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Enhancing Relationships
January 08, 2017
We shouldn't just let relationships "happen". As we interact with many people in many ways, it is in everybody's best interests to try to maintain healthy relationships. God teaches us how to work on our relationships and make them better. It takes work, but it is worth the efforts! - Bernie Parsons
Enhancing Relationships
by Bernie Parsons
Presented to Globe church of Christ on 01-08-2017
Presented to Load church of Christ on 01-15-2017
We recently looked at relationships between husbands and wives, as well
as parents and children. Today, let me expand upon the idea of Christian
relationships.
Christians are lights to others who are lost in the darkness of
ignorance of God’s will. Christians are representatives of Christ to the
rest of the world.
Matthew 5:13 "Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost
his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for
nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.
14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot
be hid.
15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a
candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good
works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."
We season the earth, light the darkness, and can be seen from afar. Our
mission is to glorify God through our lives and interaction with others.
2 Corinthians 3:18 "But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass
the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to
glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord."
We learn of God to be like Him.
Colossians 3:9 "Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the
old man with his deeds;
10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the
image of him that created him."
What can we learn of God and how can we represent our knowledge to
others?
We can be happy while serving
others.
John 13:16 "Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not
greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent
him.
17 If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them."
We can be happy when persecuted.
1 Peter 3:14 "But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are
ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;
15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give
an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in
you with meekness and fear:"
We need to work out
problems with others, thus leading to peace.
Matthew 5:23 "Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there
rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;
24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be
reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
25 Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with
him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the
judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison."
We seek peace
wherever possible.
Matthew 5:9 "Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the
children of God."
James 3:18 "And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that
make peace."
1 Peter 3:8 "Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of
another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:
9 Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise
blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a
blessing.
10 For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his
tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:
11 Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it."
Forgiveness paves way
to healing ourselves, as well as our relationships.
Luke 17:3 "Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against
thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.
4 And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times
in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him."
Mark 11:25 "And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against
any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your
trespasses.
26 But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven
forgive your trespasses."
We need to support
the feeble, the weak, among us.
Acts 20:35 "I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought
to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he
said, It is more blessed to give than to receive."
1 Thessalonians 5:14 "Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are
unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward
all men."
We must admonish
those who depart from God’s ways while claiming to be His children.
See above verse. We admonish those who will not work or who do not
comport themselves well.
2 Thessalonians 3:10 "For even when we were with you, this we commanded
you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.
11 For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly,
working not at all, but are busybodies.
12 Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus
Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.
13 But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.
14 And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and
have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.
15 Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother."
We must teach the
ignorant and share our knowledge.
Acts 5:42 "And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not
to teach and preach Jesus Christ."
Acts 8:4 "Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where
preaching the word."
Colossians 3:16 "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all
wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and
spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord
Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him."
We teach by word, but
also by deed. As we live for the Lord, all can see Christ in us.
2 Corinthians 4:5 "For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the
Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.
6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined
in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in
the face of Jesus Christ.
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of
the power may be of God, and not of us."
