July 30, 2023
Praise Almighty God from whom all blessings flow! Happy Sunday to all the Saints of the Living God in Christ Jesus.
Tell me dear Saint of God, when conflict arises in the room you occupy; whether at home, work, school, family gatherings, the gym, hospital, wherever you are—what is your response?
At this time, is there anyone who you refuse to communicate with because…What is your “because?” Whatever your “because” is—is causing you to be absent from the presence of God, and any time you are not hanging out with God, you are allowing Satan access to your brain and way of thinking and doing things!
Have tensions over any matters risen to the boiling point with family members, church members, friends, neighbors, and/or coworkers such that you no longer are talking to one another—so much so that you have checked out and isolated yourself?
If so, STOP! Just stop yourself, and think about what God expects of you! “God Expects For You To Be The “Adult In The Room!”
Turn to your neighbor and ask of them, “When conflict arises, are you the Adult in the Room, or the child bound in the emotions of selfishness?”
I beg you Saints of God, do not let your mouth become a faucet of evil speaking: spraying people with hateful words, accusations, and judgements.
Remember, we taught that those who speak evil and guile shorten their life spans, and see many evil days come their way. (I Pet. 3:10) The Bible says that anger lies in the bosom of fools. (Eccl. 7:9) Let others gripe and complain, but you must remain in love with God and people, and count your blessings naming them one by one!
There is perhaps no greater example in the Bible of a person losing their cool, and with it, the precious Anointing of God than King Saul. Saul, was the First King of Israel and Anointed of God. He looked like royalty: tall, handsome, and a mighty warrior. But, Saul failed to trust and obey God early in his 42-year reign. (I Sam. Ch.15) He went against the grain with God and failed to completely destroy the Amalekites and all of their possessions, as God had commanded, and God removed His favor from Saul as king.
Saul’s life totally ran-a-muck when he couldn’t even handle within himself a petty jealousy of David. After David defeated Goliath, he couldn’t stand to hear the joyous praises of the Jewish women who danced in a victory parade, singing, “Saul has slain his thousands and David his tens of thousands.”
The Bible says from that day forward, “Saul eyed David,” as an evil spirit entered Him. The “Adult” in Saul had left the room! From his heart and mouth Saul said, “I will smite David to the wall.”
While David served as the King’s personal musician, skillfully playing the harp to soothe Saul’s soul, twice Saul hurled his javelin at David, but missed and he escaped both times. (I Sam.18:6-12)
Thereafter, Saul continually plotted and sought to kill David until his own death by suicide on the battle field. All of this, because he was afraid of David for God was with him. Truly, if you live by the sword, you will die by the sword. (Matt. 26:52)
Umm, most born-again Christians do not realize that when they are embroiled in a conflict—drawn into heated arguments and divisions and suffer persecution—your enemies are really motivated by fear because God is in you and with you. Satan is just trying to use the people you are arguing with to draw you away from dwelling in the presence of God.
Now, remember the Sermon from last week. (See Sermon dated, July 23, 2023.) We learned that those who love Jesus Christ with a “sincere heart” receive the unlimited and unmerited favor of God in manifestation. (Eph. 6:24) (Oh, why don’t we understand that whenever people seek to draw us into offenses and arguments that the favor of God is waiting to be poured out on us?)
More specifically, when the born-again Christian who sincerely loves Jesus shares with others (particularly Non-Christians) the testimony of our Lord Jesus Christ, what Jesus has done in their lives, and what Jesus is willing to do for others who will believe in Him; the grace of God (peace, wealth, money and possessions; and much more) flows into the life of the Christian, as they receive it by faith. This is simply marvelous and wonderful in our sight!
So I say to you, never let a potential conflict in a relationship be the reason for you leaving the sincere love of Jesus Christ. Handle all conflicts and offenses God’s way!
For a moment, just imagine yourself in the middle of a heated argument with another person, and then you decide to change the subject, and start talking about Jesus Christ—the eternal testimony of Jesus, and what Jesus has done for you and is willing to do regarding the subject matter being debated.
