Saturday 15 September, 2012

Make a time today to meet or call another believer  to    confess your sins to each other and to pray for each other.

 

Equipping and Discipline

Read: Ephesians 4:11-16, Matthew 18:15-20

 

Have you ever had a really dirty pot or pan in the kitchen and had to scrub and scrub to clean it off? Or have you ever had really get a lot of elbow grease into something to really clean it up?

 

In the same way that it takes effort to clean up dirt and grime on pots and pans it takes effort, time and work by the Holy Spirit to scrub off the sinful habits on our lives and to make us more like Jesus. This process is called Sanctification and is the process by which God works in our lives to transform us to be more like Him.

The Church participates in this process of sanctification by equipping the church members for God’s service and in discipline where required in order to encourage and promote holiness.

 

In Ephesians we see how Jesus has equipped us with gifts to use for His service. Last week we looked in detail at the spiritual gifts. Look back over last weeks studies if you need to. How can you use your spiritual giftings to serve, build up and equip the church?

 

In Matthew Jesus explains the process by which church discipline should occur. In this age of anti-authoritarian thinking it is easy to dismiss the idea of church discipline as antiquated. However, discipline is a vital element in the life of the church and a very important way that the church participates in the work of sanctification.

 

Take special note of the steps that Jesus outlines for church discipline. Keep these in mind for the next time that you have a dispute with a fellow believer or believe that a fellow believer is caught in sin.

 

Take a moment to think about how the Holy Spirit is working in your life to make you more like Jesus. If you are struggling with a persistent sin at the moment find a time today to meet with another believer or call another believer to confess your sins to each other and to pray for each other.

 

Prayer:

Spend a few moments in adoration, confession and thanksgiving before praying these and other prayer points. Write down what you pray.

 

Adoration:

 

Confession:

 

Thanks:

 

Supplication:

Pray for the elders and leaders of the church for situations in the future where they will be required to participate in church

¨ discipline. Pray that God would give them wisdom and that they would be able to encourage those involved to live lives of holiness.

¨ Pray for the Sonday services at church tomorrow. Pray that as we examine the aspects of church life together that we would be encouraged to live differently as the church and to reflect Christ in all we do.