Spiritual Health Checks

(Christian Fellowship Part 2)

  There are four signs that show that the child of God is a healthy Christian.  One is a heart hungry for God’s Word and a second is his desire to be involved in Christian fellowship.  When the Holy Spirit was poured into the spiritual hearts of believers in the early church, “They devoted themselves to… fellowship…” (Acts 2:42)   Satan uses the flesh and the world to bring destruction to the local Body of Christ.

  A young fellow who was fed up with church went to see this wise old Christian in his cabin to get some advice. He told him all the things that were bothering him about church, and how he felt that he would be better off without the company of other Christians. As he was speaking, the old man silently took the fire tongs and removed a red-hot glowing coal from the middle of the fire and set it on the hearth. The coal glowed for a while, but eventually dimmed and turned black. He let it sit there a while and then took the tongs and places the coal back in the middle of the fire. Within seconds the coal was glowing red hot once again. The young man took the wordless lesson and left determined to stay with church and become an active member.

  Just as coals soon burn out when they are removed from the company of other coals, we will not last long in the faith unless we are working closely with what other Christians are doing in the local church.  A healthy Christian exercises his Spiritual gift to help make a special outreach, project or ministry become successful.  It may be prayer, giving, encouraging, administrating or applying hands on work.  The fact is he will be doing something.

  “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!  …Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12) “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.”

Are fulfilling your part in the local Body of Christ?