Handling Conflict in a Godly Way

LEANING ON GOD IN CONFLICT •Genesis 13:1-13 THERE IS A STORY ABOUT •AN OLD STONE MONASTERY •TUCKED AWAY IN THE MIDDLE OF A PICTURESQUE FOREST •FOR MANY YEARS PEOPLE WOULD MAKE THE DIFFICULT JOURNEY •WHICH WAS REQUIRED TO REACH THIS MONASTERY THE PEACEFUL SPIRIT OF THE PLACE •WAS HEALING FOR THE SOUL •IN RECENT YEARS HOWEVER FEWER AND FEWER PEOPLE •WERE MAKING THEIR WAY TO THE MONASTERY •THE MONKS HAD GROWN JEALOUS AND PETTY IN THEIR RELATIONSHIPS •WITH ONE ANOTHER AND THEIR ANIMOSITY • WAS FELT BY THOSE WHO VISITED…… •WE WILL COME BACK TO THE MONKS.. THERE WILL BE TIMES IS THIS LIFE •WHEN THE PEACEFUL SPIRIT IS INTERRUPTED BY ANIMOSITY THINGS ARE GOING •ALONG JUST FINE AND ALL THE SUDDEN •WE ARE IN A CONFLICT •FOLKS WHO HAVE GOTTEN ALONG JUST FINE •FIND THEMSELVES UNABLE TO RESOLVE A PROBLEM…. WE ALL FACE CONFLICT •AT SOME POINT IN OUR LIVES •WE NEED TO LEARN TO LEAN ON GOD IN CONFLICT •LEANING ON… TRUSTING IN GOD IS IMPORTANT ALL THE TIME •BUT IN THOSE MOMENTS OF CONFLICT WE HAVE A CHOICE WE CAN SOLVE THE CONFLICT •IN A WORLDLY WAY •SEEKING TO “WIN”… TO GET OUR WAY… TO COME OUT ON TOP •OR WE CAN SEEK TO RESOLVE A CONFLICT GOD’S WAY •TRUSTING IN HIS PROVISION, GUIDANCE, CARE, AND WISDOM I NEED TO DEAL WITH CONFLICT •IN A CHRIST-LIKE MANNER •WE ALL NEED TO WALK WITH GOD IN CONFLICT •MAYBE YOU FACE A CONFLICT RIGHT NOW •THAT YOU CAN LEAN ON GOD THROUGH TODAY WE ARE GOING •TO LOOK AT A CONFLICT IN THE BOOK OF GENESIS •AND SEE JUST HOW IT IS HANDLED •TURN TO GENESIS 13:1 •ABRAM HAD GONE TO EGYPT BECAUSE THERE WAS •A FAMINE IN CANAAN •HE HAD PLEADED WITH HIS WIFE SARI •TO TELL PEOPLE THAT SHE WAS HIS SISTER •HE DID THIS OUT OF FEAR THAT HE WOULD BE KILLED THE PHARAOH HAD TAKEN •SARI INTO HIS HAREM •AND PHARAOH HAD GIVEN ABRAM MANY GIFTS •THEN GOD HAD STRUCK PHARAOH AND HIS HOUSE •WITH GREAT PLAGUES… AND PHARAOH HAD KICKED ABRAM OUT OF EGYPT GENESIS 13:1–4 SO ABRAM WENT UP FROM EGYPT TO THE NEGEV, HE AND HIS WIFE AND ALL THAT BELONGED TO HIM, AND LOT WITH HIM. NOW ABRAM WAS VERY RICH IN LIVESTOCK, IN SILVER AND IN GOLD. HE WENT ON HIS JOURNEYS FROM THE NEGEV AS FAR AS BETHEL, TO THE PLACE WHERE HIS TENT HAD BEEN AT THE BEGINNING, BETWEEN BETHEL AND AI, TO THE PLACE OF THE ALTAR WHICH HE HAD MADE THERE FORMERLY; AND THERE ABRAM CALLED ON THE NAME OF THE LORD. COME BACK TO GOD •WHEN ABRAM HAD BEEN DOWN IN EGYPT •HE HAD FACED SOME DIFFICULT THINGS •HIS WIFE HAD BEEN TAKEN TO PHARAOH’S HOUSE •PHARAOH FOUND OUT ABRAM HAD LIED TO HIM •SO ABRAM GOT KICKED OUTTA EGYPT •AND THE NEXT THING WE SEE ABRAM DO •IS COME BACK TO