Personal Revival: Part of a Body
A friend of mine, in response to my last blog, shared with me how they had been feeling low, spiritually, until they were asked to preach at their church. The required study and preparation and delivery of the sermon ignited the fire again.
I had expected this post to go in a different direction but contemplating what my friend said and a song that came into my head plus thoughts as I was praying have been contributing factors in coming up with following:
DISCOVER WHAT PART OF THE BODY WE ARE
Ephesians 2:10
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Therefore, it’s my belief that a personal revival is found when we really find out what these good works are that the Lord has prepared in advance and when we begin to walk in them.
You know the church is described as the Body of Christ and the description of us being part of a living body is made even more clearer in the following key verses:
For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. (Romans 12:4-5)
For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ…..For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less part of the body…..
Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administration, and various kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all posses gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way. (1 Corinthians 12-31)
DISCOVER OUR SPIRITUAL GIFTS
This scope of this is far too deep and long to go into today, but some key verses to consider would be:
Ephesians 4:7-8
Ephesians 4:11
Romans 12:1-21
1 Corinthians 12:1-31
1 Corinthians 13:1-13 (GIVES REQUIREMENT FOR OPERATING IN THE GIFTS)
GET HELP TO EQUIP US
The church SHOULD be the pre-eminent place where we SHOULD get our help from:
And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds, and teachers,
to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, (Ephesians 4:11-12
Ideally we should be part of a church that has what’s known as the ‘fivefold ministry’ – apostle, prophet, pastor & teacher & evangelist.
You would think that whilst growing up we could get some understanding of our calling in life, at least understand what our giftings are, wouldn’t you. Sadly, my childhood experience is far from ideal. Yes, we never wanted for anything, but there wasn’t much love or nurturing felt. My father had one ambition in life and that was to be in the merchant navy. However, not being able to overcome sea sickness ended that for him and he seemed lost after that. Traditionally, you have a picture of your father taking you fishing, showing you how to fix the car; you get the picture, I’m sure. Well, I have no memories like that I’m afraid. My only one good memory is of him walking with me in the snow to help me once on my paper round. I don’t recall either parent really being interested to know what I wanted to do in life. Horrifically, I do remember my father telling my brother that he would never amount to anything. My parents divorced when I probably needed a father the most and my behaviour took a steep nosedive. In the end the only thing that the rest of my family wanted me to do was to become an accountant which I tried and failed at because my heart was not in it. The hurt and pain of my childhood experience was eventually dealt with but at the devasting cost of a failed first marriage for me which resulted in seven months of counselling which in respect, I should have undergone before getting married.
But, for me, the good news is that I don’t want history to repeat itself and my lack of receiving the love and nurturing as a child has made me realize what to be as a father. Now I have a beautiful two-year-old daughter and I know that it’s my wife and I’s responsibility to expose our daughter to as many things as possible and then she can discover and choose things that will reveal her own giftings and hopefully her own calling in life.
Sadly, my early family experiences seemed to have duplicated themselves somewhat in my experiences with the church. In Christian life to-date, I can only recall meeting two true pastors, one was an Irish guy who moved away and the other is now with the Lord. Whether it be church or ministry, I’ve only ever seemed to experience the people being in charge, at the end of the day, were just concerned about building their ‘own ministry’. As I say, I have worked in Christian ministry and I’ve worked in far better caring ‘secular’ environments. As I write this, I do feel so much pain and disappointment in my heart.
So, my heart goes out to anyone else out there who is feeling frustrated and knows in their hearts that there must be more to this Christian life than what we are experiencing.
There is a joy to be found in discovering and walking in our calling and my prayer is that both you and I will one day experience what it feels like to be doing exactly what the Lord has called us into this world to do; specifically, to increase the Kingdom of god. Yes, motherhood and fatherhood are high callings, but what I’m talking about is something else. It’s knowing that we are playing our part in this Body of Christ. My sincere prayer is that this may ignite a spark in us to seek, find and walk in the ministry that the Lord has called us to.
Here are some music videos that I’ve found inspiring:
