Take your Bibles this morning. We’ll do the encouraging word out of the book of Ecclesiastes we will be in chapter number four today. I just want to speak to you here and to remind you of the importance of having partners for the journey, this journey that we call life. And it’s important to. Understand that importance and to recognize that Although sometimes it may feel like that we’re in this thing alone. We’re not.

Ecclesiastes chapter four. we’ll begin in verse number nine. We’ll just read verses nine through 12. And in my Bible I have those verses bracketed out, and I got a note to the side in my Bible here, and it just simply says, don’t be a loner. Don’t be a loner. Because to be honest. That’s my struggle. My struggle is to be a loner. That’s kind of my personality. That’s kind of my upbringing if you will. My greatest dream, Growing up and things is just to basically, you know, people fear being stuck on a deserted island all alone or something like that, or being stranded up in the mountains or something all alone and everything, but for me, that that’s heaven on earth and those things, and that’s not right.

We’re not supposed to be loners. We’re not supposed to be disconnected from the community and those around us. That’s not right. And that’s not what we’re supposed to do. And that’s something to fight against not only the practice but the thought. Because even though we’re not loners physically, a lot of times we can create these walls around ourselves, these barriers, if you will, these shields. And we psychologically can put ourselves in a state where we’re, you know, we’re acting like a loner. We ought not to do that.

Ecclesiastes 4:9–12

9 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.

10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.

11 Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone?

12 And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

We need friends and supporters. So we have the local church. We have other believers that we hang around with that we partner up together with.

I mentioned on Wednesday night, you know, we were blessed with the opportunity to move into a bigger place, and it wouldn’t have been able to accomplish it without the friends that we have. And those those friends are our friends from this church.

I’m not relying on family, not relying on, you know, sons-in-law or anything like that, but, My church family. They’re the ones who show up. They’re the ones who help and look; The Lord knows that we need friends. The Lord knows that we need supporters. At times when Jesus sent the disciples out, he sent them out two by two because he knew how important it was to have somebody to share your experiences with.

He understood how important it was to have someone there to support you as you, as you’re doing some things. When we stand alone, we feel like our strength is limited. But when somebody else is standing by our side, it gives us a new sense and a new reserve of strength. And that’s why it’s important to have. Friends. That’s why friends are so important. That’s why the Bible spends so much time telling us to be careful about the friends that we make, and about the associations that we Build up.

Sometimes we just need confirmation. Psychologically, we need confirmation that what we believe is true. When you’re all alone and out there all alone and things. Sometimes maybe you can doubt some things that you believe. But when you gather together with a group of folks that all are fighting for the same cause, or moving in the same direction and believe the same things, it gives you some confirmation. That you need?

It’s good to remember that no matter what you’re going through and where you find yourself, whatever state you find yourself in this life, it’s good to remember that the Lord is striving right beside you. He never leaves you alone. He never leaves you. And he’s he’s pleading your cause for you. He’s your advocate.

The Bible says that Jesus Christ, the righteous, is our advocate.

1 John 2:1

1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:

He’s advocating for you. He’s your defense attorney today. And so I just wanted to encourage you today that because of the love that the Lord has for you and because of your church family, you can be assured that you’re never alone. You don’t need to be a loner.

Come join us. Be here. Don’t try to go through this life all alone. You’ll fail if you’re alone.

Our hope at Irvington Bible Baptist Church is that this podcast provided some encouragement and has helped you to develop a closer relationship with the LORD Jesus Christ.