Friday 17 November 2017

So Shall Men Know … Pt 2

John 13: 35 “Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples”

I feel bad when I am unable to post my blog especially when it is because I am too distracted to put my thoughts together and write. The past few weeks have been hectic and for a good reason - I was attending an awesome prophetic conference which I could have given anything to attend. So, with great joy in my heart and gratitude to God, I apologize for not posting my blog this past week. I thank God for godly relationships that facilitated my attendance at the conference. Indeed, prudence in the way we relate with one another and quality of company we keep has become imperative. The way we relate with others affects the company we keep which then greatly impacts on the quality of life we live here on earth and consequently, our ultimate destination in eternity. Do you act like the relationship is all about you? Are you always the victim? Do you provoke the others to good works? You may be surprised to find that you are the reason sincere people stay away from you leaving you in company that is not helpful for building godly character. It has become expedient, that we do a relationship audit. As you audit please bear in mind that it is best to start with self- evaluation. You may be surprised to find that you are “the bad one” or you may be bad for the person you think is a bad influence on you. Let me note here that sometimes we need to let go of some company not because anyone is bad but just because sometimes people who good individually, are bad collectively.

Hebrews 10: 24 “Let us think of ways to motivate one anther

1 Corinthians 15: 34 “think carefully about what is right, and stop sinning. For to your shame I say that some of you don’t know God.”

When in my last blog I suggested that we audit our relationships, my thoughts were for us to deliberately examine them, sincerely evaluating them with a view to improving their quality. Sincerity is a must if the audit will be useful. For the evaluation to be sincere, our minds must be open to the fact that at the end of it all, we may be the ones who need to change to improve the quality of the company we keep. I have found that it is much easier to assume that we are great and every other person needs to do more so we must be open to looking inward first, rightly evaluating ourselves before we look at another. Our hearts have to be in the right place because every sincere evaluation begins with a sincere heart evaluation. If our hearts are wrong, the entire process is distorted and our findings will be corrupt. My Pastor, Seye Kosoko, says relationship audits are really audits of our hearts and I agree. Our hearts are the bedrock of all our relationships because out of them flow the issues of life.  All these matters flow from the heart  If our self- assessment reveals that we are the ones with challenges, we don’t need to feel condemned; we start working on ourselves relying on the Holy Spirit for help.

Hebrews 10: 24 “Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.”

1 Corinthians 15: 33b “bad company corrupts good character.”

Any relationship that does not provoke us to acts of love and good works is not the best one for us. Of course, this is not love the way the world knows but true godly love; that love which tells you truth and is kind, does not envy, is not proud or selfish, does not think evil, is not easily provoked, rejoices in the truth, believes and endures all things and hopes for all things. Neither is it “good works” as we know them to be because good works are the works of God. For anything God does is good including when He chastises. Much as we would like to be described as good, we are bad anytime we do what God would not do. Jesus Christ said only God is good so that anyone who desires to be described as good would have to do only what he sees God do. Any relationship that provokes us to do contrary to the will of God is not good for us. Our relationships ought not to be the stumbling block to us forming godly character. At the end of the day we all ought to be one man – Christ Jesus, in whom we are seated.

Psalm 1: 1 “Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers.”

The Psalmist talks about “the joys” of those who keep the right company. This re-enforces the power of keeping good company or relationships. The converse though, is “Oh the sorrows of those who follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners or join in with mockers.” Our relationships or the company we keep should not be allowed to evolve; we must be deliberate about who is allowed into our lives.  As you begin your audit, remember to keep your goal before you so that you can make the right decisions.

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