How to Fix the Broken Church

How to Fix A broken Church You

We have all heard the old adage that “if its not broken, then don’t fix it”. Well as it may be with today’s quality of products that are very dependable and reliable. However, unlike today’s product reliability which when they do wear out, are easily replaced with a new product often at a cheaper cost then the original. The church that which we are, is not easily replaced by a newer cheaper version. We can’t just replace the old us for a newer model fresh from the factory. But instead we need to fix the broken church for there is no physical replacement of us, as we would replace a worn out toaster with a new toaster. We can’t replace ourselves except through the process of fixing what is wrong with ourselves spiritually. Oh I would agree with you that how nice it would be if we could enter a shopping mall and visit our favorite body shop and ask for a complete new model of ourselves. A new model that will work better, run faster, jump higher, and last longer then the old model, even a slimmer sleek model would appeal to us. None-the-less, unless that sales associate can replace the spiritual aspects of our lives, that which connect us to God’s family. We would only be putting on an outer shell while leaving what really is broken unfixed in the first place.

(The scriptures that follow in this text are just samples of those that may touch on the topic spoken here. Always read the before and after the scripture noted here to get a fuller picture in understanding God’s Word.)

Romans 6:3-23
Or have you forgotten that when we became Christians and were baptized to become one with Christ Jesus, we died with him? [4] For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives. [5] Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised as he was. [6] Our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. [7] For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. [8] And since we died with Christ, we know we will also share his new life. [9] We are sure of this because Christ rose from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him. [10] He died once to defeat sin, and now he lives for the glory of God. [11] So you should consider yourselves dead to sin and able to live for the glory of God through Christ Jesus. [12] Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to its lustful desires. [13] Do not let any part of your body become a tool of wickedness, to be used for sinning. Instead, give yourselves completely to God since you have been given new life. And use your whole body as a tool to do what is right for the glory of God. [14] Sin is no longer your master, for you are no longer subject to the law, which enslaves you to sin. Instead, you are free by God's grace. [15] So since God's grace has set us free from the law, does this mean we can go on sinning? Of course not! [16] Don't you realize that whatever you choose to obey becomes your master? You can choose sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God and receive his approval. [17] Thank God! Once you were slaves of sin, but now you have obeyed with all your heart the new teaching God has given you. [18] Now you are free from sin, your old master, and you have become slaves to your new master, righteousness. [19] I speak this way, using the illustration of slaves and masters, because it is easy to understand. Before, you let yourselves be slaves of impurity and lawlessness. Now you must choose to be slaves of righteousness so that you will become holy. [20] In those days, when you were slaves of sin, you weren't concerned with doing what was right. [21] And what was the result? It was not good, since now you are ashamed of the things you used to do, things that end in eternal doom. [22] But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life. [23] For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.

Only you can fix a broken Church and only you have access to the tools needed to affect repairs. The first tool needed is one of understanding what is wrong and what actually needs repairs. Like our favorite kitchen appliance, we sputter and spit, telling ourselves it still works, though other’s know it is very obsolete and barely functional, but you just can’t bring yourself to replace it with something new and modern. After all, you mother used it, and it was good enough for her, its good enough for you. Denial, often affects much of our day to day living when we place a value on something based on out dated and old fashion views. We want to believe in old remedies that worked for our parents and their parents, but refuse to try new remedies because of these traditional values. Even though the newer remedies are safer and more reliable, proving the old to be antiqued. Denial comes in many shapes and sizes, shades and tints, harmless and harmful. Harmful denials are those when we, despite what other’s say is truth, ignore mental & physical health issues, blatant denial that there is anything wrong with us.

Yet, denial is denial, the act of refusing or disbelieving in a truth, even those truths about our spiritual life. Now before anything can be broken it must have first been in good working order as designed and created. God in the beginning created us flawless, a creature who would never be in need of anything, never fear death, nor the weakness of our body when it aged. That is until sin entered into the factor and because of the original sin, God’s design became flawed. God didn’t simply return Adam and Eve to the trash pile and start over with a new and better design. Instead he took what he originally created though now flawed and made that creation capable of fixing it’s own flaw through Christ. When we ignore this capability, the truth and understanding of God’s words, we are in spiritual denial and unable to fix the inherent flaw within ourselves.

Matthew 10:31-35
So don't be afraid; you are more valuable to him than a whole flock of sparrows.
[32] "If anyone acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will openly acknowledge that person before my Father in heaven. [33] But if anyone denies me here on earth, I will deny that person before my Father in heaven. [34] "Don't imagine that I came to bring peace to the earth! No, I came to bring a sword. [35] I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.

2 Tim. 2:11-13
This is a true saying: If we die with him, we will also live with him. [12] If we endure hardship, we will reign with him. If we deny him, he will deny us. [13] If we are unfaithful,
he remains faithful, for he cannot deny himself.

