Most, if not all, of us have met someone that we struggle to relate with. Whether it’s the druggies at school or the shy guy wandering around on Sunday morning, most of us have encountered someone who seems difficult to talk to. Today I’d like to focus specifically on the key to relating to our brothers and sisters in Christ.
In Jesus’ final week, He spent His time with the disciples, preparing them for the things to come. Jesus comforted them, telling them about the heavenly place He was going to prepare and the Counselor that would come to them after His departure: “My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come. A new command I give to you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (Jn. 13:34-35). This new command is the key to relating to our brothers and sisters in Christ. The key to relating to all of our Christian brothers and sisters is simply to love them.
Until these last few months here at school, I had no clue how to do this. I knew that God wanted me to love my brothers and sisters in Christ, but I wasn’t sure exactly how to do that. Was it simply being kind to them or was it something more? Was it merely an attitude or was it an action? These were some of the questions I had. Through a combination of different things, God opened my eyes to several truths when it comes to relating with His body.
Truth #1: We can and should relate to everyone in the local Body of Christ. The apostle James wrote, “My brothers [and sisters], as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don’t show favoritism. Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?...if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers” (Js. 2:1-4; 9). It is pretty clear from this exhortation that we are not to play favorites. Perhaps the sickest result of the sin of favoritism is cliques. People get together with their favorite people every Sunday morning, at youth and in college and career. Little groups form within the larger body that take away from the unity that should be had and make outsiders feel unwelcome. As a result, people aren’t even acquainted with many people in the church. As a member of the Body of Christ we should value every other member equally. We should be going out of our way to relate to the whole local church body. To ignore the shy person, avoid the opposite sex, or shun the annoying person is no less than sin. We should have no qualms about relating to everyone in the Body of Christ. This is how we truly live in the Body.
Truth #2: Loving the Body of Christ means overcoming our fears. 1 John 4:18, says “there is no fear in love…” This is where those people whom we struggle to relate with come in. Often we avoid them out of fear of not knowing how to relate to them or not having met them. Sometimes we ignore the strangers in our local church out of fear. At some point all of us will have to conquer our fears when it comes to relating to people to obey Christ’s command of loving one another. Find your security in Christ, take a deep breath, and sit beside someone you don’t know on a Sunday morning with the intention of meeting them and getting to know them. If everyone did this, imagine the unity we would have as the Bride of Christ. Maybe try talking to at least one person you don’t know very well each Sunday. If we truly want to love people, than we need to be ready to overcome our fears of people.
Truth #3: To relate well to others through love, you must be connected to the Source. In 1 John 4:7, we are told to “love one another, for love comes from God.” The key here is that love comes from God. If we are not connected to God and living every day in a vibrant and dynamic relationship with Jesus, we cannot love other people. Love comes from God. If we are not abiding in Jesus, His love will not flow through us into other people. Likewise, we won’t be able to relate to people as easily. If you want to be able to relate to God’s people you need to rely on Him as the source of that love.
These are some of the scriptures that God has impressed upon my heart to share with you. The key to relating to other people is to love them. Love is the only language that everyone understands. From my own experience with the body of believers here at PRBI, love from God is the only thing that allows me to relate to both guys and girls, teachers and staff, sports jocks and chess nuts, fashion fanatics and heavy metal musicians. But I still, haven’t answered the important question of how to relate to our brothers and sisters in Christ by loving them.
I believe that it was the practical application of love that I misunderstood for the longest time in relating to people well. One of the easiest ways to relate to people is simply by caring about them as an individual. Naturally, the love that comes from God puts care into our hearts for one another. When you come into contact with any brother or sister in Christ, ask them questions out of a genuine care for who they are and what goes on in their lives. Greet them and ask them how they are doing. If you don’t already know their name, then ask them. Once you are acquainted with a person, the passage of time creates wonderful opportunities. Pay attention to who you see when you go places. Ask them how their day or week was. Ask them about the things that interest them or the people that are close to them. There is no set pattern or formula when it comes to relating to people, but if you ask people questions about their life, who they are, or what interests them out of a genuine love for that person as a brother in sister in Christ, relating to them should get easier and easier.
Another way to relate to people is through sharing your own life or experience with them. If someone asks you how you are doing, then be open and honest with them. Most of the time if, you open up to people a little, they will open up to you. Maybe a story you share will remind the person of something in their own life or experience that they will in turn share with you. Next thing you know, you’re relating well with a brother or sister in Christ. If a story you tell is funny then you are relating through humor.
Probably some of the smallest details that have the biggest expressions are the smile and the greeting. When you walk by someone say hi, good morning, or hey. When they look to see who is addressing them, than give them a warm smile. Smile and greet Christians you don’t know out of love and knowledge that they are your brother or sister in Christ. Greet and smile at Christians you do know using their name. It’s amazing when you realize how effectively this shines God’s love into a believer’s life. If you are connected to God and His love, then you will have it to give to others.
Finally, keep a watchful eye for the needs of others. If you see a need that you can meet, then do it. Show love through an encouragement note. Sit down and pray with the person. If you don’t feel equipped to meet their needs but know someone who is then point them to that person. God’s love can also be given through a birthday or get-well card. Ministering to people in the body of Christ is showing God’s love, building into each member and is also relating with them.
There’s a lot to think about when it comes to relating to people. Feel free to comment on how this applies to you as an individual, share your experiences, or simply relate
Saturday, November 25, 2006
Saturday, November 18, 2006
Journey to Joy
Another key lesson that God has been teaching me involves joy. In coming to PRBI, I struggled a lot with having the joy that I felt I should have as a Christian. Over the past few months God has been shaping me and directing my heart to more easily find the joy that I long for.
In my Christian Life Development, the teacher said, “Joy is a blessing and gift from God. To pursue joy is foolish because it is a ‘by-product’ of a God focused life.” How true. I can recount a few phases of my life where I sought after joy yet never attained it. Now that I think about it, the joyful moments of my life have never occurred because I was seeking them. In fact, more often than not I was dissatisfied when I sought after joy. Why? Because, joy is merely a by-product. Galatians 5:22 says, “the fruit of the Spirit is…joy.” When we live by the Spirit, in step with God, abiding in Christ, only then does God give us joy as a gift by His Spirit. Why would we pursue joy sooner than God? It’s simple: we are selfish people. If all we care about is how we feel, whether we have joy or feel comfortable, we are focused on ourselves. Our focus is supposed to be on God. For, Jesus is the author and perfect of our faith (Heb. 12:2).
I remember one day this semester when I felt a little discouraged. Life wasn’t playing out the way I knew it should. My discipler came into my room and saw me deep in thought, lying on my bed. “What’s up?” he said.
“Not much,” I mumbled.
