Video Transcript: Decluttering Your Soul – Relationships (The Company You Keep)

Welcome back to the Care and decluttering of your soul. You know, doing this  class was been so interesting for me personally, because I realized to  intentionally Think of each of these areas was doing like a 360. And what I'm  allowing into my container, my soul. Today we're going to talk about the  associations, the company we keep. And the company we keep has a lot with  the spirit and the body in terms of just how it impacts us in so many different  ways. So many types of companies. So we're gonna talk in this presentation  about decluttering destructive company. We read in I Corinthians 15:33, do not  be misled company corrupts good character. II Corinthians 6:14-15. Do not be  yoked together with unbelievers for what does righteousness and wickedness  have in common? For what fellowship can light have with darkness? What  harmony is there between Christ in Belial? What does a believer have in  common with an unbeliever? So at one level, know that as we associate with  others, we ask ourselves, does this clutter our soul? Or does this energize our  soul? Now people often wonder, can you have association with any unbelievers  Yes, for the purpose of blessing them, not for the purpose of being sucked away  from God through them. So let's talk about marriages. Marriages are powerful  for the health of the soul in the Lord. I Corinthians 7:9 a woman is bound to her  husband as long as he lives but her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone  she wishes but he must belong to the Lord. I Corinthians 16:19, the churches in  the province of Asia send you greetings Aquila and Priscilla greet you warmly in  the Lord, and so does the church that meets in their home. A Christian  marriages go to be yoked in the Lord is powerful for the soul. There that's an  example of the company you keep, that ultimately raises the buoy for health of  the soul. You know, I love how Priscilla and Aquila are talked about in the Bible,  Aquila and Priscilla, they're they're mentioned six times in each time. One's  mentioned first and the other is mentioned first but you see them in ministry  together and how that increases their soul connection. You know, at Christian  Leaders Alliance, we are also having a ordination, licensing or commending of  couples, as the two shall be one in ministry. And that is that understanding that  our souls are a container, but two containers together who are decluttering and  holding each other accountable and decluttering is really a powerful thing. On  the other side, the married to an unbeliever is challenging in that association, I  Corinthians 7:15. For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his  wife and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing  husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean. But as it is, they are holy,  but if an unbeliever leaves let him do so a believing man or woman is not bound  in such circumstances. God has called us to live in peace. Not this is an  interesting passage because many people after they become converted, what  happens to them now in the state of chaos, because now their soul has been  decluttered. But it's fascinating is you. Let's say you're a believer now in your  unbelieving spouse wants nothing to do with you. There is a conflict of 

worldviews. There's all these things now from a mission perspective. Be in that  person's life, for the sake of your children, and for the sake of that person to  come to know the Lord, but also have a realistic expectation. This very thing  could be that which may end the marriage and if that happens, that does  happen, Jesus said, to love him more than family, and for the salvation of that  person, to love them is to stay connected to Jesus Christ. So if they want no part of it, and they want to divorce you or leave you, that is sad. But it's still about  ultimately reaching them. Jesus Christ is your first priority. What I encourage in  my ministry over the years is that do your best being married to an unbeliever,  showing them the life and the benefits of a life with Jesus Christ. And what I  have seen is that God in a mighty way often brings that spouse to Lord as well.  But I have also seen, there are times when you're coming to the Lord is just a  deal stopper for the marriage. And that's what happened in the early church, as  well. For some people, the option of singleness is what they want to do to stay  devoted to the Lord. And we see that in the early church in I Corinthians 7:9, but  if they cannot control themselves, they should marry For it is better to marry  than to burn with passion. So that's the one side. But the other side is I would  like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the  Lord's affairs how we can please Lord, but a married man is concerned with the  affairs of this world how to please his wife. And his interests are divided. The  unmarried woman are virtuous, concerned about the Lord's affairs, her aim is to  be devoted to the Lord and both body and spirit. But a married woman is  concerned about the affairs of this world, how she can please her husband, I'm  saying this for your own good not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right  way and undivided devotion to the Lord. I brought these passages up, because,  you know, this has been a huge discussion throughout the history of the church,  where in the early church, the thought was that Jesus would come back in their  lifetime. So the Apostle Paul had this, they call it an eschatological,  understanding that, you know, the last times are upon us. But as time went on, it became more and more clear to these apostles in that, that this is going to be  for a duration of time, we do not know that the grace of God would extend now  for us, and so extended 2000 years, and we are a part of that. Now, what  happened with early church and various times of persecution. Marriage was sort of downplayed, and being a virgin and having devotion for the Lord was played  up. And we're in talks about in this class about the monastic movement. And  what happened and there were some unfortunate things that happened, and,  and all of that, but there's one thing that is true, is that the care of the soul was  so highly thought of that people the apostle Paul, it is better, to go into heaven  with your soul intact, that your ultimate aim for your whole life was to glorify God, that even marriage was second that and family was second to that. And in that's  what I've learned in my marriage, if Jesus Christ is my highest passion, then our  marriage gets even stronger. And it doesn't have to be over against I mean, the 

