Ephesians 4:4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;

What do you have in common with Christians in South America? What do you have in common with Christians in Africa? What do you have in common with Christians in Asia? What do you have in common with Christians in Australia? What do you have in common with Christians in Europe? While you may or may not speak the same language, you do have the same Father.

There is only one body of Christ. God does not segregate Christians according to the language they speak, the country they live in, their financial condition, or the time in history that they live in. There is only one body of Christ and we are to work together according to the purposes of God. God desires that no one should perish.

While there is only one body, there are many parts. God has blessed some apostles, some prophets; some evangelists; some pastors, and some teachers. God gave each of us different gifts so that we can work together for the edifying of the body of Christ.

God allowed you to face certain circumstances in your life so as to enable you to be ready to fulfill the special calling that HE has for your life. God gave Daniel great wisdom. Daniel may not have understood what great things that he was going to go through, but as Daniel was faithful to God, God blessed Daniel expanded his ministry. Daniel ended up serving at least four different kings. Daniel was able to advise these wicked men and influence their decisions. Daniel did not get the privilege of working for a Christian boss. Nonetheless, because Daniel was faithful to fulfilling the calling that God had for him, we are still being encouraged today.

John the Baptist was a man who had a special calling from God. John ended up losing his life at what we would call a very young age, but John understood that he needed to decrease so that Jesus Christ could increase. John the Baptist had a calling and he faithfully used the tools that God gave him to prepare the way for the kingdom of heaven.

God does not make a mistake. God takes the bad things that happen in our lives and HE desires to use them to draw you closer to HIM and to use those events to enable you to fulfill HIS calling for your life. God has a purpose for your life. You are not placed on this earth to amuse God. You have a purpose for your life and God desires that you work diligently for the kingdom of God. Maybe he has not given you the gift of an evangelist but maybe he has given you the ability to teach a Sunday School class full of young boys and girls.

It was a Sunday School teacher who felt burdened for the life of D.L. Moody and encouraged Moody to accept the saving grace of Jesus Christ. The Sunday School teacher was not a great evangelist that traveled around the world leading millions to Christ; the Sunday School teacher simply was faithful in serving God where God had placed him that day.

It is easy to think more highly of yourself then you ought. Christ desires that we add temperance to our life and that we keep our focus upon the things of God. Every day you should be asking God to reveal to you HIS purpose for your life. As you remain faithful to HIM and HIS calling upon your life, God will expand your ministry in ways that you never imagined. You need to trust in HIM and be faithful to serve HIM where HE has placed you today. What is your life purpose, what is your calling? Be faithful to complete what God has started in you.

Acts 23:9 And there arose a great cry: and the scribes that were of the Pharisees’ part arose, and strove, saying, We find no evil in this man: but if a spirit or an angel hath spoken to him, let us not fight against God.

Paul was standing trial for simply being in the temple in Jerusalem when a riot arose. As Paul was being tried, he realized that part of the group was Pharisee and the other part Sadducee. Paul then declared that he was a Pharisee and spoke in such a way that caused the Pharisees to understand the point that he was making.

Once the Pharisees understood the perspective that Paul was coming from, they realized that by continuing this trial against Paul, they would be condemning a man who had similar beliefs to them. What would stop the Sadducees from bringing one of them up for trial for their beliefs if they happened to be a little too vocal to the annoyance of the Sadducees?

The Pharisees did not want to open the door that their way of worshiping God was all of a sudden persecuted by their peers. They had become enlightened as to the effect of this slippery slope that they were treading upon. Paul had revealed to them the consequences of following the path that they were on and they no longer wanted any part of it. As such, the Pharisees started to cry out that it was not proper that they fight against God.

Many Christians today would do well to learn the lesson that the Pharisees learned that day. We live in a day where there is more division between the body of Christ then there is harmony. If someone does not worship God the exact way that you worship him, then there must be something wrong them. Because of how the various denominations ostracize each other, the power of God is not seen by the world.

During the revival lead by Billy Sunday, it was not uncommon to see many churches join together to make all the arrangements and fund Billy Sunday coming to their community to preach. These groups were more concerned for the lost souls in their community then they were that the church up the street would get many of the converted souls. Because the churches were united, the power of God was able to flow in a way that changed their communities.

