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February 20, 2022 3:00 am
Notes
Christians may have conflict and disagreements.
The Bible is an honest book.
Some people bring joy wherever they go.
Others bring joy whenever they go.
We should never put a wall up where God has opened a door.
We need to be a like bridge, not a barrier, to bring people to Christ.
The gospel says, "Come to Christ, and He will clean up your life!"
What do you need to do to be saved?
1. Recognize that you are a sinner.
2. Realize that Christ died for you.
3. Repent of your sin.
Baptism is important but not necessary for salvation; it is a response to salvation.
When you have a disagreement with someone:
1. Don’t talk about them; talk to them.
2. Forgive them.
Forgiveness is good for you spiritually and for your health.
3. Reconcile
Before you can forgive others, you need to be forgiven.
Jesus says, "Come to Me, all you who are weighed down with sin.”
God loves you!
Scripture Referenced
1 Thessalonians 4:3
Matthew 18:15
Ephesians 4:26
2 Timothy 4:11
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Hey there Victor, listening to the Greg Laurie part just a ministry supported by harvest partners on Greg Laurie encouraging you if you want to find out more about harvest ministries. To learn more about how to become a harvest partner, just go to harvest.org. Let's pray together. Father, we ask your blessing now in this time of Bible study as we open up your word. Learn more about how to resolve conflict, we commit this time of study to you in Jesus name we pray. Amen. Your joining us for the first time here at our visit home will going through the book of acts together. It's a series that's called the upside down life when we call it that because these first century believers effectively turned their world upside down. That was said of them as a criticism, not a compliment, but really is what you call a backhanded compliment that they were making such an impact in their culture, but in my message for you now. The title is simply how to resolve conflict turned about three bikers that went to a highway A big burly biker dudes right they walk in and there's this guy sitting at the counter having breakfast a little guy.
Actually he was a truck driver drove one of those big semi's and and one of the bikers looked at him and took the food away from the guy had pushed him off the stool. The truck driver got up, walked out, got in this truck and he drove away. One of the bikers said to the waitress he wasn't much of a man was he and she said no he wasn't then looking out the window and watching the trucker drive away. She said he's not much of a driver either because he just drove over three motorcycles. Yeah, that's one way to try to resolve conflict, but we all have conflict in our lives. In one way shape or form either know about how you were raised will come to home you live dim, but I lived in a home of constant domestic violence. My mother was an alcoholic. She was married and divorced seven times. Several other boyfriends. In between, and it seemed like every night there was a big drunken fight in my house. The walls were very thin. There would be screaming. There would be yelling class would be broken things would be thrown either was kidding she would hit these men. The men would get her. I have to point out she never hit me. None of them hit me think God but they sure hit each other and you'd come out the next morning there would be gases in the wall tables overturned. It was ridiculous. Every night I dealt with this sort of thing so as a young man I was sort of navigating this crazy world.
I was placed in. And I found that I wanted to resolve conflict that I did like fighting. I didn't like screaming and yelling and so I was sort of learning how to be a peacemaker. I also develop my sense of humor and that time of sort of withdrawing from the chaotic world. I was raised in. I would retreat to my own imaginary world of cartoons and that's where I learned the drawn had little comic book adventures and things that I like to do to entertain myself when I was waiting for my mom and some bar or something like that and I developed a server, genital warts, since of humor. If you listen to me.
You might note that I can see humor in almost anything. These are defense mechanisms. One develops, but I've always wanted to try to resolve conflict. So when I became a Christian I was so thankful because I met all of these new folks that are now my Christian brothers and sisters night that now though be no more conflict. Everybody will get along would just sit around and sing Kumbaya all day long. Well I found out pretty quickly that was not going to be the case because there can be conflict and disagreement even among Christians, because after all were human. Listen, there can be conflict and disagreement even among godly people. So how do we resolve such a thing. Listen.
Some people run from conflict. Other people create conflict of there's always drama when you're around such a person.
It's always something you make your point. They always have the counterpoint even if what they're saying isn't accurate and maybe they even know it's not accurate.
They sort of like to mix it up a little bit.
A lot of these folks live online by the den. If I two characters that always bring things down. One is Bobby buzz kill. The other is Debbie downer right so whatever the conversation is you can count on Bobby buzz kill or Debbie downer to bring everyone down. I want to add 1/3 character.
