And He will raise up a new kind of leadership—leaders like Christ and His apostles—in order to accomplish this lofty vision. But like the king of beasts, the Church is also intended for rule, to leave an impression, wherever it exists, of the righteousness, peace, and joy of God’s Spirit-ruled Kingdom (Micah 5:8; Romans 14:17). Like the dew that brings refreshment to the earth, the Church is intended to water the world with God’s grace, in daily droplets of good works and words of truth that edify and nurture all around (Micah 5:7). As we faithfully follow the general, foundational principles of being committed to Christ, as revealed in Scripture, God faithfully reveals the specifics of His will as needed. The Church and her leaders will assume the forefront of the battle against every foe (v. 5), as they bring every enemy of the Lord and His Church to heel. God has always had His specialists whose chief concern has been the moral breakdown, the decline in the spiritual health of the nation or the Church. Like most of the prophets, Zechariah has some choice words of warning for those who lead the flock of the Lord. 2. God loves the church with a kind of love that will make more of her than she can ever imagine. The Word of God makes it clear that to have sexual relations outside the bond of marriage is impure, and Christians are to abstain from such practices. [11] All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills. He speaks with penetrating clarity as He declares that Jesus Christ is Lord [3]. CELESTIAL CHURCH OF CHRIST Revivalist NJ USA. Portrayed as the bridegroom in this relationship, God reveals Himself to be faithful, loving, and committed to a covenant union with his church, comprised of all who believe in Jesus Christ and have accepted His atoning grace and gift of salvation. That is how genuine Christians come to recognize the living God, and to recognize one another. … THE LORD’S VISION FOR THE CHURCH The book of Ephesians shows us even more of what God’s purpose is and what will fulfill His heart’s desire. Share this: Twitter; Facebook; Email MORNING PRAYER (DAILY): 7:00 am Call In: 712-775-7031 Passcode: 443-268-839 . To the choirmaster. T. M. Moore is dean of the Centurions Program of the Wilberforce Forum and principal of The Fellowship of Ailbe, a spiritual fellowship in the Celtic Christian tradition. He wants us to hear Him, know Him, and respond. It does not lead to speechless idols, because it is the revelation of the one God who speaks, the only true and living God. The Point:  God often reveals His plans for us through His church. Then He will turn His attention to caring for His flock, delivering them from their wandering and affliction and leading them to fulfill His vision (10:3ff). Colossians 1:18. The implication contained in the petition extends to the conduct of the disciples, as the Sermon on the Mount's context reveals. Gifts and energies are then diverted into the seeking of our own spiritual satisfaction, the acceptability and ‘success’ of our church, the meeting of our own inward needs of significance, value and happiness. List and explain the nine gifts Paul describes in 12:8-10. Rick Warren Rick Warren is the founding pastor of Saddleback Church, one of America's largest and most influential churches.He is the author of the New York Times bestseller The Purpose Driven Life.His book, The Purpose Driven Church, was named one of the 100 Christian books that changed the 20th century.Pastor Rick started The PEACE Plan to show the local church how God … And though His Church will … Haggai 1:1-15 ESV / 74 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful. Now, what seems almost unbelievable hard to comprehend. It is also a supreme irony, because the purpose of the gifts is to build up, unify and edify Christ’s body, not to pull it apart. And it is limited by the prospects of members’ giving, rather than by the infinite resources of the Lord. BIBLE STUDY (WEDNESDAY): 7:00 pm Zoom ID: 713-469-9881 Zoom Password: GWCC. The Bride of Christ or the bride, the Lamb's wife is a term used in reference to a group of related verses in the Bible, in the Gospels, Revelation, the Epistles and related verses in the Old Testament.Sometimes, the bride is implied by calling Jesus a bridegroom. And they look for ways to invite people to come. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. What the Lord wants is relationship. They had accepted the Greek belief that the more you are taken over or possessed – the less you are in control of yourself – the more spiritual you must be. God's Mission for His Church Northview's Go Pro Series By Northview Church. God is at the head of the work, and He will set everything in order. Their true purpose is to unite, build up, and promote harmony and acceptance amongst Christians gathering together for the common good under the lordship of Jesus Christ. Does it sound like God’s vision? Not long after arriving in the Salt Lake Valley, the Latter-day Saints began building their holy temple. The Lord’s view of His Church is much higher than that; and His view of pastors and church leaders who don’t take His view of the Church is not a little frightening. God has a church upon the earth, who are His chosen people, who keep His commandments. Secondly, an eye of compassion; He has an eye upon it, to pity it, and to comfort it in the state in which it is. 8-10). Jesus said that no congregation would be able to rise above the level of its leadership (John 13:16). We so easily translate secular priorities into a church context. Verse 6 speaks of varieties of activities, or energies, stressing that it is God’s energy or power working through them all. Photo link Home. He chooses the gifts He will give and those to whom He will give them. And that is a very significant statement. 