When you start picking at the beliefs of various groups, you better do so carefully. Remember that Christ said that with what judgment you judge, you shall be judged. In the same way that you start focusing upon what you perceive as the inconsistency of different groups of Christians, that is the same standard that they will judge you by. By judging your fellow Christians, you are not building the body of Christ but you are simply fighting against God and destroying the body.

Satan desires nothing more than to see the church of God fighting among themselves rather than fighting against him. If the church is fighting itself, it means that they have taken their eyes off of God and have it fixed upon the things of this world. Their power and their image in the eyes of their community is more important to them then what God might be doing in another church.

You can stop this downward cycle that you see the church in today by adding temperance to your own life. You need to realize that God has given HIS church a diverse background so that as the church works together, HE can receive the glory. There may be times where you need to approach a brother in Christ for sin in their life, but you must do so with much prayer and humility. By focusing on God rather than this world, you can once again see the power of God.

Acts 6:2 Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables.

The Grecians were murmuring because they felt that the widows were being neglected. The twelve apostles understood that they could not be responsible for every aspect of the ministry. They had been called by God to preach the gospel. Because of the calling of God on their lives, they did not want to be bogged down by taking care of other ministries that God did not call them to.

The apostles understood that they needed to find seven men who were called to take care of the widows. The apostles knew that everyone was not called to the same ministry. Just because there was a need, it did not mean that they were the ones responsible for fulfilling that need. The apostle Paul later teaches how we are the body of Christ and how we have different callings. The apostles understood that they needed to continue to study the word of God; they needed to continue to keep a close relationship with God so that they could fulfill the will of God.

Stephen was one of the seven men who was chosen to take care of the widows. However, just because he was chosen to take care of widows, it did not stop him from preaching the word of God. Stephen still had the responsibility to obey the commandment of Christ to preach the gospel but his calling in ministry was to take care of the widows.

Knowledge in the ways of God requires that you understand that not every Christian is called to the same ministry that you are called. What you have been called to do is not what everyone has been called to do. We are the body of Christ. Paul gave us the picture of the body. The foot cannot do what the hand can do, and the hand cannot see like the eye does. God gave us different talents and abilities so that we can fulfill the purposes of God. If God called everyone to be a missionary to Africa, who would be left to reach the lost in your hometown?

What has God called you to do? Are you fulfilling that ministry? Too many of us are easily distracted by the ministries of others. We hear a need and we quickly volunteer to meet that need before we take the time to pray and determine if this is the ministry that God desires us to fulfill. A close relationship with God is crucial if you desire to hear the still small voice of God. If you desire to be in the center of the will of God for your life, then you must have a relationship with God that enables you to not be distracted by the callings of others.

Not every ministry offered to you is one that God has called you to. Not every need that you hear is your responsibility to meet. If you are going to be satisfied in your Christian life, then you must learn to understand the ways of God for your life. Do not let Satan distract you by becoming so busy meeting the needs of others that you fail to fulfill the calling God has for you. You have seen those people who are so diligent in meeting every need that arrives at the church that they fail to take care of the needs of their own family.

A close relationship with God will enable you to say no to some opportunities to minister that comes your way. Just because an opportunity to minister is offered to you, it does not mean that it is the will of God that you take that ministry. Instead, learn to be wise like the apostles who understood what the calling of God was and they proceeded to be faithful. The apostles did not let the need go unmet, they found others who had been called, and they let them met the needs.

Psalms 133:1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!

Ask a mother how much she likes it when her young children quibble among themselves. A mother desires for her children to work together, to be friends, to be a team. However, there are days when her children just cannot get along together and this always frustrates her. It seems no matter what she does, her children insist on being at war with each other.

It is no different with spiritual brothers and sisters. God does not like it when HIS children who are called by HIS name are at battle with one another. Not only does it displease God that the body is fighting against one another, it emboldens the enemy since there is not a united battle against him.

When the children of God are fighting against one another, they are not fully prepared to fight against Satan. Because of all the fighting that is going on today among the children of God, Satan has been able to encourage the children of this world that Christianity is nothing and encourage them to continue to battle against traditional Biblical values. As long as Christians continue to fight among each other, they are no longer able to properly defend the basic Biblical values.

