LET’S CHOOSE TO GROW UP
Monday – January 9, 2017
Greetings and welcome back to The Three Minute Word publication and Eastern Gate Ministries International. I will be continuing with our Bible study from the book of Ephesians. The Book or Epistle of Ephesians is a letter that the Apostle Paul has written to “the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:” (Ephesians 1:1). So this letter is to all who are saved, born again, hence the designation of saint. Saint does not mean perfect one, it means one who has accepted Jesus as Lord. Perhaps we are all aware that certain people are designated as ‘Saints’ because of an exceptional life like Mother Teresa was recently designated a saint and that is a different use of the word than the Bible context of the word saint. Of course, anyone who is born again is having an exceptional life and an especially exceptional and noteworthy future. I do not say this to detract from Mother Teresa or anyone else who has been designated a Saint by any religious body. This is important for us to know for many Christians will say: “I’m no saint”, well God begs to differ.
The second group to which this book or epistle is addressed are the “faithful in Christ Jesus”. Being faithful in Christ Jesus is far more than going to Mass every morning or showing up for Church on Sunday and even Wednesday. The word ‘faithful’ can also be interpreted as ‘true’. So we could say it is being true to and in Christ Jesus. Christ is not Jesus’ last name but depending on context is interpreted as Messiah, Anointed One, and/or The Anointing. In this particular verse I believe all three of these interpretations is valid. So we are in the Messiah and true to the Messiah who is Jesus and the salvation brought and bought by Jesus, our Messiah, potentially everyone’s Messiah. If Jesus is not your Messiah, just say “Yes Lord, what would you have me to do” just like Paul on the road to Damascus. Remember that salvation is more than a rescue from Hell but it is the authority and power to dominate over the curse and to operate in all of the Blessing. The Anointed One came and showed us the way, provided the example, and has set in concrete our abilities to do these things by His shed Blood and the sending the Holy Spirit who is The Anointing. The Blessing (The Anointing, The Holy Spirit) is back and all things are possible with God. We must be with God however meaning we are in the known will of God. To determine if we are simply a saint which is a ticket to Heaven or are we also faithful in Christ Jesus let’s ask ourselves the following. Are we faithful to our salvation which is wealth, and health, wholeness in every area? Have we been faithful to follow the example of Jesus, the Anointed One, doing the things He did and the greater things? Am I faithful to yield my will to the leadership of the Holy Spirit? I don’t know about you but my answers are embarrassing. Let’s determine by prayer and self-examination of our own hearts (mind, will, emotions) where we have allowed blockages to prevent the fullness of being one who is faithful in Christ Jesus. Let’s be honest understanding that we have chosen these blockages and even nurtured them. These blockages not only hinder us but impede the Kingdom of God. Now back to Ephesians chapter four.
Ephesians 4:14-15 (KJV)
14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
The Apostle Paul has just spent time explaining to us that we do not need to be children which are easily fooled but Jesus gave gifts to other people, perhaps even to us, to facilitate our maturity. These gifts are the Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor, and Teacher. If these are absent, unrecognized, and not encouraged in each and every congregation and each saints life there will be no growth or the growth will be immature in various areas for the teaching will be incomplete. Effective ministry is reliant upon the input of all five ministry gifts. We are to pursue unity of the faith with the other saints in our lives by ignoring the walls, the differences, and focusing on our common goals in Christ Jesus.
We are looking, each one of us, to be just like Jesus. If you don’t think you can be just like Jesus, repent of unbelief and move forward in that pursuit. He did not tell us to be like Him, to do what He did, and even greater things than He did to torment us, but to bring us to the place that restores the Garden of Eden in our lives and all who surround us will believe. This will propel the Kingdom of God from this pitiful state of most saints today into a visual difference that all the world can see and Scripture says they will gnash their teeth but also there will be the greatest and final harvest. When the Scripture says: “grow up into him in all things” let’s get serious and do it for the glory of God saints! We are to be a walking exhibit of the fullness of Christ. The fullness of salvation manifest in our lives, the fullness of being an anointed one, and the fullness of the operations of the Holy Spirit in our lives. This is a Kingdom alert kings and priests unto the Most High God.
By: Dr. David Wood, Author, Bible Teacher, and Prophetic Voice
