Bonding

Bonding

• Working on the word bonding tonight.
• Many times, you hear a mother or mother figure use the word bonding in association with a child.
• Definition of bonding –the formation of a close relationship (as between a mother and child or between a person and an animal), especially through frequent or constant association. (Healthy bond)
• One reason Bro. Brintley likes to have dinners, is so that we can fellowship / bond with each other. Sunday was a great example of it. Because the men had a meeting while eating. It caused several to sit with different people. (Ty- sat with Sis. Bridget, Sis. Jeannie, and myself- he did not speak but I’m sure he learned a lot because we were all talking and enjoying fellowshipping with each other. (Forming a bond)
• Research has shown that having a close, healthy bond with some can help you recover quicker from major sicknesses such as strokes, cancer, heart attacks, etc…
• Research has shown that when a person has a bitter thought their blood chemistry changes. How we think today will shape our tomorrow. Every cell in your body is replaced about every two months. So, the good news is, you can reprogram your pessimistic cells to be more optimistic by adopting positive thinking practices, like mindfulness andgratitude, for permanent results.
• The status of our heart (way of thinking) can affect the rest of the body.
• Proverbs 14:30- a heart at peace gives life to the body (NIV)
• Proverbs 4:23-Above all else, guard your heart,
  for everything you do flows from it. (NIV)-watch out for negative influences, toxic people, and evil behaviors.
• Proverbs 17:22 – A cheerful heart is good medicine,
  but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. Joy and humor are vital to our lives. -?(crushed spirit-inadequacy/overly sensitive?)
• Our well-being depends on the status of our hearts – and although you think you are hiding the status of your heart from people. You are not tricking your body nor God.
• The status of our heart depends on the way we bond with others and God.
• Bond again is the formation of a close relationship. The formation is the act of constantly forming something at work with your relationship. The relationship with Jesus is the ultimate. (Sis Bridget spoke about this) The Four C’s of Relationship and Walk with Jesus
• Christ, 2. Commit to the Commission, 3. Community, 4. Conquer – (other)
• Companion
• Caring
• Courageous
• Compassion
• Character
• Communication
• Charity
• We must be aware of people that dismiss the importance of bonding with others. In Galatians 6:2-We are to carry each other’s burdens and, in this way, we will fulfill the law of Christ.
• Some Christians will call this humanistic- meaning we should just depend on the lord. We are to love God and love others as ourselves.
• Speaking to a sister here about my journey of dialysis. And I know I had many praying for my healing- Fellowship church, family, friends, but it is nothing like talking to someone that has been on the same journey. Someone to give you encouragement. Those relationships have formed bonds. Now that I crossed that trail, I’m now in the process of being able to talk to or contribute to people on the journey that I’m on. Forming healthy bonds, as often as I can give the testimony I will. The church here knows what this journey has been like. But to become to share this journey with someone that is walking thru it is completely different.
• Relational aspect of Sanctification – working on your relationship with Jesus, yourself, and others. Anti-relationship teaching is not from God- I John 3:14- We know that we have passed from death to life because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death. -Example: bearing the fruits of the spirit / a wholehearted love for God and neighbor.

• We must dismiss the teaching of we can love God but not love people. I John 4:20- Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.
• I Corinthians 13:4-what is love– Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.
• I think we should say “I’m working on loving you or something that will make us think about what love really is……../ Love them in any situation!!
• Sidebar- I was thinking of the lessons that we have heard throughout the years and still do not apply to the bible as we ought. Bro Brintley stated that he would trade what he knows for what he does not know. I won’t to learning truly how God loves and apply it to my life, to love people as God loves me., unconditionally.
• We do not want to be concerned only with the rightness and rules- we want to be concerned about people. Matthew 12:1-7- If you had known what these words mean, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’^[a]you would not have condemned the innocent. We need to show love and compassion, not self-sacrifice to gain wholeness- They were weighing them down with burdensome rules and regulations, instead of showing mercy(reference) Hosea 6:6 .  Hosea 6:4- states that Ephram and Judah’s love was like the morning mist-which meant it was just surface love, it did not go down to the roots. Was not nourishing.
• The word Compassion in Hebrew is HESED-which means faithful, loyal love, belonging love.
• We need to realize that our bonding with God and people is needed greatly. Many people struggle with isolation, Let’s show people love which is I Corinthians 13:4.