GOD…. HE CAME BACK WITH •HIS WIFE AND ALL THAT BELONGED TO HIM, AND LOT WITH HIM. •HE DID NOT GO TO HIS HOMELAND •FIRST, HE GOES TO THE NEGEV •HE IS GOING BACK THE WAY HE CAME HE IS RETRACING HIS STEPS •HE HAD MADE SOME MISTAKES IN EGYPT •HE ASKED HIS WIFE TO LIE •BY SAYING SHE WAS HIS SISTER •AND HIS PLAN HAD BACKFIRED ON HIM BUT GOD IN HIS AMAZING GRACE •HAD USED ABRAM’S •FLAWED PLAN FOR A BLESSING •ABRAM WENT DOWN TO EGYPT •BECAUSE OF A FAMINE IN CANAAN AND HE RETURNED •A MUCH RICHER MAN •EVEN WHEN GOD BRINGS US THROUGH •THINGS AND WE END UP MORE BLESSED THAN WE EVER DESERVE •WE NEED TO MAKE SURE •WE COME BACK TO GOD AFTER •TRIALS… CHALLENGES.. DIFFICULTIES… COME BACK AFTER BLESSINGS •ABRAM RETURNED FROM EGYPT •A MUCH RICHER MAN THAN WHEN HE LEFT •NOW ABRAM WAS VERY RICH IN LIVESTOCK, IN SILVER AND IN GOLD. THESE RICHES WERE •A FULFILLMENT OF GOD’S PROMISES… •GOD HAD PROMISED TO BLESS ABRAM •AND GOD HAD DONE SO EVEN WHEN •ABRAM HAD SINNED WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND •ANY RICHES WE HAVE COME FROM GOD…. •WE MAY THINK WE TAKE CARE OF OURSELVES •THAT WE EARNED EVERYTHING WE EVER GOT •BUT THAT IS JUST NOT THE CASE JAMES 1:17 •EVERY GOOD THING GIVEN AND EVERY PERFECT GIFT IS FROM ABOVE, COMING DOWN FROM THE FATHER OF LIGHTS, WITH WHOM THERE IS NO VARIATION OR SHIFTING SHADOW. ANY BLESSING WE HAVE •HAS BEEN GIVEN BY GOD •THIS FACT SHOULD DRIVE US TO WORSHIP •AND PRAISE THE GOD WHO LOVES US COME BACK TO WORSHIP •ABRAM COMES BACK RIGHT TO WHERE •HE HAD BUILT AN ALTAR AND WORSHIPPED GOD •HE HAD COME OUT OF EGYPT A MUCH RICHER MAN… •HE COULD HAVE TAKEN THOSE RICHES •AND HEADED BACK TO UR.. •HE WOULD HAVE COME HOME A HERO •BUT INSTEAD HE GOES RIGHT BACK TO THE PLACE OF THE ALTAR •WHICH HE HAD MADE THERE FORMERLY; •HE COMES BACK TO THIS PLACE •FOR A VERY SPECIFIC REASON •MOSES TELLS US THAT AT THIS PLACE ABRAM CALLED ON •THE NAME OF THE LORD •THIS MEANS ABRAM WORSHIPED AND PREACHED GOD •ABRAM RECEIVED BLESSINGS WHEN HE WAS IN EGYPT •AND WHEN HE RETURNS FROM EGYPT •HE WORSHIPS GOD AND PREACHES… PROCLAIMS GOD •WHEN WE RECEIVE A BLESSING WE NEED TO ACKNOWLEDGE •THAT IT COMES FROM GOD •WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE •HIS PRESENCE IN OUR LIVES BACK AT THE MONASTERY THE ABBOT •WAS DISTRESSED BY WHAT WAS HAPPENING, •AND POURED OUT HIS HEART TO HIS GOOD FRIEND. •A WISE OLD MAN HOW LIVED NEAR THE MONASTERY. WHEN HE HEARD THE ABBOT’S STORY •HE ASKED IF HE COULD OFFER A SUGGESTION. •“PLEASE DO” RESPONDED THE ABBOT. “ANYTHING YOU CAN OFFER.” •THE MAN SAID THAT HE HAD RECEIVED A VISION, AN IMPORTANT VISION, •AND