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What on Earth Am I Here For?
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Monday, September 29, 2003
My Prayer Today
Dear Jesus, Thank you for enduring suffering in order to make me one of your children. I want to thank you for the spiritual family that I have in you because of your cross. I know we are not perfect, and in many ways we stumble and fall. But I thank you that you help us and enable us to be victorious through your Spirit. Help me to walk in the fellowship of your family. I cannot walk this road alone. I need my brothers and sisters in you to help me overcome the enemy. I ask that today you would help me to find ways to connect with my family in you. Thank you for the fellowship that I can have because of your love! I ask this in your name, Amen.
Bible Verses
Hebrews 2:10-11;17-18
10 In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering. 11 Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. . . 17 For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. 18 Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.
Reflecting on Fellowship
Read Hebrews 2:10-11, 17-18 again:
1. According to verse 11, what is the common attribute of those who are part of the family of God?
2. Is there any way in which Jesus cannot identify with his family? Why?
3. If Jesus was tempted, should we expect temptation? In what ways does Jesus work through his family to help us overcome temptation?
Exploring Fellowship
We need the family of God! His family offers to us the fellowship that we are longing for. When the family of God is operating in the ways in which He has designed, we can find: identity, acceptance, love, grace, healing, forgiveness, and many more things.
What things do you find yourself longing for in a family?
Have you been hurt either by your "natural" family, or possibly by your spiritual "family" before?
Sometimes it is hard to establish trust again, but by God's grace, He can bring you back into the fellowship of His family if you will take the first step. Do not let your past rob your future! God wants to work through His family to give you what you are longing for.
Will you let him? You were created for this kind of fellowship!
Understanding Fellowship and My Purpose
When thinking of the word "fellowship," many Christians believe it is the time before church when they eat donuts, drink coffee and talk about "the cows, the crops, and the weather" (so to speak). However, fellowship is much deeper than this. Fellowship, according to God's design, is a time where Christians can come together because of their unity in Jesus and really get to know each other. Unfortunately most of our casual conversations revolve around "small talk" and really are not that deep. But we as Christians are called to a fellowship that goes beyond the "small talk" and into the very depths of each other's lives. The unity we have in Jesus, provides us with the blessing of knowing our fellow "brothers and sisters." Hebrews 2:10-11, 17-18 explains that Jesus, through his suffering exhibited in the wilderness and ultimately on the cross, brings us together as a "family." We are a unique family because we are many, yet we are also one through the suffering of Jesus. Just as verses 17-18 reveal that Jesus suffered during his time of tempting, he can both identify and enable his "family" to have victory just as he did. Every human family has its certain challenges, because it is made up of people that are not perfect. However, because of the work of Jesus and the victory he obtained, he provides victory to those who are in his family by his Holy Spirit. We as Christians (like anyone) continue to be tempted, and we also occasionally stumble and fall. But we all share with each other the grace to both resist and overcome these temptations. We as Christians need each other in this battle against the evil one, to be able to stand. One of the ways in which the devil defeats Christians is by isolating them. He knows that an isolated Christian, separated from fellowship, is most vulnerable to defeat. We as Christians need the fellowship of our family through Jesus, not only because we need a place of identity, but also because this family helps us to stand united against the devil. The next time we are tempted to be isolated from our Christian family, beware -- lest we fall into temptation and succumb to defeat because we are alone! We need the fellowship of our family in Christ.
Applying Fellowship to My Daily Life
Fellowship is one of the main reasons why we are created! When Adam and Eve sinned in the garden, the unity they once had with God and with each other was destroyed. Sin destroys fellowship. Just as Adam and Eve tried to hide from God after they sinned, so we also try to hide both from God and from each other after we have sinned. What do you do when you fall into temptation? Do you run into isolation? An important part of fellowship with the family of God is finding several close people (or one person -- particularly of the same gender) in whom you can trust to keep you accountable. True fellowship means that we allow ourselves to be completely vulnerable and open up our struggles and temptations that we are weak in, with those that hold us accountable. Do you have someone in you life that does this for you? If not, be praying and looking for someone who can do this. We need the fellowship of our brothers and sisters in Jesus who help us to become more and more like Him in the areas we are vulnerable to temptation. Fellowship provides spiritual stability!
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