What is Fellowship of the Holy Spirit?

The heavenly GPS consisting of the pillar of cloud by day and of fire by night. When Manna drops from God’s kitchen to feed me when I’m hungry. When water from the Rock of Ages quenches my thirst. When my steps are directed by the Lord and my thoughts are fixated on Him. When the Lord comes into my garden daily and I’m naked before Him. When I’m covered with the same divine Health Insurance that maintained 3 million people such that they wore the same clothes and shoes for 40 years and none was feeble among them. When my daylight activities reflect patterns shown to me on the mountain of night prayers. When my worries drive me to Him rather than from Him. When line upon line, precept upon precept, I learn from Him what He wants me to do and how He wants me to live. When I know that I know that it is well with me, the righteous regardless of what I’m going through. When I know that with the comprehensive insurance of God on my side, Holy Spirit within, ministering angel without, Shadow of the Almighty overhead, favor as a shield in front, goodness and mercy behind, no evil shall befall me neither shall any plague come nigh my dwelling. When the daily tithing of my time produces a storehouse of wisdom for living. When I inquire of the Lord for permission, purpose and power before I fight any battle. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you.

“Do you have a Rewards Card?”

At the checkouts of some supermarket stores, you may be asked, “Do you have a rewards card” It’s interesting to note that there’s a system of rewards in our dealing with God. We don’t deserve it, we don’t merit it. Rewards exist purely because of the goodness and benevolence of the Almighty. There are rewards for earthly conduct. What we do while limited by time and age in this world matters in eternity. “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad” 2 Cor. 5:10. “Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done” Rev 22:12. “God blesses you who are hated and excluded and mocked and cursed because you are identified with me, the Son of Man. When that happens, rejoice! Yes, leap for joy! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were also treated that way by your ancestors” Luke 6:22-23. Rewards are not only received in heaven but are also given on the earth. They are both present and future. “For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come” 1 Timothy 4:8 (NKJV) “So Jesus answered and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel’s, who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time—houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions—and in the age to come, eternal life” Mark 10:29-31 (NKJV). Another important reward on this part of eternity is the fruit of the womb. Children are a reward from the Lord. “Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, The fruit of the womb is a reward” Psalms 127:3. God made getting rewards easy. There is the cup of water principle. “And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward” Matthew 10:42 A cup of water was one the easiest things you could do to another human being in those days. You didn’t have to be rich to extend such a generosity. The fact that such a simple act of kindness is rewarded suggests that God is very generous with his rewards and that everyone has an opportunity to be rewarded. There are 9 reward-generating actions: 1.Giving. Charity is one of the most important ways to get a reward from the Lord. You are rewarded on this earth for your acts of generosity. “But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly” Matthew 6:3-4. “He who has pity on the poor lends to the LORD, And He will pay back what he has given” Proverbs 19:17. You are also rewarded in heaven for your gifts to the needy. “Then he turned to his host. “When you put on a luncheon or a dinner,” he said, “don’t invite your friends, brothers, relatives, and rich neighbors. For they will repay you by inviting you back. Instead, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. Then at the resurrection of the godly, God will reward you for inviting those who could not repay you” Luke 14:12-14. 2. Seeking God. This is another opportunity to get rewards. God has promised to reward all those who seek him. Seek God and you are guaranteed to be rewarded. “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” Hebrews 11:6. 3. Great work ethic. Our jobs, careers and businesses are another source of rewards. A believer in Jesus is not working for me but for the Lord who will reward him or her. “Slaves, you must obey your earthly masters. Show them great respect and be as loyal to them as you are to Christ. Try to please them at all times, and not just when you think they are watching. You are slaves of Christ, so with your whole heart you must do what God wants you to do. Gladly serve your masters, as though they were the Lord himself, and not simply people. You know that you will be rewarded for any good things you do, whether you are slaves or free” Ephesians 6:5-8. 4. Self-denial in His service. “Then Jesus said to his disciples: If any of you want to be my followers, you must forget about yourself. You must take up your cross and follow me. If you want to save your life, you will destroy it. But if you give up your life for me, you will find it. What will you gain, if you own the whole world but destroy yourself? What would you give to get back your soul? The Son of Man will soon come in the glory of his Father and with his angels to reward all people for what they have done” Matthew 16:24-27. 5. Serving God’s people. When we serve God’s servants, He promises to reward us. “He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward. And he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward” Matthew 10:41-42. Note that these rewards are generously shared between the simple giver and the mighty prophet. The Shunammite woman and the prophet. Mary, Martha and Jesus. You will share in the rewards of the important people in the kingdom when you help in the work of the ministry even with a cup of water. 6. Prayer. “But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly” Matthew 6:6. 7. Fasting. “But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly” Matthew 6:18 8. Be extraordinarily nice. “But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil” Luke 6:35. 9. Suffering for His name. “Blessed are you when men hate you, And when they exclude you, And revile you, and cast out your name as evil, For the Son of Man’s sake. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy! For indeed your reward is great in heaven, For in like manner their fathers did to the prophets” Luke 6:22-23. Crowns Apart from general rewards, the Bible also describes a system of rewards involving crowns. “I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown” Revelation 3:11. There are 4 Crowns. The Crown of Joy- For Winning Soul The Crown of Life – For Enduring Trials and Tribulations. The Crown of Righteousness – For Finishing our Ministry. The Crown of Glory – For Faithfulness in Ministry. Crown of Joy This crown is for those who win souls for Christ. "For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you? Indeed, you are our glory and joy” I Thessalonians 2:19-20. "Therefore, my brothers, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, that is how you should stand firm in the Lord, dear friends! " Phillipians 4:1. Crown of life This is a reward for those who are persecuted for righteousness sake. “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him” James 1:12. “Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life” Revelation 2:10. Crown of righteousness This reward is for fulfilling one’s God-given ministry. “Paul says “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of His return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to His appearing” 2 Timothy 4:7-8 (NLT). Crown of Glory This is an important rewards for all those who lead in the household of the Lord. “To the elders among you, Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, serving as overseers not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away" I Peter 5:1-4.

