Tuesday, September 18, 2012

The bible is so cool..

Good afternoon loved ones!

      This morning I was reading through my assigned reading for this week while I sat in the bakery at STATE from the book You Are Gifted by Kenneth Hemphill. We are studying in depth this week about the context and scripture surrounding the spiritual gifts mentioned in Ephesians chapter 4. Let me share this paragraph from the book with you and share with you the really cool cross reference my mind made with it. This is from page 149 in the book:

"The church - yes, I am talking about your church - is intended to express God's fullness in your community and to the ends of the Earth. In case you think the church in incapable of such a lofty goal, just listen to the end of the prayer. "Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen." (vv.20-21) More than we ask or dream! According to the power that works in us! Did you notice that when the church receives glory, Christ receives glory?"

When I read that last question it sent my mind to Ephesians 5:23 that states "For the husband is the head of the wife, as also christ is the head of the church; and he is the savior of the body."

Which made me think of another woman in the bible who's Husband is brought glory through her diligence and actions, The Elusive Proverbs 31 Woman.

For several years this model of a virtuous woman has spurred me on to prepare to be the best possible wife and woman in general, and so many women have complained that this woman only in theory and no one woman can really do all of those things,

But...

What if....

Just go with me here....

The CHURCH is supposed to take action like the Proverbs 31 woman. The church is the BRIDE of Christ and our purpose is to make is name known. Can Christ say that his heart safely trusts the church that he will have no lack of gain? (v.11) Do we honor Him, doing only good, not evil all the days of our life? (v.12) Shouldn't the church willingly and diligently work to provide for the children of God? (v.13-19)  We should extend our hands to the poor and reach out to those in need.(v.20) We should only open our mouths with wisdom and on our tongues should be the law of kindness. (v. 26) We should NOT EAT THE BREAD OF IDLENESS that seems to be the tendency of so many local churches.(v.27) Its time that we collectively together as the Bride of Christ to gird ourselves with strength and make our arms strong (v.17) in the word to do the work he has asked us to do, to be his living representation on this earth, bringing Glory to the Father until our bridegroom returns! Honestly, WE"VE done a poor job making our husband proud to call us His, but the most fantastic part of this is no single person is responsible for being this Bride by themselves, we are ONE body with many parts as Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 12:14. Lets be the crowning jewel on the head of our Bridegroom which is Christ and not a bride that causes shame and rottenness in his bones. (Proverbs 12:4)

Now didn't I say the BIBLE was cool?

Think on this brothers and sisters.
Until next time!
Chelsea

1 comment:

  1. Awesome observation Chelsea!I stumbled on your site by doing a google search "the bible is so cool"(I'm preparing a sunday school lesson) and your site is the only site that popped up. I thank God that it did. Your post was very encouraging and a joy to read. I had never considered the virteous woman to be a typology of the Church before but it fits perfectly!! Thanks for this "cool" insight, and keep up the good work!!

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