Take Your Place!Sample

We Need Each Other

When you asked Jesus to be your Savior, you joined His family – you have a place in the body of Christ. And all of us in that body need each other! We need to gather together. We need to help each other and love each other. That is why God has established and ordained the local church.

Ephesians 4:16 explains how each of us has a “supply,” an anointing, a way of being that benefits and knits together the whole body, the whole church family. You need your Christian family’s anointing and your Christian family needs yours.

I’ve known people who have used hurtful circumstances or hard times as a reason to separate themselves from their church body. Sometimes they feel like no one understands what they’re going through, or they just believe other lies about their church.

Running away from church and other believers is the worst thing you can do, especially if the bottom has fallen out of your world. For one thing, it’s God who places you in the body. First Corinthians 12:18 says He has placed you where it pleases Him. There are no perfect churches. After all, people are there. It is important to remember that you stay in your place to please God, not to please yourself.

Hebrews 13:17 tells us, “Obey your spiritual leaders, and do what they say. Their work is to watch over your souls, and they are accountable to God. Give them reason to do this with joy and not with sorrow. That would certainly not be for your benefit” (NLT). Unless God tells you otherwise, stick with the pastor who’s watching after your soul, and make sure you do it with joy. This can only happen if you stay in your place.

Being part of a body is not just about safety and accountability. The body needs you—your gift and your supply. You are happiest when you’re using the gift God has given to you to bless others. Being part of a body also helps to keep your mind on God’s concerns, specifically building His church. And it keeps your mind off your troubles. When you’re a part of a body and using your gifts, something bigger than you is going on.