SPIRITUAL CONVERSATIONS
MEMORISE: Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. James 4:4
READ: 2 Corinthians 6:14 -18
14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
MESSAGE
It is important to have friends who are also Children of God - people with whom you can discuss the Bible and things of God. You will spend two hours discussing the Bible with such persons and it would seem as if you have only been together for five minutes. They are friends with whom you discuss what God is currently teaching you in the scriptures, they do likewise and then you just keep going deeper into Scriptural teachings about different issues. This is what the Bible refers to as iron sharpening iron and friends sharpening each other's countenance (Proverbs 27:17).
You need your spiritual countenance sharpened regularly and these conversations go a long way in doing that. In these kinds of conversations, you are not been preached to, so,it is a two-way thing. As you and your friend or friends study the Bible together, you begin to see more clearly some hitherto blurry areas of the Scriptures or even understand better some of the things happening in your life. In the process of doing this, your spiritual countenance and outlook are sharpened.
These conversation have a way of impacting you differently from the message being preached from the altar would. This is one of the great benefits of the House Fellowship system which we operate in The Redeemed Christian Church of God. There is no Pastor in the House Fellowship, just a leader to coordinate things; everyone is just to discuss the word of God from their own perspective.
If you don't have such people with whom you discuss Scriptures, you need to either change your friends or make new ones. If you are so busy that you don't have much time to spend with friends, at least have such conversation with your spouse. Even now, my wife and l still have such conversations. I remember not so long ago when we were discussing the great power that must have been in the meal Elijah ate in 1Kings 19:5-8 which gave him strength for 40 straight days. It was always very interesting when you can find someone who is more knowledgeable in Scriptures than you; you are likely to leave such a meeting really charged up.
REFLECTION
What do you discuss with your friends when you are together? Is it spiritual things or just carnal issues?
BIBILE IN ONE YEAR: Mark 16- Luke 1
HYMN 3: DEEPER DEEPER IN THE LOVE OF JESUS
1 Deeper, deeper in the love of Jesus
Daily let me go;
Higher, higher in the school of wisdom,
More of grace to know.
REFRAIN:
Oh, deeper yet, I pray,
And higher ev'ry day,
And wiser, blessed Lord,
In Thy precious, holy word.
2 Deeper, deeper! blessed Holy Spirit,
Take me deeper still,
Till my life is wholly lost in Jesus,
And His perfect will.
3 Deeper, deeper! tho' it cost hard trials,
Deeper let me go!
Rooted in the holy love of Jesus,
Let me fruitful grow.
4 Deeper, higher, ev'ry day in Jesus,
Till all conflict past,
Finds me conqu’ror, and in His own image
Perfected at last.