“Why do you look so down?” he said.
“Hmm…well…Life just isn’t going the way I wish it would today,” I said.
“How come?” he asked. So, I told him why I was feeling discouraged. I didn’t want to be closed since I had asked him to be my discipler and mentor, however, I didn’t think he would understand the way I felt. I figured that I would listen to his advice regarding my situation and then I would just carry on, and all of this would eventually go away. I was a little surprised with what he said next: “Why is this affecting your joy?” he asked.
“Well, I am usually not happy when things go wrong and there is nothing I can do to fix them,” I said. “It’s like when we sin against God and he is not pleased. Our sin doesn’t bring God joy.” I said.
“If this situation in your life is taking away your joy, then you base your joy on the wrong source,” he replied. “If I base my joy on the things that happen around me then I will be crushed when things go wrong.” And I knew he was right considering that he had endured the painful divorce of his parents among countless other things in his life and childhood. If anyone had had a good reason to be discouraged it was him. “Do you want to know the secret to joy?” he asked me. “It all comes down to what your source of joy is. There are certain things that we should be staking our joy on. Because I am saved from my sin, I am joyful. Another source of my joy is my relationship with Jesus. I take joy from knowing God’s character and His many promises to me. I am joyful because of the future I have in heaven. If these are my sources of joy, then I can rejoice in any situation!” he said.
I knew he was exactly right. I was guilty of basing my joy on the temporary things rather than the eternal things. I was quickly reminded of Paul’s letter to the Corinthians in which he said, “…we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” (2 Cor. 4:16-18). God hammered this idea home for me through several other things here. My care group led chapel one day and the theme of our chapel was eternal perspective. In life of Christ, we were lectured on the Sermon of the Mount, including Jesus’ famous words, “…store up for yourselves treasure in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Mt. 6:20-21). This was an affirmation that the things I treasure and pour my heart into should be eternal. Again in Philippians, “…our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who…will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body” (Philippians 3:20-21). I was utterly convinced by God’s word that my discipler was right. I needed to focus on Jesus and let Him be my source of joy.
Of course this is easier said than done. I am still learning to keep Jesus in the forefront of my mind as my one true source of joy. As a result of my Gospel of John class, I found two applications that have helped me to remember this. On one wall I have a piece of paper that says, “Redeemed” in big bold letters. Every time I read that I am reminded of Jesus’ wonderful gift of redemption and salvation to me. I think of how He rescued me from the deadly perils of sin and hell. I also think of His love for me in His redemptive sacrifice on the cross. What a phenomenal reason to rejoice! And I will always be able to find joy in this, because it will never change!
Above my mirror on the back of my door, I have a piece of paper that says heaven. It reminds me of the eternal perspective I should keep at all times. It also reminds me of another source of joy that will never change: my future in heaven. These two signs have helped a lot! Compared to before, I have the joy that I should most of the time. The other times I do something stupid like staying up until 3:30 in the morning playing gamecube with friends, miss my time with God and feel too tired to focus on Jesus. But, there have been several times where my friends were all doing something and I was alone, and I kept my joy because it was based on Jesus who was still with me.
This has been my journey to joy over the past few months. What about your journey? Is joy a blessed gift that you find continually in God’s face? Is joy an elusive shadow that you can’t find rest in? What experiences have placed God as the source of your joy in your life? What can you do to remind you of your need to focus on Jesus as the source of your joy?
In my Christian Life Development, the teacher said, “Joy is a blessing and gift from God. To pursue joy is foolish because it is a ‘by-product’ of a God focused life.” How true. I can recount a few phases of my life where I sought after joy yet never attained it. Now that I think about it, the joyful moments of my life have never occurred because I was seeking them. In fact, more often than not I was dissatisfied when I sought after joy. Why? Because, joy is merely a by-product. Galatians 5:22 says, “the fruit of the Spirit is…joy.” When we live by the Spirit, in step with God, abiding in Christ, only then does God give us joy as a gift by His Spirit. Why would we pursue joy sooner than God? It’s simple: we are selfish people. If all we care about is how we feel, whether we have joy or feel comfortable, we are focused on ourselves. Our focus is supposed to be on God. For, Jesus is the author and perfect of our faith (Heb. 12:2).
I remember one day this semester when I felt a little discouraged. Life wasn’t playing out the way I knew it should. My discipler came into my room and saw me deep in thought, lying on my bed. “What’s up?” he said.
“Not much,” I mumbled.
“Why do you look so down?” he said.
“Hmm…well…Life just isn’t going the way I wish it would today,” I said.
“How come?” he asked. So, I told him why I was feeling discouraged. I didn’t want to be closed since I had asked him to be my discipler and mentor, however, I didn’t think he would understand the way I felt. I figured that I would listen to his advice regarding my situation and then I would just carry on, and all of this would eventually go away. I was a little surprised with what he said next: “Why is this affecting your joy?” he asked.
“Well, I am usually not happy when things go wrong and there is nothing I can do to fix them,” I said. “It’s like when we sin against God and he is not pleased. Our sin doesn’t bring God joy.” I said.
“If this situation in your life is taking away your joy, then you base your joy on the wrong source,” he replied. “If I base my joy on the things that happen around me then I will be crushed when things go wrong.” And I knew he was right considering that he had endured the painful divorce of his parents among countless other things in his life and childhood. If anyone had had a good reason to be discouraged it was him. “Do you want to know the secret to joy?” he asked me. “It all comes down to what your source of joy is. There are certain things that we should be staking our joy on. Because I am saved from my sin, I am joyful. Another source of my joy is my relationship with Jesus. I take joy from knowing God’s character and His many promises to me. I am joyful because of the future I have in heaven. If these are my sources of joy, then I can rejoice in any situation!” he said.
I knew he was exactly right. I was guilty of basing my joy on the temporary things rather than the eternal things. I was quickly reminded of Paul’s letter to the Corinthians in which he said, “…we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” (2 Cor. 4:16-18). God hammered this idea home for me through several other things here. My care group led chapel one day and the theme of our chapel was eternal perspective. In life of Christ, we were lectured on the Sermon of the Mount, including Jesus’ famous words, “…store up for yourselves treasure in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Mt. 6:20-21). This was an affirmation that the things I treasure and pour my heart into should be eternal. Again in Philippians, “…our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who…will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body” (Philippians 3:20-21). I was utterly convinced by God’s word that my discipler was right. I needed to focus on Jesus and let Him be my source of joy.
Of course this is easier said than done. I am still learning to keep Jesus in the forefront of my mind as my one true source of joy. As a result of my Gospel of John class, I found two applications that have helped me to remember this. On one wall I have a piece of paper that says, “Redeemed” in big bold letters. Every time I read that I am reminded of Jesus’ wonderful gift of redemption and salvation to me. I think of how He rescued me from the deadly perils of sin and hell. I also think of His love for me in His redemptive sacrifice on the cross. What a phenomenal reason to rejoice! And I will always be able to find joy in this, because it will never change!
