the Book's Story

There are several questions that come to mind when one sits and ponders his or her existence as a part of the body of Christ.

After the Holy Spirit taught me and brought me to the understanding of how the body of Christ works (Romans 12:4–8 NIV; 1 Corinthians 12:12–31 NIV), I came to the overwhelming conclusion that I am here, both in this place and at this time, not by accident but for a specific reason.

I tried to reconcile this revelation with my life, wondering, then why am I here? What is my purpose?

Why was I created?

After much enlightenment, which brought with it a sense of duty and urgency, another profound question emerged: What do I do, and by extension, what do we believers do as our congregations mature in Christ? I also wondered, How do we interact within the body, of which we are a part, where God’s definition of unity in thought, speech, and action is not emulated as it should be?

As I lamented over this quandary, I began with a conclusion, which was: this current situation is present in all the congregations of God’s beloved ecclesia. Since one of the ministries of the church is evangelism, this means that there are always babes being added to our numbers.

Therefore I believe it was due to my effort, to reconcile my dilemma with the Word, which allowed the Spirit to reveal the answer to this apparent cornerstone problem.

It is when I experience moments of being answered by the Spirit that I am the most satisfied with my existence and contented with the promises and rewards of serving my Lord. I perceive these moments as times in which I can fully experience God in all His glory, as if nothing else exists other than His will—an ambiance of unity, meaning, and purpose, God’s gift, an experience of His intricate workings.

O how I give thanks when I am privy to God expressed through His Spirit’s revelation. O how my appreciation swells for the Word in these moments when meaning and purpose are conveyed as a result of my effort to remain within His ambiance, my effort to be of God.

Even though I viewed this problem as complex, God’s answer was profoundly simple: "teach and endure!"

The Holy Spirit conveyed to me that I should allow the understanding He had revealed and will continue to reveal to be the basis for my thoughts and evident in my actions. God’s Spirit said to me, “Allow Me to use you as a vessel from which I teach.” This was confirmed as He brought back to my mind (John 14:26 NIV), Ephesians 4:11–13 and, 2 Timothy 2:10.

It is on account of this role that the Holy Spirit has called me to play that I, at this point in time, sought to pen the understanding of what governs a Christian’s personal relationship with God. However, the truth that lies within will be a blessing to all who read it, as it edifies by enlightening and therefore empowering.