Now Tina troll Tina troll she's related to these other two. She hangs out primarily on the hunting, I just have to laugh at some of the responses I get no I'm in multiple media platforms. I'm on twitter and on Facebook I'm on Instagram and it seems I get more of this on twitter so so you just go. She darted sweet hey we had a great meal today. Nice little picture of your meal and then you know some people go, that's great. Fantastic.
There's always Tina troll that will see something like well in mice must be nice to eat while others around the world are starving yeah okay then you sent out another little tweet.
Hey, here I am having a good time with my family and some will say that's fantastic. Oh what a beautiful family.
Here's Tina troll.
She comes along, not everybody has a family to better really like who are you, what is this all about, and then maybe as it coheres a beautiful photo of a sunset.
I just took in Tina troll or Bobby buzz kill or Debbie downer someone like that old quoted Scripture now love not the world, neither the things that are in the world like you that's actually out of context or you might say a had a great laugh with our friends and family. Yesterday the court another Scripture. James 49 let your laughter be turned to sorrow and then finally they think I've had enough of your bullying.
I'm going to unfollow you.
Who are these people, but these are people that like to create conflict.
Conflict follows them wherever they go.
River read the comic book tenets.
One of the little characters is called pigpen is always dirty and everywhere pigpen goes a little cloud of dirt follows him and in the same way.
For some people everywhere they go. Conflict follows because they effectively create the conflict. Listen, are all going to face conflict in life were all going to have people hurt us to have people mistreat us.
You have people slander us. So how can we, to the best of our ability resolve these conflicts. I bring this up because now the next chapter 15, we come to a conflict and I might add a conflict between two men of God I've told you before accident honest look at church history, God gives us these men and women that he worked through so powerfully with all of their strengths and all of their weaknesses. The story is told of the British legend Oliver Cromwell who wanted to have his portrait done.
This trainer was known to remove blemishes in an always make a person look better than they looked in real life. So Cromwell instructed the Peter keep me warts and all that with the Peter did and as you read the Bible, God gives us these heroes if you will, warts and all, with their flaws. So were reminded that even though they lived around 2000 years ago. They dealt with the same kinds of conflicts we deal with today.
There are's first century principles for the 21st century. So let's set the table here for acts chapter 15 there was some troublemakers.
They were Jewish legalists. They believed in Jesus, but they still wanted to practice all of the rituals of Judaism there identify this Judaizers.
In fact, Paul wrote a whole book to effectively refute them, known as the book of Galatians. Now they were walking around saying that the apostle James has authorized us to say if these Gentiles.
These non-Jews come to Christ they have to go to the Jewish ritual of circumcision. Otherwise they're not real believers. Now there's two things I bring to your attention about this number one that would hurt. Number two, they were pleasing and unnecessary barrier in front of these new believers procure these people non-Jews coming to Christ out of paganism and idolatry of their believing and so these Jewish believers are to know they they have to come to Judaism they have to keep all of our rituals and all of our laws and they have to be circumcised as well. Well Barnabas, remember he's Mr. encouragement.
The name Barnabas means encouragement or the son of encouragement that was the name given to him. So Mr. encouragement was not encouraged.
Mr. happy wasn't happy and there was a saying that the day Barney ain't happy, ain't nobody happy now that was the scene of the day, but Barnabas was not happy about this, nor was Paul the apostle they thought something needed to be done because so many Gentiles were coming to Christ through their preaching. In fact, wherever Paul and Barnabas was we would read. There was great joy. They would preaching would read. There was great joy wherever the legalists went there was misery. Some people bring joy wherever they go.
Some people bring joy when ever they go.
Which one are you are you the kind of a person that likes a room up. Are you the kind of a person that brings joy or you kind of the kind of a person that brings misery in and hear the Debbie downer. You're the Bobby buzz kill your the Tina troll, you're the person that actually gets in the way of people growing spiritually so you know Paul and Barnabas felt they needed to go back to the leaders of the church in Jerusalem's another returning to the mothership if you will to get input from James to is the half-brother of Jesus and of course Simon Peter, who spent so much time with the Lord. I mean think about James. I have brother of Jesus, or that be hard to not bring up in every single conversation right you know someone's talking about something so was my brother. Jesus once said to me or remember the time when Jesus and I were just boys were sitting at the table and we said mother Mary. Let us ask you this, and he had this family connection is funny though James never played the brother card, but he was known for his great wisdom that you wrote a book called the book of James.
