Lion of Grace

Pastors should focus on equipping the saints for the work of ministry because we are all one body. Every part needs to be functioning in spiritual maturity and truth in the gift we have to share. There needs to be a balance in this equipping though. We can't have truth without love or love without truth. If a Pastor functions as a "paid chaplain" he is not functioning out of love. He is merely in a ministry for "self ". To function in a healthy way, takes wisdom and discernment and a shepherds heart. Pastors are to edify and exhort. The flock needs to know the truth and be encouraged to reach for a life lived worthy of our high calling, yet not be condemned when struggling with individual strongholds. They need to be able to discern an honest seeker and to guide them in loving ways. There has to be a good balance of acceptance, but discipline. Done in real love, this is done out of a jealousy for others to know Christ and the truth of who we are in Him. Discipline is measured out in love to draw others back into the arms of God. Love is given to show others the love of Christ through them. Good Pastors are always watching over their flock to see who is in need of help, yet at the same time is sensitive to the work of the Holy Spirit in an individual life and allows that work though it may be painful to watch in those they have love for. Jesus walked with His disciples and loved them, yet allowed them to learn from circumstances. He taught and encouraged them, yet rebuked them when they openly strayed from the truth. He was in close relationship with them and they trusted in Him and His love for them. He accepted them as they were, yet did not allow them to stop growing. His goal was to save them from eternal death and was to equip them to help others know the truth. His intent was to teach them to pass along this truth to others. His goal was to have them as one with the Father and with Himself. His goal was to teach them servanthood and humbleness and He did it all with a love that sacrificed everything including his own life to show them what would be required of them to live their lives for Him. There isn't one thing He didn't do or experience Himself that He required of them....or us.

Pastor: A minister having charge of a church or a congregation. Teacher: To cause to learn, pointing to the truth, to direct, instruct and guide. Both words have the same root meaning in Greek. I see both of these in differing roles yet with much in common. Both have an educational function. Both interpret the revelation of Jesus Christ and how to apply that in daily living. It is especially important to have a willingness to live the Word for Pastors and teachers as actions speak louder than words. Individually, I see Pastors as having more responsibility in overseeing and shepherding whole congregations as well as small groups of people. They are teachers, but may have callings for the sick or poor or the hurting in their congregation. They are shepherds who come alongside and guide and encourage when needed. I see them as more authoritative in their calling over a larger group. I am especially drawn to pray for Pastors. This is a very vital role in the Body of Christ. One that is many times unappreciated for the gentle, tender yet strong qualities needed to win others to Christ. These are the ones with the great gift of mercy who are deeply committed to show us the love of Christ as well as teach the truth of the word. I thank each and every one of you who read this. A teacher has the vital role in ministry to reach individual people or smaller groups and equip them in the correct interpretation of the Word. They teach/shepherd smaller groups such as in Sunday school ministry for children or special needs ministries or men/women groups. This to me is such a vital often overlooked role too. There is so much out there being taught that is not the Word. Teachers have a consuming love for the Word. Both Pastors and teachers build up the body by equipping them with the truth in the Word and how to apply that truth into our lives. They raise up others to spiritual maturity.

An evangelist declares the Gospel. I think most people we call "evangelists" today are usually out in front preaching about the good news of Salvation, but we really all are called to be evangelists every day. I do think though some are more gifted to reach masses of people over what one not really gifted in that would do on a regular basis. People are more drawn to them through the Holy Spirit. Either way though, an evangelist builds up the Body of Christ by sharing faith, awakening people to their faith and are always making more and more disciples to continue that work.

I know it would be pertinent to say that all the gifts that have been given to the Church are in the form of each individual and the gifts they bring, not in any position or formal office. I was reading a little more on this and I loved the truth that was given to me on how God wants order in the Church, but not order of ministry. True leadership will always serve to equip all members so that each equally important gift is used for the benefit of the entire body. That said.....I believe "Apostles" are those "sent out", even if for a time, for a specific special purpose. They plant, repair, and build up with the foundation of the Word and by example where God has asked them to go for Kingdom purposes. I believe prophets receive a divine message to exhort or edify and can impart God's will and direction for the benefit of the Church. I know prophets have a passion for Christ and for the Church to remain firmly rooted in our one true vision. To bring others to the truth of the saving grace of Jesus Christ and for others to know of their salvation through His death on the cross. The one true way. The only way.

