Dear brother,
Our one-on-one relationship is fairly new and growing rapidly. It’s a joy to see newly acquainted believers like us more forward in the Holy Spirit! A taste of heaven itself it must be…enjoying it is a pleasure that even our Father and His Son enjoys in us.
We all know by experience that these then are the easy times. The future certainly holds coming difficulty is we’re honest with each other and Christ.
As much as I love you in Jesus for who you are and how you love Him, I wanted to go on record with you to say the time is coming when you will be disappointed with me.
The time to prepare for this, in my opinion, is now. The specter of another casualty in the list of 20,000+ denominations is too painful to consider. Even now in the “honeymoon” period of our budding relationship.
I may have mentioned it in the past but it’s not “if” but “when” that disappointment will rear its ugly head. Any professing Christian can be perfectly mature but is still not flawless. We all miss the mark at times, even those who might be considered more noble like the Bereans.
It’s never my intent to disappoint you, dear one, but it is on its way somehow someway. Having proper expectations in a current “always-be-positive” church world is crucial to the sustenance of joy filled living in Christ.
I recall the first meeting some years ago when a disgruntled ex-institutional church brother looked me up after I was referred by another. He brought his written list of doctrines and theological positions that were vital to him. It was evident, and later confirmed by him, that if I didn’t agree with a lot, or almost all of them, that the first formal house church meeting would never take place.
In letting out a sigh and forlorn look due to 20+ years of intense house church difficulties and blow ups, I looked him straight in the eye.
“Brother,” I spoke, “it’s only a matter of time until you find something or many things to vehemently disagree with me about.” He seemed almost incredulous that I would bring this up at our first meeting.
I continued. “It’s not ‘if’ but ‘when.’ What we’ve found true over the years is that the Lord wants us to stay in unity during the disagreement so we may in love pursue His mind and be reconciled.”
He agreed. Then I quoted a favorite brother of mine and concluded this part of our discussion by saying, “Who cares who’s right or wrong if we have the mind of the Lord.”
I spoke of the egregious error of stonewalling and the enormous damage it reeks in the body of Christ. Not fully listening over time and playing back the others opinion to empathetically understand will blow up a small group faster than the American military carpet bombing did in southeast Asia in the ‘60’s and ‘70’s.
You might ask in what form the disappointment will come. It will be something I:
…believe
…say
…do
Or maybe all three, God forbid. Again, it’s never my intent. But this is life in the Spirit.
So, my dear brother, when our first time comes for disappointment, will you stick with me through it until we find the right way, God’s way? Will we be open to the fact that issues with high stakes and high emotions dictate the special process of the Lord, and follow the Acts 15 example? That is, accept one another, teach one another, admonish one another which proves our love?
Will we have holy communication in community and put to flight the devil and his demons which seek to drive a permanent wedge in our current joyous euphoria?
I’m a firm believer in that the mark of true Godly leadership is listening until we fully understand the other party or parties. As the old saying goes, we have two ears and one mouth, and that should tell us something!
When that day of disappointment comes, and we’re certainly one day closer to it appearing, what will we do?
Will we say at this time today that “Oh sure, we’ll work it out,” when we really won’t when the real time arrives?
Or…
…will we obey:
…so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; Colossians 1:10
…being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Ephesians 4:3
…until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. Ephesians 4:13
I am your brother in Christ. I love you dearly and want this to work until we die or the Lord comes back…or both! The Holy Spirit will see us through.
Your new friend,
Marc
Other resources to find and stay in unity:
UNITY LESSONS FROM THE ACTS 15 GATHERING [MONDAY MANNA 120]
UNITY: FINDING THE LORD’S MIND TOGETHER – PART 1 [MONDAY MANNA 148]
UNITY: FINDING THE LORD’S MIND TOGETHER – PART 2 [MONDAY MANNA 149]
COMMUNICATION IN COMMUNITY [AT THE BATTLE FRONT 21]
ARE YOU A SEEKER OR STONEWALLER? [MONDAY MANNA 73]
IDENTIFYING STONEWALLERS WHO BLOCK YOUR TRUTH [DEAR BRETHREN 4]
FOOLS – ARE WE ONE? GODS WARNS HIS CREATURES [MONDAY MANNA 82]
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Please comment on this post right below. Feel free to write and proclaim your leadings in the Spirit in an honorable fashion.
Your friend and brother in fighting the good fight,
Marc
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Saints, we’re one day closer to Home, and Him! Love Him wholeheartedly!
You may view our Archives here: DEAR BRETHREN – ARCHIVES; Complete Archives; feel free to write and proclaim your leadings in the Spirit in an honorable fashion. May our Father richly bless you with His grace, through Jesus Christ our Lord, in order to walk worthy of His name.
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