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follow the principles in Matthew 18:15-20 to restore someone who has a fault. If they are publicly teaching heresy or making false prophesies, then admonish them once or twice. If they still continue without repentance then they must be rejected as heretics. Continue to pray for them but calmly warn others away from them. This is the Biblical way to deal with problems.
Never react in anger to those who disagree with you.
We need to be careful, in the body of Christ, with our true brothers and sisters in the Lord, to have self-control over what we say.
Friendship
There once was a little boy who had a bad temper. His father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, he must hammer a nail into the back of the fence. The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Over the next few weeks, as he learned to control his anger, the number of nails hammered daily gradually dwindled down. He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence...
Finally the day came when the boy didn't lose his temper at all. He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper. The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone.
The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence. He said, "You have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one. You can put a knife in a man and draw it out. It won't matter how many times you say I'm sorry, the wound is still there. A verbal wound is as bad as a physical one. Friends are a very rare jewel, indeed. They make you smile and encourage you to succeed. They lend an ear, they share a word of praise, and they always want to open their hearts to us.
Be careful to keep the bonds of friendship among the body of Christ. Take out the nails then repair the holes.
Self-Control on the Battlefield
"The battlefield is chaotic and deadly, and it is on the battlefield that we hold the responsibility of enormous destructive power in our hands. There, most of all, self-control is the premier ethical virtue."
"Self-control is a crucial value for all Marines to develop. It requires discipline, patience, self-understanding and a willing deference to others and the greater good. In a hectic world where so many things are beyond our control, self-control provides personal balance and a firm anchor of peace. As Marines develop self-control, they also improve their character." Semper Fidelis, C.C. Krulak, 1996
This is a motto of the Marines which also has many applications for a soldier of the cross. Self-control shows the world that we as believers are fair, prudent, just, in control of our appetites and our minds, and in tune with the Word of God. This is how we can demonstrate that we belong to Christ. There are many Christians today who are very bad examples for Jesus Christ. They lack self-control in their lives, in fact the lack of self-control is glorified on TV and in Third Wave meetings. This is a black eye on Christianity from which I don't think we can now recover. Therefore we must be salt and light as individuals, helping people to see that those false brethren do not represent us. We must not let our light go out and our salt become unsalted.
Like the Scrubbing of a Doctor's Hands
Dr. Maltie Babcock was approached by a member of his congregation who was concerned about his health.
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