We joined an amazing church in Deerfield Beach, FL for their Wednesday night meeting, during which we read through the 4th chapter of Ephesians together. It is always so neat to see how God can so easily instruct us when we do nothing more than sitting down to purposefully put aside all our other plans and distractions and just read His Word.

As we read, I just had some neat thoughts, which I thought was a good opportunity to to write a blog post, after being a bit negligent (and BUSY) this past year!

I love how, throughout this chapter of Ephesians, Paul emphasizes in several different ways the reality that we were not created to be loners; we are all parts of the same body, and must work together, and think of the other members before we think of ourselves.

One part of a verse really stuck out to me the most, which says, “….for we are members of one another.” (v.25b)

Members of one another. This should mean several things to us.

1.) We belong to each other. We aren’t here to further ourselves and our own passions. We are here to support the body in its entirety in its mission to rescue the lost, and share the greatness of Jesus with the world! We must not be looking at ourselves and our mission, thinking, “Who is going to come support me? Because what I am doing is obviously the most important.” No – we are called to assess our giftings (which Paul also touches on in vs. 11) and abilities (sometimes this means nothing more than a pair of willing hands, and a good attitude) and look around us and think, “How can I lift up those around me who are serving the Lord? How can I support this pastor, and make him more successful in his ministry? How can I make myself more available to advance the work of the Lord in this area? Who is struggling in their service to the Lord, and needs encouragement today?” We need to make ourselves available for the needs of the other members of this body of Christ. Our lives are not our own. And when we make ourselves available for the use and support of the rest of the body, we are serving the Lord. And, if you happen to be one of those who does have a position that is seen as “higher”by others, these positions are never given to us because we are awesome, or so we can promote our own plans, or show people how amazing we are. These positions in higher spots are given to us so we can pull others up, as the header photo for this post depicts so well. It is not so we can be the most important person around, or the closest person to Jesus, but so we can draw those around us up higher, and then lift them up to be higher than ourselves.

2.) Also, this reminds us that we have to be together to “work”. It can be tempting, when you don’t get along with someone, to say, “I’m outta here! I’m going to go out and start my own ministry somewhere, because I just want to be on my own now.” Or, “I’m going to go work with someone else who has the same gifting as me. They’ll understand me better!” But as Paul admonishes here, we NEED each other. Where would we be with only prophets in the church? Where would we be without them, and the admonitions they give, or the vision they cast? Where would we be with only evangelists, and no one to shepherd the young lambs, or protect them from harm? Each one of us has a job we have been called to do, but not one is more important than the other! Without each gifting that God has bestowed, there is a distinct hole. Yes, often God calls people to go out and become missionaries on their own, blazing new paths as they seek out the lost….but His Body — the ones who are called by their name, and have taken hold of His salvation — needs all its members to continue on, and to thrive, and learn to truly walk in step with our Shepherd King. God made us to need each other, the same way a husband and wife need each other, and compliment each other; one family, but different members with different roles that work together to make something beautiful and sacred.

Ah, this beautiful, messy, imperfect family….yes, this is the Body of Christ….and we are being built up into a spotless Bride for the King! Hallelujah! Lets keep pulling, lifting, and otherwise encouraging each other to attain this high and beautiful calling!

I don’t have anything new to say today.  Sometimes I think that it would be nice always to be ready at a moment’s notice to share a fresh new perspective on any nook or cranny of Christian life.  The Lord has other plans for us.  Sometimes we’re more eager for a fresh idea than for the abiding truth we already know.  The fact is, He’s already given us everything that we need to follow Him and to know Him intimately.  We have His sweet Spirit living in our hearts.  We have His Word to hide in our hearts too.   Jesus lives forever as our intercessor: telling His Father everything that we need before we know we need it.

In spite of opposition, the Bible is more available today than any previous era.  As for prayer, no one can take it away from us.  Even Corrie ten Boom spent time with her Savior while in a Nazi concentration camp.  Following Christ and building a relationship with Him is simple.  It’s just that we must surrender our entire lives to do it.

Even during Jesus’ time on earth, people had this same struggle against the straightforwardness of the Gospel.  This is why Jesus went out of His way to make His words straightforward to us.