Can you see yourself calming down? At first, the other party may not like it that you have brought Jesus Christ into the matter, but I ask you again—who is the “Adult” in the room? There is no person in heaven or earth that can bring about peace, reconciliation, and restoration to kerfuffle between people like Jesus Christ, for He is the Mediator between God and Man. (I Tim. 2:5)
Now let’s go further and consider this. If you sincerely love Jesus Christ, you must also be a keeper of His Commandments. For Jesus said, "If you love me keep my commandments." There is no greater command we have from the Lord Jesus Christ than to love one another as He has loved us. (John 13:34-35, Eph.5:2, I John 2:6, & I John 3:23-24)
I want you to rehearse this a few times, so that you get the full import of what God is communicating in this moment:
*We are to love one another as Jesus Christ loved us.
*We are to love one another as Jesus Christ loved us.
*We are to love one another as Jesus Christ loved us.
Praise God did you get it? Did God reveal a deeper truth to you about His love commandment?
God is saying, that you own the “love of Jesus Christ.” (I John 4:15-16) Now, shout with the voice of triumph and take hold of this truth and say:
"I own the love of Jesus Christ, and I love everybody just as Jesus loves every person born into this world, and gave Himself for them.” (Rom. 5:8-9)
Say, “I sacrifice myself so that I may give to every one God’s love!”
Examine the love of Jesus Christ, His works on the cross, and unification of the world in God in Him, witnessed in the following Scriptures.
I John 2:2 He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.
I Peter 3:18: For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,
I Corinthians 5:17-18: Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
What a mighty act of love and sacrifice Jesus Christ has accomplished for the world. Jesus died and rose again on the third-day for our sins and brought us all to God, so we might have “Oneness” with the Father God in Him in love, peace, and harmony. (John 3:16, 17:3, & II Cor. 5:18-19 & I John 1:1-3)
Praise God, with the love of Jesus Christ in your born-again heart, you are to without condition, love the sin off of every person—strip away all sins off of them—and clothe them in the righteousness of God in Christ!!! When you love as Jesus loved us—you see every person as holy, good, and useful unto God, and worthy of acts of unlimited kindness! This is what God’s love is all about—His love unifies everyone unto Himself!
God gave you the love of Jesus Christ because our relationship/fellowship with God, and all people, are of the utmost importance. (I Cor.12:31) From the beginning of the world, God promised eternal life to us all. See the promise, as recorded at Titus 1:2. It reads:
In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;
MY, My, my, before the world was created, God promised to every person that would be created in the world, “eternal life.” Eternal life is an intimate relationship and fellowship with God the Father, and Jesus Christ. Furthermore, Jesus Christ prayed that we all would be made “One” in God in Christ in love and peace. (John 17:21-23)
Delving deeper into the love of Jesus Christ in you, born-again Christians must understand that the love of Christ was made “complete” in them, when they believed in and received Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. (John 20:29)
Christ’s love abides in your heart (spirit, soul, and mind of the soul). In your sanctified heart, Jesus' love is rooted and grounded. In your heart, you comprehend with all the Saints the breath, length, depth and height of the Love of Christ. In your heart, you know the love of Christ which surpasses all knowledge, and are filled with all the fullness of God.
Further, because the love of God dwells richly in your heart, God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all you can ask or think because Christ’s love is working in you! (Eph. 3:17-20) For how we love God and others determines the extent to which we please God and receive heaven’s rewards on earth. (I John 3:22 & Matt.18:18-20)
Moreover, because you possess the love of Jesus Christ, you dwell in the unity of the faith in Jesus Christ. You are in fellowship with God and Jesus and have come into the measure of the fullness of Christ. You cannot be swayed by any wind and doctrine, sleight, cunning and craftiness of people who try to deceive. But you are able to communicate the truth in love because you are a “grown up” in Christ in all things. (Eph. 4:13-15)
The Holy Ghost in you, is the one who has strengthened and fortified the love of Christ in you and distributed His love throughout your heart! (Eph.3:16 & Rom.5:5) I say to you: In your regenerated heart, “You are not a baby, child, nor teen in Christ. Rather, you are full-grown in Christ and His love.” (II Cor. 5:17, I John 4:16, & Heb. 10:14)
These things belong to the Doctrine of Perfection and are worthy of acceptance and are to be used as faithful sayings. So affirm these things out-loud, by saying,
*I am an Adult in Christ Jesus.
*I walk in the full stature of Christ.
*I am full of the wisdom, knowledge, and understanding of the love of God in Christ Jesus, which is forever being revealed through me.
*I walk in the full stature and completeness of Christ.
*I am perfect and sanctified (set apart for God’s use).