2:8-9], verse 9 indicates that there is a special gift given to some, to those, perhaps, who are called to serve God in unusually demanding circumstances. Paul’s dominant concern throughout this section is the unity of God’s people, which he secures by his constant emphasis on the one Spirit, working for the good of the whole body. California - Do Not Sell My Personal Information. This is why the Scriptures put such a strong emphasis on the kind of men God approves for leadership in His churches (cf. Of the Sons of Korah. The purpose of the church is to join people of different backgrounds and talents and provide them training and opportunities for God's work. First, the Lord intends that His people should provide a living witness to His goodness and beauty: “On that day the LORD their God will save them, as the flock of his people; for like the jewels of a crown they shall shine on his land. Through example, instruction, church discipline, and activism of various kinds, the leaders must provide hand-to-hand engagement, as well as strategies, equipping, and vehicles through which to lead the people of God to overcome the gates of hell (Matthew 16:18; Ephesians 6:10-20). 2. His essays, reviews, articles, papers, and poetry have appeared in dozens of national and international journals, and on a wide range of websites. Because if there’s Change and transformation in a God encounter taking place. It is the height of tragedy that spiritual gifts have become such a divisive issue amongst Christians in our generation. Surely the leaders of such a flock must be men whose zeal for the battle is intense and whose relationship with the Lord is very close and real. He is the author or editor of 20 books, and has contributed chapters to four others. God is gathering His people from all parts of the world, and every neighborhood of our communities, in order to equip them for the work of the Kingdom (vv. So I want us to look at this. It indicates that the life-style of the world, with its concerns for status and prominence, prestige and fulfilment, has won out over the life-style of the cross. God wants the church. HОМЕ; ABOUT. So there should be no cause for complaint. So the second stage of God’s will of command is the discerning application of the Scriptures to new situations in life by means of a renewed mind. Whilst all believers have been granted the gift of faith in order to become Christians [Eph. We as Christians have a distinct advantage over unbelievers when it comes to facing decisions. Let’s repeat the same thing next year. The varieties of service, of diakonia, refer to the way in which God-given abilities are to be used. Isaiah 62:11. Staff; Statement of Faith; Services; How do I get saved? Jesus said that His true relations are those who know and do the Father’s will: “Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother” (Mark 3:35). Contact Us; NEWS. As we seek God’s will, we should make sure what we are considering is not something the Bible forbids. Perhaps the ability to distinguish between spirits [10] was a particularly contentious issue in Corinth. Making His Will, Our Will! God’s Will for His Church. A WARNING TO CHURCH LEADERS No one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit [3]. Paul’s comment, you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led [2], is a description that typifies all forms of pagan religion that tend to subvert the mind and concentrate on the passions and emotions. This way of “doing church” does not reflect biblical thinking. “I will make them strong in the LORD, and they shall walk in his name,” declares the LORD. We not only know that our sovereign God has already planned the way that is best for us, but we have infallible information about his priorities that will help us follow his plan. To put the question more directly: Is this the way today’s pastors and church leaders think of the congregations they serve? He has already declared what the church is supposed to do. He is leading, not stray offshoots, not one here and one there, but a people. His purpose, as our text makes clear, is to create a strong and holy people who will fill the earth with the knowledge of His glory. God’s vision for His Church is of a great army, fully armed, well-disciplined, clear as to its mission, and filled with zeal for the battle. Why God Reminds Us That He Loves Us for His Glory. Answer: It is important to know God’s will. The Church in the Book of Ephesians. In verses 8-10, we shall discover some of these abilities, and others are added later in verse 28. Micah 4:1-5; Haggai 2:6-9) and the Psalms (cf. Such ignorance or agnosticism is characteristic of the pagan mind-set, because it has not yet been illuminated by God’s self-revelation in the truth of Scripture. As his mind is renewed according to the things of God, then he can know God’s perfect will. Wherever God’s people are serving out of love for God and for their neighbors, with