THE FAMILY OF GOD

    By A. W. Tozer

     I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
     of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named.
     (Ephesians 3:14-15)

         There is an important message for the believing family
     of God in the Bible: next to God Himself we need each
     other most!

         God's  ideal  is  a  fellowship  of  faith,  a  Christian
     community. He never intended that salvation should be
     received and enjoyed by the individual apart from the
     larger company of believers. With that, it also needs to
     be said that to live within the religious family does not
     mean that we must approve everything that is done there.

         But God has so created us that we need each other. We
     may and should go into our closet and pray in secret, but
     when the prayer is ended we should go back to our
     people. That is where we belong.

         No one is wise enough to live alone, nor good enough
     nor strong enough. From our brethren we can learn how
     to do things and sometimes also we can learn how not to
     do them!

        Our Lord who is the Great Shepherd has said that we
     are the sheep of His pasture and it is in our nature to live
     with the flock. Best of all, the Shepherd always stays with
     His flock!

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     Yours in Christ,
     Paul N. F.