REAL LIFE! – Believe Series: Week One

Why Study Biblical Doctrine? How does it impact my real life? My relationship with my spouse, kids, parents, siblings, co-workers, boss?

The quick answer: “It allows us to love God for who He is, which allows us to love ourselves as we are, which gives us the ability to loves others as they are!”

When we see God for who He truly is in the Bible (loving, patient, just, forgiving, full of grace), we can accept who He created us to be (in our weaknesses and strengths), which in turn allows us to respond to others in love (whether they are right or wrong).

The only one who can change the heart of a person is God; therefore, although we may try very hard, we can never change another person (without resentment setting in). So what can we control? Our responses. All we can do is control the way in which we respond to a person.

Therefore, if we accurately understand who God is in the Bible it changes everything about our life,  our relationships, our job, our free time, our home. Here is how this plays out:

• Our core beliefs affect our thinking.
• Our thinking affects our emotions.
• Our emotions affect our behavior.
• Our behaviors affect our relationships.

When we have relationship issues, we need to go back to our core beliefs:

What do I believe about how God made me to be? (Psalm 139 – He knit me together). He doesn’t make mistakes. 

What do I believe to be true about my parents? (Given to us by God, they are hurting and have problems just as we do).

What do I believe to be true about my spouse? (We chose them, they are to be a gift).

What do I believe to be true regarding my kids? (We chose to have them, the closest example of God choosing us, even in our rebellion).

What do I believe to be true regarding my siblings? (God did not make a mistake, you need your siblings, and they need you).

All things are a spiritual issue before anything else, and the Bible spells out clearly who God made us to be and what is to be true about the closest relationships in our lives.

WEEK 1 Challenge:

Think about a relationship challenge you have right now. Now ask yourself these questions:

Do you believe God can change, heal, or help the current relationship?

Have you asked God what His plan/will might be for the relationship?

Instead of seeing the other person as the one who needs to change, what does this relational challenge reveal about yourself?

Because God made you just as he planned to, how might you be able to change the way you respond or have been responding?