the intention of expressing their conviction that Jesus is Lord, there is to be found a manifestation of the Holy Spirit, whatever the form of that service might be. Such a vision settles for a “good enough” approach to managing the affairs of God’s people instead of the “press on” attitude recommended by the Apostle Paul (Philippians 3:12-15). Doubtless there were prophecies, ecstatic language and miracle cures, but they did not, and could not, lead to a knowledge of, and relationship with, the Creator of the universe. The church is the body of Christ—a group of people unified (Ephesians 4:1-3) under Christ, who represent and reflect Him to the world (1 Corinthians 12:12-17). Skip to content ↓ Photos from this story Close Photo. We know that the word of wisdom is the preaching of the cross [1:23-25] and that the knowledge of Christ and His example [10:32-11:1] is at the heart of the apostle’s concerns for them. One of his most successful tactics is to puff us up with pride, and to keep us concerned about our status in the church and our imagined place in the spiritual pecking order. All this is yours, if you belong to Christ (Romans 8:9). but the and that's all praise God for that. The coming of the kingdom, God's power in Christ and then, through the Holy Spirit, in his church, would mean the manifestation of God's will on the earthly plane. Revealed in the New Testament but not in the Old Testament is God’s purpose in the present age to form the church as the body of Christ consisting of both Jews and Gentiles to fulfill a purpose different from His purpose for the Gentiles or Israel. Topic: God reveals his deep wisdom through the church. God has prepared His children and His Church for this time. But here's my question to everyone that. “Varieties of Gifts [1-11]. Yet an infinite variety of ways and means are employed by the Spirit to bring people under Christ’s rule, and verses 4 to 6 categorize three distinctive groups. FOR REFLECTION Their children shall see it and be glad; their hearts shall rejoice in the LORD’” (Zechariah 10:6,7). Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I do my share on behalf of His body, which is the church, in filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions. The same point is evidenced in the later summary of verse 28. The purposes of the church are non-negotiable. We must, therefore, accept our differences as God-given and thank Him that in His mercy we are not all clones of one another. That's God's heart for his church You don't really understand the importance because we as a generation have made the church a social club mindset where we meet and greet hug Eat fellowship. 2:4-10). Why are the three verbs in verse 11 crucial for a proper understanding of spiritual gifts? Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for his judgments are true and just; for he has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality, and has avenged on her the blood of his servants.” Once more they cried out, “Hallelujah! God desires only our good and thus our human perfection. We then begin to think that in some way we are better, more blessed, more gifted, and more spiritual, than other believers. finding gods will for his church by leo tolstoy file id 8b5619 freemium media library but only a call to stay in other words should everyone be planning to go to the. God's will for His believing people, justified by faith in the Ransom and consecrated to His service, has always been the same as the Apostle stated, namely, "This is the will of God [concerning you], even your sanctification." [3] Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit. However, we are in good company, or at least Corinthian company, because this chapter begins the most extended passage of biblical teaching about the gifts of God’s grace (the charismata). The emphasis in the New Testament after brief accounts of the early history of the church in Jerusalem in the Book of Acts shifts abruptly away from Jerusalem and Jewish community life. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. 1 Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9). but the and that's all praise God for that. And they find God in his church extremely relevant. This video is unavailable. The same misuse can occur in the context of tongues, of course, a phenomenon often evidenced in non-Christian contexts – hence the need of the gift of interpretation. Verse 3 makes it inescapably clear that one’s attitude to Jesus is the acid test of true spirituality. This classic statement of verse 7 encapsulates the theme tune of the whole chapter. [8] For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, [9] to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, [10] to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. It matches Jesus’ own words in Matthew 5:13-16, and those of Paul in Ephesians 2:19-22 and Peter in 1 Peter 2:9,10. Every member has been placed in the church according to His will. It leaves the church prey to the whim of the pastor and leaders rather than the will of God in Scripture. Paul suggests that spiritual beings who control heavenly realms did not know God's greater plans for humanity. Enjoy 42 10%. Almost all Christians today know of churches that have suffered severe division and persistent wounding as a result of this very controversy. God has always had His specialists