Logan UC - Karen Bailey - 29/11/2009 A fierce conversation is one where we come out from behind ourselves into the conversation and make it real. 1. Master the courage to interrogate reality. Fierce Conversation - Susan Scott That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame." Romans 10:9-11 It 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. Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. But by faith we eagerly await through the Spirit the righteousness for which we hope. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. Galatians 5:1-6 If we live by the law then we mist live by all the laws. We are than bound to the law, not Christ. Instead we should live by faith through love. You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth? That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you. "A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough." I 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. Brothers, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been abolished. As for those agitators, I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves! Galatians 5:7-12 What gets in the way of your faith? What hinders us from getting closer to God? For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. 2 Timothy 1:7 It doesn't matter what the world says, or what the law says, we are called to live in Gods love and in his freedom. We need to get real with God to work out what is hindering our walk with God. Because of what Christ did for us we can now walk into the Holy of Holies free from guilt or shame. |