Ephes. 4:21-25
Since you have heard all about him and have learned the truth that is in Jesus, [22] throw off your old evil nature and your former way of life, which is rotten through and through, full of lust and deception. [23] Instead, there must be a spiritual renewal of your thoughts and attitudes. [24] You must display a new nature because you are a new person, created in Gods likeness—righteous, holy, and true. [25] So put away all falsehood and "tell your neighbor the truth" because we belong to each other.

Luke 14:31-35
"Or what king would ever dream of going to war without first sitting down with his counselors and discussing whether his army of ten thousand is strong enough to defeat the twenty thousand soldiers who are marching against him? [32] If he is not able, then while the enemy is still far away, he will send a delegation to discuss terms of peace. [33] So no one can become my disciple without giving up everything for me. [34] "Salt is good for seasoning. But if it loses its flavor, how do you make it salty again? [35] Flavorless salt is good neither for the soil nor for fertilizer. It is thrown away. Anyone who is willing to hear should listen and understand!"

We are born in sin, flawed and broken from God’s family until we accept Christ in our life. When we take that life changing altering step, we become the Church of God, our bodies, mind and heart spiritually connected to God through Christ. We are not immediately fixed, flawless and perfect, but now able to utilize the many tools God offers us to continue the repair of our broken relationship with Him. You may be shocked at this last statement, and may believe that once we accept Christ in our hearts we are immediately flawless and perfect as God intended Adam and Eve. We are saved that is true through Christ and we are once again in the bosom of God’s family. But we are still broken and need to fix many things in our lives. As much as I would like to be instantly flawless and whole in Christ, I believe this is yet another denial that I am completely free of all sin in my life, as well as free of all temptation of sin. To believe so is to create in us a self-fulfillment prophecy where we will fail to please God. If God intended that this was the magic pill we need only take to enter into heaven sinless and flawless, he would have stated so. Instead, he allowed his only son to suffer a tormented death so that we may avoid the same because of the original sin.

Matthew 16:21-25
From then on Jesus began to tell his disciples plainly that he had to go to Jerusalem, and he told them what would happen to him there. He would suffer at the hands of the leaders and the leading priests and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, and he would be raised on the third day. [22] But Peter took him aside and corrected him. "Heaven forbid, Lord," he said. "This will never happen to you!" [23] Jesus turned to Peter and said, "Get away from me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, and not from God's." [24] Then Jesus said to the disciples, "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must put aside your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross, and follow me. [25] If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for me, you will find true life.

Romans 8:15-20
So you should not be like cowering, fearful slaves. You should behave instead like God's very own children, adopted into his family—calling him "Father, dear Father." [16] For his Holy Spirit speaks to us deep in our hearts and tells us that we are God's children. [17] And since we are his children, we will share his treasures—for everything God gives to his Son, Christ, is ours, too. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering. [18] Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will give us later. [19] For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are. [20] Against its will, everything on earth was subjected to God's curse.

1 Peter 4:12-17
Dear friends, don't be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. [13] Instead, be very glad—because these trials will make you partners with Christ in his suffering, and afterward you will have the wonderful joy of sharing his glory when it is displayed to all the world. [14] Be happy if you are insulted for being a Christian, for then the glorious Spirit of God will come upon you. [15] If you suffer, however, it must not be for murder, stealing, making trouble, or prying into other people's affairs. [16] But it is no shame to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of being called by his wonderful name! [17] For the time has come for judgment, and it must begin first among God's own children. And if even we Christians must be judged, what terrible fate awaits those who have never believed God's Good News?


Therefore, it takes more then just a verbal and emotional acceptance of Christ in our lives, we must continue to fix that which is broken in us. Without Christ, we can only put temporary fixes in place, they are short in endurance, and gain us nothing. With Christ we build a stronger relationship with God that is eternal in endurance and gain us everything God offer’s us. These rewards are realized both on earth and in heaven where our afterlife is eternally with Christ. The earthly rewards are the quality of our fellowship with Christ and his family, and the spiritual enrichment that comes from the Holy Spirit and the Gifts that is bestowed on us. The new Christian and the mature Christian that finds they are lacking in these rewards may have failed to repair the broken church in them. Until they start questioning this lack, and start searching for truths to utilizes as tools to fix the broken church in them, they may well go through their Christian fellowship seldom reaching their full spiritual potential God desires for us.

Romans 8:4-11
He did this so that the requirement of the law would be fully accomplished for us who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit. [5] Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. [6] If your sinful nature controls your mind, there is death. But if the Holy Spirit controls your mind, there is life and peace. [7] For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God's laws, and it never will. [8] That's why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God. [9] But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them are not Christians at all.) [10] Since Christ lives within you, even though your body will die because of sin, your spirit is alive because you have been made right with God. [11] The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as he raised Christ from the dead, he will give life to your mortal body by this same Spirit living within you.

1 Thes. 1:3-6
As we talk to our God and Father about you, we think of your faithful work, your loving deeds, and your continual anticipation of the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. [4] We know that God loves you, dear brothers and sisters, and that he chose you to be his own people. [5] For when we brought you the Good News, it was not only with words but also with power, for the Holy Spirit gave you full assurance that what we said was true. And you know that the way we lived among you was further proof of the truth of our message. [6] So you received the message with joy from the Holy Spirit in spite of the severe suffering it brought you. In this way, you imitated both us and the Lord.