THE VISION WAS THIS: •THE MESSIAH WAS AMONG THE RANKS OF THE MONKS. •THE ABBOT WAS FLABBERGASTED. •ONE AMONG HIS OWN WAS THE MESSIAH! WHO COULD IT BE? •HE KNEW IT WASN’T HIMSELF, BUT WHO? •HE RACED BACK TO THE MONASTERY •AND SHARED HIS EXCITING NEWS •WITH HIS FELLOW MONKS. GENESIS 13:5–7 NOW LOT, WHO WENT WITH ABRAM, ALSO HAD FLOCKS AND HERDS AND TENTS. AND THE LAND COULD NOT SUSTAIN THEM WHILE DWELLING TOGETHER, FOR THEIR POSSESSIONS WERE SO GREAT THAT THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO REMAIN TOGETHER. AND THERE WAS STRIFE BETWEEN THE HERDSMEN OF ABRAM’S LIVESTOCK AND THE HERDSMEN OF LOT’S LIVESTOCK. NOW THE CANAANITE AND THE PERIZZITE WERE DWELLING THEN IN THE LAND. THE CAUSE OF THE CONFLICT •IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE NOTICE •WHAT IS CAUSING THIS CONFLICT •LOT AND ABRAM HAD BEEN TRAVELING •TOGETHER FOR QUITE A WHILE NOW ALL THE SUDDEN •THERE IS CONFLICT BETWEEN THEM •WHAT HAS CHANGED? •WHAT IS DIFFERENT? •SINCE THEIR TRIP DOWN TO EGYPT THEY HAVE MORE STUFF •FIRST, WE READ THAT ABRAM WAS VERY RICH •THEN WE SEE THAT LOT ALSO HAD •FLOCKS HERDS AND TENTS AND MOSES TELLS US •THE REASON THE LAND COULD NOT SUSTAIN THEM •FOR THEIR POSSESSIONS WERE SO GREAT THAT •THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO REMAIN TOGETHER. MORE MONEY MORE PROBLEMS •IS A VERY TRUE STATEMENT… •A HAVE WATCHED PEOPLE’S LIVES •FALL APART WHEN THEY SUDDENLY •CAME INTO WEALTH WHEN CONFLICT COMES •WHEN NEED TO PAY CLOSE ATTENTION •TO THE SOURCE OF THE CONFLICT •KNOWING WHAT CAUSED THE CONFLICT •MAY HELP US TO SEE HOW TO RESPOND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE •WE RESPOND IN A GODLY MANNER NOT A FLESHLY MANNER •WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE DON’T •GET DRAGGED FURTHER INTO CONFLICT DON’T GET PULLED IN •THE SECOND THING WE SEE HERE •IS THAT THE CONFLICT DID NOT START •WITH LOT AND ABRAM IT STARTED WITH •THE HERDSMEN OF ABRAM’S LIVESTOCK AND THE HERDSMEN OF LOT’S LIVESTOCK. •THESE FELLAS WERE PART OF THE WEALTH •THEY WERE PART OF THE PROBLEM IT IS VERY LIKELY •THESE MEN WERE FIGHTING OVER •RESOURCES… WATER.. GRAZING LAND •THERE WAS JUST NOT ENOUGH •TO GO AROUND SO THE TEXT SAYS •THERE WAS STRIFE BETWEEN THEM •THIS WORD MEANS DISPUTES, QUARRELS, •FIGHT’N AND FEUD’N LATER ON THE ISRAELITES •USED THIS WORD TO MEAN LAWSUITS… •NOW THIS FIGHT’N AND FEUD’N •WAS NOT THE ONLY PROBLEM •ABRAM AND LOT FACED SEEING THE BIGGER PICTURE •AFTER SAYING THE HIRED FOLKS •WERE FIGHTING OVER THE RESOURCES •MOSES SAYS IN GENESIS 13:7 •NOW THE CANAANITE AND THE PERIZZITE WERE DWELLING