Chris Brown was on staff at our church and when he was here, he
made this statement, conflict is inevitable.
Drama. Is a choice.
Conflict is inevitable. Drama is a choice for the last.
Several weeks at many of our locations.
We have had an escape room that you could go and interact with.
And while it was a great opportunity for friends and
family to make memories, we as a church, had more Sinister
motives. It was designed to inflict
conflict into the relationships of those.
You cherish the most and some of you are going Clayton, we don't
need an escape room to get conflict.
We have plenty of conflict in our house.
In fact, if conflict were stock, we would be the buffets Jennifer
and I, we were early in our marriage and I was not prepared
for the amount of conflict My parents were good, godly people
who never raised their voices. Never yelled.
I've never heard my parents have an argument and so I thought,
That that is how normal Christian marriages operate.
And then I found myself in my marriage.
And it did not operate like that and I spent depending on who you
ask, how long it was three to five years, trying to figure
out, which way was up inside of our marriage.
Now, hear me. We both love Jesus.
We were both good Christian people, we both loved and cared
for each other deeply. But there was an awful lot of
conflict and it robbed us of days.
And nights that could have been very joyous.
Today, we are going to talk about conflict.
Why it exists and how to handle it and how to become more Godly
through it at a crazy question. What if conflict I can make you
more like Jesus. I want to welcome all of you
joining from all of our different locations.
Those of you watching online and inside I am.
So thankful that we get the opportunity to hang out and
spend time together today and I just got one big goal in mind.
Is that the end of the day, whether this is your first time
here at our church, for the first time, in a long time,
whether you've been following Jesus, your whole life.
For this is your first time hearing about Jesus that every
single one of us. By the end of today, we would
just take one step closer in an intimate personal relationship
with Jesus Christ. Now, before I get into, To the
message. I want to make you aware of two,
great things that are happening at our church.
First one is Camp, sign-ups are underway right now.
We are already 50% ahead of where we were last year.
So if you're the kind of person who wants to prioritize the
spiritual development of your kids, I want to encourage you to
sign them up soon. And there are some of you who
you're like Jennifer and I you want to be in the corner of
those who would like to go to camp but financially do too.
Circumstances. That might be a little bit of a
big leap for them. I want, you know, you can take
advantage of the QR code on the seat in front of you, to not
only sign your kid up for camp, but if you want to be in their
corner, you can help scholarships some other kids and
provide funds for scholarships so that other people can go to
Camp second thing next weekend all over the world.
People are going to be celebrating a resurrected Jesus
on Easter weekend and we will be doing that at all of our
locations. Make sure you are paying close
attention to to the service times at your specific location
because it many of our locations.
They're going to have different service times to accommodate all
the people that God is gonna be bringing into our different
locations. And we will be using that
weekend to start a brand new sermon series called if.
And the whole reason for this sermon series is twofold, we
want to strengthen the faith of those who have it.
And we want to answer the questions of those who want to
start one. And we're going to be taking a
You'll hard. Look at Christianity, at the
claims of Jesus and sing what the implications are for your
life. And for mine, I'm telling you
that because there is not a better time to bring a friend, a
family member, A co-worker to our church, than the next seven
weeks. So, if you love Jesus, and you
want people to know Jesus, take advantage of that.
So you can be thinking who's one person that you could be
bringing with you next week. The second thing you could do is
if you're on Mission with us to help people.
Find an intimate personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
If you're on Mission and making this, the hardest place on
planet Earth to get to Hell from, if you want to be in the
corner of those who are trying to find their faith, I'm going
to encourage you next weekend to do two, besides bring a friend.
I'm asking you to do to other things Park far away and show up
early because of all the people who, you know, already love
Jesus are, you know, taking all the key parking spots.
Then a person, when he shows up, who's trying to figure out,
Jesus is like, okay. So I guess I, you know, Park in
the grass. So, just be a Jesus follower
next weekend, would you do? Okay, so why this conflict
exists only give you five reasons, why conflict exists?
And it's not because the person you're married to stinks.
Okay. Here's five reasons.
