January 5, 2018 WWJWMTD by Steve the son of John

Relationships Gone Wrong

I recently wrote a couple of articles about ‘distractions’. I said this was the #1 challenge for today’s Church; #2 is relationships. Relations are literally destroying the Church. There are many kinds of relationships—some are good and wholesome while others destroy the persons that are involved in ‘destructive relationships’.

Jesus had lots to say about relationships. He tried to offer wisdom for those that were connected to each other. Jesus warned that “A man’s foes shall be they of his own household,” Matthew 10:36. Jesus is prophetic when stating this fact. It is your own family that will stop you from serving the Lord. (There are many New Testament Scriptures that state this very truth.) Here are more verses from Matthew chapter 10:

And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death. 22 And you shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endures to the end shall be saved.

Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. 35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. 36 And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household. 37 He that loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

Yes, Jesus said very plainly that you could love your family, your children, or your relatives more than you should. I often see parents loving their kids more than they love God—what a mistake! The more you love God, the more room you have in your relationship with your kids to love them, but you should never love your kids more than you love Jesus. You will never make it into the Kingdom of God or even into heaven with that mindset.

Micah 7:6 states, “A man’s enemies are the men of his own house.” There is nothing more truthful than this statement today. We think, if we would love more or offer more kindness, that we can change a person. This Bible takes exception to this line of thinking.

The challenge for parents today is simple. You must love God first and more than you love your kids. Just because you love them does not mean they will respect or love you in return. Do not allow your relationship with God be determined by your relationship with your children. This is the second most challenging truth for the church today.

WWJWMTD

What would Jesus want me to do?

Dr. Steven J. Wentland www.wwjwmtd.com

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