"With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." Ephesians 4:2-3What a gift believers have been given by our Brother and Lord, Jesus Christ. We are blessed to have fellow bondservants in Christ to share in bearing our burdens and helping us up when we fall. Praying for one another as we each struggle with the trials and temptations that come at us in waves daily. Partnering with one another in support of world missions and in the mission at home. Loving one another, and through this love displaying the love of Christ. Sacrificing our own desires and interests for the sake of our church family's interests. Committing ourselves for the long haul to one another as we travel together as pilgrims in a strange land. Provoking one another to love and good works. Living for God's glory in a world that seeks it's own. Sacrificing this life together for the one that is to come. I love my local assembly and have joined myself to it for life. How committed are you to your local church? What does that commitment mean to you? Or is your commitment a shallow and self serving one? Paul uses words like endeavoring, forbearing, and longsuffering to describe the struggle that we must undertake to maintain unity and peace. We must diligently bear with one another in meekness and lowliness motivated by our love for our Savior and one another. Abandoning our church family for selfish reasons is never right, and does so much harm to people we claim to love.
Romans 8:28
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