THEN IN THE LAND. •THERE ARE A COUPLE OF WAYS WE CAN SEE THIS •MAYBE THIS IS WHY THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH •GRAZING LAND AND WATER FOR BOTH •ABRAM AND LOT… THE PERIZZITES •WERE IN THE LAND… THERE IS ANOTHER WAY •WE COULD LOOK AT THIS •IT IS POSSIBLE THAT MOSES •IS POINTING OUT THAT ABRAM AND LOT HAD BIGGER PROBLEMS •TO DEAL WITH THAN SOME •FEUD BETWEEN THEIR HIRED HANDS •ABRAM AND LOT ARE FOCUSED ON THEIR INDIVIDUAL WEALTH •AND NOT PAYING ATTENTION •TO THE MAIN THREAT THEY FACED •THE PERIZZITES IN THE LAND WE CAN GET TO THINKING •WE KNOW WHAT’S GOING ON •AND SOMETIMES WHEN THIS HAPPENS •WE MISS THE REAL PROBLEM BECAUSE WE ARE SO SURE •WE SEE THE BIG PICTURE •BUT THE TRUTH IS WE ARE •LOOKING IN THE WRONG PLACE EPHESIANS 6:12 FOR OUR STRUGGLE IS NOT AGAINST FLESH AND BLOOD, BUT AGAINST THE RULERS, AGAINST THE POWERS, AGAINST THE WORLD FORCES OF THIS DARKNESS, AGAINST THE SPIRITUAL FORCES OF WICKEDNESS IN THE HEAVENLY PLACES. ABRAM AND LOT THOUGHT •THE PROBLEM WAS EACH OTHER •BUT THE REAL PROBLEM MAY HAVE BEEN •THE PERIZZITE BEING IN THE LAND WE GET TO THINKING •THE PROBLEM IS, THE GOVERNMENT •THE MEDIA, THE DRUG PUSHERS, •VIOLENT VIDEO GAMES… BUT OUR STRUGGLE •IS NOT AGAINST FLESH AND BLOOD •OUR CONFLICT IS REALLY WITH •THE FORCES OF DARKNESS AND WICKEDNESS KNOWING WHAT OUR •TRUE STRUGGLE IS.. SHOULD CHANGE •HOW WE DEAL WITH CONFLICT •WE NEED TO STAY FOCUSED ON GOD IN CONFLICT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE •WE DON’T GET SIDE TRACKED •OR RESPOND IN A CONFLICT •IN A WAY THAT DOES NOT SERVE GOD MEAN WHILE BACK AT THE MONASTERY THE MONKS GREW SILENT •AS THEY LOOKED INTO EACH OTHER’S FACES. •WAS THIS ONE THE MESSIAH? •FROM THAT DAY ON THE MOOD IN THE MONASTERY CHANGED. JOSEPH AND SAMUEL •STARTED TALKING AGAIN, •NEITHER WANTING TO BE GUILTY OF SLIGHTING THE MESSIAH. •PIERRE AND JAMES LEFT BEHIND THEIR FROSTY ANGER •AND SOUGHT OUT EACH OTHER’S FORGIVENESS. THE MONKS BEGAN •SERVING EACH OTHER, •LOOKING OUT FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO ASSIST, •SEEKING HEALING AND FORGIVENESS •WHERE OFFENCE HAD BEEN GIVEN. GENESIS 13:8–13 SO ABRAM SAID TO LOT, “PLEASE LET THERE BE NO STRIFE BETWEEN YOU AND ME, NOR BETWEEN MY HERDSMEN AND YOUR HERDSMEN, FOR WE ARE BROTHERS. “IS NOT THE WHOLE LAND BEFORE YOU? PLEASE SEPARATE FROM ME; IF TO THE LEFT, THEN I WILL GO TO THE RIGHT; OR IF TO THE RIGHT, THEN I WILL GO TO THE LEFT.” LOT LIFTED UP HIS EYES AND SAW ALL THE VALLEY OF THE JORDAN, THAT IT WAS WELL WATERED EVERYWHERE—THIS WAS BEFORE THE LORD DESTROYED SODOM AND GOMORRAH—LIKE THE GARDEN