Why conflict exists? The first one is because we're
all Sinners. Every single one of us were a
little jacked up all of us. Have fallen short, and continue
to fall short of the Perfection that God intended for us.
That means that at some point in time, in the distant future, it
probably hasn't happened yet. You're going to be a little
prideful. A little selfish, a little lazy,
maybe you'll lie a little bit, maybe you'll struggle with Envy.
All of us are going to continue to sin and have to navigate the
effects of not just our sinful Behavior.
But the people we care about, they're going to send.
And when you're dealing with sand or they're dealing with sin
that creates conflict, second reason is because every
relationship you have has an enemy Every relationship you
guys have heard me talk about this non-stop.
Satan wants to steal kill and destroy the relationships.
That matter the most to you. The relationship that God wants
to use to bless you and for you to be a blessing to them, I'm
going to keep hammering this verse, John 10:10.
You guys are going to have this memorized or being a great
tattoo. Okay?
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.
This is Jesus talking Jesus. I have come that they may have
life. And have it to the full.
So you and I, we have a choice. We can follow Jesus plan for our
relationships or we can follow Satan's plan.
There's not a middle ground, not following Jesus.
Plan is following Satan's plan and Satan's.
Desire is to take that marriage, steal kill and destroy it.
Take that relationship with your kid, steal kill, and destroy it.
Take that relationship with your boss, your coworker steal kill
and destroy, but Jesus going, hey guys, just so, you know,
hey, over here over here. There's life and life to the
full. Now, if you follow the Holy
Spirit, he's going to continue to conform you into
christlikeness. He's going to make you better at
relationships. The third reason that conflict
exists is because God made us all different.
Between you and me, that wasn't the smartest thing for God to
do. Because and I mean, this, I want
to say this carefully, I wish he had made you more like me.
Do you know how great that would be?
If you were all like me there be way less conflict.
We be high-fiving ourselves over our decisions all the time.
think about think about this, how many of you deep down
inside, you actually kind of wish that more people were made
just like, You the problem is in your relationships.
She wishes you were more like her and he wishes you were more
like him. And that creates conflict.
Imagine how incredible the world would be tomorrow.
If all of you thought like me the election, there wouldn't
even be an election, you know, you also know.
Me. I humbly submit my candidacy for
president of the United States of America.
And because you now think, like, me, I am indeed the candidate
because I would vote for me, okay?
That's how it would happen when you get in the car and you want
to go grab something to eat. No conflict, because everybody
already wants to eat what you want to eat.
Think about how incredible the world of being.
At the same time, I need you to realize how horrible the world
would be. Because I mean, you know you
right? if everybody was just like you,
Think of all the things that would be absent in our world.
He made each and every single one of us uniquely we have
different perspectives, different priorities, different
approaches and the challenges are and how we navigate the
challenges and opportunities that life presents.
We see things and approach things differently and this is a
good thing. None of us can be the full
expression of God on our own. We need the body of Christ,
which is one another, to bring a fuller expression of Jesus to
Bear to a NG world. And the people we care about
Paul in different parts of the Bible goes over and over at
length, trying to get people to acknowledge.
Which is at least recognize that we're different and appreciate,
which is I'm thankful for how we're made different.
The gifts that God has placed inside of his people, some
people are more prone to be faithful.
Risk-takers other people are, you know, more gifted at
prioritizing stewardship, some people are more gifted at grace
and mercy, other people are better at telling the truth or
maybe at leadership. Some are better at teaching,
some might be better at encouraging.
Ying. He brings all of these gifts to
bear inside of his people. And while these are gifts from
God to be used by God to reach people, for God, since they are
gifts from God, we kind of like them.
I got this gift from God and you need to love it.
Because we're passionate about what God has placed in us
because we got it from him but God does not want one gift to
dominate. But for all of us to bring the
gifts that he has placed in us to Bear, to make all of us
better and to love people better.
The fourth reason. Is because that there's
conflict, is because some people are yielded to God, and some
people are not yielded to God. And so if you have two people in
a relationship that one prioritizes God.
And one doesn't prioritize God, that creates conflict.
