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--- jn_en_2019_01_30 [2019/01/30 07:51] – potthast
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 ====== Struggle for You  ... ======
-Wednesday, Jan 30, 2019.
+Wednesday, Jan 30, 2019. In the New Testament, there are many words about love, about peace and
+the way to live together in a peaceful way. At the same time, there is a lot of struggle in the
+letters of the apostles as well as in the gospels. Not all is well in the Jewish community. And
+not all is well in the early Christian church. So there is struggle by those who are called to
+lead the church deeper into faith.
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-** ... **
+** Deeper into faith ... **
+Paul is writing to the church. Let us listen for a moment, and then put his words into a perspective
+which includes us today.
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 </color> (Kol 2, 1ff)
+Where humans live together, there is also discussion. There are different opinions, different
+choices, different priorities. Some love art, and they need time to develop creativity. Others
+are more the productive people, and they are efficient and use all time in a productive way.
+Even in a community which is half-way working, there is a lot to balance.
+But there are also things which step over the border of character or priority. Where lies or
+manipulation starts to become a tool, we loose the contact to Christ Jesus. There are all
+different ways through which people try to achieve their goals, which are not good. And it
+is necessary to intervene and clarify what is good and what is not. Paul writes about
+"the great a struggle I have for you" to the church. And we have this struggle as well, today!
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-**  ...**
+** Our struggle ...**
+Today, there is a lot to struggle as well. There are two points to keep in mind:
+First, Paul's struggle is for the church! Second, his struggle is for all humans as well, since
+God wants all to find him, to find faith, to be reconciled and healed.
+So we have the struggle within the church, to develop attitudes which keep truth - both in doctrine
+and personally, by our words and our deeds to fit to each other. It is a struggle about discipleship.
+It is a struggle about what love really means, how it is realized and lived. After 25 years of
+church development, I have seen so much where the characters of Christians have their difficulties
+with discipleship, with following Christ. There is a lot to do, and it is not easy at all ...
+And at the same time, we live in the middle of a world which does not know Christ. God is a
+strange idea, and his truth is a mystery. The good point is: Jesus is there. The gospel is open
+to be heard. If people open their heart, they can find him, and he will reveal himself fully.
+There are unbelievable treasures to be found for every human. He is just great, and with him, we
+step on a path of true discipleship. He changes our heart - and all we are and do! Day by day,
+step by step.
 (Roland Potthast)
 [[http://www.jesusnetwork.eu/en/topics_collection_ix|... further texts]]