Family Portraits

I am SO GRATEFUL for the Family of God.

I’m thankful for my natural family, of course.  But the family of the Most High God is such a treasure, I cannot even begin to adequately express how I feel.  These are just a few snapshots.

There is something so sweet about the bonding that happens in fellowship, where there is no pressure to impress, no need to out-do another, to prove you’re cutting edge or in-the-know.  There’s a release from one-upsmanship, when you’re just resting in the companionship of those of like, precious faith, those who simply desire to know God, and make Him known. 

When you feel that kindred spirit in friendship, the pretenses and fears can fall away, if you let them.  When you realize that we are ALL fearfully and wonderfully made, and fashioned by the hands of a Master Potter, you can let things rest in their proper place—mainly you recognize that YOU are a vessel designed for a specific purpose.  You might not know exactly what that is, but you can trust that the Potter doesn’t make mistakes.  He DOES know.

There is also something so powerful about the bonding that happens in the House of God, at the altar, when the Holy Ghost moves in to the service, and His presence begins sweeping through the corporate assembly.  In mere moments, as the song says, “troubles vanish, hearts are mended.”  There’s no therapy, no counseling, no self-help book that compares with time spent in the manifest presence of God.  I’m not necessarily against therapy, or counseling, or self-help—but why would I settle ONLY for that, when I can have God’s help? 

Psalm 121:1-2 KJV

I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.

² My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.

When you pray in earnest together with your brothers or sisters in Christ, something binds you together—it’s a supernatural thing, in my opinion.  Your spirits agree together, and when two or more are gathered in His Name, HE SHOWS UP.  And as the beautiful scripture in Malachi 3:16 states: “Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name.”

Y’all, when JESUS has the angels write your name down—you have His attention.

THIS is why you need godly fellowship—both at the House of God, and outside it.  When you reverence God, and speak often to one another, the Lord pays attention and LISTENS to what you speak of.  He has his heavenly scribes write it down in a Book of Remembrance.  Do you understand that?  It becomes recorded history!  “My people are speaking about me!  Did you catch what they said?  Write that down!  They love Me, they respect Me, and they are constantly thinking about My NAME.  Oh, THAT is worth REMEMBERING!”

The family of God provides us this opportunity to speak of Him with others that fear and love Him.  We talk of His goodness, His love, His provision, and we encourage one another.  I also heard Eli Hernandez state that, when God works a miracle on our behalf, our testimony is not the story of OUR victory—it’s the story of God’s victory—and we are declaring not just to people, but to the fallen spirits around us.  They are being forced to listen to yet another example of their FAILURE, and God’s VICTORY!  And we get to celebrate His victory with our brothers and sisters.  What a precious thing!

Thank God for such priceless treasure—the family of God!   Just think of what that family photo will be like the day His Bride makes it home!