September 28, 2007

• Growing Up

  Ephesians 4:11-16 says, "And He gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.  Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love." (ESV)

  I've been studying this book for a couple of weeks now for my New Testament reading.  I'm still in Isaiah for my Old Testament reading and I will be blogging more about that book in the days to come.  I just want to stress a really important point about how we are growing in Christ.  My point is that we all, as Christians, need to be growing as a unit of believers; we need to act like a smoothly running body of Christ.  In our local churches and ministries, we need to cooperate with each other, without apostasy, to accomplish what Christ has called us to do.  As brothers and sisters in Christ, we should be 'joined and held together by every joint' so that we can truly demonstrate love to other parts of the body and to the world who are watching.  May we mature in our faith so that we are not tossed about by every wind of doctrine like a sail boat sailing in the raging seas.

  I pray that those who are leaders of ministries and churches that you would be mature in the faith, and that you would be using the tools God has given you to equip us for the ministry.  Leaders and ministers of the faith should always have a goal to replace themselves with someone that God has called.  We all should be leading and guiding believers in Christ to be able to do the work of the ministry.

  I pray that the rest of us, who are not leaders, will allow our hearts and minds be changed into what God wants us to be.  We should always be willing to change our direction in life if that is what God wants.  As laymen in ministries, we must train ourselves and strengthen ourselves, with the help of mentors, so that we may be able to do the work of the ministry.  I pray that we would learn about God in such a way that we are firmly planted upon the Rock of our salvation; so that when the storms of life comes we are ready and we will not be tossed about by obstacles and false doctrines.

  Grow Up in the Knowledge of God Through His Word and Through His Ministry Leaders.  Become involved in What God Has for You to Do; Do What God Has Equipped and Gifted You to Do!  Serve Him!

  • 4:55 pm
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