Don't be afraid of trouble

Saul was an untested man before he was made king by the people of Israel. He became king because he looked like one. In contrast, David was made king after he had been tested several times. He did not look like a king. He had not the 'presence' of a ruler. But he was a tried man, purified and molded through the furnace of affliction. When he had to challenge by a bear, he could easily have run home to his father, Jesse and say, 'Dad, I was almost killed today by a bear. This profession of shepherding is too dangerous. Try one of my older brothers. They are bigger than I am. May I be excused' He could have repeated the same mantra after a lion confronted him. He learnt not to quit in difficult times. He learnt not run away from problems, hoping they will disappear from inattention. We are to speak to mountains, not run scared of them. We are to command valleys, not weep in terror of them. We are to encourage ourselves with the testimonies from the past. Use previous victories to challenge the doubts of the present. The God who gave victory over the bear and the lion is the same yesterday, today and forever. He never changed. He never lost His power. David made some mistakes as a king but he accomplished much more than Saul because he had been tested before ascending the throne. Many of us want to be showcased by God as untested, pampered individuals but this often leads to fatal mistakes on exposure. David was unbeatable as a warrior because he had fought and won many small battles over several years before he became crowned. Rather than complain when things are not going the way we anticipated, be positive. Seek to be an overcomer. You don't become an overcomer with nothing to overcome. Even in your Garden of Eden, when everything is perfect and you are not in sin, you will be tested. As an unknown person doing menial jobs, you will be challenged. The only way to get to the mountain top is to climb it, not ignore or run from it. It is often lonely at the top because few get there. It takes boldness and an unshakable belief that the God we serve never fails. If He sent Jesus to die for you, He won't abandon you. He promises, "I will never leave you nor forsake you. So that we may boldly say, ‘The Lord is my Helper, I will not fear what man shall do unto me" Hebrews 13:5-6. It is when times are hard that we get to practice habits and attitudes that develop our character and make us look like our Heavenly Father. You cannot hope to defeat goliaths when you whine and complain about the lion and the bear; smaller obstacles allowed by God to train and prepare us. Tough times never last but the character development does. No tests, no testimonies. No trials, no triumphs. You are who you are today because of all the previous battles you have fought, won and lost. "Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him......." Job 13:15. Our Lord passed the same process. The Captain of our salvation was made perfect through suffering. Hebrews 2:10. Apostle Paul faced hard times from enemies within and without. You may problems from both true and false brethren: "I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers" (2 Corinthians 11:26 NIV). Difficulties are often opportunities in disguise. Challenges may be potential sources of miracles. Trials and tests are the necessary ingredients of testimonies. Light comes after shadow. Weeping at night precedes morning joy. There is light at the end of the tunnel but you have to go through the dark hollow to enjoy the brightness. There is a reason stars don't shine during the day but at night. "Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you. (Isaiah 60:1, 2 NIV) Don't be afraid of the dark. You have victory over it because the Lord your God is with you. "Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me" (Psalm 23:4 NIV) The song, "Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine" was written by a blind lady called Fanny Cosby. Joseph Scriven lost his fiancée to accidental drowning the night before their wedding. Tragedy came the second time when he fell in love again and his bride to be died of tuberculosis before their wedding could take place. That is the background to the beautiful song, "What a friend we have in Jesus" Depth often comes from people who have been to the depths of despair and overcame. There is a song in our lives that can only be written in the crucible of trouble. The best counselors are not theorists but those who bear the scars from many battles and are still standing. Scars serve three purposes: scare away the enemy, provide experience to deal with new challenges and make us competent counselors to those who are going through their shadow of death. A Chicago lawyer, Horatio G. Spafford lost his only son to scarlet fever at age four. A year later, it was fire rather than fever that struck. Horatio had invested heavily in real estate on the shores of Lake Michigan. In 1871, every one of these holdings was wiped out by the great Chicago Fire. Aware of the toll that these disasters had taken on the family, Horatio decided to take his wife and four daughters on a holiday to England. And, not only did they need the rest -- DL Moody needed the help. He was traveling around Britain on one of his great evangelistic campaigns. Horatio and Anna planned to join Moody in late 1873. And so, the Spaffords traveled to New York in November, from where they were to catch the French steamer 'Ville de Havre' across the Atlantic. Yet just before they set sail, a last-minute business development forced Horatio to stay behind. Spafford persuaded his family to go as planned. Anna and her four daughters sailed East to Europe while Spafford returned West to Chicago. Just nine days later, Spafford received a telegram from his wife in Wales. It read: "Saved alone." On November 2nd 1873, the 'Ville de Havre' had collided with 'The Lochearn', an English vessel. It sank in only 12 minutes, claiming the lives of 226 people. Anna Spafford had stood bravely on the deck, with her daughters Annie, Maggie, Bessie and Tanetta clinging desperately to her. Her last memory had been of her baby being torn violently from her arms by the force of the waters. Anna was only saved from the fate of her daughters by a plank which floated beneath her unconscious body and propped her up. When the survivors of the wreck had been rescued, Mrs. Spafford's first reaction was one of complete despair. Then she heard a voice speak to her, "You were spared for a purpose." And she immediately recalled the words of a friend, "It's easy to be grateful and good when you have so much, but take care that you are not a fair-weather friend to God." Upon hearing the terrible news, Horatio Spafford boarded the next ship out of New York to join his bereaved wife. Bertha Spafford (the fifth daughter of Horatio and Anna born later) explained that during her father's voyage, the captain of the ship had called him to the bridge. "A careful reckoning has been made", he said, "and I believe we are now passing the place where the de Havre was wrecked. The water is three miles deep." Horatio then returned to his cabin and penned the lyrics of his great hymn. The words which Spafford wrote that day come from 2 Kings 4:26. They echo the response of the Shunammite woman to the sudden death of her only child. Though we are told "her soul is vexed within her", she still maintains that 'It is well" No matter what circumstances overtake us may we be able to say with Horatio Spafford... When peace like a river, attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll; Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, It is well, it is well with my soul. Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come, Let this blest assurance control, That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate, And hath shed His own blood for my soul! It is well ... with my soul! It is well, it is well, with my soul.

What a loving God we serve

What a loving God we serve

God is big, very big. Man is small, really small. Why then do we have many examples in the Bible and in our lives of God caring for us, providing, defending and occasionally suspending natural laws because of those who believe in Him? God truly loves man and shows this in amazing ways. If you will wait on Him, you will surely see His wonders in your life and circumstances.

For since the world began,
no ear has heard
and no eye has seen a God like you,
who works for those who wait for him! (Isaiah 64:4 NLT)

Most of us think of a God who sits in the heavens, enjoying and receiving worship but many times we see a different picture in the Scriptures. We a Father who is actively engaged in the affairs of His children; looking for ways to help, encourage, deliver, heal, counsel, guide and guard.

For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. (2 Chronicles 16:9a NKJV)

The secret to life is not self-love but God-love. When we align our lives with Jesus, we truly begin to live and control our circumstances rather than being controlled by them. We become proactive rather than reactive. We dictate rather than being subjects of our environment. What a privilege!

The Bible expressly declares that after resurrection, the Lord Jesus sat at the right hand of God in heaven. We read in the books of Ephesians and Hebrews;

which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, (Ephesians 1:20 NKJV)

Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, (Hebrews 8:1 NKJV)

If indeed Christ is seated at the throne of God, does He ever get up and under what circumstances? He gets up when those who are sold out to Him need attention. He rises up to stand by, defend, deliver and save those whose hearts are after Him. This was what happened to Stephen when he was being stoned.

But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, (Acts 7:55 NKJV).

From this passage, it's clear that the Lord Jesus would stand up for any of His people when the need arises. The love that drove Him to the cross continues to push Him to care deeply for us. Every believer who has this understanding should not suffer from depression, worry, anxiety and restlessness.

Is your heart loyal to the Lord? Do you wait on Him in praise, prayers and sometimes fasting? If so, be rest assured that God is on your side and His thoughts toward you are thoughts of good and not evil to give you a better than expected end.

Thank you Jesus for You not only died for us but You also intercede for us before the Father. Even when we don't pray as we should, Jesus, our Prayer Partner, continuously prays for us. It was the prayer of the Lord Jesus for Peter that saved him from permanent fall away from grace (Luke 22:31-33).
Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. (Hebrews 7:25 NKJV).

Worship Him who sits on the throne. He'll stand up for you when the need arises.

Group greater than self

Introduction
What is a Group?
A group is a collection of people who interact with one another; accept rights and obligations as members and who share a common identity.
Criteria for a group include:
• formal structure
• 2 or more persons
• common fate
• common goals
• interdependence
• recognition by others

Stages of group development
Bruce Tuckman (1965) developed a 4-stage model of group development. He labeled the stages:
1. Forming: The group comes together and gets to initially know one other and form as a group.
2. Storming: A chaotic vying for leadership and trialing of group processes
3. Norming: Eventually agreement is reached on how the group operates
4. Performing: The group practices its craft and becomes effective in meeting its objectives.
Tuckman added a 5th stage 10 years later:
5. Adjourning: The process of "unforming" the group, that is, letting go of the group structure and moving on.
Forming - stage 1
There is high dependence on the leader for guidance and direction. Little agreement on team aims other than received from leader. Individual roles and responsibilities are unclear. Leader must be prepared to answer lots of questions about the team's purpose, objectives and external relationships. Leader directs.
Storming - stage 2
Decisions don't come easily within group. Team members vie for position as they attempt to establish themselves in relation to other team members and the leader, who might receive challenges from team members. Clarity of purpose increases but plenty of uncertainties persist. Cliques and factions form and there may be power struggles. The team needs to be focused on its goals to avoid becoming distracted by relationships and emotional issues. Compromises may be required to enable progress. Leader coaches.
Norming - stage 3
Agreement and consensus is largely formed among the team. Roles and responsibilities are clear and accepted. Big decisions are made by the group. Smaller decisions may be delegated to individuals or small teams within group. Commitment and unity is strong. The team may engage in fun and social activities. The team discusses and develops its processes and working style. There is general respect for the leader and some of leadership is more shared by the team. Leader facilitates and enables.
Performing - stage 4
The team is more strategically aware; the team knows clearly why it is doing what it is doing. The team has a shared vision and is able to stand on its own feet with no interference or participation from the leader. There is a focus on over-achieving goals, and the team makes most of the decisions against criteria agreed with the leader. The team has a high degree of autonomy. Disagreements occur but now they are resolved within the team positively and necessary changes to processes and structure are made by the team. Team members look after each other. The team requires delegated tasks and projects from the leader. The team does not need to be instructed or assisted. Team members might ask for assistance from the leader with personal and interpersonal development. Leader delegates and oversees.
Adjourning - stage 5
Tuckman's fifth stage, adjourning, is the break-up of the group, hopefully when the task is completed successfully, its purpose fulfilled; everyone can move on to new things, feeling good about what's been achieved.

The importance of groups from a biblical perspective
Principle 1: It is God-like to be group minded.
The Godhead is a group consisting of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. They are different yet the same. They function as 1 unit. In Genesis, we learn how the Trio worked to create the cosmos. The Father spoke (Genesis 1:3-26) and the Spirit hovered (Genesis 1:2) but concerning the Son we read, "All things were made and came into existence through Him; and without Him was not even one thing made that was made". (John 1:3). In making man, He said, "Let US make man in Our image after our likeness" (Genesis 1:26). The Trinity is a small group.
After creating man, he was found to be incomplete until a woman came into the scene. Man is like the Godhead in this respect. He is at his best as a small group called family.
After founding the family unit in Genesis 2:18-24, God moved on to recognize the extended family. In saving Noah’s family, he and his wife, his sons and their wives were all saved. (Genesis 7:7).
In the New Testament, upon being born-again, a believer becomes a host to the Holy Spirit. A Representative of the Trinity comes to live within. This makes every believer a group even when single! (1 Corinthians 6:19).
Ephesians 4:4-6. There are 7 Ones in these verses:
One Body, One Spirit, One Hope, One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism, One God.

“Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity” Psalm 133:1
Beyond this, we are all members of the Body of Christ. Ephesians 4:3-6. “You are called to belong, not just believe” (Rick Warren).
Principle 2: Loners are losers; networkers are net winners.
Two are better than one, because together they can work effectively.
If one of them falls down, the other can help him up….
Two people can resist an attack that would defeat one person alone.
A rope made of three cords is hard to break. Ecclesiastes 4:9 TEV
Life is not for loners. Life is like a symphony. “No one can whistle a symphony. It takes an orchestra to play it”. H.E. Luccock.
There are gifts deposited in each of us that require other people’s input for us to maximize output and reach our utmost potential. How do humans develop? A baby is deposited into a loving family to groom and develop. Then he leaves for school to receive other inputs from other adults outside the family. He develops friends who also help shape his mind and hone his skills. He joins clubs, churches and associations where he learns more of life’s lessons. He gets married, linking up with another human to go through the battles of life. He becomes a parent, starting the cycle all over again.
Principle 3: Fellowship is God’s home address.
There are 2 addresses for the Almighty on earth: the praises of his people and fellowship. God inhabits the praises of His people and He also inhabits their coming together. “Where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there in their midst”. Matthew 18:20. Internet church can never fully duplicate a local church. Where is “their midst” when you attend an internet church? Is God sitting on a server somewhere? You miss God when you miss church.
Principle 4: Tough times never last; group people do.
“If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble” Ecclesiastes 9:10.
There comes a time in life when we all need the assistance of some other person to come along and help through adversity. Visions often need platforms but platforms are easier for those who have linked up with other people.
Barriers to Group Dynamics
Pride Proverbs 16:18, James 4:6. “Teamwork: Simply stated, it is less me and more we”. (Unknown). The following are barriers to benefitting from any group: competitive spirit, un-forgiveness, impatience, lack of vision and direction, too quick to judge (Matthew 1:7), mis-communication, gossip and tale bearing, immaturity in love (1 Corinthians 14:20).
Benefits of the Group
1. Group effort is the most powerful building tool in the history of creation. The tower of Babel demonstrates the power of many people working as one. Genesis 11:6. “The locusts have no King, yet go they forth all of them by bands” Proverbs 30:27. The acronym, TEAM, means Together Everyone Achieves More. One locust is easily destroyed by one person but a swarm of locust made Pharaoh to ask God for mercy (Psalms 78:46, Exodus 10:14-15, Joel 2:25)
2. Leverage. “How could one person chase a thousand of them, and two people put ten thousand to flight, unless their Rock had sold them, unless the Lord had given them up?” Deuteronomy 32:30. In this equation, 1 = 1000 but 2 = 10000. Teams share the burden and divide the grief.
- Doug Smith
3. The impossible becomes possible when individuals within a group are prepared to sacrifice for the common good. When a swarm of locusts reach a river, they search for the bank for a likely spot to cross, then fearlessly cast themselves upon the water where they form floating islands of insects, most of which usually succeed in getting to the opposite bank, though many perish in the attempt. Goals are almost always achievable for the group as long as necessary sacrifices are made by some of the members. “There is no I in Teamwork”. (Unknown).
4. Every minister needs a support. “If you don’t kick things around with people, you are out of it. Nobody, I always say, can be anybody without somebody being around”. (John Wheeler). Aaron and Hur supported Moses by lifting up his hands in the battle against Amalek (Exodus 17:10-12). Joshua and Caleb supported the ministry of Moses by declaring a positive report. David and Jonathan were covenant friends. Elisha poured water over Elijah’s hands and served him. Timothy labored with Paul, his mentor. “A single arrow is easily broken, but not ten in a bundle”. (Japanese proverb).

What to do within a group?
1. Maximize your strength and minimize your weakness. Celebrate diversity. There is a reason our fingers aren’t equal. “You don't get harmony when everybody sings the same note”. (Doug Floyd)
2. Act like Christ did within the Godhead (Philippians 2:5-8)
3. Be quick to praise, slow to blame. (James 1:19). “If anything goes bad, I did it. If anything goes semi-good, we did it. If anything goes really good, they did it. (Coach Bear Bryant).
4. Lead by serving (Matthew 23:11). “Wearing the same shirts doesn’t make a team”. (Buchholz and Roth). Don’t be neutral. Be committed. Someone wrote this poem:
There was a very cautious man Who never laughed or played. He never risked, he never tried, He never sang or prayed. And when he one day passed away, His insurance was denied. For since he never really lived, They claimed he never really died.
5. Be tenderhearted (Philippians 2:2-4, 1 Peter 3:8).
6. Be adaptable. (1 Corinthian 9:22).
7. Avoid strive (2 Timothy 2:24, 1 Corinthians 1:10-11).
8. Always act in love (John 13:35, 1 John 4:7-8, 1 Cor 12:25-26).
9. Sow accord so God does not hate you. (Proverbs 6:16-19).
10. Find common ground (Amos 3:3). A boat doesn’t go forward if each one is rowing their own way. (Swahili proverb).
Conclusion
John 17:11, 21-23
“I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are on”.
“That all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me”.
The standard for our group formation is not the country club goal of tolerating each other. This is not a call for some form of affirmative action on unity. We are to be one in our group just as Christ is one with the Father. It is not simply putting up with people so we can fulfill some selfish ambition. It’s not using people in the name of the Lord. It’s being inter-dependent on others within the Body to the extent we are willing to lay down our lives for them just as Christ laid down his for us. It’s not lip service; it’s life service. “And all who believed were united and they had everything in common” Acts 2:45.
When we function as God wants us to, miracles and spectacular testimonies will abound, millions will be saved, prayer venues will be shaken, no one will go to bed hungry among us and the Lord will be glorified. I believe a people in these last days can come together in such a kindred spirit that God will take note of them just as He noticed the people who came together to build the Towel Babel. We saw a glimpse of this in the Acts of Apostles when many wonders were accomplished because the brethren were in one accord. May you and I be willing and available in the day of His power, Amen.

Obedience: The Foundation of Life

Obedience is the foundation of life

In Luke 6:46-49, the Lord Jesus told a parable of 2 houses. One was built with foundation, the other was not. The one built with foundation represents the man who hears and obeys the Lord. The house without foundation represents the individual who either cannot hear or refuses to obey God.

When life is good, there is no difference between the 2 houses. Each house stood firm without serious challenges. When things are going on well, no one issues the lack of foundation. However, when the storms of life come, the lack of foundation destroys the house that does not have it.

Obedience to the prompting of the Holy Spirit is the foundation of life. Those who learn to follow the voice of the Lord when times are good are able to stand in the day of trouble. This is because they have the ability to listen to what the Spirit is saying to them. Such individuals can therefore receive comfort, solace, assurance and instruction from the Lord without much ado. Please note that hard times come to all persons whether disobedient or not. Hardship happens to all without exceptions. Survival during difficult times depend on our ability to hear from the Lord what He wants us to do and not to do. Logic, networking, consultation, counseling etc all have their place and limitations. Learning to hear and obey the Lord is priceless. It comes from a lifestyle of regular feeding on the Bible, prayer and fasting. If you and I can adopt a lifestyle of:
Praying constantly
Meditating on the bible day and night
Fasting regularly,
We shall grow to become very sensitive to the voice of the Lord within and we shall be ready to take on the world no matter what storms may buffet us.

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Unforgiveness: The most costly of all human faults

Unforgiveness means bearing grudge against another human being. It is not letting go of an offense toward us. It is very costly to our spiritual well-being.
There are 4 consequences of unforgiveness:
1. If you don’t forgive, you become unforgivable. God forgives forgivers only. Matthew 6:14-15.
2. Those who can’t forgive can’t receive from God. Unforgiveness is a hindrance to answered prayers. It shuts off God’s blessings. 1 Peter 3:7.
3. Your offerings are unacceptable when you harbor grudges. God only accepts gifts from those who forgive themselves and others. Giving is a sacrifice. Abel-like sacrifices come from those who forgive others. Matthew 5:23-24.
4. Unforgivers will not go to heaven. Why? Hebrews 12:14 declares that only those who are holy and follow peace with all men shall see the Lord. How do you go to heaven if you cannot see the Lord?

