Daily Bible Verses for 1/2/2017

Daily Verse(s)
But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills. For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For in fact the body is not one member but many.

Reading Notes
As followers of Jesus, we are all one body, that is to say we are all one family in Christ Jesus our Lord. But how is that? How does God make us all one body, one family in Jesus? First, we all become children of God, brothers and sisters in the family of God, through our faith in Jesus. In addition, God makes us joint-heirs with Christ when we accept Jesus, so we inherit God’s kingdom together as one family. Therefore, first all of us enter into the same family as we are adopted into the family of God through our faith in Christ. Second, we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit who begins a work of sanctification in our hearts when we accept Jesus. And it’s through the Holy Spirit’s work of sanctification whereby He changes our hearts and minds, conforming us to the image of Christ. The Holy Spirit after salvation, works in our lives as we come together in one accord, as one body in Christ.

This happens because of His work in our hearts and minds. Our salvation brings to us a supernatural joy and peace, which brings us into fellowship with one another. That purpose is to praise and honor our King! To praise our Lord and King, Christ Jesus the Lord! And because of this one love we all share, God has made each of us part of the same family of faith which is the church. All of us working together to do His will in our lives and in this world. This happens because God has a special purpose for all those who have placed their faith in Jesus alone for salvation. God calls each of us, every follower of Jesus to bless others with the blessings we ourselves have been given. Jesus Himself gives abilities and spiritual gifts to each believer, through the work of the Holy Spirit. Abilities to be used within the fellowship of the church and the world around us. These gifts are for the edification, spiritual growth and care of all God’s children. In addition, God through His Holy Spirit places a desire within our hearts, to use our gifts, abilities and resources to help those in the world around us, who are in need and to seek out the lost and bring them to the saving knowledge of Jesus.