Weekly Message / Prayer Request

Acts 2:42 Men’s Fellowship

“…let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Hebrews 10:22-25 NIV

Ever since the beginning of the year, the significance of “unity in the body of Christ” has been at the forefront of my thoughts, prayers and study of the Word. The Lord has written the desire to search out the meaning of unity in each one of us on my heart. As these posts have demonstrated throughout the year, my search has stretched all through the scripture.

Here the writer of Hebrews does not disappoint my search for he clearly focuses on where we start together as Christians. He makes these beautiful comments in the Word such as ‘spur one another on toward love and good deeds’ or ‘not give up meeting together’ or even ‘let us encourage one another’. These words press to the deepest meaning of our relationship with one another as brothers in Christ which falls clearly into the question of unity.

But I believe there is even more the writer of Hebrews desires us to see in this chapter. He did not spend chapter ten discussing unity in the body of Christ therefore making it easy to pull out a few quotes on unity. Chapter ten in the book of Hebrews is about Christ's sacrifice once for all. So I find it interesting why these few verses on unity are placed in this chapter here in the Word.

The reason why I believe the writer of Hebrews put these quotes of unity here in this chapter probably falls within verse 22 and 23 where he says comments such as ‘let us draw near to God’ or ‘let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess’.

It is sometimes very difficult to hold onto our faith when life is full of trials and tribulations. This faith is an essential part to drawing near to God and holding onto the hope we profess. When we attempt to live this faith out alone, not standing together within the body, it is nearly impossible because the world divides and conquers. Yet when we live out as the Lord desires us to live, brothers united together though the blood of Christ, our faith can be strengthened by others within the body of Christ.

This is our natural standing with one another. For Paul in the book of Romans makes is so clear when he wrote:

“…so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.” Romans 12:5 NIV

Or written also in the New King James Version:

“…so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.” Romans 12:5 NKJV

Brothers, we are actually a part of one another. None of us stands alone through any trial if you are part of the body of Christ. We draw near to God together. We hold unswervingly to the hope we profess together. When one member of the body of Christ hurts, we all hurt. When one member of the body of Christ is raised up in praise, we are all raised up.

Therefore let us pray so that we may go deeper into this meaning of “unity in the body of Christ.” May all of us live out our lives within this undeniable truth set forth by the writer of Hebrews and the Apostle Paul. May God so graciously brings all of us to this understanding within each group at Northshore. Then may all of us attain the understanding of unity which is so hard to grasp in a world so devoted to the individual…


Prayer requests

Ramon – pray for strength in his daily life, pray for the continued healing of wife

Ernie – pray for continued health of wife, pray for safe travels of sister-in-law for the holiday

Tim – pray for the health of Tim and any medical issues which needs to be resolved

Carmine – pray for relationships with coworkers in building bridges of communication

Dick – pray for continued strength in seeking out job opportunities

Mark – pray for the financial trouble his sister-in-law is having

Gary – pray for strength in working with IRS, praise and prayer for staph infection, pray for stepdaughters in their struggles

***Pray for relationship building throughout the Northshore Christian Church

Continued prayer needs

David – pray that the Holy Spirit will reveal to us what we need to learn about our heavenly Father

Kelcy – pray for family during this holiday season

Norman – pray for daughter with clinical tests this week trying to determine cause of seizures

Chad – pray for friend’s mother-in-law which is battling cancer, pray for continued seeking of purity

Larry – pray that the marriage ministry will begin to make a larger impact on the Church

Michael – praise for Michael finding a Church in Alabama for himself and family

*** pray also for the men’s ministry in developing Godly leaders

Future Meetings

Wednesday, November 28th, 7:00-9:00 pm, regular meeting at the Northshore Christian Church (call Mark for directions) Topic: “Original Sin”

Wednesday, December 12th, 7:00-9:00 pm, regular meeting at the Northshore Christian Church Topic: “The Canon”

Challenge

May we find peace and power within our inner being in order to build unity throughout the Church