Ephes. 2:16-22
Together as one body, Christ reconciled both groups to God by means of his death, and our hostility toward each other was put to death. [17] He has brought this Good News of peace to you Gentiles who were far away from him, and to us Jews who were near. [18] Now all of us, both Jews and Gentiles, may come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us. [19] So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God's holy people. You are members of God's family. [20] We are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. [21] We who believe are carefully joined together, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. [22] Through him you Gentiles are also joined together as part of this dwelling where God lives by his Spirit.

Ephes. 3:18-21
And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love really is. [19] May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never fully understand it. Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God. [20] Now glory be to God! By his mighty power at work within us, he is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope. [21] May he be given glory in the church and in Christ Jesus forever and ever through endless ages. Amen.


Hebrews 2:1-4
So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it. [2] The message God delivered through angels has always proved true, and the people were punished for every violation of the law and every act of disobedience. [3] What makes us think that we can escape if we are indifferent to this great salvation that was announced by the Lord Jesus himself? It was passed on to us by those who heard him speak, [4] and God verified the message by signs and wonders and various miracles and by giving gifts of the Holy Spirit whenever he chose to do so.

Acts 2:1-6
On the day of Pentecost, seven weeks after Jesus' resurrection, the believers were meeting together in one place. [2] Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm in the skies above them, and it filled the house where they were meeting. [3] Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. [4] And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability. [5] Godly Jews from many nations were living in Jerusalem at that time. [6] When they heard this sound, they came running to see what it was all about, and they were bewildered to hear their own languages being spoken by the believers.

1 Cor. 12:1-31
And now, dear brothers and sisters, I will write about the special abilities the Holy Spirit gives to each of us, for I must correct your misunderstandings about them. [2] You know that when you were still pagans you were led astray and swept along in worshiping speechless idols. [3] So I want you to know how to discern what is truly from God: No one speaking by the Spirit of God can curse Jesus, and no one is able to say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit.
[4] Now there are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but it is the same Holy Spirit who is the source of them all. [5] There are different kinds of service in the church, but it is the same Lord we are serving. [6] There are different ways God works in our lives, but it is the same God who does the work through all of us. [7] A spiritual gift is given to each of us as a means of helping the entire church. [8] To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice; to another he gives the gift of special knowledge. [9] The Spirit gives special faith to another, and to someone else he gives the power to heal the sick. [10] He gives one person the power to perform miracles, and to another the ability to prophesy. He gives someone else the ability to know whether it is really the Spirit of God or another spirit that is speaking. Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages, and another is given the ability to interpret what is being said. [11] It is the one and only Holy Spirit who distributes these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have. [12] The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up only one body. So it is with the body of Christ. [13] Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into Christ's body by one Spirit, and we have all received the same Spirit. [14] Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part. [15] If the foot says, "I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand," that does not make it any less a part of the body. [16] And if the ear says, "I am not part of the body because I am only an ear and not an eye," would that make it any less a part of the body? [17] Suppose the whole body were an eye—then how would you hear? Or if your whole body were just one big ear, how could you smell anything? [18] But God made our bodies with many parts, and he has put each part just where he wants it. [19] What a strange thing a body would be if it had only one part! [20] Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. [21] The eye can never say to the hand, "I don't need you." The head can't say to the feet, "I don't need you." [22] In fact, some of the parts that seem weakest and least important are really the most necessary. [23] And the parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care. So we carefully protect from the eyes of others those parts that should not be seen, [24] while other parts do not require this special care. So God has put the body together in such a way that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity. [25] This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other equally. [26] If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad.
[27] Now all of you together are Christ's body, and each one of you is a separate and necessary part of it. [28] Here is a list of some of the members that God has placed in the body of Christ:
first are apostles, second are prophets, third are teachers, then those who do miracles, those who have the gift of healing, those who can help others, those who can get others to work together, those who speak in unknown languages. [29] Is everyone an apostle? Of course not. Is everyone a prophet? No. Are all teachers? Does everyone have the power to do miracles? [30] Does everyone have the gift of healing? Of course not. Does God give all of us the ability to speak in unknown languages? Can everyone interpret unknown languages? No! [31] And in any event, you should desire the most helpful gifts.

1 Cor. 14:20-25
Dear brothers and sisters, don't be childish in your understanding of these things. Be innocent as babies when it comes to evil, but be mature and wise in understanding matters of this kind. [21] It is written in the Scriptures, "I will speak to my own people through unknown languages and through the lips of foreigners. But even then, they will not listen to me," says the Lord.
[22] So you see that speaking in tongues is a sign, not for believers, but for unbelievers; prophecy, however, is for the benefit of believers, not unbelievers. [23] Even so, if unbelievers or people who don't understand these things come into your meeting and hear everyone talking in an unknown language, they will think you are crazy. [24] But if all of you are prophesying, and unbelievers or people who don't understand these things come into your meeting, they will be convicted of sin, and they will be condemned by what you say. [25] As they listen, their secret thoughts will be laid bare, and they will fall down on their knees and worship God, declaring, "God is really here among you."