N.B. Forgiveness is for the benefit of the forgiver. It does not relieve the offender of the consequences of his/her actions. Forgiveness is different from trust. We are commanded to forgive everyone; we’re not asked to trust everybody. May we all increase in this grace in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Mistakes of Life

The wise men started with wisdom. God showed them a star which led them to Jerusalem. Methinks the same star could have led them to Jesus but they chose to consult with Herod. Why ask man for direction on a journey started by God? It’s like Abraham asking others for direction to the land of promise. How would they know? Were they the one that instructed him to leave his father’s house for a land “that I will shoe thee?” We all have a tendency to seek man’s help after starting with God.
The mistake of the wise men led to fulfillment of the Scriptures. The threat of Herod, the sojourn in Egypt, and the fury that led to the massacre of 2-year-old boys and under; all were foretold in the Bible. All things, our tests, trials, mistakes, blessings, testimonies and triumphs, work together for our good. Don’t be afraid to take risks and launch into the deep. Our mistakes are the necessary ingredients for divine intervention. The lies of Abraham made him richer. The adultery of David produced Solomon. The disgraceful lifestyle of Rahab routed her into the lineage of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is not what you did in the past but how you respond to your future that matters.
Along the journey of life, there are booby-traps, bumps, curveballs, disappointments and unexpected snags. We need to remember that we have a high priest who is aware of our infirmities. Our role is to always look up to the Almighty God who is well and able to lead and guide us despite our failings.

Seeing is believing

Provision follows vision. In order for the promises of God to come to pass in our lives, it is important that we believe them. To believe is to have an inner conviction (vision). There are 3 instances when God helped humans to believe by giving them an opportunity to preview the promises. The first involved Abraham. In Genesis 15:5-6, “He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness”. Genesis 15:5-6. Note the relationship between Abraham looking at the stars and his subsequent belief in God. The seeing preceded the believing.

The second occasion involved Moses. “Then the LORD spoke to Moses saying, Send out for yourself men so that they may spy out the land of Canaan, which I am going to give to the sons of Israel; you shall send a man from each of their fathers' tribes, everyone a leader among them." Numbers 13:1-2. The last example was described in Joshua 2:1. ”Then Joshua the son of Nun sent two men as spies secretly from Shittim, saying, "Go, view the land, especially Jericho " Then Joshua the son of Nun sent two men as spies secretly from Shittim, saying, "Go, view the land, especially Jericho " So they went and came into the house of a harlot whose name was Rahab, and lodged there".

While the Lord may have promised you certain things, have you prepared to receive such promises by spying them out? Can you see them within you? Preview precedes preoccupation. You must see to acquire. While the promises of God are yea and amen in Christ Jesus, they need to be yea and amen in us (inner vision) before they come to pass in our lives. If you can’t see the mark, you can’t press towards it. (J. Mason). You pray until you see; your vision then leads to provision. The Lord Jesus taught the same principle in Mark 11:24, “Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you”. The sequence is pray, believe, and then receive.

What you see inside is what you get outside. You cannot receive from God without faith. What is faith? Faith is an internal photocopy (substance) of things you will see physically at a later date, the evidence (inner vision) of things not yet seen in the physical. Hebrews 11:1. You must take possession inside before you take possession outside because things which are seen are made of things which are not seen. Hebrews 11:3. In Colossians 1:17, we learn that the whole creation holds together in nature because the hold together first IN CHRIST. The cosmos will disintegrate if Christ lets go on the inside of Him. Therefore, your future should be a present reality within you.

How do we receive the vision for our lives? By waiting on God. Waiting precedes vision. The Bible is a vision generator. God, through His Spirit within is a vision manufacturer. Vision comes not by discussing with men but by discussing with God. If it comes from Him, He will bring it to pass. He gave Abraham vision in Genesis 13:14-17, “After Lot separated from him, GOD said to Abram, "Open your eyes, look around. Look north, south, east, and west. Everything you see, the whole land spread out before you, I will give to you and your children forever. I'll make your descendants like dust—counting your descendants will be as impossible as counting the dust of the Earth. So—on your feet, get moving! Walk through the country, its length and breadth; I'm giving it all to you."

Vision requires maintenance. There is no cruise control for it. No auto pilot. Vision dissipates over time. Circumstances often discourage vision. Learn to maintain your focus by a. writing the vision b. confess it over and over. This is equivalent to walking the land. c. Praise/worship. 2 Chronicles 20:15-19, “He said, “Listen, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Listen, King Jehoshaphat! This is what the LORD says: Do not be afraid! Don’t be discouraged by this mighty army, for the battle is not yours, but God’s. Tomorrow, march out against them. You will find them coming up through the ascent of Ziz at the end of the valley that opens into the wilderness of Jeruel. But you will not even need to fight. Take your positions; then stand still and watch the LORD’s victory. He is with you, O people of Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid or discouraged. Go out against them tomorrow, for the LORD is with you!” Then King Jehoshaphat bowed low with his face to the ground. And all the people of Judah and Jerusalem did the same, worshiping the LORD. Then the Levites from the clans of Kohath and Korah stood to praise the LORD, the God of Israel, with a very loud shout”

Your life is only as successful as the worship it generates. The battles of life are not mine to fight, the Lord fights for me. He is my Fighter, Warrior, General and Knock-Out Puncher. I have no way of paying Him but to praise Him. Praise brings you to God’s presence (you enter His gates with thanksgiving) and brings God’s presence to you (He inhabits the praise of His people).

My prayer is that you will learn to develop a God-given vision in every area of your life. The inner vision is what makes the Word of God flesh in us and activated the promise.

The 3 Vices that block our receiving from God

There are three virtues that guarantee reward from God: giving, prayer and fasting. (Matthew 6:4,6,18).
“But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you” Matthew 6:3-4.
“But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you” Matthew 6:6.
“But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you” Matthew 6:18.
While these Bible verses clearly state that God is a Rewarder of all those who pray, fast and give, there are certain vices that prevent a believer from benefitting from these rewards. Regardless of how much you pray, if you have an ulterior or selfish motive, you will not be rewarded. James 4:3.
When you fast but you remain tightfisted, stingy, and ungenerous, you do not get your reward. Isaiah 58:3, 6-10.
If you are generous but have a spirit of unforgiveness, you will not get a reward. Matthew 5:23-24.
Ponder on these truths as you pray, fast and give.

Why do you work?

Work may be defined as a spiritual, physical, or mental activity directed toward the accomplishment of something. Many people work for money. They run around literarily until they drop dead or their health fails them. Such persons treat life as a rat race. The comedian, Lily Tomlin said, “The problem with the rat race is that even if you win, you’re still a rat.”

Why do you work? Is it for money, bill payments, punishment for the sin of Adam or provide for family and others? There is a biblical point of view for why we work. God requires us to work because it enables self-sustenance. It empowers us to provide for our families. Acts 20:33-35, 2 Thessalonians 3:10, 1 Timothy 5:8. When we do our work well, it brings glory to God. It enables us to give to others Ephesians 4:28. Finally, the outside world respects you for your work. 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12.

Who is your Employment Officer? God was man’s first employer. Genesis 2:15. He remains your ultimate employer regardless of who comes between you and Him. (Psalms 75:6). Work is not an end in itself but a means to an end. The ultimate goal for work is to sustain life to serve the Lord. Acts 20:18-24. You are better than animals. They hunt for food to sustain life as an end in itself.

Humans work to become, not to acquire. Your work tests your character, faith, obedience, love, integrity, and loyalty. Every day at work is an opportunity to deepen character. Romans 8:28.

Secular versus Spiritual Work
One of the common misconceptions regarding work is the notion that certain jobs are spiritual while others are secular. The idea behind this categorization is that spiritual work is by divine appointment, while physical work is not. Due to this understanding, some are waiting to really serve the Lord when they become full time ministers. You see a different picture however, when you considered the lifestyle of Apostle Paul.
“After Athens, Paul went to Corinth. That is where he discovered Aquila, a Jew born in Pontus, and his wife, Priscilla. They had just arrived from Italy, part of the general expulsion of Jews from Rome ordered by Claudius. Paul moved in with them, and they worked together at their common trade of tent making. But every Sabbath he was at the meeting place, doing his best to convince both Jews and Greeks about Jesus.” Acts 18:1-4.
The Apostle continued to work as a tentmaker during the week while he served at the temple on the Sabbath day. He may have touched other lives during the week if the opportunity came up while he made tents. There was no demarcation between when he carried out spiritual and secular work. Assuming the tent making was done unto the Lord, he had no secular job at this point in his life. The idea of spiritual and secular jobs is recent and unbiblical.
Which of the following is a secular job?
A security man does his work as unto the Lord.
A preacher with 20 years of experience preaches from 10-year-old notes without praying or any other form of preparation.
A pizza delivery person carries out all deliveries as unto the Lord.
A Sunday School Teacher resigns “to spend more time with his family” because he did not get recognition for her efforts.

It is not the nature of a job that makes it spiritual or secular but whether it is done unto the Lord or not. Any job carried out as unto the Lord is not secular. The following 2 bible passages reveal fundamental truths that should shape our attitude to our work:
“Servants, do what you're told by your earthly masters. And don't just do the minimum that will get you by. Do your best. Work from the heart for your real Master, for God, confident that you'll get paid in full when you come into your inheritance. Keep in mind always that the ultimate Master you're serving is Christ. The sullen servant who does shoddy work will be held responsible. Being a follower of Jesus doesn't cover up bad work.” Colossians 3:22-25.
“Servants, respectfully obey your earthly masters but always with an eye to obeying the real master, Christ. Don't just do what you have to do to get by, but work heartily, as Christ's servants doing what God wants you to do. And work with a smile on your face, always keeping in mind that no matter who happens to be giving the orders, you're really serving God. Good work will get you good pay from the Master, regardless of whether you are slave or free.” Ephesians 6:5-8.
The following important facts can be gleaned from this passage:
We must approach every work as a God-given job.
There is a reward from God for every work beyond the earthly compensation.
Our real Boss, Supervisor or Manager is God Himself. Our earthly boss is just a representative.
Give your best at your job.

