Romans 12:3-13 (NIV)

3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. 4 For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with you faith; 7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13 Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

Reflection:

In this Passage we see that there must be some kind of “good” or action that we actively do towards one another. Walter A. Elwell writes, “Love is a transitive reality—that is, it requires an object. In the Bible, love is described as personal (between persons) and selfless (desiring the best for others). Christians see God’s love in sending his Son to die on the cross to save sinners (Rom. 5:8; John 3:16; 1 John 4:10). Christians are to be known by the fact that they love God and others (John (13:34–35). Their love is not to be like the love the world has (Luke 6:32, 35). Love is best seen in actions and in most cases is to be identified with what we do—in our compassion and commitment to those around us, regardless of the object’s virtue (1 John 4:19). Our loving attitudes and behavior are to reflect God’s love.”
Jesus said that only two commands are needed to direct our lives: To love God and to love our neighbors. If such love is demonstrated, all the law and prophets are fulfilled. Just like the famous Nike slogan, “just do it,” we are to actively live out these commands to love others through our outward actions, and as we do this, we invite God’s love to flourish in our hearts.

Response:

As Christians, we are defined by the simple fact that God has loved us, that we love God and we love others (John 13:34-35). Think of practical ways to go out and demonstrate some kind of “good” or action towards someone in your ministry and those around you. Spend some time in prayer asking the Lord to reveal and fill our hearts with more of His heart to love others.

Ephesians 4:11-16 (NIV)

11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

Reflection:

The Movie “Rudy” (1993) was based on the life account of Daniel “Rudy” Ruettiger who harbored dreams of playing football at the University of Notre Dame despite significant obstacles- finances, academics, and physical limitations. Even through all these obstacles, he was still able to enroll at Notre Dame and “walk on” to the football team as a back up player on the practice squad. In spite of his small stature and “walk on” status, Rudy’s drive and daily work ethic positively affected and encouraged the more talented scholarship teammates to do their best. Once thought to be an insignificant part of the team, he became a big part of the team’s overall success.
In the church, how we are to one another and how we do our part, as part of the body really matters. Not one part of the body is insignificant as everyone can positively effect and encourage one another. Together we can all grow in unity and be built up in love toward maturity in Christ, looking forward to attaining the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Response:

We all play a significant role in the body of Christ. Let’s spend time in prayer asking for the Lord’s empowering that we may each work hard for the Kingdom; doing our part in helping to build up the body of Christ and growing in love toward maturity in Christ.

Ephesians 4:1-6 (NIV)

As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

Reflection:

Tahir Iqbal was a Pakistani Muslim by birth who received a Bible from a friend and was subsequently converted to Christianity as he read it. After his conversion, he began to joyfully reach out and witness to others, especially the children in his village. On December 1990, Iqbal, a paraplegic, was arrested for his faith, where he remained imprisoned until his death. Aware that he could be executed by hanging, Iqbal said, “I’ll kiss my rope but I will never deny my faith.” As a prisoner who saw life beyond the threats in his own life, his life has become a testimony of a life worthy of the calling.
The Apostle Paul was arrested several times throughout his ministry and wrote many letters from prison. So from this perspective as a “prisoner for the Lord” he urges us to also passionately live out the calling we have received; a calling to be lived out jointly with fellow believers in the church. Through the Spirit’s empowering, we can experience the beauty of growing together in unity with humility, gentleness, patience and love for one another. Yes, as fellow “prisoners” for the Lord we have been called to one hope, one Lord, one faith, one God and Father of all!

Response:

Spend time in prayer today thanking God for this wonderful calling that you have received. Ask the Lord to open up your eyes to the reality of this life so that you too may experience the joy of serving together as part of His church in advancing His Kingdom!

1 Corinthians 12:12-26 (NIV)

12 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free —and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.
15 Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body.
21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

Reflection:

Professional bodybuilders are somewhat peculiar in their ways. They are incredibly disciplined and detailed in their workouts, as they understand the value and significance of every single part of the body. There can be no undeveloped or lagging parts. Every body part must develop symmetrically and function at its absolute best in order to win a competition. God is also interested in bodybuilding of a different nature. He wants His church to belong to one another as part of one body. And he desires to build every muscle in church with no superior or inferior body parts; everything symmetrical. If one part is weak then the whole body is weak. Just as a simple cold, cough or sore throat can affect your whole body, when one part of the body of Christ suffers, the whole body is brought down or when one part is honored, the whole body can rejoice.

