No Part Idle in the Functioning Body

While at service on Sunday I began thinking about what message is necessary to open the eyes of casual believers to the functioning body, the spiritual operation of God's will locally. How have we become so satisfied with simple messages, compartmentalized worship, scheduled spirituality? How did we loose the taste for the meat of faith? Loose the thirst for the quenching life giving water? Lord give me the desire for your table. Draw me to the meal that fulfills and strengthens the spirit. Open my eyes to the path that meets your desire. Let your Grace encompass all around, arranging and leading towards effective works that match your desire.

The message here was prompted from listening to a verse eloquently recited by a youth group member. It is one of the foundation stones, the blueprints of a amazing realization of God's will. I find my hope leaping, my mind quivering at the possibility of seeing such a day that the fullness of Christ is displayed in the locality where I reside. This verse is so full it would require vast tomes of discussion to encompass all that Paul presents in a few short lines. We will consider only a few simple thoughts here, but may those be a beginning of understanding for all. Lets look now to the verse (Ephesians 4:11-16):

"And he gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, unto the work of ministering, unto the building up of the body of Christ: till we all attain unto the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a fullgrown man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ: that we may be no longer children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, in craftiness, after the wiles of error; but speaking truth in love, we may grow up in all things into him, who is the head, even Christ; from whom all the body fitly framed and knit together through that which every joint supplieth, according to the working in due measure of each several part, maketh the increase of the body unto the building up of itself in love."

First we see that God has given out "life occupations" to believers for the building of the body of Christ. Man did not pick and choose what he wanted to be, God choose for each a purpose in the building. We should recognize automatically with the witness He gave us the anointing of these gifts. One does not head off to seminary to become a apostle. There is no committee that can vote for the churches new prophet. The gift of evangelism is arguably the most easy to determine for our clouded spiritual vision, if someone seems to lead those around to Christ with ease, it would be apparent that they are gifted as such.

Unfortunately, for the modern believer, the main confusion is in the realm of pastors and teachers. We have made these positions constructs of earthly society, and blended the natural with the spiritual. One who has the pastoral gift should tend to the flock, feed the members, comfort the sick. Yet, they should do it from a outpouring of the Spirit of God and from a recognition by the flock, not because they were trained to do so at a seminary. I am not discounting religious education, but the spiritual reality is that God determines who operates in these positions, not man. And the gift should be recognized by the believers automatically, not through committee. Teaching gifts fall into this category as well. One can have great knowledge of the scripture, history, and Christian life yet not be a teacher. And a true teacher may have limited education, but the gift will operate. Even the wise will gain understanding from a simple teacher. This is the main confusion among today's believers. We come to Christ, yet do not progress to a daily bathing of the Spirit, and are unable to recognize what is operating within us and among us. The gifts are left in the closet, to be replace with man's religious constructions.

Call out to God and ask for vision to see in the Spirit. Believe and trust that God will open your eyes. He will give you enough faith to find those eyes. As a exhortation, it is fruitless to "expose" the constructions of man. God will guide us in the Spirit when it is prudent to confront the religious. Otherwise we fall into the trap of judging for ourselves what is correct, and this is not the path of life. As an example, I have found comfort and support from earthly "pastors" who clearly were not gifted as such. Each Christian can minister to one another, nothing prevents us from that. And God has led me to look for the Spirit wherever I go, and discount that which has no quickening. That is not to say that He will not raise up members who do confront the static, lifeless, religiosity of man, but it is not my purpose at this point. There are many who attend church on Sunday, believe in God with a pure heart, yet seem not to long for growth in the Spirit of God. There is great power to be revealed in functioning as the body of Christ, but we need that vision, that possibility, the desire to see it worked out among us.

Paul addresses the believers as saints. You are a saint, one sanctified and sealed with the Spirit of God. Let the members operating in the gifts perfect you. Don't remain a spiritual child for all the days allotted to you here. Don't be tossed by the winds of doctrine. Knowing this or that, being enamored with predictions or laws, it can only lead to lifelessness. We do not find the source of our strength in speculation about the future. Nor do we become functioning members of the body by adherence to this code or that law. This is not a freedom to do whatever, it is a freedom to find the source of life. Focusing on "doing what is right" is not the same as trying to follow the Spirit, though the Spirit will never lead you to licentiousness. It is this centering on the Spirit that softens us, makes us sensitive to the prompting, causes us to be built into the body naturally. And as a member, we should have some expectation, some realities in our experiential faith.