There are several examples of good works in the Scriptures. In 1 Timothy 5:10, we read, “well reported for good works: if she has brought up children (child rearing), if she has lodged strangers (hospitality, hotels, nursing homes), if she has washed the saints’ feet (all church-based ministries), if she has relieved the afflicted (medical, nursing, social work, public service, prison), if she has diligently followed every good work.

Summary:
No job is secular if it is done unto the Lord. Do your work as someone attempting to please God. If the nature of your job is such that it cannot be done unto the Lord, you need a different job.

Recognize God as your ultimate Employer. Ask Him to lead you to a job that you really enjoy and that will be an expression of your natural and acquired abilities. The more a job utilizes your areas of strength, the more fulfilled you will be at doing it.

Have a positive attitude at your workplace. Your job provides opportunities for character development. Don’t complain about everything, backbite with others and get involved in activities that do not glorify God.

Aim to be the best at what you do. God deserves and demands it.

You work on earth carries rewards that are both temporal and eternal.

Gratitude

Gratitude is having a great attitude in all circumstances. It is refusing to be small when the times are hard. It is the ability to see the cup half full rather than half empty. It is giving God praise when your flesh says otherwise. It is magnifying God and minimizing problems. After all, God is eternal, challenges are not. Luke 17:12-19.

Many of us see the need to pray but don’t see the need to praise. We do not understand the importance of praise in the spiritual world. Life is controlled by a gate. “But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life and only a few find it”. Matthew 7:13-14. This life gate opens to praise because praise is a gate opener. You “enter into His gates with thanksgiving and a thank offering and into His courts with praise! ….” Psalm 100:4a. Anytime you want to approach God, remember that praise is a gate lifter to God’s presence.

There is an important secret the Devil does not want believers to understand. In the Old Testament times, whoever controls the gate controls the city. This is because the gate of the enemy is its control center. Just as praise is a gate lifter into God’s presence, you can use praise to control the gates of your enemies. Genesis 24:60. When you gain access to the Lord by praise the same can bring God down to your situation. Such was the case with Paul and Silas who worshipped God at midnight and experienced a great deliverance.

Contentment
One of the reasons we are often ungrateful is discontentment. If you are not content with less you will never be content with more. There are many who live in a world of “If onlys.” If only I had this.... If only this were different.... If only I could do that.... If only this had not happened in my life....Apostle Paul said, “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances” (Philippians 4:11).

Don’t postpone joyfulness until your situation changes, or you have acquired a certain thing. If you cannot be joyful now you will not be joyful then, for joy is not a matter of what you have, or what situation you are in. It is a matter of who you are and how you respond to life.

I am really content — until I start looking through the Costco catalogue. I liked my car — until I saw the new Mercedes Benz. I am satisfied with my clothes — until I stroll through Macy’s. I love our home — until I think of what it would be like to own a log cabin on the shore of some remote lake. I am satisfied with every area of my life — until I start comparing with someone else’s life. I feel like I have enough of everything — until I see someone who has more.

Contentment comes from God. “Godliness with contentment is great gain.” Notice that it does not say “Prosperity with contentment is great gain.” Contentment comes from seeking God, not things. Jesus said, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:33). If you are not happy with what you have, why do you want more of that which cannot satisfy? “Keep your lives free from the love of money and are content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you’” (Hebrews 13:5). Your contentment comes from God, not things.

If we seek God the way we seek after other things many of our problems would disappear. It is our relationship with God which is the source of contentment, and nothing else can take his place. The Bible says, “Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income” (Ecclesiastes 5:10).
One of the secrets of contentment is to seek God’s face, not just His Hands. Seek Him, not His gifts. Run after God, not just His goodies. The Psalmist, when thinking of heaven, said, “I will see your face; when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness” (Psalm 17:15).

I really appreciated how much I’m blessed the other day when I listed what I have. Below are my assets:
A gracious God
A wonderful wife
A flourishing family
Abundant life (Eternally and materially I am filthy rich compared to the rest of the world.)
A meaningful vocation
Friends
Today (Ps 118:24).
Opportunities to grow in grace, knowledge, and experience

An attitude of gratitude is an act of faith. It means you are unafraid to live and be happy because you have faith in a God who cares for you and provides for you. He is faithful and his promises are true. He never fails. Dare to be grateful at all times.

Depression

A teacher said to her students, "Boys and girls, there is a wonderful example in the life of the ant. Every day the ant goes to work and works all day. Every day the ant is busy. And in the end, what happens?
Little Johnny said, "Someone steps on Him."

Depression is a hopelessness that’s not consistent with reality. It’s a temporary condition, an emotional state with exaggerated feelings of sadness. It is more than discouragement. It can make negative circumstances overwhelm a person’s life.
Recent studies of more than 11,000 individuals found depression to be more physically and socially disabling that arthritis, diabetes, lung disease, chronic back problems, hypertension, and gastrointestinal illnesses. 19 million American adults or about 9.5 percent of the U.S. population age 18 and older suffer from depression every year. Twice as many women as men are affected. These figures translate to 12.4 million women and 6.4 million men in the U.S.
Women between the ages of 25-44 are most often affected by depression with a major cause of depression in women being the inability to express or handle anger.

Symptoms of depression
1. Weight loss or weight gain.
2. Loss of sleep and energy.
3. Lose interest in most or all pleasurable activities.
4. Reduced ability to concentrate.
5. Overcome with feelings of hopelessness or uselessness.

Causes
Death or serious illness of a friend or family member
Loss of love or attention from a friend or family member
Breakup of a romantic relationship
Family problems, especially parents’ divorce
Isolation/loneliness/rejection
Physical, verbal, and/or sexual abuse
Genetic vulnerability, particularly if a parent is/was depressed.

Background to depression
77% of everything we think is negative and counterproductive and works against us. People who grow up in an average household hear "No" or are told what they can’t do more than 148,000 times by the time they reach age 18. This results in unintentional negative programming. Negative parents breed negative children. 1 Corinthian 15:33.
It is not uncommon for servants of God to suffer from depression. Listen to Moses in Numbers 11:15, “If this is how you intend to treat me, do me a favor and kill me. I've seen enough; I've had enough. Let me out of here.” Elijah made a similar request for God to take his life. 1Kings 19:4. Job cried out, “Obliterate the day I was born. Blank out the night I was conceived!” Job 3:3. Therefore if you are a Christian and you are depressed, you are not alone.

One of England’s finest preachers was C.H. Spurgeon. Frequently during his ministry he was plunged into severe depression, due in part to gout but also for other reasons. Sometimes he would be out of the pulpit for two to three months at a time.
Many years ago a young Midwestern lawyer suffered from such deep depression that his friends thought it best to keep all knives and razors out of his reach. He questioned his life’s calling and the wisdom of even attempting to follow it through. During this time he wrote, "I am now the most miserable man living. Whether I shall ever be better, I cannot tell." That lawyer was Abraham Lincoln who became the 16th President of the United States of America.

Timing of Depression
1. Depression may come after a time of intense ministry output. Elijah became depressed after defeating the prophets of Baal. 1 Kings 19:1-18. More pastors resign on Monday than any other day of the week. Don’t be surprised therefore if you experience depression after a very success program or event. Pastors wonder why they feel so low after moving into a new church building. Athletes wonder why they feel so empty with the trophy in their hands; students wonder why they feel so unfulfilled with the diploma in their hands. Mothers wonder why they can’t stop the tears after giving birth to a healthy baby.
2. Relational conflict is a common cause of depression. Problem with your boss, breaking up with boyfriend, argument with wife are not uncommon.
3. After physical exhaustion. Elijah killed 450 false prophets, prayed intensely for rain, and then in the power of the Holy Spirit ran for over 20 miles just before he became depressed. Sometimes, overscheduling and overloading ourselves may make us susceptible to emotional letdown. Inability to balance the demands of work, family, church and recreation can tilt us over. While you can do anything, you cannot do everything. When you are tired you are really vulnerable to the discouragement that leads to depression.

How to get depressed
1. Be alone. Most depressed people are lonely or act as if they are alone. Elijah wasn’t all alone, what about Obadiah that brought him the news of hiding prophet of God? 1 Kings 18:13. Depression shuts out the thing we need most: people. When we gather in Sunday school class of caring people, when we come into a church service with Christian friends we draw strength for life’s battles. So when you are struggling with depression don’t go somewhere alone, find Christian friends to be with so they can minister to you. Remember Galatians 6:2 says "Bear one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ.”
2. Focus on the negative. We all have negative times in our lives, but when we make little things into big things and let them overwhelm us, we become downcast. This enhances our loneness. There is a silver lining in every cloud. Today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday.
3. Leave God out. God provided for Elijah through a widow who had nothing. This man of God called down fire from heaven and caused rain to cease for more than 3 years. God had never failed him. Has He ever failed you? In times of crisis, it is easy to forget the faithfulness of God in our lives and focus on the immediate challenges in isolation.

