Partners In The Gospel

No man is an island. That's a saying you've probably heard before. We don't operate all alone. We bump into each other and yes, we even need each other. We were created with a need for community. Jesus Christ redeemed us for community into His own body. The body of Christ is to love, serve and give and make the gospel known.  Personally, we are hands and feet of Jesus as well as corporately. Community is the place where we experience transformation and sancification and share the Good News of the Gospel. That's the church's mission. To make Jesus Christ known among the nations as we grow in grace and knowledge of The Lord, together. 

I ran into a friend I haven't seen in awhile this evening. We reminisced about our time together in youth ministry. We both agreed, those were extraordinary days. God was at work in our lives and the lives of our students. We all rushed to get there on Wednesday evenings, excited and ready to see each other and the students. We laughed and cried together, danced together, served together, traveled together, encouraged and supported each other as well as held each other accountable and in love, pointed out when we were getting off track. We saw students come to know Jesus as Lord and grow in grace and knowledge. We saw the glory of The Lord and once you see His glory, you will long for it. It will keep you up at night and all you can think about and it's what you will want to talk about.

It was only by God's grace any of us were saved and were all surprised we were ministering to anyone. None of us had it all together and there was no need to try and pretend.  I can remember thinking, any moment now, a deacon would remove me from the youth room proclaiming me to be unworthy of serving. If they only knew what I have done in my life. But in Christ, I was made new, standing in His righteousness, an heir, adopted into the Kingdom. Life was not my own, it was now His. Together, we were seeking to know God more, experience Him and point students to the life in Christ we had received. Serving is an overflow of the grace and mercy shown to us through our Salvation. Any fruit was the result of who Christ is, not anything we did. We brought our gifts to the table, each serving in a very unique way. We were honest with our student's and each other about our lives and struggles and they loved and accepted us. It was far from perfect, we made many mistakes but we were partners in the Gospel. We were on mission and we mattered to each other.

God is still at work across the earth, drawing people to Him and transforming lives for His glory.
The mission goes on.

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10

There have been winning athletic teams and work projects that have brought success and created community but there is no comparison in partnering in the gospel. For we are co- workers in God's service; you are God's field, God's building. 1 Corinthians 3:9  Paul has been credited with writing 13 books of the Bible but he was not alone. Many times his partners in the gospel were transcribing for him. He mentioned many people throughout the Scriptures who were serving beside him or that he was encouraging in their service. Philippians 1:3-6, Paul states, "I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ." 

Every day I talk to many faithful servants who are all in for the Kingdom of Heaven. Partners in The Gospel encourage one another even more as the day approaches as the Spirit continues to purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God. To those partners in the Gospel, YOU ARE NOT ALONE and you matter to Christ and you matter to me. Keep running the race and fight the good fight of faith. Jesus is worthy.

 "It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God's grace with me. God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus And this is may prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ- to the glory and praise of God."  
Philippians 1:7-11

A Call To Pray For God's People. The Church

John 17:6-19
⁶ I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. ⁷ Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. ⁸ For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. ⁹ I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. ¹⁰ All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. ¹¹ And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. ¹² While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. ¹³ But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. ¹⁴ I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. ¹⁵ I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. ¹⁶ They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. ¹⁷ Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. ¹⁸ As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. ¹⁹ And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.

 

 

Sovereign God, we are your people, the church. You have redeemed us. You choose us.  Our lives or not our own, they have been bought by the blood of Jesus Christ. You have saved us by grace through faith, not of works, We are your workmanship and you have ordained good works for us to walk in them and experience the fullness of your joy . Help us ,oh God, to walk in them as the Bride of Christ.

God humble us and break us so you can mold us, fill us and use us.

God free us from habits of self preservation  and going through the same motions.  Free us in our churches to humbly receive your Word. Free us to sing and make music to you from our hearts. Free us to be open to whatever you want to do in our midst. Father we repent today. We repent for playing church, We repent of the lack of affection for you and your people. We repent of  the sin of racism. Free us from racial division in  the church.  Father break down these divisions of white, black, latino so that our identity is solely in Christ, not the color of our skin. And we see each other as brothers and sisters in Christ, created in the image of God.

Forgive us for tearing each other down, comparing and competiveness. Forgive us for wasting moments and money on things that do not matter for eternity. Forgive us father for being preoccupied with our own agenda rather than matters of justice, mercy and faithfulness. Forgive us for being about every other thing but the mission you gave us, to make disciples of all nations. Forgive us for being more preoccupied with programming, buildings and budgets than your beauty. Forgive us when our committee meetings out number our prayer meetings.  Forgive us for our unbelief. Forgive us for exchanging the truth of God for a lie.

Father, I give up. I surrender myself  to you. You are more beautiful than any other pursuit.  Forgive me, Father, I have sinned against you and you alone. You are a good, good Father. Restore to me and to your church the joy of our Salvation. Restore our love relationship with you. Return us to our first love. I am asking you, to do immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine through your church. May the church be a redemptive presence in the culture. Open doors that no one can shut. Father it is not my church, it is your church. You build your church in broken places to bring your Salvation, healing and deliverance. Jesus you are the builder of ancient ruins, the repairer of broken walls, and the restorer of streets.

Father, I pray for the persecuted church throughout the world. Grant grace and peace and your Holy Spirit protection especially for the children. The children, O God. How long o lord. Have mercy O Lord.

Sprit of the living God, fall fresh on us, fall fresh on me. Humble us and center us on Jesus and the truth of your word that is the same yesterday today and forever. Jesus, you are who you say you are and you are still doing what you said you would do. You are making all things new. With the power of the gospel – send your church out for the work of your kingdom wherever  we are, in this community, your cities and among the nations. Empower us with your Holy Spirit to do your will as we partner with your heart. Father, by your grace and for your glory, revive us, transform us and free us for your  purposes.  May the church rise up and takes it’s place as we look for the day you return to gather your people  to reign with you forever.  You are already  victorious. You have already overcome the grave.  Help us fight not for victory but from victory.  Deepen and strengthen our faith in you  Jesus. Help us remain steadfast in the truth of your word. We pray that Jesus is high and lifted up in your church. We exalt your name Jesus. You are worthy.

Pray for the persecuted church.  As the church, the body of Christ, He has sent us out into the world. Pray for specific names of people that He has sent you to point them to Jesus.