Greater Heights for His Kingdom

Philippians 1:27: “Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel,“

We have just come through a tremendous weekend with Jeff Kinley and our Prophecy Conference. I believe that people today are starving to hear the truth of the Gospel. The evidence is that I met so many people from places that were far away, Ohio, Tennessee, Arkansas and even some of the farthest points in Kentucky, like Whitesburg which brought a whole bus. The one question I got and continually get, is where can they find places that teach the truth?

I believe that the Lord has given us an unbelievable responsibility and that is to truly be a light house in this dark world. But we need to understand that as we seek the Lord and want to go to greater heights there will be obstacles and even those who will go against us. So, we as a church, how should we react to this responsibility?

I was reading in the book of Philippians and I was inspired by what the Apostle Paul had to say to the Philippian church. In Philippians 1:27, Paul starts by telling the church two things. First, he said “let your conduct be worthy of the Gospel” and second “we should stand fast in the Spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.” If we as a church just did those two things what a difference it would make not only in our church but where we live also.

Paul did not stop there for he continues to talk to the church in chapter two. In verses one through four he gives us specific things that each member needs to consider. Philippians 2:1-4: “Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.“

Notice the things the Apostle Paul says because of the love of the Lord has been shed abroad in our hearts. He tells us to be like minded, that we would have the same love, the love that our Lord has for others. To be of one accord and of one mind, that we would be the mind of Christ, the mind that we got when we surrendered to Jesus. That, in everything we do, every ministry to be never done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind, let each one of us esteem others better than himself.  And he tells us, for each one of us not only to look to his own interest, but also for the interests of others.

Can we even begin to imagine what a church could accomplish for the Kingdom of God? What a spirit of cooperation, and truly a love for one another that would be real, not a love that we say we have love for one another to a person’s face and then turn around and talk about them to their back. No, to discover and practice the real love of Jesus.

Pastor Lee Cruse who people would probably say was dreaming, but what if, just what if, you and I were a part of a congregation that would allow this to happen in our midst?