Not To Fix, To Love

VIDEO INTRO

1 Thessalonians 2:1–8 NLT

1 You yourselves know, dear brothers and sisters, that our visit to you was not a failure. 2 You know how badly we had been treated at Philippi just before we came to you and how much we suffered there. Yet our God gave us the courage to declare his Good News to you boldly, in spite of great opposition. 3 So you can see we were not preaching with any deceit or impure motives or trickery. 4 For we speak as messengers approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News. Our purpose is to please God, not people. He alone examines the motives of our hearts. 5 Never once did we try to win you with flattery, as you well know. And God is our witness that we were not pretending to be your friends just to get your money! 6 As for human praise, we have never sought it from you or anyone else. 7 As apostles of Christ we certainly had a right to make some demands of you, but instead we were like children among you. Or we were like a mother feeding and caring for her own children. 8 We loved you so much that we shared with you not only God’s Good News but our own lives, too.

People are not projects to fix. They are people to love.

1. God’s heart moves toward people

Romans 5:8 NLT

8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.

God didn’t wait for us to get it right. He moved toward us.

2. Share life, And Share truth

1 Thessalonians 2:8 NLT

8 We loved you so much that we shared with you not only God’s Good News but our own lives, too.

gentle

caring

relational

invested

Evangelism is not:

winning arguments

dropping truth bombs

It is:

walking with people toward Jesus

3. Why we struggle to connect

Tie to your previous sermons:

Pride → “I need to be right”

Fear → “I might be rejected”

Control → “I need to manage the outcome”

Meekness actually frees you to:

listen

love

be present

4. What connection actually looks like

Simple handles:

Be present before being persuasive

Listen before speaking

Care before correcting

Share your life, not just your beliefs

5. The goal is not pressure—it’s presence

You are not:

the savior

the fixer

the closer

You are:

a witness

a bridge

a reflection of Christ

Did you ever feel our relationship was a key part of your current walk with God? If so how? - At times, yes. Times where I felt like I was spiraling beyond control, you always acted as a constant reminder of potential and grace that is given freely from God. Walks are not flawless, feet get tired, storms roll in, sunshine comes but it's the constant walk to reach the gates we strive for.

If so, did you ever have a feeling like I was trying to fix you or that there was a sincere love leading to Jesus? How? - No, not once did I ever feel as you tried to "fix" me, on the contrary, never showed judgement on my situation and didn't shy away from giving me the biblical perspective and Andrew's opinion. You have always been an open dialogue of Gods mercy, grace and examples of your own struggles at times to lead me in the biblical direction needed, Christs love and forgiveness.

I've been teaching on biblical meekness (power under control), did I demonstrate this in our relationship at any point especially in the light of how God might move rather than my wants or desires? - Not sure how to answer this, but I will say this and hopefully this is the response needed/wanted for this question. I've heard Andrew's wants during casa view era, the growth structure, changes, etc. But mentioned, you're praying for this. Then taking over fairfield church with a handful of people, to the growth and changes to what it was and is now. The same response every time, God is moving. I've seen Andrew WANT many things, but I see Andrew now SURRENDERING to Gods direction.

Last thing: can I share this tomorrow? Would you be willing to share some of our history, where you came from to where you are now? - Absolutely brother. One may never know when my testimony could impact someone's heart, even if it helps them say one prayer that would change everything. From the drugs, women, anger, well you know the story. Even today, struggling and battling with the flesh as we all do, literally mentally fighting daily to "read and pray" but knowing at the end of the day, God is always faithful and the forecast will always stay the same, Today, God reigns and the Son shines.