That's filled with that wisdom so he was a very respected individual. He was effectively the leader of the church in Jerusalem and so here's what happened in acts chapter 15 starting in verse four when they arrived in Jerusalem. This would be Paul and Barnabas. They were welcomed by the whole church including the apostles and elders. Let me just put a little footnote in. Remember earlier. People were suspicious of Paul, but Barnabas vouched for him. Barnabas help Paul make that transition into the church and all because of God's blessing on Paul and Barnabas.
He was very respected by the other leaders in the church and some of the believers who belonged to the sect of the Pharisees stood up and insisted these Gentile converts must be circumcised and required to follow the law of Moses, so the apostles and elders met together to resolve the issue. So basically what happens now the apostles get together they pray about it. They think about it. They talk about it and they give a response.
First of all, they say number one, you don't have to be circumcised to be a Christian. There was a collective sigh of relief from politics.
Gentile believers right then James adds this in acts 15 verse 19 and so my judgment is we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles were turning to God. Instead we should write and tell them abstain from food offered to idols, from sexual immorality and eating the meat of strangled animals and from consuming blood so. There so one of these conclusions from the church deals with morality and the other to deal with sensitivity. Let's start with the one about morality. This is a no-brainer.
James says refrain from sexual immorality that comes from a single root word Cornelia sure you can figure out what word is comes from that pornography pornographic and does so basically, this word means any kind of sex outside of God's natural order.
Okay, so what is God's natural order. It's for a man and a woman to come together in marriage and commit themselves. Sex is an expression of that commitment. So extramarital sex that is sex outside of your marriage or someone else that you're not married to premarital sex that sex before marriage is forbidden in Scripture. There are no exceptions. By the way versus polonium 43 says God's will for you is to be holy and stay away from all sexual sin sometimes rose no Lord reveal your will to me that's a good thing.
Will God says here's my will on this topic. Refrain from sexual sin.
But now we come to more of a sensitivity issue that was more part of the culture of their day.
That is, don't eat food offered to idols, no it's hard for us to understand this but back in the day they had all these pagan temples all over the place and part of the ritual of the pagan temples as they would take to meet our animals and offer it to the false gods so you could buy that meat at a really good rate. A reduced rate. A killer deal if you will, because if you went down to the kosher market about the sink I debate it would cost a lot more. So these Gentiles are coming to Christ in their same let's get the discount. Meet. We know these items are real, what is it matter, let's just eat that meat. And that's kinda freaking out the Jewish believers because that offends their sensibilities. So Paul is a listen, you've got it be aware of this false, effectively saying to the Gentile believers, even if this doesn't mean anything to you and mean something to your Jewish brothers and sisters. So, for their sake, don't stumble them spiritually and eat this meat and hours and while there's no relevance for me today watching maybe there is. Here's a take away truth we should never put up a wall where God is opened a door, we want to be a bridge on a barrier to people coming to Christ.
We want to be a steppingstone, not a stumbling block we should never do anything to make it hard for a person to come to Jesus a looksee at our church. Someone shows up at the couple their living together and they show up at our church. Or let's say there's someone who's gay and they show up at our church. Or let's say there's somebody who is bound by drugs or alcohol. And they and they show up in someone might say they shouldn't be in our church. They shouldn't be allowed in the church. In fact, we should tell them they're not welcome until they make changes in their life. Listen, my job is to call these people to Christ. I'm glad there at our church. I seen someone that's not a believer coming to church. You hopefully wants to become a believer having a problem with that would be like going down to a hospital.
It's and what's the deal with all these sick people here while it's called a hospital and as I've said before, the church is a hospital for sinners. It's not a museum for Saints right so it is always my hope and prayer that any person who comes and visits would come to know Jesus Christ, so I don't say to a person is visiting our church as a nonbeliever. Hey, clean up your life and come to Christ.
My messages come to Christ and he will clean your life up. Listen to this. Jesus cleans his fish after he catches them. Jesus says he that would come to me I would in no way cast out member him with that woman caught in the act of adultery, he drives her accusers away. He asked her where are your accusers. She says I have none Lord. He says neither do I condemn you go and sin no more.
He didn't condemn that woman along with everybody else.
He showed love to her, and he pardoned her and what happens she was so thankful for what he did. She wanted to then serve him. Let's be careful to not get the cart before the horse. Now let me come back to those people again of a person who is gay is come to Christ.
Now they need to repent of that lifestyle and unlimited any longer.
