Messages
Listen to sermons and classes online, download messages to your computer, or subscribe to our Podcasts.
Podcasts
Find out about podcasts, and subscribing to receive new messages automatically.
Class Notes
Download class notes in PDF format to go along with downloaded messages.
Daily eMail Devotional
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Romans 12:9-21 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.I failed gluing in Kindergarten! Even to this day, I cannot use glue without making a mess. Everything gets stuck together except for what I am supposed to be gluing. The word “cleave” literally means to “be glued together.” God wants us to learn how to create a bond with other Christians. Ephesians 4:3, 16 puts it this way; “Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace… From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.” (emphasis mine).
The problem is that many of us make a mess of our relationships, like I did when gluing things together. Some of the same rules that apply to gluing can apply to relationships. First, glue will not stick to dirty surfaces. Deuteronomy 13:17 says “And there shall cleave nought of the cursed thing to thine hand: that the LORD may turn from the fierceness of his anger, and shew thee mercy, and have compassion upon thee, and multiply thee, as he hath sworn unto thy fathers.” We need to keep our lives clean with God and others by confessing our sin. I John 1:9 says “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
The second rule of gluing is that pressure makes a better bond. When there is a trial in our relationship, we see it as a problem, but God wants to use it to strengthen us. James 1:24 tells us “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.”
The third rule of gluing is something called “dovetailing”. This is where you cut groves into the material being glued to interlock them together. We strengthen our relationships when we learn how to use each others strengths to build us in our weaknesses. It is our strengths and weaknesses that often cause us to come apart and those are the very things that God wants to use to bring us together. How can you be stronger because of what others can do for you?
Aloha in Christ,
Pastor Wayne
Don't Forget -
