Tag: Community

I need you

James 5:19-20

I’ve always felt the book of James ends abruptly, like it’s missing the conclusion or the wrap-up or even a “good bye” that are seen in so of Paul’s writings.

Today, though, it kind of made sense.

19 My dear brothers and sisters, if someone among you wanders away from the truth and is brought back, 20 you can be sure that whoever brings the sinner back will save that person from death and bring about the forgiveness of many sins.

It implies two things to me:

1. God intends us to live in community, and 2. we need each other.

If a brother (a believer) wanders from the truth (the Word of God) and doesn’t live in a fellowship of other believers, how far off course will he/she wander? Jim Jones? David Koresh? I don’t know much about them, but I wonder if they had any accountability in their lives? I wonder if they had anyone who loved them enough to say, “Whoa dude, that’s wacked! You’re way off base on that!”

I need you. You need me. We need to make sure that what we think – what we interpret the Word of God to be – is accurate.

Chapter 1 of James opens with the progress to sin and the result if it is left unchecked (death).
Chapter 5 of James states how to be healed from our sin. By confession and prayer with EACH OTHER.

The last two verses just summarize the beginning and end of the book.

I need you. You need me. We need each other to be healed of our sin.

Chapters 2-4 deal with how to live life and how to live with each other.

I need you. You need me. We need each other to grow. “Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” (Prov 27:17) The premise of this whole blogsite.

Father, thank you for your design.  Thank you for faithful men who will live in community with me.  May we be ever aware of Your presence and true to Your Word as we sharpen each other.  Thank you for my friends and brothers.

Growth by Community

I’m starting a journey through Romans today.

Romans 1:11-12

For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established— 12 that is, that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.

In this passage, Paul says that (in the NKJV translation) that he wants to “… impart to you some spiritual gift…”  I’ve struggled with this passage before.  This got me wondering: 1. Can an individual impart a spiritual gift (1 Cor 12:11)?, and 2. If so, how does one do that?  As I began to research this verse I came across a really interesting bit from A Survey of Bible doctrine by Charles Ryrie:

“Too, we can develop our gifts by benefiting from the ministry of others (see Ro 1:11 where Paul is not saying that he could bestow gifts but that he could through his ministry impart the benefit of his spiritual gifts to others). This should be a never ending cycle—gifted people ministering to others who are thereby built up and who in turn minister to others who are then built up to minister to others, etc. This is the way the body of Christ grows quantitatively and qualitatively.”

Ryries’s take on the word “impart,” really helped me personally.  And his last sentance got me focused on verse 12 where Paul talks about the importance of community.

“…that is, that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.”

Now this, I get.  This is the very reason I’m engaged in daily accountability with a group of faithful men…. that we can be encouraged together by our mutual faith.  This is why Prov 27:17 says “As iron sharpens iron, so one man shapens another.“

So what’s the take away today?   I cannot do this life by myself.  I need community. One of the great lies of the enemy is that somehow, manhood is defined by being the Lone Ranger, or John Wayne, the “strong, silent type.”  No. No! NO!  That is not what God intended.  That’s why God created Eve, because it was not good for Adam to be alone…

Thank you Lord for my community… for those You’ve placed in my life and in my path.  Help me to always be grateful for them and for the work you do in me through them.  May I never take You or them for granted.  Amen.