Hi Mike,

I really enjoyed the study today. I wanted to just mention to you something you may have heard before about the name of Judah which means praise!

Rom 2:29  But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise (Judah) is not of men, but of God.

Or one could say whose ‘Judah’ is not of men, but of God, being spiritual Jews!
I was thinking and praying this week about unity in the body and how I’m sure no one wants to feel disconnected, and no one wants to feel like a second class citizen in the body of Christ, and yet Satan is an expert at creating that spirit within us at times whether we succumb to low spiritual self esteem or misunderstand the intentions of others, and this is as much a part of the counsel of God’s own will as are all things to the end that we will come to the unity in Christ which God is able to bring about within the body of Christ.
God help us to see that we’re nothing of ourselves and that if we are grateful for each other, we will not be divided but rather see each other as a gift from God. As you have always said we need to be humbly thankful for what we have and need to realize that we are where we are, and with what we have, and what we’re able to give only by the grace of God.
I think if we’re all honest, we can declare that the greatest struggle in each us is the struggle to keep unity in the body of Christ, and to always esteem all men greater than ourselves because it is the truth. As I mentioned to you only Christ can be Christ, so I look for Him by his leading to follow others as they follow Him and hope that we can all remember if we do feel less than valuable from time to time, that yes, it’s true we’re not worthy to hold the sandals of Christ as God’s word declares, but God loves us all (Joh 3.16) so much that He gives us Christ to live in us.
Without teachers, without gifts, without works which are preordained, the body of Christ has no meaning and we have become respecters of persons. I’ve been there for many years in the WWCG, and now I know for certain that we are all being drawn to the same conclusion, each man in His appointed time that it is His silver and gold which we have to deal with.
As the unnatural branch by design, we count it a great blessing to be accepted in the Beloved, and it is more blessed to give than to receive, and we are in the first resurrection brought to this conclusion by His word which says “blessed and holy is he who has part in first resurrection…”; blessed because of the abundant harvest before us which with Christ in us will be reaped, and holy because we are sanctified by the process of much tribulation which brought us to that first resurrection, and now without self and any delusion of grandeur we are ready to do the bidding of our Lord! Luk 17.10 comes to mind; “We are worthless slaves; we have only done what we ought to have done”
You have helped me see that not only are the brethren a gift from God, but all of His creation, which He is mercifully moving forward according to the council of His own will.
Like Moses we see in type and shadow that the greatest blessing that can be bestowed upon this generation that He is working with is to be able to have a great respect for the recompense of the reward which He identified with suffering with the people of God.
At the end we see that He has redeemed us from every nation, language, tongue and people from within, and we are able to make this clear to the masses as we declare ourselves as only helpers of their joy.
Mike, all I can say is that you and the brethren are always in my prayers along with your family, and I know God will use us all exactly as He sees fit for the overall growth and unity of the body. God bless and keep you and yours,
Your brother in Christ,
T____

Hi T____,

This is a wonderful revelation which I will share with our brothers and sisters. You are right on in every way. Of ourselves we are nothing, but if Christ is living His life in us, then our lives will in some way be used to bless, nourish and edify others in His body.

Eph 4:16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

God bless you!
Your brother in Christ,
Mike