Tools needed to fix the broken church, you:

1. God’s Word, a Bible that has a translation that is understandable and readable for your grasp of the Holy words. Know this bible from Alpha to Omega, the beginning and the end. Try not to switch from one translation to another until you have completed a full understanding of one translation first. After this absorption of the word, you can then use other translations to compare the finer nuances of different translations. Remember that outside of some “off the wall” translations, most are accurate and in accord with ancient transcripts of the bible. If you try to memorize all that you read at your first reading of the Bible, you may lose contact with key elements of the Bible, therefore finding yourself missing the enjoyment of reading the Bible for the first time through. Repeat readings and continued study of the Bible will allow you to sharpen up on key scriptures for memory. I regret that I am one of the few who even after several complete readings of the Bible, have a lousy memory when it comes to book, chapter, and number of any specific passage. This lack may be seen as a negative, but the positive side is that rather then rely on memory, I am encouraged to physically search and reread the scripture using the many tools provided for such as Bible concordances, Topical Bibles, and software tools that help me find and refresh my knowledge of the scriptures.

Matthew 4:1-4
Then Jesus was led out into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit to be tempted there by the Devil. [2] For forty days and forty nights he ate nothing and became very hungry. [3] Then the Devil came and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, change these stones into loaves of bread." [4] But Jesus told him, "No! The Scriptures say, 'People need more than bread for their life; they must feed on every word of God.' "

John 5:37-43
And the Father himself has also testified about me. You have never heard his voice or seen him face to face, [38] and you do not have his message in your hearts, because you do not believe me—the one he sent to you. [39] "You search the Scriptures because you believe they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me! [40] Yet you refuse to come to me so that I can give you this eternal life. [41] "Your approval or disapproval means nothing to me, [42] because I know you don't have God's love within you. [43] For I have come to you representing my Father, and you refuse to welcome me, even though you readily accept others who represent only themselves.

Acts 18:23-28
After spending some time in Antioch, Paul went back to Galatia and Phrygia, visiting all the believers, encouraging them and helping them to grow in the Lord [24] Meanwhile, a Jew named Apollos, an eloquent speaker who knew the Scriptures well, had just arrived in Ephesus from Alexandria in Egypt. [25] He had been taught the way of the Lord and talked to others with great enthusiasm and accuracy about Jesus. However, he knew only about John's baptism. [26] When Priscilla and Aquila heard him preaching boldly in the synagogue, they took him aside and explained the way of God more accurately. [27] Apollos had been thinking about going to Achaia, and the brothers and sisters in Ephesus encouraged him in this. They wrote to the believers in Achaia, asking them to welcome him. When he arrived there, he proved to be of great benefit to those who, by God's grace, had believed. [28] He refuted all the Jews with powerful arguments in public debate. Using the Scriptures, he explained to them, "The Messiah you are looking for is Jesus."

2. While you are exploring the Bible the first time, combined this with group studies that allow you to have open discussion of what you are reading. This process allows you to share mutual truths of the word and learn in a environment that is conducive to the understanding of God’s words in your life.

1 Tim. 4:12-16
Don't let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you teach, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity. [13] Until I get there, focus on reading the Scriptures to the church, encouraging the believers, and teaching them. [14] Do not neglect the spiritual gift you received through the prophecies spoken to you when the elders of the church laid their hands on you. [15] Give your complete attention to these matters. Throw yourself into your tasks so that everyone will see your progress. [16] Keep a close watch on yourself and on your teaching. Stay true to what is right, and God will save you and those who hear you.

1 Cor. 2:6-16
Yet when I am among mature Christians, I do speak with words of wisdom, but not the kind of wisdom that belongs to this world, and not the kind that appeals to the rulers of this world, who are being brought to nothing. [7] No, the wisdom we speak of is the secret wisdom of God, which was hidden in former times, though he made it for our benefit before the world began. [8] But the rulers of this world have not understood it; if they had, they would never have crucified our glorious Lord. [9] That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him."

[10] But we know these things because God has revealed them to us by his Spirit, and his Spirit searches out everything and shows us even God's deep secrets. [11] No one can know what anyone else is really thinking except that person alone, and no one can know God's thoughts except God's own Spirit. [12] And God has actually given us his Spirit (not the world's spirit) so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us. [13] When we tell you this, we do not use words of human wisdom. We speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit's words to explain spiritual truths. [14] But people who aren't Christians can't understand these truths from God's Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them because only those who have the Spirit can understand what the Spirit means. [15] We who have the Spirit understand these things, but others can't understand us at all. [16] How could they? For, "Who can know what the Lord is thinking? Who can give him counsel?" But we can understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ.


