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Ministry Encouragement Podcast – Episode #038 – 3-20-13
Rev. Jim W. Hollis, Executive Director of Proactive Ministries
Contact Jim by phone: (770) 803-9988 Email: jim@ministryencouragementpodcast.com
Proactive Ministries Website: www.proactive-ministries.org
Welcome to the 38th Episode of the Ministry Encouragement Podcast. Your sharing in this podcast is a blessing to me and proof that as a Christian you are seeking to be more like Christ, walk closer in His ways and discover new ways to live out your Christian walk each day! Thank you for being part of the Christian Community that is growing around this ministry podcast.
Today I will be discussing from a new angle how the pain and hurt from conflict among Christians can be significantly reduced and dis-empowered through the love of Christ. As Christians we have basic beliefs that are sacred to each of us. We take these seriously and are often ready to not only give an account of our faithfulness in believing them but can be quickly stirred to attack others who may question these basic beliefs.
Today’s podcast is on the topic of:
Mature Christians Agree to Disagree in Christ’s Love
or
Pursuing Christian Maturity in Christ’s Love
How can we as Christians find the Grace of God to move toward maturity in Christ? It’s not easy because many other Christ-followers who love the Lord, their faith and discipleship simply do not look at life in the same ways that we do. Does that mean that they are wrong and we are right? Will we turn to the Scriptures and gather verses, like arrows to shoot them with that they may die to their disagreements with us? With little effort, conflict among Christians can lead to what some would call, “righteous indignation” and “justifiable attacks” on others. Yet, these attitudes and behaviors are not themes of Christ’s life and ministry among us. Neither are they supported in the Bible.
There are instead, at least four major strategies and principles that we can choose to live out as we journey toward Christian maturity:
- Rejoice, rejoice and rejoice again!
- Count on the truth that God is with us, for us and not against us.
- Don’t give in to worry and anxiety – power up in prayer.
- Trade in lower thoughts for the highest things to think on and live them daily.
I would love to share a few questions with you, our faithful listeners. Would you reflect on these and then send me an email, a voicemail, or phone me to share your answers? I want to share with our listening community what your thoughts and insights are about these areas that are harming so many relationships and churches today across North America. You are invited to be part of the solution. Here they are:
1) Why do so many Christians seem to latch on and focus on the negative things rather than the positive ones?
2) Why do you feel thousands of Christians are convinced that God is not with them, for them and often stands against them finding a great life?
3) Why do we so often cave in to worry and anxiety rather than employing the power available to us in prayer?
4) In what ways do you successfully think on the highest things? How do you encourage others to do so?
I hope you will share your thoughts with me as I would love to share them with our community. I believe by our reflecting on these important questions together we can arrive at new place of greater Christian maturity. Maybe you would like to discuss these questions in your small group, Sunday School class or a study group you are in now. Your collective thoughts would be of great value!
As always I encourage you to share this Ministry Encouragement Podcast with those in your family, your groups, your work and even those you meet in the coming days. We live in a world and time that is terribly short on Encouragement and very long on Discouragement. You can be a change agent in that!
Until our next Episode, I covet your prayers for me, my family, our ministry Staff at Proactive Ministries and Christians everywhere. Would you please take a few minutes today to pray for someone who really irritates you? Someone who frustrates you? And would you ask God to help each of us become more loveable that we may see our world with different eyes – the eyes of Christ?
Your being part of this is a blessing to me! Thank you again for listening and sharing. May God bless you!
Jim
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