Encouragement in Belonging to Christ

Dearly Beloved, I trust this finds you well and bubbling in the Lord. Philippians 2v1 (NLT) asks certain questions: “Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate?” When I read it, I say, yes, yes, yes. There is so much encouragement from belonging to Christ, so much comfort from His love, so much fellowship to be had in the Spirit, and so much tenderness and compassion that we exude.  For those who belong to Christ, we have joy not only in this world, but hope in the world to come, we know we shall not really die but live forever. We have a Father who loves us, who does not want us to worry but to pray about everything. We have the Holy Spirit in us and with us, teaching us, comforting us, guiding us, counseling us, helping us, interceding for us, helping us in our weaknesses, strengthening us and standing by us – hallelujah.

 

We have Jesus as our high priest, who understands the thing that we are going through, who won victory over death and freed us from the power of death. Hebrews 2v14-18 (NLT) says “Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying. We also know that the Son did not come to help angels; he came to help the descendants of Abraham. Therefore, it was necessary for him to be made in every respect like us, his brothers and sisters, so that he could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God. Then he could offer a sacrifice that would take away the sins of the people. Since he himself has gone through suffering and testing, he is able to help us when we are being tested.” Amen.

 

Prayer

Father, we thank You so much for this day. From 1 Peter 1v3-5 we declare “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.” Thank You for the many blessings we have in You o God, in Jesus name, amen.