"The best human relationships flow out of relationship with God."

A thought by Michael Todd, from his book, Relationship Goals (p. 28). The Crown Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.)

They do, they really do.

Michael continues, "I’m not saying that people who are living far from God can’t sometimes have good relationships. Obviously, they can and do. But I’m saying that on the spiritual level at least, there’s a difference. If you and I don’t have our constant source as God, we will always be deficient and not able to give all the grace, give all the peace we should in relationship. We won’t be able to walk in the love of Christ like we’re supposed to."

He says, "Let’s go back to creation. God made the sun and the moon and the sky and said, 'It is good.' He made water and dry land and said, 'It is good.' He made plants like spinach and kale and then, for me, all the ingredients for a delicious soul-food dinner and said, 'It is good.' Then He made the sea creatures like Willy and Nemo and Flounder and all the wild animals like Timon, Pumbaa, and Simba, and He said, 'It’s good.' When He made Adam, He said, 'It’s very good.' It was all good.

"But pretty soon God said for the first time, 'It’s not good.' It’s not that God had messed up—He never messes up. Something was missing. 'The LORD God said, ' "It is not good for the man to be alone" ' (Genesis 2:18).'

"This principle is true for all Adam’s children as well. It’s not good for you to be alone. It’s not good for me to be alone. When we set up a life that is guarded and gated, the Enemy comes to attack us. When we’re isolated, we’re at more risk of listening to lies about who we are and coming to believe them as truth. We all need relationship with people who can remind us of the truth and dispel the falsehood, who can show us some of the love our hearts need, who can help us along our way. God knows this. And that’s why God wants relationship for us."

He goes on, "Is it hard for you to believe that a major part of God’s plan for your life involves relationship? He wants you to have healthy and successful relationships—yes, you, the one who is content working from home and taking online courses, does all your shopping on Amazon, and doesn’t like going to church because everyone always wants to hug you and the preacher enjoys making you turn to your neighbor to say something random. God created you to be in relationship with others, even if you’re introverted, you’re shy, you’ve been hurt before…or you’re just kinda over the whole 'needing other people' thing. And it’s a good thing too.

"Have the courage to say, 'God wants relationship for me!'"

Michael then says, "He wants you to have a best friend, even though the last one stabbed you in the back. He wants you to have pastors and mentors who create a safe place to grow and become. He wants you to be in a marriage that works and is marked by love, honor, respect, and fun. Granted, your past relationships might have been, well…the opposite of that. But God is a redeemer, so He can take whatever is broken and jacked up and work it for your good.

"With God leading, relationships are a good thing, the solution to the problem of aloneness."

Have you found that to be true? I hope so. Yes, yes!

“We believe it’s important to derive value from everything in our lives.”

A thought by Jon Tyson from his book, The Burden Is Light: Liberating Your Life from the Tyranny of Performance and Success (p. 118). The Crown Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) But is that all that is important? Jon says, “We want to realize an immediate return from whatever we invest in. I am prone to this way of thinking in so many areas of my life. ‘I paid a lot for that meal, yet the portions were not that big.’ ‘I invested two hours in that movie, and it was just okay.’ ‘I went to church, but the sermon wasn’t that profound.’ We believe it’s important to derive value from everything in our lives. But beauty doesn’t fit within that framework. When Mary anointed Jesus with oil, there was an immediate outcry against her extravagant generosity. ‘It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.’ (Mark 14:5) One gospel depicts the disciples crying, ‘Why this waste?...

"Lie 2: The more you worry about it, the better your odds of avoiding it."

A thought by Louie Giglio in his book, Winning the War on Worry (p. 5). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) Here is another lie that the Enemy uses with us. And Louie says, "This is a tricky lie. Yes, we often have cause for concern and preparation. But the Enemy wants you to believe that if you worry or fret over a certain outcome long enough, you can keep something bad from happening." But this is so important to realize. He says, "The reality is worrying has never once prevented something negative from happening. Planning might. Prayer has. But worry never will." He continues, "The Enemy tells you that by worrying about a situation (or every situation) you can make your tomorrow better. Really, worry just robs you of today. Jesus implored us: 'I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body mor...

“Hurry and love are incompatible.”

A thought by John Mark Comer from his book, The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry (p. 23). The Crown Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) Wow, pretty strong thought isn’t it? John says, “All my worst moments as a father, a husband, and a pastor, even as a human being, are when I’m in a hurry—late for an appointment, behind on my unrealistic to-do list, trying to cram too much into my day. I ooze anger, tension, a critical nagging—the antitheses of love. If you don’t believe me, next time you’re trying to get your type B wife and three young, easily distracted children out of the house and you’re running late (a subject on which I have a wealth of experience), just pay attention to how you relate to them. Does it look and feel like love? Or is it far more in the vein of agitation, anger, a biting comment, a rough glare? Hurry and love are oil and water: they simply do not mix.” He goes on, “Hence, in the apostle P...

Just Continue That Thought...

Search This Blog