That's why he says, when you get married, don't become unequally
yoked. You shouldn't have a couple get
together. We're one loves Jesus and one
doesn't because that's going to create all kinds of conflict
inside of that relationship. If one person is serving God and
the other one is just serving themselves, there's going to be
conflict, but the fifth reason, Ian and this one's probably the
one that affects this the most is, every single one of us we
have expectations You have expectations of your husband,
you have expectations of your wife, you have expectations of
your kids. You have expectations of your
parents. We all have expectations and we
about how we want to be treated, how we want to be cared for how
we want to be spoken to. We have all of these
expectations. Not only is this true in the
workplace. This is true in your home.
This isn't true and this is true in every year of your life.
However, one of the gifts, That God did not give anybody is the
ability to read people's minds. Which means we have all of these
expectations. And if they are not accurately
communicated, it creates conflict.
Let me show you. Husband works hard all week,
long looks on the family calendar and sees nothing on the
calendar for Saturday. So, on his way home from work,
he goes calls up. The fellows says, hey guys, I
got nothing going on tomorrow. What do you want to do?
It's like, let's get up and go fishing.
I love that. I'll be at your house at 6:30
a.m. and so he gets up early on Saturday and he goes fishing.
Meanwhile, his wife was also driving home from work on Friday
after working a long week and she looked up family, calendar.
And she goes. There's nothing for us to do
tomorrow, we can wake up and we can clean the house and we can
do some of those projects that we've been wanting to get done
around here for a really long time.
And then we'll just sit by each other on the couch and hold
hands. Like we used to And she wakes up
at 9:30 on Saturday, because she can sleep in, she doesn't have
to take anybody anywhere. And she rolls over to just kind
of put her hand on his hand, and there's nothing there.
And so she calls him. Thinking maybe he's gone to get
her a coffee, right? Hey sweetie.
Where are you? I'm fishing with the fellas.
Woo. Some of you like actually
careful Clayton. Um it was a nice day the other
day. Then he comes home and she
decided she was just going to go ahead and get all the projects
done and get all the cleaning done.
So he comes home from a long day of fishing.
And he sees that the house is all clean.
Kids are all hanging out at other peoples houses.
He starts to get some expectations too.
He goes. Hey how are you doing fine?
Okay. All right.
Do you need some ibuprofen? No.
Why? Why?
Didn't know if you had a headache?
No I don't have a headache. His expectations are
skyrocketing and then he comes into the bedroom at about 9:30
at night and sees it. She's got sweatpants on to
hoodies and is already asleep and then he is frustrated
because he too had expectations But since nobody communicated
those expectations conflict resentment, frustration are
growing inside of their marriage.
So how does a Christian navigate the inevitable challenge of
conflict and avoid the hurt and drama that destroys so many
relationships? Now I'm going to focus primarily
on marriage and parenting relationships with the
principles were going to talk about apply to every
relationship you have. Look at Galatians, chapter 6,
brothers and sisters. If someone is caught in sin, you
who live by the spirit. Those of you who are following
after Jesus, the the pathway to a full and Abundant Life, should
restore that person gently this is conflict.
You should enter into this, but you should do it.
Gently, but watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted, which
means that as you get ready to enter into this conflict, you
could sin while trying to point out the sin of somebody else.
Carry each other's burdens have a little bit of Grace for him.
And in this way, you will fulfill the law of Christ.
If anyone thinks they are something, when they are not,
they deceive themselves. Have you ever noticed sometimes
when you're in Conflict, one of you likes to paint yourself as
mr. Perfect.
Or Miss Perfect. Well, I would never do that.
You did it yesterday, okay? Keep going each one should test
their own actions, then they can take pride in themselves without
comparing themselves to someone else.
For each one should carry their own load.
We're going to stay here for just a second.
Without comparing themselves to someone else.
Here's what we do. Sometimes in Conflict, someone's
approaching you about the things that you do.
You yell a lot. Well I don't yell nearly as much
as my dad. Did you want to hear yelling?
You should have been raised when I was raised.
And you you you you're mean and hurtful you think I'm mean and
hurtful we all know what Bob did just down the street you know
crazy Bob you hear him yelling with the screen doors up?
We you know what it's like crazy Bob.
I'm not crazy Bob What we like to do.
Is we like to compare ourselves to somebody else?
Who stinks to give ourselves permission slips to just stink
less. And he say no no no Jesus
followers. You are always going to find
somebody that will give you a permission slip.
You're always going to find somebody who's messing it up,
but that's not we're supposed to do.
We're not supposed to compare ourselves to someone else and
look at my own motives. Am I operating the way I'm
supposed to operate? And my being the husband, I'm
supposed to be in my, the wife, I'm supposed to be my the
parent. I'm supposed to be my, the child
that I'm supposed to be what my mean, I don't sneak out as often
as the other kids in my class. No, no, no, no, no.
There's a higher standard here. Okay, let's keep going.
Nevertheless, the one who receives In the word should
share. All good things with their
instructor, do not be deceived. God cannot be.
Mocked a man reaps. What?
He sews. Let's keep going.
Whoever sows to please their flesh.
From the flesh. Will reap destruction?
I wonder how many of us when we are going into conflict?
We are motivated by our flesh. And then we are wondering why we
are reaping such a horrible Harvest.
Whoever sows to please the spirit.
I am entering into this conflict for the glory of God.
From the spirit will reap eternal life.
Let's keep going. Let us not become weary in doing
good for at the proper time. We will reap a harvest.
If we do not give up verse 10. Therefore, as we have the
opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially those who
belong to the family of Believers, the first thing you,
and I need to do is we need to change our perspective, and
here's the perspective shift that needs to take place.
Most of us are not dealing with evil rotten despicable people.
People, but that's how we treat them in Conflict.
We step into conflict with so much angst, so much rage because
they are an evil person. How could you?
We assume that they are out to hurt us.
We assume that they are doing this on purpose and then we
react instead of responding a phrase that we use around our
church. A lot is stepping on air hoses.
If you're, you know, Jennifer was breathing through an oxygen
mask, and I were to step on her air hose and she can't breathe.
She's going to react. She's gonna go, you've got to
stop because what would you do if you couldn't breathe?
But what the assumption is, is that I'm over here, cutting off
our Air, Supply choke woman choked.
That's not, I'm just got big feet.
I didn't even know I was stepping on the, I'm sorry.
We give each other a little bit of Grace to realize that this
person is not necessarily out for with evil intentions, but
send just happens here me every, single one of us we have blind
spots. And conflict is a way for people
to point out things in us that we don't see in ourselves.
In other words, if somebody hasn't addressed something in
your life recently, nobody in your life cares, enough about
you to help you get better. Or they care deeply about you
but they didn't know that they can't enter into the
conversation because of how you will respond.
Having people, engaging conflict with us, gives us an opportunity
to see ourselves more clearly to have a fuller understanding of
how we are actually. Treating other people conflict
is not just a chance for us to get better.
It's also a chance for us to help others get better.
Otherwise they will continue to keep doing this.
We will end up enabling their behavior.
They are doing this in, it hurts you well you know that they're
doing this and it's hurting all kinds of other people but nobody
wants to step on their grenade. Nobody wants to set them off and
so they keep causing harm in all of the relationships that they
enter into this could also cause their light for Jesus Christ, to
be diminished and hurt their ability to reach the very people
that Jesus died for Mark, chapter 12 gives us this the
second And greatest commandment. This is Jesus talking first
greatest commandment love. The Lord your God with all your
heart mind. Soul, and strength.
The second greatest commandment is equally important.
Love your neighbor as yourself. No other commandment is greater
than these. We were out of Staff training
and we were talking to the staff here at the Crossing.
And here's what we noticed, everybody has an expectation
that people would come to them if they were doing something
wrong. Right, you've heard about this.
You found out secondhand that somebody was frustrated with
you. And what's your first response?
Well, I wish they would have come to me.
I wish they would have. Why didn't they just come to me?
But in reality, you know, stuff that other people are doing
Non-Stop and you don't ever go to them.
