Gifted!

1 Peter 4:7-11

For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, but all have also been given the opportunity to be forgiven, redeemed, and brought into right standing with the Father, through the Son. Without Jesus, our lives would remain jacked up forever, but because of His love and grace, we have been adopted into God’s royal family.

Being in the family of God comes with amazing perks that are impossible to obtain otherwise. God gave the church His Spirit, to guide them in all truth, along with a unique gift, that is to be used to edify and build up the church. Gifts come without repentance, and all who operate in them, must do so with earnest, zealous, and abundant love.

The grace of God is diverse, and has distributed all types of gifts, by which the children of God function. The apostle Paul mentioned these gifts among the Corinthians, “For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit. To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; to another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.” (1 Corinthians 12:8-11). Paul also mentioned, that despite our different gifts and operations, God works in them all. It’s not our place to use God’s gifts for vain glory, instead, all glory belongs to the Lord.

If you’re uncertain what your gift is, pray and ask God to reveal it to you, because everyone was created wonderfully, and has something special to contribute in the earth. So, use your gift to bring glory and honor to God, and do your best to work hand-in-hand with those expressing their gifts as well.

Huddle Up!

Acts 5:12-16

One of the hardest things to do on this planet is, get a group of people to agree on the same ideals, required to reach a unified goal. Many sports teams fail to win the coveted championship trophy, because certain members of their team aren’t in sync with the coach’s gameplan. We often see how certain individuals act out of character, when their team is on the verge of winning a game, thus causing them to suffer a loss. Even when playing a game of tug-of-war, if all members on a team aren’t working collectively as a group, they’ll easily be pulled over to the other side. Teamwork really does make the dream work, especially when all who are joined together share the same mindset, and one goal. This same concept can be applied to an individual, and their body. When the natural body is healthy, one can easily accomplish those things the mind is set to achieve. Unity is the key ingredient to any collective group, seeking to achieve success.

In our text, the apostles of Jesus were responsible for doing many signs and wonders among the people of the early church. Their miraculous manifestations would not have been made possible if confusion and ill will was among them, but their minds were set on being obedient to God, and fulfilling His command to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The body of Christ consists of many members, all who may be affiliated with different denominations, but if all have their minds and hearts set on fulfilling God’s will, then God can do great things through His people, no matter who they are affiliated with. The truth will indeed stand forever, so when the church collectively spreads the truth of the Gospel to all men, God will reveal His awesome power through all who are of one accord.

“Unity is what makes success a reality.” – Ell

GO TEAM GO!!!

Colossians 1:3-8

Of all that goes into a winning sports program, one of the groups that usually goes unnoticed, yet contributes greatly to their team’s success is, the cheerleaders. According to wikipedia, cheerleading is an activity in which the participants (called “cheerleaders”) cheer for their team as a form of encouragement. It can range from chanting slogans to intense physical activity. It can also be performed to motivate sports teams, to entertain the audience, or for competition. Cheerleading routines typically range anywhere from one to three minutes, and combines variations of tumbling, dance, jumps, and stunts.

Cheerleaders don’t really get much respect, when compared to the athletes running on the field or court, but it’s always good to have someone in your corner rooting for your success, especially when the competition is intense, and overwhelming. One thing that offers certain benefits to the believer is, receiving encouragement from a brother or sister in Christ. Walking the path of righteousness isn’t always easy, and many are tempted to throw in the towel, but no matter how challenging the enemy makes things for the children of God, when they stand with and one mind, one focus, and one goal, they’ll always overcome any obstacle in their path.

Take time to encourage someone you love, and pour into them positive energy, that can help make their journey through life a little easier. “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching” (Heb 10:23-25).

“He died for me… I’ll live for Him.” – Ell

With My Whole Heart

Deuteronomy 6:4-9

When a husband commits to a wife, he is literally committing all of himself, to join in union with the woman he loves. After his decision is made, there’s no room for him to consider, nor desire any other woman, because the one he found, should be all that he needs. When a child commits to a college or university, he or she has decided that all other options did not meet, nor satisfy the expectations they had set. As they matriculate through their years of education, they’ll eventually pledge themselves to the culture and environment of their school, and could possibly be seen sporting their schools athletic jerseys, or license plate covers.