As we gather together as God’s people, Paul focuses on the importance of health, unity, and the well being of the whole church. Every part of the body is to grow and do its work. Paul reminds us through these passages that everybody is somebody because we’re in this together.

Response:

Let us pray that we would grow together as His church; belonging to one another and coming to a greater understanding of the depth of loving and caring for one another as part of his body.

2 Corinthians 5:17-21 (NIV)

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Reflection:

There are many powerful stories of reconciliation among Christians throughout the world. John Perkin’s story is another remarkable account of forgiveness in the face of racial oppression in the 1960’s. He grew up in Mississippi amidst poverty. One day his brother was shot by a deputy marshal and died in his arms. Because of persistent threats, he decided to move to California where he came to faith in Jesus Christ, and then subsequently returned to Mississippi to share the gospel to others. Again, there was more violence. While being held in a jail cell on trumped-up charges, he was beaten unconscious by the police. But after surviving that unjust beating, John could not hate back, but instead had compassion on his oppressors. That night he prayed: “God, if you’ll get me out of this jail alive, I really want to preach a gospel that will heal these people too.” As a new person in Christ, his heart was synchronized to the heart of God, and later he continued his ministry touching many lives and breaking down racial barriers through the reconciliation he had received in Christ.

In Christ, we have all been reconciled to God and our fellowship with one another in the church is now founded upon this truth. With this ministry of reconciliation in Christ, we now relate to one another in the new. Paul writes to the church in Rome, “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone” (Rom. 12:18).

Response:

As God’s people, let us spend time in prayer asking Him to transform our hearts so that we may fully live out the ministry of reconciliation in Christ, and relating to one another in the new.

Hebrews 10:24-25

24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another —and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Reflection:
As the family of God, we need to be together - to be in fellowship with one another because we motivate and fuel each other toward love and good deeds. Whether it is participating in a sports tournament, having picnics, reading the Word, sharing a meal, worshipping and praying together, it is good to be together. As we meet, these are places of God’s grace shared among His people, His family. The sweeter the journey is not a solo trek. It is a shared journey of experiencing God’s blessing, favor and goodness. It is good to be together for the glory of God.

Response:
Let’s pray that our fellowship will fuel us toward even greater expressions of worship of our God, and that we will continue to love and encourage one another. Let’s also pray that our fellowships together will be sweeter as we journey together towards the Lord.

1 Peter 2:9-10

9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Reflection:
Because of God’s mercy, we have been rescued and called God’s royal priesthood. It was because God in His mercy saw us and had compassion on us that we were saved. And the mercy we have received, we are to share and declare. God has called us to go and minister, and share His mercy and love with this generation.

Response:
Let’s ask God for His heart for our generation, that we would pray, love and share His mercy to those around us, and that we will be His royal priesthood to our generation.

Romans 12:1-2

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is —his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Reflection:
So Paul urges us as God helps us, to “…take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you. (MSG)” This is how we live everyday as God helps us, we place it all before God. As we walk away from the influences of this world and move toward God this is our daily worship to Him. As we recognize more quickly His way and turn to follow Him, this is our daily worship to Him.

Response:
Let’s pray that everyday we will place it all before God. Let’s pray that we will worship him daily, walk toward Him and recognize His way and quickly turn to follow Him.

Hebrews 4:12

12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Reflection:
God’s Word is alive and active. When we read His Word, it is sharper than any double-edged sword. It will penetrate; it will judge our thoughts and attitudes of the heart. And as God’s people that’s exactly what we want and need. We are new creation in Christ and as we walk in the sweeter the journey, the Word of God reveals, empowers and helps us to live more like Christ each day and experience more sweeter moments in Him.

Response:
As we read God’s Word, let’s ask God to help us believe and agree with what the Word says. Let’s ask God to help us to declare it over our lives, to learn to meditate on His Word and to trust the Word. Let’s be encouraged because as we declare God’s Word over our lives, we will see and experience greater change in our lives.

Ephesians 1:3-14

3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, 9 he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment —to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.
11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12 in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.

Reflection:
As we read this passage, our hearts are warmed with God’s Word. The Word reminds of how we were rescued and how great the Lord’s salvation is in our lives. How total and complete our rescue was and is. We went from poor, alone and desperate to rich in blessing, adopted into His family, lacking nothing and full and abundant in the Lord.

Response:
Let’s once again remember the Lord’s great salvation in our lives. How our loving God has rescued us. Let’s respond with thankfulness and praise to Him.