If you have given your heart to Jesus and confessed Him as your Lord and Savior, you belong to the family of God. Therefore, you are no longer a stranger, but a fellow citizen with the saints of the household of God (Ephesians 2:19).
You were called to belong, not just believe! Remember, God said it is not good for man to be alone (Genesis 2:18).
You are a member of Christ's body and you have a vital role to play in your local church. You are a church attender, aren't you? I hope so. The church needs you for God has given a ministry for every believer. 1 Corinthians 12:7 says, "The manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all."
There are a lot of Christians who do not attend church because of various excuses. The biggest excuse I hear is, "There are too many hipocrits in church." Well, that may be true, but they are in the right place. The local church should be considered a hospital for sinners, or a classroom for the learning.
I believe most of the excuses I hear come from people who are in a self-centered state of mind. We have got to understand that we must be as committed to each other as we are to Jesus. After all, He expects us to give our lives for each other. 1 John 3:16 says, "Jesus laid down His life for us and we are to lay down our lives for our brothers."
There is no such thing as a solitary saint. We form one body and each of us belongs to the other (Romans 12:5). Therefore, we are to serve one another.
You may say you cannot do anything. That is a lie from the devil. You can do something. As a member of the body of Christ, it is your duty to help the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy (Ephesians 4:16).
A large part of living an abundant and prosperous Christian life is simply giving. "Give what?" you may ask. Give money. Give food. Give love. Give encouragement. Give away your old clothes. Give away some new ones. Give smiles, hand shakes and hugs. These things mean a lot! Especially if people who come into your local church do not experience this kind of love anywhere else.
You are extremely important in the body of Christ and we need you! Just like the individual parts of our physical bodies must be connected to the whole body to fulfill their roles, so you must be connected to the body of Christ to function as an effective and prospering Christian. Proverbs 27:17 says, "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
If Satan can get you unplugged from fellowship with fellow believers and isolate you from God's family, you become perfect breeding ground for all kinds of negative circumstances to arise in your life.
Let God bless you by making you a blessing. Commit to your local church and to fellowship. Stay plugged in! The brightest light in the world will not shine unless it's plugged in.
Daniel N. Brown is the publisher of the "Living the Abundant and Prosperous Christian Life" Newsletter. A free weekly publication that teaches how to live the abundant and prosperous Christian life. Receive a FREE 8" x 11" poster entitled, "7 Habits of a Highly Effective Christian" when you sign up. www.secretplaceonline.com/newsletter