When we commit to something, we literally give it all of us, and our intentions and motivations are usually in support of what we’re committed to. Are you fully committed to God, like for real for real? Does God have the attention of all your heart, all your soul, and all of your strength? When you decided to commit to the Father, did you turn away from everything that’s not conducive to His way of living?

When you choose to be on God’s team, you can’t give in to, nor support anything contrary to His gameplan. God is the creator of everything, so why would anyone choose to reject following after Him? If you’re still riding the fence on serving God and dabbling in things that are unhealthy for your soul, spend more time meditating on the Word, praying without ceasing, and focusing your attention on keeping your commitment to God solid. God is the real deal, and all else can’t compare, so when you give all of yourself to Him, you’ll be making the wisest decision ever.

And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold… don’t become one of them.

Ell

Just An Average Joe

Acts 6:1-7

“But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:” (Philippians 2:7 KJV). Contrary to popular belief, there was nothing fascinating about Jesus physically, that stood out amongst those He encountered. All the pictures and images of the long hair, blue eyed angelic Jesus, are highly exaggerated, and inaccurate. Not only was Jesus visually an “average Joe”, He made certain to keep a low profile, while focusing all His attention on redistributing the Words that came from His Father, to preach and teach to the world.

“For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.” (Isaiah 53:2 KJV). When God prepared Himself a body, He was wise enough to refrain from molding an image like James Dean, Marlon Brando, Cary Grant, Rock Hudson, Denzel Washington, Idris Elba, and Shemar Moore, because people would more than likely gravitate toward them due to their outer appearance, rather than the message they presented. While it’s good to dress modest, and present ourselves decent while doing the Lord’s work, we should be focused more on increasing the reputation of God, rather than promoting our own.

In our text, the twelve disciples were persistent in their efforts to spread the message of the Gospel, and the more they preached, the more the church grew. Unfortunately, they were unable to balance preaching, and maintaining the well-being of the church, so they decided that it was wise to appoint others to handle the domestic duties of the church, while they preached the Gospel, unhindered. This idea was received well by the church, and they identified seven men, whom they deemed fit to carry out the daily ministration. Rather than make known the physical attributes of the chosen men, the Bible was sure to acknowledge that Stephen, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas were men with strong spiritual attributes. What an honor it is, to be acknowledged by others, not for vain and irrelevant characteristics, but for traits that are relevant to the God of all creation.

Is the reputation you seek to gain, the same as God’s, or do you flaunt looks, money, and other things to gain the attention of men? Do you receive the message of the Gospel the same from all God’s people, or do you tend to give more attention to those who have mega churches, and may be more fit to star in Hollywood films? “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.”(Colossians 3:17 KJV). “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;” (Colossians 3:23 KJV).

Seek not to gain vain glory, but desire that the body of Christ grow together. Whatever God called you to do, give it your best effort, and be proud of rendering your reasonable services to the Lord.

Keep your chin up… it’s easier to see Heaven that way,

Ell

WE’RE NUMBER ONE!

Isaiah 42:10-17

Fanatics of all sports, rave, root, and cheer, as they watch their favorite teams compete for victory. Whether their team’s probability of success is high, or low, fans typically express their unyielding support regardless. While sports team’s can’t guarantee their fans certain victory, the body of Christ can rest assured, the battle against evil, is already won! The praise, glory, and honor believers render to God, is never in vain, and actually pleases the Lord. The Scripture teaches that God inhabits, or takes residence in the praises of His people. When we offer pure praise and worship to the Father, He in turn shows His appreciation by daily loading us with benefits. How many times has your favorite sport team done anything for you, without a price tag attached to it? Unlike teams, that have a possibility to win, or lose, God is undefeated, and He never charges us for anything. His salvation, love, joy, peace, and mercy are all free of charge. The next time you prepare to lose your voice for the Dolphins, Eagles, or Patriots, reconsider screaming those cheers toward Heaven.