whose chief concern has been the moral breakdown, the decline in the spiritual health of the nation or the Church. What does he mean by. Behold, His reward is with Him And His recompense before Him. 8:9] so He will reveal Himself to be present; He will appear in a variety of ways. He and his wife and editor, Susie, make their home in Concord, Tenn. Another year, another church budget kicks in. Clearly, these are not three different deities working in three different ways, but the Persons of the Godhead in perfect unity, providing for us a perfect model of unity in functional diversity. He builds His church using Spirit-directed pastors and leaders… God also arranges the members in the church according to His will. Should the Great Commission Apply to Immigration? I believe that the church is central in both sections of Ephesians. As the New Year begins, let us plead with our church leaders to take up the Lord’s vision for His Church, and to submit themselves to becoming the kind of leaders God expects them to be. Second, the Church shall be built upon a strong foundation—cornerstone, tent peg, and battle bow (v. 4)—by which the prophet means to refer to “every ruler” and “all of them together.” Jesus is the cornerstone of the Church, and the apostles and prophets are her foundation (Ephesians 2:20). If the leaders in your church are following a “status quo” approach to leadership, rather than one based on the Lord’s vision for His people, how can they—or the people they serve—expect anything other from Him than hot displeasure and severe discipline? Let us listen well to the Word of God, which speaks to us of Christ, of His church, and of our place in it. A church is a creation of Christ. It is devoid of any compelling vision. 11, 12). The New Jerusalem is not the church, but it takes on some of the church’s characteristics. Thirdly, an eye of direction, a teaching eye; God has such an eye as this which He does sometimes vouchsafe His Church. [1] Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed. Although the Corinthian temples were strong on mystical experiences, ecstatic states, trances and visions, with plenty of noise and excitement, at the center of it all were mute idols or lifeless ‘gods’ who could not therefore communicate at all. He founded the church, died for the church, sent his Spirit to guide the church, and someday will return for his church. He always desires purity. Cape Coral, FL 33915 Another year, another church budget kicks in. [1] Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed. To be in a place where we don’t value what our creator has for us. Psalm 48). Verse Concepts. His desire is to make us more attuned to the Word of God, which will sanctify us and help us discern God’s will for how to live (John 17:17; 2 Timothy 3:16). Zechariah tells us that God will judge those leaders who, by their ineptness, negligence, or outright disobedience, cause the people to languish and wander from His purpose and course. [2] You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led. He intends to fill up His churches with new recruits for the great Kingdom struggle to which He has called us (v. 10). To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good [7]. And pastor says man we gotta do it quick. He intends to fill up His churches with new recruits for the great Kingdom struggle to which He has called us (v. 10). Let’s look a little more closely at the Lord’s vision for His Church as it comes to us in Zechariah 9 and 10. In a culture obsessed with self-fulfillment, the church is easily conditioned to express her ‘spirituality’ in a culturally acceptable currency. < > About Us . It is generally agreed that the Book of Ephesians has two parts. One would hope that no one could, after all this, still seriously think that they can be as close to God outside the church. God has a church upon the earth, who are His chosen people, who keep His commandments. MEN'S FELLOWSHIP (TUESDAY): 7:00 pm Call In: 712-775-7031 Passcode: 443-268-839 . The annual plan of most churches simply reflects the previous year’s routine repeated with one or two changes or additions possibly included, depending on what comes along during the year. According to Alamoth. God’s vision for His Church is of a great army, fully armed, well-disciplined, clear as to its mission, and filled with zeal for the battle. The varieties of gifts are, literally, charismata – gifts of grace. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church provides, "The ultimate purpose of creation is that God ‘who is the creator of all things may at last become ‘all in all,' thus simultaneously assuring his own glory and … As the chapter begins, Paul uses his characteristic formula to indicate a change of subject matter and a major new section. Secondly, the sinful nature of every Christian is at war with the Spirit and obstructing the work of making us holy. Jackman writes: “The measure of greatness of any spiritual gift is not its degree of impressiveness, or its apparent miraculous nature, but its usefulness in building up the body of Christ, in love and in truth.” As you seek to understand your particular spiritual gift and how to use that gift, pray that your focus will be on using your gift to build up the body of Christ in love and in truth. Why is it so often like that? 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