DEARLY BELOVED
OUR TEAM
Endearment - this is a word that is not often heard these days, yet captures the essence of this month’s theme. Indeed, the term ‘dearly beloved’ which is our theme again is not a common saying. Yet again it is an expression of deep affection, of heart felt endearment. Both of which are key ingredients in belonging. When we are born again, we become new creation church beings, designed and defined by God to belong, to become part of His family, to be meaningful contributors to His Kingdom purposes. Our Father God has commanded that we love Him and one another. This is a well known truth among believers especially. Easy to take for granted, considering Jesus said “Love God and Love One another – these being the two most important commandments. The law and all the prophets hinge on these two. Very important for us to know how to go about obeying and complying with these commandments. These Berean notes for our first week, where we are focusing on the notion of “Our Team”, are divided into 2 parts;
First: Points that address aspects of relationship issues going on in society today and represent some thought provoking revelation designed to help us consider ways in which we can be team ourselves in such a way that we convince the world that God is in our midst. –
John 13:35: By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love one to another.
Second – A list of phases in the scriptures that use the word “Dearly beloved”. Do your Berean thing, look into each and meditate prayerfully on them and note any revelation that comes to you. Feel free to send to the team.
RELATIONSHIP ISSUES TODAY
- “We too” - Celebrating relationships built on Godly principles Singles and couples celebrating members of the opposite sex that they respect and have/have had a good gender fruitful relationship with. “Me Too” movement – Me Too highlights what happens when relationships go wrong. These often reflect the failure of the gender neutral notion.
- Our Team – the importance of the concept “For better or for worse” in covenant commitment
- Gracism – God Reconciling all cultures in supernatural mediation
- Command mode
- Risk Taking
- The power of belonging - It’s easy to limit relationship to what we say and do, however, Biblically what we are and our state of being in some ways has even greater impact on the nature of our relationships. In terms of our words and our actions, the extent to which they successfully generate great relationship is often determined by what we agree on. Being in agreement is indeed an important relational factor, however it is not limited to what we say and do, nor is it a pre-requisite for there to be love. As God so loved the world, He sent His only Son Jesus, not primarily as a message, but as love in person.
- Pin point accuracy
SCRIPTURES
Jer 12:7 “given the dearly beloved of my soul into the hand of her enemies."
Rom 12:19 "Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves … Vengeance is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord."
1 Co 10:14 "Wherefore, my dearly beloved flee from idolatry."
2 Co 7:1 "Dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God."
2 Co 12:19 "we speak before God in Christ: but we do all things, dearly beloved, for your edifying."
Phl 4:1 "Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved"
2 Tim 1:2 "Timothy, my dearly beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord."
Phm 1:1 "Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy our brother, unto Philemon our dearly beloved, and fellow labourer"
1 Peter 2:11 "dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul"