OUR DAILY BREAD : WE NEED GOD AND PEOPLE

[cimi]

December 15
Saturday


WE NEED GOD
AND PEOPLE

READ:
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
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Give heed to the voice
of my cry, my King and
my God, for to You I
will pray. __ Psalm 5:2
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In 2006, while promoting the film Rocky Balboa, Sylvester Stallone surprised Christians with what he revealed. He said that his faith in Jesus Christ had not only influenced the writing of the first Rocky film but that his decision to create the final movie was inspired by his renewed affiliation with Christianity. As part of this transformation, Stallone realized that a poor choice had previously guided his life__self-reliance. He says, "You need to have the expertise and the guidance of someone else." Stallone learned something that many people are beginning to acknowledge--we need God and we need other people.

The Bible confirms our need for God and others. David expressed his reliance on God through crying out to Him and pleading with Him in prayer. "Give heed to the voice of my cry, my King and my God, for to You I will pray" (s. 5:2). And in Ecclesiastes we read that Solomon encouraged a proper reliance on others. In fact, he said helping each other can strengthen us, but individualism and self-reliance are dangerous and make for weakness. Two acting together are better than one self-reliant individual (4:9-12).

God gave us each other. Let's passionately rely on His power and draw from the help of others. __ Marvin Williams
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Christian fellowship provides us~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~With encouragement and love;~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~It will help us in our journey,~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Till we reach our home above.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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We can go a lot further together than we can go alone.

************Today's Bible Reading __ Ecclesiastes 4:9-12************

9 Two are better than one,
because they have a good
reward for their labor. 10 For
if they fall, one will lift up
his companion. But woe to
him who is alone when he
falls, for he has no one to
help him up. 11 Again, if
two lie down together, they
will keep warm; but how
can one be warm alone?

12 Though one may be
overpowered by another,
two can withstand him. And
a threefold cord is not
quickly broken.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Self-sacrificial generosity characterized the first-century New
Testament churches. Luke records this phenomenon for us: "Now
all who believed were together, and had all things in common,
and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among
all, as anyone had need" (Acts 2:44-45). Luke also tells us that the
Jerusalem church pooled its resources to meet the needs of those in
the congregation (Acts 4:32-37). Later, Paul wrote to the believers
at Rome, telling them about other churches who eagerly aided the
Jerusalem Christians with their finances (Rom. 15:25-27). Such
giving was voluntary and did not result in equal distribution to all
members. Instead, the funds were used for those in special need.
__ HDF