Bible Study Notes

Everyone wants to enjoy happy relationships with others. This is most people’s goal; however, we often see troubled relationships that cause pain for all involved. Whether it’s a friendship or a marriage, the bonds that people forge with each other can result in either good or evil. God wants all our relationships to be fulfilling; the Bible has plenty to say about choosing godly friends and developing and maintaining the right relationships.

When we don’t follow God’s guidelines in this area, we can run into trouble. The first relationship was between Adam and Eve, but it went downhill when they sinned and turned away from God’s will for them. They had the best of intentions, but everything went wrong when they began listening to the serpent’s voice instead of God’s voice. Fast-forwarding to the present, nothing has changed: God still needs to be at the center of every relationship for it to be successful. “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33).

Exemplifying Christian behavior is crucial to being a good representative of God’s kingdom. When we believe strongly in God’s Word, this belief will move from our intellectual minds down into our hearts and show up in our speech and our actions. “Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.  Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord” (Romans 12:9-11, NKJV). Doing this makes us stand out from the rest of the world and attract like-minded individuals whose heartfelt spiritual values line up with ours. Being surrounded by godly people involves putting God first.

Today’s “dating scene” is unholy; following the standards the world follows to find a husband or a wife is therefore a big mistake. God loves us and wants us to be happy, and He delights in using other people to show us that love. Sadly, getting involved with the wrong kind of person gives the devil an opportunity to use those closest to us to inflict pain and suffering. “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people” (2 Corinthians 6:14-16). Too many divorces take place because people ignore this warning; listening to God in this area greatly reduces the chances of a painful breakup.

God wants to bless us with Christian friends and a godly marriage, but He ultimately lets us make our own decisions in choosing our friends and future spouse. Associating with the wrong group of people leads us down the wrong path, creating a major stumbling block for us. “Do not be so deceived and misled! Evil companionships (communion, associations) corrupt and deprave good manners and morals and character” (1 Corinthians 15:33, AMPC). Praying for guidance in what relationships we should embrace—and which ones to avoid—really works. God will always honor this type of prayer.  

Everyone needs help from time to time. When we get caught in a situation that’s too much for us to handle alone, we need someone we can rely on. The natural response is to go to family and friends, but people have their limitations. Trusting in another person to pull us out of a difficult situation can be hit-or-miss, but trusting in God to deliver us from trouble gets results; going to Him in prayer is a powerful statement of our reliance on Him.

Often, our prayers are our last resort when they should be our first strategy. Although it’s not God’s will for us to struggle with problems by ourselves, He gives us the choice of whether or not to accept His help. Believing that He’s always willing and able to steer us clear of trouble—or rescue us when we’re in the midst of it—allows Him to step in and intervene. “When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their distress and troubles” (Psalm 34:17, AMPC). God sees us as righteous when we trust Him.

Believers are involved in spiritual warfare; we therefore must know how to pray for maximum results. Our prayers take on power when we begin them by thanking God for what He’s already done in our lives and praising Him for who He is. When we make requests of Him, He already knows what we need; however, our heavenly Father still loves hearing from us in the same way an earthly father loves hearing from his children. When we pray, doing so in faith makes our prayers effective. “And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive” (Matthew 21:22).

Sometimes we wonder if our prayers make any difference at all, especially if nothing changes at first. This is where our faith comes into play. Faith is being consistently, constantly the same in all circumstances, regardless of what’s happening around us. Praying in faith and in agreement with God’s Word does make a difference. “…The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective” (James 5:16, NIV).

There are times when we feel led to pray but don’t even know where to begin or what to say. True prayer goes beyond mere words and comes from the heart. In situations when we sense our spirit needing and wanting to pray but the words just aren’t there, we can rely on the Holy Spirit to guide us in the perfect prayer. “And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Acts 2:4, NKJV). Praying in tongues is a grace gift from God, and it’s just as powerful today as when it was given to the believers during the first Pentecost.

Praying in the Holy Spirit frees us from having to understand with our minds. “For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful” (1 Corinthians 14:14). We are spirit beings living in physical bodies with limited understanding; when we come to the end of our finite human comprehension, this type of prayer moves our spirits into alignment with God’s Spirit. Connecting with Him allows us to receive unlimited wisdom from Him that we could never discern on our own. There will always be times when we have more questions than answers; thankfully, when we face those times, we know who to go to for those answers.