Embracing Trials: The Journey of Faith and Reconciliation
Summary
In today's gathering, we explored the profound journey of faith and the challenges that come with it. Accepting the call to serve God often brings unexpected trials, yet these trials are designed to draw us closer to Him. The essence of our struggle is not in hating or holding grudges but in learning to love genuinely. As believers, our new nature should naturally incline us towards love, yet we often find it challenging. This struggle is part of our spiritual growth, and it affects not only us but also those connected to us.
We delved into the importance of unity and reconciliation within the body of Christ. When offenses occur, they present opportunities to reveal our true selves and to practice forgiveness and reconciliation. The urgency of reconciliation is paramount, as it precedes worship. God values our relationships with others, and unresolved conflicts can hinder our fellowship with Him. We must prioritize peace and reconciliation over religious observance, understanding that how we treat others reflects our relationship with God.
Furthermore, we discussed the power of our words and the impact they have on our lives. Our words can either trap us or set us free, and we must be mindful of what we speak. As speaking spirits, we have the ability to shape our reality through our words. It's crucial to speak life and positivity, even when circumstances seem unfavorable.
Ultimately, the journey of faith requires us to serve both God and man. Serving God means serving others, and we cannot bypass this aspect of our calling. As we navigate the challenges of life, we must remember that our actions, words, and attitudes towards others are a reflection of our love for God. Let us strive to be true believers, responding to adversity with love, forgiveness, and reconciliation.
Key Takeaways:
1. The Call to Serve Comes with Trials: Accepting God's call often involves unexpected challenges, but these trials are meant to draw us closer to Him. Embracing these difficulties with faith strengthens our spiritual journey and aligns us with God's purpose. [05:00]
2. The Urgency of Reconciliation: Reconciliation is more important than worship because unresolved conflicts hinder our relationship with God. Prioritizing peace and reconciliation with others reflects our true love for God and aligns us with His will. [25:18]
3. The Power of Words: Our words have the power to trap or free us. As speaking spirits, we must be mindful of what we say, as our words shape our reality and influence our spiritual journey. Speaking life and positivity is essential for spiritual growth. [43:25]
4. Serving God Means Serving Others: To serve God, we must serve others. Our relationship with God is reflected in how we treat those around us. True servitude involves humility, love, and a commitment to reconciliation and unity. [12:30]
5. The Deception of Unforgiveness: Holding grudges and refusing to forgive breaks our fellowship with God. True love requires us to forgive and reconcile, as our relationship with others mirrors our relationship with God. [28:38]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [04:38] - Accepting the Call
- [05:19] - The Struggle with Love
- [06:32] - Growing Together
- [07:22] - The Good Fight of Faith
- [08:17] - Mutual Honor and Ministry
- [09:00] - The Journey of Salvation
- [10:55] - Spiritual Entrance and Tough Skin
- [12:10] - Serving God by Serving Others
- [14:44] - Scriptures on Reconciliation
- [17:52] - Prioritizing Peace
- [20:02] - The Importance of Unity
- [24:17] - The Urgency of Reconciliation
- [28:18] - Breaks with Others and God
- [32:20] - The Necessity of Forgiveness
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
1. Matthew 18:15-17
2. Matthew 5:23-24
3. 1 John 4:20-21
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Observation Questions:
1. According to Matthew 18:15-17, what steps are outlined for addressing a brother who has wronged you? How does this process emphasize reconciliation?
2. In Matthew 5:23-24, what is the significance of leaving your gift at the altar to reconcile with your brother before offering it? How does this reflect the priority of relationships over religious rituals?
3. 1 John 4:20-21 speaks about the relationship between loving God and loving our brothers. What does this passage say about the authenticity of our love for God if we harbor hate for others?
4. The sermon mentioned the power of words and their impact on our lives. How does Proverbs 6:2 relate to this concept? [42:20]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. Why might reconciliation be considered more urgent than worship according to the sermon and Matthew 5:23-24? How does this priority affect our spiritual practices? [25:18]
2. The sermon discusses the trials that come with accepting the call to serve God. How do these trials contribute to spiritual growth and alignment with God's purpose? [05:00]
3. How does the concept of serving God by serving others challenge traditional views of worship and service? What implications does this have for daily life and interactions? [12:30]
4. In what ways do our words have the power to shape our reality, as discussed in the sermon? How does this align with the biblical teaching in Proverbs 6:2? [43:25]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a recent conflict or offense in your life. How can you apply the steps from Matthew 18:15-17 to seek reconciliation? What might be the challenges and benefits of doing so?
2. Consider a time when you prioritized religious activities over resolving a personal conflict. How did this affect your spiritual life? What steps can you take to prioritize reconciliation in the future? [17:52]
3. Identify someone in your life with whom you have unresolved issues. What practical steps can you take this week to initiate reconciliation, as encouraged in Matthew 5:23-24? [18:13]
4. Think about the words you use daily. Are there specific phrases or attitudes you need to change to align your speech with the biblical principle of speaking life and positivity? How can you start making these changes? [43:25]
5. Serving others is a reflection of serving God. Identify one person or group you can serve this week. What specific actions will you take to demonstrate love and humility in this service? [12:30]
6. Reflect on a situation where you struggled to forgive. How does the sermon’s teaching on the deception of unforgiveness challenge you to change your perspective and actions? [28:38]
7. How can you ensure that your love for God is genuine and not contradicted by your actions towards others, as discussed in 1 John 4:20-21? What specific changes can you make in your relationships to reflect this love?