If there's a couple a living together outside of marriage, they need to move apart and decide if they should get married but do it the way God wants them to do it ever person zero addicted to drugs or alcohol.
God wants to deliver them from that lifestyle just Christ will accept you as you are, but he doesn't want to leave you that way.
So here's a take away truth.
We don't want to do anything to keep people from hearing the gospel.
So in spring a note to the present day. Let's say I'm a mediator, which I have and you're vegetarian so we, God, and we have a meal or maybe you're a vegan and this is all very confusing to me because there's a difference between a vegetarian and vegan you see a vegan excludes all meat and animal products, including me. I delude the subs I'm reading it all meeting animal problem products including meat, poultry, fish, seafood, dairy and eggs dizzily a lot but it's okay you're a vegan you want to be a vegan. I'm okay with that but in a vegetarian. They're different. A vegetarian eats eggs and cheese but not meet poultry and seafood. Then there's the Peskin Terrien and the Peskin Terrien is someone that will eat fish, but not other meat products then there's the Presbyterian Peskin Terrien. That's a person who only eats fish in a Presbyterian Church. I meant that when abundant so you have your particular beliefs are things that you like to do. So here's the bottom line if for meeting eats meat in front of you vegetarian vegan or a Peskin Terrien if that offends you. That would hurt you spiritually. I can have a meal without meat. Let me apply it in a different way let's say one believers as well. I like to have a glass of wine, especially with my Italian food that may be sitting with you as a younger believer who came out of alcoholism and they been delivered by the power of God, but literally one sip of wine could take them down the road to ruin this it will that's their problem. They need to buck up in Hamlet know you need to be sensitive to them because were a family using Paul writes in Romans 1421.
It is good to not eat meat or drink wine or do anything that would cause your brother to stumble. Here's what the Bible says Romans 1419.
Aim for harmony in the church try to build one another up okay so coming back to the apostles. So the giver rolling circumcision are required.
Be sensitive to your brothers and sisters.
So coming back to what it is to believe in Christ. Here's our bottom line X 1511. We believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.
We shall we say, let me paraphrase that bottom line is Jesus and nothing not Jesus and circumcision not Jesus, and eating certain things are not eating certain things we can updated, not Jesus, and now getting baptized, so that's important or Jesus and receiving communion or Jesus and church membership know it's Jesus and nothing will you need to do to come into a relationship with God. What you need to do to be forgiven of your sins and know that you are say number one, you've heard me say this to give her watch one of our harvest crusades. You need to recognize that you're a sinner because the Bible says all of sin and fallen short of the glory of God. Every one of us have broken God's commandments fallen short of the standards, never to realize that Jesus Christ, the son of God died on the cross for you.
Jesus said for God so loved the world he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes should not perish but have everlasting life in Scripture remind us, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us recognize you're a sinner realize Christ died for you repent of your sin. The Bible says God is commanded people everywhere to repent you turn from your sin and you receive Christ into your life.
Being a Christian is a relationship with God, not a religious thing, not following a bunch of rituals. It's not about what you do for God. It's about would God is done for you mention baptism. Every Christian should be baptized but is not required to be say okay you do it because you're saved you don't do it to become saved.
You know sometimes people act as though their salvation came to their own efforts heard about a multimillionaire was talking to someone and that person hasn't told me the secret of your success.
How did you become a multimillionaire so the man said woman.
I was very young I was a very hard-working young man I was dirt poor. There were tough times, but I was very motivated and energetic. So I took my last time and I bought an Apple. I spent the rest of the day and the night polishing that Apple was a thing of beauty. The next day I went out in the street corner and I sold that Apple for $0.50 a P $0.10 sold for $0.50 that with the profit I want on about five more apples and I polish them as well and so those for $2.50 and I took the $2.50 about more apples and on it went. And soon I made $100 and then my wife's father died and we inherited $10 million forgot that part that the joke is, he didn't become a millionaire by polishing apples. He became a millionaire because someone gave him the money right so we'll become a Christian by polishing the apples. Oh, and I read my Bible every day and I pray and I received communion that I've been baptized, and I okay those things are all fine and all good, but we do this because were a Christian we don't do those things to become a Christian. We don't add works to this because the Bible says were saved through faith and not of works lest any man should boast. Again, it's Jesus and nothing okay so one problem is to act as though we earn our salvation. Another problem is complicating the way for people to come to Christ, you know, making it hard for them to understand. I've heard some preachers I have to say give what they call the gospel in its it's so convoluted they tied themselves up and do a theological pretzel trying to dot every I and cross every T be so theologically correct. You don't know what they're saying. The gospel is so simple a child can understand it.
