Body of Christ

1 Corinthians 12:12

For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ.

One important feature of a body, for example the human body, is communication and coordination. Any organ or member of the body that does not communicate or coordinate is in a state of gangrene.

Likewise, two most important diagnostics of an organ or a member of body of Christ is communicate and coordinate with other organs of the body. 

Cyclic

Ecclesiastes 1:9

What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; 

there is nothing new under the sun.

Life, in a way, is cyclic. Each cycle has its own challenges and problems. When you complete the course of each challenge and problem in the current cycle, you equip your self with that much ability to navigate through challenges of next cycles, more easily. However, if you open the window and throw the problem out without solving it, you make it that much more difficult for facing challenges of next cycle.

Unique vs Stereotype

God created us unique. When we realize and live out our uniqueness, we could come in collision with the stereotypes.

Thou shalt

Every time God says “Thou shalt not,”
God is simply saying, “Don’t hurt yourself.”
And every time God says, “Thou shalt,”
God is saying, “Help yourself to happiness.”

Perfection

A lot of people confuse this word “perfect” with “sinless.” The Greek word for perfect in James 1:4 is teleios, and it refers to a maturing growth. For example, an oak tree is the teleios of an acorn. It is the perfection of an acorn.

Our maturing growth to go from who we were born as to whom HE wants us to be by "patiently trusting God". Patience, trust, GOD three important words, we should not forget.
“But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” James 1:4

Thinking

Define

Marks of a Christian

Two fundamental diagnostics of a person who is blood marked and spirit sealed:

1.  Zeal or urge to share spiritual matters from bible
2. Zeal or urge to fellowship with other members of the body.

Christianity is 'primarily' not a matter of do's and don'ts or ask and receives. It's is the matter of the state of our heart and its anchorage to the creator, savior and comforter. 

What is Christianity?

Christianity is:

1. Christ gathering for himself those whom God has given Him.  John 17:9 - I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours.
2. Christians, once having been justified by His grace and under the new covenant, continuously depend on his power inside us, to become a fully grown members of His body. Heb 8:10b - I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 

Keep in mind, He put "everything in us" to become fully grown parts of His body. We can encourage each other, speak His word with each other in love, love each other, disciple each other but not teach (literal day to day coaching) each other. Why? That is not our job and is Holy Spirits Job and Shepherd's job. Heb 8:11 - No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, 'Know the Lord,' because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. 

New Covenant

Heb 8:11  -  And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.

To put in a nutshell, ANY two christians, who are under the new covenant, need not teach each other. In other words, coach each, in a daily basis, every step of life. This even applies to married people. Why can we not teach each other??? Because, it is not our duty. It's not our job. It's the job of the Holy spirit and the shepherd of love who wrote his word in our minds and heart and made us his own. 

If and when we teach, coach, or engineer each other, we demean the Holy Spirit and the Shepherd of love. 

Life Analysis

We analyze life as it goes on, and make choices and prioritize. Do we also include error analysis and follow it with risk assessment? Extremely minute deviations in choices can "butterfly effect" itself into something major, very difficult to handle, much later in life. 

So trust in the lord, lean not on your own analysis, keep on decreasing your will and keep on increasing HIS will. Think outside the box! The box, you fabricated using your ancestral knowledge, your like and dislikes, your fears, your comforts, and most importantly your "church denomination". 

Ignore, at your own risk. It might turn out to be a costly choice to ignore.   

Christianity is soul's longing for Christ

As the deer panteth for the water
So my soul longeth after Thee
You alone are my heart's desire
And I long to worship Thee

You alone are my strength, my shield
To You alone may my spirit yield
You alone are my heart's desire
And I long to worship Thee

Trails

Trails are never generic, they are custom made. We expect trails to be such and such but are taken aback when they prick us at most vulnerable spots in us. If we are on our own, these trails can break us and cripple us. Therefore He says:

Matthew 11:28–30  “Come to me, all you who are struggling hard and carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest. Put on my yoke, and learn from me. I’m gentle and humble. And you will find rest for yourselves. My yoke is easy to bear, and my burden is light.”

Being Thankful

Being thankful is not an attitude we display when we receive what we hoped for. Instead, it is a state of mind that we possess in spite of  our circumstances. Being thankful when we are "given" is normal. Being thankful just for the fact that we "have" a giver, is out of the world.

Problems

There are various ways of  problem solving, that we adopt. Among so many good and bad ways are three ways that would end up being a "butterfly effect". They are: isolate, insulate and out right "throw out of the window". 

Bible says in Proverbs 3:6 - In "all" your ways "acknowledge" him, and he will make straight your paths. We either do not acknowledge him or do so in some ways and don't in others.

Take a stand

By all means, take a stand, in life. However, if this stand is not embedded in respect, you run a risk of nullifying, falsifying or invalidating your own stand. 

Lamentations

A post by a friend of mine at church

@CSLewisDaily: “I have learned now that while those who speak about one's miseries usually hurt, those who keep silence hurt more.” ~ #CSLewis

One lesson here is to talk (to someone who will really listen) about your miseries. How good are you at lamentation? The psalms are full of it.

And the obvious point is that those who seem to "have it all together" probably don't.