The Best Anti-Depressants
God.
He cured Elijah and He will cure you too. There is no problem He cannot solve, no challenge He cannot overcome for you. No other anti-depressant works as well. If there is any one principle that can help all depressed people, this is it. James 4:8, Psalms 40:1-2. During the 1st part of the 20th century, J. C. Penney presided over a successful business of over 1,700 stores. At the time he had the country’s largest chain of department stores, each one bearing his name. But, although his enterprise made him incredibly wealthy, J.C. Penney’s life was not devoid of setbacks and troubles.
When the Great Depression struck the country, it came at a time of great financial vulnerability for Penney. In the good times, before the Depression, Penney had overextended himself and had borrowed heavily to finance many of his ventures. But when the Depression hit, banks began to request repayment of his loans sooner than anticipated. Suddenly cash flow was tight, and Penney was finding it difficult to meet payment schedules. Constant and unrelenting worry began to take its toll. "I was so harassed with worries that I couldn’t sleep, and developed an extremely painful ailment," he said.
Concerned about his deteriorating health, Penney checked himself into the Kellogg sanitarium at Battle Creek, Michigan.
"I got weaker day by day. I was broken nervously and physically, filled with despair, unable to see even a ray of hope. I had nothing to live for; I felt that I hadn’t a friend left in the world, that even my family had turned against me."
Alarmed by his rapidly deteriorating condition, Dr. Eggleston gave Penney a sedative. However, the effect quickly wore off, and Penney awakened with the conviction that he was living the last night of his life. "Getting out of bed, I wrote farewell letters to my wife and to my son, saying that I did not expect to live to see the dawn."
Penney awakened the next morning, surprised to find himself alive. Making his way down the hallway of the hospital, he could hear singing coming from the little chapel where devotional exercises were held each morning. The words of the hymn he heard being sung spoke deeply to him. Going into the chapel, he listened to the singing, the reading of the Scripture lesson, and the prayer.

"Suddenly something happened," he said. "I can’t explain it. I can only call it a miracle. I felt as if I had been instantly lifted out of the darkness of a dungeon into a warm, brilliant sunlight. I felt as if I had been transported from hell to Paradise. I felt the power of God as I had never felt it before." In a life-transforming instant Penney knew that God, with His love, was there to help. "From that day to this, my life has been free from worry," he declared. "The most dramatic and glorious 20 minutes of my life were those I spent in that chapel that morning." Here are the words of the hymn he heard that morning:
Be not dismayed whate’er betide, God will take care of you;
Beneath His wings of love abide, God will take care of you.
God will take care of you, through every day, o’er all the way;
He will take care of you, God will take care of you.

Change your thinking.
There is nothing new under heaven, including all your problems. Problems are in 2 categories: the ones you can do something about and the ones you cannot. No amount of worry will resolve issues that are beyond you. The Bible contains many promises that will uplift even the most depressed individual. Get acquainted with them. Read them aloud several times a day. Check your thoughts. The Bible says we should take every thought captive. What am I thinking? Am I seeing things in a healthy way, or am I seeing everything as the end of the world? Continuing to live a life that is hypocritical is a huge cause of depression.

Share your problems with others believers. Problem shared is problem halved.

Help others
During a lecture on mental health someone once asked Dr. Carl Menninger: "What would you advise a person to do if that person felt a nervous breakdown coming on?" Most people thought he would say, “Go see a psychiatrist immediately," but he didn’t. Much to everyone’s astonishment, Dr. Menninger replied, "Lock up your house, go across the railroad tracks, find somebody in need, and help that person." To overcome discouragement, "Don’t focus on yourself; get involved in the lives of other people”. Proverbs 11:25

Exercise
Regular exercise toughens the mind as well as the body. After working out three times a week for six months, one group was found to be 20% fitter. Bonus: they also scored 70% better in a test of complex decision-making.
Not only does exercise improve the body and mind, it also improves the spirit of a person. It can help to relieve some of the effects of depression.

Let God, not problems be your Director.
Depression may be a signal to warn us that we need to deal with something. Is there some past trauma that we have not dealt with – loss, anger, abuse, poor decisions of the past, is there sin in my life? Norman Wright describes depression as being like a person in a deep pool of water, holding on to a large, heavy rock. The rock will pull us down. If we refuse to let it go, it will destroy us. It is not the rock that will destroy – it is our decision.

Understanding the Body of Christ

If you are born-again, you are automatically a member of the body of Christ. It is important that every member of the Body of Christ has some understanding of the significance, benefits, privileges and responsibilities of this most important membership. Our lack of discernment leads to certain patterns of behavior. This in turn may lead to weakness, sickness and death. 1 Corinthians 11:30 (Amplified Bible).

Advantages of discerning the body

The book of the Acts of Apostles provides insights into the unique benefits of discerning the body. This was the time when “all the believers lived in a wonderful harmony, holding everything in common. They sold whatever they owned and pooled their resources so that each person’s need was met” Acts 2: 44-45. In other words, no one lacked. If we practice this in our local churches, no one will go to bed hungry while another church member has food at home. No one will be homeless while another member has a spare room.

“The whole congregation of believers was united as one—one heart, one mind! They didn't even claim ownership of their own possessions. No one said, "That's mine; you can't have it." Acts 4:32, 34-35. Not surprisingly, when such believers pray, venues shake. Oneness of the pew impacts the power of the pulpit. “They even carried the sick out into the streets and laid them on stretchers and bedrolls, hoping they would be touched by Peter's shadow when he walked by. They came from the villages surrounding Jerusalem, throngs of them, bringing the sick and bedeviled. And they all were healed” Acts 5:15-16. When members of a local church are in unity, signs and wonders will be commonplace. When they are not, weakness, sickness and death prevail. This principle is so important the devil used it in getting enraged people to stone Steven.

The modern day church is weak because it does not practice love as described in the Bible. We barely tolerate each other. This attitude is hurting us more than any other. Compare your life with the following counsel: “Help needy Christians; be inventive in hospitality. Don't hit back; discover beauty in everyone. If you've got it in you, get along with everybody. Romans 12:13, 17-18.

The Biblical standard of oneness among brethren is so high we are not encouraged to take another member to court for any reason! 1 Corinthians 6:1. A believer is admonished to love his enemies; how much more fellow believers. My beloved Christian, I am not advocating some mysterious doctrine. “If you've gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care— then do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends. Philippians 2:1-2.

The Strategy of Satan
When there is division, plans cannot succeed. Dreams do not come through. Visions are lost. Power dissipates. The enemy gains a foothold. Our fellowship is powerless and routine. There is no evidence of divine presence. This is the reason Satan does everything he can to cause division among Christians. Luke 11:17, 18. When Christians are united, nothing can prevail against them. You can build anything with unity; you can destroy anything without it. When mankind came together to build the Tower of Babel, listen to what God said, “Indeed the people are one and they all have one language…now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them” (Gen 11:6). This is God’s assessment of mankind in unity. May it become His assessment of our gatherings in Jesus' name. Amen.

Caveats
You are not called to be clones of each other. That is uniformity which means to look alike, talk alike, and behave alike. You lose your identity and personality. This is not what the Bible advocates. The Apostles were all different personalities which impacted on the way they carried out their ministries. You are called to be unified with other believers. Unification means you share a common purpose and a set of objectives while maintaining your unique personality and identity.

The Greatest Sign of a Disciple
Disciples behave like their master. A disciple of Prophet Mohammed will exhibit violence just as his master did. How are the disciples of Christ identified? Is it by their wealth? Boldness? Speaking in tongues? Great miracles and healings? No. The Lord Jesus said, “This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples—when they see the love you have for each other” John 13:35. The more we act in love, the more like Jesus we become. The closest disciple to Jesus was John the Apostle. He wrote extensively about love in 1st John. If you do not love the brethren, you are either not born again or you are a very poor reflection of your Master.
“The way we know we've been transferred from death to life is that we love our brothers and sisters. Anyone who doesn't love is as good as dead. This is how we've come to understand and experience love: Christ sacrificed his life for us. This is why we ought to live sacrificially for our fellow believers, and not just be out for ourselves. If you see some brother or sister in need and have the means to do something about it but turn a cold shoulder and do nothing, what happens to God's love? It disappears. And you made it disappear. 1 John 3:14, 16-17.
“The person who refuses to love doesn't know the first thing about God, because God is love—so you can't know him if you don't love. 1 John 4:8

Love as Jesus loved
Jesus said: "This is my commandment, that you love one another, as I have loved you.”(John 15:9-12). This is not natural love. You can’t will it. It is unconditional. It is supernatural. God has deposited this agape love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit. We yield to the Holy Spirit in order to release this love into the world around us. In other words, you love by faith. Many of us are unlovable in the natural. Loving the lovable is easy. Loving the unlovable is challenging. Our imperfections, faults and weaknesses rub off on others negatively. Without God’s help, it is impossible to love others as you should.

