A church comes to know the will of God when the whole body understands what Christ – the Head – is telling it.
p.204
Share to the group a statement or scripture that resonates with you from today’s reading and a responding prayer…
Discerning God’s Will as a Body
As a church, we don’t need to only obey the pastor or leader with his guidance, but we should all prayerfully discern how God is guiding the church (not particularly us) in certain aspects and how we must follow suit even if that means laying down our lives for the cause of the church’s unity. I see that there is disunity in the church, but I think if we all pursued God’s heart in it, especially His heart for unity, we can be better united together in Christ. Additionally, I think an aspect of our church that is missing is the emphasis of seeking God’s guidance in these things. So offen, we choose the option that is the most logical or the most effective, but we don’t pursue how God is guiding us in different instances and we don’t encourage our church to do the same. It would be awesome if we encouraged our church to pursue more of God in making a decision as that may completely change how our church grows together and pursues Christ together. Dear God, I pray that we will be passionate about pursing You in our actions and our next steps. May we not rely on our pastor but May we see that each member of the church has a role and a strength. Amen.
“The Head does the convincing on His timetable. Then the whole body follows Christ”. As much talents as we have in the church, everything is not possible when it’s not the right time yet. That is why God is the Head of the church because He is sovereign over everything. We as the member must wait and be patient. Not only so, we have to ask the Holy Spirit for His guidance so that we as the church can follow God’s will and adjust our life to Him. I pray that God will continue to help me keeping a real and rooted relationship in Christ so that everything I do, I rely on God to do His will. I also pray that you would use us as a body to continue glorify and serve your purpose here on earth
“Every time you ask that question (vote), you have a divided church, and you have acted as if our own opinions are more important than God’s.” I’ve always seen voting as a fair thing. However, this devotion showed me that it is a divisive act when it comes to church decision making. I pray that our church may value all of our members’ opinions and when they are not rooted in God, may we be patient enough to help lead them to God instead of ignoring their opinions or being disappointed in their lack of fellowship with the Lord.
From Charlie
Prior to this chapter, I still had a notion that when I ask God for some sign to what I should be doing, He would answer me through the gospel but I still would have to read and interpret it somehow. So it is still my effort to understand. However, while reading this chapter today about how the church members would pray and then sense God direction, I think maybe I still didn’t quite understand how God answer. It sounds like God would put the ideas into me and I would just “know” his intention. Of course I still have to know Him well and understand His nature so that I would recognize that it is indeed an idea He puts into me and not just my own desire. It is not through my effort to understand but rather an understanding that comes to me and after some time knowing Him, I would just recognize that feeling.
On a side note, one thing in this chapter that kind of bother me a bit is when Blackaby said that if some members do not agree with the majority then there is something wrong with the member and their relationship with God. Perhaps that might be true with the Blackaby church where they have a good track records of recognizing God’s words. However, I read a story about a church that was full of like-minded people but were so toxic that it drove away believers. So maybe in that church the few standouts might be the ones who has a better relationship with God. From outside looking in, I think it might not be so easy to judge.
Lord, each lesson let me to have a better understanding of You. Each lesson make me more discerning. I feel You when You are near and when we are talking. I hope to hear Your voice more distinctly day by day with more practice. Also BTW, thank YOU for answering my prayer and solving that difficult bug that I’ve been struggling with for the past few days! I couldn’t have come to it without You!
God created the body—a local church—so every member needed every other member. This statement reinforces how the members of the church are interdependent on one another as the Father works through the body to reveal His will. Although having a real and personal intimate relationship with God is vital, developing relations and relying on our fellow brothers and sisters in our faith is just as important.