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Subject: Fwd: Gems From My Reading - 4986
From: Norman Hiebert <njhiebert@sympatico.ca>
To:
CC:
"Be of good cheer."
"For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry,
for the edifying of the body of Christ."
(Ephesians 4:12)
It is also the business of every believer to help other Christians to become better Christians. If a brother be overtaken in a fault we are to pray for him, not persecute him. Jesus was out to restore backsliding Peter, to fire him up - not fire him out. Peter was marked "Special"; "Go tell his disciples and Peter."
The New Testament abounds in instructions to love One another, exhort one another, comfort one another, forgive one another, prefer one another, provoke one another to love and good works. We provoke one another, but not to love and good works!
The gifts of our Lord to the church, apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers, are not for display but "for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God." To know Him ourselves and to help others to know Him better!
And as we help in the perfecting of others we are perfected ourselves. Working on ourselves all the time produces a warped saint. Our best improvement comes roundabout, indirectly, as we help one another along. (Day by Day with Vance Havner)
N.J. Hiebert - 4986
