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Do you see my body as a single entity? It is ironic that this view may be more prevalent among those outside of it than the members of the body. For those belonging to one denomination are aware of the distinctions between them and others, but those outside see more similarities. So when problems within any branch of the church occur, the view of the church as a whole is diminished by those outside. Take the broadest view possible when considering who is your brother and sister and neighbor, especially of those who believe. By this shall all men know that you are my disciples when you love one another. 

The horizon is the visible line where the terrain meets the sky. It is the most distant thing you can see on the earth’s surface. Pilots use it as a reference for their attitude. The stars are further away, but they also serve as a position and directional reference for those who can read them. For those who are prepared to accept the idea there is a transcendent horizon. This is may not be visible, but it is a real source of directional reference for those who walk by faith. My word commends those who lived and died in faith, saying that they could see afar off, and sought a city with foundations in the heavens, whose builder and maker was God. How far can you see? 

Do you like instant gratification? Who doesn’t? Your whole commercial culture is built around it and electronic communication devices make it easy to get instant results. Yet you are still tied to a long term gratification cycle that you can’t escape because you need to eat. Anyone who has grown a garden knows that food grows in a gradual process. You can’t see it happen as you watch, but over time it does. This is more essential to your life than communications that happen immediately. Let me teach you a lesson here through nature that applies in other areas too. Be patient. Some things take time. 

I have taught you to love your enemies. Does this sound like an impossible task? Don’t pretend that you don’t have any. Do you ever have a smug sense of satisfaction when you hear about a scandal in a church much different from your own? Are you eager to spread the news? This is not a gracious attitude or act. Are you willing to see my body as a single entity? This is the image I give for my church. I point out how absurd it would be for one part of the body to say that it has no need of another part. How much more absurd would it be for the right hand to gloat because the left hand is injured? 

Are you easily offended? Perhaps you think this is a virtue. If you take upon yourself the role of the defender of the faith, then you have a lot of chapters and verses to defend, and you will find many opportunities. Be careful that you don’t make more enemies than converts. Can you shrug off a direct insult? A woman came to me on behalf of her sick daughter. I did not respond readily and even made a disparaging remark comparing her to a dog. She was not easily put off and replied that even dogs got table scraps. She was not easily offended, and I healed her daughter. It is hard to humiliate the humble. 

Do you see your doctor as having the primary responsibility for your health? Or your employer or the government or your insurance company? You do well to seek capable medical care when you need it, but you will be healthiest if you consider yourself to be primarily responsible for your health care. What about your spiritual health? Do you think that is  the pastor’s job? I assign them to watch for your souls and give an account, but you can choose your pastor in much the same way you choose your doctor. You will have the best spiritual health if you consider it your primary responsibility rather than someone else’s.

Did you know that you can receive creative architectural designs through divine revelation? King David did. Check it out:

"Then David gave to his son Solomon the plan of the porch of the temple, its buildings, its storehouses, its upper rooms, its inner rooms and the room for the mercy seat; and the plan of all that he had in mind, for the courts of the house of the LORD, and for all the surrounding rooms, for the storehouses of the house of God and for the storehouses of the dedicated things." (1 Chronicles 28:11-12)

Do you understand that your spiritual journey takes a lifetime? Don’t let this discourage you. It is the purpose of your life. Does knowing that this is a long term project make it easy for you to be complacent? This is not an appropriate response either. You need patience to not be discouraged by the length of the task. Yet you also need patience to remain fully involved and engaged with it. Patience is not only a lack of stress for things that take time. It also allows you to maintain a sense of urgency in spite of the long duration. Do these things appear to be in conflict? That is why patience is a fruit of the Spirit. 

We are continuing our discussion on the spiritual battleground of our hearts and minds by examining just who our adversary is and what he can and cannot do.

Awhile back I had shared this message with a small group, but realized I had not yet written about it here. This is an incredibly important understanding for us to live into. We never want to have too big of a devil and too small of a God!

You are made to look forward and not back. Your own anatomy teaches you this lesson. It is possible to walk backwards, but it is awkward and clumsy. In like manner you can look back over your shoulder, but this is uncomfortable especially if you do it very long. You are built to look in the direction of movement and you have modern secular proverbs about watching where you are going and keeping your eyes on the road. This is obvious in a physical sense. Do you see the spiritual parallel? No man having put his hand to the plow and looking back is fit for the Kingdom of God, and run the race with your eyes on the prize of your high calling.