God’s Incomparably Great Power

 

“ I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may…his incomparably great power for us who believe.”

—Ephesians 1:18

We live at a time when the culture favors great displays of power. Whether it is the strength of military might or the boldness and arrogance of some world leader, the culture gravitates toward power and even celebrates that power.

We who follow the risen Lord Jesus Christ are centered in the greatest display of power that has ever occurred in human history.

The Apostle Paul talks about this power in Ephesians 1:18-21:

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.

That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.

In God’s mercy, grace, and immeasurably great love for us, He has displayed His mighty power by claiming us to belong to Him.

Before the foundation of the earth God chose us to belong to Him. In due season, He sent His Holy Spirit to draw us irresistibly into His grace.

Then God imbued us with supernatural power to follow the pathway He has laid out before us. His incomparably great power enables us to obediently bend our selfish will to His perfect will, so that we may allow His great love to flow through us and touch the lives of those who cross our pathway.

The chorus of an old gospel song says:

There is power, power,
Wonder-working power
In the blood of the Lamb.
There is power, power,
Wonder working power
In the precious blood of the Lamb.

Let us move out into this day energized by God's incomparably great power to shine the Light of His Presence within us into a dark and needy world.

Let us touch the lives of others with His redeeming love and grace. And, let us joyfully share the good news of what God has done for us through His incomparably great power that raised our Savior from the dead.

 

_{Copyright © 2015 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

A Word for Church Leaders

 

“Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care…”

—1 Peter 5:2a

Few people exist who have long been members of a church who haven't bumped up against a church leader who strained their patience or hurt their feelings. Nothing is more irritating or heartbreaking than being harmed by a nasty church leader.

The Apostle Peter offers these words of warning in 1 Peter 5:1-4:

To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder and a witness of Christ’s sufferings who also will share in the glory to be revealed:

Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.

And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.

May every person in authority heed these words in order to bring glory to God and maintain a loving peace among those believers who worship together.

 

_{Copyright © 2015 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Displaying God’s Handiwork

 

“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

—Ephesians 2:10

Many times when I look at a nature photograph I feel such joy as I observe God’s handiwork. God has such creativity, “the lips can hardly describe what the eyes can see.”

Do you realize that we Christians are also God's handiwork? The Apostle Pail makes just such a declaration in Ephesians 2:1-10:

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.

All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.

But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.

And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Many people sincerely believe their good works will “buy” their way into heaven. But Jesus is the only way. He paid the price for our redemption on the cross.

We receive God's gift of eternal life, through Jesus, by grace alone through faith alone. As a result, the Holy Spirit motivates us to do good works to honor God and celebrate this great gift He has given us because He loves us.

Good works are not a payment for our entrance into heaven. Rather, any good works we do are a result of the fact that we already have a place reserved for us in heaven through the precious blood of Jesus.

Let us rejoice this day that we who belong to God’s Son, Jesus, are God’s living handiwork. We are products of His grace through faith and recipients of His unfailing love.

 

_{Copyright © 2015 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

In View of God’s Mercy

 

“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…”

—Romans 12:1a

Have you ever had a close friend or family member who has sacrificed so very much for you that no matter what you might do for that person in return it would hardly be any sacrifice at all on your part?

I think about my parents who adopted me. My dad was 40 and my Mom was 42 when they welcomed me—a six-weeks-old baby—into their home. They made so many sacrifices to assure I would have every opportunity to succeed in life. Anything that I might do in return, no matter what the cost, would hardly be anything at all compared to the sacrifices they made to secure the very best for me.

Thus it is with our Heavenly Father. God gave us His one and only Son to die in our place and pay the penalty for our sins. There is nothing that we could do in return that could come close to the investment that God has made in us to secure the very best for us.

The Apostle Paul fully understood this fact when he wrote these words in his letter to the newly formed church in Rome, as recorded in 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.

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.

“In view of God's mercy”—what a motivating factor, as we begin a new day. God has done so much for us that the least we can do is to give Him our all.

 

_{Copyright © 2015 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Love Deeply

 

“…so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart.”

—1 Peter 1:22a

Our “surface society” takes very little in this life seriously, nor pursues anything deeply except possibly people’s search for self-aggrandizing pleasure.

But true peace, comfort, and enjoyment in this life springs forth from the rich love that God places deep within our hearts.

This love has a nature that is high and wide and long and, yes, deep. It covers over a multitude of tough edges. It strengthens and sustains everyone who falls under its influence.

