Relationship or Fellowship ( by Fenny West)

Relationship or Fellowship

What Is Relationship?

Relationship is a connection, kinship, affinity, association, a link between you and other people. There is the family relationship (blood-relationship) base on being born to the same parents or belonging to a family through adoption; or it could be a friendship relationship or school relationship (alma-mater- relationship) between those who attended the same school or relationship arising from attending the same Church or club or profession or as work colleagues etc. There are myriads of possible relationships. Also in a general sense, every creature has a creature/ Creator relationship with God. Pastor Tunde Ogedemgbe defines relationship as ‘the foundation of all identities. From our identities we get our affirmation, feelings of self-worth and self esteem. However whenever our relationship goes sour, it likewise affects our self-worth self esteem and sense of importance. Above all relationships is our relationship with God from which we derive our eternal identity.’

fellowship2

I quite agree that the most important relationship is our relationship with God which goes beyond the Creator / creature relationship to one base on being reconciled to God through Jesus Christ, when we acknowledge that we are sinners and hence rebels and enemies of God and repent. This relationship with God will affect all other relationships and put them on sound footing if we invite God into those relationships.

Tenure of Relationships

Not all relationships are permanent or should be made permanent. We need to know when to end a relationship or when to accept that a relationship is over. Not everyone is meant for your ‘boat’. Some people are assigned to you for a short period of time, others for a longer period and yet others permanently. You need the wisdom of God to be able to differentiate these categories of people otherwise you may frustrate yourself holding on to people who have finished their assignment with and for you. There are others that you need to fight for because they belong to your boat and are being stolen from you or are deceived into leaving. However, you can only do this by prayer and often by prayer and fasting. There are others who will come into your ‘boat’ who may be attractive but do not belong there. You need to have the courage and the integrity of looking beyond the seen and praying them away rather than pricing them away or fighting with them to go away. The prodigal son had a relationship with his father but that relationship was broken when he felt he was old enough to handle life and wanted his inheritance which he took and left home for a far country. When he left home, he retained his relationship but the fellowship was broken. In the far country he had various relationships which were tenuous and flimsy. He had fair weather friends who perched when the money was flowing and flew when the bank went burst. On the other hand, the elder brother who had not left home did not have much fellowship with his father and that was why he did not know what he was entitled to, just as most of us because of lack of fellowship with the father, do not know who we are in Christ and what we have in Him.

28 “But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him. 29 So he answered and said to his father, ‘Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends. 30 But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.’ 31 “And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. 32 It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.’ ” Luke15:28-32

Barriers to fellowship

relationship barriers

In our relationship with God sin breaks the fellowship, causes a chasm, introduces separation, darkness, alienation, estrangement, isolation, loss of joy and fear. Before Adam sinned, he had sweet fellowship with God. He was comfortable with the presence of God. However when he sinned he lost his innocence and stated to hide from God because he was afraid. The same happens to us when we sin against God. Prayer becomes difficult and so is Church attendance and the peace of God goes out the window. 6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings. 8 And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. 9 Then the LORD God called to Adam and said to him, “Where are you?” 10 So he said, “I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.” 11 And He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?”Gen3:6-11 The Spirit of the age, like spirit of independence and isolation,( ‘I have need of nothing’ syndrome ) spirit of apathy (lukewarmness), lust of the eye , lust of the flesh and the pride of life(1John2:15-16) Sin undermines every relationship. When you become selfish your relationship suffers.

Communication and Fellowship

relationship communication

Communication is a major barrier to any relationship and lack of communication is because of lack of love. Communication takes various forms. You can communicate without speaking but you cannot have a good fellowship without speaking. So we are looking at effective communication. Culture can be a big: tradition, things people from a nationality do: the way people talk, dress, what they eat, all their socially acceptable behaviour. When we understand these differences in culture and accommodate them, we open up the opportunity for strong positive relationships. Every strong relationship underlined by fellowship and communication takes a lot of work and investment, give and take, perseverance and acceptance or tolerance. Restoring Fellowship No strong relationship happens without challenges, struggles, storms, and misunderstandings. We are all different and would see things differently many times on various issues. For us to have a strong relationship we would need to focus more on the things that unite us than on those that disunite us. We must learn to see the good in the other person, their strengths more than their weaknesses. We need to see them through the eyes of God. This is why a relationship with God is so important else you would relate with people for the wrong reasons and when that basis is eroded the relationship is over. Being able to forgiveness or saying ‘I am sorry’ is essential in restoring any fellowship. In our relationship with God, because of our human nature we will sin from time to time and the way back is by repenting, asking for forgiveness and receiving the forgiveness. It is one thing to ask for forgiveness, it is another thing to accept that you have been forgiven, by faith.