All Spiritual gifts have been given to us as Christ apportioned them. ( vs. 7) Then in vs. 8, Paul goes on to explain, "When He ascended on high, He led captives in His train and gave gifts to men." In Romans 12:6, we are instructed that we each have different gifts according to the grace given us. In 1 Corinth. 12:11: all these are the work of the one Spirit and He gives each one (gifts) just as He determines. In 1 Peter 4:10, we hear everyone should use whatever gift he has received to serve others faithfully, administering grace in various forms. We are all to use our gifts to build up up the body of Christ in love (extending the same grace to others that Christ gave to us) and to help bring each other to maturity. That should be a goal in the Church through discipleship. We each have received a different "part" to share, so we can become strong together as one in our faith. Mature Christians learn to discern truth and with truth we are firmly rooted in our faith together. We won't be so easily led astray by false teaching and men who scheme and plan deceit towards others for their own gain.

I doubt and loose hope so much. I try to be obedient to do what God asks of me and I love Him so much and want to do His will, but when I get the human repercussions of that, I falter big time. I'm slapped down by fear and depression and I run for cover as fast as I can. I start to doubt and to believe what everyone else is saying. I get angry at injustice. I stop looking at the bigger picture God wants me to see for everyone and start focusing on me again. I loose patience and cry out " WHY?" I can get to the point of anxiety until I'm even fearful of doing what is asked of me. To reach out or trust or forgive. I just withdraw. I finally wear myself out in the struggle and just rest. Then I'm renewed, but so much time is wasted. I repent of not trusting God. Trust is hard for me. I don't trust men and I fail to trust God. That can be a frightening place. I close my heart. It's a terrible thing when I close my heart to protect myself and I repent of that. I'm better, but I ask to be strengthened and to place all my hope and trust in God in every situation. To not judge what I see in situations and in others and to wait in more peace. To remain in fellowship with believers and to develp relationships. I can even be in attendance, helping and looking like I'm doing alright, yet be alone and at the same time long for relationships. That was a really hard question.

Our baptism is an outward sign that we are Christian believers. We believe we are baptized into one body, through one Spirit, by one faith, in the one Lord, Jesus. We are unified in these beliefs. That is what we claim when we are baptized, or those who baptize infants claim through their own faith for their loved one. We are all saying we are one in the Lord Jesus. I was baptized as an infant and I was later baptized as an adult. The important thing to me is this.......my parents in their belief had faith that as I was baptized I became a part of the body of Christ and later, with full understanding, I was baptized and professed Jesus as my Savior. I knew of the truth of faith through salvation in Jesus and my part as a member of the body of Christ. That was a joy for me, but regardless of the belief system of my former church or my present church, the bottom line is that I am a member of the body of Christ through faith. That faith is in Jesus. I know there are doctrines and interpretations and proofs all around if anyone wants to prove a point, but I know that the "unity of the bond of peace" and our command to love one another is far more important than any other influence. Those who baptize infants profess faith in Jesus and those who baptize as adults profess faith in Jesus, so biblically, I know a pure heart in that belief is a sound faith. God is so much bigger than we can ever imagine. He is so merciful and kind and patient with all of us. I know things done in faith, by a sincere seeking heart in love, is never turned away by God. We need to make sure we are biblically sound in our faith in salvation through Jesus and not sucumb to "legalism" or "judging" others in their walk. We can't become consumed in "straining gnats" out of living out our faith. We are instructed many times on those subjects in the Bible too. We don't want to become like the Pharisees and we are not to act in any manner that offends new believers even if we know the greater truth on any given conviction, nor are we to be a stumbling block to anyone in their growth. We must not judge and we are to live in service and understanding of each other so as to build up the body of Christ. We never know all of the truth and we are all constantly learning from the Holy Spirit. I do believe though, that we need to read and study our Bible to know what it says in it's entirety and also we need to stand firm on our faith in Jesus. If someone won't profess Jesus....then I know they are absolutely not in the truth. If anyone belongs to Jesus, they belong to me!

