DEVOTION

DEVOTION
I don't mean Earth Wind and Fire's "Devotion"
Some of y'all might get that.

Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another...
Romans 12:10
Another version says,
Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.

Sometimes we say things just to sound clever, sometimes we say things because we were offended or our feelings or ego was hurt, so our flesh wants whoever we deem responsible for that to feel the sting.

No matter what someone does or says we have to learn to get over it and move on.
We in the body of Christ can be guilty of making the same ignorant comments that the world makes.
Folks in the world make comments like, " I ain't hear to make friends, I'm just here to do my job."

Well Christian, you gotta make a friend to be a disciple.

One of the children's ministers at my church home spoke to the minstry team this past Sunday about us first being there for one another in order to be their and serve our Father in heaven through ministering to his children.
This subject had been in my heart for a while.
She spoke about the importance of God's people being there for one another.

We are slow to reveal our need for help for fear that it will be broadcast before the world and shame us.
So be careful who you reveal your need to because some will take it and use it against you.

Some of us believe that we can serve God apart from being there for one another.
Saying, "I'm just here to sing this song." or "I'm just here for the pastor" or "I'm just here for the children."

Guess what?
If you ain't there for the people on either side of you, in the front and the back of you, you ain't there for the pastor, the children, the song or the LORD.

The eye is no good without the attachments that feed it.
The arm is no good without the ligaments, bones, muscles and blood vessels that are attached to it to make it work.

A leg with no blood flow will stop working, it will be a dead stump.
Some noncompliant diabetics develop what they call neuropathies and this affects the nerves and blood vessels in the limb. Once the nerves die that leg no longer has any feeling in it.
Some folks end up having the leg or foot separated from the body through amputation.

Well this doesn't mean that they can't get around anymore it just slows them up.
We can do much more and cover much more ground when the leg is attached and supported with healthy nerves and blood vessels.

Being there for one another enables us to cover more ground, feed more people, teach more people.

Don't make flip comments because you done listened to someone else gossip about why they think other folks come to church.
No matter what their motive is, the bible says that whatever is done in the dark will come to the light.

Be happy for them jokers they done came on in. Pray and be an example for them, because for whatever reason they came, they have come in.
The Word will work their motive out.

I have connected my self to so many ministries with a heart to be a blessing to all of them and I am not being faithful to any of them on a regular basis in any area except prayer.

I mean there are literally about 16 different ministries that I want to bless financially and I have overwhelmed my self.

I wanted to serve in two areas of the church and the LORD said, OK girl slow down and go back to the place where I assigned you to be in the beginning.
If you are a toe you don't belong on the face.

If you are the liver your don't belong on the outside of the body at the thigh.

Do you understand what I'm saying?
If you are wealthy you might not necessarily need to be crusading around the country promoting you right now, you might need to be at the home church supporting it.

I could sit in the sanctuary every Sunday or I could see a need in my church and go and fill it.

I could ignore the needs of strangers or because I am devoted to God the Father I could try and meet that need.

DEVOTION
God has devoted Himself to me.

And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it: or one member be honored, all the members rejoice with it.

I'm here or you to cry with you and then tell you to get up from crying.
I'm here for you to rejoice at your success.
Because I am devoted to Jesus I'm devoted to you.

1 Corinthians 12:12-27

LOVE