7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.(John1:7-9) We also need to forgive one another we sin against each other otherwise God will not forgive us. 29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. 32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you. Unforgiveness will hinder our prayers and our faith and our future: 25 “And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. 26 But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.”

relationship unity

Have you ever wondered why it is written: ‘forgive us our sins as we forgive others their trespasses against us?’ It means if someone has wrong us and we forgive them partially (say 30%) and we are asking God forgiveness for our sins we are asking god also to forgive us 30% of our sins. And sins we know that God does not tolerate any % of sin we need to forgive totally.

21 Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” 22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. Matt18:21-22

relationship better loving

12 Hatred stirs up strife, But love covers all sins.Prov10:12 4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails.

Let us pray:

relationship prayer

Father, may I realise that my relationship with you is paramount. Help me, My God to cherish this relationship and avoid anything that would undermine it. Teach me the essence of fellowship with you on a regular basis so that I can grow and glow in grace to your glory. Bring me ,O God, to the place where my heart’s cry would be: ‘1 As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O God. 2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God….Ps42:1-2 10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,’Phil3:10 Open my eyes to see through my relationships with people and to know which ones to maintain and nurture and which ones to extricate myself from in the light of my destiny. Illuminate my eyes mighty God to know those you have assigned to my both and how I should order my relationship healthily with them without undermining my relationship with You. Grant me the wisdom, My God, not to hold on to those whom you have sent on a specific assignment to my life for a specific time. Teach me to look to Jesus always- the Author and finisher of my faith. Thank You for forgiving me my sins. Help me to forgive others their sins and accept them as you have accepted me in the beloved. Teach me how to oil the engine of my intimacy with you and others you have called me to serve, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

©Fenny West2012 http://christian-talk.forumotion.com/t5576-fresh-and-flourishing#10883
http://christian-talk.forumotion.com/t5745-relationship-or-fellowship

In Christ (by C. H. Spurgeon)

In Christ

I in them.” John 17:23

If such be the union which subsists between our souls and the person of our Lord, how deep and broad is the channel of our communion! This is no narrow pipe through which a thread-like stream may wind its way, it is a channel of amazing depth and breadth, along whose glorious length a ponderous volume of living water may roll its floods. Behold he hath set before us an open door, let us not be slow to enter. This city of communion hath many pearly gates, every several gate is of one pearl, and each gate is thrown open to the uttermost that we may enter, assured of welcome. If there were but one small loophole through which to talk with Jesus, it would be a high privilege to thrust a word of fellowship through the narrow door; how much we are blessed in having so large an entrance! Had the Lord Jesus been far away from us, with many a stormy sea between, we should have longed to send a messenger to him to carry him our loves, and bring us tidings from his Father’s house; but see his kindness, he has built his house next door to ours, nay, more, he takes lodging with us, and tabernacles in poor humble hearts, that so he may have perpetual intercourse with us. O how foolish must we be, if we do not live in habitual communion with him. When the road is long, and dangerous, and difficult, we need not wonder that friends seldom meet each other, but when they live together, shall Jonathan forget his David? A wife may when her husband is upon a journey, abide many days without holding converse with him, but she could never endure to be separated from him if she knew him to be in one of the chambers of her own house. Why, believer, dost not thou sit at his banquet of wine? Seek thy Lord, for he is near; embrace him, for he is thy Brother. Hold Him fast, for he is thine Husband; and press him to thine heart, for he is of thine own flesh.

Check the Oil ( by Fenny West)

Check the Oil

Check the oil

To stem the toil

Foil the spoil

From the boil

Of your engine-

Engine of your life.

Top up with prayer

Walking by faith

Bible reading

Hearing from God

Bible study

Church attendance

Doing the word.

