Power with Purpose!

There are times when God moves on people in a powerful and tangible way. Then there are those times when He, to quote a member of the group, "wraps His arms around you, kisses you on the head and says, I love you and it's going to be okay." This was one of those evenings. God's gentle hand and loving Spirit were felt by everyone in the room during yet another powerful prayer session.

Every member of the groups has concerns for one thing or another in their lives. From employment issues, to relationships, to sin, we are all struggling with something. There are times when that struggle can become almost unbearable and I have heard just about everyone say, "If it wasn't for the group..."

Mind you, I am not puffing up our small group or its members. What we are exalting here is the healing power of Jesus. You see, this session dealt with "How to Experience Authentic Community." Romans 12:9-13 tells us that our love for one another needs to be without hypocrisy. That we should be devoted to one another and be diligent in love and friendship to each other. Trust and openness are key factors in participating in an authentic community.

I understand that not everyone in the group is willing to share their most intimate concerns with the entire group however, on occasion this has occurred, and God has blessed us greatly with mercy and grace that abounds much more than judgment and condemnation. What is happening is that; when a member of the group needs to talk with someone or be accountable to someone about the problems and concerns in their life, they are comfortable knowing that they have at least one person in the group that is willing to listen and hold them accountable without unrighteous judgment or criticism. This enables a cycle of trust, mercy, and growth that is exactly what Jesus intended for His people. Lone Ranger Christianity just isn't part of the plan. We belong to each other and we must supply each other with support, love, encouragement, accountability, prayer, and friendship. Yes, there comes a time when we must leave our masks at home.

The love Jesus commanded us to give is meant to be both unconditional, and sacrificial. This means that developing friendships and authentic Christian relationships takes effort. As Chip Ingram says, "The greatest apologetic in the world is Christians loving Christians."

I would say that a close second would be, "Christians trusting Christians." This is something you just don't see in today's American church and the reasons for it are as varied as the colors of the spectrum. However, if we are to be what Jesus intended, then trust is something that must be cultivated at all levels of the Christian community. It starts with examining your motives and your goals. If each of us concentrated on becoming trustworthy and not concern ourselves with someone else's trustworthiness, trust would cease to be an issue and the church would achieve the last day explosion it longs for. Without trust and authenticity the command in John 13 and the prayer of John 17 would never become reality.

Stay tuned for Session 8, part II of this portion of becoming a Romans 12 Christian. As always, thanks to Chip for the resources and thanks too all the group member for your love, steadfastness, and willingness to commit becoming a Christian that truly possesses Power with Purpose.