7 elements that unite Christians: One body, One Spirit, One hope, One Lord, One faith, One baptism, One God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all. I think the most compelling to me is "One God" and Father of all. I chose that one because I think that encompasses everything else. One God denotes to me the Trinity, so I include " One Lord" and "One Spirit" in that. Jesus is our Lord who came to live among us, who understands us in all our struggles and who died for us so we can live. He made the way for us to be rstored to the Father. Jesus was united and one with His Father and He prayed we would be one with Him too. He shared His glory with us! Jesus trusted our Father so much that He submitted himself to die a torturous death for what His Father desired. For us! A people so undeserving and he knew it! He experienced it first hand! Through His death, He made it possible for us to come to the Father crying "Abba!" to Him. When we cry like that, that is a cry from a child to someone very beloved to him or her. Through Jesus we learn that Father can be trusted with anything! We know we can trust Him to hear us and to act on our behalf. We may have to wait a little bit...or adjust our attitude a bit.....but He is faithful! When we know Abba in this way, there is a trust so great, we can be submitted to events that may seem out of control, or hurtful to us, or unfair all the while knowing His will is to prosper us and not harm us. We can rest in Him when struggles come our way in the church and in individual relationships. So much striving ceases when we see Father as sovereign and all knowing. The Holy Spirit is our helper with us today. He is present in us. We are not left alone here. He is our comforter and counselor and our ever present provider. He provides the power to live lives in victory over sin and He helps us renew our minds and He cultivates pure hearts within us. The Holy Spirit reveals all things to us and provides wisdom and direction. He helps us "agape" love and continually reminds us of Jesus' sacrifice for us so we can have understanding for others. Without God (Three in One) we wouldn't have a body (Physical or Spiritual as a church), or faith or baptism or hope. We wouldn't have been created, or born again, nor would we profess our faith or be united or have any hope for our futures. I can't seperate the Three. Each one is different, but one. Without Him...we are nothing. We can't be without Him. He's the living God.

The Holy Spirit brings about unity. We are to be unified as individuals in the church as well as a whole body through the work of the Holy Spirit. We maintain this unity by cooperating with each other as we use our gifts to serve Christ. We are all called to serve Him but in different ways. I think the "bond of peace" really comes from the Holy Spirit and is the peace that is beyond our understanding. We can't just have peace in tolerating anything, but if we know who we are in Christ and what our purpose is for this life as well as knowing our individual callings and gifts, we find security in doing what He set aside for us to do. We become fulfilled in that and we can stop striving and competing with each other. Our main focus and common ground is sharing the message of salvation to others and of God's great love. It's all about Him and that becomes our unifying passion. It's easier to get along with others when we are secure in God's love and purpose for our lives and we aren't caught up in the insecurities of thinking what others may be doing or getting. Christian unity is to get every effort. That is number one. A house divided simply can not stand. So, to maintain unity even at great suffering or sacrifice is always first. We are all growing and some may still not understand their particular purpose, but if it's from God it will stand. If not, He is patient and kind while we discover and we can be towards others too. God does reward for those times though. Even if we never see it in this life, we will still be storing eternal treasures. Our outlook should be eternal.

Our attitudes should be of complete humbleness. To me that means knowing we can't...but God can. It means I esteem others as more important than myself and that I serve no matter where God has placed me or what He has asked me to do for a time. We are to be gentle, no matter what our "mood' for the day is. We act kindly towards each other even under duress. We are to be patient, waiting on God's timing and allowing others to be first, while we are last. We are to bear with one another in love. We realize the grace we have received into our lives in all of our sinfulness and we extend grace and mercy to others in their imperfections. Even if we feel very, very hurt and slapped down, we choose to love and get up again with perseverance and long suffering. We know we are just as imperfect as the one who has hurt us. We try to find a common ground with each other in times of disagreement or hurt. We respect each other and pray for each other in times of doubt. We address issues in truth and love. Never one without the other and always to restore unity and fellowship. Which is most important? Jesus said it is love. He gave two commandments. To love God above all things and to love our neighbor as ourselves. Paul continued the teaching at Corinth. " These three remain, faith, hope and love and the greatest of these is love." I think bearing with each other in love is the most important and the most difficult. We see what love is in 1 Corinthians 13:4-13. That seems impossible to aquire all those attributes in ones life towards others....but we do have the power of Christ at work within us. All things are possible through Him. If we ask and seek Him everyday and allow Him to fill us as vessels for Kingdom purposes....He can do a mighty work in and through us!

