The More Excellent Way - By Ron McGatlin

1 Cor 12:29-31: Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way.

The more excellent way is a diverse Body of Christ connected and working together by LOVE. Not all, but some are apostles. Some are prophets. Some are teachers. Some do work miracles. Some do speak in tongues. Some do interpret. Do all preach fiery repentance that leaves the floor covered with weeping and wailing bodies? Do all always emphasize the gospel of being born again? Do all preach the full gospel of the kingdom that Jesus preached? Do all always preach Holy Spirit baptism. Do all preach soaking in His presence and demonstrate it? Do all preach His rest and entering it? Do all shout and shake? Do all fall down overcome in the Spirit? Do all see spiritual visions? Do all dream spiritual dreams? Not all but some do.

God does all of these ministries and more through His people and by His Spirit. At various times and in various people according to His will and the availability of the person.

"Well we don't do this or that in my church and I will never do this or that!" Maybe it is not your part to do or be this or that. The important thing is to do and be the part God has made you to become and to fully love and connect to those who have other parts.

You may never be able to understand some of the other parts of what God is doing. We only truly have the revelation of truth that He has given us. It is our intellectual pursuit of the tree of knowledge that establishes traditions of men and causes us to believe we have the only correct understanding of the Scripture.

We have so little knowledge and intellectual understanding of God and all He is and Has done and is doing that our wisest is silly and foolish compared to God. (1 Cor 1:25-31) Again, we only truly have the truth He reveals to us by His Spirit. By the anointing of the Holy Spirit we can function in knowledge and wisdom beyond anything we have in the natural.

Only one substance can bring all the vast diversity of the Body into unity. Only the love of God overwhelming men's understanding with the reality of godly humility and wisdom can bring order and function to the Body of Christ.

Father is calling to His immature children to grow up and mature in His love. God desires to relate to us intimately and heal all of our misconceptions and deformed parts - to conform us to the image of Christ in His presence. Abiding in Him we become like Him.

Father is grieved by older children that should be mature yet are still crying out against one another like small children in the market place. (Luke 7:32)

Thank you Father that you are raising up a people who will trust and serve you without regard to their own lives. A people of your presence healed of all that would cause them to need to do it their own way. Father, we thank you for the abundance of your love flowing through us forming the Spirit of Christ within us. We choose to no longer live but are crucified with Christ and filled with His resurrection life. We praise you and honor your Holy Name. Amen

Ron McGatlin
ronmcgatlin@earthlink.net