BUILDING DIVINE CONNECTIONS 27/02/11

BUILDING DIVINE CONNECTIONS

God settles those who have been deserted in their own homes; He frees prisoners and grants them prosperity. But sinful rebels live in the desert. Ps68:6.

It is God's desire, order and plan that the Universe should operate in the principles based on the set of laws. In His divine wisdom He gave these laws. These are universal and it operates anywhere and everywhere. These laws do not need any input. It does not operate on the basis of your likeness or dislikeness. It is like the law of gravity. When you let the object down it falls down, no matter you agree or not. This is how God's law is. Either go operate God's law and receive the blessings or go against it and receive the cursings. Man cannot invent anything but he can discover. Isaac Newton discovered the Centre of Gravity but he did not invent it. Likewsie when we research the laws we can discover the connections. God ordained the laws that we have to prosper in our lives.

The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a companion for him who corresponds to him.” Gen2:18. It is God's ordained plan that we should be connected with one  nother. Today we are going to meditate about the seven blessings we receive from having good connections with others.

PART I

Thought #1:

Look! How good and how pleasant it is when brothers live together!Ps133:1

Right connections bring pleasure into our lives.  Ps133:1

Thought #2:

“I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me – and I in him – bears much fruit, because apart from Me you can accomplish nothing.Jn15:5.

Right connections brings you highest level of productivity. Jn15:5

Electrical instruments: Only when it is connected to their proper line it  functions. So if it should work it should be connected. Everything that works is connected. We see two different kind of  microphones: 1. visibly connected to the wire. 2. a remote control one, invisibly connected through radio waves. It functions because it is connected.

Thought #3:
 
Right connections will keep your life protected. ISam20

As David had good friendship with Jonathan he was saved from the anger of Saul. A child that is formed in the womb of a mother is safe till the faeutus is get connected with the umbilical chord of the mother. But if the connection is cut when the baby is inside the womb the child is in danger.

Thought #4:

Right connections will make you prosperous. Lk 15.

We see in the parable of the compassionate father, the son's life was prosperous when he was with his father.

Thought #5:

Right connections will make you powerful. Eccl 4:9

Two people are better than one, because they can reap more benefit from their labor. Eccl4:9. How can one man chase a thousand of them,and two pursue ten thousand; unless their Rock had delivered them up,and the Lord had handed them over? Deu32:30. When two people come together the power multiplies.

Thought #6

Right connections brings promotions in your life.  Gen 39:3,4; Est 2:17

Eg:Joseph and Pothibar, Esther and Mordecai.

Thought #7

Right connections brings progress in your life. Gen6:19,20

You must bring into the ark two of every kind of living creature from all flesh, male and female, to keep them alive with you.Gen6:19,20.

Prayer: Lord, put me in the right connections, so that I may be blessed.

But sinful rebels live in the desert.Ps68:6.

The rebellious says, "We do not need this connections which God had made." God created us to be united and be prosperous.

Part II

SECULAR CONNECTIONS:

You should be careful about with whom you are connected in this secular world.One should be very careful in this. When we are connected with the right people in this world both you and they will be blessed. Joseph was neither a priest nor a levite but a slave boy in Egypt. But the house slave who had the spirit of God when entered and dwelled in the house of Potiphar, the entire nation was saved from famine and were blessed.

Lesson 1: It depends on whom we are connected with: whether you are going to prosper - (right connection) or be a pauper (wrong connection). When you come to know the source of blessing is your right connection, you should not forget to well-maintain that source. Potiphar says to Joseph, "You will oversee my household, and all my people will submit to your commands. Only I, the king, will be greater than you. Gen41:44. What a great honour! The king gave the entire land of Goshen for Joseph's father and his households. Gen47:6. But Pothiphar's wife used the source of blessing for her lust. Gen39:12. Also the kings of Egypt who came after Joseph's period did not treat the Israelites with respect. They made them slaves and oppress them. So the Israelites who were the source of Egypt's blessings and prosperity became a source of curse for them. They were plagued with ten plagues and the Lord smote all the first born in the land of Egypt. Always and everywhere use your right connections for your blessings and do not use it for your lust.