" Holiness is the quality in God that cares about our sin, and the capacity in Him to do something about it. When sinners worship gods of their own making, they drag the gods down to their own level. When sinners worship the God of holiness, they are lifted up to His level." I recently received this quote in a daily devotional and it had great impact on me in my daily walk and in understanding devotion to the God I serve. I appreciate the prayer Paul prayed in Chapter 1:15-19. He prays for the Spirit of wisdom and revelation so others may know Christ better. He prays that the eyes of hearts are opened in order to know the hope we are called to and to know of the inheritance we receive with the saints. He asks that we would know of the incomparable power given to us if we believe. That power is in Christ Jesus through the Holy Spirit. When we choose to live a life worthy of our high calling, we have come to KNOW who gives that power and that His power gives us understanding in how to act. We can do even what we thought was impossible through the power of the Holy Spirit. " Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all things will be added unto you." The Holy Spirit will lift us up to His level of holiness once we seek Him with all of our heart and soul and mind. When a body of beleivers comes to know God and they truly beleive they are one in the Spirit and with each other a new awakening happens and the power of the Holy Spirit really starts to pour out through them. We see we are worthy to serve by His power. We serve Jesus and this we know to be a high honor given to us. We are devoted to Christ and His ways. We become servants with a humbleness and love just as He did. We keep the bonds of peace with each other through the Holy Spirit staying connected to Him always and asking for the power of His love to be evident in us. This is our calling, " To be completely humble and gentle; to be patient, bearing with one another in love. Making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace." We are, " One body, one Spirit. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father who is over all and through all and in all." We, " build up in love" as we each do our own work, using our gifts, to prepare God's people for works of service and maturity in faith to attain the whole fullness of God.

God in the spirit is the Holy Spirit. He is the Spirit of truth. He dwells in each one of us and His presence is with us. His truth for the church is that He is building a community of believers who will be His people. We as members of congregations, help bring this about by living in unity. We humbly base our acceptance of each other on the knowledge of the grace we have received through Jesus. We teach this grace and show this grace towards each other and in all things by exhorting and edifying in love. God is love. God's grace received is a foundational truth for all of our actions. In our own lives, this should show characteristics of Christ. Humble servanthood, a willingness to suffer at times for the good of all and the furtherance of the Kingdom of God. It should reflect renewed minds and hearts. A people born again to do the work given to them by the Holy Spirit. We should have a wonderful desire to know God more, seeking Him in all things and by devouring His Word for truth and revelation so as to know Him more and to understand Him more and to love Him more. We should be focused on the cross and Jesus' sacrificial death and amazing grace, so we too can live a life of selflessness and forgiveness towards each other. Our hearts should cry out to show and preach this wonderful gift, salvation by grace to others so that they may be built up and have the joy of changed lives. If each does His own part and allows the fullness of God to flow up and outward, like a drink offering to each other and to the lost, we would see congregations living in unity and love, adding more and more to Him who is worthy of all praise and glory. We would see more living houses of God of one mind.....the mind of Christ.

The apostles were eye witnesses to all that Jesus did and taught. These things are recorded in the New Testament. The church's understanding of what we should be and teach are preserved there. The prophets also instructed and guided the people into true living and obedience to God. They have left us priceless treasure! A look into the will of God! Be thou my vision oh Lord of my heart! A cornerstone is the beginning of a building. Jesus serves as our cornerstone by being the very beginning of our foundation. He was first in time and order for the New covenant. Jesus supports the main weight of the structure. He is the strength of the church, holding it together. The congregation grows as each person is added as a living stone. Together we serve Christ with the help of the Holy Spirit. Jesus prayed we would be one with the Father as He was one with Him. We are to be one church also. We use our gifts to help the church grow. We disciple others, building them up and helping them become firmly set on the foundation of Christ. With Christ as our head, we are responsible to help each other grow in faith. Not all have the same gift or calling, but all are ministers to each other. Our motives must be pure though and our motive should always be that others would come to know the fullness of Christ and their salvation through Him. We are responsible to grow others to maturity so they can become functioning ministers also.

