Dealing With Difficult People

(Message by Pastor Dominic Rodrigues from Korba, Chhattisgarh)

It is my privilege to share the Word with you today. I am pastoring the Masih Aradhana Church, in Korba, Chhattisgarh, which is part of Race of Joy Ministries based in Agra.

Today, as we open up our bibles, let us focus our hearts and minds to hear the word of God. May His word richly dwell in us-this is the purpose of hearing. We know the verse from John 3:16- an open invitation to all to believe in Christ and experience everlasting life; but let us remember the verse from Col. 3:16 as well-a call to Christians for correct living-“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”

Today, I want to talk about how to deal with difficult people and circumstances. Remember-we are called to be His witnesses wherever we go! How can we show-up Christ in our everyday life? We are going to face some difficult people, and some unpleasant circumstances; but thank God for Word. We read in it about people who found favor with God-even as they dealt with difficult people and situations in their own lives; and we can learn from them. You see, they were no different from you and me; for they faced similar hurdles, yet overcame those hurdles by displaying some unique traits of Christ-likeness. We will see them one-by-one

Noah

God called this man to do something special; He gave Noah a vision and a mission-something that had never been accomplished before-building an ark! You see, those days, there was no rain. People around had no idea of what he was talking about, as he went about building the ark. They mocked at him. But it is written about Noah in Gen. 6:9 “…Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God.”

And in verse 22, “Thus Noah did; according to all that God commanded him, so he did.” (Gen. 6:22). The character of obedience was Noah’s forte-no matter how little he understood of what God told him-he was determined to fulfill it. We can learn from Noah, obedience to God’s word-complete and immediate obedience. Not partial obedience of taking what suits you-which is in effect disobedience! Whatever God says, do it all for Him! This will help us face difficult people, because we live not as men-pleasers, but God-pleasers.

Jacob

We know the history of Jacob-a schemer, through and through. But there was a time in his life, when he had to deal with his past-he was about to meet his estranged brother Esau! He had heard Esau was coming with a company of 400 men. Left alone, Jacob struggled with his own emotions and fears, and he met God. He prayed, please bless me – “I will not let You go unless You bless me!”  What happened? He was a changed man from then on-his name was changed from Jacob to Israel.

Prayer signifies our dependence on God; prayer leads to humility. This is what we learn from Jacob-Humility. Jesus humbled Himself and He calls us to humble ourselves. This may be quite easy in God’s presence; but how about humbling yourself as you face others in the world? The Lord sees the heart; and His hand is stretched out against the haughty. Jacob humbled himself before Esau. We can learn this from him and humble ourselves before our brothers and sisters, here and now.

Joseph

Yes, we know about Joseph too! We know of his dreams and his interpretations. He loved his brothers and would visit them, bring them food. But you know what- his brothers hated him and sought an opportunity to put him away! People around us would do the same-they will forget our good deeds and even become ungrateful over a period of time, they will misuse us – these are the ‘well’ experiences that Joseph faced too! Or there may be a temptation we may face in our life; Joseph faced it too! And he triumphed over it. Gen.39:2 says that the LORD was with Joseph and He found the favor of God (v21). His question can be our quest too-“How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?”

Holiness is what God is calling us to. Our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit and the Lord does watch over His temple. No temptation will be too great-for the Holy Spirit will be our Helper; the church leaders are there to help us; our brothers and sisters in Christ are there to help us lead a holy life-there is no excuse for ‘falling’ in sin!

Moses

Do you wonder what we can learn from Moses? Really, a lot! We know of all his excuses when God called him. We know of his anger and burden for the people of Israel. But let me choose for now one instance in Moses’ life and his character revealed through it – He longed for God’s presence. His Holy Presence will help us deal with difficult circumstances. Moses wanted God’s presence more than anything; remember in Exodus 33, he was given an option to proceed further to the Promised Land-with an Angel! But Moses cried out in verse 15 …and said to Him “If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here.”

We can learn to pray like Moses... Lord, I long for Your Presence only. Let me find grace in Your sight. Come with me! Help me.

David

Have you ever wondered how many people are willing to give advice and opinions when you have to face the difficulties in life? There will be quite a few. David faced it too. The young lad had heard Goliath and was determined to face the giant alone in battle (1 Samuel 17). But then he heard various opinions from his own brothers. Even king Saul had his own opinions (v33) and adviced David on what to wear and what to carry. And you know what David did – He followed none of their advices, but remembered his past victories in God-victories over a lion and a bear! David said to Saul: "Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God."

Remember what God has done for you. For Saul had a plan for young David-but it was not God’s plan! David had a plan based on his own experiences of what God had done in the past; and a vision of the future-of what would happen to Goliath. And it worked perfectly!

Where do you go for your own vision of the future? Do you run to the church leaders and search for answers; or would you rather remember of what God has done with you in the past and yield to God’s plan? Forget not all His benefits-for He has redeemed your life from destruction.

Joseph (of Arimathea)

Luke 23:50, 51 talks about a just man, Joseph-who was watching and waiting for the kingdom of God. That speaks a lot about that man Joseph who, though being a council member of the Jews, did not consent to the decision of handing over Jesus to Pilate. Now, this Joseph, after Jesus’ death on the cross, went and asked Pilate for the body of Jesus-the One who was handed over to Pilate by the Jewish council members!

Here we are waiting for the Lord’s return. The Lord is coming to take His people… the harvest is indeed plenty, but the laborers are few. If you are watching and waiting for the Lord’s return, let us also do the right things-be just, be righteous, be merciful, be honest. Because we fear God, we will not consent to evil. Trust in God and do the right!

Jesus

Jesus left His glory, came as a baby; lived as a human but underwent inhuman sufferings; convicted though sinless, died among sinners, but rose again victorious. Peter had this image of Jesus fixed on his mind “He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth…” (Isaiah 53: 7). That is why Peter writes:

1 Peter 2: 20-24

For what credit is it if, when you are beaten  for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: “Who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth”; who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness-by whose stripes you were healed.

Suffer in silence. This is what we learn from Jesus. This is what we are called for when we have to deal with difficult people in our own lives. We have a perfect example in Jesus.

May we learn from these people in the Bible and learn to deal with different people and difficult circumstances. Amen.

Your Dreams Will Lead You to Your Destiny

(Message: Pastor Dr. S. Joseph, Founder, NLMI. Hoping I haven’t missed much; Happy reading!)

Choose Life

It is indeed a great pleasure to meet you and greet you in this new decade and New Year 2011. Being fully aware of how God fulfilled our needs in the past decade, we look forward to great and mighty acts in fulfilling the vision of NLMI for 2020, if the Lord tarries. As is written in the word of God: “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.” (Matt. 24: 14).

Beloved, we are, in a way, holding up Jesus’ return, if we do not preach the gospel to the nations. We-each one of us, are called to be a witness in Jesus’ own words as is found in Acts 1:8: “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

So, you see-as believers in Christ the Lord, witnessing is not an option, but a choice that you and I have to make, each passing day of our lives. This year, I am completing 54 years of serving the Lord; it is not bragging that I do here, but rather an acknowledgment to God’s goodness by which I can say that each passing day is better than the day before. The same I can say for my wife-Florence (we will be completing 50 years – golden jubilee of married life next year) and for my children and grand-children: Each passing day is better than the day before. There is no secret except that we make a choice everyday and can say along with Joshua: As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. You see that there is no compulsion; for God says “I have set before you today life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life… (Deut. 30: 19)

Pursue Your Primary Dream

Today, I want to share with you from God’s word using the title for my message: Your Dreams Will Lead You to Your Destiny. I say “Dreams” because you may have quite a few dreams; but let me say one primary dream and the other secondary dreams. Even in your work or business, you would have had dreams that have been or are being fulfilled; maybe some have unfulfilled dreams too. But the word of God teaches us what our Primary Dream should be: Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. (Matt. 6: 33). What Jesus is telling us is this: If you focus on the primary ('heavenly') dream of seeking His kingdom, the secondary dreams (earthly-of food, clothing and shelter) will take care of itself-i.e, it will be added to you.

Isn’t this wonderful? We have been born (again) into this kingdom by the grace of God and the gift of faith; we are in this world, but not of this world. And now, we as the kingdom people can pursue the kingdom of God. Therefore we must have this as our ‘primary dream’-to seek after God’s kingdom. You see, the people of this world pursue their dreams that are all secondary-and the result is strife, envy and sorrow. But you and I can prioritize our primary dream-and find righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

For it is the blessing of the Lord that makes one rich, and He adds no sorrow with it. (Prov. 10: 22). Psalm 1 and Joshua 1 talks about the prosperity of the man meditating on God’s word. This is my prayer for this decade that you know Him, know His word and pursue your primary dream as children of His kingdom-and the secondary dreams will be added to you! For we should not live in darkness pursuing rituals and religious traditions, but by revelation live as children of light.