3. Of course weekly worship is important to guide you in your walk as a Christian. The elders of the church have reached a spiritual maturity that you will gain in time. Their maturity will guide you from falling prey to untruths and hidden obstacles that can cause you to falter in your growth as a Christian.

1 Cor. 3:1-5
Dear brothers and sisters, when I was with you I couldn't talk to you as I would to mature Christians. I had to talk as though you belonged to this world or as though you were infants in the Christian life. [2] I had to feed you with milk and not with solid food, because you couldn't handle anything stronger. And you still aren't ready, [3] for you are still controlled by your own sinful desires. You are jealous of one another and quarrel with each other. Doesn't that prove you are controlled by your own desires? You are acting like people who don't belong to the Lord. [4] When one of you says, "I am a follower of Paul," and another says, "I prefer Apollos," aren't you acting like those who are not Christians? [5] Who is Apollos, and who is Paul, that we should be the cause of such quarrels? Why, we're only servants. Through us God caused you to believe. Each of us did the work the Lord gave us.


1 Cor. 13:10-13
But when the end comes, these special gifts will all disappear. [11] It's like this: When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child does. But when I grew up, I put away childish things. [12] Now we see things imperfectly as in a poor mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God knows me now. [13] There are three things that will endure—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.

Hebrews 5:9-12
In this way, God qualified him as a perfect High Priest, and he became the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey him. [10] And God designated him to be a High Priest in the line of Melchizedek. [11] There is so much more we would like to say about this. But you don't seem to listen, so it's hard to make you understand. [12] You have been Christians a long time now, and you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things a beginner must learn about the Scriptures. You are like babies who drink only milk and cannot eat solid food.

1 Cor. 14:18-21
I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. [19] But in a church meeting I would much rather speak five understandable words that will help others than ten thousand words in an unknown language. [20] Dear brothers and sisters, don't be childish in your understanding of these things. Be innocent as babies when it comes to evil, but be mature and wise in understanding matters of this kind. [21] It is written in the Scriptures, "I will speak to my own people through unknown languages and through the lips of foreigners. But even then, they will not listen to me," says the Lord.

1 Cor. 14:23-40
Even so, if unbelievers or people who don't understand these things come into your meeting and hear everyone talking in an unknown language, they will think you are crazy. [24] But if all of you are prophesying, and unbelievers or people who don't understand these things come into your meeting, they will be convicted of sin, and they will be condemned by what you say. [25] As they listen, their secret thoughts will be laid bare, and they will fall down on their knees and worship God, declaring, "God is really here among you." [26] Well, my brothers and sisters, let's summarize what I am saying. When you meet, one will sing, another will teach, another will tell some special revelation God has given, one will speak in an unknown language, while another will interpret what is said. But everything that is done must be useful to all and build them up in the Lord. [27] No more than two or three should speak in an unknown language. They must speak one at a time, and someone must be ready to interpret what they are saying. [28] But if no one is present who can interpret, they must be silent in your church meeting and speak in tongues to God privately. [29] Let two or three prophesy, and let the others evaluate what is said. [30] But if someone is prophesying and another person receives a revelation from the Lord, the one who is speaking must stop. [31] In this way, all who prophesy will have a turn to speak, one after the other, so that everyone will learn and be encouraged. [32] Remember that people who prophesy are in control of their spirit and can wait their turn. [33] For God is not a God of disorder but of peace, as in all the other churches. [34] Women should be silent during the church meetings. It is not proper for them to speak. They should be submissive, just as the law says. [35] If they have any questions to ask, let them ask their husbands at home, for it is improper for women to speak in church meetings. [36] Do you think that the knowledge of God's word begins and ends with you Corinthians? Well, you are mistaken! [37] If you claim to be a prophet or think you are very spiritual, you should recognize that what I am saying is a command from the Lord himself. [38] But if you do not recognize this, you will not be recognized. [39] So, dear brothers and sisters, be eager to prophesy, and don't forbid speaking in tongues. [40] But be sure that everything is done properly and in order.

Acts 14:21-25
After preaching the Good News in Derbe and making many disciples, Paul and Barnabas returned again to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch of Pisidia, [22] where they strengthened the believers. They encouraged them to continue in the faith, reminding them that they must enter into the Kingdom of God through many tribulations. [23] Paul and Barnabas also appointed elders in every church and prayed for them with fasting, turning them over to the care of the Lord, in whom they had come to trust. [24] Then they traveled back through Pisidia to Pamphylia. [25] They preached again in Perga, then went on to Attalia.

Galatians 2:5-10
But we refused to listen to them for a single moment. We wanted to preserve the truth of the Good News for you. [6] And the leaders of the church who were there had nothing to add to what I was preaching. (By the way, their reputation as great leaders made no difference to me, for God has no favorites.) [7] They saw that God had given me the responsibility of preaching the Good News to the Gentiles, just as he had given Peter the responsibility of preaching to the Jews. [8] For the same God who worked through Peter for the benefit of the Jews worked through me for the benefit of the Gentiles. [9] In fact, James, Peter, and John, who were known as pillars of the church, recognized the gift God had given me, and they accepted Barnabas and me as their co-workers. They encouraged us to keep preaching to the Gentiles, while they continued their work with the Jews. [10] The only thing they suggested was that we remember to help the poor, and I have certainly been eager to do that.

