Relationship Words in the Word: Neighbor (according to Jesus). “An expert in Torah stood up to try and trap Jesus by asking Him, ‘Rabbi, what should I do to obtain eternal life?’ But Jesus replied to him, ‘What is written in the Torah? How do you read it?’ The scholar answered, ‘You are to love …

Relationship Words in the Word: Neighbor (in OT). “You shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord” (Leviticus 19:18). Rea is the Hebrew word that is used 80 times in the Hebrew Bible for neighbor. Rea refers to the person who is standing close by, anyone near to them whether intimate or not. …

Relationship Words in the Word: Friendship (with Jesus). Aretha Franklin 1972 – What a Friend We Have in Jesus “This is my command: that you keep on loving each other just as I have loved you. No one has greater love than a person who lays down his life for his friends. You are my …

Relationship Words in the Word: Friendship (with God). “Intimate friendship with the Lord is reserved for those who stand in awe of Him in reverent fear and who completely trust in His character; He will confide in them, tell them what is on His heart, and reveal to them His covenant promises of faithfulness.” (Psalm …

Relationship Words in the Word: Union. “I am inside My Father, and you are inside Me, and I am inside you.” (John 14:20). Sacred Secrets. Jesus revealed many fascinating mysteries in His conversations with the Disciples, but maybe these declarations of His were more intriguing and inspiring than most… “When I am raised to life again, you …

Relationship Words in the Word: Knowledge. “My will, my desire, is that you show mercy and you grow in knowledge of Me” (Hosea 6:6). Knowledge: The Hebraic-Christian understanding of “know” is not at all limited to an intellectual or mental knowledge. To know someone in the Biblical sense is to experience that person in a deeply …

Relationship Words in the Word: Marriage. “Haven’t you read the Scriptures about creation? The Creator made us male and female from the very beginning, and for this reason a man will leave his father and mother and cling to his wife, sticking to her like glue. He will be literally joined with his wife, and …

Relationship Words in the Word: Paraclete. “There is a Friend that sticks closer than a brother.” (Proverbs 18:24). The Holy Spirit is our true Companion and dear Friend, and desires to have a relationship with us by coming alongside us in our walk with God. The Holy Spirit is the very Spirit of our brother Jesus.  …

Relationship Words in the Word: Community. “All who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need… The full number of believers, every one of them, were united in heart and soul. Not one of them claimed …

Relationship Words in the Word: Harmony. “Behold! Look, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers and sisters to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious oil upon the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron’s beard, running down on the edge of his garments. It is like the dew of …

Relationship Words in the Word: Koinonia. Koinonia may be the closest Greek word in the ancient world to the modern term “relationship,” and it is biblically described as meaning: fellowship; personal communion; held in common; shared partnership; close companionship; in community; active participation; partakers; deeply united; intimately bonded; dwell or abide within. The following “koinonia” …

Relationship Words in the Word: With! “Behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, ‘Joseph, Son of David, do not fear to take Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit; she will bear a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, …