Body Life

Body Life
Words of Faith 11-8-2021
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2021
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL
www.faithfellowshipweb.com
<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><<><      
    
Romans 12
    [4] Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, [5] so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. [6] We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. [7] If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; [8] if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.

     The transformed life is not a solitary life; it is Body life. As people transformed by the renewing of our mind, we discover that we are part of an organic connection called the Body of Christ. Our concern is no longer primarily for self; rather, we seek the will of God that is to be carried out by the Body of Christ on earth.  
     This is where New Testament living parts ways with the rugged individualism that typifies American cultural life. As people of transformation, we surrender pride and personal ambition, not to a "collective" but to Christ Himself. We belong to one another and discover great joy both in meeting the needs of others and in being vulnerable to others.  
     The transformed life is one of discovering your gifts and function within the Body and pursuing that function with passion. The liberty we find in Christ is not some unbridled freedom to do whatever we please; rather, it is the freedom to find enormous fulfillment in doing what pleases Him.  
     Those who have the gift of prophecy (inspired speech) should do precisely that in proportion to the measure of faith given. Those gifted to serve or teach, encourage or give generously should do so without reservation. Leaders should be free to lead with liberty, and those who have gifts of mercy should bring those tender gifts to hurting parts of the Body with joy.
     Have you found your place in the Body? It will surely be different from others. It will not be alone or disconnected from the Body. Let God lead you today with confidence to exercise His calling upon your life. Be a transformed person.

      Lord, I want to leave behind what I was that I may become what You created me to be. Show me my gifts and graces. Reveal my function within the Body of Christ. I choose to surrender to Your will in my life and to my place within the Body. In Jesus' name.

<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><
© Jeffrey D. Hoy 2021
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy - Faith Fellowship Church (EFCA)        
2820 Business Center Blvd.
Melbourne, Florida 32940 (321)-259-7200
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
SUBSCRIPTIONS - To receive the Words of Faith devotion five days a week, send an e-mail message addressed to join-words-of-faith@hub.xc.org. To stop receiving Words of Faith, send an e-mail message addressed to unsubscribe-words-of-faith@hub.xc.org. The daily devotion and archive are posted at http://www.faithfellowshipweb.com/cgi-bin/devotions/displayMonths.cgi
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -      
The Words of Faith devotion is published five days a week by E-mail, excluding Federal holidays. Please feel free to forward this devotion to a friend who might be blessed by this devotion. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is quoted from the New International Version (R) of The Holy Bible. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Words of Faith (c) 1997, 2021 Jeffrey D. Hoy. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to forward this copyrighted material or use portions of it with appropriate notation of the source for non-profit purposes.