You would think it stupid for an individual to constantly cut themselves with a knife. You might warn that individual and tell them how they are destroying their body. How by their actions, they are destroying their ability to defend themselves against diseases and any other enemy who might wish to destroy them.

This is exactly what the body of Christ is doing as they attack one another. The body of Christ is at war with each other and because of that war; it is not able to properly defend itself against the attacks of Satan. Men and women, boys and girls are unnecessarily yielding to temptation because the body of Christ is weak and being destroyed. The body of Christ is not strong enough to provide protection for the weak members because it is not at unity one with another.

Jesus commanded us to love the Lord with all our heart and to love your neighbor as yourself. If more Christians were to practice the simple command of Christ, the church would have a great influence in this world. If the church were to unite in love, they would be in a better position to be a light unto the world. As long as the church is fighting, the world is not able to look at the church and see the love of God. How will the world know of God’s love to forgive them if the body of Christ cannot even take the time to love one another? How do you expect the body of Christ to properly defend the Biblical truths of God’s word if they cannot even obey the basic principle to love one another?

Paul taught that it did not matter what a Christian had, if they did not have love, then they were nothing. God is looking for those who are willing to lay aside their petty differences and do what is right in the eyes of God. The enemy is attacking, and unless Christians unite together, they will fall divided. Do not worry about God prompting your neighbor, you must take the lead and change and ensure that you are demonstrating love one to another. You must allow Christ’s virtue to flow through you and you must be the light.

Romans 12:3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

Pride has a way of creeping into your life. The sin nature of man is such that you desire to have others recognize you for the good things that you do. While you may be a humble individual, there will come a time when pride will well up within you and you will actually be proud in your own humility. While you may be active in serving the Lord, the sin nature of man will often cause you to desire the praises of man for your good deeds.

It is important to remember that God is your Creator and that HE is the One who has given you the ability to serve HIM. God is the One who has given you your special talents and HE is the One who should receive the glory for what you do for HIM.

You are just one part of the body of God. No one part is more important then any other part. While the tongue may be a glamorous part of your natural body, do you feel that your tongue is more important then your liver? Some parts of your body do not appear to the naked eye as being very important, but without them, some of your members might not be able to function to the capacity that they are capable of.

Remember that while God gives different people different talents and different gifts, HE has given to all a measure of faith so that they might do what is right and glorify HIM with their lives. It does not matter if you are a preacher or an evangelist; it takes the same measure of faith to hear the voice of God and to obey HIM. No matter what your calling is, you have to first by faith accept the fact that you are a sinner and that you have fallen short of the glory of God and that you need the Savior’s blood to make you whole.

While some Christians might demonstrate greater faith then others because God has given them the gift of faith, this does not mean that they deserve the praises of man. God must receive the glory from their lives because HE is the One that gave them the gift of faith. Instead of seeking the glory of man because you have developed your faith more then another, you should seek the praises of God because HE has enabled you to serve HIM and to draw others to HIM.

When you look at others who have demonstrated great faith, you must remember that God has given you a measure of faith. While you may not ever have the faith that causes you to receive world recognition for years to come, you can always strive to draw closer to God and to seek for HIM to use you in ways that you never imaged. Use the godly example of others to motivate you to do more for God because you understand that God has given you a measure of faith and that with that measure of faith, you are capable of doing the impossible as you hear God and do according to HIS purposes.

Seek the praises of God not the praises of man. Do not take credit for things that God deserves the credit for. Put God first in your life and always remember that HE has given you the gifts that you need in order to do HIS perfect will for your life. God has given you the faith that is necessary to do HIS will. It is up to you to hear HIS voice and develop a relationship with HIM so that you can be all that you can be for HIM.

I Timothy 1:2 Unto Timothy, my own son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.

Timothy was not Paul’s biological son but Paul treated him as a son. Paul treated Timothy as a son because through Paul’s ministry, he led Timothy to the Lord. Paul did not simply lead Timothy to the Lord and then go on his way, but instead, Paul invested time and energy into the life of Timothy, disciplining him to enable Timothy to draw closer to God.

As Timothy drew closer to the Lord, his faith grew and Timothy was able to minister for God apart from Paul. Paul had properly trained Timothy in the faith so that when Timothy matured, he did not depart from the faith. Paul led many to the Lord but he did not treat them all the same way he treated Timothy. Paul saw something special in Timothy and he thus cultivated a father son relationship with him so as to be in the position to work with Timothy.