Going from strength to strength

Is not magic but by maintenance

Going from glory to glory

On the Road of Life

Requires common sense;

Praising Him, worshipping Him

Spending time in His presence.

³My voice You shall hear in the morning, O LORD; In the morning I will direct it to You, And I will look up.

Ps5:3

¹² I have not departed from the commandment of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth More than my necessary food.

Job23:12

¹⁷pray without ceasing,1Thess5:17

³⁵Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed. Mark1:35

³¹ But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.

Isa40:31

¹How lovely is Your tabernacle, O LORD of hosts!

²My soul longs, yes, even faints For the courts of the LORD; My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.

³Even the sparrow has found a home, And the swallow a nest for herself, Where she may lay her young — Even Your altars, O LORD of hosts, My King and my God.

⁴Blessed are those who dwell in Your house; They will still be praising You. Selah

⁵Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, Whose heart is set on pilgrimage.

⁶As they pass through the Valley of Baca, They make it a spring; The rain also covers it with pools.

⁷They go from strength to strength; Each one appears before God in Zion.

Ps84:1-7

Psalms 27: An Exuberant Declaration of FaithA Psalm of David.

¹The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid?

²When the wicked came against me To eat up my flesh, My enemies and foes, They stumbled and fell.

³Though an army may encamp against me, My heart shall not fear; Though war may rise against me, In this I will be confident.

⁴One thing I have desired of the LORD, That will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD All the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the LORD, And to inquire in His temple.

⁵For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; In the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock.

⁶And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me; Therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the LORD.

²¹And the LORD said, “Here is a place by Me, and you shall stand on the rock.

Ex33:21

Hebrews 10

²⁵ not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

©Fenny West 2014

Walking in White ( by Charles Spurgeon)

Walking in White

Revelation 3:4

Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.

We may understand this to refer to justification. “They shall walk in white”; that is, they shall enjoy a constant sense of their own justification by faith; they shall understand that the righteousness of Christ is imputed to them, that they have all been washed and made whiter than the newly-fallen snow. Again, it refers to joy and gladness: for white robes were holiday dresses among the Jews. They who have not defiled their garments shall have their faces always bright; they shall understand what Solomon meant when he said “Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart. Let thy garments be always white, for God hath accepted thy works.” He who is accepted of God shall wear white garments of joy and gladness, while he walks in sweet communion with the Lord Jesus. Whence so many doubts, so much misery, and mourning? It is because so many believers defile their garments with sin and error, and hence they lose the joy of their salvation, and the comfortable fellowship of the Lord Jesus, they do not here below walk in white. The promise also refers to walking in white before the throne of God. Those who have not defiled their garments here shall most certainly walk in white up yonder, where the white-robed hosts sing perpetual hallelujahs to the Most High. They shall possess joys inconceivable, happiness beyond a dream, bliss which imagination knoweth not, blessedness which even the stretch of desire hath not reached. The “undefiled in the way” shall have all this-not of merit, nor of works, but of grace. They shall walk with Christ in white, for He has made them “worthy.” In His sweet company they shall drink of the living fountains of waters.

Relationship vs Fellowship (1) ( by Fenny West)

Relationship vs Fellowship 1
What is relationship?

The oxford dictionary defines relationship in these terms:
• the way in which two or more people or things are connected, or the state of being connected: the study will assess the relationship between unemployment and political attitudes
• the state of being connected by blood or marriage: they can trace their relationship to a common ancestor
• the way in which two or more people or groups regard and behave towards each other: the landlord-tenant relationship she was proud of her good relationship with the staff
• an emotional and sexual association between two people: she has a daughter from a previous relationship
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/relationship

Relationship is therefore having a common tie with another person or persons. These ties have different degrees of bond or continuity. For instance, through birth we have a relationship with our parents that lasts until we die; no matter where we go or what we do, we still belong to that family. This family relationship can also be by adoption. Even if they disown us, the fact remains that they are our parents or guardians.
There are however other relationships which do not have that lasting bond or continuity. For instance, the relationship with members of our school, club, co-tenants; race, nationality, church membership (if you’re just religious) are not that enduring. These are usually tenuous and may be broken any time. And yet there are other relationships that are even more tenuous or very casual and are better known as acquaintances – people you meet in the bus or on the road. This casual relationship is evidenced in the fact that you may not even know their surnames or where they come from or their likes and dislikes or where they live.
Apart from family relationship, other binding relationship include marriage, although this has been cheapened by society and people rarely show commitment to each other and hop in and hop out of marriage for the purposes of convenience, according to the wind of adversity or prosperity that blows. Instead of ‘for better or worse’, it is ‘for better for us in trials or sickness we part.’
It follows that there are permanent relationships (family, Nationality, race) and tenuous relationship, which are more of acquaintances (club, school, work). But we need to distinguish between true relationships from casual relationships.

Relationship with God

We are all God’s creation. He created us in His own image. He endowed us before we were sent to planet earth. He knows our end from our beginning. Yet we are born ‘blind’, born dead in sin, born separated from Him, born with only Creator /creature relationship with Him. (Rom3:10, 23, Rom6:23, John3:3, 5, 8)
True relationship with God begins with Jesus. He is the way the Truth and the Life, the Alpha and Omega. No one comes to the Father except through Him. He is the door of the sheep. He is the Mediator between God and man. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Before then we may have religion, morality, ethics but it is not a relationship with God per se. (John14:6 1 John5:1)
12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: John1:12
5 For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus,
6 who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time, 1Tim2:5-6

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
John14:6
1 John 5:
1 Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves
2 Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him.

It is the Spirit himself bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God (Rom. 8:16 RSV).
So through God you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son then an heir (Gal. 4:7 RSV).
Nicodemus was a religious leader. He knew about God but he did not know God personally and Jesus did not mince words with him.
“Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John3:3

Cornelius was a religious man, devout, prayerful, and generous but he was still far from God. Although his prayer went before God, God had to speak to him through an angel and told him what to do. Acts10:1-8
God also spoke to Peter in a vision and told him where to go as to lead Cornelius into the true relationship with Him. Peter obeyed God and went and as he preached the word of God and told Cornelius and his household the way to a relationship with God, the Holy Spirit fell on them as they were open to the truth and accepted the truth. They were then baptised. Acts 10:9-48
Similarly, Saul of Tarsus was steeped in religion and obtained warrants to persecute even execute Christians, until God met with him on the road to Damascus, as he was on a mission to arrest Christians. A light from heaven struck him down. And the Lord spoke to him, ‘Saul, Saul why are you persecuting Me.’ He then asked: ‘Lord, what would you have me to do?’ Jesus told him where to go and be prayed for to receive his sight. And that was the beginning of his relationship with God. Hitherto he had religion but no relationship. Acts8:1-3,9:1-9
Many people are born into religion- Baptist, Pentecostal, Anglican, Church of England, Catholic, Muslim even atheism, Hindu, Jehovah witness or ‘I, myself and I- I am-my-own-god people,’ etc, etc, but that is not a relationship with God.
To have a relationship with God you must:
Acknowledge that you are lost; (Acts 9:6, 16:30)
You cannot save yourself;
You are a sinner, you were born blind, you were dead in your sins regardless of the good things you have done or how moral you are. All our righteousness is like filthy rags before God. There is none righteous, not even one. John9
6 But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away.
Isa66:4, 10 As it is written: ” There is none righteous, no, not one;Rom3:10
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, Rom3:23
God initiated our reconciliation by sending Jesus to die in our behalf. Jesus paid the price. Rom5:1,5, John3:16
All we need to do is to accept what Jesus did for us, confess our sins and invite Jesus to take His rightful place- on the throne of our hearts. John1:12, John3:3,5,8, Rom10:9-10,13, 2Cor5:17
“Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John3:3
Jesus has to be Lord of ALL to be Lord At ALL. Phil2:10-11

When we have come to God through Jesus Christ, our relationship with Him begins. John14:6.
Life begins from the cross – not from the Church or from religion or tradition.
He writes our names down in His book of life. There is joy in heaven as a result of our repentance. We are born again of the Spirit of God. Heaven becomes our home.
10 Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” Luke15:10
Luke15:10 Rev22:19, Phil3:20, John3:3,5,8, Mark16:15, Act2:37-38, -16:30-31
This relationship supersedes all other relationships we may have in life. It governs them. Our allegiance to this should dwarf our allegiance to our family or marital relationship or Church affiliations which have or should have enduring qualities. In other words our relationship with God should be the relationship of relationship- the cardinal overriding and overarching relationship. All others must the subservient, and serving our relationship with God or they have to be dumped if they run counter with our relationship with God. Any relationship that does not enhance our relationship with God needs to be examined and redefined and made subordinate to our relationship with God.
Christ Brings Division
34 “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword.
35 For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’;
36 and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’
37 He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.
38 And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.
Matt10
I Never Knew You
21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.
22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’
23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

