Together

Thursday, June 15, 2023

Good morning, Lord

Verse of the Day: Proverbs 23:24 New King James Version

The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice, And he who begets a wise child will delight in him.

Memory verse: John 10:27-28...27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

Today's reading: NEHEMIAH 1-3 ACTS 2:1-21

Together

A personal relationship with God in Christ Jesus is just that, personal. In scripture we see that Jesus went off to lonely places to pray but we also see Jesus praying privately while with His disciples,

Luke 9:18, Once when Jesus was praying in private and his disciples were with him, he asked them, "Who do the crowds say I am?"

Our faith is also a family-faith. We are never to grow accustomed to being alone in our faith. All through Paul's writings his instruction is for the body of Christ and how we are to deal with each other as we minister in God's kingdom.

Jesus taught us to pray:

Our Father who art in heaven,

Hallowed be thy name,

Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done,

On earth as it is in Heaven,

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses

As we forgive those who trespass against us

And lead us not into temptation

But deliver us from evil...

Jesus intended for us to feel the connection, not just with Him, with all believers. Eight times Jesus uses a plural pronoun-not once does He ever use a singular.

Now, there may be some long explanation made by scholars as to why Jesus taught us to pray like this, i.e., 'He was teaching a group so He uses the plural',etc., but---we are meant to be in this together.

Yes, we are to pray as individuals and seek God privately and have a thriving personal relationship with Him but this should pull us to have loving, growing relationships with each other.

Jesus prayed:"20I am not asking on behalf of them(His disciples) alone, but also on behalf of those who will believe in Me through their message, 21that all of them may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I am in You. May they also be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me. 22I have given them the glory You gave Me, so that they may be one as We are one. (John 17)

We are to be together and of one mind.

Paul writes: 1 Therefore if you have any encouragement in Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, 2then make my joy complete by being of one mind, having the same love, being united in spirit and purpose. 3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves.… (Philippians 2)

Isolation is not from God. "Lone ranger Christianity is not from God's heart". As we come out of this time of seclusion from threatening disease, we must see that God wants us to spend time with each other. It will take some serious effort-some of us like being alone far too much. The enemy always seeks to divide us. This must not be allowed.

Songs say, "This is my church" and people say I worship 'out there' or when I do 'so and so' but if one's church is anything but the Body of Christ-it is not God's church. It is also not a building or any type of organization of man. The Bride of Christ is the Body of Christ is the Church of God in Christ Jesus.

John 13:35 ►By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

If you have a problem being around God's people, relax and be at peace-confess before God that you are not as comfortable around groups or that you have a hard time trusting or whatever the reason is that keeps you from being with the Body of Christ and ask for strength to figure it out. He will not fail you because He wants us together.

Our Father wants us together so we are together in Him.

...because He loves us...

Our Father in Heaven,

Forgive me my judgement of others and strengthen my will to love Your family and be with them that Your joy may be made complete in us. Merciful and mighty God of love and grace!

In the name of Jesus,

Amen