Acts 27:22 But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed.

In my last post for Thursday Thoughts I used this verse to bring out a point about –Whatever SHIP of NON-SENSE your Riding dont worry, God can take care of you!! ONLY the SHIP will be destroyed. :0) Well some ships are better than others…they all need balance to sail properly.

I got to thinking the night I wrote that post about the different kinds of ships we are riding on. I thought I would do a little study and play on words….Here is what I found and saw as I pondered these ~ ships

First of all a SHIP is a vessel you ride on that carries you from one place to another but it is also for sake of deeper meaning…. having the word -ship at the end of another word is used to denote condition, character, office, skill, ect.

So all these below are SHIPS ( the current condition or character ) we are RIDING ON!! (Consider…your ship….)

FELLOW-SHIP:

is an association of persons having similar tastes, interests. A FELLOW is one of a pair; mate; match.

Amos 3:3 can two walk together lest they be AGREED!

Are we being mindful of the people we are fellowshipping with??? IF the bible says two cannot walk together unless they be agreed….this tells you with what you AGREE with by your ASSOCIATIONS. He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed. (Proverbs 13:20)

RELATION-SHIP:

is a connection, association, or involvement. RELATION is an existing connection; a significant association between or among things…also can be blood relation. To RELATE is to tell; give an account of or to feel connected to.

A relationship comes with many different aspects. We do not form relationships easily with those we can not RELATE with….with those we feel NO connection to.

Romans 12:16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.

Sometimes we only form relationships with people we understand. Being human we can begin to see others as LOWER than ourselves because we tend to think our ways and thinking are right and good.

Romans 5:12 so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.

CHRIST is how we are RELATED if we are Christians. Snubbing other Christians makes you simple conceited.

FRIEND-SHIP:

a person known well to another and regarded with liking, affection, and loyalty; an intimate. It is also an associate or a fellow member of a party, society, etc

So we can see here that FRIENDSHIP incorporates both Relationship and Fellowship. I also see that Friendship adds an element : INTIMACY!

Eph. 1:17 [For I always pray to] the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, that He may grant you a spirit of wisdom and revelation [of insight into mysteries and secrets] in the [deep and intimate] knowledge of Him,

Mysteries…secrets….deep…intimate….sounds like only things that you and God know that are deep in your heart and mind. Friendship is a place where these things can come to the surface of life between you and a FRIEND to be prayed over and dealt with. You may not tell someone you relate with or someone you fellowship with the deep things of your heart but you would tell someone with whom you have friendship. That is why Tina and I started FRIENDSHIPS of LOVE, to encourage women to find and develop real and meaningful friendships in their lives. We believe that when you have another on your side and along aside that GROWTH Happens…HEALING Happens….LIFE Happens!!!

PARTNER-SHIP:

is the state or condition of being a partner; participation; association; joint interest. PARTNER is a person who shares or is associated with another in some action or endeavor; sharer; associate…also a player on the same side or team as another. A PART is portion, member, or organ of a body.

1 Cor 3:9 For we are fellow workmen (joint promoters, laborers together) with and for God; you are God’s garden and vineyard and field under cultivation, [you are] God’s building.

When we become Christians we are no longer given the opportunity to be ISOLATED. We are placed in a PARTNERSHIP with God, co-PARTNER with other Christians. We are a PART of something larger than ourselves. We can not afford to be SELFISH LONERS WHO ISOLATE OURSELVES FOR SELF-PROTECTION THINKING WE DO NOT REALLY NEED PEOPLE.

1 Cor 12: 25-26 Gods purpose was that the body should not be divided but rather that all of its parts should feel the same concern for each other. If one part of the body suffers, all the other parts share its suffering. If one part is praised, all the others share in its happiness.

WOR-SHIP:

to be devoted to and be full of admiration for. WOR in worship comes from the the original which is WUR meaning WORTH.

We are to WORSHIP one in whom is WORTH!!

Rev 4:11 You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.

WORSHIP : worth + character = He made us worthy to display His character through His Son Jesus. In whom all things were created.

Gen 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

We WORSHIP God because He has WORTH CHARACTER!!! He is LOVE!!

When we worship self we only worship the shadow of the True Light.
Which means we worship an image…a reflection –an IDOL!!

HARD-SHIP:

a condition that is difficult to endure; suffering; deprivation; oppression. HARD is not soft; solid and firm to the touch; unyielding to pressure and impenetrable …can also be difficult to deal with, manage, control, overcome, or understand.

Matt 13:15 For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’

It says here that if you have HARDNESS in you…you cant hear or see or understand!! Having a HARD condition or character to me is not wanting TRUTH. No truth means you are deprived of making good decisions. You will suffer because you do not have the understanding to get wisdom to help you with your ways. You are oppressed by the heaviness of selfish…me me me ways. You are difficult to deal with because you wont listen. You wont be controlled or control yourself. You are defeated. Downtrodden and BLIND to your own condition.

Acts 14:22 strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said.

We have to be willing to go THROUGH hardship …not stay in our hardness. That HARDSHIP we must get through is the many layers of SELF-JUNK we have!

WAR-SHIP:

a ship built or armed for combat purposes. WAR is to carry on active hostility or contention, to struggle.

Ps 55:21 His speech is smooth as butter, yet war is in his heart; his words are more soothing than oil, yet they are drawn swords.

Ever been around someone or been like this yourself….CONSTANTLY contentious. Always on GUARD to fight. No PEACE. Not RESTFUL. People who want there way no matter what are like this. WARRING!!

Ps 140:2 who devise evil plans in their hearts and stir up war every day.

Jesus came to bring us peace and if we are FULL OF WAR…. I would venture to say we are not walking with the LORD.

Consider the ships you are riding???

Thanks for listening
Starla