In verses 2:14-18, Paul instructs us that Christ himself is our peace and unifier. He has joined the Jews and the non Jews together as one. He broke down dividing walls making peace and gaining access for all to our Father through the Holy Spirit. By being members of God's household, we are all equal as members, under God with Jesus as our cornerstone. The nature of the church and the nature of God to me is unity and oneness in love. We are being built together. We are many, but one. In Christ we are joined together to become a dwelling place in which God lives. Church becomes a place where fellowship is designed for God's presence and purposes. We should be unified in these purposes. We should meet for these purposes and we should share our gifts and talents in the church for these purposes. We should be revealing the good news of Jesus Christ in our actions towards each other and to those whom God sends to us. It's all about Jesus! When Christians aren't faithful to gather within the church, I think that implies a lack of understanding or even faith in knowing who they are in Christ. They lack the understanding of the purpose of their lives or in understanding not only their relationship to God but with each other. It's like a body having parts that casually dismiss themselves from being connected for a day. We need all the parts to function properly and we need to be connected to one head to direct us in what to do! We are called to share about salvation through Christ and we are called to build the church, not divide it! A house divided can not stand. We need to love. We have known His love and we trust in that love. God is love. Those who live in love, live in Him and He in them!

In Old Testament times, God dedicated Israel as His people. To be "holy" was to be a member of a covenant community that would belong to God even regardless of their faith and obedience. The priests offered sacrifices as an atonement for the sins of the people and God honored His covenant with them. In New Testament time, "Holy" means man being set apart and devoted to God. We share in the covenant calling and yet, when we become "saints" in the Kingdom of God, we become a royal priesthood and a Holy Temple ourselves. We experience fellowship with God in His holiness. We are often called upon to live up to divine demands on our lives. This is called sanctification. We are

Access to the Father is important because the door is now open to all people. There are no barriers or dividing walls between us and God. We can come to Him with all things and we are assured a welcome in His presence. In diplomatic relations, there is always a seeking for peace and for the welfare of all. Christ destroyed the divisions that were in place between Jews and Gentiles. He restored relationship between God and man. Peace is restored and all hostilities are crucified with Christ. We obtain all this through the death of Christ on the cross. The two greatest commandments are fulfilled in this way because Christ opened the door for direct access to our Father. We can come to Him with all our needs and for direction in our lives. We love, honor and respect Him above any earthly authority. It also fulfills the command to love each other because there are no more differences between each other anymore. We are all one and we are all equal. We seek to love each other with sacrificial love. We love one another more than we love ourselves. Our purpose is to serve in love. We serve because we love and we serve with joy because we love.

God's power works within us. This power is immeasurable. We can't ever grasp all that God can do. Yet, He still works in and through us. I think the reason this power is not more evident is found in the beginning of chapter 4. So often we do not live a life worthy of the calling we recieve. We are not completely humble, gentle, patient nor do we bear one another in love. We do not keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. We fail to see ourselves as one body and one spirit. Paul prayed in 3:16-19, that God would strengthen all with power through god's spirit in our inner being. He prayed Christ would dwell in hearts through faith, and that all would be rooted and established in love, with all the saints to grasp how wide, long and high and deep is the love of Christ. He knew that love surpassed knowledge and with love we would be filled to the greatest measure of the fullness of Christ. We do not grasp the true love of God and without that, we can not experience giving the full measure of love to each other. Excercising the power of Christ on Earth brings glory to God because we are firmly rooted and acting with pure agape love and living victoriously always giving praise to God for what He has given to us through Christ.

