Before I let others into my life it was often hard to determine if I was following God's will or my own. Without others to discuss the choices, and the signs I was receiving it was much easier to convince myself that what I wanted was God's will for my life. Without others I lacked knowledge and understanding of some Biblical principle, and would repeatedly get stuck in the same cycles and mistakes because of not knowing or not seeing that I stepped outside His will for my life. Without others I had no prayer support, no one to pray for me or with me, no one to come in to agreement on my prayers, leaving them and me less effective and often discouraged.
But this changed as I started to let others in and built connections within the body. I found that as I poured my gifting and talents out to them, they poured back into me. As we prayed and worked together for our Lord, my knowledge and understanding increased, as well as my faith, my gifts, my confidence and my love for God and others. As the connections continue to grow deeper I am seeing more and more the presence of God manifested in my life and the lives of those who serve Him. Thru all of this I learned the hard way that to be part of the body of Christ, is to need Him and the others who abide in Him, because we are one body of diverse gifting and functions (1 Corinthians 12: 4&12).
I am reminded as I finish writing this of Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 which reads '9 Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: 10 If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. 11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? 12 Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.' When I read this passage it seems to say to me that we are stronger against opposition when we have the support of others, and I can truly say that has been the case in my life, that has been what God has shown me. Be blessed in the name of Yeshua my dear brothers and sisters.
John 15:1-8
1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
Romans 12:3-8
3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. 4 For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; 7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.
1 Corinthians 1:10
I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.
Ephesians 4:16
From whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
1 John 1:5-9
5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.
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