Welcome!
Today: When Church-talk vs. Church-walk!
Passage: Eph 3, Prov 26
10 His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, 11 according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Eph 3, NIV 84)
A very powerful verse above, which tells us what the Church should be doing!
We went over with this verse few days back. The angelic beings are looking at the church with great curiosity; The Church is a demonstartion of God’s wisdom to people as well as angelic beings; it is a challenge to the powers of darkness
Why the Church has become so ineffective in most cases? ….
I had a friend of mine who used to remind me to keep my shoes polished.
Every time he said that, you know what was the first thing I did?
I would just stare at his shoes, to see if it was polished or not
It was polished- well polished! so I had no excuse, not to Polish mine
Back in India, people would ask you, “Are you coming up straight from the bed?”, if you forgot to wash your face properly, or if you didn’t comb your hair
Instaed of looking at your face or your shoes, God looks at somethinour heart. That’s a relief, but not quite one; keeping our heart “good” is difficult than “saving” our face or shoes
My friend was so effective in his advice to me because of two things:
- He was practicing what he was preaching
- He kept saying the same thing again and again-everytime he saw me
Those are the type of friends we need; friends who tell us the truth-in love.
Church will be much more effective, if we preach what we practice, and practice what we preach. Keep preaching…..!
Jesus Christ was full of Charisma; He was never idle or inactive, no matter what!
Jesus expects the Church to be just like Him; to continue what He was doing!
Many of us are comfortably warming up the same chair(s) in the Church every Sunday; It is time to do something for God
The Church was birthed in power. It will advance in the same way
When there is unity, life and prayer, the Church will be effective
Let the manifold wisdom of God flow into us, change us, and flow through us to others as words, actions and the manifestation of the work of Holy Spirit
Without true, divine love from the heart, nothing we do/say will be effective
We need to identify with the listener-the recipient of our messgae first
That is what Jesus did, coming down from heaven and living with us
God bless your day. Pray for me as well, if you have been blessed
BG
Prayer: Lord, help me to be the same in life and talk. I know there is a huge need out there and that I am the least engaged with that. Help me and change me, so that I can influence lives for good-for God. Thank you Jesus. Amen
Proverbs 26 (verses below, from NIV 84)
2 Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest.
12 Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
20 Without wood a fire goes out; without gossip a quarrel dies down.
27 If a man digs a pit, he will fall into it; if a man rolls a stone, it will roll back on him.