Unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace

I love the letter Paul wrote to the Ephesians. The more I study it, the more I realize I don't know about the ways of God. Paul had such an insight into God's heart and how He works. Last night we only covered Eph 4 verses 2 and 3. We almost got to verse 4, but I decided to end at about 7:55.

Paul wants us to walk with weight that is equal to our calling, in view of all that God, Christ and the Holy Spirit have done for us (mentioned in Eph 1-3). The starting block of this walk is built upon the foundation that we must embrace humility, gentleness, patience, and forbearing one another in agape love. Our goal and that which we strive with all our energy and determination is the Unity of the Holy Spirit in the bond of peace.

We are bound together in the most powerful force this world will ever know-peace with God. That is the gift of the cross, peace with God. And having peace with God, we can have peace with man. Our hearts can be one. When our hearts are one with God and with each other, there is the Unity of the Spirit. That is to be the purpose of our walk, that is to be the purpose of the church.

Most people say that is crazy talk, impossible to achieve, especially in a local church. Many a pastor has lost heart endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit. But perhaps we have been going about it in the flesh, in the way big business and marketing guru's suggest. How does Paul say we should do it?

1. Realize we are prisoners to our Lord-we submit to Him.
2. Realize (having the eyes of our understanding enlightened) all that we have as indwelt and sealed believers.
3. Focus on walking (not running or racing) one step at a time.
4. Listen with attentive ears to God's voice (His calling)
5. Embrace Christ's "low-mindedness", His attitude that there is nothing we are too good to do on behalf of others.
6. Learn to be gentle - bear injuries without anger or a desire for revenge.
7. Be forbearing-going the extra mile to cover up and even overlook the ugliness of those around you. (Seeing God in the face of all you encounter, even mean ones)
8. Allowing God to love others through you.
9. Never give in to disillusionment or apathy, but dedicate yourself to diligence on God's behalf.
   
10. Major on the Major things of God, the Seven Essentials of Eph 4:4-5.

These are the lessons of Ephesians 4:1-3. If these be the foundation of our church, Christ will be Lord indeed. Any rational man would look at those and say, they are not possible. That is why we must endeavor to walk in the Spirit and not in the flesh. The walk of Ephesians 4-6 is a walk of life in the Spirit, which means putting off the old man of stinking flesh.

May this be the goal of church elders and deacons and leaders across the world. The day is coming when God's throne will force the church to reveal whether we are walking in the Spirit or the flesh. Blessed are they that endure to the end.

Feel Like You Are Banging Your Head Against the Wall?

In Acts 15:36-40, we find Paul going forth on his second missionary journey. Paul teams up with Silas, a leader in the church and a prophet as well. Barnabus wanted to include John Mark, and Paul refused to take a quitter along. So, God through this personality disagreement, has TWO missionary teams where there was once only one.

Someone once said the reason there are so many different kinds of churches is because we have so many different personalities.

In Acts 16:1-5 we find Paul & Silas returning to Lystra and Derbe. A young man by the name of Timothy caught their attention. Paul saw a great potential in Timothy and wanted to take him along with them. There was a small problem. Timothy’s Mom was Jewish, but she had married a Gentile man. This meant that Timothy was not circumcised, and would be regard by the Jewish people Paul was witnessing to as something similar to trash. This would severely handicap their witness in the synagogues and to the Hellenistic Jews they would encounter.

Paul circumcised Timothy, not because he was conceding to the Judaizers, but because it removed a barrier to evangelizing the Jews, who all knew that his father was a gentile. “And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily.”

Paul and Silas then had what we preacher’s call a “Head banging experience.” Maybe you have had one too. It’s when you feel like instead of making progress you realize you have simply been banging your head against a wall. First they had been forbidden to go into Asia by the Holy Spirit. So they went through Galatia and started to go toward Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. But that night Paul had a vision: a man from Macedonia appeared saying “Come over to Macedonia and help us” Paul immediately realized that God was directing them through this vision.

Realize this: As Revelation 7:10 says “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb”.

God is busy in this world speaking to people and working circumstances to draw people to Jesus. Most of you can bear testimony to the fact that before you accepted Jesus as you Savior, that God had been using circumstances and even His own words to touch your heart. That is why God needs people who are willing to partner with Him in reaching the lost that He is calling. So while Paul and Silas were spinning their wheels, God was preparing the hearts of three people. God was arranging circumstances. God kept Paul and Silas spinning their wheels until He was ready for them!

Don’t ever think you are banging your head against the wall when you are serving Jesus. You may think you are spinning your wheels, but all the time God is preparing someone or some situation for you to be used in. There will be times of feasting, but there will be times of seeming famine. Do not lose heart. Hope thou in God! For we shall yet praise Him for the help of His countenance! God is preparing someone’s heart for you to talk to. God is still in the Saving Business! Salvation belongs to our God and to the Lamb!