1Cor. 12:4 - Our Gifting in the Body of Christ

1Cor. 12:4There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 

The body of Christ is designed in a certain way according to the wisdom of the Designer.

1 Cor 12:12
Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ.

The body of Christ is complete, He does not make mistakes, He does not form incomplete works. He has created every member of the body to function a certain way.

Likewise each of us are designed to fulfill a particular part of the body of Christ. Our giftings further direct the purpose we have in His plan.

He has arranged us to work together, just the same as the physical body has differing parts with differing functions. For example how useful would a body be if the kidneys or the knees refuse to function, it would affect the overall ability and potential of that body. In the same way for instance with a group of interns, some are called to lead and others are called to administrate or to give. Each of us needs to step up into our calling wtih our giftings to fulfill the part of the body we are and to do it all out, so as not to hinder the functionality or potential of the body as a whole. The Lord directs our place in the body through our "calling". As we see here in...

^{Eph. 4:1} As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.

There are several callings which I have received. I am first a Christian bearing the name of Christ upon every aspect of my life. I am also a husband, a leader, a teacher and mentor. These are all important roles that are integral to whatever community of believers I find myself blessed to be in.

As Paul wrote these words he was anticipating the further growth of the church which was just beginning to bud at this time. Each of us has a part in the body, that part is our calling, which is refined by our giftings. Paul is urging these first century saints to step up and identify these things and to live them out fully.

The foundation of the Church of Christ was held in the balance of whether these first believers properly fulfilled their functions in the body.

APPLICATION
I need to bear in mind the obligation I have to the body of Christ to walk worthy of the calling I have received. Therefore today I will make a mental inventory of my position and my role and look for ways to be more diligent and organized. I will adopt the practice of spending 15 minutes devoted at the end of each work day to work on my task/todo list.

Mark 8:35 - Where is Your Heart Set?

For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospels will save it. (Mark 8:35 NKJV)


What's interesting about this is the verse says that if we desire to save our lives it is a problem. Not whethever we do or not is immaterial it is more the intention of the heart. if it is our desire, where springs the outome of our lives.  So it boils down to what is your heart set on? Is it set on growing in the matters of God? Or is it set on keeping everything as it is, the status quo.

If our desire is truly to grow in Christ, I mean that growth in Christ becomes the desire of our heart then we have an alignment of our will and God's will. When this happens all of the things that come our way whether they are good, bad or indifferent can be useful in God's hands toward growing us into the image of Christ. Conversely if our desire is to remain as we are which is another way of saying "saving our lives" if we are intent on keeping things the same and comfortable around us then we will be disturbed by almost everything that comes our way. Good, bad or indifferent, it will not matter. So what  is your heart set on. God is always teaching, always urging us to grow. Are we willing to be in on what He is doing in us or are we trying to save or preserve our lives as they are?

APPLICATION

Today I will ask my wife to keep me accountable to any stubborn way in me and to point it out so that I am more plyable and attentive to what God may be doing in my life.

Mark 8:34 - Get With It

Mark 8:34 Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said:"Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.

     I find it interesting that He called the crowd to him and told them along with the disciples that if they want to be a disciple they must deny themselves. die to self. be willing, daily to put to death their own selfish ambitions and desires and surrender them over to the will of the Father.  

     For the crowd this might be new news however for the disciples is it possible that they needed to be reminded of this principle in order to remain in the right attitude and be worthy of the term disciple. As we consider what was just going on that prompted this in the first place was a disciple, namely Peter who had the audacity to rebuke Jesus trying to persuade him toward some other path besides the one laid out by the Father. You see anything that is not of faith, or that is outside of the will of God is of this world and is at it's core evil. This is why Jesus rebukes Peter back with the famous, "get behind me Satan" statement. Harsh? yes. Correct? yes, Was this term "satan" necessary? absolutely. For we so easily fall away from the path of holiness and get distracted by our own prevailing, deceitful ways.

APPLICATION

I need to examine myself and see if there be any thought, attitude or intention that is not of God. When I find such I need ask the HS to reveal to me the lie that I am believing and then to find the truth that is the antidote to that lie and then memorize it.

Phil. 2:6 - Selfish vs. Selfish Ambition

Philippians 2:6 Who, being in very naturet God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;

Oh my, how often do I use my position to my own advantage? It happens all the time, from the way I make my way around traffic to the way I make my way around a dinner party and everything in between. How can I extract out of self this predisposition of desiring to have some advantage of some sort. The flesh is in constant pursuit of this elevation, yet the Spirit is yearning to show us the better way. In Christ we have the most excellent example of selfless ambition.

