Resolving Personal Conflict

James Rochford

Philippians 4:1-3

Paul calls us to live in harmony with each other in the Lord. Everyone will at one time or another find themselves in conflict with someone. Even highly dedicated Christians will get into conflict. We need to remember both sides have made a contribution to the conflict and thus both sides have a role in resolving the conflict. The first step is to go before God and ask him to speak to you and then in sincerity, repent for anything he shows you. Other steps involve making a plan to meet with the other person to resolve the conflict. Ken Sande's books are very helpful in resolving conflict in a godly way.

John the Baptist

Ryan Lowery

Matthew 3:1-3

People in Israel at the time of Jesus' birth awaited a messiah, and knew that this messiah would be preceded by an "Elijah" figure, announcing his arrival. John the Baptist served in this role, calling on people to acknowledge their sin and repent--to agree with God that they fall short of His standard. We are called to the same acknowledgement, which opens the door to us receiving what Jesus, the Messiah came to give--forgiveness from sins, based on his death on the cross.

God's Efforts to Reach Us

Mike Sullivan

Revelation 14:6-7

During the Great Tribulation there will be tremendous judgments poured out upon the people of the earth for refusing to repent. But there will also be, at the same time, God going to great lengths to reach people who are far from him. God will send 144,000 bondservants to proclaim the Gospel; he will send two witnesses to Jerusalem for three and a half years to appeal to people to turn back to God; he will even send Jesus to appear in person after the two witnesses are taken up into heaven. And if that wasn't enough, a mighty angel will fly around the world making one final effort to exhort the remaining people to repent and turn to God before time is up.

The Subtleties of Heart Change

Dennis McCallum

Mark 14:66-72

Comparing Peter's and Judas' moral failure brings to light what really goes on in the heart. What does true repentance look like?

The Backward Wisdom of God (Part 2)

Ryan Lowery

James 4:1-11

The Kosmos--the world system that stands in opposition to God and His will--draws people toward a selfish point of view and lifestyle, which leads to destruction in their life. The Kosmos distracts us away from the good life that God has created us to have, and away from the true needs of others that He wants us to help meet. For Christians, James describes obedience to the Kosmos as being spiritual adultery, and calls on us to take these failings seriously. The good news is, as we turn to Him for mercy, God offers us forgiveness and a restoration to usefulness.

The Dawn of the Good News

Scott Risley

Mark 1:1-8

The Gospel of Mark covers the timeless hope offered by the arrival of a long-promised messiah to earth. As Jesus is about to emerge in his public ministry, John the Baptist shares the important message of preparation--the need to acknowledge our sins. It opens the door to being able to enjoy the forgiveness and freedom Jesus came to bring.

The Dynamics of True Heart Change

Dennis McCallum

Psalms 51:1-17

David was a man after God's own heart, but he still made terrible mistakes. What happened after David sinned against man and more importantly God? David writes out his response in the Psalms. David shows us what it looks like to have a truly repentant heart.\r\n

Agreeing with God

Chris Hearty

Psalms 51:1-19

In Psalm 51 we see David turn to God in humility after his sin with Bathsheba. David takes full responsibility and acknowledges that he has sinned against God. Through this Psalm we see how we can respond to our moral failures and find acceptance by God and the ability to change the sinful practice.

Faith

Jim Leffel

2 Samuel 12:1-6

Jim Leffel provides a detailed study of Biblical faith looking at the faith of Abraham, the father of all Biblical people, and David, the great king of Israel. Biblical faith is rooted in an understanding of God's revelation to us in nature, His Word, and ultimately, through His Son. Furthermore, it is a holistic faith that has intellectual, practical, social, and personal dimensions.\r\n