March 15 2015 Managing Conflicts Under Pressure

MANAGING CONFLICTS UNDER PRESSURE

1 Peter 3:8-11

Verse 8 – Live in harmony with one another.

SIX SECRETS TO REDUCING CONFLICTS

1. Be sympathetic.

Verse 8 – Be sympathetic.

• Makes you feel understood
• Validates your feelings

How To Be Sympathetic

• Use your ears more than your mouth.

James 1:19 – Be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.

Romans 15:2- We must bear the burden of being considerate of the doubts and fears of others.

2. Being loyal.

Verse 8 – Have brotherly love.

Romans 12:10 – Be devoted to one another in brotherly love.

1 Corinthians 13:7 – If you love someone you’ll be loyal to him no matter what the cost.

Romans 15:7 – Accept one another, just as Christ accepted you.

3. Through generosity or compassion.

Colossians 3:12 – Cloth yourself with compassion.

Ephesians 4:29 – (Speak) what is helpful for building others up according to their needs.  That it may benefit those who listen.

1 John 3:18 – We should love people not only with words and talk, but our actions and true caring.

4. Being humble.

1 Corinthians 13 – says that love is not proud.

Proverbs 13:10 – Pride only leads to arguments.

Proverbs 28:13 – Anyone who refuses to admit his mistakes can never be successful, but if he confesses and forsakes them, he gets another chance.

5. We must have mercy.

1 Peter 3:9 – Never pay back one wrong with another, or pay an angry work with another one.  Instead, pay back with a blessing so that you inherit a blessing yourself.

Colossians 3:13 – Remember the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.

1 Corinthians 13:5 – Love keeps no records of wrongs.

6. Show maturity.

1 Peter 5:10 – If you want a happy, good life, keep control of your tongue and guard your lips from telling lies, live in peace.

Proverbs 12:18 – Thoughtless words can wound as deeply as any sword, but wisely spoken can heal.

August 3 2014 Hope - The Inspiration Of The Church And Life

THE INSPIRATION OF THE CHURCH AND LIFE

Romans 15:1-13

The difference between faith and hope:

Faith: Tends to deal with the details of life.

Hope: Deals with the largeness of life itself.

Hope is a confident anticipation of good things to come with the corresponding effort to reach and attain them.

The Streams of Hope

1. The Dark Stream of Hope

Romans 15:4 – For everything was written to teach us, that through endurance and the encouragement of the scriptures, we might have hope.

2. The Light Stream of Hope

Romans 15:13 – May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust Him, so that you may overflow with hope, by the power of the Holy Spirit.

3. The Bridge Between Endurance and Hope

Romans 15:4 – Through endurance and the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope.

Romans 5:1-5

Perseverance means active endurance.

Psalm 33:18 – The eyes of the Lord are on those who fear Him, on those whose hope is in His unfailing peace.

• Hope comes from His character.

Hebrews 6:17-19 – Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of His purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, He confirmed it with an oath.  God did this, so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged.  We have this hope, an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.

• Hope comes from His control.

2 Chronicles 16:9 – For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him.

The Substance of Hope

Vs. 13 – Fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him.

The Supply of Hope

Vs. 13 – So that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

• He gives us surviving power.
• He gives us reviving power.
• He gives us standing power.
• He gives us driving power.
• He gives us arriving power.

Are you looking for hope?  Then grab hold of the rope of Hope.  It is as strong as God’s character and as long as your faith.