If Christ is the head of the church, then just like a physical body the body of Christ is connected to Christ. His life blood flows through us. This makes us one with Him. Christ as the head "thinks" for the body, therefore we have the mind of Christ. We also are guaranteed the fullness of Christ, so we not only have a share in what Christ knows (The knowledge of Christ) but we share in who He is. His character. His knowledge is supreme and all knowing and His character is all loving. We as a church share in this when we acknowledge Christ as our authority and head. He will direct all our actions in divine wisdom. When we submit to Him, we know He is the author of our faith and actions. Then we become His hands and feet etc. as a part of Him. We can then truly represent Christ to a dying world in His wisdom and with His character. We do all this in Him, with the same unsurpassing power He posseses that He has so graciously shared with us. If we stay connected to our head, there is nothing that can defeat the true church that is submitted and one with Him. There just isn't anything above Him. If God is for us...who could ever be against us? We may suffer for awhile and even give our lives for His Kingdom, but Jesus will reign forever and His church will survive. He loves His bride and is very protective of her. He covers her and jealously guards her and guides her. He allows nothing to defeat her. He is not only the head in a bodily sense but is head in loving authority over us as one also. Like a good husband for His beloved bride. He is good to allow us a share in all these things of Him, and to be so protected by Him, so we should have deep gratitude that He guides us and shows us and shares with us. We don't deserve any of this....He is just good and pure and very merciful.

From the standpoint of power, when God raised Jesus up and seated Him in the Heavenly realm, we too were raised up and seated with Him..... through Him. This was done, so in the coming ages, His grace and mercy expressed by His kindness would be shown through Jesus. The power is in Jesus' blood and in grace. By grace we are saved, through faith. It's a gift from God. By grace, we are raised to where we never could have gone by ourselves. We can't earn it. Only through our faith in Christ do we believe in the power behind the blood of Christ. We believe for the forgiveness of our sins and we believe for our new life and for our eternal life. We believe in the power He gives for any task He sets before us and has already planned for us to do. We aren't capable to do good works until we understand faith and grace and what it means in our lives and for the lives of others. By the power of Jesus and God's grace, we can overcome anything, because all things are under Jesus' authority and we share in that because of His goodness and mercy extented to us to share in His glory.

Jesus's resurrection revealed God's unsurpassable power. By placing Jesus at His right hand, the seat of highest honor, God established Jesus as supreme ruler over all Heavenly and earthly powers forever. This gives Jesus absolute authority over any spiritual being or earthly being. He " tramples " on anything not of Him or His Kingdom. Any other form of power is under His feet. There is no power except that which is given by God through Christ. This includes both in this present age and in the age to come. Christ has exhalted authority in both. We as believers, participate in both ages. Christ is already seated in authority, so the power He has in the age to come is also in this present age we live in. The Ephesians did not need to fear any imagined "power" over them by human or spiritual beings not of God. Neither should we. Whom shall we fear? They have no power except what is given them. All believers are sealed by the Holy Spirit and the power of Christ is in us. There is no other power that passes His power....everything is in submission to Christ and His will for His Kingdom! Praise be to His Holy name!

Paul prayed that God would open the Ephesians eyes to discern " His incompararable great power" because the church at Ephesus had many problems. They were faced with false teachings and religions that especially taught power by their own right and offered immoral inticements to sway weak people in the name of " religion." There was fighting in the church because of beliefs that Christian believers with Jewish background had advantage over Gentile believers. There were also struggles to overcome what the secular world taught them. They could try to live in both worlds so to say, or they could choose a life of commitment to Jesus Christ. They were under pressure to decide on Godly living and to maintain their commitment in spite of all they may suffer or loose. Paul wanted their eyes opened to the power they all had in unity with Christ. The power of the Holy Spirit in their lives. They needed to draw the strength of who they were in Christ and the power they had through Him. This power was the very power that raised Christ from the dead! Incomparable power for sure!