Note that faith and love are intertwined. You cannot love as Jesus loves without faith. However, without love, you cannot practice faith because faith works by love. Galatians 5:6. When you come across difficult believers, ask the Holy Spirit to love them through you by faith. As you do this your faith will grow in leaps and bounds.

Practical Issues
No believer should have an unmet need when there’s another believer who can meet that need. No believer should starve when you have food. No believer should be homeless when you have a house. No believer should have difficulty getting around when other brethren have cars. No believer should be lonely in the presence church members.

In 1765 John Fawsett was called to pastor a very small congregation in England. He labored there diligently for 7 years, but his salary was so meager that he and his wife could scarcely obtain the necessities of life. Though the people were poor, they compensated for this lack by their faithfulness and warm fellowship. Then Dr. Fawcett received an offer from a much larger church in London. As his few possessions were being placed in a wagon for moving, many of his parishioners came to say good-bye and pleaded with him to reconsider. Touched by this great outpouring of love, he and his wife began to weep. Finally Mrs. Fawcett exclaimed, "O John, I just can’t bear this. They need us so badly here." "God has spoken to my heart, too!" he said. "Tell them to unload the wagon! We cannot break these wonderful ties of fellowship." This experience inspired Fawsett to write the hymn, “Blessed be the tie that binds”.

The Great Mystery
God presented Eve to the first Adam. When Adam saw her, he exclaimed:
“This is now bone of my bones
And flesh of my flesh;
She shall be called Woman,
Because she was taken out of Man.” Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. Genesis 2:23-24.
Sometime in the future, God will present a bride to the last Adam, Jesus Christ. “For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. For this reason a man (Christ) shall leave his father (God the Father) and mother (God the Spirit) and be joined to his wife (Church), and the two (Christ+Church) shall become one flesh (Bride). This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Ephesians 5:30-31.

The Godhead is made up of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. These three are one. They created man in Genesis 1:26 “in our image, after our likeness”. This means that from the beginning, the Godhead had plans to bring man into oneness with the Trinity. On the last day, the body of Christ (Church) shall become one with the Head thereby fulfilling the original goal set forth in Genesis 1:26.

God spoke in the Old Testament mainly through the prophets. He is speaking in the last days through the Son. However, in the last chapter of the Bible, God shall speak through the Spirit and the Church. Why? Because the Bride has become one with her husband, the Lord Jesus. “The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life. Revelation 22:17. This is man in God’s image, after His likeness.

This is an answer to the prayer of Jesus in John 17:21, “That they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me”.

This is what the Bible means when it says that “that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. Ephesians 2:7. God is Love. He is Grace personified. He wants to show the limitless boundary of His grace by lifting man from the depths of depravity to oneness with Him.

Prayer:
For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Ephesians 5:14-19.

Life Management

A lifetime is the period between date of birth and date of death. We all know our date of birth but don’t know the later. Compared to eternity however, life is too short. Time is a unit of life. It is life’s currency. “Time is a resource that is nonrenewable and nontransferable. You cannot store it, slow it up, hold it up, divide it up or give it up. You can’t hoard it up or save it for a rainy day–when it’s lost it’s unrecoverable. When you kill time, remember that it has no resurrection.”(A.W. Tozer).

Stephen Covey writes: “Time management is a misleading concept. You can’t really manage time. You can’t delay it, speed it up, save it or lose it. No matter what you do time keeps moving forward at the same rate. The challenge is not to manage time, but to manage ourselves.” This is why the topic of this article is life management, rather than time management.

The Unwelcome Realities
In a lifetime the average North American will spend:
6 months sitting at stoplights
8 months opening junk mail
1 year looking for misplaced objects
2 years unsuccessfully returning phone calls
5 years waiting in line/waiting for latecomers
6 years eating
21 years watching television.

Number your Days
No one has all the time in the world to do everything he wants to do. We all have the same 24 hours in a day. It is therefore critical that you know what you’re doing with your time.
“Our days may come to seventy years, or eighty, if our strength endures; yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away. So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom” Psalms 90:10, 12.
Your available total time = the time between the date of birth and date of death/rapture. This time is our allotted time. Job 7:1, Job 14:14, Acts 17:26.

Assuming you have 81 years to live, you’ll spend;
8 hours per day sleeping = 21 years.
8 hours per day working or studying = 21 years.
8 hours per day grooming/miscellaneous = 21 years.
The first 2 sets of 8 hours are fixed, the third one is variable. This means that you don’t have a lot of control over two-thirds of every day of your life. However, there is a lot you can do within the more flexible time. How much time do you have left? Assuming a lifespan of 80 years, you can calculate the number of days you have left by using the following formula:
80 – Age X 365 = number of days left to live.
For a 40-year-old man, the answer is 14,600 days. This translates to:
4866 days sleeping
4866 days working
4866 days to cleanup, shop, eat, exercise, pay bills etc.
The average individual only has 5 hours a day of discretionary time. In the case of this 40-year-old man, he has 1014 days in total of discretionary time. The difference between a fulfilled life and an empty one is often dependent on how this discretionary time is used. Where are you investing those 5 hours a day of your life?

The true cost of things
Our lives are measured in terms of time. Whenever you want to make a major purchase, think of the true cost of the purchase in terms of time. Anything you want to spend money on that demands you spend more time working extra hours to pay for it requires critical thinking. Few things in life are worth the enormous sacrifice of longer hours at work. “You don’t really pay for things with money. You pay for them with time. “In 5 years, I’ll have put enough away to buy that new house. Then I’ll slow down or get out of this business altogether.” That means the house will cost you five years---five out of eighty, maybe. That’s one sixteen of your whole life; one twelfth of your adult life; one quarter of the time you’ll spend living with any one of your children.” Charles Spezzano.
Very few things are worth the extra hours of money-making. Vacation, second home, recreational gadgets, jewelry etc. are usually not worth it. An additional qualification which may eventually increase your hourly rate may be.

Make the most of opportunity
The Bible admonishes us to redeem the time. The word “redeeming” can be translated buying up or purchasing. The word “time” is not the Greek word “chronos" which means clock time that is measured in hours, minutes and seconds, but it is the Greek word "kairos" which refers to quality of time or season. We are not called to be good time managers; we are called to be good opportunity managers. It is not just counting the days, months and years, but making the days, months and years count. Tomorrow you will be given another 24 hours, but you may never have the same opportunity again.
Successful management of life depends on how you manage every 24 hours. The most crucial part of your 24 hours is time spent in dialogue with God. Therefore make sure that part of your 5 hours of discretionary time is spent in activities that have eternal value. Remember that regardless of how you mismanage a particular day another day is a new opportunity for improvement. The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end. They are new every morning.

Busyness
One excuse many of us have for not giving God our time is that we are very busy. “If you have so much business to attend to that you have no time to pray, you have more business on hand than God ever intended you should have” (DL Moody). “The management of time is the management of self; therefore, if you manage time with God, He will begin to manage you.” (Jill Briscoe). "The moment you wake up each morning, all your wishes & hopes for the day rush at you like wild animals. And the first job each morning consists in shoving it all back; in listening to that other voice, taking that other point of view, letting that other, larger, stronger, quieter life come flowing in." (C.S. Lewis)

In making the most of every opportunity, take note that relationships are the best use of our time. The order is as follows:
Our relationship with God
Relationship with spouse (if any)
Relationship with children (if any)
Relationship with brethren
Relationship with others (neighbors, coworkers, extended family members).

Life is too short to bear grudges, gossip, backbite, harbor hate, plot revenge, and watch TV endlessly. Gain a new perspective. Focus on the eternal. Minimize the temporal. After all, 80 years is a very short time compared to endless life. Our current life is a preparation for the next. Avoid distractions. “You can either pay now and play later or play now and pay later. But either way, you’re going to pay”.
Forget yesterday Phil 3:13-14. Manage your life by managing your day. Stop worrying. “Today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday”. There is only one of you for all time. Fearlessly be yourself (Anthony Rapp). And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years. (Abraham Lincoln).
Treasure every moment that you have! Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift...That’s why it’s called the “present!”

A colleague told me this story about a time management expert who was teaching a seminar for executives. He placed a large jar in front of the group. Next, he put seven or eight large rocks into the jar until it was full. “Is the jar full?” He asked. Everyone nodded. Then he took pebbles and filled up the jar with the small rocks until they reached the rim. “Is the jar full?” By now, they didn’t answer. So, he poured fine sand in. “Is the jar full?” Some nodded. He proceeded to take a pitcher of water and filled up the jar again. “What’s the lesson about time management?” he asked. Hands shot up, and everyone agreed “No matter how busy you are you can always fit more things into your schedule.” “Wrong.” he replied. “The lesson is: unless you put the big rocks in first, they never will fit in. You must figure out what the big rocks are for you.
The biggest rock in my life is the Rock of Ages. In Him I live and move and have my being. I must carve out time with Him on a daily basis or I am not making adequate preparation for my next life. If I am not going to spend eternity working, shopping or playing golf, it makes sense for me to train myself to spend time with God on earth. My next big rock is my marriage followed by my children. I must also live a love-filled life for the rest of my days.

