I would Like to talk about the body of Christ. Firmly basing my focus from the bible and hopefully I will be able to articulate how awesome it is that God would use each one of us creatively to change the world.
These blogs are only a small portion of things I have been graced to learn a little bit about, they are mostly topical and are based on what I find to be interesting in my life – I have a newsletter that will go over a much more personal level of what I am doing from the month to month basis. How the trainings are going, who is in them and any other ministry opportunities. If you are interested in that click here.
A Friend with God
One of the best things for my relationship with God is to spend time in his presence dreaming and seeking new and fresh vision.
There are clear positives when it comes to someone who is constantly seeking – They always seem to have a goal in front of them. Something that needs to be accomplished, and normally they are very good at finding and creating ideas for the needs that they find.
This is normally really encouraging to anyone who is helping that person – because through vision goals are created. It can also be really easy for the whole group to move forward in a direction if someone is aware of where God is leading.
There are also clear negatives for instance If there is no goal in sight the tendency is to spin out of control because they have no goal in their focus. They can also become detached from the rest of the body, thinking they are capable to continue without anyone else because they know the direction they should be going… They have a natural tendency to struggle with pride.
I like to use this analogy to define why it’s important to have vision. If a boat is in the ocean and isn’t moving toward the goal – it will naturally drift. By the waves and the current, the one thing you can be confident in is that you will not be in the same spot as you were when you last stopped.
If the boat is moving constantly – the current and waves still move it, but it is capable of knowing where it is going and it is constantly moving in the direction of it’s goal.
The Gift to the Church
That is a very similar idea to how our spiritual bodies are like – it’s why it is so important to be connected to the one who is creating the goal and plan to fulfill them. In the church we have a very important gift given to us.
This gift is so good that Jesus the King of King’s who is at the right hand of God in heaven right now said, that it is better for him to leave and the Advocate to come to us and fill our body’s
The Advocate or Holy Spirit is like a skilled guide that knows how to use all the tools needed to get you where you need to go and happens to be an expert in the exact thing you are going through. With the Holy Spirit we are filled with strength to preach the Gospel to people who don’t know like in Act’s 2 when Peter was filled and preached boldly and 3000 were converted.
Paul relates how each person has a different way of connecting to the holy spirit, each person has a natural attribute that is who God created them to be, and He relates them like a part of a body. In 1st Corinthians 12 he has a beautiful explanation of our spiritual gifts and how we are one body. Each part of the body has a job for the bigger purpose.
As Christians, we are given a command, commission and a certainty. We are to love God with all of our heart, soul, and mind. We are to make disciples of all nations and once the Gospel of the kingdom has been preached to all nations then the end will come.
So as long as us Christians are following this path – making disciples of all nations. We are being successful in the mission God has called us to.
This also is not a call of works! But as an overflow of our own love of Jesus, Roman’s 8 confirms our relationship as sons and daughters. James 2 articulates how through our faith we will do what we believe naturally and not forcibly. Acts 13 shows us how the Holy Spirit started this work, not man with his own ideas!
A United Body
This is why I can say that at it’s simplest it is capable of defining how us Christians are to act and talk to each other and how we do the same to unbelievers. So, to continue with the analogy of a boat moving along in its direction and goal, the boat in it’s macro view is very simple. It needs to float, and move across water until it gets to it’s destination.
The actuality of a boat moving across any water, is something much more complex than hinted at, the job requires and depends on the preparation that was done before being sent into the water. Food and drinkable water doesn’t magically appear while you are on a boat!
The same goes with the body of Christ. We have been given a goal and a direction to go, we need to prep for that goal. Obviously physical needs are important, but we are a Spiritual people – 1 Cor 2 – so finding and preparing ways to sustain our spiritual hunger or thirsts as well.
God has made some amazing promises to us Christians, I don’t have the time to jump into each and every one in detail. In the most simple way, every blessing comes from finding relationship and meaning from what God say’s of you.
Romans 12:1-2
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
I won’t say what the perfect amount of time spent with God verses time spent with the body is. But I know that love comes from an overflow of time with the Godhead and that He (The God of creation) desires to be with you.
If you also don’t like the division within the church, I would love to challenge you to spend extra time with God and remembering he is Lord and your Lord desires you to be one with them as He is one with the Holy Spirit and the Father. Then to ask him through prayer what it is He desires you to do to bring Oneness to the body of Christ!
In the last few photo’s I wanted to include some of my favorite people. They went with me to Thailand, I was challenged to love them like Jesus loved me and it was hard! I am grateful for my opportunity to join them in pursuing God across the world.
By no means was it easy, or was I perfect in my attempt to love them. But the love I was able to give was better than anything I had ever received. In my attempt to bless them, I ended up being blessed to the max.
Mark 12:29-31
To tie everything all together, we have been commanded, commissioned and given a certainty as to when the commission is finished. We have been lovingly connected with the Godhead, not as a slave but as heirs. We are called to follow obediently to the call God has given to each one of us as a body collectively/
We get to approach boldly to a Lord who is Gentle and Humble in heart, He want’s to hear us and desires us to be close to him! Once we find our fulfillment in him alone and are filled. We will have a natural reaction! This is empowered from the Holy Spirit to preach the gospel to those around us.
This overflow can lead to lot’s of different areas, but is the base of operations – without being filled first, we can do nothing!
From the simple response, it sounds as if we are to seek God first, from which we find our purpose, meaning, and satisfaction. Out of our filling of the Holy Spirit we are then empowered to preach the gospel with our words and actions and to love our fellow body members. To complete the great commission we were given and then see the King we serve come back.
Here comes the end to another blog post- It feels like my own personal journal as I try to develop what I have been taught.
So what did you like or not like? I love to hear feedback and will constantly try to apply what you suggest!
Here is a link to the last blog written so far, I hope you enjoyed and learned more about God’s heart!
Sincerely,
Elijah B. Davis