SPIRITUAL CONNECTIONS:

Again, I tell you the truth, if two of you on earth agree about whatever you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. For where two or three are assembled in my name, I am there among  them.”Mat18:19,20.

We should be connected with the right kind of spiritual people. You should have spiritual friends to pray with. Bible says that every child of God needs personal prayer as well as coming together with like-minded people is crucial. This is a peak gateway for a tremendous blessing. Why do a church conduct a fasting or corporate prayer? Answer is Mat18:19,10. Early church prayed in groups. God sent an angel of the Lord and rescued Peter from the hand of Herod and released from the prison and he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John Mark, where many people had gathered   together and were praying.Find some good spiritual friends, gather with them in prayer avoiding gossips and you will see a powerful prayer and God's blessings coming into your life. But Ruth  replied,“Stop urging me to abandon you! For wherever you go, I will go.  Wherever you live, I will live. Your people will become my people, and your God will become my God. Wherever you die, I will die – and there I will be buried. May the Lord punish me severely if I do not keep my promise! Only death will be able to separate me from you!” Ruth1:16,17.

This is a story about a beautiful connection between a mother-in-law and a daughter-in-law. Naomi, an Israelite woman came to Moab due to famine in Israel and lost her husband and her two sons there in Moab. Moab means a place of curse. Now Naomi was living with her two daughter-in-laws(Moabites). Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Listen to me! Each of you should return to your mother’s home!". Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, but Ruth clung tightly to her.Rth1:14. Ruth had no pleasure in the sinful lust but in following the true God. And she got the credit of being a great grand mother of David.

SOCIAL CONNECTIONS:

we need to have good social connections with our family, friends, relatives, colleagues and with everyone. That determines your destiny. If you want to know how you will be after 20 years there is no need to look at you in the mirror, look at your friend as you will be like that. It is important in what sort of connection you are with. When God wants to bless you God sends someone in your life, Satan also when he wants to curse you he sends someone in your life. Both sends a person but it is your choice to choose the one who brings the blessing.

Ruth chose Naomi and was blessed. Samson chose Delilah, he thought she will make him happy, but with her beauty and her mesmerizing words she afflicted him. He loved her so much but as his choice was a wrong one, that led him to commit suicide.Jdg16:30. Samson gave a free entry for a lady and loved him and she became a nightmare to him and look at the dreadful end of poor   Samson.

Be cautious with whom you are sharing your personal matters and intimate thoughts. It is not advisable to share the secrets to anyone as they are beautiful and seems to be trustable outwardly. In the social world we can be easily get connected with everyone through network sites. You must have self- control while dealing with the person you hang out with. Do not go after flashy and fashionable people. When you choose a partner in your life only take advice from God. That will decide your future. 

SHEPHERD CONNECTIONS:

Where then is your sense of happiness now? For I testify about you that if it were possible, you would have pulled out your eyes and given them to me!Gal4:15.

Paul himself says this to enumerate the relationship between the church of Galatia and Paul. What a love the church had for their Pastor and how close they were! A secret of the victory of the church is the good fellowhsip between the Pastor and the church. We see two kinds of people in the church. One group just attends the church to find mistakes and gossip about that. Another group come to celebrate the connection with their family of God. They think of having a good fellowship with the Pastor and what can they do more for the church. The growth of the church is not about how many attend the church but about the deep connection between the sheep and the shepherd to receive God's blessings. 

Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls and will give an account for their work. Let them do this with joy and not with complaints, for this would be no advantage for you.Heb13:17. When you are connected with your Pastor you are blessed and it profits you if you maintain a good relationship with him. My sheep listen to my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. Jn10:27.

Take for example, the story of Eli and Samuel. Hannah had Samuel after so much of prayer. The child came after a long way. If you look at the life of the priest Eli. He was not a great man of testimony. The Word from the Lord was rare in those days; revelatory visions were infrequent.Eli had two sons and they were cursing God, and Eli did not rebuke them. But Hannah did not think of all these, she vowed a vow and she did it trusting in God alone. Never under estimate your Pastor and never even think of talking bad about him. Honour your Pastor and bring your children to him. Always talk good things about your Pastor infront of the children, let them have a good opinion about their Pastor and naturally they respect them from their heart. Sometimes Pastor's words may be hard but do not forget that is for your good.