April 21 2013 How To Manage Conflict With Others

HOW TO MANAGE CONFLICT WITH OTHERS
Philippians 2:1-8

Verse 2 - Make my joy complete by being likeminded, having the same love, being one in Spirit and purpose.

Five Ways To Manage Conflict

I. Defuse competition

Vs. 3 - Do nothing out of selfish ambition.

James 4:1-2 - What causes fights and quarrels? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but you don’t get it.

First Cause Of Conflict: Competing desires

II. Delete conceit

Vs. 3b - Do nothing out of vain conceit

Proverbs 13:10 - Pride only breeds quarrels.

Second Cause Of Conflict: Pride

III. Decrease criticism

Vs. 3c - In humility consider others better than yourselves.

Def. Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but rather not thinking of yourself at all.

James 4:11-12 - Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him, speaks against the law and judges it. There is only one lawgiver and judge. Who are you to judge your neighbor?

Third Cause of Conflict: Criticism

IV. Demonstrate consideration

Vs. 4 - Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

1 Peter 3:7 - Husbands in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives so that nothing will hinder your prayers.

Forth Cause Of Conflict: Only paying attention to myself

V. Develop more Christ-likeness

Vs. 5 - Your attitude should be the same as that of Jesus Christ.

Vs. 6 - Jesus did not demand His rights.

Vs. 7 - Jesus was a servant.

Vs. 8 - Jesus sacrificed for the benefit of others.

Fifth Cause Of Conflict: Living without Christ

Ephesians 4:3 - Do your best to preserve the unity which the Spirit gives, by the peace that binds you together.

November 4 2012 The Choice Of Purity

THE CHOICE OF PURITY

Matthew 5:8 - Happy are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

Pure in Heart:

Matthew 6:1 - Be careful not to parade your good deeds before others to attract their notice, or you will lose all reward for your Father in heaven.

How to Develop a Pure Heart (Matthew 6)

1. Remember God sees everything.
Vs. 4, 6, 18 - Your Father sees what is done in secret.

Hebrews 4:13 - Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.

2. Review my motives.
Proverbs 24:21 - God knows and judges your motives. He keeps watch over you. He knows, and He will reward you according to what you do!

• Giving (vs. 2-4)
• Praying (vs. 5-15)
• Fasting (vs. 16-18)

1 Thessalonians 2:4 - We do not aim to please others, but to please God who knows us through and through.

3. Realign your priorities.
Exodus 20:3 - You shall have no other gods before Me.

Three Tests

• Look at my activities.
Matthew 6:19 - Don’t pile up treasures on earth, but keep your treasures in heaven. For where your treasure is, your heart will be also.

• Look at my anxieties.
Matthew 6:25 - Therefore, I tell you, don’t worry about your life.

• Look at my ambitions.
Matthew 6:31-33 - Don’t worry about (these things), this is what pagans are always looking for, your heavenly Father knows you need them. Instead, set your heart first on His Kingdom, and His goodness and all those things will come to you as a matter of course.

Psalm 51:10 - Create in me a new, clean heart, O God, filled with clean thoughts and right desires.