Terry Muck tells of a letter he received from a man who used to have absolutely no interest in spiritual things. He lived next door to a Christian, and they had a casual relationship. Then the non-Christian’s wife died of cancer within a short time. “I was in total despair. I went through the funeral preparations and the service like I was in a trance. And after the service I went to the path along the river and walked all night. But I did not walk alone. My neighbor - afraid for me, I guess - stayed with me all night. He did not speak; he did not even walk beside me. He just followed me. When the sun finally came up over the river he came over to me and said, "Let’s go get some breakfast."
I go to church now. My neighbor’s church. A religion that can produce the kind of caring and love my neighbor showed me is something I want to find out more about. I want to be like that. I want to love and be loved like that for the rest of my life.”
The Christian saw an opportunity to reveal Christ to his friend. He had learned how to redeem the time.

Wanted: Christ Copiers.

Whose copy are you?

Recent polls show that professing Christians are just as likely as non-Christians to have been divorced, bought a lottery ticket, watch MTV or have subscribed to cable television like HBO and watch R, and even X rated movies as non-Christians. Whose copy are you?

A Christ Copier is a disciple of Christ. He is a “decent example” of Jesus. A disciple is a Christian. The disciples were called Christians (Christ-copy) for the first in Antioch. (Acts 11:26) There are 3 hallmarks of a disciple of Christ: born again, learner, a member of a small group of disciples.

Born again
Discipleship is a journey that starts when an individual surrenders to the Lord, receiving forgiveness of sin in the process. It is a defining moment that starts a relationship between man and God. It cannot be substituted with regular church attendance, church membership, ministry work, charitable works etc. have you invited Jesus who died for you into your heart? If not, it is not too late.

Learner
When anyone becomes born-again, he is a baby in Christ and needs to grow into a mature Christian. There are many who claim to be born again but are not growing. They have lost or never got a Learner’s Permit. This permit is for a lifetime. “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby”. 1 Peter 2:2. It is tragedy to start as a babe, and remain so after many years in the faith. Someone with a lower opinion of babies once described them this way: “A baby is a digestive apparatus with a loud noise at one end and no responsibility on the other.” Is your life marked by a desire to know God and become like Him?

Certain characteristics are essential for growth: Food, shelter, clothing, love/affection, ability to hear, speak, think, ability to sit, stand and walk and, ability to read and write. Which of these essentials is most important for growth? Food. Without food, the baby will die and will never have the opportunity to acquire other abilities. Babies need milk, natural or artificial, to survive. They also need to gradually grow to tolerate adult meals in order for their development not to be stunted.

Man is made up or body, soul and spirit. As physical food is to your body, so is the Word of God to your spirit. On average, we eat 3 times daily. How often do we feed our spirits with the Word in a 24-hour period? Stop starving your spirit. Feed your spirit by: Meditating on the Word daily and talking to God for at least 15 minutes daily. God came to Adam in the cool of the evening to chat with him daily. It is one of the reasons we exist. Face-book and twitter God on a daily basis and you will never be the same again.

Member of a small group
There are many lonely people in this world. These loners are in 2 categories: The Ignorant and the Arrogant. The ignorant loner does not know he needs others. The arrogant thinks he is self-sufficient. There is a reason none of us dropped from the sky or shot out of the ground like a plant. Regardless of whether your parents are together or not, everyone was born to a small group called family. It is not good for man to be alone as he goes through life’s journey.

The Almighty God exists as a small group of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Before the God-family made man, man was referred to in the plural. God said, “Let Us make man in our image, according to our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth. Genesis 1:26.

Soon after Adam was made, God formed a family for him by creating Eve. Genesis 2:24. Noah was found righteous in God’s sight but he did not go into the Ark alone; he went with his household. Genesis 7:1. What do all these have to do with being a disciple of Christ? Jesus had 12 of them; none walked alone. There is no such thing as lonely disciple.

When a child is born, he becomes part of a family of parents and siblings. In the same was, as soon as a man gets born again, he becomes a member of the family of Christ, the Body of Christ, the Church. The local church is a microcosm of the Church Universal. Christ is the Head. Church leaders are the neck. Other parts are made up of all other believers and may play roles that are visible or invisible.
The Body of Christ has all it takes to take care of its own.

Healthcare Department
Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. James 5:14-15, Mark 16:18.

Education Department
“Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children” Titus 2:3-4 (NIV), Hebrews 5:12, Ephesians 4:11-13. Older believers (assuming they have grown in the Lord as they should) have a responsibility to teach the babies in the faith.

Bank of Heaven
"Don't hoard treasure down here where it gets eaten by moths and corroded by rust or worse, stolen by burglars. Stockpile treasure in heaven, where it's safe from moth and rust and burglars. It's obvious, isn't it? The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being”. Matthew 6:19-20 (The Message), Matthew 19:21, Philippians 4:19. Giving lays up treasure in heaven. A disciple must be a giver.

Social Security Department
And all the believers lived in a wonderful harmony, holding everything in common. They sold whatever they owned and pooled their resources so that each person's need was met. Acts 2:44-45 (The Message)

Electricity
The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. John 1:9.
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. 1 John 1:7.

Water Department
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. Ephesians 5:25-27 (NIV)

Waste Management System
Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Ephesians 4:31-32 (NIV)

Social Services
Live creatively, friends. If someone falls into sin, forgivingly restore him, saving your critical comments for yourself. You might be needing forgiveness before the day's out. Stoop down and reach out to those who are oppressed. Share their burdens, and so complete Christ's law. If you think you are too good for that, you are badly deceived. Galatians 6:1-3 (The Message)

Housing Department
……God is building a home. He's using us all—irrespective of how we got here—in what he is building. He used the apostles and prophets for the foundation. Now he's using you, fitting you in brick by brick, stone by stone, with Christ Jesus as the cornerstone that holds all the parts together. We see it taking shape day after day—a holy temple built by God, all of us built into it, a temple in which God is quite at home. Ephesians 2:20-22 (The Message).

Diversity of the Body of Christ
Aren’t we happy that our human body is not made up of one huge hand or even a collection of hands? When it comes to our local church, our appreciation of the differences that exist between members is not automatic. It takes work, persistence, commitment, patience, perseverance. Concerning marriage, a man and a woman become one on their wedding day. However, that unity must be nurtured, strengthened and defended throughout their life together. Everyone comes to marriage with a baggage which if not attended to, becomes a source of conflict and eventual separation.
If marriage is challenging, imagine the potential for division in a church with many more members than an average family! We all have issues and baggage that we have brought into our relationship as members. But we must win one another’s trust with unconditional love.

Don’t be a leech. The human body does not exist to meet the needs of the hand. The hand exists to meet the needs of the body and in doing so gets its own needs met. The Church does not exist to meet our needs. We exist to carry out the work of the Body and in doing so our own needs are met.

Every member is a minister.
As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 1 Peter 4:10 (NKJV)
But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: 1 Corinthians 12:7 (NKJV)
But that doesn't mean you should all look and speak and act the same. Out of the generosity of Christ, each of us is given his own gift. Ephesians 4:7 (Message)
Nobody is a nobody in the body of Christ. We all have a distinct role to play.
From him (Christ) the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. Ephesians 4:16.
The church will not grow if each part doesn’t do its work. Everyone is essential. No one is useless. This is illustrated in the fictional story below:
A man broke his left arm.
One night when he couldn’t sleep, he imagined a dialogue between his right and left hands.
Right Hand said, “Left Hand, you are not missed. Everybody’s glad it was you that was broken and not me. You are not very important.”
Left Hand asked, “How are you superior?”
Right Hand replied, “Why, my owner cannot write a letter without me.”
Left Hand: “But who holds the paper on which he writes?”
Right Hand: “Who swings the hammer?”
Left Hand: “Who holds the nail?”
Right Hand: “Who guides the plane when the carpenter smoothens a board?”
Left Hand: “Who steadies the board?”
Right Hand: “When our owner walks down the street and lifts his hat to greet someone, which of us does it?”
Left Hand: “Who holds the briefcase while he does it?”
Then he continued, “Let me ask you a question. When our owner shaved yesterday, you held the razor, but his face is cut because I wasn’t there to help. Also, our owner’s watch has stopped. Why? You may do the winding, but if I’m not there to hold it, the watch won’t get wound. You can’t take money out of his wallet to pay for something because I’m not there to hold it. The master can do very few things without me.”

In summary, a Christ-copier must be born again, eager to learn by meditating on the Word and praying daily, and be an active part of a local church where he or she is located.