God's Army: What is the Church?

Day 4

1 Peter 2:9-10 (New International Version)

⁹But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. ¹⁰Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Do you know your heritage? Perhaps there are Native Americans in your lineage--or you may have Scottish blood. Knowing you're part of a larger family gives you a sense of place in the history of the world, letting you know you're not just the new kid on the block. You may not know your human heritage, but you can know your spiritual heritage. Peter, a Jew, reminded all the believers in his church--regardless of their race-that because they belonged to Christ, they were a part of God's people and members of God's kingdom. This is your spiritual heritage. Being a Christian isn't just about knowing Jesus. It's about being a part of what God is doing in all of us all over the world.

How does it feel to know you're a part of a larger spiritual kingdom?

How should this knowledge change the way you live as a believer?

God's Army: What is the Church?

Day 3 (Today)

1 Corinthians 12:27-31 (New International Version)

²⁷Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. ²⁸And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. ²⁹Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? ³⁰Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues^"? Do all interpret? ³¹But eagerly desire the greater gifts.
And now I will show you the most excellent way.

Colossians 1:18 (New International Version)

¹⁸And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.

Being a part of a family means different things as you grow up. At first you just have the family's name; but as you grow, you take on more responsibilities. However, you never lose that name. In these passages Paul told us a lot about who we are as a Church. First, in Colossians 1:18 he let us know who's boos: Jesus is the Head of the Church. Not a pastor or a group of men--only Jesus himself. Yet in the 1 Corinthians passage, Paul reveals that inside of that Church every on of us has a role to play, just like every part of your body has a specific function. So while Jesus functions as the authority of the Church, as we as the glue that holds it all together, you also have a unique role to fill that no on else can. Without you, the Church won't work the way Jesus wants it to. And that makes you indispensable.

How can you honor Jesus today as the Head of his Church?

Do you know what your role in the Church is? Ask Christ to show you.

God's Army: What is the Church?

Day 2 (Tuesday's)

Mark 10:17-31 (New International Version)

The Rich Young Man

¹⁷As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. "Good teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"

¹⁸"Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good—except God alone. ¹⁹You know the commandments: 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.' "

²⁰"Teacher," he declared, "all these I have kept since I was a boy."

²¹Jesus looked at him and loved him. "One thing you lack," he said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

²²At this the man's face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.

²³Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!"

²⁴The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, "Children, how hard it is^b]">[b] to enter the kingdom of God! ²⁵It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."

²⁶The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, "Who then can be saved?"

²⁷Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God."

²⁸Peter said to him, "We have left everything to follow you!"

²⁹"I tell you the truth," Jesus replied, "no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel ³⁰will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life. ³¹But many who are first will be last, and the last first."

This is one of those classic moments in Scripture--the moment in which someone decides to leave everything and follow Christ. But put yourself in Peter's shoes. He'd already said yes and left his home and his job. He was able to do what the rich young ruler wasn't. Jesus told Peter he'd receive a hundredfold of what he'd left behind "in this present age." So how does that work? Peter wasn't the father of hundreds by the time he died. Jesus was trying to help us understand that when you join him, you join his family. Through Christ we become connected to all other believers. So instead of being out on your own, all of us in the Church support and love on another. You already have lots of fathers, mothers, brothers, and sisters just because you're part of your church. Welcome to the family!

Have you made the kind of choice that Peter did?

How are you building relationships with the people in your church?

God's Army: What is the Church?

(Sorry this was yesterday's I forgot to post)

Day 1
Matthew 16:13-20

When Jesus came to the region of Ceasarea Phillipi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?"
They replied, "Some say John the Baptist;others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or on of the prophets."
"But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?"
Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; Whatever you bind of earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." Then he warned his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Christ.


In Jesus' day, everyone was confused about who he was, and no one fully grasped his mission as the Messiah. Living on this side of history, we're better able to understand his mission; we know the end of the story. But lots of people are still confused about Jesus today. Some believe he's just a teacher, others believe he's one of many pathway's to heaven, and still others believe he's a lunatic. And then some people don't believe he existed at all.

Before we can be a part of he Church, we have to answer this question for ourselves: Do I really believe that Jesus is the Son of God and that he can save me from my sins?

