Standing In The Last Day Christian Ministry
But He Who Stands Firm To The End Will Be Saved - Matthew 24:13
What are Relationships Built on?
After trying to offer my sis-in-law some sound wisdom on relationships, I was left feeling saddened.
I felt that here I was, offering this Godly wisdom, sound reasoning with a common sense approach, and she rejected it (albeit, she tried to do it subtly
People sometimes just want a sounding board, and not help or advise. People sometimes thrive in the drama that is their lives, and don't want common sense approaches to problems, let alone spiritual guidance. Maybe, what is wisdom for me, is not to another.
Here is the problem in a nut shell. If you want to build a good relationship with someone, you need to spend time and communication with that person, not someone else (and all that good communication and time entails).
You can't spend time with your sister, if you are trying to get to know your mother. It just never works that way. 
Time spent with your sister does not count as time spent with mom! Sure, your sister can offer her insights and experiences with your mom, but ultimately, you need to spend time with mom. Your sister’s experience might be tainted, warped or just plain lies.(Remind me to tell you the story of my family..oiy vey!)
Another example is: If you want to understand your wife, you do not spend time with your best friend, or her best friend.
The only way to learn about, understand and love your spouse, is spend time with, and talking to, ... your spouse!
You can get another persons experience in dealing with someone else, but you need to build that relationship yourself, by(you guessed it) building that relationship yourself!
Common sense, right? Well, I thought so, too.
If you want to understand electronics, going to a school for carpentry will do you absolutely no good.
If your grass needs mowing, and you mow your neighbors grass, wouldn't you look stupid if you went back to your yard and got all bent outta shape and twisted, because your yard was still left untouched?? I kinda think so also!! But, we carry this kind of thinking (and excuses) in our relationships. Or, we want maximum results, for minimum effort.(Don't get me started on that topic...)
O.K, now here is what hit me...(HOT off the press)We do this in our relationship with the Father, Christ and the Holy Spirit!
We think that listening to, or reading sermons...equates having a relationship with God! A sermon or a writing (especially this one) is only that persons experience with their God! But, What if they're crazy? What if their experiences are predominantly their own emotions and not really of God? Neither does going to a church give us a relationship with God. All of these things can be, and are supposed to be an outward manifestation of our personal realtionship, not the defining marks of one. (Take a little time to think about that.)
There could be a million and one "What Ifs". If you desire to know God more, than you need to spend more time with God, not your TV. I love a good sermon just like the next person, but if i am spending six hours in front of my TV or radio in search of that sermon, what have I really accomplished?
What if (and is usually the case) there are none that really ministers to me on that day? Open your bible, ask God to guide you in your reading, ask for His discernment.( 2Tim 2:15 Study to show yourself approved...)Pray- on your knees, sitting, standing or walking(1Thes 5:17 Pray without ceasing)
Listen for the still small voice of God in your everyday activities.
To cultivate and build a strong relationship with God, we must simply spend time with God!
In this day and age, people will try to get you to build a relationship with God, by offering you all kinds of other things, and pass it off as spiritual. "Give more money, and God will bless you!" "Buy this book, and discover the secrets of God!" "There is truth in this missing book of the bible!" "Study the secret codes of the bible and really know the truth of God!" etc, etc, etc.
Since My Lord is no respector of persons (Act 10:34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons) His wisdom, knowledge, and discernment has to be accessible to all,regardless of their financial, or econonomic status. If the Lord of Lords only blesses the rich and financially stable with wisdom( because they can buy the latest "word of the hour") then He simply honors those with money. That's not the gospel of Jesus Christ, and that's not the God I serve.
His salvation, discernment, wisdom, and blessings are available to all, who seek and thirst after righteousness!
Mat 5:6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
Mat 5:10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 5:20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Rom 3:22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
Right Relationship
Rom 3:23-26 for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God,
24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus;
25 whom God has set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness through the passing by of the sins that had taken place before, in the forbearance of God;
26 for the display of His righteousness at this time, for Him to be just and, forgiving the one being of the faith of Jesus.
Basically, what these scriptures are saying,is that once we were all sinners, but now we can all be righteous (having a right relationship with the Father).
Once obtained (this right relationship through none other than Jesus Christ),we must walk in it.
2Jo 1:6 And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, as you heard from the beginning, that you should walk in it.
Christ died to bring us into Right Relationship with Him! It was impossible to have one before His death and resurrection because of sin that seperated us.(Christ's death paid the penalty for sin! Do you believe that? Have you accepted Christ's death as payment for your sin?)
Now that we have that relationship, we must continue to walk in it. No relationship thrives by ignoring it, or taking it for granted! Not our earthly relationships, and definately not our heavenly one!!
Lastly, whole and right relationships with one another can only come about by having a relationship with the Father. I am sure that there are so many that are saying "I have good relationships!".
That is not what is in question. My point is, we will accept unhealthy relationships so much of the time, because we are lacking in a nurturing relationship with the Father. I could not even know what a good relationship was,(or how to be in one) until I came to Christ, starting growing in Him and His ways!
If we accept what man says, above what God (the Bible) says, than this will continue in every aspect of our lives!
As always, meditate on God's word. Pray about what I have been trying to say here, and search your heart to see if God is revealing any truth to you.
Don't rely on your experiences or your emotions. They can always be tainted, but the God of Abraham, Issac,and Jacob can never tainted! He is the God of our Holy Bible! He is the same yesterday, today, and forever!
Amen.
Jer 9:24 but let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am Jehovah, doing kindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth; for in these I delight, says Jehovah.