Joseph (Old Testament)

I have chosen two persons-one from the Old Testament and one from the New, to drive home the point that your dreams will lead you to your destiny. I love their names in the Bible; incidentally, both of them are named Joseph!

We know the Joseph of the Old Testament-he was nicknamed by his brothers as ‘dreamer’. In Genesis 37 we read about Joseph-a young boy hated by his brothers just because he was much loved by their father-Jacob (Israel), who made for Joseph a tunic of many colors (Gen. 37: 3). Jacob had to choose one among the twelve to carry on his legacy, and he chose Joseph! Now the tunic (or the robe) of many colors symbolizes anointing, legacy and blessing.

Anointing

About Jesus it is written: You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; therefore God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of gladness more than Your companions {brothers} (Heb. 1: 9). Are you looking for the anointing? Do this: Love righteousness and hate lawlessness! Put on the robe of righteousness in Jesus Christ. For we are NOT just members in the kingdom of God, but citizens, where the King is also our Father! The Psalmist made this observation: I have been young and now am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging bread. (Psalm 37:25).

And so, Jacob passed on the anointing and his legacy to Joseph by giving him the robe of many colors. Immediately afterward, the Bible says “Now Joseph had a dream…” (Gen. 37: 5). If you fulfill all righteousness, the Holy Spirit will descend upon you; give you your dream to be pursued.

Speak Out Your Dreams
And Joseph told his brothers about his dream, but they hated him more…

I had this question why Joseph could not keep silent about his dreams; then his brothers would not have hated him so much! But God showed me from Hebrews 11 that faith is that hand that stretches out to take hold of the unknown. If you remain silent, your dreams may die within-so you MUST speak OUT! Your dream is like the bank deposit, within your heart; and unless you draw it out it will remain useless and unused. Therefore draw it out and speak out your dream.

The New Life Movement also began with a dream, after much prayer and fasting for 2 weeks in 1980, when God gave me a vision for Mumbai and India. I too started to speak out my dream; much like Martin Luther King who declared “I have a dream…” We know most of Martin Luther King's dreams came true-the latest one when Barack Obama became the first ‘black’ President of the United States. Can you imagine-starting out as slaves from Africa, to holding the highest post of the country and of the world!

Two Dreams-One Purpose

Joseph had two dreams; one heavenly-the sun, the moon and eleven stars bowed down to him (Gen. 37: 9) and one earthly-the sheaves stood all around and bowed down to the sheaf of Joseph (Gen. 37: 7). 

[This is nothing new! For Abraham too were given two dreams – Look at the stars of heaven, if you can count them (spiritual); and see the sands of the earth (natural) – So will your descendants be! Abraham loved God, feared God, and obeyed God.]

So, the dreamer Joseph told it to his family members-all hell broke loose. On the first opportunity, he was disrobed of his coat of many colors, thrown into the pit, sold as a slave and reported as dead to his father! The brothers even had the foresight to show some blood on his garments by killing a kid of the goat, to make it look as if some wild beast had killed Joseph!

But do you know that neither the dreamer, nor the dream was destined to die! Joseph paid the price to follow righteousness-whether in the pit, or in Potiphar’s house or in the prison cell, or in the palace… When we read of Joseph’s life, we are wonder-struck as to how God led him from one place to another, fulfilling exactly the dream that Joseph had! And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose (Rom. 8:28). And Joseph was one night in the prison, and the next day in the palace-for the Pharaoh himself had a dream only Joseph could interpret! Thus Joseph’s primary dream (heavenly) was accomplished - he preserved the lineage of Judah (who otherwise would have perished in the famine), for the coming of the Lord Jesus! Joseph’s secondary dreams were all fulfilled; he had prosperity all around. He made his family members secure in Egypt all the days of his life.

