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Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.   Acts 4:32-35 Have you ever looked up in the sky and watched a flock of birds as they flew over you? The formation you see when you look up depends on how far the birds are traveling. Flocks that are only going a short distance appear as a mass of birds heading in the same general direction. But flocks that appear in that signature “V” formation are the ones making the long haul.  The reason for the “V” formation is that it reduces the amount of wind resistance on each bird except for the one at the front. So when the front bird becomes exhausted, he changes places with another bird to rest and the flock keeps moving. Over the journey, each bird in the flock will spend time in the front. This is exactly what the early church looked like. Every time there was a need, the people of the church responded and that need was met by every person in the group. What a testimony to the unity of God’s people! God wants you to have intentional relationships among the Body of Christ and to care for your brothers and sisters in the faith. Living a life in isolation is not just unhealthy, it’s unbiblical! So live your life in the Body and care for other believers. Make every effort to stay connected with and care for other believers. Light and Darkness by Dr. Paul Chappell “Then Jesus said unto the chief priests, and captains of the temple, and the elders, which were come to him, Be ye come out, as against a thief, with swords and staves? When I was daily with you in the temple, ye stretched forth no hands against me: but this is your hour, and the power of darkness.” Luke 22:52–53 In the Garden of Gethsemane, the Light of the World was confronted under the cover of darkness. The contrast could not be greater. At the very beginning of creation God brought light into the world, and created a distinction between light and darkness: “And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness” (Genesis 1:3–4). The division was present at the beginning, and it became even more pronounced with the entry of sin into the world. God wants His children to be separated from the darkness. It is an indication of the power of our sin nature that we find the darkness so attractive. It appeals to us to think that what we are doing can be concealed from others, yet we must remember that nothing is concealed from God. His eyes are not shaded by the dark, and He sees not only our actions but our intentions and motives as well. The knowledge that God sees all that we do is a powerful motivator for us to walk in obedience. As new creatures in Christ we have nothing in common with the darkness any more. Paul asked this rhetorical question in his teaching on separation from the world: “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?” (2 Corinthians 6:14). If we are following Jesus, then we will have a desire for the things of the light instead of the things of the dark. Today’s Growth Principle:  As children of light, we have a responsibility to stand firm against the power of darkness.