I am cared for spiritually by so many people in our church family and for that, I am very thankful.  John and Paul are awesome spiritual brothers.  I love living life with them. Our elders frequently check in on me with phone calls and encouraging emails. I often meet early on Friday mornings for prayer with Matt Caudle and Lance Utne.  This past week, Jerry Cogley invited me out for breakfast, Bill Lewis inquired on my well-being and we met for lunch.  Richard Rivera got back from his vacation and checked in on me, Mark Rampey keeps asking me out to men’s basketball… These are my brothers. I’m hard to be a friend with; I am introverted and tend to isolate, and I often resist community, the very thing that I desperately need. They know this and are so patient, but they keep at me.  God uses these men and so many others to pursue my heart.

Two Sunday’s ago we talked about how Jesus maintained perfect balance in his life- UPWARD- in his relationship with God, INWARD- with his relationship to other believers and OUTWARD- with his relationship to the world. In last week’s devotional we focused on our UPWARD relationship. Today let’s look IN at our relationship to other believers.

Hebrews 10:24-25 says, And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Christian community is essential for us to grow and thrive spiritually.  Sadly, I’ve met many believers who have the attitude or even come right out and say, “I have no need for the church.  It’s just Jesus and me.”  OUCH.  I think they are missing out on one of the greatest blessings of life together and purposes of the local church- mutual encouragement; or as the Hebrews text says… “spurring one another on towards love and good deeds.”

So how do you view your friendships within the body of Christ?  Who challenges you? Tells you the truth, even if you don’t want to hear it?  Do you have a group of believers that calls you forward to be all that you can be in Christ?  That is what Christian community and true spiritual friendship is all about.  Are you that for someone else?

But we must be intentional- notice the rest of the verse: “not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another- and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”

As the end draws near and society gets more fractured and isolated, we should invest more deeply in each other and redouble our efforts for community.  Many Christians don’t. Some people give up on the church; they attend sporadically, participate superficially and miss the heart of God’s provision for their spiritual growth- life together.  

If you sense a need for deeper spiritual communty, there are avenues for you at GLCC- try a connect group, get involved in a ministry or participate in our new home based bible studies this fall.  It’s about LIFE together.