 :7-7 « Un temps pour déchirer et un temps pour coudre ; un temps pour garder le silence et un temps pour parler ;
Proverbes 17 : 27-28 – 27 « Celui qui a de la connaissance ménage ses paroles, et l'homme intelligent est doté d'un esprit excellent. 28 Même l'insensé, lorsqu'il se tait, est considéré comme sage, et celui qui ferme les lèvres est considéré comme un homme intelligent.
Matthieu 18 : 15-16 – 15 « Si ton frère a péché contre toi, va et raconte-lui sa faute entre toi et lui seul : s'il t'écoute, tu as gagné ton frère. 16 Mais s'il ne t'écoute pas, prends-en encore avec toi un ou deux, afin que toute parole soit confirmée par la bouche de deux ou trois témoins.
Ephesians 4:29-32 – 29 “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. 30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: 32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”
- J'espère que vous savez à quel point chacun d'entre vous compte pour moi :
Philippiens 1 :8 – 8 « Car Dieu est mon témoignage : combien je désire vous tous dans les entrailles de Jésus-Christ. »
In summary, as I write these things down my heart breaks at times. I think of my own shortcomings and I think of those things we need to work at as a church body. These things weigh on my heart… Please forgive me of my shortcomings and slip-ups.
I HOPE that this list will be of some benefit to both to you and to me. May God help and bless us in the years to come as we turn to Him and try to stay on the straight and narrow path.
Romains 8 :24-25 – « 24 Car nous sommes sauvés par l’espérance ; mais l’espérance qui se voit n’est pas l’espérance ; car ce qu’un homme voit, pourquoi espère-t-il encore ? 25 Mais si nous espérons que nous ne le voyons pas, attendons-le avec patience.