My brothers and sisters in Christ,
...as we are all related if we believe and follow in the Lord Jesus. And in Christ, our relationships with one another have nothing to do with whether or not we like or even know one another! We are uniquely related because of our association with and by our love of Christ. Because of that one fact, we are to concern ourselves about all our relationships with others including our time spent with other Christians in all capacities, on all levels. No matter if we are at work, at the church house, in the neighborhood wherever! Granted we are not perfect people because we are Godly believers. But there is so much strife in the world, in part because of the church! That's right, I said it! The church is supposed to set and uphold a higher standard for the world to copy and follow. Not mirror or reflect the world in all its mess!
How can the church be effective in teaching love, unity, standing by one another when many of us who make up the church, don't even get along with other believers! Many who don't like each other upon having met them, don't get along, can't agree, neglect their children, get divorced, throwing away their families and treating them as frivolously as those outside of Christ do! Many in the church give in to jealousy, covetousness, gossip even to the husbands, wives about others. Many slander, tear down, frustrate, manipulate, abuse, take advantage of, and oppress each other in all sorts of ways in the body of Christ, even financially!
By the way, the True Church of God is not limited to a building or to a particular space or event and time! It is not even limited to a particular social or economic sect. The True Church of God is built up of the believers in Christ who make up the body of the church regardless of ethnicity, geographical location, family connections, position or financial status. It is built of of people who have faith in God, and in Christ and are rooted in him. Amen Somebody! Can I get an Amen from True Believers who read the Bible and know what I'm talking about?
You can have fellowship, spread the gospel, celebrate God and Christ and study the word of God anywhere and at any time!
God is not limited to a building, a specific time and event. Do you hear me!
In fact, over 1 month ago, I hosted "Game Night" at the house to allow for the fellowship of some brothers and sisters in Christ that I know. And who showed up was a Pastors wife, a preaching Minister, a sister in Christ, and my son and I. We had so much fun letting our hair down and bonding with one another that we must have sounded like a whole group of people to our neighbors! There was no illicit behavior or activities of any kind going on. Nobody came here high or participated in anything synthetic. They came here high on life and the love of Christ! There was no drinking of alcohol, no drugs of any kind, no smoking, no swearing and we were just as boisterous and joyful at any party that anybody could be! Perhaps too boisterous! Because I got an e-mail from one of our nearest neighbors (who is also a proclaimed Christian), the very next day about the noise.
Though we were having a clean and joyful time, I may have made a mistake. Whether or not my neighbor would have accepted an invitation to our game night, I should have perhaps invited our neighbors. Or at least let them know what was going on because of the noise level. Either way, by doing so, perhaps the love, respect and tolerance in Christ we are supposed to have and exude would have been revealed in this matter. I've come to understand, as I hope you will Dear Reader, that though it may not be your intention to offend, even when you are in Christ there are those that get offended by what you do or how you do it. Please don't misunderstand. It is the responsibility of not one, but of both parties on both ends of the spectrum to be aware of their own accountability in such matters. Trivia Question for ya!
Did you know that it is also a sin to have an offended heart?
God is a God of love and forgiveness. God IS love! And he calls for us, especially proclaimed believers in Christ to also show love and forgiveness. Truly foregoing (releasing and taking back) offenses from one who is the offender, even if it is not our fault! See, this is because God knows without true forgiveness, there is no real freedom in such matters. God also knows that even those in the wrong, many would rather die before they come out and forgive or own up to their mistakes. So in his infinite wisdom, God often calls for the other person to be the wiser and stronger of the two and do the releasing. This is necessary, not only to set the offender free, but also the offended as well!
As for my friends who came to Game Night, we don't get to see them often and we all needed to relax because all five of us are human too! And all five of us are working towards educational achievements and or employment and just dealing with every day issues. We have chosen our fiends carefully, in who we spend our most intimate times with. Dependent upon, but not entirely based on our religious beliefs, interests and needs. Unfortunately on that night, though not meaning to, we disturbed our nearest neighbor putting an added strain on our relationship. Soon my son and I are moving. So without being a disturbance, that will allow us more fellow-shipping with dinners, game nights, spreading the gospel through cell group gatherings (church lessons at home) and not just beholding to and waiting to see each other on Sundays or at work, as the case is for our friends and I who came by.
