“Try your best to let God’s Spirit keep your hearts united. Do this by living at peace. All of you are part of the same body. There is only one Spirit of God, just as you were given one hope when you were chosen to be God’s people. We have only one Lord, one faith, and one baptism. There is one God who is the Father of all people. Not only is God above all others, but he works by using all of us, and he lives in all of us. Christ has generously divided out his gifts to us.”
God has an eternal purpose for the church richly furbished with His presence and filling the earth with the manifestation of Himself and a demonstration of who He is. He has gifted us to equip us uniquely in this.
“Christ has generously divided out his gifts to us.”
Christ chose a five fold ministry as necessary to fully reflect all attributes and facets and these reflect the different cores we discern in different members of the church and they enable God’s to be fulfilled.
“Christ chose some of us to be apostles, prophets, missionaries, pastors, and teachers, so his people would learn to serve and his body would grow strong. “
We have to realise therefore that our job is not to change anyone else to our ways and seeing through our lens. That view point and nature is for us and our purpose.
Grace determines function and to each one of us grace has been given according to the measure of our gift. Jesus alone covers all bases and we represent Him only one or some aspects.
This is how it is key that we are all connected in the one body and collectively reflect the whole
“Try your best to let God’s Spirit keep your hearts united. Do this by living at peace. All of you are part of the same body.
His grace is for us to do His will, serve Him but through love. Work together as a team.
We must discern the grace and purpose on each and in that way not put wrong expectations on or be critical of.
“From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer.”
No one is more qualified or better just called to different gifts.
God calls us to His way and purpose, each of us as part of the big picture of who He is.
The goal of the NT church is not to win souls. They should be won in outreach in the workplace and home.
It is to take those already saved and make disciples We are in a reformation place.
We have wrongly put expectations on people who have not the grace for that particular thing and have never been meant to bear the whole burden.
It takes honestly looking and seeing where our abundance and strength lies and where our deficiency and weakness is.
Prejudices and preferences must die and team and shared honoured.
We all have need of every part, together is the only way we function well.
Where recent experiences have knocked some things down He is now intent upon us building it His way and playing out our part.
In any meeting we can discern and identify the different parts. Each on how they react and posture themselves.
Apostles in our body are the ones keen to build and plant and want to get out and take territory use signs and wonders.
Prophets are those with dreams and visions. Who hear the words spoken over as words of knowledge.
Teachers are those promoting the bible study groups, the imparting of scripture meaningfully bringing revelation.
Pastors are the shepherds who gather their flocks, lead them to food and minister to their needs.
Evangelists are those who want to have more outreach, missions and get out the building. Bring the gospel to the lost.
We have been wrong to suppose and expect one named leader person to have gifting for all.
We have been equally wrong not to recognise equal importance in all of the body positioned for their gifting to blossom.
We have been wrong to be critical without discovering our own gifting, purposes and the gifting as, purposes of others.
No one overlooked. No one told they can’t. All having a role. We can all rise up, receive and become mature in the body.
God is now shining light upon and encouraging growing a body that can truly represent and reflect Him.
A place He can inhabit and bring glory upon glory to.
The illustration shows all of us as cells gifted with an aspect and part of Christ to reflect and demonstrate Him into the world and be part of His body cells and being. Emanating light that pushes back the darkness.
Four Scriptures that come to mind:
“Try your best to let God’s Spirit keep your hearts united. Do this by living at peace. All of you are part of the same body. There is only one Spirit of God, just as you were given one hope when you were chosen to be God’s people. We have only one Lord, one faith, and one baptism. There is one God who is the Father of all people. Not only is God above all others, but he works by using all of us, and he lives in all of us. Christ has generously divided out his gifts to us.” Ephesians 4:3-7 CEV
“Christ chose some of us to be apostles, prophets, missionaries, pastors, and teachers, so his people would learn to serve and his body would grow strong. This will continue until we are united by our faith and by our understanding of the Son of God. Then we will be mature, just as Christ is, and we will be completely like him.” Ephesians 4:11-13 CEV
“First, God chose some people to be apostles and prophets and teachers for the church. But he also chose some to work miracles or heal the sick or help others or be leaders or speak different kinds of languages. Not everyone is an apostle. Not everyone is a prophet. Not everyone is a teacher. Not everyone can work miracles. Not everyone can heal the sick. Not everyone can speak different kinds of languages. Not everyone can tell what these languages mean.” 1 Corinthians 12:28-30 CEV
“From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer.” 2 Corinthians 5:16 ESV
The song God of Revival. Bryan Johnson
Lessisgreater 