Category Archives: Heart Matters

the pursuit of authenticity, love and wisdom in relationships

A Faithful Friend (Part 3): DTR…with My Friend?!

Posted on by

This is the final entry of a 3-part series on friendship. Read the first and second posts.

“So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon, son of John, do You love Me…'” –John 21:15

Now, moving forward doesn’t mean pretending to be besties who swap Christmas cards and say “you’re wonderful!” all the time. In some cases, when the relationship has become a life-altering hindrance to your obedience to God and leads to death, then the “flee like Joseph did from sin” kind of letting go may be exactly what needs to happen. In those instances, it may actually be the loving thing to do for their sake and wise for you.

But love does not necessarily mean to drop your friend. More often than we care to admit, the next step means you stay in it and fight for restored relationship. Continue reading →

A Faithful Friend (Part 2): Communication Station

Posted on by
This is the second post in a series on faithful friendship. Read part 1.

“Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves…” –Paul, Philippians 2:3

“Be devoted to one another in brotherly love…” –Paul, Romans 13:10a (emphasis mine)

“Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but deceitful are the kisses of an enemy.” –Proverbs 27:6

So does being a faithful friend mean that you come at conflict happily with hammer in hand? To do some serious wounding? Or that you always put your friend on blast every time something he or she does annoys or, worse, deeply hurts you? Continue reading →

A Faithful Friend (Part 1): No More Hiding

Posted on by

“This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.” –Jesus, John 15:12-13

In His Word, God calls us to love one another (John 15:12-17). He also calls us to unity, members of His very Body (Psalm 133:1-3; John 17:22-24; Ephesians 4:1-6). He calls us to be reconcilers (2 Corinthians 5:16-21). And in all these things, He always points us to Jesus as the example (Philippians 2:1-11).

But what about when relationships go wrong? Continue reading →

Join the Fight Club

Posted on by

Our relationships are worth the fight. The only way for you to have peace is to fight for your relationships not simply to ignore them because they are painful and difficult. It will take a lot of humility, but it’s either choosing humility now or living with the burden of regret.

It’s what God did for us even when we didn’t want to come to Him.

Are you willing to fight?

http://www.northpointministries.org/fightclub