Can God really use conflict for his glory?

Recently a friend and I had a little disagreement. I responded in anger and hurt to him. After a few days I realized that was a very ungodly thing to do. However, once I realized it and I began to make means to apologize. I realized that in many of my relationships I often am very harsh to them. I only think about what I want and not how they may feel…its funny how one conflict can bring so much out of a person. I can see that God is using this for his glory in making me more like him in all that I do and say and bring me to love others deeply from the heart. This verse really has been challenging me to have my attitude the same as Christ Jesus in each and every situation.

Philippians 4:4-7

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Galations

I've been stuck on reading and rereading Galatians. I'm meditating and muling over chapters 5 and 6. Freedom and grace are the over all themes.

NIV Galatians 5

Freedom in Christ

1It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

2Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. 3Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. 4You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. 5But by faith we eagerly await through the Spirit the righteousness for which we hope. 6For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.

7You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth? 8That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you. 9"A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough." 10I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view. The one who is throwing you into confusion will pay the penalty, whoever he may be. 11Brothers, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been abolished. 12As for those agitators, I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves!

13You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature^[a]; rather, serve one another in love. 14The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself."^[b] 15If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.

Life by the Spirit

16So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. 17For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. 18But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.

19The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. 25Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

Galatians 6

Doing Good to All

1Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. 2Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. 3If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, 5for each one should carry his own load.

6Anyone who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with his instructor.

7Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature^[a]will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. 9Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 10Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

Not Circumcision but a New Creation

11See what large letters I use as I write to you with my own hand!

12Those who want to make a good impression outwardly are trying to compel you to be circumcised. The only reason they do this is to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ. 13Not even those who are circumcised obey the law, yet they want you to be circumcised that they may boast about your flesh. 14May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which^[b] the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 15Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is a new creation. 16Peace and mercy to all who follow this rule, even to the Israel of God.

17Finally, let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus.

18The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen.

My Niece

I never knew that I could love some one this much!! She is the delight of our family and brings us so much joy. It has been an awesome experience to see my sister grow from a young girl, to a wife, and now mother. She is doing such a great job!! (Okay, I guess Mr. D. gets some credit too.).

Yes I can wear Indian cloths and love it

Enjoying life before Kalpana moves away. Around 5 girls dressed up and went to Chuch wearing a sari...fun...we were the talk of the church...

My how time flys

Wow I can't believe that almost a year has goon by from my last post...so much has happened and so little has happened...One of the big things that has happened is my best friend Kalapana moved...very sad...I miss her a lot...but God is good and gave me 3 cousins that are now living in Denton and who make my life very fun filled.
Other big news...My sister had the most bueatiflulest of babies...here is a link to view my new niece. http://picasaweb.google.com/dharhas/SerayaArrives

Faith like Noah

During my quite time I was reviewing some words of prophecy spoken over my life about a year ago. One of the phrases that jumped off the page was one that said “where God was sending me I would need great faith.” Upon a resent conversation with a friend He told me that the key to my dilemma was “faith.” I didn’t understand it at the time but check this verse out Hebrews 11:7. “By faith Noah built a ship in the middle of dry land. (think about that how crazy is that. I can’t imagine trying to construct a big Titanic like boat in Denton Texas. Ocean is so far away there is no need to do that. IF I started building one all my friends, family, and neighbors would make fun of me and ask me about it….let see what happens to this guy who is doing the ridiculous/impossible.) He was warned about something he couldn’t see, (God talked to Noah about something that was going to happen…the flood. That was something that Noah had never experienced, heard about, seen, or could even research. He couldn’t ask his friends about it. He couldn’t talk to his wife about it. It couldn’t happen. Never had happened. No one could even imagine it in their little bitty heads. They must have made up a word for it because it probably hadn’t happened so they couldn’t even describe it….check out what he does.) and acted on what he was told. (WOW how cool is that!! Noah didn’t ask about it…he didn’t question it…he just acted. He got ready. He did the impossible, the crazy the ridiculous. And BOOM. See what God does….) The result? 1. His family was saved. (that’s awesome just in of it’s self. 2. His act of faith drew a sharp line between the evil of the unbelieving world and the rightness of the believing world. (wow instant separation!! When we follow God there is an impact! The world can see the difference.)

3. As a result, Noah becomes intimate with God. (This whole plan was to get a man to know the living God and because of his obedience Noah “saw” who God was/is. That is so awesome!! All the other things are great it saved his family, showed others about God but Noah got to know who God was. What he thought about. His ability to think…Lord God I pray that I would know you as I am obedient to you. Please give that kind-of faith. Faith that brings intimacy with God!!)

I want my boast to be in the Lord..Brag about what God has done...

I have been trying to do some things to spice up a little my love relationship with God. One of them has been putting a God brag board up in my hall way. Every week I want to add something either artistic or simple praises about who God is or what he has done in my life that week. I started this yesterday. After felling a little down this week because some very important people in my life didn’t remember my birthday. I wrote a list of all the things I was grateful to God that week for…immediately 10 natural things popped into my head…I didn’t even begin to list all the spiritual blessings….Wow I really have a lot to praise God for…”why are you down cast oh my soul, put your hope in God.”

A new chapter of my life

I am now a working professional!! (HAHAHA!) So many things have changed in my life in the last few months that it really has been crazy. I guess the one thing that has not changed is my involvement with the international homegroup at my church however that too has gone through many changes. One of them was that our leadership team has changed two of our members have also gone through a transition and will no longer be with us. …very sad times for me….a good/happy change has been just the time and crazy involvement that I have been able to have with several Indian gilrs…this picture is a picture of Kalpa and I she has become one of my closest friends…it is a JOY to be around her!!

God has really blessed me with great people to work with. I am enjoying having an aid in my room she is a big help and a nice new friend….I am soooooooooo glad that I am working where I am….I enjoy the children too…I guess the funniest thing I heard all week was this one girl who I hadn’t heard say anything all week puts her hands on her hips and looks at me and says…(all in Spanish)… ”MS. Gore, I don’t speak English but I watch a lot of English T.V.”

Here’s some pictures of my classroom…

Praise God..he is faithful

I really have a lot to write with my new job and all but right now I am so drop dead tiered that I will only dedicate a few seconds to writing about my life. I just had to praise God that these last two weeks have been crazy busy but at the same time I have spent real quality time with several of my international friends…I just really believe that I am in the right place at the right time…



(Here's a picture of me, Ema and Julie--this week we were able to eat lunch together and talk it was a real blessing because it had been almost 6 months since I've seen them. Its kind-of sad at the same time. Ema will be going back to Twain in Dec. I meet her the first semester of college...I am going to miss her.)