Building & Built Together

Building, and Being Built, Together!

“…until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, as we mature to the full measure of the stature of Christ.” -Ephesians 4:13

🔎Reflection: God’s primary objective isn’t our individual or private sanctification; it’s corporate conformity to Christ. Collectively, we are God’s singular masterpiece (Eph 2:10). The LORD is refining us, together, into a unified, spotless Bride. The standard is “the full measure of the stature of Christ.” Until then, the Holy Spirit will continue to mold, stretch, test, and refine Christ’s Bride to: A) expose the impurities for removal, and B) purify the material for a useful vessel. Trials in the church are to be expected. Things like broken fellowship, disgruntled “customers,” and exposed wolves are signs of holy formation, not failure (1 Pet 4:12-13, Rom 12:4-5).

The Refiner most certainly isn’t absent in the midst of tension and trials; it is all part of the divine process, and He’s at work in it. Through suffering and service, our God of eternal Holy Trinity is baptizing us with the purifying Refiner’s fire. If we reject the PROCESS and attempt to skip to the END PRODUCT, we expose ourselves as fools. Remember Proverbs 25:4, “Take away the dross from the silver, and the smith has material for a vessel.”  The goal is unity and maturity in Christ, but we must acknowledge, accept, and cooperate with the Holy Spirit, both individually and corporately, in the process. As 1 Peter 2:5 reveals, “you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” Don’t mistake divine pruning for punishment; God is crafting The Church, strengthening Christ’s Body, and purifying His Bride for eternal glory!

🤺Action: Embrace your role in the local Body (Eph 4:16): devotion, service, forgiveness, love, surrender, and cooperation–not for a position, power, recognition, or prestige but in humble service to the KING of kings and LORD of lords. Ask God to give you the spiritual eyes to see your sin as God sees it, the courage to repent, and the humility to consider others more important than self. Commit to the LORD to serve a solid Bible-believing, Christ-honoring local church with your devotion and unity with others (Acts 2:42). Sanctification and conformity to the image of Christ isn’t something that happens in the solitary confinement of prayer rooms and private devotion times; It happens as devoted members of Christ’s Body & Bride. That’s why Hebrews 10:25 reveals, “Let us not neglect meeting together, as some have made a habit, but let us encourage one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching!”

🙏Prayer:  Holy Triune God, You are establishing Christ’s purified and unified Bride. Heavenly Father, thank You for not leaving us in our immaturity. LORD Jesus, thank You for being the perfect and divine standard of love, humility, and holiness. Holy Spirit, give us the strength, wisdom, and courage to be united in faith; conform us to the perfect image of Christ. Transform us into a people who love one another, not as the world loves, but with a bold, true, biblical, and God-honoring love. I pray this in the holy and precious name of Christ Jesus, my Redeemer and King, Amen.

Click on the following link for a short video version of today's devotional: https://youtube.com/shorts/aQLkaxAaIRM?feature=shared

Blessings & love,

Kevin M. Kelley

Pastor

BigIslandChristianChurch.com