Walk in love,

Ell

Forgive and restore broken relationships

2 Chronicles 6:22-25

When worldly men sin, there’s little for the church to get overexcited about, because this is expected behavior of anyone who lives outside of God’s will, but when members of the body of Christ sin against each other, different measures are to be taken. In the same way parents handle sibling rivalry much different than siblings fighting against the neighbors kids, church members (first of all, shouldn’t fight against each other) are to handle such matters by taking them before God. God is righteous, and judges all men accordingly, but when sin is left unchecked, or unforgiven, all guilty parties will face punishment. Imagine for a second, if your arms were jealous of your legs, then tried to injure them, so that they could receive more attention on the body. Or, if the hands were jealous of the eyes, and attempted to poke them out. That would be a dysfunctional body altogether, so imagine how God feels when the members of the church body fight and bicker amongst each other. For one thing, this sets an extremely bad example to the children, as well as embarrasses the church as a whole, to the world. God wants unity among the Saints, because we can accomplish more together, than we can divided. If we treat all men as if they were Christ, then our approach would always to be to edify, and not tear down. “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” (John 13:34-35).

Walk in love,

Ell

An orderly worship service

1 Corinthians 14:26-33

As you watch a football game, you notice many players of varying size, strength, and ability, spread across the field. All members on a team have specific assignments, based on their skill set, physical ability, and level of importance. For example, rarely would you place a wide receiver in the position of the offensive lineman, because his physical frame, and strength would not prove sufficient enough to hold up against a 300lb defensive lineman. But, spread the receiver outside, and he’d be in a prime position to be an effective part of his team’s offense. When each player plays their own position effectively, there’s little room for error, but when pride and arrogance causes some to make their position more important than the rest of the team, it opens doors for all sorts of problems.

One thing that makes coaches proud is, when their team plays a clean game, where everyone put forth their best effort, and there were minimal penalties called during the game. In the same way a football team assembles together, to get on one accord before performing on the field of play, the body of believers are to take time often to gather together, in order to edify one another, and enjoy the presence of God amongst those of the same mind and spirit. The purpose of church is not to spend hours in a building, collecting multiple offerings, nor attempting to be the next “Star Search”, instead all who gather in the name of the Lord, should come with the intentions of learning, growing, and encouraging everyone in attendance.

When some take advantage of their gift, seeking to make themselves great among the saints, God shuns this behavior, and prefers that gifts be used only to edify, and not promote self. All members of the body of Christ are important, and no one should feel irrelevant, in comparison to another’s gift. Just as the quarterback and center play a major role on the field, the punter and kicker have roles of equal importance as well.

Walk in humility, and exercise your gift to bring honor to God. Shun all things evil, and conduct yourself in an orderly, and decent manner whenever you’re amongst fellow believers.

Wack in love,

Ell

Jesus teaches about transforming love

Matthew 5:38-48

When an athlete joins a team, they become a part of the system by which the team operates. The rules and standards set by the team must be followed by all players, in order for them to keep a position within the organization. Everywhere the player goes, each is expected to represent what their uniform stands for. All things players learned before joining their new team must be transformed, in favor of what they’ve now become engrafted into. In this same manner, when a man joins the body of Christ, he is no longer tied to his old way of living. He now wears a new uniform, lives by a new and better standard, and is expected to follow the rules set by God’s organization. The things he use to do, that may have been contrary to God’s way, are now replaced with a new attitude, that will render results based from love, and not selfishness.

In our text, Jesus continued His sermon on the mount, as He expounded on the dangers of negative retaliation. Many were taught that if someone wronged them, they were to avenge themselves, but Christ said rather than retaliate out of anger and vengeance, believers are to show love, in place of hate. It’s so easy to get back at those who do us wrong, but as children of God, we are to operate under a different set of actions. Just as God willingly gave His best to a world that rejected Him, we are to willingly render our best attitudes and actions to those same heartless people who reject our love as well. If we say we love God with our lips, but our actions aren’t aligned with what we profess, is that love real?