Above my mirror on the back of my door, I have a piece of paper that says heaven. It reminds me of the eternal perspective I should keep at all times. It also reminds me of another source of joy that will never change: my future in heaven. These two signs have helped a lot! Compared to before, I have the joy that I should most of the time. The other times I do something stupid like staying up until 3:30 in the morning playing gamecube with friends, miss my time with God and feel too tired to focus on Jesus. But, there have been several times where my friends were all doing something and I was alone, and I kept my joy because it was based on Jesus who was still with me.
This has been my journey to joy over the past few months. What about your journey? Is joy a blessed gift that you find continually in God’s face? Is joy an elusive shadow that you can’t find rest in? What experiences have placed God as the source of your joy in your life? What can you do to remind you of your need to focus on Jesus as the source of your joy?
Friday, November 10, 2006
Day 5: Smart vs. Stupid
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against the house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against the house, and it fell with a great crash” (Mt. 7:24-27).
I’d like to describe what I will call “the stupid syndrome”. Sunday morning I wake up and go to church. After some singing the pastor delivers a powerful sermon. I feel convicted and challenged by it sensing that I have grown as a result of hearing a word from God. I come away from church with joy that the Lord has spoken to me over the course of the morning. I then find something to do (usually with people) to enjoy my day off. After playing a game or two, maybe watching a movie, eating a meal with someone, and maybe a phone call, the day is over and I go to bed. The week goes by and it’s Sunday again. I flip open my journal to take notes and notice my notes from last Sunday. I remember how I’d felt challenged and convicted, and I realize that I’ve done nothing with that conviction. This is “the stupid syndrome”.
I’m sure that all of you can identify with this situation. We have opportunities to hear from God all of the time. In our personal devotions (if you do them), in small groups (if you’re in one), in the Sunday morning service, in Sunday school and in many other things that we do in our life, we have the opportunity to hear from God. Person A doesn’t take the opportunities to hear from God and Person B does take the opportunities. Yet both of them are the same person from week to week, with little spiritual growth, and little reason to rejoice.
What’s missing? Take a look at Person C. Person C goes to church on Sunday morning and opens up the bulletin. “Oh”, he says, “the pastor is preaching on the parable of the sower and the seeds.” Though he has heard countless sermons on this passage he listens intently for the voice of God because he knows that God can speak through even the most familiar of passages. The pastor preaches with ordinary words just as every other Sunday, yet the Holy Spirit brings conviction to Person C about how seldom he shares his faith with those who ask about it at work. The service ends and Person C goes out for lunch with some friends. While eating at their favorite restaurant, one of his friends invites him to get together after the meal. Person C politely responds, “Well, I have plans until 3:00, but after 3:00 I’d love to get together.” Person C leaves the restaurant after a lovely meal and goes home. In the quiet of his bedroom, he opens up his journal to the sermon notes and his Bible to the passage that so powerfully spoke to him during the service. Person C spends the next hour communing with God, meditating on the scripture, and talking to God about his conviction to be a better witness in the work place. By the end of his time, Person C writes on the page of his journal, and the page of his day timer, “share testimony with Steven over lunch break.” The next day at work Person C warmly greets Steven before the day’s work begins. “Would you like to go for lunch?” Person C asks.
What’s the difference between Person A & B, and Person C? The difference is smart vs. stupid.
Jesus says, “everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” Person C is the wise man. After hearing God’s word through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, Person C takes time to meditate on the words of God and consult God regarding their significance. Person C is not content merely listening to the word. He wants to do it! Person C spent time with God seeking an application. How could he be so foolish as to ignore or forget about the conviction that the Holy Spirit brought to him during the sermon? As Person C searches for a way to put God’s words into practice, the Lord reveals a real and tangible way for him to do it. The next day Person C goes as far as welcoming an opportunity to obey God, by asking Steven to go for lunch with him.
Jesus also said, “everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.” Person B sits through the same message as person C and feels the same conviction. However, Person B shrugs off all opportunity to act upon the challenge he receives. He goes home and watches TV for the rest of the day and forgets about everything he heard. Person B missed an opportunity to learn and grow according to God’s will. By God’s grace, he won’t miss the next opportunity.
1. Can you recall a time when you decided that a sermon or Sunday school lesson was already old news – that you’d heard it before, and didn’t bother to really listen for God’s voice? How about a study that you felt you could have taught yourself because of how well you are doing in that particular area? Have you been Person A?
2. Can you recall a time when you felt God spoke to you through a message, devotional, or lesson, yet you ended up forgetting about it soon after? Have you ever felt convicted or challenged to pursue something as a result of a sermon or bible study, and forgotten about it over the course of the week? Have you been Person B?
3. Can you recall a time where God spoke to you, regarding some area in your life, which you took seriously and searched for a way to put it into practice, and finally acted upon what you heard? Has the way you live ever visibly changed as a result of conviction or challenge by the Holy Spirit? Have you ever been person C?
Do you want to grow spiritually and become mature in your faith? Do you want to know Jesus in a more intimate way? Do you want to be used by God to bring glory to His name? Do you want to have a living and dynamic love relationship with God, pleasing Him in each step, through obedience?
“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says” (Js. 1:22).
I’d like to describe what I will call “the stupid syndrome”. Sunday morning I wake up and go to church. After some singing the pastor delivers a powerful sermon. I feel convicted and challenged by it sensing that I have grown as a result of hearing a word from God. I come away from church with joy that the Lord has spoken to me over the course of the morning. I then find something to do (usually with people) to enjoy my day off. After playing a game or two, maybe watching a movie, eating a meal with someone, and maybe a phone call, the day is over and I go to bed. The week goes by and it’s Sunday again. I flip open my journal to take notes and notice my notes from last Sunday. I remember how I’d felt challenged and convicted, and I realize that I’ve done nothing with that conviction. This is “the stupid syndrome”.
I’m sure that all of you can identify with this situation. We have opportunities to hear from God all of the time. In our personal devotions (if you do them), in small groups (if you’re in one), in the Sunday morning service, in Sunday school and in many other things that we do in our life, we have the opportunity to hear from God. Person A doesn’t take the opportunities to hear from God and Person B does take the opportunities. Yet both of them are the same person from week to week, with little spiritual growth, and little reason to rejoice.
