Relationship Woe?

Have you ever wanted to be friends or date someone who wanted you to be a certain way, look a certain way, talk a certain way, etc. Basically be somebody you're not. No matter what you did, or even how you did it, you would eventually fall short.



This past week we were studying Mathew 23 on the seven woes. Basically Jesus is blasting the Pharisees because they are so focused on the religion, that they have removed the relationship. They took God's Law (10 Commandments) and twisted it by adding so many rules and stipulations that it was impossible to follow. The Pharisees also wanted everybody to know how holy they were by making sure people noticed their prayers, giving, and religous rituals making then the biggest hypocrites of their time.

Yes, we have rules or commandments that we should follow, but Christ became a human in order to have a personal realationship with you. He doesn't care what you look like, what you have, what you've done, or where you've been. He does however love you too much to leave you there. He wanted to have a relationship so bad with you that He defeated death for you.

• Romans 8:1-4 (NIV)
  1Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,[a] 2because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. 3For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature,[b] God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering.[c] And so he condemned sin in sinful man,[d] 4in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.

So do you have have a personal relationship with Christ? Have you had that relationship with Him, but have fallen away from Him? Maybe you're tired of bad relationships and running away from God. He's with you:

• Matthew 11:29-30 (NIV)
  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

• John 5:24 (NIV)
  24"I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.

If you are not sure, have questions, or maybe you've made a decision, please let me know: steve@soulrestored.org

May God Bless You,
Steve

Did you hear what Steve did?

Did you hear what Steve did? He did this with that person and that person is dating a different person. Can you believe that He would even talk with her after he did what he did. Let's text this around and tell everyone what he did...




Has that ever happened to you? For most of us, it has. Whether true or not, people have talked about us or we have been talked about them. With technology you can ruin someone literally seconds. Back in the day it took a day or two to get the word out there. In our youth group Sunday morning we talked about gossip and the immediate and long term effects of it. We also talked about what we can do to stop it.

Webster Dictionary defines gossip as: a person who habitually reveals personal or sensational facts about others2 a: rumor or report of an intimate nature b: a chatty talk c: the subject matter of gossip

Why do people do that? Envy, revenge, hate, jealousy, greed, etc. Basically it is for selfish reasons. In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul gives us a better way to respond to gossip:

• Ephesians 4:29 (NIV) 29Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

We have a choice when gossip comes our way or when tempted to gossip. Maybe we need to examine our heart.

• Luke 6:45The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.

My challange to myself, and you, is to take the opportunity to build people up instead of gossiping. If you have an issue with someone, go to them instead of everyone else.

In His Service,

Steve

What is Love?

For Valentine's I decided to do something different for my wife. Instead of the typical flowers and candy I choose to buy the movie "Fireproof" and "The Love Dare" 40 day devotional. For those who have not seen the movie, it's a great movie.

In the movie the husband just doesn't get what love is. His focus is himself. The more I thought about it, most of us don't. So what is true love? If you watch TV and movies, listen to music, etc you would think it was about power, revenge, sex, everyway but the right way.

God gives us a pretty clear picture of love.

• Matthew 22:36-38 (NIV)
  36"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" 37Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'[a] 38This is the first and greatest commandment.

If we would follow this one command, the world would be a much better place. Think about it? It's against our worldly nature because most of us are self-centered.

• John 15:12-13 (NIV)
  12My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.

Do you care enough for someone enough to die for them? God did. He cared so much for us that He sent His son Jesus to do just that, even for those who hated Him. Maybe you would die for someone you really cared for, but what about someone who has hates you or you hate them?

• 1 Corinthians 13 (NIV)
  Love 1If I speak in the tongues[a] of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames,[b] but have not love, I gain nothing.
  4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
  8Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
  13And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

When you think about the person whom you love can you match the way you feel to these verses? When God led me to the person I was to marry, I based our relationship on these principles to make sure it was right. Before that, I could not say that I did. It's hard not to trust someone when you have been hurt or even abused. It's also hard not to be jealous of someone flirting with your boy/girlfriend or spouse.

Take some time to go through these verses and see if this is how you feel about others.

In His Service,

Stephen Linhart