Paul hints at these expectations in the phrases "joint supplieth", "the working", and "due measure". Go back and read it again. What does he mean in using these terms? Well, if the mouth is a evangelist or preacher, and the eyes a prophet or apostle (and likewise the ears and hands and feet of the body of Christ), Paul points to the humblest parts, even the joints, as supplying and working with the amount given to them by the Spirit. This does not mean that writing a check each month is the supply. It means functioning in the Spirit within the body. Supply is being a source of life for those you are connected to, prayer, healing, teaching, prophetic words, admonishment, whatever the Spirit fills you with. This is the most rudimentary place in the body, and it is to operate in the Spirit. Especially when we gather together, each member should be moving with the Spirit, a source of the life giving flow, not sitting idly, passively contemplating, while a select few provide what measure they have.

My hope is that we can see the operational body functioning in our communities. Lord grant us the ears to hear your message, open our eyes to see what you intend. Help us gain sensitivity to your guidance. May all who come to you gain hunger for your Spirit. A deep desire to take you in and grow strong into your body. I thank you with the pure thanks your Son has giving me.

On Good Works and Partial Faith

I was listening to a prominent Jewish conservative discuss what constituted acceptance by God, and the relative worth of faith and works. He made a statement which related a level of 'good works' with a 'level of faith'. This seems like a logical equation, yet it is completely wrong, for the Christian or the Jew. That is what we want to investigate here, yet a few foundation points need to be established before we look to God's desire in this matter. We ask you Lord to sanctify our hearts, we claim the purifying blood of Jesus as the perfect sacrifice, and with that blood enter into a place where we can worship and learn. May your Grace guide us to greater faith, experiential faith, faith that grows beyond ourselves and becomes a unbreakable body for You to fill with eternal life.

To begin with, we must return to Genesis and the amazing principle established by God himself with regards to accessing Him. After Adam and Eve had transgressed, God decreed the effect of that transgression then did something amazing. It is verse twenty-one of the third chapter in Genesis where God "... made for Adam and for his wife coats of skins, and clothed them." Here we find something glorious and wonderful. A innocent animal was sacrificed to cover the sin of Adam and Eve, and it was God himself who provided and accepted that sacrifice. From this we can gain illumination into the principal of being with God, entering into His presence, talking with Him and drawing close.

Adam and Eve saw their own nakedness and were afraid to be seen. Are we not the same? Afraid of being exposed, ashamed of our failures, hiding our inadequacies. Part of the personality of every human is a emotional and mental shield protecting and isolating the center of our existence. It develops as we learn, as we gain knowledge of our inadequacy, our nakedness. We learn that the life of man is confined to the natural due to our choice of wanting to know what is 'right' and 'wrong'. We want to sit in the place of judgment discerning the good from the bad. Yet we are incapable of omniscient discernment, and our judgment will inevitably be flawed. We perceive with this same knowledge that the heart of man is incomplete and can not enter into God's presence. We are a picture, a vessel, and need to have the tree of life in order to be complete. We need to access the source God provided for Adam. A source that would allow Adam to enjoy a relationship with God forever.

God loved Adam, and wanted to continue a relationship with Adam, so He provided for Adam a covering, a shield that allowed Adam to stand with God and not be ashamed of his incompleteness. As a side note, Adam and Eve clothed themselves beforehand with leaves, yet still hid from God. So their own attempt at covering their incomplete nature was not adequate to stand before God. Their own work did nothing to re-establish a relationship with God, it did nothing to bring them closer to completion. Yet the sacrifice God provided allowed them to remain in His presence, by no work of their own. This is the fundamental principal of faith. Access to God comes not from your work, your toil, but from God. He provides the sacrifice, He determines what is acceptable. He gives to us the ability to believe in that principal and experience it.

Now we are in a place to understand the concept of good works. A man can perform a lifetimes worth of good works, according to all that he knows, all the knowledge of what is good, and avoid that which is evil, yet never walk with God. This man is simply living according to his own judgment, or societies, and is unable to properly cover his nakedness, let alone address his incomplete nature. Works without faith are not recognized by God, how could they be? Supposedly 'good' works, as judged by man or society, are inherently flawed. That is not a license to avoid doing what is good or correct. There is a natural purpose to the guidelines for man, the boundaries of societal interaction. Clearly adherering to that which is proper enables greater progress in society, but is no guaranteed path to a relationship with God.