And He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’This is the great and foremost commandment.The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”
~Matthew 22:37-40

That’s not to say we should reject a deeper understanding of the Scriptures.  On the contrary, a deeper relationship with our dear Lord will require a deeper understanding of who He is.  It requires time alone with Him, but also time in service to His people.  If your Christian life seems unfruitful, it may mean coming back to these basics.

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
~John 13:34, 35

Never underestimate what it means to the Lord to put others before yourself.  It was Jesus Himself who humbled Himself to birth and death among a sinful race, making Himself the lowest servant of all.  When we imitate that love, we delight His heart.  Not only that, we make more room in our hearts for Him to fill us with His holy love.  It’s nothing new.  He never changes.

“He must increase, but I must decrease.”
~John 3:30

A few years ago, the Lord gave me a command to turn my day job into a ministry.  I wanted no compromise in devoting my life to Him.  I wanted nothing to come between me and the One who had enlisted me as a soldier (2 Timothy 2:4).  He gave me the command to keep my job in ministry, but to tell my boss that I would not receive money for my work.

Now, the money and trust are a rather familiar topic in the Christian life.  However, my struggle to trust the Lord with my finances was not the one that I expected.  There are still times that I catch myself worrying more about money than about where He calls me.  Even so, He has proven Himself so faithful, that I don’t much hesitate when He calls me beyond my apparent means.  I am often eager to step out and watch how He provides, against all worldly odds.

Sometimes, I am too eager.

In a recent conversation with friends, we were laughing about how hard it is when people give us money.  It runs so contrary to worldly thinking, that it was funny to think of how similarly we all felt.  We have all devoted our lives to Christ’s service, but living a life of giving can make receiving seem very tricky.

My colleagues and I have found many an occasion to banter about my volunteer status at work.  One occasion led me to comment on my dislike for money.  A colleague returned that it was a “necessary evil”.  I followed with “Not really necessary.”

The fact is, I don’t consider money to be evil any more than I consider it very necessary.  It would be easy if money were really evil, because using it would then be black and white.  The thing that makes it tricky for me, is that it still strongly confronts my relationship with the Lord.  One of the reasons that

it is often so difficult to receive is that we don’t want to go back to a life of self-focus.  The Lord has provided exactly what I need right when I need it.  This is cause for rejoicing, and for renewed trust in His faithfulness to provide.  Sometimes He provides with needed resources, and sometimes with money to obtain those things.  But what about when He provides money when I don’t need it?

Luke 16:9 reminds us that we are to use money to reach people and to make friends.  With material things, it is easier to trust that He will use them for His glory in my life, and to bless others.  With money, there are a thousand questions to consider.  Am I to use this for myself, or for someone else?  If for myself, am I to spend it now, or save it?  If for someone else, how will I know for whom?  What if I give it away before God means me to do so?  What if I hold on to it when I should have given it to that person?  If I spend it on something frivolous, will I be lacking something later?  Will God tell me to buy something I don’t need right now, and have me save it for something only He could foresee?

These are the waves that threaten to engulf me when someone so much as hands me a dollar.  Money carries a great responsibility and, quite frankly, is a direct confrontation of my do-it-yourself, know-it-all pride.  It is a confrontation that could turn to doubt, but it is also a deep reminder of “from whence cometh my help”.

My fear of failure and desire to perform well can cause me to fear all of these questions.  The fact is, money gives me growing pains.  The more we grow close to Jesus, the more we actually get used to trusting Him.  Some things barely take a second thought before we know what we would have us do.  That is a truly wonderful feeling, but trust in one circumstance is not His end goal.  Learning to trust in one instance will give us time and strength to learn to trust in another.  It also trains us to trust when a moment of crisis arises.  The exercise and growth can wear us down sometimes, but Christ if faithful to grant rest when we need it.

In trusting the Lord for money and with money, I learn to see another piece of how He cares for all of His children.  He cares for me in meeting all of my needs.  Then, He cares for others, and lets me walk with Him in so doing.  There is so much of His heart that I have seen in learning to handle what He has given me.  More wonderful still is the whispered reminder that comes with obedience.

One day, I will see the face of a proud Father, saying joyously, “Well done.”