00:00we don't change people we sow the seed of god's word and the holy spirit acts on that word to
00:06produce change we don't convert people the holy spirit converts people our responsibility is to
00:14deliver that seed of truth
00:24thank you very much brother chris for the wonderful way in which you have
00:29delivered this message i was really blessed part of it like at the beginning about someone being
00:37distracted discouraged and then going into the fact that they begin to be transitional
00:43if we notice that in someone as a leader how would we go about correcting or bringing that person
00:51to understanding what it is they're doing thank you that is a wonderful question
00:57leadership recognizes the responsibility that comes with relationships not just the benefits
01:06and as a christian especially one in leadership i would say the primary responsibility in relationship
01:15is the boldness to speak the truth in love what stops us from bringing correction
01:26is often the fear of the person's response or what if they don't accept what i'm saying or what if
01:39they misinterpret what i'm saying or what if because of that they leave the church i would encourage
01:48you madam and for everyone watching prayerfully consider how best to speak the truth in love
01:56but if the person has a problem with you bringing correction over shifting to a transactional mindset
02:04their problem is not with you it's with the truth
02:09and if we are sincere in our relationship with god and go back to that truth in god's word the
02:16truth will set us free
02:17and we will come back to the right track so we should be unashamed and unafraid to speak the truth
02:24in love and i can only encourage you madam to have a direct conversation with the person
02:34and prayerfully and carefully bring them to the attention of what you have witnessed
02:43and when we bring correction or bring guidance it's important as leaders that we don't bring it from the
02:52basis of opinion we bring it from the basis of the scriptures so we go to the bible and talk
03:02about
03:02how a biblical principle applies in this particular instance so don't allow it to become a
03:12game of opinions you think i think she thinks he thinks i feel you feel the question is what does
03:20the
03:20word of god say let's bring it back to those principles and you can speak the truth without being
03:29divisive so that is why we talk about speaking the truth in love speaking the truth without love
03:35is often judgments in a manner that can alienate the person rather than bringing them close
03:42so speaking the truth in love is what is called upon for us as believers especially in leadership
03:51if you are to address an issue with someone it's very important that your own hearts is settled first
03:57because often when we address an issue when we ourselves are not settled we address in a manner
04:05that tends to escalate the problem or mask the real problem and we become sidetracked by secondary issues
04:11so make sure your heart is settled with god pray about it ask god for wisdom of how best to
04:18bring this issue
04:19to the attention of the person but don't defer that responsibility just because of the fear of discomfort
04:26or how the person would receive it if you have observed something of this nature as far as the holy
04:32spirit
04:32has given you a window of insight to see an issue that needs to be addressed you have a divine
04:38responsibility
04:39to address it and that is part of the big responsibility attached to relationships from a general
04:45perspective as christians and specifically within a leadership setting silence or turning the other way
04:52is not an acceptable option we have to be prepared to speak the truth in love and if offense arises
05:01the person concerned is offended with god not with you by the time they settle the issue with god
05:08they will likely come back to you and if they choose to leave because of that you know that before
05:14god
05:15you have done what is right in his sights and spoken the truth so this is a subject that i
05:22would say
05:23deserves almost a message on its own it's a very important subject how do we speak that truth in love
05:31and the answer is madam we need the help of the holy spirit for wisdom of the way and manner
05:37of addressing an issue
05:38but it should be addressed as far as someone within the sphere of your influence as a leader in the
05:46church
05:47as far as you have observed that in someone's life you have a divine responsibility
05:51ability to help that person by speaking the truth to them in love and the truth sets us free
05:59so a message like this when you hear the message you examine yourself if you realize i have fallen
06:07into that trap who is the one that prompts you to repent it's the holy spirit so if you speak
06:12the
06:12truth to someone it's what i talk about sowing seed we don't change people we sow the seed of god's
06:19word
06:19and the holy spirit acts on that word to produce change we don't convert people the holy spirit
06:24converts people our responsibility is to deliver that seed of truth let me advise people here
06:35don't water down the truth because of sympathy some people claim they are sympathizing with a person's
06:43situation but they are masking sympathy with a person's sin it's common
06:49unfortunately today for people to dilute water down the truth because of sympathy with a person or
07:00because of that same expectation or this person is someone who contributes a lot financially to the church
07:09so i have to be careful with what i say so they don't stop giving
07:15that's a problem because your concern has been infiltrated by a material issue
07:21the holy spirit is the one who prompts people's heart to support
07:25if speaking the truth to someone stops their supports god will bring double the support later
07:30but if a material issue influences us we may likely water down the truth
07:38or sympathize with the person or see their situation as a justification for their response
07:47okay well i know the scripture says this i know the bible says this but with this person's situation
07:56i can understand why they had a response situations may be a factor they should never be a justification
08:04situations may be a reason but they should never be an excuse i hope you understand we are not claiming
08:13that people don't face difficult situations that lead them to wrong decisions but we should never in a
08:19position of authority encourage the mindset that says that situation is a justification for such a decision
08:26there is no clearer evidence of the devil's infiltration in our hearts than the removal of repentance
08:34and that is a very common problem today where people easily justify on the basis of situation
08:45or on the basis of past pain or on the basis of circumstances beyond control
08:54so because of this well that's why i behave like that and it's a justification so the need to repent
09:01from a wrong decision is removed that's the dominion of the devil in our hearts so we as leaders should
09:08be very careful to never encourage or promote such mindsets in the way we address issues when it's time
09:15for us to bring advice correction or encouragement
09:23the question is am i being enthusiastic as an overflow of my love for god if the answer is yes
09:33then freedom will be accompanied by that and that is between you and god because in the natural
09:40you could have enthusiasm from a pretentious or performative sense and enthusiasm as an overflow of
09:48the holy spirit
09:49you