Faith is the true path, the confounding door which leads to God's presence. It is impossible to reason, mere wisdom will not create it. The finest intelect can not discern its essence. And it is experiential, not a passive concept. There is no partial faith. Faith is given to us by God, created in us by His Grace. We can then exercise that faith, use it to approach God. Use it to accomplish His desire in our lives. When we then do work for God, it is judged by Him, we are free from presiding over our own evaluation. What is most amazing, it is the path of faith that leads to that other tree, a source of eternal life. The access God grants to us to receive a higher life, a connection to being in His presence forever.

We can go beyond Adam and Eve. Our deepest desire of complete fulfillment, of becoming complete, of being clothed in light can be realized through the perfect sacrifice God has provide to us. I must bless God with the blessing He has given to me. Praise Him with the praises he has filled into my heart. No work of my own, no introspective self help, no construction to hide my incompleteness is fruitful without actual faith. We must honestly confess our utter inadequacy, our inherent impurity, and from that place receive faith to act. It is not the sum of a mans life that God weighs in the balance, but the measure of His own life that has entered into the man. This is where many, regardless of sect or doctrine, stumble.

Man on his own is unable to fulfill the requirement. We do not measure up, no matter how 'perfect' a life we live. And to persue a relationship with God, just satisfying God's own guidelines is insufficient. We must satisfy the will of God with His own energy, with the unblemished force He provides. No other action will yield entry, no matter how 'good' it looks to the individual or society. Faith is the gulf that separates the garden from the outside, the heavenly from the natural. It is the key that allows one to pass the "flame of a sword" and the Cherubim that stand protecting the path to the Tree of Life.

God bless all those who have a ear to hear. Grant us faith that leads to life. May we do works in your name and with the power you provide. Thank you endlessly.

Anonymity, Isolation, and the Living Word

Often the question comes up about how God can require that only through Jesus a man can be saved. Let the Spirit of God give us wisdom and enlighten our hearts with the living voice at this time. In the fervency of the newly converted, as a bible thumping born again young adult, I announced to one and all that they would burn in hell if they rejected Jesus as their Savior. This is probably not the path of wisdom God intended, but the words I spoke were true as I knew them. What I didn't know at that time was the living voice, the guidance of God's anointing. What is this voice? How do you find it? How can you be sure you are receiving the real guidance of God?

Having these questions is a healthy exercise of you free will and your intelligence. God made us in His image, with the ability to choose, and to critically examine that which we choose. Did He not intend us to use such in the matters of faith? That is His obvious intention, yet there is in many a mental wall, they are unwilling to examine spiritual life critically. Whether from fear or from false 'faith', they suppress cognition and inhibit honest examination of their own questions, and the questions of others. This fear is unfounded, God suplies the comfort, provides us with consolation in the midst of our doubt, we just need ask. As to false 'faith' or blind belief, this is not the mustard seed, not the substance which God deposits in our hearts and minds to grow and empower us.

A major trap inhibiting the spiritual growth of many is the blanket acceptance, blind belief of cultural dogma and ritual associated with Christianity. Once a believer, with the reassurance of eternal life, we tend to quickly judge things good or bad simply by their proximity to our religious community. This is no different than a cult or fad. Popular acceptance of a particular teaching or practice is not validation of its source. In this I am not questioning the worth of modern practices or teachings, I am highlighting the individuals need to examine closely the things which they have experiential faith in, and count less important those things of which they accepted 'just because'. However, the most extreme example is the Bible itself, and we should think for a moment about the heart of God in this matter.

Is the Bible the Word of God? No, clearly the Word of God is the voice that we hear, the confirmation of what we read, the anointing we sense in others as they teach us, that is the true Word of God. The Bible physically is a tool, a collection of writings, a path that can lead to the wonder of the Kingdom. But as itself, it is a collection of society, the language is not original (even modern Greek is far from the original), the format is a product of technology (printing vs oration), and the content is even restricted to a select set of works. Is God limited to simply what is contained in these passages? Were there many writings and letters from the time of Christ that did not become part of the book? We can perceive in these questions that our God is not restricted to time and place, yet the works that comprise the Bible are clearly those with which man can find His heart. God can, and I believe did, lead the scholars who choose the texts for the scriptures. He is able to guide translators to find the form of language accessable to our society. Yet we need to have more than words on a page.