What’s missing? Take a look at Person C. Person C goes to church on Sunday morning and opens up the bulletin. “Oh”, he says, “the pastor is preaching on the parable of the sower and the seeds.” Though he has heard countless sermons on this passage he listens intently for the voice of God because he knows that God can speak through even the most familiar of passages. The pastor preaches with ordinary words just as every other Sunday, yet the Holy Spirit brings conviction to Person C about how seldom he shares his faith with those who ask about it at work. The service ends and Person C goes out for lunch with some friends. While eating at their favorite restaurant, one of his friends invites him to get together after the meal. Person C politely responds, “Well, I have plans until 3:00, but after 3:00 I’d love to get together.” Person C leaves the restaurant after a lovely meal and goes home. In the quiet of his bedroom, he opens up his journal to the sermon notes and his Bible to the passage that so powerfully spoke to him during the service. Person C spends the next hour communing with God, meditating on the scripture, and talking to God about his conviction to be a better witness in the work place. By the end of his time, Person C writes on the page of his journal, and the page of his day timer, “share testimony with Steven over lunch break.” The next day at work Person C warmly greets Steven before the day’s work begins. “Would you like to go for lunch?” Person C asks.
What’s the difference between Person A & B, and Person C? The difference is smart vs. stupid.
Jesus says, “everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” Person C is the wise man. After hearing God’s word through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, Person C takes time to meditate on the words of God and consult God regarding their significance. Person C is not content merely listening to the word. He wants to do it! Person C spent time with God seeking an application. How could he be so foolish as to ignore or forget about the conviction that the Holy Spirit brought to him during the sermon? As Person C searches for a way to put God’s words into practice, the Lord reveals a real and tangible way for him to do it. The next day Person C goes as far as welcoming an opportunity to obey God, by asking Steven to go for lunch with him.
Jesus also said, “everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.” Person B sits through the same message as person C and feels the same conviction. However, Person B shrugs off all opportunity to act upon the challenge he receives. He goes home and watches TV for the rest of the day and forgets about everything he heard. Person B missed an opportunity to learn and grow according to God’s will. By God’s grace, he won’t miss the next opportunity.
1. Can you recall a time when you decided that a sermon or Sunday school lesson was already old news – that you’d heard it before, and didn’t bother to really listen for God’s voice? How about a study that you felt you could have taught yourself because of how well you are doing in that particular area? Have you been Person A?
2. Can you recall a time when you felt God spoke to you through a message, devotional, or lesson, yet you ended up forgetting about it soon after? Have you ever felt convicted or challenged to pursue something as a result of a sermon or bible study, and forgotten about it over the course of the week? Have you been Person B?
3. Can you recall a time where God spoke to you, regarding some area in your life, which you took seriously and searched for a way to put it into practice, and finally acted upon what you heard? Has the way you live ever visibly changed as a result of conviction or challenge by the Holy Spirit? Have you ever been person C?
Do you want to grow spiritually and become mature in your faith? Do you want to know Jesus in a more intimate way? Do you want to be used by God to bring glory to His name? Do you want to have a living and dynamic love relationship with God, pleasing Him in each step, through obedience?
“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says” (Js. 1:22).
Thursday, November 09, 2006
Day 4: Prayer and Thanksgiving
In my daily devotions I’ve been reading through the Intouch magazine for this month which is centered on thanksgiving. Through my reading I discovered a new level to the power of prayer and more specifically thanksgiving. I was really impressed by some of the many blessings that Charles Stanley suggests are results of thanksgiving. Let me briefly summarize them for you:
1. Praise and thanksgiving readjust our focus: When we praise and thank God we are remembering that life centers around Him and not the world we live in.
2. Thanking God reminds us of our dependence upon Him: Thanking God reminds of the many blessings that we enjoy only because of God’s goodness. In Him we live and move and have our being.
3. Offering praise causes release from anxiety: Thanksgiving in prayer is our access to peace in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6-7).
4. Expressing gratitude refreshes our relationship with the Lord: Almost like catching up with an old friend, we deepen our intimacy with God when we warmly connect with Him in thanksgiving.
5. Thanksgiving refines our spiritual perception: “As we tell the Lord of our appreciation we will gain deeper insight into who He is, what He is like, and the way He thinks.”
6. Gratitude reinforces our faith: When we see how God has answered our prayers, met our needs, protected us, and worked in our lives, we see His character of goodness, love, and mercy which reinforces our faith.
7. Praising God rejoices our spirit: Thanking God brings us joy, deep joy which can alleviate anxiety, impatience, and restlessness.
This week I have focused a lot on thanking and praising God in everything. What a difference it has made! My personal time with God comes alive as I thank Him for the riches and blessings that He has lavished upon me. One of the chief attitudes of my past is this: I would look at my life and always be asking what was wrong in my life and what needed improvement. I would get so caught up in always looking for the weaknesses in my life that I would become self-focused rather than God-focused. Over the past month I have been learning that when I thank God for what He has done for me, and who He is I have so much more joy and have been able to abide in Him and not myself.
There are so many wonderful applications to this too! In fact, I won’t even list them. Instead, I would like you to post one specific way that you can cultivate a healthy attitude of thanksgiving toward God. I’ll share an example from my own time here at Bible College.
In Gospel of John class, we were reading through John chapter 9 where the blind man receives sight. When Jesus reveals His true identity to the man who can now see, the blind man bows down and worships Jesus saying, “I believe.” I was personally challenged to remember what God has done for me. The blind man praised Jesus deeply because of the sight that Jesus gave him. How much greater is the gift of salvation that Jesus has given me! I felt that I had lost that attitude of worship. I had fallen into the trap of basing my joy on the temporary blessings that He was giving me. When those things disappear or when I forget about them, then the joy that they brought also fades. To remind myself to worship Jesus for the eternal gift that He has given me, I printed off a piece of paper that said “Redeemed” in big letters on it and hung it on my wall. Every time I look at it, I thank God and I am reminded of what my greatest source of joy is.
What will you do to develop the practice of thanksgiving to God?
Since this post is focused on prayer and thanksgiving, I thought it would be a wonderful chance to simply pray for each other. Look back to the people that shared a need on Day 2, and write a prayer for one of them that God would meet that need. Let the glory of the Lord rise among us through prayer and thanksgiving.
1. Praise and thanksgiving readjust our focus: When we praise and thank God we are remembering that life centers around Him and not the world we live in.
2. Thanking God reminds us of our dependence upon Him: Thanking God reminds of the many blessings that we enjoy only because of God’s goodness. In Him we live and move and have our being.
3. Offering praise causes release from anxiety: Thanksgiving in prayer is our access to peace in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6-7).
4. Expressing gratitude refreshes our relationship with the Lord: Almost like catching up with an old friend, we deepen our intimacy with God when we warmly connect with Him in thanksgiving.
5. Thanksgiving refines our spiritual perception: “As we tell the Lord of our appreciation we will gain deeper insight into who He is, what He is like, and the way He thinks.”