OF THE LORD, LIKE THE LAND OF EGYPT AS YOU GO TO ZOAR. SO LOT CHOSE FOR HIMSELF ALL THE VALLEY OF THE JORDAN, AND LOT JOURNEYED EASTWARD. THUS THEY SEPARATED FROM EACH OTHER. ABRAM SETTLED IN THE LAND OF CANAAN, WHILE LOT SETTLED IN THE CITIES OF THE VALLEY, AND MOVED HIS TENTS AS FAR AS SODOM. NOW THE MEN OF SODOM WERE WICKED EXCEEDINGLY AND SINNERS AGAINST THE LORD. DEAL WITH CONFLICT QUICKLY •ONE OF THE THINGS ABRAM GETS RIGHT HERE •IS THAT HE DEALS WITH THIS CONFLICT QUICKLY •HE DOES NOT LET IT DRAG ON •HE TAKES ACTION RIGHT AWAY ABRAM GOES TO LOT AND SAYS •“PLEASE LET THERE BE NO STRIFE BETWEEN YOU AND ME •THAT IS AN AWESOME WAY TO START •A DISCUSSION ABOUT CONFLICT •LET’S DEAL WITH THIS…. ROMANS 12:18 IF POSSIBLE, SO FAR AS IT DEPENDS ON YOU, BE AT PEACE WITH ALL MEN. •AND ABRAM WANTS PEACE •SO MUCH HE LETS LOT DECIDE ABRAM WAS THE OLDER •THE CHOICE OF WHO WENT WHERE •WAS REALLY HIS CHOICE TO MAKE •BUT HE ALLOWS LOT TO MAKE THE DECISION HE TELLS LOT • PLEASE SEPARATE FROM ME; •IF TO THE LEFT, THEN I WILL GO TO THE RIGHT; •OR IF TO THE RIGHT, THEN I WILL GO TO THE LEFT.” THIS IS ABRAM •LETTING LOT DECIDE WHICH LAND •HE WILL TAKE… AND ABRAM OFFERING •TO TAKE WHAT LOT DOES NOT TAKE DID YOU NOTICE •THAT NEITHER OF THEM EVEN CONSIDER •GIVING UP SOME OF THEIR WEALTH •THE REASON THEY CAN’T STAY TOGETHER •IS THAT THEY HAVE TO MUCH LIVESTOCK IT DOES NOT EVEN •OCCUR TO THEM TO REDUCE THEIR HERDS •SOMETIMES WE CLING TO POSSESSIONS •MORE STRONGLY THAN WE SHOULD WE MIGHT WANT TO •HOLD ON TO PEOPLE STRONGER •AND STUFF A LITTLE WEAKER •GOD LIKES THE PEOPLE WAY •MORE THAN HE LIKES THE STUFF ABRAM WAS HUMBLE •WHEN HE ALLOWED LOT TO DECIDE •IT WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE •IF LOT HAD BEEN AS HUMBLE •WHEN HE MADE HIS CHOICE DEAL WITH CONFLICT HUMBLY •IT IS REALLY HARD TO DO •BUT WE REALLY NEED TO •PUT OTHERS FIRST IN CONFLICT •THAT MEANS CONSIDERING THEM FIRST LOT DIDN’T CONSIDER ABRAM •ALL LOT CONSIDERED WAS THE LAND •THE VALLEY WAS WELL WATERED EVERYWHERE— •IT WAS LIKE THE GARDEN OF THE LORD, •IT WAS LIKE THE LAND OF EGYPT AS YOU GO TO ZOAR. LOT MADE HIS CHOICE •ON A PURELY HUMAN LEVEL •TAKING THE BEST LAND •LEAVING ABRAM WITH •LESS THAN PERFECT LANDS FOR HIS HERDS STRIVE FOR UNITY IN CONFLICT •THE GOAL IN RESOLVING CONFLICT IS UNITY •IN THIS CASE THEY SEPARATED •THIS DID NOT RESOLVE THE CONFLICT •IT AVOIDED THE CONFLICT SOMETIMES SEPARATION •IS NECESSARY, IN THIS CASE IT WAS NOT •THEY COULD HAVE JUST REDUCED THE NUMBER •OF THEIR LIVESTOCK AND HIRED WORKERS •AND KEPT ON WORKING TOGETHER BUT THEY SEPARATED •LOT JOURNEYED