The Apostle Peter understood the great power of God-breathed love when he wrote these words in 1 Peter 1:22-23:

Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.

Let us continue this day to allow God’s love to flow through us and touch the lives around us.

And, let us especially continue to love deeply our brothers and sisters in Christ.

 

_{Copyright © 2015 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

The Source of Objective Truth

 

“For the word of God is alive and active.”

—Hebrews 4:12a

Our current culture does not like rules and regulations. The culture despises anything that might restrain its bent toward wanton pleasure and selfish gratification.

In fact, it hates boundaries so much that it declares there are no boundaries and that all truth is relative. It spitefully disdains the idea that there is any source of objective truth.

Standing in sharp contrast to this cultural norm is God’s written Word, the Bible, which gives testimony to God’s Son, the Living Word, Jesus.

The writer of Hebrews sums it up best when he writes in Hebrews 4:12:

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.

Let us hold onto this source of objective truth: read it, study it, meditate on it, and make it an integral part of our lives.

And, let us thank God that He has made His thoughts known to us through His written Word and through the Living Word, His Son, Jesus.

 

_{Copyright © 2015 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Thoroughly Equipped

 

“…so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

—2 Timothy 3:17b

I once dreamed I had embarked on a long journey across the United States by air, but I had left my suitcase behind. When I arrived at my destination, I had nothing that I needed to effectively complete the purpose of my travels.

While this very foolish scenario was only a dream, it reminded me how important it is to make every effort to become thoroughly equipped before starting out each day.

For Christians, that means spending time reading and studying God's Word, the Bible. The Apostle Paul reinforces this idea in his second letter to his "son in the faith," Timothy, when he writes in 2 Timothy 3:16-17:

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

As we move forward into this new day, let us determine to study God's Word and allow His truth to shine a light on our pathway through this dark world.

 

_{Copyright © 2015 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Living Carefully

 

“Be very careful, then, how you live…”

—Ephesians 5:15a

Some teaching seems harder than others. Whenever the Apostle Paul gets down to the nitty-gritty of living, Christians begin to cringe a bit.

This is no less true with Paul's very frank words found in Ephesians 5:15-20:

Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.

Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.

Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery.

Instead, be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Let us choose to live carefully this day—not to be sanctimonious or self-righteous—but to set an example for our brothers and sisters in Christ. Let us draw true joy from our relationship with God through the life-transforming power of Jesus.

And, as we live carefully, let us both receive great joy and express great joy because of all that God has done for us.

 

_{Copyright © 2015 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Carry Your Own Load

 

“…for each one should carry their own load.”

—Galatians 6:5b

The Apostle Paul fascinates me with his brilliance. As he gave instruction to the early churches, he often used contrast in order to bring balance to his teaching.

In my last post, I shared Paul’s instruction to carry one another’s burdens. In the very next verses, he offers these words from Galatians 6:3-5:

If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves. Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, for each one should carry their own load.

So, while we are to carry one another’s burdens, we are also instructed not to depend on others or expect others to carry our burdens. Rather, we are to carry our own burdens.

This places Paul’s teaching into perfect balance. We are to hasten to help our brothers and sisters in Christ with their burdens, but we are to do our best to carry our own burdens.

As we struggle to carry our own burdens, when a brother or sister in Christ reaches out to us to help us, we can joyfully receive such help with sincere gratitude. However, we never become dependent on the help of others. We must never become expectant for that help. We must never wait for someone to do for us what we should do for ourselves.

These two teachings create a perfect balance in our lives. But, these contrasting teachings also make it critically important to live in community with our brothers and sisters in Christ: always seeking to help, but never expecting others to help us.

Such perfect balance gives us lives worth living. How very wise our God is in His unfailing love for us.

 

_{Copyright © 2015 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Burden Carriers

 

“Carry each other’s burdens…”

—Galatians 6:2a

There are many advantages to belonging to God through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus, on Calvary’s cruel cross. Great joy comes from being a part of a community of believers with like-minded, precious faith.

Among those special blessings is the opportunity to support one another during life’s most difficult trials. We Christians—or “Christ’s-ones”—have the joy and responsibility to help carry the burdens imposed by the difficulties that come during the course of our lives.

We help carry the burdens of our brothers and sisters in Christ through prayer, acts of kindness, very practical things we can do to help, and a host of other ways.

Sometimes this “burden carrying” requires significant effort on our part. Other times the help we give may seem very simple to us, but means a great deal to the one we are helping.

