Brotherly Love

I greet you in Jesus' precious name! It is Sunday morning, the 23rd of July, 2023, and this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for today. We start in Genesis 4:9:

"Then the Lord said to Cain, "Where is Abel your brother?" He said, "I do not know. Am I my brother's keeper?" 

Then we go straight to 1 Thessalonians 4 and I am reading verse 9:

"But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another;…" 

Am I my brother's keeper? Yes, I am indeed, and we need to love one another. Paul told the Thessalonians, "I don't even have to tell you that. You know that already because God has told you." Money cannot buy friendship. In these perilous times, you and I live; we need to love one another. We need each other, not only the men but ladies - you also need friends. You need sisters in Christ that you can share with. 

I recently met with over a hundred men here at Shalom just for two days. These men have asked me to mentor them; many others couldn't make it - they live overseas, but it has become one of the highlights of my Christian walk with Jesus. I think I am the one who is more blessed than any of them. It's not a conference; we don't need more conferences, do we? It's not a heavy theological instruction time - no, it can't be because I can't even spell that word! No, not at all - it is a time spent loving one another, crying, laughing, and sharing each other's burdens. Remember, a burden shared is a burden halved. A time of praying together, worshipping Jesus, sitting around the table and talking to each other - oh, my dear friend, it is like a breath of fresh air. 

I must tell you one quick story in closing. I explained to the men how the Maoris in New Zealand kiss each other. I have preached there, and I love the Maori people. They are the toughest men on a rugby field and the most gentle men off the field. One of my spiritual sons was sitting very close to the platform I said to him (he is an Indian gentleman), I said, "Anesh, I want to show you how the Maoris kiss each other, and I got hold of him, and he thought I was going to kiss him on the lips. He said to me, "No, no, no, no! You can't do that!" I grabbed him by his whiskers, rubbed his nose, and the guys just packed up laughing. It's that kind of love that we need in this world today, where we can trust one another, cry on one another's shoulders and love each other with the love of Christ.

Go out today, find a friend, love him, love her - spend time in the presence of Jesus.

Have a wonderful day,
Jesus bless you and goodbye.