Message Magazine’s Online Devotional for Friday, February 13, 2015
Based Upon Acts 15
Churches are living, moving, and breathing organisms, made up of many organic parts. Each of us comes from varying backgrounds, disciplines, worship paradigms, and social persuasions. This is by heavenly design. The sweetness of the body of believers is in our diversity and how this all contributes to synergy in mission. Can you imagine having a body where the eyes do not value the contribution of the feet, or forearms despise the elbows? This would mean confusion on the highest order, because each constituent part has its vital role to play for the purpose of the entire body’s mission, all governed by the head (mind).
During the time of the apostles, the fledgling church often struggled over its diversity. Instead of appealing to the counsel of their divine Head, Jesus Christ, they often placed one another under heavy burdens, colored by subjective views of theology. While the church was growing, it also suffered from dissension. Can you imagine how difficult it would be for our natural bodies to get anywhere if legs, arms, hearts, stomachs, and ears were in constant conflict? Do you know what doctors call this? Disease. There is only one principle cure for disease. Harmony and balance must be restored to the body in order for disease to be healed. Otherwise the diseased part(s) must be removed for death to be averted.
If you find yourself among believers or even a family where confusion and spiritual disease abounds, call on our holy Physician to restore harmony. As long as we follow His instructions without wavering, our health is guaranteed. His instructions are clearly outlined in Scripture, and the Holy Spirit is always on call to answer any questions we may have. This all may seem too easy or too good to be true, but part of the antidote for confusion is heavenly simplicity. Simply follow God’s leading implicitly for a healthy, vibrant body.
