If we are the Body. A Challange to the church today

 Read and listen to the lyrics of this song. I believe it challenges the church to a higher level. Two parts of the song stood out to me.

“CHORUS
But if we are the Body
Why aren’t His arms reaching
Why aren’t His hands healing
Why aren’t His words teaching
And if we are the Body
Why aren’t His feet going
Why is His love not showing them there is a way”

The chorus of the song reminded for me of the truth that the Church is the body of Christ, and that the parts of the body have specific, very important purposes. I was reminded of 1 Corinthians 12:19-25.

“If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another.”

Let us remember that the church is the body of Christ, not that the Baptists are the body of Christ and the Pentecostals are another body of Christ, but that we are all the body of christ, " Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. (1 Corinthians 12:27)”

Christ is the head of one body, and that is the Body of Christ.


 It's crowded in worship today
As she slips in
Trying to fade into the faces
The girls' teasing laughter is carrying farther than they know
Farther than they knowCHORUS
But if we are the Body
Why aren't His arms reaching
Why aren't His hands healing
Why aren't His words teaching
And if we are the Body
Why aren't His feet going
Why is His love not showing them there is a way
There is a wayA traveler is far away from home
He sheds his coat
And quietly sinks into the back row
The weight of their judgmental glances tells him that his chances
Are better out on the roadCHORUS
But if we are the Body
Why aren't His arms reaching
Why aren't His hands healing
Why aren't His words teaching
And if we are the Body
Why aren't His feet going
Why is His love not showing them there is a wayJesus paid much too high a price
For us to pick and choose who should come
And we are the Body of ChristChorus (2x)
If we are the body
Why aren't His arms reaching
Why aren't His hands healing
Why aren't His words teaching
And if we are the body
Why aren't His feet going
Why is His love not showing them there is a wayJesus is the way

The Power and Priority of Prayer

Many Canadian Christians in the church today wonder what they can do to take the Gospel to all of Canada. Many feel caught in a terrible obligation rather than an awesome opportunity to see God Glorified and people come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. The Bible partnered with testimony from around the world shows us that taking on Christ’s challenge to share the Gospel comes with great reward and great joy! The fact that God answers prayer is recognized by the church worldwide. But with this idea so widespread in the church it’s a wonder we don’t spend more energy praying and petitioning to God. I urge you to not see prayer as a ritual, a mere requirement of faith, but an essential tool that God promises to use, to build his kingdom. In other countries around the world Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs, and other faith are being changed by the Gospel, Why do we act as if it can’t happen here? It can, through prayer…everyone can be transformed by the power of the Gospel. AW Tozer once said, “Anything God has ever done, he can do now. Anything God has done anywhere, God can do here. Anything God has ever done for anyone, God can do for you. We have seen God work in some of the spiritually darkest parts of the world. This should be for us proof that the Evangelization of our Multi-ethnic, multi-faith culture is possible. Canadians are spiritually thirsty and we need to pray that they would be given the living water to quench their thirst so they never thirst again. Please play for our nation. Please share the Gospel with unsaved friends and family. Not for me, not for yourself, but for the Glory of God to praise of his name.

The Ultimate Goal of the Church

Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is. Missions
exists because worship doesn’t. Worship is ultimate, not missions,
because God is ultimate, not man. When this age is over, and
the countless millions of the redeemed fall on their faces before the
throne of God, missions will be no more. It is a temporary necessity.
But worship abides forever.

Worship, therefore, is the fuel and goal of missions. It’s the goal of
missions because in missions we simply aim to bring the nations into
the white-hot enjoyment of God’s glory. The goal of missions is the
gladness of the peoples in the greatness of God. “The LORD reigns, let
the earth rejoice;
let the many coastlands be glad!” (Ps. 97:1). “Let the peoples praise you,
O God; let all the peoples praise you! Let the nations be glad and sing for
joy!” (Ps. 67:3–4).
But worship is also the fuel of missions. Passion for God in worship
precedes the offer of God in preaching. You can’t commend what you
don’t cherish. Missionaries will never call out, “Let the nations be
glad!” who cannot say from the heart, “
I rejoice in the LORD
. . . .
I will
be glad and exult in you,
I will sing praise to your name, O Most High”
(Ps. 104:34; 9:2). Missions begins and ends in worship.

If the pursuit of God’s glory is not ordered above the pursuit of
man’s good in the affections of the heart and the priorities of the
church, man will not be well served, and God will not be duly honored.