Just as a parent is responsible for the development and maturing of their child, so to did Paul take spiritual responsibility for the development of Timothy. Paul had no obligation other then the prompting of the Holy Spirit to spiritually adopt Timothy, but once Paul did take Timothy under his wings, Paul had an obligation to work with Timothy to spiritually train him so that he would be prepared to serve the Lord long after he departed from the presence of Paul.

A good parent understands that their children do not live with them the rest of their life. They understand that there is going to come a day when they will release their child into the world to fulfill their own purpose in life. A parent’s duty is to train up that child so that when the child is released, the child will have the capabilities of fulfilling their purpose. Paul did not take Timothy as a spiritual son to keep as a helper for his ministry for the rest of his life. Paul did receive some benefit in having Timothy as a fellow laborer but Paul’s purpose was to train Timothy to eventually release HIM.

Paul was always looking for individuals that he could disciple so that they could continue the work. Aquila and Priscilla are another good example of Paul disciplining someone and preparing them for future ministry. Paul spent a period of time mending tents with Aquila and Priscilla in Corinth. We know from scripture that Aquila and Priscilla continued to serve the Lord for many years and that they not only hosted the Church in their house but that they also had an active part in disciplining other believers.

The body of Christ has many parts. Some are commissioned by God to bring many to salvation; others are responsible for taking the newborn Christians and working with them to assist them in their spiritual walk so that they can become productive members of the body of Christ.

You have a duty to God to fulfill HIS purpose for your life. However, while you are fulfilling your purpose in life, part of your responsibility to God is to help develop the next spiritual generation. You need to be looking for opportunities to work with others so that the church will grow and your freedom to worship God will not be lost.

Ephesians 4:11-13 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ:

Christ desires that the body of Christ be united together in one faith. God has entrusted each one of us with different talents and different abilities. These various callings are designed to work together so that the Christians are perfected in Christ. God has given different callings for different individuals to specialize in so that the body of Christ is edified. God does not call everyone to be an apostle. While both an apostle and a pastor may preach, they really did have different ministries and different obligations to both God and the body.

God does not like seeing our different doctrine dividing the church around the world today. The body of Christ was supposed to unite together under the same faith. However, because of sin, Christians take their doctrine and they make their doctrine more important then fulfilling Christ’s command that we unite in the faith. Our faith is so simple. It is the simple belief that we are sinners and have fallen short of the glory of God and that by accepting the gift of salvation we shall be made free.

God made each of us different in that HE gave us different abilities to bring about HIS purpose of delivering the message of salvation to the world. However, while we may have different callings, we must always understand that together we work together for the glory of God.

A man and a woman are two different individuals. However, when they unite in marriage, they become one in the eyes of our Lord and they must now learn to work together as a team to do the will of God. So too, prior to your salvation, you were an individual who did that which was right in your own eyes. Now that you have accepted God’s gift of Salvation, you have become united with the body of Christ, and you must learn to use your talents and your abilities to bring glory and honor to God.

You have an obligation to God to work to spread the knowledge of Christ. You may not be called to be an evangelist, a pastor or an apostle. However, God has called you to do your part. You are not permitted to sit on the sideline and watch others do the work. God has given you a calling and the question is whether you are fulfilling HIS will by doing your part. Not everyone can be a Paul or a Peter. There needs to be the Aquila and Priscilla�s in the local church. Aquila and Priscilla were faithful in doing their small part to ensure that the church continued to grow.

Your faith should be a uniting factor. Instead of getting in doctrinal disputes with your fellow believers, why don’t you learn to work together? This does not mean that you must worship together every Sunday. However, you can work together rather than compete against one another. The church of Christ must learn to work together to demonstrate to the world that there is something different about those who are called Christians. What are you doing to come together in unity of faith?

Ephesians 4:4-5 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism,

Paul starts off this chapter by reminding you that he was in prison and that you “walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called.” Paul is stressing that God has given you a different calling here on this earth then HE gave someone else. However, even though you have a different calling then other Christians, you must remember to live with other Christians in love keeping the unity of the church. Paul reminds us that even though there are different callings, there still is only one church and only one God.

