A Joint in Church
No one can fully be established in the body of Christ until all things have become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17. It’s never about the old you and always about the new you! It’s never about what your old flesh likes or dislikes, it’s not about how the pastor preaches, or the leadership. It’s not about the style of worship, or the Sunday school, or the building or even its location.
It’s all about the new you, being a joint in My body. “My whole body is fitly joined together and compacted by that which you and every other joint supplies. This is always according to the love and faith that is working in you and every other part, this is what makes My entire body increase and edify itself in love” Ephesians 4:16. I have a plan that must be followed in order for Me to build a church to overcome the gates of hell.
When I place you in a body there is a knitting of hearts in love that is paramount to the body’s structural stability. Whether you, contribute money, preach or teach, or play an instrument or sing is all secondary to the knitting process that is ongoing. The knitting demands only your presence and love, and faith, and the rest takes care of itself. The bonding as a joint in the body, is not outwardly seen at first, but when you are missing there is a tearing that takes place in those I have knit you too. This tearing many times causes the young to stumble. They feel that they have been abandoned for no reason, and the blame it on Me.
You may have talked to them only one time, but there is a confidence that My Spirit has been building in their heart, just by your presence. If your flesh decides you need a change, and you leave, you rip and tear the tender muscles and spiritual tendons, that I am building My body with, and that portion of the body becomes disjointed. Always remember it’s never about your old nature, I only work with the new you. The body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: just as I am one.
“14 The body is not one member, but many. 15 If you are a foot can you say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; are you then not part of the body? 16 And if you are a ear, can you say, Because I am not an eye, I am not part of this body; are you not still part of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? 18 But in order to build a hell defeating church I personally set you and every other member in the body, according to the way I created you.
If all of you they were all one member, where is the body? 20 Put down your flesh and recognize, it’s not all about you, but there are many members, that make up one body. 21 And if you are an eye, you cannot say to your brother the hand, I don’t need you: nor the head to the feet, I don’t need of you. 22 And remember much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, and seem to have no talent, they are part of the tendons that are necessary to hold all the joints together in love” 1 Corinthians 12:12,14-22.
It is never for you to decide which body you will be a joint in, because it was never about your flesh or its desires, but about My Kingdom!
You are Mine and you were bought with a high of price, so I could place you where I want you in My kingdom to flourish! 1 Corinthians 6:20.
If you stay where I place you, the gates of hell will never prevail against you! Matthew 16:18-19.
~ Jim Hammerle
 Jim Hammerle (1941-2017) began ministry working with David Wilkerson and Nicky Cruz, founding Teen Challenge Philadelphia. 6 times in the mission field pastoring a mission ship, 15 years with tv and radio, teaching, and preaching. As a retired businessman, Jim helped to feed widows and orphans in Uganda, helping Muslims find the Jesus who fed them. He became His banker and was privileged to give His money away, wherever He decided, so he also helping to build an orphanage in Haiti and investing in lives in the USA. Totally in love with his Lord, at age 73 he served in ministry at Victory Christian Church and lived every hour listening for his Heavenly Father’s voice. Jim passed away on May 23, 2017 to be with the LORD. |
Ephesians 1:3-14 (AMP)
3 May blessing (praise, laudation, and eulogy) be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah) Who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual (given by the Holy Spirit) blessing in the heavenly realm!
4 Even as [in His love] He chose us [actually picked us out for Himself as His own] in Christ before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy (consecrated and set apart for Him) and blameless in His sight, even above reproach, before Him in love.
5 For He foreordained us (destined us, planned in love for us) to be adopted (revealed) as His own children through Jesus Christ, in accordance with the purpose of His will [because it pleased Him and was His kind intent]—
6 [So that we might be] to the praise and the commendation of His glorious grace (favor and mercy), which He so freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.
7 In Him we have redemption (deliverance and salvation) through His blood, the remission (forgiveness) of our offenses (shortcomings and trespasses), in accordance with the riches and the generosity of His gracious favor,
8 Which He lavished upon us in every kind of wisdom and understanding (practical insight and prudence),
9 Making known to us the mystery (secret) of His will (of His plan, of His purpose). [And it is this:] In accordance with His good pleasure (His merciful intention) which He had previously purposed and set forth in Him,
10 [He planned] for the maturity of the times and the climax of the ages to unify all things and head them up and consummate them in Christ, [both] things in heaven and things on the earth.
11 In Him we also were made [God’s] heritage (portion) and we obtained an inheritance; for we had been foreordained (chosen and appointed beforehand) in accordance with His purpose, Who works out everything in agreement with the counsel and design of His [own] will,
12 So that we who first hoped in Christ [who first put our confidence in Him have been destined and appointed to] live for the praise of His glory!
13 In Him you also who have heard the Word of Truth, the glad tidings (Gospel) of your salvation, and have believed in and adhered to and relied on Him, were stamped with the seal of the long-promised Holy Spirit.
14 That [Spirit] is the guarantee of our inheritance [the firstfruits, the pledge and foretaste, the down payment on our heritage], in anticipation of its full redemption and our acquiring [complete] possession of it—to the praise of His glory.