FAMILY MATTERS

02/02/2023

"A friend loves at all times, And a brother is born for adversity." (Proverbs 17:17)

"Where there is no counsel, the people fall; But in the multitude of counsellors there is safety." (Proverbs 11:14)

In these last days, maintaining the right relationships will define the quality of life you live from a spiritual standpoint. This is why there should be no difference between your spiritual family, the one of which you became a part when you got born again, and your biological family. As a matter of fact, your job as a disciple of Jesus Christ is to seek to remove anything that demarcates both families until you cannot tell one from the other. In other words, you make a habit of hanging out with folks from church on the weekends and you make a habit of evangelizing to the unsaved members of your biological family. 

The prompting of the Holy Spirit in this devotional is to think about "home" when you are with either group of people. In essence, when you are with church folk, you are at home just as when you are with your biological family. One way for God to radically visit your relationships this year and cause them to produce spiritually, emotionally and financially is by learning how to be at home with the people He has blessed you with, in both areas. When God blessed you with a spiritual sibling, it was so that in a time of adversity, they gather around you to make war on your behalf in the realm of the spirit. 

Many of the challenges you face may not necessarily be overcome until a network of spiritual siblings is charging together with you, against that situation in the realm of the spirit. As an aside, spiritual warfare is not something you wage on your own. It is always effective when a brother or a sister is praying for and with you. This is why you cannot afford to toy with the life group this year. Yes, some might abuse the privilege of our spiritual siblinghood but let Philippians 1:27 be your guide. " Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel."

This attitude should also influence your friendships. Make spiritual friends; friends in the house of God who challenge you to pray and be close to God. This year,  you need wonder-people for friends. Hallelujah. And where who you find wonder-people who have your back like Grace House Church? 

What I perceive the Spirit to be saying to you today is that there is power in our community, tap into that power. And work to bring your biological family members into our spiritual family. Many yokes are set to break as you commit to doing the word of God. 

On a final note, someone is saying, Pastor how do I make friends in the house of God? Show yourself to be a friend.  Look for needs in the house and fill them to the best of your ability. Proverbs 18:24 says, "A man who has friends must himself be friendly, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother."

Have a beautiful day!

Faith-Filled Confession

I am friendly and worthy of great friendship in the House of God. I am also positioned to merge my spiritual family with my biological family such that God moved mightily through us to produce wonder. I have the wisdom of God and by the help of the Holy Spirit, there will be no demarcation between those that are related to me spiritually and biologically. Glory!

ONE YEAR READING PLAN:  Exodus 29-30; Matthew 22:1-22