4. Know those key scriptures that become your daily sword in your fight against temptation of the flesh and the world. Memorization is great, but don’t rely on memory alone, memory can be faulty, so always use memory only as a guide to actually finding and rereading the scripture especially when sharing a key scripture with others.

5. Know the key scriptures that build your faith and teach you how to walk in your fellowship with Christ. Allow these scriptures to guide your daily living.

6. Know the key scriptures that tell you about the Holy Spirit and the fruits of the Holy Spirit, those Gifts that we should all desire to learn about and how they should be affecting our spiritual life.

7. Self-Reflection is important in anything we do, that is to say once we have a firm grasp of the tools we need, how to use them and what they ask of us, reflect on them deeply to gain a greater understanding of your Christian walk. Reflection is often done best alone, unencumbered by the noisy world around us. Reflection is a greater part of our prayer life and how our prayer life affects our daily life. These reflections of ourselves, what we mean to God, to our family, work and ministry as a Church is the most important tool that should be used as often as you can.

2 Cor. 13:1-8
This is the third time I am coming to visit you. As the Scriptures say, "The facts of every case must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses." [2] I have already warned those who had been sinning when I was there on my second visit. Now I again warn them and all others, just as I did before, that this next time I will not spare them. [3] I will give you all the proof you want that Christ speaks through me. Christ is not weak in his dealings with you; he is a mighty power among you. [4] Although he died on the cross in weakness, he now lives by the mighty power of God. We, too, are weak, but we live in him and have God's power—the power we use in dealing with you. [5] Examine yourselves to see if your faith is really genuine. Test yourselves. If you cannot tell that Jesus Christ is among you, it means you have failed the test. [6] I hope you recognize that we have passed the test and are approved by God. [7] We pray to God that you will not do anything wrong. We pray this, not to show that our ministry to you has been successful, but because we want you to do right even if we ourselves seem to have failed. [8] Our responsibility is never to oppose the truth, but to stand for the truth at all times.

8. Christian Retreats are often a good forum for self-reflection, only if they offer both a environment that induces self-reflection, the lone time to reflect, along with seminars that encourage and challenge your inner spiritual self to seek this reflection. Self-reflection is a door that is slowly opened, often in small steps, then suddenly the open door reveals a vista that inspires you to a spiritual level seldom reached before. It is these vista’s that give you a firm grasp of your vision, the vision that is given by the Holy Spirit regarding our earthly purpose as children of God. It is this self-reflection that God interacts with us in defining our ministry and the use of our Gifts and Fruits of the Holy Spirit. One does not need to wait for a scheduled and sanctioned retreat to reach this spiritual pinnacle in your life. You only need to take the time yourself and find the appropriate environment that will achieve your spiritual journey with self-reflection. This can be a great time for a couple to break away from family & children, or a opportunity for you to invite a fellow Christian to share this spiritual journey. All you need is your bible and a quiet retreat to achieve your goals. Invite a non-believer to explore together this wonderful reflection of God’s Word.

9. The final tool is knowing how to open our heart and mind to the working of the Holy Spirit.
For many of us this is hard to do, even for us who are mature in our walk, and have all other tools at our disposal. Most often the problem is intellectual, one that is placed as a barrier to reaching a spiritual plateau others have reached. Intellectually we analysis our approach to Christ, and the truths we have learned in the word of God. This intellectuality places doubt in the reality of what they see in others, those who spiritually soar, working wonders, speaking in tongues, healing, and prophecy. This denial is the lack of a full measure of faith we need to believe what others have already believed and seen. It is well enough that we know the bible word by word, front and forward, yet we fail to grasp the spiritual knowledge the Word of God gives us for the lack of belief, that which is unseen by us, but seen by others. This lack or doubt robs us from having a full measure of faith and spiritual relationship with God. When we can replace these doubts with the full measure of faith that allows us to believe and not rely on our intellectual faith, we will enter a journey that will allow us to live closer to Christ fulfilling God’s original design when he first put Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden.

1 Cor. 8:1-5
Now let's talk about food that has been sacrificed to idols. You think that everyone should agree with your perfect knowledge. While knowledge may make us feel important, it is love that really builds up the church. [2] Anyone who claims to know all the answers doesn't really know very much. [3] But the person who loves God is the one God knows and cares for.
[4] So now, what about it? Should we eat meat that has been sacrificed to idols? Well, we all know that an idol is not really a god and that there is only one God and no other. [5] According to some people, there are many so-called gods and many lords, both in heaven and on earth.