So, we have a standard for other people that they should come to
us if they have a problem but we don't keep that same standard
High when we have the opportunity to go to someone
else. Most of our struggles I would
say come down to this. We failed to treat people the
way we would actually like to be treated.
We need to change our perspective.
The second thing we need to do is we need to change our motives
when you enter into conflict. If it is not to put them on the
defensive, it is not to get even and it's certainly not to put
them in their place. Conflict is a way for us to help
them get better and to help us get better this change in
motivation, takes so much heat out of the conversation and so
much heat out of the conflict because it puts you in a place
mentally, emotionally and spiritually where we are trying
to to help them be. The person that we believe that
they want to be. Let me say to you this way when
you enter into conflict and you are the person being confronted.
They're pointing stuff out in you.
This is what this is what you're doing, they are helping me be a
better husband. They're helping me be a better
wife. They're helping me be a better
parent. They're helping me be a better
child. They are having this conflict
because they want to help me be who I want to be.
If you're the person having the conversation, I'm having this
conversation because I know they want to be a better husband and
they might not realize what this is costing them.
I'm entering into this conversation because I believe
that they want to be a good wife.
They want to be a good parent. They want to be a good child,
and they need someone to come alongside of them and help them
navigate it. When we change our motives and
we change our perspective, it will force us to change our
strategy and we need a better strategy.
Look what Ephesians chapter 4 says, do not let any unwholesome
talk come out of your mouths. I'm going to view your
confrontation. Your conflict has unwholesome
talk? how many of your confrontations
are but only what is helpful for building others up according to
their needs that it may benefit those who listen And do not
grieve the holy spirit of God with whom you were sealed for
the day of redemption. Get rid of all, bitterness rage
and anger brawling, and slander along with every form of malice.
Let's stay right there for a second.
Let's go back. This is like the checklist of
all the stuff we typically do wrong in Conflict, right?
We show up bitter. We're Pretty stinking ticked,
we're crazy angry. If you were a dude, we'd be
fighting right now. This is how we operate.
Let's keep going. Here's what we're supposed to
do, be kind and compassionate to one another Forgiving each
other. Just as in Christ, God forgave
you I think it's safe to say. We could all use a better
strategy. Some of you you guys are people
who like to sit and stew on it and so you don't bring it up
four months, some of you don't sit on it, are you sit on it for
years and then all of a sudden you're signing papers use.
Blow up your soul, just eroded and all of a sudden out of
nowhere. You're going.
I'm done some of you your the passive-aggressive people.
You're just going to keep making little comments and saying I'm
fine. I'm fine, I'm fine, I'm fine but
everybody, absolutely. Everybody knows that you are not
fine and so you don't ever clearly communicate what it is.
That's frustrating. You and so everybody else is
stuck in this fog of what you're trying to communicate and so
they can't bring about the change that they actually want
to bring about because you won't actually say what's bothering
you and so the problem persists which continues to erode your
heart. Here's another one we have in
our Earthly relationships. They have an impact, on our
spiritual relationship with God. And so, when you continue to be
passive aggressive, you are making it hard for them to have
a right relationship with you, which makes it in turn hard for
them. And you to have a right
relationship with God, you are robbing them of The Godly
Ministry of reconciliation by, not speaking, clearly about how
they're frustrating. You, you can't get that
relationship, right? Some of you, you are always
addressing it. It.
And the Biblical word for that is nag.
Like we need a break. Okay.
Not every day is like 15 things that you need to confront us on.
You need to have a little bit of Grace or some of you, you choose
to punish people through silent treatment or yelling and
overreacting so that nobody will ever confront you again, this
results in confusion Rising frustration and resentment.
If somebody hasn't confronted something in you, recently, you
already know you've sinned, you already know you let people down
but if they haven't addressed something recently in your life
chances are it's because they are either struggling with a sin
as it pertains to comfort station.
Or there's something about you that has made them feel like
they can't confront you and if they feel like they can't
confront you, you will keep doing the behavior that hurts.
The people you care about the most.
