BH Bulletin - Friday 9 July 2021

Thought for the Day by Dave Howarth
​(Lead Pastor Holy Cross Church)

The church is like a body. In our churches God wants big and little, old and young, quiet and not-so-quiet, living closely together and growing in Christ together.
But how can we manage that? Although we’re saved, we’re still sinners. Sometimes I’ll hurt you and let you down; and sometimes you’ll do the same to me. So how we must live as saved sinners amongst saved sinners?

Let’s walk through Ephesians 4vv2-6: Be completely humble. That means being more concerned with the rest of the church than with ourselves and what we want.
Next: be gentle. That means not being rough or harsh with each other.
But rather: be patient, bearing with one another in love. So when you find someone from your church hard work, you resist your natural instinct to keep away from them. Or when another church members does something wrong, before you react, you press pause, and allow God to change your heart so that you love them and stick with them. Because they are your own family.

It’s not natural for us to live like this. But that’s just the point: God’s people are not natural! We’re supernatural. He has made us incredible. Verse 3 sums it up: Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

When a sports player moves clubs, their transfer unites them to his new teammates. But they then will need to keep that unity for the team to be successful. In a church God has made us one, he has united us. We need to make every effort to keep the unity. Is there someone in your church who you need to better than you are? Repent with thanksgiving, and ask for God’s help to do that.
Dave Howarth

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