Aquila and Priscilla understanding that here's a couple fully devoted to the Lord  is a powerful reminder that God loves marriage and loves married ministers,  married in the Lord be yoked together. And the fact is, is if if you burn with  passion, you ought to get married. You know, we live in a time in life where the  the, the, the clutter of so many worldly pleasures and all of that are everywhere  and we have a sexualized culture with you know, you can you know, imbibe  anything you want in a hurry on the internet. So it kind of comes down to, for a  Minister couple to be in accountable relationship and a loving and encouraging  relationship where the needs of the sexual passions are alleviated in a marriage  is is very powerful. You know many of sad situations have occurred throughout  the history of the church, when the human body was downplayed. So we see  that in the early churches, first men or women could be ordained as leaders,  married or single. And then soon it was only single women. And you can see this in our women's, the Dr. Carolyn Osiek class about women in ministry in the early church ordained ministry in the early church, we have a class on that. And you  see how it started out with men or women, married or single, could be in  ministry, and then eventually was women only who are virgins, that can be  ordained for ministry, and eventually women could not. And then it was men,  married or single, could be ordained in ministry. And then eventually it was only  unmarried men or men committed to celibacy, who can be put in into ministry.  And the whole point was the desire for the soul to be devoted to the Lord, like  the apostle Paul was. And as we look back at that, we also now see that the  entire Scripture is very positive on connection, one individual connection to God, but very positive on marriages, being connected to God, and families, connected to God, their families are now above our devotion, that all these things can be  devoted to the Lord, and know that the devil is out there to get after, if we put up  anything higher than Lord. And we just have to know that that marriages serve  the Lord. There's a lot to think about. But what we're talking about is the  decluttered soul, and what is the best way in this container of our soul, to glorify  God through our lives and our bodies. Christianity, highly values family, but it  does not believe that families above God, Matthew 10:37-38, anyone who loves  his father and mother more than Me is not worthy of me. Anyone who loves his  son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of me. Anyone who does not take  up his cross and follow me, is not worthy of me. You know, what that says about  the soul is that in the end, if your passion is the Lord, you will find that your  marriage will go better, your family will go better. Now, is there unique  circumstances or situations? Yes, there is. But in the end of the day, if the Lord  is our passion in life, it changes every one of our relationships. Let's talk about  the wrong kinds of friends that really bring clutter into our lives. The wrong kinds  of friends will either monetize influence or use you and they will desert you this  clutter can mess with your soul. Proverbs 19:4, wealth brings many friends but a poor man's friends desert him, Proverbs 22:24, don't make friends with the hot 

tempered man do not associate with one easily angered or you may learn his  ways and get yourself ensnared. The fact is bad company corrupts good  character, and it will clutter your life. And what we read in the Word of God is  that we are to keep our lives, clutter free, our souls clutter, clutter free. And we  need to be a community that models that we welcome God in our relationships.  The church is called to encourage a model a community of love and  connectedness, Ephesians 2:21-22. In Him the whole building is joined together  and rise to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built  together to become a dwelling in which God lives by His Spirit. The decluttered  community is what the church is called to be in. That's why you're doing ministry  training. That's why you're figuring out more of how to serve the Lord. So as we  think about decluttering our souls with decluttering relationships that hurt our  identity for Christ, I have some questions. Are there any associations that need  to be out of your life? Do you and your spouse need to talk about supporting  each other differently? Hebrews 10:24, and let us consider how we may spur  one another on toward love and good deeds. You know, this could be  something, if you're married, you do with your spouse, if you're single you do  with your mentor, if you're married, and you have a mentor, because your  spouse is really not connecting on that plane right now, that's fine. The point is,  is, is the care of your soul in the associations that you have, if you are  witnessing to others are the is the arrow pointing toward building the kingdom,  or you get drawn into things that clutter you away from the Lord. All of this is part of that discussion of decluttering your soul. Remember, your soul, in a sense, is  a container. So all the associations or relationships or friendships that come into  your life, ultimately, either bless you toward God, or they take you away from  your relationship with God, you're either blessing them toward God, or you're  providing more clutter for them. Here's a form of clutter that I've noticed is that,  at some point, if you are with a child who doesn't believe in the Lord or a friend  or a family member, ultimately, you don't want to give them more clutter, by I  don't want to talk about this issue right now. Which then can for them be like,  Oh, you approve of what they're doing. You know, it says in Proverbs, that  wounds from a friend can be trusted. So, ultimately, we want to be for others, a  form of helping them Declutter. Now, be careful. We read in the book of  Galatians. In the last chapter, that if someone's caught in a sin, be gentle. So  part of helping them declutter is a gentle spirit, but still a spirit that helps them  clean out their soul from the clutter, and in so many in our lives need that. We in  our marriages? You know, in some ways, this is a very controversial topic, many  would look at this from the world and just not agree with this. Because here's  why. Well, you look like, you know, God is above marriages. Yes, God is above  marriages. You God's above family. Yes, God is above family. You would actually change your relationships based upon God, yes. We will choose to be with  those that we can bless or can bless us. Why? Because ultimately, Jesus Christ 

is Lord and Savior of all and we take our souls serious. And you know, there was a passage that Jesus says, if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. What's  that all about? It's about taking serious the destiny of our soul. I believe in other  ages, and other times, there was much more of a seriousness taken, not a  glibness Oh, well, everything will be okay. Right? All right, don't worry about it.  We are those who are not of those who string back and are destroyed, but of  those who believe that are saved from the book of Hebrews 10. And that's our  passion. So as we declutter our soul, we do pay attention to the relationships in  our life and how they affect the blessing of others, the closeness of God for  ourselves, that God might be glorified, as we declutter and care for our souls.  Have a good day. And, you know, as I've finished this, I do realize the  seriousness of this all because I realized as we continue around this class, that  we do take our soul very seriously.