Relational

 This morning as I was getting up God gave me something pretty nifty and I wanted to share it with you. We are people who long to be in relationships. We were created to be in a relationship with God. Our relationship with others flows out how our relationship with God is going. Then the way we lead or direct others flows from there too. When we have a broken relationship with God everything else kinda falls apart. When I broke down the word Relational I came up with a scripture for each letter to help us kinda figure us out a little bit better.

R- Read. Joshua 1:8 -This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

In order to be in a relationship with God the best place to start is in his word. But it also says that we should meditate on it. That doesn't mean that we read the passage and go on about our life. We have to really think about it. Study it. Write it on our hearts. Share it with others. 

E - Experience. Hebrews 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

It's important that we spend time in church. I know I know, "I don't need a church building to be a christian." But the Bible tells us that we should not forsake the assembling of ourselves. We should be getting together with like minded believers. We need to experience things WITH them. Spending time together. These friendships are VERY important! That depth with God is hard. 

L - Learn. Proverbs 4:7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.

I remember being told as a young teenager to always spend time with the older people in the church. They had wisdom and being around them was a good idea. We should never stop seeking opportunities to learn and gain wisdom. Being around other people who are wiser than we are will provide us with opportunities for that. Always. And I mean ALWAYS find a way to learn something new. 

A - Attention. 1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

As friends, we look out for each other. As brothers and sisters, we call each other out when we see that the other is doing something that they shouldn't. The devil is seeking weak spots in our lives and in our relationships to take us out. In our marriages, in our friendships, in our churches, in our homes. We are supposed to be sober minded people. We are supposed to make sure that we are paying attention to detail! 

T - Time. Exodus 20:3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

This one seems kinda weird. But I hear more and more of this excuse coming out of my own mouth than anything else. I just don't have the time. And it's a poor excuse. If something is taking time away from my time with my relationship with God, it doesn't need to be there. It's become a god in my life and it probably should be removed. It's one of the Ten Commandments. There should be no other God before him and when I put something on the throne before him, he will find a way to remove it. So, making the TIME for him is a must.

I - Intentional. Phil 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

When we hand our life over to the Lord we intentionally make a change. We make a decision to turn from our old ways and become a new person. We have to intentionally have honest, true, pure, and good relationships with people. Even when they are hard. Christian relationships are difficult. I recently had to have some of the hardest conversations with some of my closest friends because I needed to hear some hard things. But that's what real christian friends do. They INTENTIONALLY took the time to love on me like a brother and a sister should.

O - One on One. Eph 5:15-16 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

We have to take the most of each opportunity. Taking time to have those one on one conversations with each other. The hard ones. Like I said prior. The days are evil and a lot of people will try to speak lies and tickle your ears. We have to be people of the word and not of the world. Having someone close that you can be 100% honest with is a very important thing. Not just those around us but having that with Christ. 

N - Notice. Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

When you are transformed you notice things about your friends that you may not have noticed before. It's amazing that you get God colored glasses and you see things in a different light. You can sense things that you couldn't before. You know when your friends need a phone call or a talk. You can do things you might not have been able to do before. We notice things differently. Being close with God helps with those things too. You have to have that relationship with God first so it flows downward. 

A - Aspire. Isaiah 43:2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

Grow through what you go through. It's a pain but it's what I hear all the time right now. We have to remember that we aren't going through things alone. We have to aspire to continue to grow. In our trails, in our relationship with God, in our relationship with others, and in all aspects of life. We have to keep going. We have to keep growing. Aspire to do better in our relationships. 

And finally. L. Love. Always Love. John 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

I'm not talking about "love is love." I'm talking about loving people enough to be honest. Loving people enough to hurt their feelings. Loving people enough to go through hard times with them. Love them to make them mad and still be their friends. It takes real friendships. It takes real Christians to do that. When I think about Love, I think about Jesus sitting at the table with Judas talking about someone betraying him. Knowing that it was going to be Judas. Looking right at him. Handing out the bread and the wine. Talking to them. Walking through life with them. And still loving him. That's the kind of love that I'm talking about. And that..... that's hard.