"A Call to Reform"

Well, here we are...the half-way point through our 40 Days of Purpose.  What's the purpose?   To see God transform the hearts and lives of our people in such  way, that we can look back and say, "Wow!  Only God could do that kind of work!!!"  As I revisit the sermon text from Sunday, and read the passages surrounding it, I'm more and more convinced that is exactly what Paul is presenting to the Ephesians and later to the Romans as well.  Reform!  The Merriam-Webster's Dictionary defines Reform as:

1.   to put or change into an improved form or condition

2.  to amend or improve by change of form or removal of faults or abuses

Paul is pleading to these early Christians for reform.  The early church faced many struggles: heresy, persecution, pride, arrogance, dissension...interestingly many of the same things we still face today.  Perhaps we are in need of reform just as badly as the church at Ephesus.  In chapter 3 of Ephesians, Paul is calling for unity among the brethren...

"For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name.  I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.  And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long, and high, and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge - that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."  (3:14-19)

Essentially, Paul is saying, "Get over yourselves and try to conceive the big picture!" 

The time for reform is now!!!  This is a call to put a change into an improved form, or to amend or improve by change of form or removal of faults or abuses.  

We spend so much time consuming ourselves with our own pride and narcissism that we end up missing the big picture.  Imagine if we were to have an entire culture or better yet an entire FBC Goldthwaite of every single person out of love telling each other, "Whatever you need, I'm here,"  putting aside any selfish ambition or desires completely.  What a reform, if we had an entire FBC Goldthwaite of people "...living a life worthy of the calling they had received...!" (Eph. 4:1)

My challenge is this, take some time this week to seek the LORD.  Are there any areas of your life that are keeping you from know how wide and long and high and deep the love of Christ is?  Is there anything in your life keeping you from living a life worthy of the calling your received?  

Will you join me in this Reform?