The Church

by Charity Pence

Let's start this week's post by picturing the church. What do you see? A large brick building with glass doors? A small country church with a steeple and a bell?

Once you have a picture set in your mind, consider the following:

"You are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit." Ephesians 2:19-22 (NIV)

Do those verses match the picture in your mind? Probably not. That's because we are the church. Read the following again: "In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temply in the Lord." I believe that verse means that when we, God's people, join together, we become God's temple. And in becoming God's temple, we become a haven that leads others to Christ. In the temple we help build, people find hope, grace, mercy, and a love like no other. How do we become the church? By recognizing our part. By showing God's love through our actions and words, and by offering forgiveness to those who have hurt us because God has forgiven us.

There's nothing wrong with the church building itself. But without us, God's children, and without His presence, it is nothing except an empty, useless building.

Dear Heavenly Father, You have called us to be so much more than what we realize. We are Your church. And by creating us to be Your church, others can come to know you not just on Sundays but every day of the week. Halelujah!

The Body of Christ

by Sara Boyer

This Week’s Verse: Romans 12:5, “…so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.” (NIV)

Devotion:
Recently my father-in-law, Jim Boyer, passed away. He was an incredible man. He was gifted, loving and one of the most compassionate people I have ever met. He loved Jesus and served Him. When he was in the hospital, we called out to our church family and friends for prayer. They answered, as they always do. People came to the hospital to see us, feed us, pray with us and encourage us. After he passed away, we were showered with love. We were lifted up and our burden was lighter because our church family shared it with us.

The outpouring of love we received overwhelmed some family members. They had never experienced people truly being the hands and feet of Jesus. It was an awesome witness for who Jesus really is and what it means to follow Him.

It was brought to my attention that there are people we sit next to on Sunday morning that have never experienced that kind of love. There are people who are part of our family that we don’t know. Either we have been so wrapped up in our own little world that we haven’t seen them, or they have isolated themselves from the body. There are people that are hurting and we have no idea that they are in pain. There are people who are wandering in the wilderness and want desperately to ask someone for directions. There are some people who simply need a hug.

If you are someone who is going through Sunday morning with blinders on, take them off. See the beautiful family that surrounds you and reach out a loving hand. If you are one who is hurting, don’t sit quietly! Ask someone to pray for you and with you. These connections are vital! Share your triumphs and your tragedies with your family! Take off the mask and let us see you for who you really are and know that you’re are loved. There are none of us without blemishes and scars from our past. Let us pray together, let us lavish His love on each other and let us praise and worship our Abba Father together.

Abba Father, Thank you so much for our church family. You have gifted each of us to be a vital part of the body. We know that your plan is perfect and we are so blessed when we live in community with our brothers and sisters in Christ. Let us embrace each other with the love and compassion that you have taught us. Amen.

Application:
Get involved. If you don’t belong to a small group or a ministry team, choose one and get started. It is so important to make connections with your church family.
If you have a burden, ask a pastor, elder, deacon, or Sunday school teacher to pray with you.
Send a card or email of encouragement to a brother or sister. Reach out to someone that you have known and also a new member or guest to the church.

Power Verses:
1 Corinthians 12:26, “If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all of the parts are glad.”
Philippians 1:3, “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you.”
Ephesians 4:3-6, “Always keep yourselves united in the Holy Spirit and bind yourselves together with peace. We are all one body, we have the same Spirit, and we have all been called to the same glorious future. There is only one Lore, one Faith, one Baptism, and only one God and Father, who is over us all and in us all and living through us all.”