443 – Unity in the Church

God

443 – Unity in the Church

Announcing: The Weekend in the Word

This year's weekend in the Word, the theme will be "Seeking Spiritual Matters and Edifying the Church." I am inviting teachers from around the country to teach on this vitally important subject from the accuracy of The Word.

Starting with a meal on Thursday, July 25th, at 6 pm. The weekend will close after breakfast on Sunday morning, July 28th. Be sure it is on your calendars! All the information and how to register are available on the website: https://stevejaynes.com/events

The Notes from the Podcast

God bless you. Below are all the Scriptures written out so you can follow along with the podcast “Unity in the Church.”

We are in unity, spiritually, because we have the same spirit. We have the same Lord, Jesus Christ. By our freedom of will, we can follow our head, the Lord Jesus Christ. That's how we have Unity.

Ephesians 4:3 “Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

Every part of the body of Christ can work together. We take our orders from the head. The thing we need to remember, though, is that the head coordinates, but it does not control. One of the great things God has given us is freedom of will. We can choose to believe or not to believe.

Ephesians 4:16 “From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.”

Looking at the analogy that the body of Christ is compared to a human body, we see how every member has a function and can work together with the other parts of the body. Every part is needed, and every part has a function to operate. The difference is in the human body, the brain tells the hand to do something, and it does it. The brain communicates with the foot to take a step forward, and it does. But in the spiritual body where Jesus Christ is the head, we have to decide by our freedom of will if we will do what the head says. We can learn how to hear the head and do what the head wants, and then we can unite with one another.

Colossians 2:6 – 15 “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: ⁷ Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. ⁸ Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. ⁹ For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. ¹⁰ And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: ¹¹ In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: ¹² Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. ¹³ And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; ¹⁴ Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; ¹⁵ And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.”

Our fullness is in Christ.

1 John 3:8 “He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.”

Jesus Christ destroyed the works of the devil. Greater is he that is in us than he that is in the world.

Colossians 2:16 - 18 “Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: ¹⁷ Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ. ¹⁸ Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,”

Watch out for those who want you to worship spiritual beings with spiritual and personal experiences.

Colossians 2:19 “And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.”

It's all about who we are in him, Christ, not what we do—not being concerned with what we do, which is religion. We need to stay connected to the Head. We can do that by manifestation, especially speaking in tongues and staying in the Word. We need to look at the Life of Christ so that we can share in it.

Galatians 2:20 “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”

Colossians 3:1 – 4 “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. ² Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. ³ For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. ⁴ When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.”

Jesus Christ is not just the most important part of our lives; He is our lives.

John 15:4 & 5 “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. ⁵ I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.”

Without Christ, we can do nothing.

We stay connected to the Head so that we can produce fruit.

John 5:19 “Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.”

John 5:30 “I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.”

1 Corinthians 15:45 “And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.”

We now have a life-giving spirit. We can read about it, believe in it, and act on it.

Romans 8:9 & 10 “But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. ¹⁰ And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.”

These two verses discuss the spirit in several different ways: the spirit, the spirit of God, the spirit of Christ, Christ be in you, and the spirit again. The Word spirit is used over 26 times in Romans chapter 8. To learn about the spirit is important to all believers.

I want to show you a couple of other way words that are used for the spirit in the Gospel of John.

John 4:10 – 14 “Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. ¹¹ The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water? ¹² Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle? ¹³ Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: ¹⁴ But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.”

From the head comes the supply, and it's Unlimited. Spirit is called Living Waters here. Let's look at another way "Living Waters" is used.

John 7:37 – 39 “In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. ³⁸ He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. ³⁹ (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)”

Living Waters is talking about the spirit. Another word that is used for Spirit here is the comforter. Look at all the things the comforter will do to help the Believers.

John 14:16 – 26 “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; ¹⁷ Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. ¹⁸ I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. ¹⁹ Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. ²⁰ At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. ²¹ He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. ²² Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? ²³ Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. ²⁴ He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me. ²⁵ These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. ²⁶ But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”

The comforter acts just like God in Christ in you. When we speak, it is just like Jesus Christ speaking. When we act, it's just like Jesus Christ acting. When we pray in his name, it's just like Jesus Christ praying, and we haven't added benefit in that we can speak in tongues, which is perfect prayer and praise.

John 17:20 – 26 “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; ²¹ That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. ²² And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: ²³ I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. ²⁴ Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. ²⁵ O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me. ²⁶ And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.”

Jesus prayed for all of us who would believe. This prayer is for us. It's amazing to think that Jesus Christ knew that there would be others who would believe. We are a reproduction of Jesus Christ. Today, Jesus Christ can be reproduced over and over and over again as we speak God's Word to others. We can teach it to people, and they believe it, and then they are a reproduction of Jesus Christ just like we are.

May God bless you Abundantly!

Steve

You can look at the website if you want to keep informed of all we are doing here with our podcast. Here's the link. https://stevejaynes.com/

Podcast listeners, You are invited to Zoom this Sunday at 10:30 AM EST. All you need to do is click on the website (https://stevejaynes.com/zoom-dial-in) and attend the meeting. We do the zoom most of the time.

Thank you to all of you that help support The More Abundant Life podcast. We are a listener-supported podcast. I want to thank those who generously give to keep the podcast available. The podcast is heard worldwide by those who want to know how to understand the Bible when they read it accurately. Your support helps keep the accuracy of The Word available worldwide as listeners can freely avail themselves of these podcasts wherever they get their podcast. Once again, thank you for supporting me.

We believe the Bible is the revealed Word and will of God. The Bible means what it says and says what it means. We let the Word of God speak for itself by using keys and principles to interpret the Bible. By being 100% listener-supported, we do not sell any part of the podcast. The podcast is for only those who favour letting the Word of God speak for itself. If you want to support the podcast, you can visit the website stevejaynes.com. On the top of every page, there's a donate button.

Don’t forget to rate the show and give it a good review. An excellent rating could make the show available to more people.

The Announcer: Maurice Coleman

Intro and Outro Music: Larry LoVerme's version of “Be Thou My Vision.” 

To get in contact with Steve to ask questions or share something feels free to email or text me. If you would like to have a conversation, let’s set up an appointment to have the call. Tell me the best time, morning, afternoon, or evening, and which day or day will work for you. I would need to know the time zone. I will get back to you with the day and time.

I would love to hear from you and talk with you.

[email protected], 207-595-1577 (Please start with a text first so that we both will have the time to communicate fully.)