do CHRISTians really love each other?...

here is a verse in job in the old testament says, a man needs his friend most when he’s doubting GOD.  he needs somebody to stand and walk him through that time of doubt to that time of faith. 

rick warren tells of speaking in a small church – only a hundred or so people.  it was a sunday night.  he said,  “i was preaching and all of a sudden i stopped and said, ‘maybe there’s some people here that need to get some things right with each other.  i sense some coldness here.  i may be wrong but i’ll bow my head and ask the pianist to play.  if you’ve got a grudge against some other person and you need to get it right, why don’t you just get up and go to that person and tell them you're sorry?’” 

he said, “i bowed my head and i heard this tremendous noise!  the whole church was going to each other!  it was the most amazing thing i’d ever seen in my life.  it went on for about 45 minutes.  a guy was walking alone outside.  he wasn’t even a CHRISTian and said, ‘what’s happening in here?’  somebody led him to the LORD right there.”

when CHRISTians really love each other you have to lock the doors to keep people out.  the bible says, by this shall all men know that you're my disciples, that you love each other.  that’s what counts. 

in the new testament the CHRISTians confessed to each other.  during the dark ages, they confessed to the priests, freud said confess to the counselor, protestants said, we’re not going to confess to anybody.  as a result we’ve got a lot of problems and hang-ups.

just a thought from the front porch…