LEARNING DAILY

Mark 12:30, “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these."

“A thriving life begins with making consistent decisions based upon Biblical values” said Jonathon Moore, lead pastor at NorthRock Church. He used Genesis 1:26 to remind us we are made in the image of God and are to reflect His divine qualities – based upon Biblical valuers. He said, “The quality of your life is determined by your relationships.” (Audrey’s sermon notes). Believers are to love God first and then love their neighbors.

Audrey noted, “It is not Biblical to ignore your relationship with God. You need Jesus and others.” “Be careful not to succeed in business and fail in your relationships. God designed us for relationship, to grow us and to challenge us to move forward” (JM). In Genesis 2:18 God looked at Adam and said it is not good for man to be alone. Solitude is not good. Adam had a relationship with God, but he needed more.

Pastor Moore said there are three common enemies of relationships. The first is “independence” – the lone wolf. Audrey wrote, “The more you mature in your relationship with Jesus, the more you realize you depend on Him.” 1 Corinthians 12:18-19 tells us, “But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be?” Every Believer is a part of the body of Christ; each part is important and necessary. God has given each person gifts and talents that are to be used to help the body function. “Be interdependent on others” (Audrey’s notes). “The antidote to independence is humility” (JM).

The second common enemy of relationships is “insecurity.” “Satan wants to keep us alone” (JM). He will try to make the Believer insecure (uncertain, lacking in confidence, self-doubting) so we do not step into God’s plan” (Audrey’s notes). Every Believer needs another person to talk to about their fear, needs, and to even their secrets. James 5:16 tells us, “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed.” That takes a close, special friend. “The antidote to insecurity is honesty” (JM).

The third common enemy to relationships is “isolation.” Proverbs 18:1, “Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire; he breaks out against all sound judgment.” “When we are alone with our thoughts, we start to believe them” (JM). There might be moments when all of us have experienced this. “The antidote to isolation is connection” (JM).

Pastor Moore finished his message with three thoughts about relationships. Prioritize your relationships. Be intentional about building relationships; they do not happen by accident. He said to be a servant. Look for ways to serve others while expecting nothing in return. Audrey wrote, “Relationships thrive when we take the posture of Jesus. Pastor said, “Do not be a servant only when it is convenient, support others. The last thought he shared was to be forgiving. “Relationships involve imperfect people – including you.” Jesus was adamant about forgiveness. When He taught the Lord’s Prayer, He taught us to pray, “Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who have sinned against us” (Matthew 6:12, NLT).