Here's the big question ... if you were honest ... would you say that spiritually you are ...
FAT AND SASSY OR SKINNY MINNIE—SPIRITUALLY?
Or ... to put it in Bible lingo ... are you experiencing "leanness of spirit" or "a flourishing spirit"?
SKINNY MINNY: Leanness of Spirit = thinness spiritually ... famished spiritually. You're just not "fat and sassy" spiritually, but feeling more skeletal, lean, thin, anorexic, starved, famished! Does this describe you?
FAT AND SASSY: A Flourishing Spirit = spiritually full, joyful, strong, prospering, healthy, free, faith-filled, challenged to grow, love-overflowing, life is good. Does this describe you?
What makes the difference between those that have a "lean spirit" and those that have a "flourishing spirit"?
I believe the Bible tells is the answer in a few short words: THE LOCAL CHURCH
The local church ... yes. Our relationship to the local church may mean the difference between a lean spirit or a flourishing spirit. Let's talk about it.
The Local Church—I am convinced from the Word that it's the most important institution on planet earth.
More important than governments, universities, places of commerce or Wall Street. The Church ... the Body of Christ! The BODY OF CHRIST ... what could be more important? He is the Head ... we are the Body—we the Church. He is the Head of the church globally and more importantly and more practically—He is the Head of the local church—where local pastors are yielding to Him.
Jesus is focused on building His Church ... it's front burner for Him. He is growing His Church as more and more people receive Jesus Christ as Lord. He is building His Church as those leaders to whom He has delegated responsibility and authority step up and into their God-ordained place of leadership to teach and equip the believers for the work of the ministry ... for the edifying of the Body of Christ. This is God's business ... this is what Jesus is building and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.
FAT AND SASSY—A FLOURISHING SPIRIT:
Both the Old Testament and the New Testament hit on the importance of being connected to God's house, the Body of Christ, The Church. There are amazing promises attached to being planted in a church. Listen to this ...
Those who are planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bear fruit in old age; they shall be fresh and flourishing, (Psalm 92:13-14, NKJV)
What a great promise ... those who are PLANTED in God's house will FLOURISH. To be planted implies some roots. To be planted implies stability. To be planted implies commitment. The result is wonderful: FLOURISH! That is a great word ... God promises that our lives shall flourish ... and He goes on to describe the fact that part of flourishing is to bear fruit in old age, to be fresh and flourishing. What a great promise for people of every age. What a great hope as we grow older ... to be fruitful, to be fresh, to flourish! What is the requirement for obtaining that promise?
BE PLANTED IN A LOCAL CHURCH!
In the right local church you are fed the Word of God, the word of faith; you are saturated in the atmosphere of the spirit of faith; you are given God-knit friendships; you are loved, accepted, prayed for; you are used by God; you are given the privilege of making an eternal difference in someone's life through serving; you are working together with God to reach a city, a region, a state! You are challenged, admonished, instructed and inspired to be all that God has called you to be in this life; you are motivated to live a life worthy of the Lord fully pleasing to Him! The local church is the best spiritual incubator for Christians of all ages!
"What local church? How do I know what local church to get planted in?"
Thankfully, the New Testament gives us some instructions on that. "But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased." 1 Corinthians 12:18, NKJV God sets us in the church that pleases Him! Who does it please? Him! Isn't that interesting? God is the one that picks our local church for us—we don't go "shopping" per se. God sets us where He wants us to be. The place that pleases Him is the very best place for us. Now ... this is worth giving some thought to and this is worth praying about.
"God, what local church do YOU want me in? It's not about my will, my desire, my preferences ... but God ... You know more than I do ... You know my future ... You know all the details - so what Church do you want me in?"
He ought know right? After all, He is the Head of the Body ... He ought to know where the limbs, organs and parts of the Body fit. Once He leads you to a local church ... stay there through thick and thin unless the Lord tells you to go elsewhere; unless the Lord releases you; unless the Lord sets you in another local church.
To read Part Two, click here.
Copyright © 2007 Beth Jones Ministries All rights reserved.
