Family Matters

John 13:34-35
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

One thing we have been working on since the beginning is the family element of our church. Acts 2 gives a pretty good look at what God's church should look like. Relationships are difficult to cultivate and maintain. Marriage is a good example of this. It takes work. The fellowship of God's people in any given place also takes work to make into a true family. This goal; family, is really testing us in our living out the John 13 scripture.

Lately, in relation to this, I have been feeling the pangs of both anxiety, and also the Spirit. It is an odd contrast, and I think they can be easily confused. If I believe it's the Spirit speaking when it is really anxiety and worry, then I blaspheme (calling what is good, evil). If I the Spirit is calling and I think it is just nerves, then I have lost an opportunity to walk in step with God.

I find myself asking "What is this feeling I have?"

On top of these "feelings" I am wrestling with the day to day life of not only my own flesh and blood family, but the family of God here in Tri Cities. As one of the married couples with kids, we have found that one of our roles is of shepherding. We are a young church, with young families and leaders. This creates a dynamic that could be troublesome. If we do not continue to create a true family of believers, it will be near impossible to demonstrate God's love.

Therefore I contend with the worry and the Spirit...

So far, I have avoided the mystical world of self-deciphering what the Spirit is saying. I think it is dangerous to make assumptions in spiritual matters. Instead I have turned to prayer, which I think is pretty much the only solution to most ailments of the heart. Even if I "know" what to do or say, I probably do not, so I should pray. That is not to say that an action should not be taken, but it should not be done lightly.

John 4 starts by talking about "Testing the spirits." This could be a very lengthy writing if I were to get into it. Suffice to say, there needs to be plenty of testing. This I think can primarily be done through prayer, fasting, and the word of God.

So far this wrestling has produced some clarity in the matters at hand. On the other hand, there are so many issues and questions "hanging out to dry" with no answers or solutions yet. It is then by faith that I can have peace in this process. God is very much interested in seeing his family love one another. Pray that we come to him with our lives in this and also turn to each other as true brothers and sisters to work out our salvation with fear and trembling (Php 2:12).

Again:

Heb 11:1-3
Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for. By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.

Lord let our faith be true, and increase, because we have so little faith...