THANKFUL FOR ONE ANOTHER
"I thank my God upon every remembrance of you." Philippians 1:3
No man is "an island" unto himself. Our lives touch many others and the lives of many others touch us. For this reason Paul wrote: "that there should be no division in the body (of Christ), but that the members should have the same care for one another." I Corinthians 12:25.
I. Thankful for the "Andrews and Philips" in our lives. Go back to the day you were saved and be thankful for the one(s) who brought you to Christ. "Andrew found first his own brother, Simon, and said to him: ’We have found the Messiah…and he brought him to Jesus…" John 1:41-42a. "Philip found Nathanael and said to him: ’We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets wrote." John 1:45
II. Thankful for the "Jonathans" in our lives. Think of the times when you were discouraged and distressed and someone shared God’s love and compassion with you giving you strength and faith to go on.
"Then Jonathan, Saul’s son, arose and went to David in the woods and strengthened his hand in God." I Samuel 23:16
III. Thankful for the "Aarons and Hurs" in our lives. As a servant of God, think of the times when your physical strength failed you and someone shared his or her strength with you enabling you to complete your mission. "And so it was , when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses’ hands became heavy; so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. And Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side; and Moses’ hands were steady until the going down of the sun." Exodus 17:11-12.
IV. Thankful for the "Barnabuses" in our lives. Think of the times when you were misunderstood and "left out" of fellowship and someone stood up for you and changed the attitude of the group. "But Barnabus took hold of Saul and brought him to the apostles and described to them how Saul had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had talked to him, and how at Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus. And he was with them moving about freely in Jerusalem, speaking out boldly in the name of the Lord." Acts 9:27-28.
