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body of Christ

Standing Through the Storms

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“This is not the time to pull away and neglect meeting together, as some have formed the habit of doing, because we need each other! In fact, we should come together even more frequently, eager to encourage and urge each other onward… “
Hebrews 10:25 TPT

As my best friend and I rode her golf cart around the pond admiring the beauty of the late afternoon, she began to point out the cypress trees in the water and on land. There were small clumps of two or three cypresses scattered here and there, tall, and stately. A variety of trees had once stood among them, but had been removed, leaving only the cypress trees. When high winds struck the area a few years ago, the storm had broken out the tops of all the cypresses except two. The lack of protection and support from stronger trees had proved detrimental.

Looking at those trees made me think about us as Christians; the church; the body of Christ. We need each other desperately! We go through seasons where the storms of life hit us hard. If we don’t have others to surround us and be there for us, we can easily lose our grip.

Discouragement, despair, and defeat have a way of sneaking in when you least expect it. When the wind blows strong and hard, one can feel overwhelmed and broken. Yet, if we surround ourselves with those who will encourage and stand with us, we are more easily protected from the squall of the battle around us.

In First Corinthians, we learn that the body of Christ is not one member, but many (12:14). God has placed each of us right where we need to be within the body as He desires (12:18). The members should care for one another whether there be suffering or rejoicing (12:25-26).

Where has God placed you? Are you paying attention to those around you that are struggling to keep their head above water? You may be that beacon of light to offer hope and healing to a hurting soul. Be available and willing to weather the storm with others.

Maybe you are the one going through the tempest. Never be afraid or ashamed to cry out for help. Others can only stand with you if they know you need them.

God is always there for each of us no matter what. In like fashion, as His body, let us find ourselves “standing firm in one spirit [and one purpose], with one mind striving side by side[as if in combat] for the faith of the gospel.” (Philippians 1:27 AMP)

[Digging deeper – Acts 2:42-47; Phil. 2:1-4; Col. 4:7-18; Heb. 3:13; James 5:13-16;               1 Peter 4:8-11]

Needing each other,

Beverly <><

 

 

Photo Credit: photo by Beverly Lussi

Good Looking Out

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“Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.”
Philippians 2:4, NLT

Girl_in_wheelchair“Oh my goodness, how did I miss seeing her need?”

These were my words after I’d failed to recognize the need of a woman I’d encountered in a store. While reading labels to ensure that I’d get just the right hair products, I was vaguely aware of a woman who’d rolled into the aisle in a motorized wheel chair. I briefly glanced at her, smiled, and said “hello”. She appeared to be waving and was making sounds, which I took as her version of a return greeting. There was another woman standing just behind her wheel chair and I thought the two were together. After a time, I noticed that the wheel-chaired woman was still in the aisle, moving her hand and making the sounds. I glanced up again briefly, and nodded thinking; “she’s waving at me again, how friendly”! Then I returned to looking at product labels as I headed down the aisle in her direction. When I got close to her, I noticed that everyone else was gone. The woman in the wheel chair was moving her hand again, repeating the same sounds and looking intently at me. Just then I heard a voice from behind me ask, “Ma’am do you need something from that shelf? I spun around to notice a woman talking to the woman in the wheelchair. The woman in the chair motioned excitedly now and then it dawned on me! She’d been siting in the aisle all of this time trying to get an item she couldn’t reach from people she couldn’t communicate with! Save for the woman who’d finally asked her if she required assistance, we’d all missed her need! I got the item off of the shelf, put it in the woman’s bag, and apologized to her. Inside, I wanted to cry.

After she wheeled away, I asked the question that opens this Dose to the woman that saw the need. She had some good looking out!

We aren’t meant to be islands unto ourselves but a part of a whole, members of the body of Christ. When we get too preoccupied with what we’re doing, and ourselves, we can easily miss seeing the needs of others around us. We miss opportunities to allow the love of Jesus to show through us to others.

Are you seeing a need today that The Lord can use you to fulfill, or are you too focused on self, like I was that day in the store?

By grace through faith,

Rita

Some of My Favorites: Live in Unity with Other Believers

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I’m not great at memory work, but I have a book of my favorite Scriptures. I add to it as a new verse touches my heart. Can I share a few with you?

 

Live in Unity with Other Believers

I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought.

1 Corinthians 1:10

praying_on_bible_redIf you have read Paul’s letters to the church at Corinth, you understand that these believers were having some issues! He was quite frank with them and did not hesitate to give them a good “preaching to.”

I believe it is safe to say that today’s churches have their own issues. People are people. Even so, our churches strive to be the best they can be, and I praise God for my church.

But what I think about when I read this verse is the body of Christ, the true church. There are many Christian “churches,” going by different labels or names, but as true Christians we are all part of the same body. We are all part of the same church.

If all the Christians just in America could ever come together in one mind and of one accord, oh, what a revival we would see! The spiritual strength of our unity would be overwhelming. It would be absolutely beautiful. The praises to our Lord would rock the heavens.

Now that would be something to see.

Lord, help us to understand that there are many believers in this world and we are all part of the same family. Your family. Oh, how we love You.

Janice