Life Changing Relationships.
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Life changing relationships are not formed by sitting in segregated denominated buildings, believing the same denominated beliefs, singing the same denominated songs, listening to the same denominate sermons
participating in the same denominated rituals, signing the same denominated membership forms, etc...
Life changing relationships are formed by knowing the heart of Jesus and by allowing that knowing to be worked out in your daily living by Jesus working His works through you. Jesus acts of love, understanding, forgiveness, compassion, friendship and acceptance demonstrated by you as He works through you will soften the hearts of the Community of Humanity and transform them, bringing them into a relational journey with you and join you in your relational journey with God.
Jesus desires to be in personal and intimate relationship with you. He knows you better than you know yourself, but do you really know Him? Religious relationships are only casual based on head knowledge of Christ. But to really know Jesus intimately one must know His heart.
One way to understand the heart of another is by asking the question, "What is their agenda?" What drives that person? What are they trying to accomplish in life? What do they do the things that they do? A quick way to determine a person’s agenda is by examining the where do they hang out and with whom?
How did Jesus spend His time. As we examine the life of Jesus, the Son of God, the Master Teacher, we will discover that most of His time was not spent in denominated buildings where most religious leaders focused on denominated agendas. Also, He did not spend most of His time with the spiritual know-it-all people. Instead, we find Jesus placing Himself in the midst of hurting people.
Where do people fine you?
Part1.
ReplyDeleteYou say and I quote:
One way to understand the heart of another is by asking the question, "What is their agenda?" What drives that person? What are they trying to accomplish in life? What do they do the things that they do.
I like to take the apostle Paul as my example. After all he used Christ for His example and he said follow me as I have followed Christ.
1 Corinthians 11:1King James Version (KJV)
11 Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.
Lets see how Paul answers the above questions.
What was Paul`s agenda so that it can become mine and I can follow Paul as Paul followed Christ?
Let him speak for himself. Paul was consumed with a passion for lost.
Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.(Rom.10:1) The same thing applies to Gentiles as well for Paul says in Rom.10:12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
How did Paul say he would accomplish this? By the foolishness of preaching not foolishness of loving even though loving is important.
1 Corinthians 1:
21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
1 Corinthians 10:
13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
Paul also tells us what we are to preach. 1Corinthians 1:17-18
17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.
18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
Paul was not just content with just preaching himself but he gave a warning to others to preach as well.
2 Tim.4:1-2
1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;
2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.
2Tim.4:2-4
2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.
3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
Part2.
ReplyDeleteSo what drove the apostle Paul? Did Paul tell people to wait for God to send people across our path so that we can love them? Let him speak for himself.
1 Corinithians 9:16
16For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel
Paul didn`t say woe is me if I love not the people. Love is just one part of equasion. The world will never be won by us just loving people. Even those who do not have the Gospel of Christ love each other. God didn`t choose foolishness of loving but the foolishness of preaching.
If we preach the true grace gospel that Paul preached will we have people loving us and will soften the hearts of the Community of Humanity and transform them, bringing them into a relational journey with you and join you in your relational journey with God as you say? Maybe but maybe not.
Again let Paul say what happened while he preached the true grace Gospel instead of just loving people.
2 Corinithians 11:
23 Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft.
24 Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.
25 Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;
26 In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;
27 In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
28 Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.
What happened to Stephen when he loved the people enough to preach the truth?
Acts 7:
54 When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.
55 But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,
56 And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.
57 Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord,
58 And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul.
59 And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.
60 And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
I`ll let Paul be my example and not the modern day love and grace preachers.