Webster defines Family as “a group consisting of parents and children living together; a group of people related to one another by blood or marriage; all the descendants of a common ancestor.”
If He lives in you, the we are connected by Christ’s blood and He is also our common “Ancestor.” How joyous and wonderful it is to be in God’s family, where we can love, support, pray for, cheer on, dwell together and support one another through this life. Psalm 133:1 declares: “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity!”
We are family! it seems fitting that God is reminding us who we really are today in this world, just like the Apostle Paul in ancient times. Whenever he spoke, especially to the Ephesians and often to Timothy, he encouraged each person to embrace and recognize their position in the Family of God. Ephesians 2:18-19: “for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and are of God’s household.”
Over forty years ago as He called Richard and I to full-time ministry, He asked us to build a spiritual family, I was taken back at His request and just had to ask Him, “Why do You need another ‘church’ when it seems like you have almost a church, bank or gas station on every corner?” We were very content to serve and support our pastors and had no desire to leave.
Then, He began to teach me that these special families were all part of His Kingdom - His household. Their various assignments made them Kingdom Households for Him to enjoy and have relationship, as well as to fulfill His desires here on earth. He gave them various assignments and strengths. Some were more evangelistic, some excelled especially with training, healing, missions, the prophetic and more. Every “church” in His eyes was an extension of Him and He called them His family.
I was recently reminded of the many waves of revelation or dispensations through the years we have been privileged to experience. Healing of the 50’s, Evangelism, the Jesus movement, Charismata and Holy Spirit of the 60’s and 70’s, Prophetic movements with treasure hunts, dreams and visions, with evangelistic outreach of the 80’s, Home Group movements, House Churches and Mega Churches of the 90’s, to the present with the Apostolic movement, all with His “anointing” and “gifts.”
Over time, at least to me, I sensed some of His places of habitation became more like “institutions” in reaching people with their “specialties;” becoming more divisive as they celebrated numbers and competition with spiritual gifts, rather than inviting people into a relationship with our Father and one another. It seemed that growing as a family and learning about God’s ways was no longer “enough”
This dialogue and revelation changed my perception of His ways and purposes as well as His desire to build His Kingdom through “Families.” God’s plan is to build communities of and for His children; include brothers and sisters, elders with moms and dads, grandpas and grandmas - to encourage, teach, train, guide, mentor, watch over and pray for, while supporting each other - and most importantly – loving one another. God is able to reveal and model His family plan to all who know and abide in Him.
Honestly, it was a challenge, to think of stepping into a “pastor” role with Richard. But with this revelation, I could accept our full-time call to facilitate, like Aquila and Priscilla, and allow God to lay and build His foundation for a family. Even to this day, when I pass by a church building, I see a Family of God, who He has assigned and knitted together; understanding that the building is just a building, and His church, which is really the people and family inside, are my family too.
As we continue in Ephesians Chapter 2:20-22 Paul continues to instruct us of our positioning in God’s Kingdom: “having been built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone. In whom the whole building (body), being fitted together is growing into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you are also being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.”
I love this so much! We are being fitted together, a part of His temple, being built together as His dwelling place. We need each other! God has built His Kingdom where there are never to be “lone rangers.” Yes, we all at times have been wounded by issues and misunderstandings, but we need to be connected in relationship with Him, as well as in Spirit, and when possible in person with community. We gain our peace, strength and power when we gather and commune together. We gain understanding and revelation as well as strength and endurance when we align together. God loves relationship! He has built us to desire relationship with Him as well as each other.
I believe we will begin to see divine direction for some communities to return, or even new communities birthed, to the heart of God and his desire for a fresh family structure and supportive body, that will draw the prodigals and youth that long for connection, long for love and support; who need guidance, wisdom and counsel, and the dynamic of family they have possibly never known.
As we allow God to work deeply within us, let’s surrender to His plan of transformation to become the family that no longer expends their energy through, criticism, elitism or competition. Let’s be His body rightly fitted together as we pray for one another, celebrate and cheer on one another, support one another, giving hope to each other in His love, knowing we all form His Temple – a place for Him to dwell. And as the author of Hebrew extolled thousands of years ago - and still very relevant today:
“Therefore, since we also have such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let’s rid ourselves of every obstacle and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let’s run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking only at Jesus, the originator and perfecter of the faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God,” (Hebrews 12:1-2).
You are invited to come and be apart, as He continues to build His Kingdom, through relationship and family, that has no end - “and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end,” Luke 1:33.
In His Love,
PS - Here are a few of my favorite Scriptures as we continue to study His ways.
Corinthians 12:12 NASB -“For just as the body is one and yet has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. For the body is not one part, but many. If the foot says, “Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any less a part of the body. And if the ear says, “Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? But now God has arranged the parts, each one of them in the body, just as He desired. If they were all one part, where would the body be? But now there are many parts, but one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; or again, the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, it is much truer that the parts of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary; and those parts of the body which we consider less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor, and our less presentable parts become much more presentable, whereas our more presentable parts have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that part which lacked, so that there may be no division in the body, but that the parts may have the same care for one another. And if one part of the body suffers, all the parts suffer with it; if a part is honored, all the parts rejoice with it. Now you are Christ’s body, and individually parts of it.”
Psalm 40:8 – “I delight to do Your will, O my God; Your Law is within my heart.”
Psalm 25:4-5 –“Show me Your Ways, O Lord, teach me Your paths; guide me in Your truth and teach me, for You are My Savior, and my hope is in You all day long.”
Ephesians 4:15-16 – “But speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him, who is the head, Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by that which every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.”
Scriptures taken from the New American Standard Bible, © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved (www.Lockman.org).