Stand With Our Brothers and Sisters

Yesterday I was reading Obadiah, and was struck by the passages against Edom / Esau for standing by and letting Jacob (their brothers) be attacked and doing nothing.

(NIV)Obadiah 1:10-15
Because of the violence against your brother Jacob, you will be covered with shame; you will be destroyed forever. [11] On the day you stood aloof while strangers carried off his wealth and foreigners entered his gates and cast lots for Jerusalem, you were like one of them. [12] You should not gloat over your brother in the day of his misfortune, nor rejoice over the people of Judah in the day of their destruction, nor boast so much in the day of their trouble. [13] You should not march through the gates of my people in the day of their disaster, nor gloat over them in their calamity in the day of their disaster, nor seize their wealth in the day of their disaster. [14] You should not wait at the crossroads to cut down their fugitives, nor hand over their survivors in the day of their trouble. [15] “The day of the Lord is near for all nations. As you have done, it will be done to you; your deeds will return upon your own head.

Standing by and watching, gloating over their fall, are just as bad as actively participating -in the Lord's eyes. In His eyes this is all violence. One of the things we need to learn to do is defend our fellow brothers and sisters in the Body of Christ. Choosing to stand by them - in support and care, rather than in judgement. Lord, help us to rightly discern the Body of Christ, and rightly treat those who are our brothers and sisters, bringing them aid in their day of trouble.

More importantly, not asking or thinking about how they got into the trouble, etc. For clearly Jacob's (Israel) trouble came form disobedience and not following the Lord. How often do we immediately assume that people who are going through difficulty, deserve it, and then stand by and watch them go through it? Should not our response be to come along side them to help them.

Paul writes: (NIV)1 Corinthians 12:25-27
'...so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. [26] If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. [27] Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it."

John writes: (NIV)1 John 3:16-18
This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. [17] If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? [18] Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

Lord, help us to love the body and encourage and strengthen the body. As Paul writes in his first letter to the Corinthians: (NIV)1 Corinthians 13:4-8
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. [5] It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. [6] Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. [7] It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. [8] Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.

I think specifically verse 6-8 are applicable here: " Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails." Amen Lord!

As I was reading through this I felt the Lord say this is important for those of us who live in KC, and are confronted with the recent news about IHOP (International House of Prayer). Let us stand with our brothers and sisters, regardless of our thoughts about that ministry or Mike Bickle. We must love them and support them and believe the best about them! For our love for each other must be true. "It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails"