speak the truth in love

Great conversations are not taught and they are often tough. No one is good at confrontation. In fact the number one reason for divorce is a lack of communication. It is tough to speak the truth in love in some situations.

How do we deal with difficult times and people around us and dealing proactively with conflict? Love always takes courage. Love is not always easy.

1 Corinthians 13:6b (NASB) --- (LOVE) rejoices in the truth

Love is awesome. But do we really understand love and what it is to love someone else? It isn't easy. Love doesn't get excited about the wrong things. It lifts the right situations and the right actions.

Ephesians 4:15 (NLT) --- Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.

Notice what happens when you speak the truth in love. Growth happens. Like a baby who grows. You want them to begin speaking. But when that baby becomes a teenager your prayer or your question may be more like when will they shut up. Fact is what comes out of our mouths says we are either mature or immature. So which is it for you?

Good relationships are not shallow, and these relationships take work. They often are tough. How willing are we to deal with the truth? When we are not willing to deal with situations, we leave our relationships are the superficial level. That's where growth and intimacy can't happen. Ask: are we really communicating?

Do we want to take our relationships to the next level? Are we willing do to what it takes to move from the surface level to levels of the heart? Answer those questions.

Have you heard of EDITH BURNS?

Edith Burns was a wonderful Christian who lived in San Antonio, Texas . She was the patient of a doctor by the name of Will Phillips. Dr. Phillips was a gentle doctor who saw patients as people. His favorite patient was Edith Burns. One morning he went to his office with a heavy heart and it was because of Edith Burns. When he walked into that waiting room, there sat Edith with her big black Bible in her lap earnestly talking to a young mother sitting beside her. Edith Burns had a habit of introducing herself in this way: "Hello, my name is Edith Burns. Do you believe in Easter?" Then she would explain the meaning of Easter, and many times people would be saved. Dr. Phillips walked into that office and there he saw the head nurse, Beverly. Beverly had first met Edith when she was taking her blood pressure. Edith began by saying,"My name is Edith Burns. Do you believe in Easter?" Beverly said, "Why yes I do." Edith said, "Well, what do you ...

wash feet, sharing hope

John 13:4-5,14 NLT So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, 5 and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him… 14 And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. Jesus set the example we follow. He served. He valued and gave value to others. That is why we choose to serve. For 18 years our church has shared an outreach called back2school, and for 16 of those years we have chosen to give students brand new shoes and socks as well as washing their feet. It is one of the most important parts of this event. Washing feet is a humbling experience where both the give and the receiver learn how to share some moments that might change their lives. Jesus said we should do this. See the verse above. Follow His example, do what He did, and give far more than you will ever know....

Catalyst ticket arrived

My ticket to the Catalyst Conference, in Atlanta Oct 8-10, just arrived. I'm excited!

Michael Harrison's e-devotion

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