One question I wrestled with as a early believer was whether God 'sent to hell' those who never heard the gospel. Yes, it's a naive thought, but what did happen to them? What about all the people who never heard of Christ? He went into the depths for those who had perished, but what of those who lived outside the geopolitical scope at the time? These questions are hard for many Christians to answer. Let us consider a simple situation to perhaps gain some wisdom to God's heart. What if you were shipwrecked on a deserted Island as a young child. There was plenty of food, and you were able to survive to a ripe old age, then perished without ever coming into contact with another human. Could you have been saved? In what way would God appear to you? Would He not communicate with you in a way you could understand? Could you make the choice to love God? Let us suppose that a Bible washed ashore when you were old and close to the end. You can not read, and used the pages for wrapping nuts. Is this against the will of God? Of course not, our God is a loving God, and desires to have each and every one come to know Him, irregardless of how isolated we are from His flow and work in the larger societal context.

Now, those who do find His voice, and hear it strongly in the scriptures, have a wonderful tool to progress in getting closer to Him. Which leads to another point, anonymity. In the Scriptures, there are many people. Some we know about, some we don't. God uses the whole life of some as a picture of His will, while others are simply known by name and the words recorded of them. We know nothing of their actual life, yet we can hear God's will and intention in what they spoke of. Some people in the scriptures are of a sinful, bleak background, yet called out to God, and were used by Him. Others followed the most pious of paths, and were brought low to test that faith. And again, for some, we have the record of their words only. My illustration in this is to listen with ears that can hear, listen to the Spirit's prompting in the messages you receive. Do not rely upon the recommendations of man. The true Word of God in your life can come from the most trusted adviser to the most anonymous of acquaintances. Ask for the faith to hear that voice, and to grow strong in discerning it from the cacaphany of the lifeless.

The cultural Christian world is full of confusing dogma, Victorian era mythology, and downright repressive spiritual teachings. But you have the source of Life! Jesus has the power in response to your faith to overcome these influences. There is a higher calling, a walk of power and connection that we are being led to. Ask for the faith to be implanted in you, a measure of faith that will become unwavering and permanent. Lord grant each reader the Grace to receive more faith, open our hearts to believe in your strength. Open our ears to hear the Word. Thank you for your unmeasurable kindness and love. The words of man are dim compared to the unwavering briliance of Your Voice, thank You.

A Well Thats Come to Life

Thank you Jesus, consecrate my thoughts and make them your own to use as you wish. I have faith in the blood of the Lamb, that blood allows me access to your heart, help me to see and communicate your will. This new record is for examining some of the issues of faith that I encounter, and expressing those in a context that is open to all.

Today I created this record with the name "Inheritance Among Their Brethren" for a number of reasons. Job gave out his riches to his offspring, and included his beautiful daughters in the inheritance. This speaks to God's purpose for each of us, and how it is not partitioned out according to one's gender, a common misconception among modern Christians. Each of our roles may be different, and the mantle of authority vs the 'mothers love' is biased according to gender (though not exclusively), but I do not believe God favors based upon genetics. Look at those who touched Jesus in the Gospels; a man touched his hem, John lay on his breast, a woman wiped his feet with her tears, and the woman with the alabaster box of ointment. Certainly John the Baptist touched him when baptizing. And after he resurrected, he did not allow any to touch him till he had ascended. When he subsequently appeared to the disciples, they clung to his feet and worshiped him. Yet of those recorded who touched him, there was no discrimination.

On a more personal level, I have three daughters as of this juncture, and desire for them to find the inheritance God has for them. My eyes have been opened to the wonders of God's incredible plan for each, and hope for that wonder to be communicated to my children. The source of wonder, the source of life is the Spirit God fills us with. I believe that that source will grow here, quenching the thirst of many. That is the concept for the address of this record, pege anazao, which is ancient Greek for "well - come to life". I believe we can find a well here, a well of life water. A well that has come to life again.

This implies that I have been a dry well for a time, and it is true. Yet our God is full of grace, and I believe He is stirring within me renewed life. May this be a pleasing word carrying the living intentions of a magnificent Creator. Thank you Lord, renew my mind and those who read this. Enter into the heart of each with a refreshing flow of your eternal life and voice.