God did not make you a robot that could only do one thing. HE did not call everyone to be like Esther or Joseph. God gives different callings and different responsibilities to each of us. Jesus called 12 different apostles and they had 12 different talents although they had the same purpose of serving the same Lord.

God has given you a calling that HE equipped you to handle. God does not give you something that you are unable to bear. There may be times where you feel your task is greater than you, but you must remember, God is greater than all your problems. No matter where you are at, no matter what you are doing, you must do your job so that God will be glorified through your actions.

You are a part of the body of Christ. No one part is greater than any other part and each part is needed and serves a useful purpose for the furtherance and glory of God. While there may be many members of the body of Christ, there is only one body, one Spirit, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and one Father.

You have a calling given to you by God. You have a hope of salvation by which you were called to HIS service. You have a purpose for your life that God desires you to fulfill. As you do your part to glorify God in what you do, you do so with the help and assistance of the body of Christ. You are united to this body through the same faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. You are united through the faith and belief that Jesus was born, lived a perfect life, died on the cross for you, was raised on the third day, was ascended into heaven and HE is preparing a place for you.

Stop trying to be a lone ranger. You are a part of the body of Christ. You are HIS child and HE desires you to be all that you can be. God may bless you in ways that HE chooses not to bless others, but this does not mean that you are more special. Jesus told us that we must be faithful in that which is least if we desire to be faithful in much.

Serve the Lord faithfully and watch HIM take care of your needs. Learn to love your brethren. Encourage your fellow Christians to live with each other peaceably and as a unit understanding that as a unit you will accomplish more for Christ’s kingdom. Just as your siblings may have different characteristics and talents, they do come from the same parents as you and you have a duty to love them and live with them peaceably, so too your brothers and sisters in the Lord will have different callings but you have the same faith and Lord and you must learn to love then and strive to keep unity. Are you doing your part to unite the church rather than divide the church?

Acts 5:12, 14 And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon’s porch. … And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.)

The apostles continued the work of Christ in that they performed miracles. The purpose of their ministry was not the healing ministry but was the preaching of the gospel. However, they were serving the Jews who were use to God demonstrating HIS favor on an individual by their ability to perform miracles. Thus while the disciples main ministry was the preaching, God gave them a ministry of miracles so that way they could demonstrate God’s favor in their lives.

The apostles had seen Christ perform many miracles. Christ had commissioned them with the same power to perform miracles. The apostles were simply obeying Christ in that they took the tools that Christ had given them and they used those tools in accordance with God’s will for their life and God was magnified.

God has given you special abilities that are designed to assist you in fulfilling HIS will for your life. It is up to you to discover the abilities God has given you. It is up to you to discover what God’s purpose for your life is. It is up to you to use the gifts God has given you in conjunction with obeying HIS purpose for your life so that HE will be glorified through you.

It takes faith to discern God’s will for your life and then obey. The disciples had followed Jesus for three years but it took Jesus’ death, resurrection and the coming of the Holy Spirit before the disciples were ready to go out and use the tools God gave them for the furtherance of HIS’ purpose for their life.

A wise mother had three daughters. She taught one to sew, one to clean and the third to cook. When company was scheduled to visit, she would let each daughter do the thing that they had been taught to do. As each daughter fulfilled her duty in obeying her mother, the mother was praised not only for being a wonderful hostess but also for having so wisely taught her daughters so that each one complemented the rest of the family.

God has given each of us different gifts and abilities. These gifts and abilities are designed to complement the gifts and abilities of other Christians. Too often, Christians start looking at each other’s gifts and abilities and start comparing which gift is more important. Paul taught us that we are the body of Christ and that no part is more important then any other part. It is our duty to understand that the gifts complement one another and if everyone is exercising the gift and abilities God has given them, then HE will be the one who receives the glory and HIS will will be accomplished through us.

Have you determined the will of God for your life? Are you using the tools that God has given you to further the kingdom of God? As you obey God by doing HIS will for your life, you will discover that God has given you the ability to do that which HE has commanded you to do. As you use the tools that God has given you, HE will be glorified through you. As God is glorified through you, the kingdom of God will grow. By faith you must obey God and watch HIM lead you and direct you in the way you should go.