We need to distinguish between the relationship people have with God in the Old Testament and that people have with Him in the New Testament.
God wants us to guard well our relationship with Him by not conforming to the patterns of this world or befriending the world but he wants us to reach people with a view to introducing them to Him. He wants us to be salt of the earth, light of the world, instruments of reconciliation.
4 Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Jam4:4
Do Not Love the World
15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
16 For all that is in the world — the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life — is not of the Father but is of the world.
1John2:15-16
Rom12:1-2, ICor6:16-20; 2Cor6:14-18
We cannot serve two masters.

Questions

1 What is a relationship?
2 What are the different kinds of relationship we can have?
3 Are all relationships equal? Why?
4 Explain how our relationship with God begins and how? Use scriptures.
5 Which relationship is the overriding and overarching relationship and why? Use scriptures
6 What should the impact of this understanding mean in my relationship with God?
7 Does religion confer a relationship with God? Why?
8 What is the difference between Father/child relationship and Creator/creature relationship?
9 Does not having fellowship with unbelievers mean we should have nothing to do with them? Explain and justify your position.
10 How should our relationship with God through Jesus Christ affect our relationship with each other?
Quotes on relationship
Shared joy is a double joy; shared sorrow is half a sorrow. ~Swedish Proverb

Remember, we all stumble, every one of us. That’s why it’s a comfort to go hand in hand. ~Emily Kimbrough

There are days when you need someone who just wants to be your sunshine and not the air you breathe. ~Robert Brault, http://www.robertbrault.com
For lack of an occasional expression of love, a relationship strong at the seams can wear thin in the middle. ~Robert Brault, http://www.robertbrault.com
Sometimes it is the person closest to us who must travel the furthest distance to be our friend. ~Robert Brault, http://www.robertbrault.com
Assumptions are the termites of relationships. ~Henry Winkler
Relationship taken for granted dies.
3 Can two walk together, unless they are agreed? Amos3:3
The Value of a Friend
9 Two are better than one, Because they have a good reward for their labor.
10 For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, For he has no one to help him up.
11 Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; But how can one be warm alone?
12 Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
Eccl4:9-12
You can kiss your family and friends good-bye and put miles between you, but at the same time you carry them with you in your heart, your mind, your stomach, because you do not just live in a world but a world lives in you. ~Frederick Buechner

Present your family and friends with their eulogies now – they won’t be able to hear how much you love them and appreciate them from the grave. ~Anonymous
Trouble is part of your life, and if you don’t share it, you don’t give the person who loves you enough chance to love you enough. ~Dinah Shore

In the end there doesn’t have to be anyone who understands you. There just has to be someone who wants to. ~Robert Brault, http://www.robertbrault.com
Let us be grateful to people who make us happy, they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom. ~Marcel Proust

When something is missing in your life, it usually turns out to be someone. ~Robert Brault, http://www.robertbrault.com

To know when to go away and when to come closer is the key to any lasting relationship. ~Doménico Cieri Estrada

s we grow up, we learn that even the one person that wasn’t supposed to ever let you down probably will. You will have your heart broken probably more than once and it’s harder every time. You’ll break hearts too, so remember how it felt when yours was broken. You’ll fight with your best friend. You’ll blame a new love for things an old one did. You’ll cry because time is passing too fast, and you’ll eventually lose someone you love. ~Author Unknown

Relationships do not all last forever. Some are for a short season. Others are for longer periods. A few are for a life time. We need godly wisdom to know the duration of each one and not force them to be what they are not intended to our hurt.
Fenny West

Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some stay for a while, leave footprints on our hearts, and we are never, ever the same. ~Flavia Weedn,Forever, © Flavia.com
No road is long with good company. ~Turkish Proverb