6. Gratitude reinforces our faith: When we see how God has answered our prayers, met our needs, protected us, and worked in our lives, we see His character of goodness, love, and mercy which reinforces our faith.
7. Praising God rejoices our spirit: Thanking God brings us joy, deep joy which can alleviate anxiety, impatience, and restlessness.
This week I have focused a lot on thanking and praising God in everything. What a difference it has made! My personal time with God comes alive as I thank Him for the riches and blessings that He has lavished upon me. One of the chief attitudes of my past is this: I would look at my life and always be asking what was wrong in my life and what needed improvement. I would get so caught up in always looking for the weaknesses in my life that I would become self-focused rather than God-focused. Over the past month I have been learning that when I thank God for what He has done for me, and who He is I have so much more joy and have been able to abide in Him and not myself.
There are so many wonderful applications to this too! In fact, I won’t even list them. Instead, I would like you to post one specific way that you can cultivate a healthy attitude of thanksgiving toward God. I’ll share an example from my own time here at Bible College.
In Gospel of John class, we were reading through John chapter 9 where the blind man receives sight. When Jesus reveals His true identity to the man who can now see, the blind man bows down and worships Jesus saying, “I believe.” I was personally challenged to remember what God has done for me. The blind man praised Jesus deeply because of the sight that Jesus gave him. How much greater is the gift of salvation that Jesus has given me! I felt that I had lost that attitude of worship. I had fallen into the trap of basing my joy on the temporary blessings that He was giving me. When those things disappear or when I forget about them, then the joy that they brought also fades. To remind myself to worship Jesus for the eternal gift that He has given me, I printed off a piece of paper that said “Redeemed” in big letters on it and hung it on my wall. Every time I look at it, I thank God and I am reminded of what my greatest source of joy is.
What will you do to develop the practice of thanksgiving to God?
Since this post is focused on prayer and thanksgiving, I thought it would be a wonderful chance to simply pray for each other. Look back to the people that shared a need on Day 2, and write a prayer for one of them that God would meet that need. Let the glory of the Lord rise among us through prayer and thanksgiving.
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
Day 3: Your Identity
In Christian Life Development here at PRBI, we had one class where we did something called “The Guilt Test”. By the end of the class I was really excited because God had shown me something new that I had never realized before. So I’d like to share “The Guilt Test” with you. It comes from http://www.new-life.net as I later discovered from my CLD teacher. So without delaying it any longer let’s do it! Get out a piece of paper and number it 1 to 24. Below there are twenty four statements. It’s not uncommon for you to be able to identify with a lot of these statements. As you read through the list, put a check on you page beside the ones that you can identify with or have felt before after you’ve done something wrong. For now just ignore the letters beside them.
1. "I don't see how God could do anything with someone like me." (W)
2. "Now I'm going to get it." (P)
3. " I feel I am stained and everyone can see it." (R)
4. "I feel the need to justify my position, to rationalize my wrong away, I feel defensive." (P)
5. "I feel like there is a sword hanging over my head about to fall at any minute." (P)
6. "I feel like withdrawing and hiding because of what I've done." (R)
7. "I feel like God is pointing his finger at me and saying you are unacceptable." (W)
8. "I feel like God is looking down on me with anger and bitterness." (P)
9. "I feel when I pray, that God won't listen to me because I have not listened and obeyed Him." (R)
10. "I resent myself because I have let God down." (W)
11. "I deserve to be punished because of what I have done." (P)
12. "I hurt all over because I am bad." (W)
13. "I let God down and now He will leave me here to suffer my fate." (R)
14. "I feel the Lord is mad at me and will keep me in a childhood state." (P)
15. "How can God ever love a screw-up like me?" (W)
16. "I have not lived up to expectations. I feel as though I will be rejected and abandoned." (R)
17. "I can just imagine God's angry stare." (P)
18. "Mainly I feel completely embarrassed about myself." (R)
19. "I feel I have completely flopped in my relationship to Christ." (W)
20. "I feel like dirt." (W)
21. "I wonder a lot about what others would think if they knew." (R)
22. "I have let God see me weak, I have failed, I am inferior." (W)
23. "I'm afraid of what others will do to me, because of what I have done." (P)
24. "I feel like a step-child in God's family or even an exile." (R)
Okay now that you are finished the test, and you have check marks on your page beside the numbers, look at the letter in brackets beside each number and write it down beside the ones that you checked. For example, if you put a check beside #20, then write a “W” beside it. Once you have finished putting letters beside all your check marks, mark down the total number of “W”, “P”, and “R” that you have. There are eight of each.
The letters represent the various ways that we experience guilt. We experience guilt in three ways:
1. A Sense of WORTHLESSNESS
"I'm a failure"
I'm not "competent", "suitable", "fit" or "capable."
"How can I call myself a Christian?"
2. A Fear of PUNISHMENT
"Now I'm going to get it."
"I deserve to be..."
"God will surely punish me."
"Now they will be angry with me for..."
3. A Feeling of REJECTION
Fear of rejection by others
"God won't love me if..."
Not being accepted because of what I did or what I think or who I am.
Loss of reputation, "losing face" before others, shame.
By looking at the individual numbers that you recorded under Ws, Ps, and Rs, you can tell in what area you feel the most guilt. Interestingly enough, all 24 statements above are statements that we never need to think as Christians.
I’d encourage you (the reader) to comment on which one of the three areas of guilt that you identify with the most. Along with your result, post one verse that shows why we need not feel guilty in that way. This test brought me a lot of freedom and joy, as I discovered my own personal understanding of how much God values me, accepts me, and has freed me from punishment. I hope God speaks to you through it.
1. "I don't see how God could do anything with someone like me." (W)
2. "Now I'm going to get it." (P)
3. " I feel I am stained and everyone can see it." (R)
4. "I feel the need to justify my position, to rationalize my wrong away, I feel defensive." (P)
5. "I feel like there is a sword hanging over my head about to fall at any minute." (P)
6. "I feel like withdrawing and hiding because of what I've done." (R)
7. "I feel like God is pointing his finger at me and saying you are unacceptable." (W)
8. "I feel like God is looking down on me with anger and bitterness." (P)
9. "I feel when I pray, that God won't listen to me because I have not listened and obeyed Him." (R)
10. "I resent myself because I have let God down." (W)
11. "I deserve to be punished because of what I have done." (P)
12. "I hurt all over because I am bad." (W)
13. "I let God down and now He will leave me here to suffer my fate." (R)
14. "I feel the Lord is mad at me and will keep me in a childhood state." (P)
15. "How can God ever love a screw-up like me?" (W)
16. "I have not lived up to expectations. I feel as though I will be rejected and abandoned." (R)
17. "I can just imagine God's angry stare." (P)
18. "Mainly I feel completely embarrassed about myself." (R)
19. "I feel I have completely flopped in my relationship to Christ." (W)
20. "I feel like dirt." (W)
21. "I wonder a lot about what others would think if they knew." (R)
22. "I have let God see me weak, I have failed, I am inferior." (W)
23. "I'm afraid of what others will do to me, because of what I have done." (P)
24. "I feel like a step-child in God's family or even an exile." (R)
Okay now that you are finished the test, and you have check marks on your page beside the numbers, look at the letter in brackets beside each number and write it down beside the ones that you checked. For example, if you put a check beside #20, then write a “W” beside it. Once you have finished putting letters beside all your check marks, mark down the total number of “W”, “P”, and “R” that you have. There are eight of each.