2 Cor. 10:1-8
Now I, Paul, plead with you. I plead with the gentleness and kindness that Christ himself would use, even though some of you say I am bold in my letters but timid in person. [2] I hope it won't be necessary, but when I come I may have to be very bold with those who think we act from purely human motives. [3] We are human, but we don't wage war with human plans and methods. [4] We use God's mighty weapons, not mere worldly weapons, to knock down the Devil's strongholds. [5] With these weapons we break down every proud argument that keeps people from knowing God. With these weapons we conquer their rebellious ideas, and we teach them to obey Christ. [6] And we will punish those who remained disobedient after the rest of you became loyal and obedient. [7] The trouble with you is that you make your decisions on the basis of appearance. You must recognize that we belong to Christ just as much as those who proudly declare that they belong to Christ. [8] I may seem to be boasting too much about the authority given to us by the Lord. But this authority is to build you up, not to tear you down. And I will not be put to shame by having my work among you destroyed.

Col. 2:6-10
And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to live in obedience to him. [7] Let your roots grow down into him and draw up nourishment from him, so you will grow in faith, strong and vigorous in the truth you were taught. Let your lives overflow with thanksgiving for all he has done. [8] Don't let anyone lead you astray with empty philosophy and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the evil powers of this world, and not from Christ. [9] For in Christ the fullness of God lives in a human body, [10] and you are complete through your union with Christ. He is the Lord over every ruler and authority in the universe.

1 Cor. 2:4-8
And my message and my preaching were very plain. I did not use wise and persuasive speeches, but the Holy Spirit was powerful among you. [5] I did this so that you might trust the power of God rather than human wisdom. [6] Yet when I am among mature Christians, I do speak with words of wisdom, but not the kind of wisdom that belongs to this world, and not the kind that appeals to the rulers of this world, who are being brought to nothing. [7] No, the wisdom we speak of is the secret wisdom of God, which was hidden in former times, though he made it for our benefit before the world began. [8] But the rulers of this world have not understood it; if they had, they would never have crucified our glorious Lord.

1 Cor. 3:16-20
Don't you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you? [17] God will bring ruin upon anyone who ruins this temple. For God's temple is holy, and you Christians are that temple. [18] Stop fooling yourselves. If you think you are wise by this world's standards, you will have to become a fool so you can become wise by God's standards. [19] For the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God. As the Scriptures say, "God catches those who think they are wise in their own cleverness." [20] And again, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are worthless."

Ephes. 3:7-12
By God's special favor and mighty power, I have been given the wonderful privilege of serving him by spreading this Good News. [8] Just think! Though I did nothing to deserve it, and though I am the least deserving Christian there is, I was chosen for this special joy of telling the Gentiles about the endless treasures available to them in Christ. [9] I was chosen to explain to everyone this plan that God, the Creator of all things, had kept secret from the beginning.
[10] God's purpose was to show his wisdom in all its rich variety to all the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms. They will see this when Jews and Gentiles are joined together in his church. [11] This was his plan from all eternity, and it has now been carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord. [12] Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come fearlessly into God's presence, assured of his glad welcome.

Matthew 17:18-20
Then Jesus rebuked the demon in the boy, and it left him. From that moment the boy was well.
[19] Afterward the disciples asked Jesus privately, "Why couldn't we cast out that demon?"
[20] "You didn't have enough faith," Jesus told them. "I assure you, even if you had faith as small as a mustard seed you could say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it would move. Nothing would be impossible."

Mark 2:1-5
Several days later Jesus returned to Capernaum, and the news of his arrival spread quickly through the town. [2] Soon the house where he was staying was so packed with visitors that there wasn't room for one more person, not even outside the door. And he preached the word to them. [3] Four men arrived carrying a paralyzed man on a mat. [4] They couldn't get to Jesus through the crowd, so they dug through the clay roof above his head. Then they lowered the sick man on his mat, right down in front of Jesus. [5] Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, "My son, your sins are forgiven."



Mark 9:21-29
"How long has this been happening?" Jesus asked the boy's father.
He replied, "Since he was very small. [22] The evil spirit often makes him fall into the fire or into water, trying to kill him. Have mercy on us and help us. Do something if you can."
[23] "What do you mean, 'If I can'?" Jesus asked. "Anything is possible if a person believes."
[24] The father instantly replied, "I do believe, but help me not to doubt!"
[25] When Jesus saw that the crowd of onlookers was growing, he rebuked the evil spirit. "Spirit of deafness and muteness," he said, "I command you to come out of this child and never enter him again!" [26] Then the spirit screamed and threw the boy into another violent convulsion and left him. The boy lay there motionless, and he appeared to be dead. A murmur ran through the crowd, "He's dead." [27] But Jesus took him by the hand and helped him to his feet, and he stood up. [28] Afterward, when Jesus was alone in the house with his disciples, they asked him, "Why couldn't we cast out that evil spirit?"
[29] Jesus replied, "This kind can be cast out only by prayer."

