All Things

I'm thankful for another opportunity to offer a "guest posting". This one is from Jose Bosque, another new friend I met during the conference here in Charlotte back in September,





All Things...................

It has always amazed me how Paul was able to see the good coming from the bad in his daily life and ministry. As darkness increases and lawlessness abounds it is the faith of God's fivefold servant leaders who will provide the example to the flock that even in these things our Lord is in control.

Eph 4:11-16

11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,

It's not about us but about equipping them!

13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;

We must raise the bar! God's people must not settle for less!

14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,

This is what Paul said would be the result of an immature people and how we see it everywhere. God have mercy on us and our religious games!

15 but, speaking the truth in love,

There is no seminary that can teach this. Truth without love isn't truth because the Author is Love. I have resolved to love and I can't in my own strength. It's not until I see the person through God's eyes that I can begin to love as God loves. By the way Paul is exhorting us to speak in love to evil people not to nice people.

may grow up in all things into Him who is the head - Christ

Here Paul is saying that we grow in ALL things (even bad things) these bad situations and people drive us closer to the Head which is Christ. It's no wonder persecuted Christians grow faster than we do. They RUNNNNNN to the Head!

16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

True CHURCH GROWTH is nothing more than the CHURCH SHARING in the work not more advertising, bigger and better buildings, more staff, more services, longer sermons, and bigger titles.



God help us to keep the faith through ALL THINGS in 2010!



With Love,
jose

josebosque.com 12/27/09