Devotional
Day 1: Embracing Trials as Pathways to Closeness with God
Accepting the call to serve God often involves unexpected challenges, but these trials are meant to draw us closer to Him. Embracing these difficulties with faith strengthens our spiritual journey and aligns us with God's purpose. When we face trials, it is an opportunity to deepen our reliance on God and to grow in our faith. These challenges are not meant to break us but to build us up, refining our character and drawing us nearer to God's heart. [05:00]
"Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." (James 1:2-4, ESV)
Reflection: What is one trial you are currently facing, and how can you see it as an opportunity to grow closer to God?
Day 2: Reconciliation as a Prerequisite for Worship
Reconciliation is more important than worship because unresolved conflicts hinder our relationship with God. Prioritizing peace and reconciliation with others reflects our true love for God and aligns us with His will. When we hold onto grudges or allow conflicts to fester, it creates a barrier between us and God. True worship begins with a heart that is free from resentment and open to forgiveness. By seeking reconciliation, we honor God and demonstrate our commitment to living out His love in our relationships. [25:18]
"So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift." (Matthew 5:23-24, ESV)
Reflection: Is there someone you need to reconcile with before you can fully engage in worship? What steps can you take today to begin that process?
Day 3: The Transformative Power of Words
Our words have the power to trap or free us. As speaking spirits, we must be mindful of what we say, as our words shape our reality and influence our spiritual journey. Speaking life and positivity is essential for spiritual growth. The words we choose can either build up or tear down, both ourselves and others. By speaking words of encouragement, truth, and love, we align ourselves with God's purpose and invite His presence into our lives. [43:25]
"Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear." (Ephesians 4:29, ESV)
Reflection: Reflect on the words you have spoken today. Are they life-giving and aligned with God's truth? How can you be more intentional with your words?
Day 4: Serving Others as an Expression of Serving God
To serve God, we must serve others. Our relationship with God is reflected in how we treat those around us. True servitude involves humility, love, and a commitment to reconciliation and unity. Serving others is not just an act of kindness but a reflection of our devotion to God. By putting others' needs before our own, we demonstrate the love of Christ and fulfill our calling to be His hands and feet in the world. [12:30]
"For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another." (Galatians 5:13, ESV)
Reflection: Who is someone in your life that you can serve today? What practical steps can you take to show them the love of Christ?
Day 5: The Freedom Found in Forgiveness
Holding grudges and refusing to forgive breaks our fellowship with God. True love requires us to forgive and reconcile, as our relationship with others mirrors our relationship with God. Unforgiveness is a heavy burden that can hinder our spiritual growth and rob us of peace. By choosing to forgive, we release ourselves from the chains of bitterness and open our hearts to God's healing and restoration. [28:38]
"Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you." (Colossians 3:13, ESV)
Reflection: Is there someone you need to forgive? How can you begin to extend forgiveness and experience the freedom it brings?
Quotes
"When I accepted this call, I had no idea the pain and the suffering that I would go through. And I said if He showed me, I still do it. I told Him if He showed me, I would still do it. And I believe He answered that. That's why I can go through it." [00:04:32]
"To serve God, you have to serve man. He said if you want to serve Me, then you got to serve men. You can't skip them. That's part of serving Me. Y'all all right?" [00:12:19]
"If your brother wrongs you, go and show him his faults between you and him privately. If he listens to you, you have won back your brother. But if he does not listen, take along with you one or two others so that every word may be confirmed and upheld by the testimony of two or three witnesses." [00:15:25]
"So if when you are offering your gift at the altar, you remember there that your brother has any grievance against you, leave your gift at the altar and go. First make peace with your brother and then come back and present your gift." [00:17:39]
"Reconciliation always precedes worship. Oh, I told y'all the most important thing is not me up here preaching. The most important thing is the worship. So what does he attack? Our worship. Why we acting like we don't know this? Attacks your worship and he'll attack your worship leaders." [00:25:21]
"A break with other persons means there's a break with God. Unforgiveness toward another means unforgiveness by God. Not being right with others means not being right with God. Y'all all right? Things that we need to remember when you find yourself in offense, hurt, broken fellowship with others means broken fellowship with God." [00:28:24]
"You are snared with the words of your lips. You are caught by the speech of your mouth. You are snared with the words of someone else's mouth, someone else's actions, what someone said. You are snared with the words of your lips, comma, take a thought, take a deep breath." [00:42:20]
"Your words can trap you. You forgot you was a speaking spirit. What you say can cause you to stumble and it can keep you from the full potential or your full potential. It might not, it's not other people stopping you from forwarding or moving forward. It's your own word, just your own belief system." [00:43:26]
"Instead of us just complaining about the situation, you want to be successful, then you going to have to believe that you are when it don't feel like you are. You got just endless possibilities for you, right? Endless. No one can stop you from speaking good." [00:44:34]
"How we treat others matters a great deal to God. I thought everybody would be clapping on that one just 'cause that's you, how you treat others. See, watch this, how we treat others matters to God. This is true, and here's the other part, watch this, it's true not only our actions but also our words and feelings toward each other." [00:21:23]
"When there's an opportunity, when there is an offense, it's an opportunity. It's an opportunity to see the real you, the one that you hide from people, and you also think you're hiding it from God. That's where the deception comes in." [00:23:59]
"True love is with what God and man. Y'all listen closely. Listen to this statement of these facts and these points are perfectly clear. A break with others, with other persons means, watch this, there's a break with God. A break with other person means there's a break with God." [00:28:43]
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