A few weeks ago I was honored to share at the Women's Conference at the Bethlehem Star Baptist Church in Oklahoma City. The theme for the event was 'Coming Together in Unity'. This conference was not for those Christians who desired to stay on milk. It was for the believer who desired to move from milk to meat or from ground beef to steak. So today with my continuing theme of 'self-examination' I want to share some of those points with you over the next few days.
Ephesians 4:1-3 in the Message Bible says, 'In light of all this, here's what I want you to do. While I'm locked up here, a prisoner for the Master, I want you to get out there and walk—better yet, run!—on the road God called you to travel. I don't want any of you sitting around on your hands. I don't want anyone strolling off, down some path that goes nowhere. And mark that you do this with humility and discipline—not in fits and starts, but steadily, pouring yourselves out for each other in acts of love, alert at noticing differences and quick at mending fences'.
Do you know how important unity is to the body of Christ? Very important...so much so that Jesus prayed for it just before He went to the cross in John 17:11. You see, God is not concerned with your social status, where you work, or what car you drive but He is concerned with us getting along, coming together for the cause of Christ. Look at how Jesus lived when He was here on earth. He had dinner with the tax collector, talked to the woman at the well. all the people with issues that so many of us stand in judgment of. The people who tend to be the topic of our evening phone call or our workday text messages or dare I say our conversation during 11AM morning worship when our time should be focused on God. Just think about the mixed message that unbelievers and babes in Christ are receiving from watching us. We sit in church Sunday after Sunday listening to dynamic preaching and teaching, yet we continue to be some of the most judgmental individuals.
In these verses Paul is telling us that we have got to learn how to work together through our differences. It's not about being the best of friends. It's about joining together in unity and love for the edifying of the body of Christ. How valuable is your salvation to you? I firmly believe that the way you live your life depicts your view of your salvation. In Ephesians 2:2-4 Paul says, 'you used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil...all of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our own sinful nature. BUT GOD, so rich in mercy and he loved us so much that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised up Christ from the dead'. Key words in these verses -ALL OF US....BUT GOD. All of us stand in need of God's mercy and His grace. That is why Paul spent so much time in the first three chapters talking about our identity in Christ. (When you get a moment read those chapters - but for now I'll give you the Cleft Notes - we are Blessed, Chosen, Predestined, Adopted, Accepted, Redeemed, Forgiven and Filled with the Holy Spirit!) And with that it seems only right that Paul moves from our identity to our responsibility...from doctrine to duty. What is our responsibility? Walk Worthy of Our Calling. Why did Paul use the work 'walk' - to indicate progress and purpose. This is a lifelong process. There are going to be setbacks but overall there should be a pattern of growth. And furthermore, when you take a look at the word 'worthy', picture a weighted scale - on the one side your have the glorious gospel of God's grace towards us and on the other side our Godly conduct that should match our high calling. When we walk worthy it becomes our lifestyle. It's not that show face we put on Sunday morning but the way we live every single day of the week. In our homes, on our jobs, and especially at church. The calling Paul is referring to is found in 2 Timothy 2:9, one that is not according to works, but according to His own purpose and grace. It's in these verses that we should learn that it's not what we look like but how we live. It's not a matter of presentation but of perspective. It's not an issue of appearance but of attitudes. As a member of the body of Christ we should be proud to be Christians. It should mean something. It should show in the way we walk, in the way we talk, in the way we live. My question for you today is "What's different about your life? Are you walking worthy of your calling?"
Most Gracious Heavenly Father,
It's once more again that I come before you, realizing that I am unworthy. I thank You that I can come boldly before you, asking anything according to Your will and it shall be done. Lord today I want to ask forgiveness for the times I have let You down. Those times when I haven't represented You well in my daily life. Help me to dig deeper into Your Word to become the person that you want me to be in order to bring glory to Your Name. In Jesus' Precious Name Amen.
Life Application:
1. What changes have I noticed in my life since the day I was saved?
2. What disciplines have I incorporated into my daily routine to continue to grow in my relationship with God?
3. In what ways have I been guilty of judging others because of their mistakes? Ask God to forgive you for these things.
4. What disciplines can I implement going forward that will help me to walk worthy of my calling? Make a commitment today.
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