So don't overly complicated. I'll talk about this more a little bit later will be good to ask chapter 17. What we see Paul bringing the gospel to the people in Greece on what is known as Mars Hill how to reach our culture but make it understandable, or we don't invite people to Christ at all is that if you're a pastor and you're listening to me. I urge you pastor and your message with an invitation for people to come to Jesus.
You never know who's sitting in that pew, you never know who's watching that a webcaster watching you and YouTube are hearing you if you're broadcasting in some way shape or form. I always like to wrap up my messages with a simple opportunity for people to come to Christ.
Paul asked how will they hear unless someone tells them.
Remember that Philippian jailer that we can actually talk about next time together after seeing the faith of Paul and Silas. He said what must I do to be saved and then we got I got the answer right there ready to go every self-respecting Christian should be able to articulate the gospel in three minutes or less. Can you do that three minutes or less to say. Here's the gospel. Here's how to believe. Here's what you need to do. Yes, even on the day of Pentecost after hearing Peter preached the people cried out, what shall we do so we need to have the answer.
Okay, let's appears now come back to the topic I raised earlier. How do you resolve the conflict. Here we have two titans of the faith. Paul and Barnabas having the disagreement. Yes, even men of God can disagree. Acts 15 starting verse 36.
Sometime later Paul said to Barnabas, and let's go back and visit the believers in all the towns we preach the word of God, and let's see how they're doing. Barnabas wanted to take John also called Mark with them. This is John Mark and Paul did not think that was wise to take because he had deserted them in Pamphylia, I did not continue with them in their work. Verse 39 they had such a sharp disagreement. They parted company. Barnabas took Mark and Silver Cypress. Paul chose Silas and left commended by the believers of the grace of God. He went through Syria and Sicilia, strengthening the churches when an interesting story. So glad this is in the Bible, aren't you, so Mr. encouragement that's Barnabas wanted to take John Mark on their journey. While apparently John Mark had deserted them on an earlier journey. This kind of irritated Paul is that I want to take him because he bailed on us last time. So let's not take up Mr. encouragement is a no come on, give him another chance. Paul like no I can't live some guy walk away with us all week walk away from us in the middle of one of our ministry trips we need people to stay there. We need all hands on deck and they talked about this skin and the family said I don't agree. And they parted company over this created friction. It seems unfortunate in some ways this happened but they both went on infect.
Two teams came out of one so no a Barnabas is offered John Martin Paulas teaming up with silence will read about them in the next chapter together but what we do when we have a disagreement with someone so if you're taking notes peers point number one, don't talk about them, talk to them. Don't talk about them, talk to them. This happens a lot will be upset with someone and we'll talk about them to other people. They said this to me they hurt me wait, why don't you go to that person and try to resolve a let's see some of the search you or let's put it another way, let's say someone has done something wrong and they need correction. What is the Bible say proverb says fateful of the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful open rebuke is better than secret love some of your girlfriend. Go tell someone the truth.
A true friend stabs you in the front. Not in the back talk to them, not about them, go to them. Paul and Barnabas did this face-to-face.
Paul writes on another occasion, he opposed Peter to his face. So imagine that Paul and Peter having a disagreement that the hard you're sitting there who I side with that like mom and dad fighting. I respect both the will and this particular instance Paul was right because the issue with Peter was Peter. You know, didn't want to offend the Jewish believers and so he stopped eating with Gentiles in both a man.
These Gentiles are part of the church as much as the Jewish believers are. That's a compromise, but talk to the person here's what Jesus says in Matthew 1815 of another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offense of the other person listens and confesses it you of one that person back. Always try to have a face to face meeting and work it out. Let's take marriage you're going to have conflict in marriage sometimes all of young couples come up to me and say old Craig would you perform our wedding ceremony and I'll say well how long have you known each other. Oh, two months were love. We want to get married, went like tomorrow. Well, maybe that's too soon. Maybe you should slow down, get to know each other a little bit better.
Have you guys had a disagreement, yet all know we love each other so much. We never disagree. I basically say God and have an argument. I'm not even talking to you until you do because you have to as a married couple learn how to resolve conflict because there will be conflict. I would say most marriages fall apart because of selfishness, a marriage should have selflessness in the place of selfishness. If you think that some guys going to come riding up to you in a white horse your prince charming solve all your problems, you're in for a big disappointment.