APPLICATION
As a reminder of my desire to rid myself of this pretension I will go for a walk in the woods and meditate on the following verse:

2 Corinthians 10:4-5 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

Phil. 2:5 - Broken Grids

Phil 2:5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:  

What is a mindset? I believe it can be grasped by likening it to a grid pattern, or a piece of graph paper. Each line on that pattern is placed there specifically and as the various lines cross one another they create points on the grid. Likening this to the way we think or our mindset, all of our experiences up to now form these grid points, all of the data or knowledge we have gathered up to now also create the pattern on the grid. When we mis interpret data and misunderstand something we have created what I call a broken grid, likewise if we believe something that is not true that also is a broken grid. How much of the grid pattern of our lives has been conformed to the truth of God's Word reveals how much we have attained the mindset of Christ. Conversely how much of our thinking has its root in the pattern of the world and the influence of culture instead of the truths of God's Word?

The process of renewing the mind is just that, a process. When we renew something like the finish on furniture or the nail polish on fingernails we first have to remove the old by sanding or using a solvent to remove all residue of the former finish. Then we can apply the new. Adding the new on top of the old does not work, it creates a mess. Likewise in our lives we need to dismantle the old patterns of thinking and replace them with the truth. We need to be willing to recognize the broken grids we have developed in our thinking process and uproot the lie at the heart of that harmful pattern and replace it with the truth found in God's Word. Thusly renewing our minds.

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.2 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.

and further 

2 Corinthians 10:4-5 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

APPLICATION

Today I will memorize:

Philippians 4:8
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 

Matt. 3:8 - Be Fruitty

Matt 3:8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.

What does it look like to produce fruit in keeping with repentance?  When a person repents they are turning away from their sin and turning toward God or godly behavior. When we repent and turn it is like planting a seed of correct action, or activity into the garden of our lives. That seed needs to be nurtured and nourished so that it can take root, grow strong, develop to maturity and then when it is mature, just like a fruit tree it can produce fruit.  Some fruit trees may need to grow for several years before they are mature enough to produce fruit. In the meantime there is a struggle of sorts that goes on in the garden, a variety of elements have to come together in order for sustained healthy growth to occur. The right amounts of clean water, sunshine, warmth and nutrients from the soil all have to be consistently available for the plants to flourish. Then there are the weeds that sop up these things from the plants and also there are the birds and the deer etc that are lurking to consume these tender shoots even before they are anywhere near ready to bear fruit. So much care and nurturing and protection must go into the development of a healthy garden that produces a fruitful return. 

Likewise our souls are also in need of nourishment, nurturing and tending to develop into maturity that has the potential to bear fruit.  This takes time, patience, guidance and self inspection, it cannot be done by someone else only the individual can truly keep to the right course and develop maturity.

APPLICATION
I need to be careful of what thoughts I allow to come to rest in my heart. There are some that can be classified as weeds and need to be uprooted. Other thoughts are like nutrients and they need to be encouraged and amplified. Today I will ask the Lord to place a guard over my mind. I will memorize 

Philippians 4:8
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 

1Tim. 6:9 - A Matter of Prerogitive

1Tim 6:9 Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction

This is a controversial tenet of the faith. Should one therefore say that a desire for wealth is not godly?  Conversely some will look at this verse and use it as an excuse for not excelling or having ambition to earn a living.  It is a matter of priority, being wealthy in itself does not exclude one from being Godly it is a matter of where we put our value of greatest importance. It is however a dangerous and hazardous path to navigate. It is so easy to become distracted by the things or events or people that riches brings. The wealthy have always had a place in the architecture of God's plan. Was is not a wealthy man Joseph of Aramethea who allowed Jesus to be buried in his own tomb? or Was it not Abraham a man of great wealth the patriarch of our faith and then Solomon was blessed by God with wisdom and substantial treasure and prosperity perhaps more than any other. As an example of how riches can lead a person off track we have the record of Solomon to learn from. Wealth in itself is not the problem it is still a matter of the heart and of what consistently leads a person's passion. Wealth in the hands of a Godly man can create amazing and wonderful avenues for the Kingdom of God to advance and thrive.

APPLICATION

Today I will memorize the verse Matt. 6:33

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.