Recommended Summer Reading

If you’re like me, you love reading books, especially ones that challenge life-change. Besides the Bible, there are books that I’ve read that have made a tremendous impact on my life. Therefore, on occasion, I ‘m going to share with you in this e-newsletter a review of a book that I am currently reading. My hope is that these book reviews will encourage you to find new resources that will challenge you to grow in your connection with Christ, with each other, and have greater impact in your world.

If you’ve ever struggled with: being offended, letting go of bitterness, and understanding and working through life’s difficulties, then this book would be a great read. The Bait of Satan is about learning to overcome bitterness. It is about learning to deal with offenses, and forgive the person who has offended you. An offended person is one who has “taken offense” when someone mistreated them in some way. This may also include offended people who believe they were mistreated when they were not. John Bevere relates “offense” as like a bait within Satan’s trap. When we take on offense by others, not releasing it, but allowing bitterness to grow, we are actually falling right into Satan’s snare. Our unwillingness to let go of offense could be the very thing that is hindering our walk with God, our relationships with each other, and shielding our eyes from seeing the needs of this world.

This book is literally challenging me “big-time” in the core of my heart as I’m currently reading through it. I highly recommend the entire church reading through this book this summer, especially as NLCF continues to grow and move into new ventures together.

Go The Right Way

CONFLICT is neither easy nor fun to deal with, especially when it deals with friends, family or fellow believers in the church. Yet, because we are all different people with differing views and personalities, we will all have to deal with sometime throughout our lifetime. In today’s Next Level reading, Jesus addresses the difficult issue of dealing with conflict with each other and gives us the “RIGHT WAY” strategy to deal with it.

¹⁵“If another believer sins against you,go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back. ¹⁶But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again, so that everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses. ¹⁷If the person still refuses to listen, take your case to the church. Then if he or she won’t accept the church’s decision, treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt tax collector. (Matt. 18:15-17)

Step #1 Go to the person who has offended you, in a humble and loving manner (Matt. 7:12- In the way you would want to be treated.) and have a private discussion about how that person’s actions or words have hurt you. Way too often, the person who has offended us is the last person to find out about the offense. This is wrong! If we care about the relationship, then we need to “care enough to confront.” If the person responds in a positive way, the relationship is renewed and can even be strengthened.

Step #2 If the first meeting is unsuccessful, go back to that person again, in a humble and loving manner (Matt. 7:12- In the way you would want to be treated.) with 1 or 2 other people to help resolve the conflict and to confirm what was said in the conversation. Often times, just by bringing other’s into the discussion, they are able to objectively add insights that maybe both parties are not able to see.

Step #3 If the previous two meetings do not bring about a reconciliation, then you are to bring the issue to the Leadership of the Church and allow them to help you resolve the conflict.

Step #4 If after all of these steps have been taken in the right manner, and one party still refuses to reconcile the conflict, then the problem is probably much bigger than the issue at hand. At this point, the person who is seeking reconciliation needs to surrender the issue and relationship into God’s hands, but continue to pray earnestly for the other person.

As we go to the Next Level as a church, there will most certainly be conflict and disagreements with each other because we all have our different views and opinions of what this looks like. When conflict shows it’s ugly head, let me encourage you to “GO THE RIGHT WAY”. And remember this, God’s Way is not always the easiest way, but for the benefit of our relationships it’s the BEST WAY!

Join NLCF as we go to the Next Level in our journey with Christ by reading through the New Testament in 2008. Go to this website http://www.gbcsanmarcos.org/Handouts/NT%20Study%20Plan/NT%2052-week%20study%20plan.pdf to download a New Testament reading guide.

DEALING WITH DISAPPOINTMENT

Photo from
www.packersNews.com

Have you ever been disappointed before? No, I’m not talking about a football game, though this past weekend does reminds us of how difficulties often come unexpectantly. I’m talking about real-life disappointments like loosing a job, discovering that you or a loved one has a life-altering disease, or even a marital disappointment. How you deal with disappointments can often provide tremendous opportunities for Next Level steps in your life.

In last weeks reading, Jesus offers a full-proof game plan for dealing with and getting through disappointment. Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens (disappointed), and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” (Matt. 11:28-30 NLT)

#1 “Come to me…” – Instead of our usual response which is either to lash out and hurt others or going introvert and carrying around an inner-rage, allowing no one else inside. Jesus challenges us to go to Him as our first response to disappointments.

#2 “Take my yoke upon you.”- A yoke is an instrument farmers used to use to connect their oxen together to pull plows for their fields. The whole principle is that two are stronger than one when living and working in connection and unity. God provided a way for all of us to live in connection and unity with Him through a relationship with His son, Jesus Christ.

#3 “Let me teach you…”- Jesus is asking for us to be “teachable.” A teachable spirit calls for us to surrender our ways and learning to replace them with His ways. This doesn’t come easy for any of us especially when our habits shape our lives like they do. Yet, “letting go and letting God” truly is the key to transformation.

If your soul is in a state of DISAPPOINTMENT, don’t punish yourself and allow your heart to be dragged down. Instead, choose a different road and let your DISAPPOINTMENTS be an opportunity to go to the Next Level with God.

Join NLCF as we go to the Next Level in our journey with Christ by reading through the New Testament in 2008. Go to this website http://www.gbcsanmarcos.org/Handouts/NT%20Study%20Plan/NT%2052-week%20study%20plan.pdf to download a New Testament reading guide.