The only way into the Church is to confess Jesus as Lord. Have you done that?

If no one you knew believed in Jesus, would you? Why?

If everyone you knew decided that Jesus wasn't really the Son of God would you? Why?

The Honeymoon, Don't Worry Still Strong!

My last blog was posted in the heat of frustration! It is true that ALL marriages/couples have their moments. Posting that blog was more for me to vent, made me feel better. I know I haven't posted since then so I left you all hanging in the wind wondering what is going on. Well don't worry, our Honeymoon isn't over and is still going strong! Let me clarify:

Last post I made a statement about how people would tell me to just wait, wait until the honeymoon phase is over after the first or second year. I always wondered because we didn't get to that point. Well we still haven't, dispite my last blog. I know what your thinking, "man this girl is in denial". No, see I have a special marriage. It may sound like I am tooting my own horn or exaggerating but stay with me. See when Jeremy and I got married I was standing there thinking to myself, "Wow this is an amazing moment!" Thinking that this must be how all brides feel, but it seemed more then that. Just then Pastor Bob leaned over and said, "The Spirit of God is here, can you feel it?" I realized that's what it was. God had divinely place Jeremy and I together and at that moment His Spirit came upon us and we became one under God! How awesome!

Jeremy and I have always had an extra wonderful marriage and for awhile I doubted that it was so good because of those statements from friends and co-workers about that honeymoon phase being over. But I don't have to doubt because God put us together. When people complain about their spouse or their marriage I can truly say, "I don't have that problem"!

Don't get me wrong, Jeremy and I have our moments as do all couples. My last post was one of those moments, but when God is the head of our marriage the honeymoon is never over! I often take it for granted. My last post was just that!

Thank You Lord for leading and guiding me and my Husband, and our marriage together! Thank you that You are continuing to show us the way and strengthen our marriage! You Rock! If I would have picked my own spouse, oh what a disaster that would have been, and what a joyous love I have experienced with you picking! We are truly the perfect couple, only in YOU!

Honeymoon Really Over?

I haven't posted much but it has been a hard couple months and I was always taught "if you don't have something nice to say don't say anything at all" or blog it in this case but I need to catch you up. So here's what has been going on:

July - Aaron was born, Christina had a breakdown in the hospital
Aug - Dad passed away
Sept & Oct - I don't even remember, I think I was walking around in a daze
Nov & Dec - Just tried to get through the holidays without losing it
Jan - Started losing it, dealing with my Dad's death, new baby, two other older boys, a teenager living with us that is not our child who was not doing well in school
Feb - Nathan turns 3
March - Jeremy turns 5

In all this Jeremy and I have become ships passing in the night. When we got married people liked to tell us that the 1st year would be great then reality would set in during the 2nd year and the honeymoon would be over. Well the 2nd year came and went, the 3rd, 4th, 5th, and somewhere in the 6th (which is now) it happened.

With with all the stuff going on in our life there is no time for us. Even if we made time there are still kids around. We don't have money for a babysitter, my mom stays in bed if she doesn't have to go to work, and my in laws are in NH. I have Kali but when asked to do something there is a big sigh and the eye roll. We have great friends but because of their special circumstances with their daughter we wouldn't burden them with asking to babysit all three of our boys.

Either way though we have to do it. We have to get back to communicating. I guess the Honeymoon is really over! (for now, don't worry)

I know that I blogged before about the feeling of being alone and still if not more then ever, I feel oh so alone. My God is there but yet I can not feel Him. That is all my fault. As I was telling some of my youth group girls, I do not sit still long enough which makes it difficult to hear my God. I have always struggled with being still and with being lonely. Jeremy was all I had left except for God and now it is just me and God. I am SURE He wants it that way.

I need to rely on Christ more and more each day. Please pray for me that I continue to surrender myself daily.

I could also use some help with dealing with teenagers. Yes I am a youth leader but it is different when they are living in your house and even more difficult when they are not your own children.

All alone, frustrated, and emotionally drained! I really miss my Daddy! Thanks for letting me emotionally vomit on my blog! Just pray for all of us here in the Schoenrock Household!