Last week my Bible study led me to finish the week with, “And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Heb 10:24-25)

Very early on Sunday morning I began the day by watching a sermon by Tony Evans, Stop Blocking Your Miracle. There’s truly much to delve into in that sermon, but here’s the main crux that the Lord wanted me to hear. It’s the story of Lazarus’s death and resurrection (John 11). The Lord said in v 39, “Remove the stone”. Martha, just like each one of God’s children, had a good human logic reason for not doing what Jesus told her to do.

We limit ourselves to what happens in the natural world when we don’t act upon God’s Word and DO what He says, whether or not we understand it. We are not to bring forth our human logic to counter God’s Word, because His thoughts and ways aren’t like ours (Is 55:8-9).

There were a couple of points in this story that Dr. Evans pointed out in a way that I’ve never taken in before. After Martha shared her reasons not to do what Jesus said, He reminded her of His promise: “Did I not say to you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” (v 40) And then, “they removed the stone” (v 41). When the Lord tells us to do something, He doesn’t mean we have to do it alone. In fact, most things require that others in the community come alongside us.

I hadn’t been to church in a while, but I got up, got dressed, and went to church. The text in the message was about the importance of the community coming together to help each other. “So it came about when Moses held his hand up, that Israel prevailed, and when he let his hand down, Amalek prevailed. But Moses’ hands were heavy. Then they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it; and Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side and one on the other. Thus his hands were steady until the sun set.” (Ex 17:11-12)

We aren’t meant to go through this life alone, but in community. When the devil convinces us that we don’t need others, he has us where he wants us, alone and without the support of other believers. “And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.” (Eccl 4:12) We must be in community in order to discuss our troubles and have others pray with us: “Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.” (James 5:16)

I encourage you if you aren’t in community with people face-to-face, hand-to-hand, find a community of believers. Not only do you need them, but they need you! “Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing.” (1 Thess 5:11)