The night began with our 3 friends coming to join my son and I and immediately we started speaking on God and Jesus. There was a spoken list of names of those that the knew stood in the need of prayer. One friend who, the preaching minister I spoke of, began to thank God for the time he had brought all five of us together. We laughed, ate, played board games, listened to music ans shared the love of Christ in discussion. See, you can fellowship with the body of Christ anywhere and at anytime! There is nothing wrong with having good clean fun, dancing, laughing and celebrating. Jesus went to weddings! The bible has many references to having and expressing Joy, including, laughter being like good medicine, making the heart merry." It's all in how and what you are celebrating!
To end on relationships in Christ (because the Bible goes on a long time about that), I will give you a reference to one such situation about Believers in God, getting along or not. I will also tell you where this particular situation is found. But there are many references to Christian Relationships in the bible. So, it would help you to look up others for yourself to get a better understanding. And not all of the outcomes or situations were pretty, as real life would have it no other way! Take heart. There are many people that you will come upon in your life time, that God will give you a peace about leaving to themselves. As every relationship is not good for you, whatever the reason (s) may be. In any case, all the lessons on relationships in the Bible, as in our time, are not pretty, but they all have profound lessons on how and how not to treat each other. Whether we are Christian or not!
Philppians 4:2-7
(v. 2) "I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to agree with each other in the Lord.
(v.3) Yes, and I ask you, like yokefellow, help these women who have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.
(v.4) Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
(v.5) Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near."
(v.6) Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
(v. 7) And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
FOOTNOTES
Philipians 4:2, 3
Paul did not warn the Philippian church of doctrinal errors, but he did address some relational problems. These two women, (Euodia and Syntyche) had been workers for Christ in the church. Their broken relationship was no small matter, because many had become believers through their efforts. it is possible to believe in Christ, work hard for his kingdom, and yet, have broken relationships with others who are committed to the same cause. But there is no excuse for remaining unreconciled.
Do you need to be reconciled to someone today?
If you're facing a conflict you can't resolve, don't let tension build up into an explosion.
Don't withdraw or resort to cruel power plays. Don't stand idly by and wait for the dispute to resolve itself. Instead, seek the help of those known for peacemaking.
Philippians 4:3
The identity of this "loyal yokefellow" remain a mystery. It could be Epaphroditus, the bearer of this letter (Paul wrote to the Phillipian church) or a comrade of Paul In Prison. it could also be someone named Syzygus, another way to understand the word yokefellow.
Philippians 4:3
Those "whose names are in the book of life" are all who are marked for salvation through their faith in Christ (see also Luke 10:17-20; Revelation 20:11-15)
Philippians 4:4
Ultimate joy comes from Christ dwelling within us. Christ is near, and at his second coming we we will fully realized this ultimated joy. He who lives within us will fulfill his final purposes for us.
Philippians 4:5
We are to be gentle (reasonable, fair,minded, and charitable) to those outside of the church, and not just to fellow believers. This means we are not to seek revenge against those who treat us unfairly, nor are we to be overly vocal about our personal rights.
Philippians 4:6, 7
Imagine never being "anxious about anything"! It seems like an impossibility--We all have worries on the job, in our homes, at school. But Paul's advice is to turn our worries into prayers. Do you want to worry less? Then pray more!
Whenever you start to worry, STOP and pray (in Jesus' name)!
God's peace is different from the worlds peace (John 14:27). True peace is not found in positive thinking, in absence of conflict, or in good feelings. It comes from knowing that God is in control. Our citizenship in Christ's kingdom is sure, our destiny is set, and we can have victory over sin. Let God's peace guard your heart against anxiety.
Let's get RECONCILED with one another!
Deal with your issues with each other and bury them.
REJOICE! REJOICE I SAY, REJOICE IN THE LORD!
No comments:
Post a Comment