When we become born-again, we are to then live a perfect life, as God in Heaven is perfect. Perfection, in this sense, isn’t living flawless every day, instead, it’s living in complete conformity to God’s laws. Christians are to be mature in all their ways, and prove their maturity in how they treat their brethren, enemies, and even persecutors. How do you love an enemy, or someone who strives to make your life hell on earth? Well, look at Jesus’ example as He was being nailed to a wooden cross. While He was being beaten, spit on, mocked, scorned, and utterly humiliated, He prayed to His Father that the men be forgiven, because they had no understanding of their actions. Many were brought up a certain way all their lives, and were simply following orders. I’m not letting these men off the hook for what they did to Jesus, but when a man’s mind is consumed with rage and hate, only the love of God can transform his hardened heart.

The love we show to those who fight the good fight of faith with us, is the same love we are to show to those who walk in darkness. No one is to be held to a different standard than another, because God loves all men the same. We have the responsibility to represent the love of God to those who lack understanding of what real love is. God’s love goes far beyond mere feelings and emotions, and is expressed in deeds and actions. You can “feel” for someone until the cow jumps over the moon, but until those feelings are transformed into positive actions, they are worth little to the Kingdom of God. Let your love be without dissimulation, or undisguised. Prove to the world that God’s love is the real thing, and once they taste and see how good it is, they’ll never want to let it go.

Walk in love,

Ell

Called to new life in Christ

Romans 12:1-8

When an athlete on a sports team is traded to another, one of the biggest challenges they face is adjusting to their new team’s standards, rules, and guidelines. Before, the player had a role in contributing to his or her previous team’s gameplan, but all that information is expected to be thrown out and forgotten in place of what they’ll have to conform to with the new team. They are no longer allowed to play with their new team while wearing their former team’s uniform, they are restricted from using the old team’s facilities, and that cannot wear their new uniform and attempt to play with the team they were traded from. Could you imagine watching an NBA playoff game where Stephen Curry steps on the basketball court wearing a Toronto Raptors Jersey? That would be comical, but wrong on all levels. He’s required to perform according to Golden State’s rules and guidelines during, and after gameplay.

When a sinner is converted, and enters a new life in Christ, they are no longer tied to their old way of living. All things are become new when a man gives his heart to God including his attitude, motives, and even the way he dresses himself. Believers are required to live according to God’s rules and guidelines in, and out of season. Being freed from sin and its eternal consequences, the body of Christ is expected to maintain a standard that mirrors godliness, while not conforming to the world. Through the power and grace of God, we are transformed, and our minds renewed for the purpose of living according to the will of God, until it’s completion. Believers are to recognize that it’s through our humility and unity, are we primed to be effective operating in our gifts. Just as members on a basketball team function with five players on the court from five different positions, the members of the church also function from different positions as well, but to accomplish God’s will and purposes.

The gifts or positions God has granted to His children are to be used to edify and exhort the body of believers. Not everyone can be a great point guard, or power forward, but if your position is center or shooting guard, you’re required to play your role well. God knows us better than we know ourselves, so it’s unwise to question why He gives certain gifts to some, and not to others. Do what you were called to do, and do it well. If you were called to prophesy, do it according to the proportion of faith. If ministry is your calling, be careful not to rush into it, but wait until God releases you to minister. Even those who were blessed to be wealthy, only for the purpose of being a blessing to others, give with simplicity, and don’t draw attention to yourself while doing so. Always remember to give all glory to God, for the things He has done. Those who are in the position to show mercy to others like visiting the sick and bereaved, or those who do charity work, must also be cheerful and sympathetic in their calling.

Our new life in Christ demands that love be our motivating factor, and that we work together with our fellow members, and refrain from doing things that cause division. We are one holy body, positioned to accomplish the goal before us, so walk in love and humility, and keep those around you encouraged and lifted up.

Walk in love

Ell