My disability prevents me from doing many things, including climbing stairs. Recently, I purchased a new dehumidifier via the internet. When it arrived, I had no way to move it down to the basement.

As I puzzled over what to do, a dear brother in Christ called just to check in with me. He noted the stress in my voice. I explained my dilemma. Twenty minutes later, he arrived at my door, carried the dehumidifier down to the basement, set it up, and with a smile was on his way. That’s literally what “burden carrying” is all about.

The Apostle Paul instructed the Christians in the church at Galatia in Galatians 6:2 to:

Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

This day, let us be alert for any opportunity that might come our way to be a carrier of others’ burdens. This will please our Father very much.

 

_{Copyright © 2015 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

An Apt Reply

 

“A person finds joy in giving an apt reply…”

—Proverbs 15:23a

Certain disciplines in the Christian life bring with them great benefit. Taking time at the beginning of each day to let God speak to us through His written Word, the Bible, gives us an opportunity to store up valuable truth in our minds and hearts.

The companion discipline of then talking to God in prayer gives us an opportunity to share with Him our inmost thoughts and desires.

A very practical outcome of these daily disciplines is that having “listened” to God and “talked” to Him, we will be all the more prepared to share God's truth with those who cross our pathway.

King Solomon understood the importance of having just the right words to say to someone who asks us a spiritual question. Notice what he wrote in Proverbs 15:23:

A person finds joy in giving an apt reply—and how good is a timely word!

Let's us determine to start our day reading God’s Word and talking to Him in prayer. Doing so will bring us light, understanding, peace, and also prepare us to give “an apt reply.”

 

_{Copyright © 2015 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

The True Gate

 

“I am the gate for the sheep.”

—John 10:7

While traveling along the road of life, we often have to make choices as to which direction we will take. When we come to a gate blocking our pathway, do we open that gate and proceed?

Our Savior understood this dilemma. He offered these words of encouragement and direction in John 10:7-10:

Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them.

“I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture.

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

Since Jesus is the true gate, let us this day enter into the joy of our salvation. And, let us glory in the reality that we sheep have been chosen by the Good Shepherd to belong to His Kingdom.

Through Jesus we can have “life to the full.”

 

_{Copyright © 2015 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

No More Darkness

 

“I am the light of the world.”

—John 8:12

Thanks to skillful employees of a local contractor, I recently upgraded the lighting on the outside of my home. I particularly appreciate the lamps on either side of my garage door.

As a person or vehicle enters the driveway, a sensor turns on those lamps automatically. This means whoever comes to visit does not have to walk in darkness. The light from the lamps illuminates the pathway.

Once we acknowledged the gift God has given us of eternal life through His Son, our pathway along the road of life is no longer in darkness.

Notice what Jesus says in John 8:12:

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

As we step out in the world today, we no longer walk in the darkness of sin. Because God has chosen us to belong to Himself, our Savior shines His bright light to illuminate our pathway.

Therefore, let us step out boldly today and share God's redeeming love with those we meet along the pathway of our lives.

 

_{Copyright © 2015 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Bread of Life, Please Fill Me

 

“Whoever comes to me will never go hungry…”

—John 6:35

We do a very good job of feeding our bodies. In fact, I’m told by my doctor that I continue to do too good a job at feeding mine.

But, what about our spirit? What kind of food fills our minds and our hearts?

The Lord Jesus Christ offers to fill our spirits with the best possible spiritual food: Himself. Notice what he said in John 6:35:

Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

As we launch out into a new day, let us determine to feed our spirits with the best possible food. Let us allow the Holy Spirit to fill our lives full-to-overflowing with Christ's mercy, grace, and abiding love.

Then, let us determine to allow Christ’s love to flow out of us and touch everyone who crosses our pathway this day.

 

_{Copyright © 2015 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Listening to God

 

“…in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son…”

—Hebrews 1:2

For those of us who believe in Jesus, God is not someone far off. To the contrary, God speaks to us and fellowships with us through His Son.

The writer to Hebrews captures this important truth in Hebrews 1:1-2:

In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.

Let us rejoice this day that we who belong to Jesus have access to God the Father through His Son. God speaks to us and fellowships with us through the power of the Holy Spirit—the Spirit of Christ—who dwells within us.

Let us abide in Christ this day knowing that He is opening up a new pathway for us. And, let us share His love with every person who we meet today.

 

_{Copyright © 2015 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Acknowledging Our Sin

 

“Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love…”

—Psalm 51:1

Sin is so pervasive that most people seem barely aware of the entrapping patterns that sin has created in their lives.