If you think some girls gonna come running down the beach toward you as the sun is setting in slow motion. Of course, slow motion and she's going to rescue you from every problem you have, you're going to be in for a big disappointment as well.
Deep down inside what were really longing for us, Christ. We need God to fill that void. You know you're not going to be a happy married person. If you're not a happy single person so I would say first find contentment in your relationship with the Lord we you can say with David. The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. Oh God can bring that right person viewing time in marriage is beautiful and fulfilling. But this keep your priorities straight on that. You will have conflict. Another thing I would point out is most marriages fall apart.
According to studies that have been done because of deficient communication. A survey was done and people were asked why did your marriage fail 86% said deficient communication. They work talking to each other so you have a conflict get together. Listen. Listen to what your spouse is saying listen to what their issue is don't interrupt them don't say the wrong don't insult them don't yell at them listen to them. The Bible says in James 119 is that wisdom of James coming through that every man be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to anger. Proverbs 1813 says only a fool answers a matter before he is heard it now sure that person out, don't escalate things. Don't let it turn into one of those big heated arguments where your yelling and let me decide this never argue in front of your kids never go somewhere else work it out. Keep your voices down and then once you've heard each other try to find resolution try to find a compromise. Ephesians 426 says don't let the sun go down on your anger, which is another way of saying don't go to bed mad at each other. Listen, you fight to resolve not to win.
If you go into it to win you lose even if you went, the objective is not. I won the argument, you don't note let's resolve this and pray and ask God to give you wisdom. Number two.
Forgive the person you of the conflict with forgive the person you of the conflict with Cliff Barros. I love you. Part of him. If you've ever watched a Billy Graham Crusade, you know who he is.
He was always sort of the master of ceremonies. The host he would also leave the choir a very godly man that he was with Billy from the very beginning pretty much to the very end and I was having lunch with Cliff Swanson and he said this to me.
He said you know there's eight words you should be willing to say every day to your spouse.
Eight. Work these as these are the eight words. I'm sorry. Please forgive me and I love that's good.
I'm sorry. Please forgive me. I love you and I would add a few more words. It was my fault. I can't say that my not. I'm sorry. Please forgive me. I love you. It was my fault. I said this accent wrote it in devotional. By the way, in case you don't know we have a daily devotion that you can read every single day. The information is right there in the screen telling you how to sign up for harvest of oceans, but I had this written down one of my devotions and a friend of mine read it any thought, but I do know that I've ever said that to my wife so just walk into the other room where his wife was his hi honey, I'm sorry I was wrong. I love you, she was shock she started to cry. He said thank you so much for saying that. That means so much to me like I just read it devotion. I wasn't really my we should've just left it was good but needs a lot even when you're in a conflict with the person you just him so you know what I'm sorry I was wrong. Please forgive me.
It was my fault just diffuses everything so forgive forgive because there will be conflict husbands are going to offend wives, wives are going to offend the husbands parents are going to offend children.
Children are going to offend parents coworkers will offend each other friends will offend each other.
Sometimes it's intentional, sometimes it isn't. Dogs will offend cats.
Cats won't care cats don't care about anything but my point is simply for us because were human were going to hurt others. Ever going to be heard so we need to learn to forgive because where there is no forgiveness of root of bitterness will grow and then you going to turn into Tina troll, and by that I mean you're going to be a better person and nobody likes to hang around a better person. You know you're always upset about something always venting about something always been a Karen through another name of their sorry if your name is Karen but Karen's basically the person that freaks out you know over whatever loses it and you have no one wants to go with you anywhere. Hey, want to go to dinner no thank you I'm busy so you're in the restaurant waiting for your table and they call out dinner table for one don't be that person. A root of bitterness can destroy you and others were told in Hebrews 1215. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you listen corrupting many consider this forgiveness is not only important spiritually because were commanded to forgive, but also it's good for you physically did you know that.
Time magazine published an article entitled, should all be forgiven.
This article stated, quote scientists and sociologists have begun to extract forgiveness in the act of forgiving from the confines of the confessional, transforming it into the subject of quantifiable research in a number of psychotherapists are testifying. There's nothing like forgiveness for dissipating anger. Many marriages and vanishing depression. Isn't that interesting. So there recognizing the power of forgiveness talk to each other.
What if they don't deserve to be forgiven. Do you deserve to be forgiven.
