By Lisa Wilmore
My Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
To begin with, I pray that God grants you peace and joy as you go throughout your day. Today is another day that He has given us to rejoice in His goodness and for being our Lord. As He comforts, protects, and guides us during our time here on earth, let us continue to walk in harmony being strengthened by the Words that come out of His mouth-His Holy Word.
Next, as God strengthens us through His Word, “we must see other Christians as our companions not our rivalries.” It is essential that we understand what Paul recorded in his letter to the Church of Philippi. He was thankful to God for them. He, also, prayed for them because of their fellowship with him in the gospel. Scholars suggest that they had become committed and were doing the works of the Lord by sharing the gospel with the unsaved. Paul wrote, “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you. Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy. For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now” (Philippians 1:3-5). Paul was ecstatic or overjoyed that the Philippian believers had continued in sharing the gospel from the time he established the church till that present moment.
In addition, these believers were companions to Paul and not his rivalries. They were not in opposition of each other but shared a common denominator which is Jesus Christ. The Philippian believers and Paul accepted Jesus as their personal Savior and understood that they were not enemies but friends. In fact, they understood that they were on the same team-“Team JESUS”. Wow!
To make mention of, a few months ago, I shared with another believer how excited and honored I was, knowing that he had accepted a part in an endeavor that would happen soon. He immediately shared with me, “Sister, we are on the same team.” He further shared that our goal is the same-that is to be able to share the love of Jesus Christ with others through Christian Education experiences.
My friends, there is no competition in the body of Christ. We are on the same team. Paul’s letter to the Romans submits the following: “May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 15:5-6).
We must see other Christians as our companions not rivalries. We are on the same team.
Jesus Saves!
