How BEAUTIFUL is the BODY

The Body of CHRIST (when it is functioning properly . . .) is TRULY a wonder to behold . . .

Whether we are persecuted 'house church' Christians in communist China (Protestant or 'underground' Vatican Catholics . . .), or whether we are free-floating evangelicos in Latin America who give generously to the LORD (the full 10% gross of one's income) OR whether we are the African American church in America trying to bring the FULL TITHE into the storehouse of the LORD (with 'greats' such as Bishop Eddie Long, Martin Luther King Jr.'s daughter Elder Bernice King, et al), the BODY of JESUS CHRIST is truly AWESOME!

BUT, just when we are successful as a 'Body' (e.g. TV preacher and mega-phenom Joel Osteen or charismatic African American preacher T.D. Jakes . . .), the evil of America rears its ugly head!

How can YOU be successful, dear Mr. or Mrs. Christian man or woman?

Shouldn't you be 'dirt poor' as a Christian?

Well, no!

Father Abraham had MUCH money, but he TITHED 10% (his best Abel, NOT Cain offering . . .), and so the LORD God rewarded him.

Similarly, ole Job was afflicted. Job lost his family, his belongings, etc., but since he persevered in the LORD, he was BLESSED and at the END of the day, Job received back MUCH MORE than he had lost!

Then comes JESUS CHRIST.

Jesus Christ called all types.

Jesus Christ called prostitutes. Jesus Christ called 'tax collectors' (Sorry, Mr. Ron Paul!). Jesus Christ called even 'intellectuals' whether it was the Physician Gospel Writer named Luke OR whether it was the Jewish scribe (and former religious persecutor of the Christian sect . . .) named St. Paul.

And THEN, 50 days after Jesus left, along comes the Holy Spirit!

The early Christian community began SPEAKING IN TONGUES!

Today, the psychologists and psychiatrists, butressed as they are by state police force, would call this 'delusional.'

But, NOT so . . .

The HOLY SPIRIT will NOT be mocked! The Holy Spirit FILLED the first Christians. The Holy Spirit CONTINUED to fill later generations of Christians, whether it was the Early Church (apparently early Church Father, Tertullian) or later Christians.

And where the SPIRIT of the LORD is, there is FREEDOM, there is GENEROSITY, there is an ANOINTED flow of resources. 'Money' is used to control people, making us all slaves to the system. BUT the Holy Spirit required the earliest Christian community (Acts of the Apostles) to turn in all of the proceeds, lay them at the apostles feet and the lo and behold ALL members of the Christian community delighted!

So, if you want to 'get ahead,' then your heart is in the wrong place . . . You can go to Harvard and still be miserable.

You can go to Duke and still end up with a fractured home life.

ONLY through Jesus Christ can you have an abundant life . . .

Love in Christ,
Rob J. King