Vision for Life - Fellowship #3

Spark #4 – Work – In the early church, different jealousies caused them to focus on the “whos” in their fellowship.  Saints began to lift up certain individuals more than others, and it confused the people by causing them to wonder who to follow. Paul cleared it up in 1 Corinthians 3: ⁹ For we are both God’s workers. And you are God’s field. You are God’s building.  Churches that align with and promote certain saints over others have gone down a path of disobedience, and it confuses the mission of the church. This is called politics, and it is a church killer because it involves too much “Me” and not enough “He” in the mix.  All saints are important, as Paul wrote to that church in Corinth.  1 Corinthians 12: ¹² The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So, it is with the body of Christ. ¹³ Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit. ¹⁴ Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part. ¹⁵ If the foot says, “I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,” that does not make it any less a part of the body. ¹⁶ And if the ear says, “I am not part of the body because I am not an eye,” would that make it any less a part of the body? ¹⁷ If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything? ¹⁸ But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it. ¹⁹ How strange a body would be if it had only one part! ²⁰ Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. ²¹ The eye can never say to the hand, “I don’t need you.” The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you.”  A church will enhance the personal vision God has given you and place that vision in His church vision, and the result is a fellowship that has come alive and is on fire.  It only takes a spark to get that fire going, but the spark must happen.  Humanism has crept into the mission of the church and compromised the power of the church by elevating people and not the Holy Spirit.  Remember…. SPIRITUAL BATTLE.

Spark #5 - Spark – Heart – Ephesians 3:²⁰ Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. ²¹ Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen. The heart of the church propels the mission of the church.  God takes all the elements of our fellowship with Him and others and propels each of us to greatness.  That greatness is the spark that makes a church that impacts the world as Jesus wanted it to.  Jesus left the Great Commission with twelve guys in a final meeting where some of them even doubted He had been resurrected.  But it didn’t stop Jesus from commanding them to continue His work with the power of the Holy Spirit.  We will also doubt certain things we even read in the Bible or sense in our prayer times with Jesus, but He still sparks that which is within each of us to follow Him, and He gives us significance as we follow.  Remember, we are fearfully and wonderfully made by our heavenly Father, and we are all about power, purpose, and positioning.  God’s power is available through the Holy Spirit, and His purpose is known by all who read His Word, and we are positioned as His Church to do the work He has set before us.  Where is your heart in all of this?  Do you realize just how important having a personal vision that aligns with God’s vision for His church is?  If not, pray, pray, pray!!!  The answers to all your prayers are found in God’s Word, and the Holy Spirit will guide you into all truth.  Keep in mind the words of Jesus in John 16: ¹² “There is so much more I want to tell you, but you can’t bear it now. ¹³ When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. ¹⁴ He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me. ¹⁵ All that belongs to the Father is mine; this is why I said, ‘The Spirit will tell you whatever he receives from me.’

The Holy Spirit is here, and He is in your life, so let Him show you how to grow in your faith walk. God has a great purpose for the fellowship He has formed in His church, and you are a significant part of that purpose. Be a part of the body of believers God has joined together and experience the unique fellowship of The Church!!

The Pilgrimage Continues,

David Warren