The letters represent the various ways that we experience guilt. We experience guilt in three ways:
1. A Sense of WORTHLESSNESS
"I'm a failure"
I'm not "competent", "suitable", "fit" or "capable."
"How can I call myself a Christian?"
2. A Fear of PUNISHMENT
"Now I'm going to get it."
"I deserve to be..."
"God will surely punish me."
"Now they will be angry with me for..."
3. A Feeling of REJECTION
Fear of rejection by others
"God won't love me if..."
Not being accepted because of what I did or what I think or who I am.
Loss of reputation, "losing face" before others, shame.
By looking at the individual numbers that you recorded under Ws, Ps, and Rs, you can tell in what area you feel the most guilt. Interestingly enough, all 24 statements above are statements that we never need to think as Christians.
I’d encourage you (the reader) to comment on which one of the three areas of guilt that you identify with the most. Along with your result, post one verse that shows why we need not feel guilty in that way. This test brought me a lot of freedom and joy, as I discovered my own personal understanding of how much God values me, accepts me, and has freed me from punishment. I hope God speaks to you through it.
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
Day 2: Your Role
“From Him the whole body, joined together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work” (Eph. 4:16)
I love that verse. It paints a beautiful picture of what the church should look like today. Everyone is joined together. Everyone is supporting each other. Everyone is growing building themselves up in love. How is all this possible? In some churches this can scarcely be said. I’ve attended churches where the congregation is divided. Each member supports their own opinion of what is true. The Body seems to shrink and deconstructs itself in hatred, bitterness, and unforgiveness. Why does the Body that Paul talks about seem so untrue to reality in so many local churches?
In many cases you can find two Christians who can’t even live at peace with each other. If two people can’t even achieve unity than how on earth will the whole Body of Christ ever be what Paul describes it as? It seems impossible. Is it? I thank God that I have seen the Body as Paul describes it, in several places. But what makes it or breaks it?
The key is in the last part of the verse. “From Him the whole body, joined together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work” (Eph. 4:16 emphasis mine). Imagine a track and field athlete. He’s at the blocks waiting for the gun. Bang! Microseconds after the gun goes off, the runner’s brain says “Go!” He takes a couple steps and then the unthinkable happens. One of his arms decides that the ears aren’t helping very much in this race so it reaches up and pulls his left ear off. The runner’s left eye is offended by the arm so he decides to leave the body and rolls out like a Ferrari getaway car. When the right knee sees that the eye has left the body, he decides that he’s only going to bend in the opposite direction from now on. The vocal chords don’t know what’s going on because they can’t see anything, so they shake with fear causing the man to bellow as he stumbles down the track. Next the runner’s feet start to feel tired because they are bearing most of the weight while the other muscles slack off. Lastly, the lower half of the runner’s body decides to go right while the upper half decides to go left and the result is the ugliest thing you have ever seen. Can you imagine what this runner would look like running down the track? Do you think that he has a hope of winning the race?
In reality, we, the Body of Christ, are like that runner. The only way that we can succeed and achieve the purposes that God has for us is if each part does its work. This doesn’t just mean do what you want or do what you can do. The principle we need to grasp from this is that each part has a purpose. Each person has a function or role in the Body of Christ, not so they can function by themselves, but so they can function together. When each part of the body does what it’s created to do and works together with the other parts, the body can move and work and grow. Similarly, when each follower of Christ acts/speaks/thinks in the way he or she is created to act/think/speak and works together with the other followers of Christ, the Body of Christ can move and work and grow.
What part of the body are you? What purpose do you serve in the body? Briefly, there are three purposes and functions to every part of the body:
1. We were created for the purpose of functioning in relationship with Jesus (Jn. 17:3).
2. We were created for the purpose of functioning in witness of Jesus (Acts 1:8, Mk. 16:15)
3. We were created for the purpose of functioning in ministry to the Body (Eph. 4)
No matter what part of the body you are, you were created for these three purposes which all fall under one big purpose of bringing glory to God. “For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen” (Ro. 11:36). If every Christian remained steadfast in their relationship with Jesus walking and talking with Him every step of the way, if every Christian was a witness of Jesus to the world testifying to His power in both word and deed, if every Christian was a minister to the Body looking for the needs of brothers and sisters and meeting them, what would the church look like today? If every Christian served the Lord with the strength that He provides “…so that the Body of Christ would be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ” (Eph. 4:13) what would the church look like? Let me show you:
“From Him the whole body, joined together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work” (Eph. 4:16)
It all comes back to you (the reader) and I. Each of us in our own lives has to pull our weight. Each of us has to be pursuing relationship with Jesus. Each of us has to be serving and supporting our brothers and sisters in Christ. Each one of us has to be sensitive to the needs of others and sensitive to God’s leading in how we can meet them. It all comes back to the individual you and I.
I originally planned this post to be a nothing more than a discussion and a chance to open up and share how God’s been working in your life. Why? Because, through fellowship God can use someone’s comment to meet someone else’s need. In fact God can meet your own need through your own comment as you try and understand what God has been doing in your life.
I’d like to try something different. As a Body can we all take a chance to examine ourselves to see if we are living in Christ? Maybe you are or maybe you need to come back to God in this moment and begin to live in Him again. When you have come to peace with God I would like you to ask God to show you what your needs are. God is always the one who meets our needs, and often He will use others to do it. Finally, I would like you to comment on this post and share your need with the Body so we can pray for each other. I’m hoping that we can all catch a glimpse of the way that the Body was created to function. Maybe you struggle with sin, maybe you struggle with pride, maybe you struggle with being self-centered, maybe you struggle with surrendering, maybe you struggle with loving others or forgiving others, having bitterness, anger, joy or peace. It doesn’t have to be a struggle. Maybe you need to truly feel that God loves you or that He has accepted you or that He will not punish you. Maybe you need to feel free. Maybe you need to laugh. Maybe you need healing or equipping. There are so many needs that we can have that only God can fill, and if we don’t share our needs or seek our brothers’ and sisters’ needs, we miss out on opportunities to be used by God and to have our own needs met. Whether you share it anonymously or by name, please comment on what the Lord reveals to you.