Our enemy, Satan, uses every clever trick at his disposal to normalize sinful behavior. That’s why our culture glorifies and celebrates sin.

In contrast, the Psalmist lived in a state of constant awareness of the hold sin had on his life. Please note these words from Psalm 51:1-7:

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.

Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.

Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight; so you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge.

Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb; you taught me wisdom in that secret place.

Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

While we absolutely must glory in the salvation that God has provided for us through His Son, Jesus, we must first consciously acknowledge our sin.

Without diminishing our gratitude, nor reducing the praise to God on our lips, let’s ask the Holy Spirit to heighten our awareness of our sin.

Being watchful and making decisive choices to step away from sin is a worthy part of following Jesus.

 

_{Copyright © 2015 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

A Very Long List

 

“…were I to speak and tell of your deeds, they would be too many to declare.”

—Psalm 40:5c

Have you ever tried to write down a list of all the many good things that God has done for you? I cannot help but believe that were we to start such a list, it would go on and on.

Topping the list: before the foundation of the earth, God chose us to belong to Him and in due time sent the Holy Spirit to reveal to us this wonderful news that, through the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, our sins are forgiven and our home in heaven has been vouchsafed by His precious blood.

As wonderful as the reality that we have been chosen by God is, the list goes on from there to include blessing after blessing.

The Psalmist acknowledged such a long list when he wrote these words in Psalm 40:5:

Many, Lord my God, are the wonders you have done, the things you planned for us. None can compare with you; were I to speak and tell of your deeds, they would be too many to declare.

Let us begin this new day by thanking God for His watchful care over us. Thank Him for the careful way He has directed our pathway. Praise Him for the many blessings He has poured into our lives.

Let gratitude overwhelm our spirits, so we may recognize how good and great God truly is.

 

_{Copyright © 2015 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

The Value of Confession

 

“Have mercy on me, O God,according to your unfailing love…”

—Psalm 51:1a

One of the advantages of liturgical worship is that the liturgy contains a time in the worship service for Confession of Sins.

In the service at the church I attend, we first provide an opportunity for silent prayer in order to confess our personal and private sins.

This is followed by a time of corporate confession where we pray aloud a unison prayer that is printed in the bulletin (worship folder).

Next, we hear an Assurance of Pardon from Scripture followed by a hymn or song of praise in response to the good news of the Gospel that the Lord Jesus Christ has paid the penalty for our sins by dying in our place on the cross at Calvary.

This part of the worship service has become very precious to me over the last thirteen years that I have worshipped in this way.

Even though I take time to confess my sins in prayer each day, there is a pervading joy that always wells up within me during the time of Confession during the worship. There is something very special, something cleansing, about joining with brothers and sisters in Christ to confess our personal and corporate sins.

King David experienced this feeling, as he prayed this prayer following his sin with Bathsheba, as recorded in Psalm 51:1-4, 10-13:

Have mercy on me, O God,according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.

Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.

For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight; so you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge.

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.

Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

Then I will teach transgressors your ways, so that sinners will turn back to you.

Let me urge you this day to keep short accounts with God. As you recognize you have sinned, always quickly confess your sins and receive the assurance that your sins have been covered by the precious blood of Jesus.

Confession is truly for our benefit to keep our hearts and minds perfectly clean. May God, indeed, “renew a steadfast spirit within us” this day and every day.

 

_{Copyright © 2015 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

A Joyful New Day

 

“Sing the praises of the Lord, you his faithful people…”

—Psalm 30:4a

Where does joy begin? It begins the moment you open your eyes each day. It springs forth from a heart filled with love from God and devotion to Him.

Edward Caswall translated these words from German to form the text of one of the great hymns of the church. The first of no less than fifteen verses reads:

When morning gilds the skies
My heart awaking cries
May Jesus Christ be praised!
Alike at work and prayer
To Jesus I repair
May Jesus Christ be praised!

In like manner, the Psalmist declares in Psalm 30:4-5:

Sing the praises of the Lord, you his faithful people; praise his holy name. For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night, but joy comes in the morning.

As we start this new day, let us spring forth with joy. God places His song of joy in our hearts that His sweet song might brighten every corner we visit this day.

 

_{Copyright © 2015 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

The Genuine Church - Part 5: Some “How-Tos”

 

“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”

—Acts 2:42

This is the fifth post in which I have focused on Dr. Luke’s description of the genuineness of the early church found in Acts 2:42:

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

So, how do people, in starting a new church, or renewing an existing church, begin to move toward the kind of genuineness that Dr. Luke reports?