EASTWARD. THUS THEY SEPARATED FROM EACH OTHER. •AS WE WILL SEE AS WE GO ALONG •THIS SEPARATION DID NOT WORK OUT WELL •FOR LOT… NOT WELL AT ALL NOTICE THE RESULTS OF CONFLICT •WE REALLY NEED TO PAY ATTENTION •TO WHERE WE END UP AFTER A CONFLICT •IN LOT’S CASE… THE CONFLICT •PUT HIM IN A BAD SPOT MOSES TELLS US THAT •LOT SETTLED IN THE CITIES OF THE VALLEY, •AND MOVED HIS TENTS AS FAR AS SODOM •NOW THE MEN OF SODOM WERE WICKED EXCEEDINGLY •AND SINNERS AGAINST THE LORD. LOT HAD TRAVELED WITH ABRAM •A MAN CHOSEN BY GOD •A MAN BLESSED BY GOD •A MAN DOING GOD’S WILL •AND AFTER THIS CONFLICT LOT IS NOW LIVING •WITH EXCEEDINGLY WICKED MEN •SINNERS AGAINST THE LORD •HOW WE HANDLE CONFLICT •HAS A HUGE AFFECT ON OUR LIVES HANDLING CONFLICT •GOD’S WAY CAN RESULT •IN GROWTH IN CHRIST •WALKING CLOSER WITH GOD •PEACE WITH ONE ANOTHER HANDLING CONFLICT •IN A WORLDLY… FLESHLY WAY •CAN RESULT IN SEPARATION FROM GOD •FAMILIARITY WITH SIN •ESTRANGEMENT FROM GODLY PEOPLE WE NEED TO MAKE SURE •WE ARE DEALING WITH CONFLICT •IN A GODLY MANNER •IT IMPACTS OUR LIVES •AND THE LIVES OF THOSE AROUND US AS ONE TRAVELER, THEN ANOTHER, •FOUND THEIR WAY TO THE MONASTERY •WORD SOON SPREAD ABOUT •THE REMARKABLE SPIRIT OF THE PLACE. •PEOPLE ONCE AGAIN TOOK THE JOURNEY TO THE MONASTERY •AND FOUND THEMSELVES •RENEWED AND TRANSFORMED. •ALL BECAUSE THOSE MONKS KNEW •THE MESSIAH WAS AMONG THEM, NOT AS ONE OF THEM… BUT AS THE PRESENCE OF CHRIST IN THEIR LIVES. WHEN WE ARE IN A CONFLICT •IS THE MESSIAH AMONG US •ARE WE LIVING LIKE JESUS IS RIGHT THERE WITH US? •ARE WE RESPONDING TO THE STRIFE •IN A FLESHLY MANNER? •OR A CHRIST-LIKE MANNER? DO WE TURN TO GOD •WHEN WE ARE IN A CONFLICT? •OR DO WE LOOK FOR WORLDLY SOLUTION? •ARE WE LOOKING FOR WHAT IS RIGHT? •OR WHAT IS SERVES US THE MOST? WE NEED TO RESOLVE •CONFLICTS RIGHT AWAY •MAKING SURE WE DON’T •JUST TRY TO AVOID THEM •EVEN IF THAT WOULD BE EASIER WE NEED TO BE HUMBLE •IN HOW WE DEAL WITH CONFLICTS •PUTTING THE NEEDS OF OTHERS •AHEAD OF OUR OWN NEEDS •THIS IS NOT EASY, BUT IT IS CHRIST-LIKE WE NEED TO STRIVE •FOR UNITY IN CONFLICT •THIS MAY NOT ALWAYS BE POSSIBLE •BUT WE NEED TO DO EVERYTHING •IN OUR POWER BY PUTTING UNITY ABOVE PERSONAL GAIN WE HANDLE CONFLICT •THIS WAY BECAUSE WE HAVE •AN ETERNAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD •AND THAT RELATIONSHIP IS MORE IMPORTANT •THEN ANY CONFLICT WE HAVE WITH EACH OTHER WE ENTERED INTO •THIS ETERNAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD •WHEN WE TRUSTED IN JESUS CHRIST AS OUR SAVOIR •IF THERE IS ANYONE HERE TODAY •WHO HAS NOT TRUSTED IN JESUS CHRIST...