The Importance of Connection

The Importance of Connection (1 Corinthians 12:27)

Bill Welte has sustained the Freedom Fighter ministry for several years.
Many of us who read it have received blessing, encouragement and help from his effort. We owe him a debt of gratitude for his vision and his persistent effort.

If you read Freedom Fighter regularly, you know the trial he and his family have endured the last several days. His granddaughter, Lindsay, is very sick. Since her heart surgery almost two weeks ago, she and her family have ridden a roller coaster of really good and really bad news. Most of us can't imagine how difficult this time has been for all of them.

I bring this to your attention because the connection he brings to us through this email needs to go both ways. Paul, the Apostle, teaches us in 1 Corinthians 12:27 that ". . . you are the body of Christ, and members individually." I'm sure this verse holds more theology than I can touch in this email, but it says something important for us to think about. All of us together are the body of Christ, but we are members of one another. We're connected!

The New Testament offers us multiple "one another" commands that we express in this relationship we have as individual members of this body which is the church. We love one another and encourage one another. We're told to build up each other and be kind to one another. All of this instruction brings me back to Bill Welte and his family.

No one would wish the last two weeks on any family. But the circumstances that the Weltes and Groens live in right now give us an opportunity to live out "body" truth." We have opportunity to love this family. We have occasion to encourage them. They need our kindness like no other time in their lives. Here's the bottom line: we GET to be the body of Christ because our brothers and sisters in these two families are walking through hard days.

Let's choose to be the church for these families. Pray for them. Be in touch with them. Look for ways to love them. Listen for prompts from God's Spirit and honor the connection we have in Christ. - Pastor John Strain is Senior Pastor of First Baptist Toms River

God WORD for YOU: 2 Samuel 6-8; Luke 15:1-10

Think on this: Let everyone consider what his weak point is; in that is his trial. His trial is not in those things which are easy to him, but in that one thing, in those several things, whatever they are, in which to do his duty is against his nature. Never think yourself safe because you do your duty in ninety-nine points; it is the hundredth which is to be the ground of your self-denial. It is with reference to this you must watch and pray; pray continually for God's grace to help you, and watch with fear and trembling lest you fall. Oh that you may (as it were) sweep the house diligently to discover what you lack of the full measure of obedience! for, be quite sure, that this apparently small defect will influence your whole spirit and judgment in all things. -- John Henry Newman