June 19 2016 Restoring Harmony In The Home
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RESTORING HARMONY IN THE HOME
Mark 3:25 & James 4: 1-2
Mark 3:25 – A home filled with strife and division destroys itself.
James 4: 1-2 – What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you?
Five ways to manage conflict:
1. There is my way
2. There is no way
3. There is your way
4. There is half way
5. There is our way
Six Steps to Resolving Conflict:
1. You need to become a believer in Christ.
Ephesians 2:16 – As parts of the same body our anger against each other has disappeared for both of us have been reconciled to God and so the feud ended at the cross.
2. You talked to God about the problem.
James 4:2 – Your quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God.
3. You analyze the problem.
Matthew 7: 3-4 – Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brothers eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? Take the plank out of your own eye and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.
1 John 1:8 – If we say we have no sin we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.
4. You need to schedule a peace conference.
Matthew 5:23-24 – If you remember your brother has something against you, leave your gift at the alter and go at once to make peace, and then come back and offer your gift to God.
1 Peter 3:7
Ways to Communicate Ground Rules
1. Pick the right time *No divorce threats
2. Choose the right place * No bad temper
3. Pray before you meet * No hatred
4. Come with a positive attitude *No abusive language
5. Establish some ground rules *No foul mouth
*No lies
Colossians 3:8
5. Switch your focus.
Philippians 2:3-5 -Don't be selfish, don't just think about your own affairs, but be interested in others too. Your attitude should be like Christ who though he was God, did not demand and cling to his rights as God.
6. You need to ask for advice.
Proverbs 15:32 – Conceited people don't like to be corrected. They never ask advise from those who are wiser.
Closing thought: It's more rewarding to resolve a conflict that it is to dissolve a relationship.