Joseph (New Testament) 

Now for the New Testament Joseph – many preachers do not preach about this man! Egypt was the place to go for this Joseph too, to preserve the heritage in our Lord Jesus Christ. The Old Testament’s reflection is seen in the New Testament-and vice-versa. The Old Testament ends with the syllable ‘curse’ (Malachi 4:6). And after 400 years of silence, the ‘Fear’ in the Old is replaced with ‘Fear not’ in the New. The New Testament starts with the Jesus’ generation (Matthew 1). We are now not only a new creation, but a new generation (Matt. 1: 17). We are now not only of the Jesus’ generation, but we are also of the chosen generation! Hallelujah!

The Just Choice
It says about this Joseph: Then Joseph her {Mary’s} husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. (Matt. 1: 19).

Imagine this-being betrothed to a young virgin and shaping your dreams for a happy life together and then hearing that she is with child! Joseph’s dreams would have been shattered and he must have been hugely disappointed. Yet, he did not want to make it public, because according to Moses’ law, she would have been stoned to death!

All this made me wonder why Mary did not share her heavenly visitation (Luke 1:28-38) with Joseph. I am going to answer this with what little I know of Jewish tradition. Because according to Jewish tradition, after the betrothal ceremony, the bride returns to her family and the bridegroom goes to his father’s house. There the bridegroom has to prepare a place before marriage and thereafter go and take his bride. How many of you know that the Bridegroom is coming? Remember what Jesus said in John? “I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” (John 14: 2, 3).

And in the Jewish tradition, the bride must not meet the bridegroom till the time of marriage. I think this must have prevented Mary from sharing anything with Joseph. But the news, that she was in the family way, spread like wild-fire and reached Joseph! Also, I believe Mary must have been a wise woman-she must have thought, if it is God who is bringing it to pass, it is God’s responsibility to talk to and convince Joseph.

The Primary Dream

And while Joseph was struggling with the choice he had made, God appeared to him in a dream. Joseph too must have been a wise man-for he did not act hastily but slept over it and dreamed the dream of his life. If you too are struggling with the choices in your life, I ask you to go and sleep over it-give it time; let God speak to you!

The angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in that dream and told him the heavenly purpose-yes, it was the primary dream; that the Child of the blessed Mary is of the Holy Spirit and that Jesus will save His people from their sins (v20, 21). Along with that, the angel also confirmed what the prophets had spoken about Jesus (v22, 23). In your choices too, God will confirm by His word what He is speaking to you in your dreams. Therefore, do not fear!

The Gospel Truth

You would have heard the expression, ‘What he says is NOT the gospel truth’ and ‘this' or 'that' 'is not the gospel truth'. Many in the world use the expression without knowing what the gospel truth is. But do you know what is the gospel truth? Jesus will save His people from their sins. Jesus is the hope of nations. He is the way, the truth and the life. There is simply no other name given for men, but the name of Jesus, by which we may be saved. This is the gospel truth. This is what we preach.

The Secondary Dream

I maintain, that if your primary dream is fulfilled, the secondary dream will take care of itself! For in Matthew, chapter 2, we read about the wise men from the east, who traveled great distances to see Jesus. They saw the star and knew the time that the King of the Jews to be born in Bethlehem; they brought their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. They rejoiced exceedingly as the star went before them. The entire journey must have been tedious and could have taken the wise men about two years’ time; for the wise men saw the young Child Jesus-with Mary His mother (Matt. 2: 11), unlike the shepherds who saw the Baby Jesus wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in the manger (Luke 22: 12, 16). The wise men worshiped Him, gave their gifts and went their way. Now was the time for Joseph’s secondary dream (earthly).

Immediately after the wise men’s visit, Joseph was asked by the angel of the Lord in the dream to flee to Egypt with the young Child Jesus and Mary His mother. Do you know why Joseph remained in Bethlehem nearly two years? Because it would take nearly two years for the wise men to visit them. And because the 'secondary dream' of financial provision was on the way-the gifts of gold. Now Joseph could go to Egypt and stay there as long as he wished, providing for the Child and Mary. For it is written: "Out of Egypt, I have called My Son". (Matt. 2: 15).

God has already thought about your secondary dreams, when He gave you your primary dream. He knows the future, and works all things right. He makes everything beautiful in its time. Your dreams will lead you to your destiny. Fulfill your primary (heavenly) dream and the secondary dreams (earthly) will take care of itself. I know I have a long way to go in fulfilling my primary dream; but I know this: what God says is utterly true. And God is faithful who also will do it. Amen.