More of people equals more of God
Ephesians 4:11 "It was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers,..."
We are all gifted differently as individuals. I am naturally good at some things and struggle with others. Alone, I can accomplish some things based on my individual gifts. But to accomplish things that are not in my areas of strength, I need help from others who are gifted in those areas.
It is a mutually dependent and beneficial relationship we have with others, and this is exactly how God intended it to work. We were made for relationship- both with Him and with our brothers and sisters in the world. But Satan opposes God's will, and devises schemes and barriers to discourage us from pursuing and walking in God's will.
I believe Satan's plan to oppose relationships centers on making them risky and difficult. Any true relationship demands much of us. It demands our time, energy, effort, persistence, patience, grace, vulnerability, etc. It demands all of the things God shows us in pursuing and maintaining His relationship with us.
Satan's message is that we would be happier and safer on our own. The temptation and attraction of being totally in control and having to answer to no one is a massive lie. It's a ploy to drive us away from God as much or more than it is a scheme to divide us as individuals. If Satan can convince us to isolate ourselves from other people, he is on his way to convincing us to isolate ourselves from God.
We must pursue and maintain unity and relationship with those people God has brought into our lives because, simply, He commanded us to do so. Being in relationship with others is an act of obedience toward God. It is at the same time an act of resistance against Satan.
Finally, I believe God uses relationships as one of His primary channels through which He helps us grow and mature in Him. If someone were to make a statement such as, "I need less of people and more of God", they may be contradicting themselves. If the true sentiment is that they want less of the world's selfish, fleshly message and more of God's truth, then amen to that. But if the thought is centered on isolating oneself and getting alone with God at the expense of people, we are inadvertently taking away one of the most useful tools in God's toolbox.
Pursue and maintain relationships with people as a means of pursuing and maintaining your relationship with God.
We are all gifted differently as individuals. I am naturally good at some things and struggle with others. Alone, I can accomplish some things based on my individual gifts. But to accomplish things that are not in my areas of strength, I need help from others who are gifted in those areas.
It is a mutually dependent and beneficial relationship we have with others, and this is exactly how God intended it to work. We were made for relationship- both with Him and with our brothers and sisters in the world. But Satan opposes God's will, and devises schemes and barriers to discourage us from pursuing and walking in God's will.
I believe Satan's plan to oppose relationships centers on making them risky and difficult. Any true relationship demands much of us. It demands our time, energy, effort, persistence, patience, grace, vulnerability, etc. It demands all of the things God shows us in pursuing and maintaining His relationship with us.
Satan's message is that we would be happier and safer on our own. The temptation and attraction of being totally in control and having to answer to no one is a massive lie. It's a ploy to drive us away from God as much or more than it is a scheme to divide us as individuals. If Satan can convince us to isolate ourselves from other people, he is on his way to convincing us to isolate ourselves from God.
We must pursue and maintain unity and relationship with those people God has brought into our lives because, simply, He commanded us to do so. Being in relationship with others is an act of obedience toward God. It is at the same time an act of resistance against Satan.
Finally, I believe God uses relationships as one of His primary channels through which He helps us grow and mature in Him. If someone were to make a statement such as, "I need less of people and more of God", they may be contradicting themselves. If the true sentiment is that they want less of the world's selfish, fleshly message and more of God's truth, then amen to that. But if the thought is centered on isolating oneself and getting alone with God at the expense of people, we are inadvertently taking away one of the most useful tools in God's toolbox.
Pursue and maintain relationships with people as a means of pursuing and maintaining your relationship with God.
posted by Robert Jory Allen at
3:59 AM
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