CS Lewis says forgiveness does not mean excusing in a way, when you forgive a person it's for you as much is it for them so you don't have to be tormented by having an eat you up and keep you up at night. As I've said before, when you forgive someone you set a prisoner free yourself so talk to each other about each other.
Forgive and one last point, if possible, reconcile if possible, reconcile by the way John Mark and Paul eventually reconcile fact in second Timothy 411, Paul writes to Timothy, get Mark here and bring them with you because he's helpful to me in my ministry so was Paul wrong and see the Barnabas does not take John Mark with us on our missionary journey. I don't think so.
I think Paul was saying you know what Barnabas I know your Mr. encouragement but this young man needs to learn responsibility. He needs to learn how to keep his commitments will apparently he did because later on pulses I could really use John Mark here with me to help me out right now because he's helpful to me in my ministry. Paul did not hold a grudge. So maybe you'll ever person you and pretty close relationship with them.
Maybe you are apart for a time, but maybe you'll reconcile later.
Don't burn the bridge to the person trying to reconcile. Maybe that will happen a little later after the dust settles.
Another example of two people that disagreed our Abraham and Lot the book of Genesis, Abraham was uncle Locke was the nephew and that they were traveling together.
I would say Abraham was closer to God than lot.
Though lot is identified in Scripture as a believer the weaker one in their guys at work for them or having all kinds of conflicts and that was all kinds of friction one Abraham says look nephew.
You have to part company. Okay love you but this isn't working out every day it's friction and drama and tension so I'll tell you what you go the way you want to gonna go the other way you take the high road I'll take the low road you go to the right to go to the left. You choose.
So lot check out this one place because he's not on looks pretty nice to be. It reminds me of Egypt is lush and green I want to go there.
He presents okay and I'll plug those love Abraham goes another part will lot gets himself in big trouble. He gets Sure who comes to his rescue uncle Abraham not a guy to hold a grudge as this kid. He messed up but but I want to help them out in the same way there might be certain people in your life that bring you down spiritually. People that are always causing friction so you say I can hang out with you as much as we used to, but it will get together sometime in the future. Case in point lot was compromising spiritually. That's what brought the tension and Abraham had to rescue him. So these are some thoughts about resolving conflict, so let me bring this to a close. Before you can effectively forgive others. You yourself need to be. Forgive what was the first words of Jesus as he hung on the cross he gave seven statements in total.
His first words were father forgive them for they know not what they do. By the way, he didn't say that, just once, he repeated it multiple times. Father forgive them for they know not what they do is a horrible thing that happened as he was dying for this sin of the world as it was dying for my sin and for your sin. I talked about how to come into a relationship with God, let me come back to what I said earlier, you don't have to clean your life up and come to Christ, you need to come to Christ that he will clean your life up. You might say well I need to be a better person to make improvements in my life and maybe I need a little religion, no friend, listen, you don't need a little religion. You need a lot of Jesus. Jesus Christ who died on the cross for your sin and rose again from the dead stands at the door of your life right now and he says I'm here at the door and I'm knocking if you hear my voice, and open the store, I will come in might say why I'm not good enough to be a Christian on the once good enough you're a sinner I'm a sinner are all sinners.
That's why it's called the grace of God by this is by grace you are saved through faith. The word grace means God's unmerited favor. I don't open anyone is ever told you this before so let me say it to you God loves you and he doesn't know what I didn't just eat as he knows all about it. He knows you better than you know yourself. He loves you and is lovingly calling you to himself that he can change you. He can free you from any addiction he can fill that void deep inside of you. He wants to forgive you of your sin. Will you come to him right now. In a moment I would ask you to pray a prayer with me. It's a very simple prayer. Remember I said the gospel is a simple message to understand what is the gospel again your center, Christ died for you turn from your sin, believe in Jesus. If you do that God will give you a second chance, you can begin all over again.
I'll pray the simple prayer and if you want Christ to come of your life and you want him to forgive you of your sin and you want to go to heaven when you die you want to be ready for the Lord's return.
You pray this prayer with the you could print out loud.
You can pray quietly in your heart you pray this prayer if you want Jesus Christ to come in your life and forgive you now pray these words or Jesus. I know that I'm a sinner but I know that sure the Savior who died in the cross for my sin and rose again from the dead come into my life now. I turn from my sin, they choose to follow you from this moment forward in Jesus name I pray, and met everybody. Thanks for listening to this podcast to learn more about harvest ministries follow the show and consider supporting it.
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