My husband said something that shook me the other day. He said he was studing the past revivals and why the revivals stopped. He said they stopped because of division in the church. Debates on doctrines, and arguments within the body of Christ...I thought that was very interesting, I just happened to be doing a study on relationships during that same time.
In fact, over half of the Ten Commandments protect relationships.
#1-4 protect your relationship with God
Think with me for a minute, you are hanging on a cross, and you see your mom standing there and your best friend. When you die, you know that they are going to have some hard times ahead, even though they have God, they also need each other…Instead of focusing on your pain…your love for them makes you tell them to stick together as family.
John 19: 24-27 (MSG)
Matthew 12:50
For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.”
God
says He is the father to the fatherless (Psalm 68:5), he called Abraham his
friend (James 2:23), and he commands us to love each other, encourage each other and edify
each other.
These scriptures show how family and friends are truly important. So important that it became a commandment.
God knew that we would need each other. It is natural and in our very nature for us to desire relationships and
friends. Have you noticed how often people dwell on their relationships? "I don't have any friends," they say, or they are lonely and become depressed.When people feel neglected by family or rejected by their community, a
lot of times they end up in gangs or hanging with the wrong crowd. They tend to go where they are loved and feel welcome.
Genesis 2:18 (NKJV) And the Lord God said, “It is not good
that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.”
*Now I know this verse is used for marriage but it is important that we understand that God did not see it fit for us to be alone in life without companionship and friendship.
Galatians 6:10
So then, as occasion and opportunity open up to us, let us do good [ morally] to all people
Ecclesiastes 4:10 (NKJV)
No matter popular or not, young or old, we (Christians) should be the tightest knit friends
around!
We need to
look out for each other, if we don’t, who will?
Proverbs 18:1 (NKJV)
Proverbs 18:1 (MSG)
Relationships are very important to God.
In the beginning, God walked with Adam and Eve in the Garden (Genesis 3:8).
In fact, over half of the Ten Commandments protect relationships.
#5 Honor your Parents (protects your relationship with your parents)
#8 Do not commit adultery (protects marriage)
#9Do no bear false witness against each other
#10 Do not covet what your neighbor has
When Jesus was being crucified, one of the last things he dealt with-
while he was hanging and suffocating on the cross, was relationships.
Think with me for a minute, you are hanging on a cross, and you see your mom standing there and your best friend. When you die, you know that they are going to have some hard times ahead, even though they have God, they also need each other…Instead of focusing on your pain…your love for them makes you tell them to stick together as family.
While the soldiers were looking after
themselves, Jesus’ mother, his aunt, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary
Magdalene stood at the foot of the cross. Jesus saw his mother and the disciple
he loved standing near her. He said to his mother, “Woman, here is your
son.” Then to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that moment the
disciple accepted her as his own mother.
For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.”
These scriptures show how family and friends are truly important. So important that it became a commandment.
John 13:34-35
I give you a new commandment: that you should love one another. Just as I have loved you, so you too should love one another. By this shall all [men] know that you are My disciples, if you love one another [if you keep on showing love among yourselves]. A house divided will not stand.
I give you a new commandment: that you should love one another. Just as I have loved you, so you too should love one another. By this shall all [men] know that you are My disciples, if you love one another [if you keep on showing love among yourselves]. A house divided will not stand.
*Now I know this verse is used for marriage but it is important that we understand that God did not see it fit for us to be alone in life without companionship and friendship.
As Christians, we are a family…
So then, as occasion and opportunity open up to us, let us do good [ morally] to all people
[not only being useful or profitable to them, but also doing what
is for their spiritual good and advantage]. Be mindful to be a blessing, especially to those of the household of
faith [those who belong to God’s family
with you, the believers].
Romans 12:10
Love one another with brotherly affection [as members of one family],
Love one another with brotherly affection [as members of one family],
giving precedence and showing honor to one another.
10
For if they fall, one will lift up his companion.
But woe to him who
is alone when he falls,
For he has no one to help him up.
For he has no one to help him up.
Where there is no counsel, the
people fall;
But in the multitude of counselors there is safety.
Romans 12:4-6
(MSG)
In this way we are like the various parts of a human body.
Each part gets its meaning from the body as a whole, not the other way around.
The body we’re talking about is Christ’s body of chosen people.
Each of us finds our meaning and
function as a part of his body.
But as a chopped-off finger or cut-off toe we
wouldn’t amount to much, would we?
So since we find ourselves fashioned
into all these excellently formed and marvelously functioning parts in Christ’s
body, let’s just go ahead and be what we were made to be, without enviously or
pridefully comparing ourselves with each other, or trying to be something we
aren’t.
***Remember- By this shall all [men] know that you are My
disciples, if you love one another
John 15:13
Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.
Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.
A man who isolates himself seeks his own
desire;
He rages against all wise judgment.
He rages against all wise judgment.
18
Loners who care only for themselves
spit on the common good.
spit on the common good.
We are called to have unity amongst each other. We should be so tight that nothing can separate us. Different fellowships, different churches, different denominations, miles apart, differences of opinions....none of it matters! Sectarianism Is Sin and Jesus forbad it (Mk 9:38, Lk 9:49, 1 Corinthians 1:10, 1 Corinthians 3:1 ). Without love we are nothing (1 Corinthians 13)!
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