I love that verse. It paints a beautiful picture of what the church should look like today. Everyone is joined together. Everyone is supporting each other. Everyone is growing building themselves up in love. How is all this possible? In some churches this can scarcely be said. I’ve attended churches where the congregation is divided. Each member supports their own opinion of what is true. The Body seems to shrink and deconstructs itself in hatred, bitterness, and unforgiveness. Why does the Body that Paul talks about seem so untrue to reality in so many local churches?
In many cases you can find two Christians who can’t even live at peace with each other. If two people can’t even achieve unity than how on earth will the whole Body of Christ ever be what Paul describes it as? It seems impossible. Is it? I thank God that I have seen the Body as Paul describes it, in several places. But what makes it or breaks it?
The key is in the last part of the verse. “From Him the whole body, joined together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work” (Eph. 4:16 emphasis mine). Imagine a track and field athlete. He’s at the blocks waiting for the gun. Bang! Microseconds after the gun goes off, the runner’s brain says “Go!” He takes a couple steps and then the unthinkable happens. One of his arms decides that the ears aren’t helping very much in this race so it reaches up and pulls his left ear off. The runner’s left eye is offended by the arm so he decides to leave the body and rolls out like a Ferrari getaway car. When the right knee sees that the eye has left the body, he decides that he’s only going to bend in the opposite direction from now on. The vocal chords don’t know what’s going on because they can’t see anything, so they shake with fear causing the man to bellow as he stumbles down the track. Next the runner’s feet start to feel tired because they are bearing most of the weight while the other muscles slack off. Lastly, the lower half of the runner’s body decides to go right while the upper half decides to go left and the result is the ugliest thing you have ever seen. Can you imagine what this runner would look like running down the track? Do you think that he has a hope of winning the race?
In reality, we, the Body of Christ, are like that runner. The only way that we can succeed and achieve the purposes that God has for us is if each part does its work. This doesn’t just mean do what you want or do what you can do. The principle we need to grasp from this is that each part has a purpose. Each person has a function or role in the Body of Christ, not so they can function by themselves, but so they can function together. When each part of the body does what it’s created to do and works together with the other parts, the body can move and work and grow. Similarly, when each follower of Christ acts/speaks/thinks in the way he or she is created to act/think/speak and works together with the other followers of Christ, the Body of Christ can move and work and grow.
What part of the body are you? What purpose do you serve in the body? Briefly, there are three purposes and functions to every part of the body:
1. We were created for the purpose of functioning in relationship with Jesus (Jn. 17:3).
2. We were created for the purpose of functioning in witness of Jesus (Acts 1:8, Mk. 16:15)
3. We were created for the purpose of functioning in ministry to the Body (Eph. 4)
No matter what part of the body you are, you were created for these three purposes which all fall under one big purpose of bringing glory to God. “For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen” (Ro. 11:36). If every Christian remained steadfast in their relationship with Jesus walking and talking with Him every step of the way, if every Christian was a witness of Jesus to the world testifying to His power in both word and deed, if every Christian was a minister to the Body looking for the needs of brothers and sisters and meeting them, what would the church look like today? If every Christian served the Lord with the strength that He provides “…so that the Body of Christ would be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ” (Eph. 4:13) what would the church look like? Let me show you:
“From Him the whole body, joined together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work” (Eph. 4:16)
It all comes back to you (the reader) and I. Each of us in our own lives has to pull our weight. Each of us has to be pursuing relationship with Jesus. Each of us has to be serving and supporting our brothers and sisters in Christ. Each one of us has to be sensitive to the needs of others and sensitive to God’s leading in how we can meet them. It all comes back to the individual you and I.
I originally planned this post to be a nothing more than a discussion and a chance to open up and share how God’s been working in your life. Why? Because, through fellowship God can use someone’s comment to meet someone else’s need. In fact God can meet your own need through your own comment as you try and understand what God has been doing in your life.
I’d like to try something different. As a Body can we all take a chance to examine ourselves to see if we are living in Christ? Maybe you are or maybe you need to come back to God in this moment and begin to live in Him again. When you have come to peace with God I would like you to ask God to show you what your needs are. God is always the one who meets our needs, and often He will use others to do it. Finally, I would like you to comment on this post and share your need with the Body so we can pray for each other. I’m hoping that we can all catch a glimpse of the way that the Body was created to function. Maybe you struggle with sin, maybe you struggle with pride, maybe you struggle with being self-centered, maybe you struggle with surrendering, maybe you struggle with loving others or forgiving others, having bitterness, anger, joy or peace. It doesn’t have to be a struggle. Maybe you need to truly feel that God loves you or that He has accepted you or that He will not punish you. Maybe you need to feel free. Maybe you need to laugh. Maybe you need healing or equipping. There are so many needs that we can have that only God can fill, and if we don’t share our needs or seek our brothers’ and sisters’ needs, we miss out on opportunities to be used by God and to have our own needs met. Whether you share it anonymously or by name, please comment on what the Lord reveals to you.
Monday, November 06, 2006
Day 1: The Body
In my time here at PRBI God has taught me so much about the Body of Christ and Relationships. In one of my favorite classes, Christian Life Development, we’ve spent several classes simply looking at the purpose of relationships in the Body of Christ. God has used this class as well as everyday life with people here at PRBI to show me what the church really is.
One of the most influential truths I’ve learned here concerns the purpose of all relationships with all people in general. Paul wrote, "…whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God" (1 Cor. 10:31). As my CLD teacher said, "relationships are something that we do." So the underlying purpose in all relationships is to bring glory to God. Through personal reflection I’ve been challenged to examine my motivations in each of the relationships I am in. Why am I doing [insert activity] with [insert name]? Over the last month this question has been a tremendous blessing.
On several occasions this question has caused me to remember that I am acting for God’s glory. A normal game of pool turns into a wonderful time of fellowship and an opportunity to shine God’s love into a person’s life. After accepting an invitation to skateboard with a good friend, we find ourselves having thrown our boards off to the side because of more important things we needed to talk about. One evening I found myself painting a large prop for the global ministries conference here at the school simply because I wanted to be with the people painting. Soon enough the question came back and I realized that I was doing it for the wrong reasons. When I shifted my focus to bringing glory to God, I very quickly discovered a need that I was equipped to meet. All the glory was given to God.