Psalm 34 says, this turn from Evil and do good seek peace and
pursue it there is a better way. Clear consistent communication,
I'm going to tell you what Jennifer and I use Jennifer and
I use the two for one method. Here's the question.
What are two things I'm doing really?
Well, that you want me to keep doing?
I need compliments. I need to know.
Hey that's a goal that I can stalk.
I'm doing this great, I'm doing this great.
And then I asked what is one thing that I need to do better
or what is one thing I need to stop doing?
And if you can use the word feel when you do this it makes me
feel. So I'm going to ask Jennifer to
come up here on stage and we're going to show you what this
looks like. Okay, here are the ground rules.
I said you can't do the same one you did on Thursday.
And you can't be incredibly mean-spirited, but you need to
be radically honest. Because, I mean, how many of you
guys want to air your dirty laundry in front of 10,000 of
your closest friends? So Jennifer?
What are two things that I am doing?
Well that you would like me to keep doing?
Okay, one thing is, you respect my desire for an orderly house
and you will pitch in and be helpful to make that a reality.
I appreciate that. I can keep doing that.
Thank you for sharing. Okay.
What's another thing that I'm awesome at?
I mean that you want me to keep sorry.
Sorry I said that wrong. What's another thing you'd like
me to you'd like me? Yeah, you do a great job of
involving our boys and things and teaching them things that
will help them be good husband. Ins and good Fathers like, how
to detail a car, how to grill a steak, how to clean a bathroom?
So you do a great job of training them up.
I appreciate that, guys. Would you like those good?
We will have to do last done. Okay.
All right. We're not done.
Okay. Jennifer, what is one thing that
I'm doing that? You'd like me to stop doing or
something that I'm doing that is hurting.
So you you might be the most impatient person, I know.
And sometimes there's no good reason for it.
Like, I don't know why were rushing through this but we are
and in those moments, you will brush past what could be
Precious Moments with your kids or just an enjoyable time as a
family because to be honest with you, it frustrates the heck out
of me when you didn't, let's go, let's go, let's go.
Where are we going? We don't have anywhere to go and
your boys will, well, you just miss out on things that they
want to share or things that you could just see them doing
because we got to rush through her IV to get know.
No. We're okay.
What I'm hearing you say is, I need to do a better job of being
patient because when I'm constantly in a rush, I'm
missing meaningful moments and opportunities with you in the
family and I'm putting you guys in a deficit position.
And frustrating us and frustrating.
You. And I don't need from the garage
because I know. Okay, I know my God bless you.
Okay now okay now Here's why I am telling you that first of all
those were real. Okay, here's why I'm telling you
this it is possible for you to have life-giving conversations
through conflict. If Jennifer never got to
vocalize that it would continue to create resentment.
If she never vocalizes it, I would continue to be impatient
and hurt people. That matter.
Now here is the superpower approach because some of you are
playing a game right now. I know what I'm going to do.
I do not like this woman that I married one bit.
And so what I'm going to do is I'm going to go home and make it
look like. I was a really good Christian
and I listened to Clayton sermon and I'm going to go home to her
and I'm going to say, hey baby, I saw what Clayton and Jennifer
did and I would like you to 241 me and the only reason you are
doing that is so that when she gets done, telling you what you
need to do better, you can turn around our her and say, well,
just so you know. No, no.
The most Godly thing that you can do is seek out an
opportunity for you to get better.
So, I'm gonna go through this whole weekend and I'm going to
ultimately win because I will have asked Jennifer three times
this weekend. 2241 me and if Jennifer opens up the door, that
is a great thing. Now if she doesn't open up the
door and there's something that's wrong that I need to
address in our marriage or something.
That's messed up, I have the freedom to go.
Hey sweetheart. I need to tell you two things
that you're doing great at and one thing that's bugging me but
I'm creating a safe way to engage in a conversation that
brings about meaningful results. And here is why this Anders
Matthew Chapter 5 says this. Therefore, if you are offering
your gift at the altar and there, remember that your
brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift
there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to
them. Then come and offer your gift.
Because you cannot have a right relationship with God.
If your horizontal relationships with God's people, is not right?
If you want to have a great relationship with God, you have
to get these right getting these right.
