From the Kitchen Table

The Kitchen Table   Ephesians Day 25

Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into who is the head, into Christ. 

Eph 4:15

The key to growing up in Christ is to speak the truth and to serve in love.  Speak the truth in love.  In fact, in order to operate in the gifts and government of the Holy Spirit we must let truth and love forge our character.  In order for the church to grow up in Christ there must be unity and maturity around truth and love.  Every relationship a Christian enjoys will be sown together with truth and love.  Speak the truth and serve in love.

The Kitchen Table   Ephesians Day 24

until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ Ephesians 4:13

Unity and Maturity are the goals for God for His church.  Unity in the faith and knowledge of Christ and maturity in the mind and muscle of Christ.  It’s not something that just happens individually but corporately as a church, the family of believers, in a certain place.  God has plans for His “church”.  Those plans are to reveal the full picture of Christ in a community through the unity and maturity of the church in that community.  God is working on far more than just you; He is working on and in “us” as His people, painting His picture of Jesus right where they live.  If your view is of just you, ask God to open the shades and give you a view of us.

The Kitchen Table  Ephesians Day 23

He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.

Ephesians 4:10

Jesus went to hell and through hell so that we wouldn’t have to end up in hell.  And having defeated the authorities of hell, He gifted the church to rule over hell.  But there’s a need for us to see and submit to the giftings God has given the church so that we can operate with the heart of God in harmony with God.  Jesus said that if two agree on anything it would be done for them (Matthew 18:19-20)  Jesus did what He did so that He could do what He does through the church.  Don’t just go to church, be the church and live in the fullness of God.

The Kitchen Table  Ephesians Day 22

But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift.  Eph 4:7

Live as a prisoner of Christ and walk in the power of Christ’s love.  Paul writes, “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called…” Ephesians 4:1  Live as a prisoner of God’s passion, power and purpose.  God has not prisoners of force, only prisoners of faith.  These are those who are taken captive by God’s great passion, power and plans for us and these are those who walk in God’s great power, perspective and passion in life.  Grace is given to those who are given to God.  It is the underserved and unreserved love of God working in us and for us as prisoners of Christ.

The Kitchen Table            Philippians Day 38

And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19

Never doubt God, He will do what He says.  Those who look for God’s fruit (the evidence of God’s presence) will find God’s favor.  It’ easy to get caught up in looking at fear but God’s favor is found in His fruit.  His fruit is in His features of His faithfulness.  Stay grateful for His goodness and you’ll see greatness of His goodness.

The Kitchen Table            Philippians Day 37

Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit. Philippians 4:17

God’s provision is in the fruit.  Look for the fruit and you’ll find the favor.  Be grateful for what is doing in and through you as He works on and around you.  Look for it!  It’s happening!  Where we find fruit we will find favor.

The Kitchen Table            Philippians Day 36

Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble. Philippians 4:14

Call it what it is when someone shares with you, kindness.  It was kind.  It was beautiful how they blessed you in your trouble.  Name it!  Recognize it!  Don’t let it just slip about.  God has done something in you and around you to accomplish His will for you and through you.  One of the greatest things we do to defeat the devil is to thank God for His help and thank the person He worked through to help you.  Don’t just say thank you, say thank you for…  Recognize what God has done and who He did it with.  Personal thanks inspires growth in us and in them.  Personal thanksgiving nails down the victory and declares heaven in the here and now.  It was kind for you to share in my… Do it!

The Kitchen Table            Philippians Day 35

I can do all things through him who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13

This isn’t about doing it yourself by yourself for yourself.  It’s about God working in us and around us to accomplish His will for us through us.  Paul was encouraged and assisted by the church that came alongside to help him.  Sometimes help comes as a human but looks like an angel.  Be thankful.  God is working in and around you to work on and through you.  We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.  Someone asked me, “When do the blessing come and how?” I don’t know how; they just do.  The thankful believer just recognizes that they (blessings) are here.  We begin to see blessings and we live in blessings, know that we can because He does.  Life knowing that God’s help is in you and around you to accomplish His will for you and through you. 

The Kitchen Table            Philippians Day 34

I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need Philippians 4:12

Learn from life!  Don’t just let it pass by.  Those who learn from life won’t lose at life.  We learn how to trust and wait on God and in the process, we learn to overcome the flesh and its fears.  In order to learn from life, we must be willing to look at life, even at the hard and painful times.  In looking at life we will find the Lord of life living there too.  What we want to learn is that the Lord of life is living in this life too and He will give us the strength and supply to live out life.  Those who refuse to look at life will most likely lose at life.  God gives us opportunities to learn from life so that we can learn to live this life in His strength and supply.  Learn from life with God and we won’t lose in life without God.

The Kitchen Table            Philippians Day 33

I rejoiced in the Lord greatly…                     Philippians 4:10

Sometimes our greatest battle is the fear of the unknown.  It’s in rejoicing that we find revelation.  Revelation helps us see and understand what God wants and what God is working in our lives.  Revelation works with rejoicing.  It’s that attitude and that action that accommodates revelation.  Paul didn’t know how God was going to provide but God gave Him revelation that he can and will survive through Christ.  Rejoicing in what God has done will empower us to see what God will do.  It’s called “revelation” and it brings us to a place of rest in God.  In rejoicing we find revelation and rest and we no longer have to fear the unknown.