We are called to oneness and we are taught how we are to relate to each other. We are called to self discipline and what He instructs us to do from what we learn in the wholeness of the Bible. If we fail to do that, then He lets us know and corrects us. We grow stronger and firmer through these disciplines. I think the importance here is to remember this is mostly selfexamination and with GOD punishing! Everyone is on a relationship journey with God and learning different things. Some come into our churches very broken while others are further in their walk. The important thing is to remember the two things Jesus said. Love God first, then love your neighbor as yourself. Love covers over a multitude of wrongs! God does the judging....only He sees hearts on the inside. Thank Heaven too....to be judged at the mercy seat as opposed to the human side! Ouch! Sometimes God punishes me lightly...on things I don't fully understand and sometimes more severely on things He knows I know better about! Father knows best! He promises in the Word that when He punishes, He will be fair. When we as people try to punish, we aren't always fair....or even fully informed! Even if we are called to reprimand a brother or sister...it is always to be done in love and with the intent to bring them back into the fold! We also have to remember we are one body made up of many. When we treat others unfairly or punish unjustly....that affects us as one too! We are called to Godly living for sure, but that means something different than a Pharisee zeal at perfected legalism. To me...if God is disciplining a son or a daughter because He loves them....then the least we can do is recognize they are His son or daughter! He doesn't take that lightly. If God disciplines to restore and because He loves them, then we can certaintly do the same and to remember....we dare not judge....lest we ourselves fall into the same sin. Most hardship is to be endured as discipline. We are trained by it. We are healed in it. We are called to live in peace and love and to be holy. We are called to see that no one misses the grace of God and no bitterness grows to cause trouble among ourselves. Hebrews is such a powerful book to be read thoughtfully. Thanks for this lesson!

We as a church body are one. If one is hurting, then the whole body is hurting. I see so many " revolving door" churches because of lack of discernment in the church. People come and are so totally uncared for because of judgenments and fear they eventually dwindle away and leave knowing the church doesn't care. So many lies seem to permeate the church today. Money equals power, perfect outward behavior equals supposed goodness. Members that have been with the church for years equal mature members. Not that this can't be true sometimes, but we as a church don't discern very well. God has always used the least likely candidates. He's always looked on the heart. He hasn't ever discriminated by skin color or income or education. He has always had disciples and they don't always " get it" right away. He teaches with patience and when we get it, we have it on our hearts. It isn't about power, or money or sensation or perfect behavior. It is about loving God so much....it is an obsession with seeing His Kingdom will being done. It is about raising more....not holding on to what we have. It is about compassion, not judging and it is about including everyone and that includes the so called " freaks". The not popular, the poor and the unlovely. The sin is....leaving out who GOD has chosen because of shallow mindsets or greed or whatever not from God motivates the mind. We as a church need to diligently seek God to renew our minds....have patience with each other as we do and as we learn and we need to treat others as we would want to be treated. There is a lot of sin in the church....but if we try to throw out what God has chosen.....or we think we do the choosing....well....it's impossible. We'll only suffer for it and God will still raise His own.

I was delighted, Eudora, with your answer! I have a real mirror in my room that can be turned and I have often had that used to show me a reflection that will bring my attention to how I look or how I see others. For instance, if I have judged someone harshly, I go to my room to pray and I may see for that moment a reflection in that mirror of the fabric heart hanging on my door that has frayed edges and I'm reminded the person I judged so harshly is a remnant, tattered and torn just like we all are. One day I will see lights and be reminded to help light a path for another and other days I just saw myself! I was reminded on those days to get the focus off of me and on to other things! The other day I tried to judge myself too harshly and I couldn't even see a reflection, I just saw light and I was reminded of some good things I did that day and to not be discouraged but to keep doing good. I too have learned from this to examine myself and renew my own mind before I think so highly of anything to think I can stand in judgement of another person's life. I like how you do that in every situation. I don't seek signs like what happens in the mirror, God just teaches me with " visual aids" sometimes, but it is a good thing to renew our minds to reflect on those things every time we are tempted with judging or becoming self absorbed, or we are insensitive to others needs etc. I think of seeing Jesus's face and liken that with seeing that mirror image. We will have all become like Him and since that is a cry of my heart, it will be pure bliss to know it finally happened! After all the falls and failures and the agony of defeats and the heartbreak of knowing I failed HIM.....to see that glory...well....I'm not usually at a loss for words....but I am now! I know when I pray and I'm in His presence...it is awesome....how could we possibly even try to understand how heaven will be in His real presence?

The Lord's supper looks back to the old covenant and reminds us of how we were once seperated from God and the old way of atonement for sins. I think of our heritage from the time of Adam and Eve and the fulfillment of the coming of Jesus to make a new way for all. It brings us to the present to remember Jesus, who gave His life as a final sacrifice as an atonement for our sin. Our Redeemer lives! We remember we have a new covenant now that has opened the way to be before the Father for everyone. We receive grace and pardon through Jesus and guidance by the Holy Spirit. We reflect on the future promises still to be received and our eternal dwelling with God in Heaven.