Thursday, September 15, 2016

September 15, 2016: Helping Each Other

Daily Berry Patch Devotions in 2016 - Day 259  

Devotional Song:  … GO TO THIS LINK …  Please take the time to take in a You Tube video of images from tan anonymous ensemble in worship, singing … We Are The Body of Christ, prayerfully declaring that we who are in Christ are His body in this life/world, reaching out in His Name and for His glory to meet the needs of the body.


Highlight Passage: 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 [NKJV] …  
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 
… In Christ, we become His hands and feet to go and comfort others in need.
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Highlight Context … 2 Corinthians 1:3-7 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK 
… Paul teaches from God on His “Body,” the Church, reaching out to help each other in times of need/suffering.
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Reference Passage #1 … Matthew 28:18-20 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK 
… Christ’s GREAT COMMISSION for us to become His disciples, becoming His hands/feet on earth.

Reference Passage #2 … Romans 12:4-8 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK  
… One Body, using our gifts to serve in Christ’s Name and for God’s glory.

Reference Passage #3 … 1st Corinthians 12:20-27 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK  
… Again ONE Body serving in His Name on earth to meet the needs of the Body.

My Journal for Today:  … Our Daily Bread author, Phillip Yancey, uses the Apostle Paul’s often used word picture … that WE, who are in Christ, become His body, serving Him and reading out to meet the needs of His body on earth. He wrote: “The body of Christ” is a mysterious phrase used more than 30 times in the New Testament. The apostle Paul especially settled on that phrase as an image of the church. After Jesus ascended to heaven, He turned over His mission to flawed and bumbling men and women. He assumed the role of head of the church, leaving the tasks of arms, legs, ears, eyes, and voice to the erratic disciples—and to you and me. 

It’s more than just a spiritual cliche; … it’s reality, isn’t it? When Jesus left this earth, promising to return, after His resurrection, He commissioned us, the CHURCH, to become His “body” on earth (see the “Great Commission” in Matthew 28). Then, His emissaries and missionaries, men like the Apostle Paul, taught us that we, who are in Christ, TOGETHER, become His body on earth, … equipped to reach out and help each other in times of suffering or need.

So, being part of that Body, … Christ’s Body, … how can we be our Lord’s feet, eyes, and hands today?

My Prayer Today:  O, Heavenly Father, … Lord, let me reach out, in Your Name and for the Father’s glory, and help or encourage someone today. Amen    

Blogger Note:  Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online devotional blog entitled Our Daily Bread, distributed online via email by RBC Ministries.  If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you can read/study the ODB blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.

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