As we have been covering, church history was predicted by the Lord’s messages to the Seven Churches. Church history is filled with crucial lessons to learn if we are to become the pure, chaste virgin the Lord so deserves as His bride. In that history we see the consequences of being joined to the powers of this age and allowing intolerance for those who may not conform to everything we believe, or just the way that we believe, to creep into the fabric of church life.

President-elect Obama won the election because he seized the high ground of hope for the future. The hope he gave was mostly undefined and superficial, which only goes to show the power of hope, especially in difficult times. This is a lesson we must learn. One of the most tragic mistakes of Christianity has been to focus on the prophecies of judgment about the end of the age instead of fulfilling the commandment to preach the gospel of the kingdom. Gospel means “good news,” and it is the greatest news the world has ever or will ever hear.

     How do we make this year our best yet? First, we need to look at what we’re doing and how to do it better. Then we need to prioritize what we’re doing so we don’t get consumed with things that may clamor loudly but are not the most important.

Our text for this week is Ephesians 5:13-14:

Over the next few years a fire is coming upon the body of Christ that will eventually touch every believer on earth. There will be no escape from it, but neither should we want one. It is the fulfillment of one of the great biblical prophecies, and will eventually bring light and warmth to the entire earth.

Last week we examined Ephesians 1:18 where Paul wrote:

In verse 19 he continues:

The attack on religious liberty in America in the last nine months may be unprecedented, but it is doing much good for the church in America. Every attack seems to have resulted in a greater push for unity in the body of Christ, bringing together parts of the body that have never related to one another before in a significant way. This is definitely a good thing and will bear much fruit. There are also other ways that this assault is strengthening Christians in America, which we should understand.

I am often asked if Christians should attend conferences, revivals, or renewals when they break out to be a part of the present moves of God. The answer is “yes” and “no.” If you wanted to be a part of what God did on the Day of Pentecost, you had to be in Jerusalem at the right time. The Lord had told over 500 to go to Jerusalem to wait for the promise of the Father, but only 120 were still there on the Day of Pentecost and were a part of the Holy Spirit coming on that first day. The movement soon spread abroad, but it was actually years before it even left Jerusalem.

In continuing our study of the coming kingdom of God and how we are called to build a highway for the kingdom, we will look at how we can expect the church to rise up to its purpose in these times. The church is the Lord's body, and what He does He will do through His church. If we want to be a part of what God is doing, it is fundamental that we find our part in His body and begin functioning in it.