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FIRST-PERSON: Living in God’s family

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ATLANTA (BP)–To be a child of God is an incredibly exciting experience! You have “family” members you never knew you had before.

Some in the “family” have a wonderful capacity for wisdom and counsel, and they make that readily available to you. Others give great comfort and encouragement, and you can experience this in your times of trouble and uncertainty. Still others share their resources freely with the “family,” and you can receive from them as well. Others have proven their faithfulness in friendship, and you have the privilege of never walking alone again!

Being an active part of God’s family, you have access to all God has placed in his people when he made you his child.

I have watched Christian medical doctors share their expertise, and Christian lawyers their counsel. I have experienced Christian financial advisers give help where I had little knowledge, giving me peace in a bewildering arena. I have seen Christian teachers tutoring with their teaching skills, and neighbors watching after the children of single parents who had to work. I know of Christian businessmen offering their experience and encouragement in business matters. And then there are the Christian policemen and firemen and truck drivers and waitresses and food providers, and the list could go on.

We must also include the pastors who sit through the long nights of pain and uncertainty in the hospital rooms with God’s family who are there with loved ones. They also share the sorrows in times of death and loss, giving much-needed Scriptures and prayer.

I have experienced all this, and so much more, being a child of God and a part of God’s family. Having received so freely and lovingly into my life, I find myself eager to stand beside God’s people to teach and instruct them in the ways and the will of God. I even intentionally have written books, just to provide help and friendship to God’s family and all who would choose to join in response to God’s invitation.

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Make sure that you are sharing all that God has worked into your life with others in God’s family. And be open to letting those in the “family” know of your needs and struggles, so that you can experience God working through his family members to meet your needs and help you in times of trouble.

As you give and receive as a member of God’s family, you will experience the incredible joy and provision of God working in you and through you.
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Henry & Richard Blackaby will lead a conference on their new book, “Hearing God’s Voice,” April 10-12 at First Baptist Church, West Palm Beach, Fla. For more information e-mail www.henryblackaby.com [3]. His column appears monthly in Baptist Press.