Beats From Your Pastor’s Heart
Ephesians 3:17-18, “That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;”
God uses the high demand of the church life to escort us to a richer and deeper Christ.
This demand comes with the revelation of the church that is according to the New Testament apostles.
Once we see the church by revelation, we see how short we are in our ability to live such a life.
The most basic point related to the demand of the church life is to love as Christ loves.
The church life requires loving one another, not only with Christ’s love, but in His love–loving as Christ loves, loving all the saints for the building up of His one unique Body.
This requires the divine love, the kind of love that is beyond our capacity, the kind of love that we do not have in ourselves.
The kind of church life described in the New Testament requires a higher and deeper love than we have in our natural life.
We are called to love sinners.
We are called to love those who are unfinished, who are still in the process of being transformed.
We are called to love weak, and oftentimes failing, saints.
Divine love is Calvary love–the love demonstrated on the cross.
It is love that flows out to despicable kinds of people–ugly people, hateful people, dirty people, rebellious people, deceived people.
The love of God in Christ is all-embracing and full of forbearance and longsuffering.
To have the church life that is unveiled in the pages of the New Testament demands this divine love.
It is a church life that is beyond the reach of our natural man.
In ourselves we do not have the capacity to love one another the way Christ loves us.
But that is okay.
When we are overwhelmed with the demand of the church life, we are put more and more into contact with Another life that can supply us with divine love.
The demand escorts us to Christ.
Until Tomorrow
With A Shepherd’s Love,
Pastor Jackson
THURSDAY’S PRAYER REQUESTS
JOANIE & JEANIE in the passing of their Dad
Amy Garner
Amy Garner’s Mom & Dad
Andrew Halevi & Daughter
Ashely Burn’s Sisters
Brandon’s Dad
Coly/Connor – Allison’s G’sons
Dan Haines
Darlene Wiggins
David Burnette
David Harrison – Riverside
Deanna Fowler
Denise Hulsey – Jordan’s G’mother
Donnie Butler’s Dad
Doris Loyd
Dr. and Mrs. Davis
Easton Fielder
Ed Mays
Eric Ward
Erik Magnusson
Freddie May’s Mom
George & Linda Alexander
Heather May
James Burnette
James Garner’s Friend
Janie Roberts
Jillian Gray
Joanie/Jeanie Dad
Jodi Bateman
John Austin
John McClain
June Cronan
June Cronan’s Sister
Kathy Mabe
Kim McClain’s Mother
Larry Barker
Lee Cronan
Lillanna Magnusson’s Mom
Linda Breedlove’s Sister – Sarah
Linda Hodges’ Sister
Lonzo Christin
Lori Blount’s Mother
Marlon Cook
Mary Sims
Marynell Ford
Maureen Brown
Michael Stanley
Nancy Proudfit – Home
Pastor & Mrs. Driskell
Ricky Gipson
Ricky Stubbs
Rose Fuller – Rehab
Roseleigh Osborn
Sandra Graham
Scott Lanier
Soso Nzolo – 17 Yr. Old South African Pastor’s Daughter
Susan & Alexis Tesone
Tom Witcher