The Perfecting Church

Before Jesus dropped the mic ending His earthly ministry, His final priestly prayer for those that would bear His name was a prayer for unity. Of all the things He could have asked of the Father as He left this sin-stained, demon-infested world — His deepest desire was that we would be one. Unity is of far more value than we’ve realized. It’s tied to our destiny here and our destiny in the world to come.

Have it your way, do your thing, just do you, are a few of the catch phrases that’ve become the norm in daily thought and language. We live in a hyper-individualized, materialistic culture that’s all about getting what you want and doing things your way — because after all You Only Live Once. But for many of us the biggest obstacle to our peace, joy and flourishing is the very thing we’ve been encouraged to pursue. What if the three-headed monster of Materialism, Individualism and Consumerism was the silent killer, destroying our lives, our families and our societies? What if the way to fullness and fulfillment was not more of what we’ve been after — but in dropping the M(aterialism) I(ndividualism) and C(onsumerism)?Philippians 2:1-4

The God we serve is love and He empowers us to love- to answer the call of the great commandment to love, the great commission to go and the ministry to reconcile.

We’ve all experienced brokenness in relationships. Some of us have siblings we haven’t spoken to for years. Others among us are at odds with in-laws. Some know the pain of divorce. But if we’re ever going to live as the reconcilers God has called to be, we have to stop normalizing ex’s and lean into God's grace to be reconciled.

Who hasn't been hurt by the actions or words of another -- a parent who constantly belittled, a colleague who sabotaged a project or a friend who was disloyal? We’ve had traumatic experiences -- being physically or emotionally abused by someone. Wounds caused by others can leave us with lasting feelings of anger, bitterness and even vengeance. If we don’t learn to forgive, we will never experience the fulness of Love. We must learn to embrace and embody a love that forgives.

We’re part of a world filled with people who have lost the way. The way for humanity in the the mind of God has always been the way of love. We were created in Beloved community; we were created by Beloved community and we were created for Beloved community. When we go the self-absorbed, self-exalting, self-glorifying way of this broken world; we become what Love hates – we become the opposite of Love.

The human ego is one of the biggest enemies of God’s love. Ego works to exalt our will, our way and the pursuit of our glory over God’s. But we were made in Love; we were made by Love and we were made for Love. When we refuse to live in love we destroy ourselves. If we’re ever going to recover the beloved existence God intended -- conformed to His will and way – we will have to choose God’s love over our ego..

God is calling us, inviting us and teaching us to love. He knows apart from Love we can produce nothing, become nothing and gain nothing of value. We were made for Love; we were made by Love and we were made in Love. When we give ourselves to real Love, we begin to really live life – a life of real love.

As those born of Love, we’ve been supernaturally equipped to live in Beloved Community. Our rebirth and renewal changes everything—our new life resting securely on the foundation of our immersion into His abiding Love. Love is not just what we do; Love is who we are.

Love God's 4-Letter Word: Perfecting Love428 views Streamed live 22 hours ago Introduction: At some point real love shows itself in what it does, not simply in what it says or feels. Love that says or feels but never does, is not real love. We try to really love, but apart from God we can’t – God is love. In order to perfect lov(s): NKJV1John4:15-188.7.2022 Message TakeawaysConfessing is more than saying with our mouths – it’s reflected in our lives. The God who is love teaches us to abide in His love.Love is perfected in us when it becomes who we are.

Over the last five years, popular culture has become inundated with spirituality, particularly New ageism. On any given day now, you can walk into a store and find crystals, and books with a concentration on chakras and the power of the mind. It is Indeed fascinating to explore the possibilities of being able to manifest one’s own destiny, ideas that we find in both Christianity and beyond. The question, however, is, are these things true? Am I really the master of my own fate, Is it possible to manifest my own destiny and if so, is this the way God intended for it to be?

The God who is Love came to deliver us from lesser loves. When our affections for created things exceed our affections for the Creator of all things we become enslaved. The God who is Love is lifting us and restoring us to our identity and destiny in the Beloved.

Being chosen in the Beloved changes every aspect of our human existence. We’ve been restored to the Godhead the source of love and life – the God of creation. Our lives have become a response and a result of His grace and lovingkindness. We must learn to live in love, from love and for love. We have been chosen in the beloved. Scripture(s) NKJV:Ephesians 1:3Ephesians 1:4Ephesians 1:5,6Ephesians 1:3-6Message TakeawaysOur praise of God is distinct from all other praise or it isn’t praise of God at all.When we choose what God chose for us, we discover what God has prepared for us.Love has predestined a destiny for us far better than any destiny we could accomplish on our own.

In a world filled with complexities and confusion how is one organism — the Church — to have clarity on its mission and purpose? We must look to and hear from Jesus, that we might grasp the mission and the mandate from the Master.

Love may very well be the most used and abused word ever uttered by mankind. It’s been used to describe our mothers, favorite ice creams and travel destinations. It’s been used to manipulate, corrupt and to restore. Some of us can remember our first love and some of us have experienced so much relational pain, we’ve sworn to never love again. But long before there was a mother, difficult break up or travel destination – even before the world was, there was love. God is love and love is His four-letter word, more than anything else. Scripture(s): NKJV