Is a way that we worship God and some of us are trying to have a
great relationship with God with no respect to the other people
that Jesus died for. We go into, we engage in
Conflict, to make us more like Christ and to make them more
like Christ. And Jesus is our Supreme example
at this, we do these things because Jesus deserves it.
He forgave us which gives us the ability to forgive other people.
There is no sin that you are going to confront and somebody
else that Jesus didn't pay for and there is no sin that you're
going to confront and somebody else that Jesus hasn't already
forgiven in you Now hear this, Jesus always took the high road
and so should we Jesus never compromised on truth.
Neither should we, but Jesus continue to serve and love.
And so should we I'm willing to wager that the reason conflict
goes so poorly in our relationships is because we
don't model Jesus. Well, in our relationships, we
compromised on Truth, we don't serve, we don't love, we get
tired of taking the high road and we write ourselves a
permission slip to take the low road.
And I think we can do better. And I hope you'll do that.
We're moving to a time of decision.
For those of you here that don't have an intimate personal
relationship with Jesus Christ, I got really good news for you.
The great thing about Jesus is that he didn't wait for you to
do the right thing before. He did things on your behalf, he
made the first move. Hear this before you were ever
born. Before you took your first
breath. Before you committed your first
sin, Jesus had already paid for that sin on the cross.
He made the first move. Which means that there is
nothing that you can do to get him to love you any more than he
already does. He's already moved on your
behalf. He went to the Cross, he paid
the price that you couldn't pay. To bring you into a right
relationship with God, to solve the conflict between you and
God. The question I have for you, is
this how long will you put that relationship off?
In light of everything that he's done on your behalf for your
good, in light of everything that he has in store for you,
he's willing to put in you do for you in light of all of that.
How long will you put making a right relationship with him?
How long will you put it off? for those of us who know, Are
encouragement to you. The conflict that I would inject
into your world is, don't put it off any longer.
The dumbest thing you could ever think is that you got to get a
couple things with God or a couple things ironed out in your
life before you get to God, that's like doing your laundry
before you do the laundry, you just don't do it.
The washing machine is designed for dirty clothes, so you just
put dirty clothes in them. When you come to Jesus Christ,
you bring your sinful broken self to him and he's the one who
restores and put you back together.
And if you're here today, and you've never started an intimate
personal relationship with Jesus Christ, you're watching online,
and you want to start that. To be moment, there's gonna be
somebody over there by the bachelor, who love an
opportunity to talk with you about that or there's something
that just popped up in the chat. For those of you who are
watching online now, to those of you who have a relationship with
Jesus Christ, we must do better. Jesus has an incredibly high
standard for every single one of us because when it comes to
conflict he says things like pray for your enemies.
Pray for those who persecute you.
We have a high bar that has been set in sometimes as Christians.
We are spending as much time as humanly possible, trying to
write a permission slip to not. Take the high road, then ask God
for the strength to stay on the high road.
He did not put his holy spirit's power inside of you for you.
To take the low road, he put the holy spirit inside of you to
give you the strength to do the very thing that your flesh
doesn't want to do, which is keep loving.
Even if keep praying, even if keep caring and even if You
don't need the holy spirit's power to write yourself a
permission slip. You just don't, he put it in you
to help you live up to the high standard that he has called you
to. So here's why I'm asking you to
do. You're going to go.
Why did we come to this service? Because I might change it for a
second. Here's what I'm asking you do.
Would you be willing to come up here to the steps?
and pray for the person that, you know, you have conflict with
pray that you would see things differently.
Pray that God would take some of the heat out of the
conversation, pray that he would give you the courage to have
that conversation. Pray for those. that you're at
odds with that's what Jesus calls us to be.
Is those kind of people that you guys stand with me?
Heavenly father, I pray that you would fill our prayers with your
wisdom that you would lay heavy on our hearts.
The people that we need to have conversations with that.
We begin to give and receive conflict in such a way that it
glorifies you and makes us more like you.
And the people around us more like you.
God used conflict to make us more like your son, Jesus name.
I pray. Amen.