Happiness is having a dream you cannot let go of and a partner who would never ask you to. ~Robert Brault, http://www.robertbrault.com

Sometimes, we need a few people in our lives who will calmly call our bluff. ~Dr. SunWolf, professorsunwolf.com
Lots of people want to ride with you in the limo, but what you want is someone who will take the bus with you when the limo breaks down. ~Oprah Winfrey

Good company upon the road is the shortest cut. ~Author Unknown

There are times when two people need to step apart from one another, but there is no rule that says they have to turn and fire. ~Robert Brault,www.robertbrault.com

Soul-mates are people who bring out the best in you. They are not perfect but are always perfect for you. ~Author Unknown
You cannot be lonely if you like the person you’re alone with. ~Wayne W. Dyer
Once you find someone to share your ups and downs, downs are almost as good as ups. ~Robert Brault, http://www.robertbrault.com
Genesis 2
18 And the LORD God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.”

Awake!

1 Thessalonians 5:6

Let us not sleep, as do others.

There are many ways of promoting Christian wakefulness. Among the rest, let me strongly advise Christians to converse together concerning the ways of the Lord. Christian and Hopeful, as they journeyed towards the Celestial City, said to themselves, “To prevent drowsiness in this place, let us fall into good discourse.” Christian enquired, “Brother, where shall we begin?” And Hopeful answered, “Where God began with us.” Then Christian sang this song-

“When saints do sleepy grow, let them come hither,

And hear how these two pilgrims talk together;

Yea, let them learn of them, in any wise,

Thus to keep open their drowsy slumb’ring eyes.

Saints’ fellowship, if it be managed well,

Keeps them awake, and that in spite of hell.”

Christians who isolate themselves and walk alone, are very liable to grow drowsy. Hold Christian company, and you will be kept wakeful by it, and refreshed and encouraged to make quicker progress in the road to heaven. But as you thus take “sweet counsel” with others in the ways of God, take care that the theme of your converse is the Lord Jesus. Let the eye of faith be constantly looking unto Him; let your heart be full of Him; let your lips speak of His worth. Friend, live near to the cross, and thou wilt not sleep. Labour to impress thyself with a deep sense of the value of the place to which thou art going. If thou rememberest that thou art going to heaven, thou wilt not sleep on the road. If thou thinkest that hell is behind thee, and the devil pursuing thee, thou wilt not loiter. Would the manslayer sleep with the avenger of blood behind him, and the city of refuge before him? Christian, wilt thou sleep whilst the pearly gates are open-the songs of angels waiting for thee to join them-a crown of gold ready for thy brow? Ah! no; in holy fellowship continue to watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation.

Intimacy Comes With Communion

Intimacy Comes with Communion

Matthew 11:25

C.H. Spurgeon

At that time Jesus answered.

This is a singular way in which to commence a verse-“At that time Jesus answered.” If you will look at the context you will not perceive that any person had asked Him a question, or that He was in conversation with any human being. Yet it is written, “Jesus answered and said, I thank Thee, O Father.” When a man answers, he answers a person who has been speaking to him. Who, then, had spoken to Christ? His Father. Yet there is no record of it; and this should teach us that Jesus had constant fellowship with His Father, and that God spake into His heart so often, so continually, that it was not a circumstance singular enough to be recorded. It was the habit and life of Jesus to talk with God.

Even as Jesus was, is this world, so are we; let us therefore learn the lesson which this simple statement concerning Him teaches us. May we likewise have silent fellowship with the Father, so that often we may answer Him, and though the world wotteth not to whom we speak, may we be responding to that secret voice unheard of any other ear, which our own ear, opened by the Spirit of God, recognizes with joy. God has spoken to us, let us speak to God-either to set our seal that God is true and faithful to His promise, or to confess the sin of which the Spirit of God has convinced us, or to acknowledge the mercy which God’s providence has given, or to express assent to the great truths which God the Holy Ghost has opened to our understanding.

What a privilege is intimate communion with the Father of our spirits! It is a secret hidden from the world, a joy with which even the nearest friend intermeddleth not. If we would hear the whispers of God’s love, our ear must be purged and fitted to listen to His voice. This very evening may our hearts be in such a state, that when God speaks to us, we, like Jesus, may be prepared at once to answer Him.