Let me suggest they start with a frequent schedule of serious and protracted times of intense prayer imploring God for the specific leading of the Holy Spirit combined with solid, effective Bible teaching.

Once a pattern of these two elements becomes well-established, then these sincere folks can begin to season their gatherings with times of fellowship and the celebration of Holy Communion.

Each element must have a deliberate vitality that comes from the earnestness and commitment of the people to the task of allowing the Holy Spirit to construct a genuine church in their midst.

These suggestions represent only a beginning. But, I urge those who want to proceed to start immediately.

 

_{Copyright © 2015 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

The Genuine Church - Part 4: Devoted to Prayer

 

“They devoted themselves to… prayer.”

—Acts 2:42d

In the course of four previous posts, I have explored the interesting and challenging phenomenon that occurs when some people move from church to church in an attempt to find a church that they believe will genuinely fits their ideal of what a church should be.

When you ask these wandering ones what elements they believe will provide the genuineness they seek, you will frequently find that most people have a hard time defining exactly what qualities the perfect church would display.

Most believers will embrace the Scriptural concept that a “genuine church” is not comprised of a building, nor an institution. Rather, a genuine church is made up of a group of like-minded believers who gather together in unity and focus.

In these blog posts, I’m trying to answer the question: “How does a group of believers form a genuine, Christ-honoring, life-supporting, question-answering church?” I’m very certain that I have found an appropriate definition by looking at the very beginning of the New Testament church.

Dr. Luke records four elements that comprised the early church in Acts 2:42:

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

In the last three posts, I suggested that the believers striving to create a genuine church need to start their quest by laying a super-strong foundation of the apostles’ teaching.

Then, they need to work diligently to create a milieu in which heartfelt, soul-refreshing fellowship will occur.

Next, they need to be devoted to the breaking of bread: the Lord’s Supper, the Sacrament of Holy Communion, or the Celebration of the Eucharist.

Finally, Dr. Luke asserts that believers in the early church devoted themselves to prayer.

Prayer has great power. Matthew Henry, who ministered in the late 1600s and early 1700s in Wales, wrote, “When God intends great mercy for His people, He first of all sets them to praying.”

Does your church make much of prayer? I’m not talking about a pastoral prayer in the worship service, nor simply pausing to bless the food at mealtimes. I’m talking about heartfelt, deeply moving, hand-of-God-moving, protracted times of intense prayer.

In the quest for finding a genuine church—or in renewing your present church—keep these four critical elements in the forefront of your thinking.

Some “How-Tos” will emerge in the next blog post.

 

_{Copyright © 2015 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

The Genuine Church - Part 3: Devoted to the Breaking of Bread

 

“They devoted themselves to… the breaking of bread…”

—Acts 2:42c

For three previous posts, I have explored the phenomenon of some people who move from church to church trying to find a church that genuinely fits their ideal of what a church should be.

Sadly, when you try to inquire what these folks wish to experience in a church, you find that most people have a hard time defining exactly what qualities the perfect church would display.

Of course, it goes almost without saying that a “genuine church” is not a building, nor an institution. It is a group of like-minded believers who gather together in unity and focus.

In trying to answer the question: “How does a group of believers form a genuine, Christ-honoring, life-supporting, question-answering church?”—we need to turn to Scripture for a biblical definition of a genuine church. Dr. Luke records four elements that comprised the early church in Acts 2:42:

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

In the last two posts, I suggested that the believers striving to create a genuine church need to start their quest by laying a super-strong foundation of the apostles’ teaching and then need to work diligently to create a milieu in which heartfelt, soul-refreshing fellowship will occur.

The third element is to become devoted to the breaking of bread. Most of the time, the phrase “breaking of bread” refers to the Lord’s Supper—the Sacrament of Holy Communion, or the Celebration of the Eucharist.

Sadly, in many Protestant churches this critically important Feast of Remembrance is relegated to an occasional event tacked on to the end of a normal worship service. In other traditions, Communion is offered at every worship service. To outsiders from other traditions or no tradition at all, this may seem like “overkill” and they may feel that such frequent repetition must decrease the value of the sacrament.

No matter what you personally may feel about sharing at the Lord’s Table, apparently it was important enough to be one of the four key elements of the early church.

By now you’ve probably noticed that I have withheld any specific recommendations or “How-Tos.” Those will come in a later post.

In the next post, I will examine the fourth and final element of a genuine church.

 

_{Copyright © 2015 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}