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.