The principle that I would like to share with you is this: When we act in our relationships to bring glory to God, we begin to see the many opportunities that God has for us to minister. With the proper motivation in a relationship God reveals to us the needs that we can meet. It may be as simple as showing God’s love to someone through a smile and a cheerful greeting. When our focus is to bring glory to God, we begin to develop a genuine care and love for all people. This principle works for both believers and non-believers. Look at what Paul says to the Ephesians: "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen" (4:29). Does this mean that every conversation has to be a spiritual conversation? By no means! This is the connection:
Maybe a brother or sister in Christ needs the medicine of laughter. In such a situation you could build a person up simply by laughing with them, telling jokes or sharing "hi-larious" stories. Consider a brother or sister in Christ who just needs to feel the love of God. You could show God’s loving-kindness simply by caring for them when you ask how they are doing and what’s going on in their life. Both of these instances aren’t "spiritual" conversations, but they do build the person up according to their need and they bring glory to God because of this.
Another amazing reward of glorifying God comes through our personal relationship with Jesus. When we seek to glorify God in our relationships with others, we keep our focus on Christ. I am sure that at one time or another most of you have made an idol of other people. Idolatry in relationships happens in many different ways. I have made the mistake of seeking joy from others. I have made the mistake of looking to people to meet my needs. I have made the mistake of elevating a relationship in my mind to the rightful place of God. Israel made the same mistakes. The Lord declared through the prophet Jeremiah, "My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns that cannot hold water" (2:13). Notice that when we dig our own cisterns, or look for water from relationships, we also forsake God, the spring of living water. However, if we seek to glorify God in our relationships, our focus is on God. We are drinking from the spring of living water, Jesus Christ, while in our relationships we are pointing others to the spring of living water.
Imagine what the Body of Christ would look like if each member’s attitude was to bring glory to God together. Needs met, growth encouraged, unity, an accurate reflection of God’s power to the world, and most importantly, glory to God in the highest! The God whom we serve would be worshipped, praised, exalted, and revered.
Unfortunately, knowing this truth and doing it are two different things. Each and every child of God needs to function in relationship with a purpose of bringing glory to God. I encourage you to humbly examine yourselves before the Lord. What is your motivation in each of your relationships? With Mom, Dad, brothers in Christ, sisters in Christ, boyfriends and girlfriends, non-believers, and strangers. What about the people that you are currently in conflict with? I challenge you to always be asking yourself: Why am I doing [insert activity/conflict] with [insert name]? How would a determination to bring glory to God in all of your relationships help you grow?
If you would like to join me in cultivating a God-glorifying attitude in relationships, then take time each day this week to prayerfully read through Ephesians chapter 4. I would really like to get some great discussion going regarding the Body of Christ and relationships, so please comment and ask questions as the Spirit leads. I’d like to end with this verse:
"Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From Him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love as each part does its work" (Eph. 4:15-16).
One of the most influential truths I’ve learned here concerns the purpose of all relationships with all people in general. Paul wrote, "…whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God" (1 Cor. 10:31). As my CLD teacher said, "relationships are something that we do." So the underlying purpose in all relationships is to bring glory to God. Through personal reflection I’ve been challenged to examine my motivations in each of the relationships I am in. Why am I doing [insert activity] with [insert name]? Over the last month this question has been a tremendous blessing.
On several occasions this question has caused me to remember that I am acting for God’s glory. A normal game of pool turns into a wonderful time of fellowship and an opportunity to shine God’s love into a person’s life. After accepting an invitation to skateboard with a good friend, we find ourselves having thrown our boards off to the side because of more important things we needed to talk about. One evening I found myself painting a large prop for the global ministries conference here at the school simply because I wanted to be with the people painting. Soon enough the question came back and I realized that I was doing it for the wrong reasons. When I shifted my focus to bringing glory to God, I very quickly discovered a need that I was equipped to meet. All the glory was given to God.
The principle that I would like to share with you is this: When we act in our relationships to bring glory to God, we begin to see the many opportunities that God has for us to minister. With the proper motivation in a relationship God reveals to us the needs that we can meet. It may be as simple as showing God’s love to someone through a smile and a cheerful greeting. When our focus is to bring glory to God, we begin to develop a genuine care and love for all people. This principle works for both believers and non-believers. Look at what Paul says to the Ephesians: "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen" (4:29). Does this mean that every conversation has to be a spiritual conversation? By no means! This is the connection:
Attitude | Result |
Relationships to bring glory to myself, to make me feel good, to bring me joy and meet my needs | Unwholesome talk coming out of my mouth |
Relationships to bring glory to God | Building others up according to their needs (Eph. 4:29) |
Maybe a brother or sister in Christ needs the medicine of laughter. In such a situation you could build a person up simply by laughing with them, telling jokes or sharing "hi-larious" stories. Consider a brother or sister in Christ who just needs to feel the love of God. You could show God’s loving-kindness simply by caring for them when you ask how they are doing and what’s going on in their life. Both of these instances aren’t "spiritual" conversations, but they do build the person up according to their need and they bring glory to God because of this.
Another amazing reward of glorifying God comes through our personal relationship with Jesus. When we seek to glorify God in our relationships with others, we keep our focus on Christ. I am sure that at one time or another most of you have made an idol of other people. Idolatry in relationships happens in many different ways. I have made the mistake of seeking joy from others. I have made the mistake of looking to people to meet my needs. I have made the mistake of elevating a relationship in my mind to the rightful place of God. Israel made the same mistakes. The Lord declared through the prophet Jeremiah, "My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns that cannot hold water" (2:13). Notice that when we dig our own cisterns, or look for water from relationships, we also forsake God, the spring of living water. However, if we seek to glorify God in our relationships, our focus is on God. We are drinking from the spring of living water, Jesus Christ, while in our relationships we are pointing others to the spring of living water.
Imagine what the Body of Christ would look like if each member’s attitude was to bring glory to God together. Needs met, growth encouraged, unity, an accurate reflection of God’s power to the world, and most importantly, glory to God in the highest! The God whom we serve would be worshipped, praised, exalted, and revered.
Unfortunately, knowing this truth and doing it are two different things. Each and every child of God needs to function in relationship with a purpose of bringing glory to God. I encourage you to humbly examine yourselves before the Lord. What is your motivation in each of your relationships? With Mom, Dad, brothers in Christ, sisters in Christ, boyfriends and girlfriends, non-believers, and strangers. What about the people that you are currently in conflict with? I challenge you to always be asking yourself: Why am I doing [insert activity/conflict] with [insert name]? How would a determination to bring glory to God in all of your relationships help you grow?
If you would like to join me in cultivating a God-glorifying attitude in relationships, then take time each day this week to prayerfully read through Ephesians chapter 4. I would really like to get some great discussion going regarding the Body of Christ and relationships, so please comment and ask questions as the Spirit leads. I’d like to end with this verse:
"Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From Him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love as each part does its work" (Eph. 4:15-16).
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