*As the Adult in Christ, when I enter every room, the atmosphere/temperature of the room changes; and becomes charged with faith, grace, truth, and power. *Through the love of Christ, I possess the supernatural power and favor of God to meet every person’s need.”
Oh Saint of God, why waste your time fussing and fighting with folks when you have the Anointing of God to fix the problem being bantered about? Moreover, when Christians get into spats and offenses with each other, if they would just take the matter to the “Mediator” between God and man, Jesus Christ—if they would just touch and agree that Jesus is Lord, and has commanded that we love one another as He has loved us—then Jesus would be in their midst.
The parties could then bind the enemy and release the grace of God on their conflict! (I Tim. 2:5 & Matt. 18:18-20) This is really what Satan fears the most, is that born-again Christians will become united in their resolve to walk in love without prejudice! Satan fears that Christians will come into the knowledge that they are complete in God and full of God’s love, and practice loving each other like Jesus loves them.
Yes indeed, all these things I say to you are true, and can’t help but be so. When you think about how God has blessed us with all “spiritual blessings” in heavenly places in Christ, and given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness. (Eph. 1:3 and II Pet. 1:3) When you consider that God has given to us the fruit of the Spirit and gifts of the Holy Ghost. (Gal. 5:22-23 & I Corinthians 12:7-11 & Rom. 12:3-8) What else can we conclude, but that through Jesus Christ, God has made us perfect in Him! We are dead and Christ’s life lives through us! (Col. 3:3-4 & I John 4:17)
Praise God Colossians 2:10 says you are complete in Him. As such, God “expects” for us to always be the “Adult” in the room. Yes, even in times of conflict, fear, sudden fear, persecution, and complete mayhem we are the grown-ups in the room! See the Amplified Bible Version of Isaiah 42:10. It reads,
Do not fear [anything], for I am with you; Do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, be assured I will help you; I will certainly take hold of you with My righteous right hand [a hand of justice, of power, of victory, of salvation].’
So I beseech you, to the point of beg you, to only talk about every "good thing" God has placed in you with other people. Even when conflict arises in the room you occupy overcome evil with God-good talk and actions. (Rom.12:17-21)
Arguing, fussing and fighting, and confusion with one another; is straight from the pit of hell! The argument we have with each other, no matter what it is about, is not from God, it’s from the devil!!! (I Cor. 14:33) and is intended to lock you down in fear so the devil can steal, kill, and destroy relationships. (John 10:10)
In every circumstance and experience with our fellow man, God expects for us to show forth the LOVE of Christ. Jesus said, to whom much is given, much is required. (Luke 12:48) Romans 12:18 states, “If it be possible, as much as lies in you, live peaceably with all men.”
What a powerful Scripture. What lies within the core of our born-again hearts is the Spirit of the Life and Mind of Jesus Christ, and His Love for all people. Therefore, we must strive to live peaceably with all people. The Love of Christ in us never fails, never faints, never gives up and never quits seeking and making peace with all people. Why? Because God, who cannot lie promised eternal life to every man from the foundations of the world. (Titus 1:2 & Matt. 5:9)
The peacemakers of God are the Adults in the room in the midst of conflict. As such, Jesus Christ has given us the following instructions for handling adversarial relationships. See Matthew 5:43-48.
43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?
47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?
48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
I’m closing now, God wants His people to see the big picture. We have eternal life through Jesus Christ and of greatest importance is that we maintain our fellowship with God and Christ Jesus by walking in love toward all people as Jesus has loved us. Jesus first demonstrated His love for us as He laid down his life for us while we were yet sinners. (Rom.5:8 Gal. 2:20) He took all of our sins and washed them in His own blood and made us kings and priests unto God the Father. (Rev.1:5-6) Thus, as Ambassadors of Christ Jesus, we are sent forth into the world to show the love of Christ to every man. (II Cor. 5:20)
Therefore, I say to you “Child's play is over!” It’s easy to love those who support our way of thinking and causes, but for those who would seek to do us harm in word and deed, we must also love them with the hope of their turnaround to Christ. Let us with steadfast determination, let nothing separate us from the love of God. (Rom. 8:35-39) Let everything we do in word or deed be accomplished by the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. (Col.3:17) Amen and to God be the glory for the things He has done!
Attach this memory Verse to your refrigerator from Ephesians 4:31-32.
Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice.
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.