Romans 8:22-26
For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. [23] And even we Christians, although we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, also groan to be released from pain and suffering. We, too, wait anxiously for that day when God will give us our full rights as his children, including the new bodies he has promised us. [24] Now that we are saved, we eagerly look forward to this freedom. For if you already have something, you don't need to hope for it. [25] But if we look forward to something we don't have yet, we must wait patiently and confidently.
[26] And the Holy Spirit helps us in our distress. For we don't even know what we should pray for, nor how we should pray. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.

2 Cor. 4:15-18
All of these things are for your benefit. And as God's grace brings more and more people to Christ, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory.
[16] That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. [17] For our present troubles are quite small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us an immeasurably great glory that will last forever! [18] So we don't look at the troubles we can see right now; rather, we look forward to what we have not yet seen. For the troubles we see will soon be over, but the joys to come will last forever.

Romans 12:1-5
And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will accept. When you think of what he has done for you, is this too much to ask? [2] Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is.
[3] As God's messenger, I give each of you this warning: Be honest in your estimate of yourselves, measuring your value by how much faith God has given you. [4] Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, [5] so it is with Christ's body. We are all parts of his one body, and each of us has different work to do. And since we are all one body in Christ, we belong to each other, and each of us needs all the others.

2 Cor. 5:1-7
For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down—when we die and leave these bodies—we will have a home in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands. [2] We grow weary in our present bodies, and we long for the day when we will put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing. [3] For we will not be spirits without bodies, but we will put on new heavenly bodies. [4] Our dying bodies make us groan and sigh, but it's not that we want to die and have no bodies at all. We want to slip into our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by everlasting life. [5] God himself has prepared us for this, and as a guarantee he has given us his Holy Spirit. [6] So we are always confident, even though we know that as long as we live in these bodies we are not at home with the Lord. [7] That is why we live by believing and not by seeing.

Romans 15:12-16
And the prophet Isaiah said, "The heir to David's throne will come, and he will rule over the Gentiles. They will place their hopes on him." [13] So I pray that God, who gives you hope, will keep you happy and full of peace as you believe in him. May you overflow with hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. [14] I am fully convinced, dear brothers and sisters, that you are full of goodness. You know these things so well that you are able to teach others all about them. [15] Even so, I have been bold enough to emphasize some of these points, knowing that all you need is this reminder from me. For I am, by God's grace, [16] a special messenger from Christ Jesus to you Gentiles. I bring you the Good News and offer you up as a fragrant sacrifice to God so that you might be pure and pleasing to him by the Holy Spirit.

2 Tim. 1:11-16
And God chose me to be a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of this Good News.
[12] And that is why I am suffering here in prison. But I am not ashamed of it, for I know the one in whom I trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until the day of his return. [13] Hold on to the pattern of right teaching you learned from me. And remember to live in the faith and love that you have in Christ Jesus. [14] With the help of the Holy Spirit who lives within us, carefully guard what has been entrusted to you. [15] As you know, all the Christians who came here from the province of Asia have deserted me; even Phygelus and Hermogenes are gone. [16] May the Lord show special kindness to Onesiphorus and all his family because he often visited and encouraged me. He was never ashamed of me because I was in prison.

James 1:1-8
This letter is from James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is written to Jewish Christians scattered among the nations. Greetings! [2] Dear brothers and sisters, whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy. [3] For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. [4] So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything. [5] If you need wisdom—if you want to know what God wants you to do—ask him, and he will gladly tell you. He will not resent your asking. [6] But when you ask him, be sure that you really expect him to answer, for a doubtful mind is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. [7] People like that should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. [8] They can't make up their minds. They waver back and forth in everything they do.

1 Peter 1:5-10
And God, in his mighty power, will protect you until you receive this salvation, because you are trusting him. It will be revealed on the last day for all to see. [6] So be truly glad! There is wonderful joy ahead, even though it is necessary for you to endure many trials for a while.
[7] These trials are only to test your faith, to show that it is strong and pure. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—and your faith is far more precious to God than mere gold. So if your faith remains strong after being tried by fiery trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. [8] You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him, you trust him; and even now you are happy with a glorious, inexpressible joy. [9] Your reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls. [10] This salvation was something the prophets wanted to know more about. They prophesied about this gracious salvation prepared for you, even though they had many questions as to what it all could mean.


My dear readers, I have given you many scriptures to read and explore. Like I tell most of my readers, the scriptures I give are just a brief glimpse at the total picture. So read the before verses and after verses of those scriptures I have given you. This is important in completing your study of the Word of God and furthering you understanding. Never rely just on a “quote” or bits and pieces of the Word of God. Rely on the total and complete Word of God, for this will ensure you that you have the full understanding and wisdom of God.

Article Source: http://www.religionarticlelibrary.com

Rev. Vergeson is an associate member of the Universal Life Church (since 1979) and founder of God’s Temple of Grace Ministry Website at www.geocities.com/revdocrobert. The website offers bible studies and personal testimony. Visit www.todayschurch.blogspot.com for additional written material by Rev. Vergeson. You can contact Rev. Vergeson through email at RevDocRobert@yahoo.com

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