There is life and life abundant.

Yesterday I shared a story about a farmer selling his property. The point of the story was that sometimes we just need a new prescription to see life his way. Surely God looks down on the pain and is compassionate. But on so many levels He has given us all that is pertaining to life and Godliness, so when things are not happening, perhaps it is time for us to go to the “pantry” (New England storage) and pull from what He has supplied.

This should not be condemning or considered harsh, but simply a reality of our life. Is this not the process of a parent? That we prepare our children with the idea that one day they would be independent. That they would stand and have a clue about life.God has done the same. He has set those in the body to prepare and equip. He has not left us without a plan or a roadmap. Not left us without knowledge or instructors.

The difficulty as Paul pointed out (2 Peter 2:1-3) is that “false teaching” has taken us away from a lot. But I submit that there is a secondary difficulty. That would be the “not necessary” teaching that has propagated in the church. Pop thinking, cultural assimilation and thought process that while they are “wow” on some levels are not necessarily what will get the ball over the fence.

Staying on the baseball idea for a moment. I have a grandson who loves baseball. He loves to play. He will often talk to me about a pitcher who throws or hits a certain way and wants to emulate them. I have simply encouraged him to develop his own stance, his own throw and be who God made him to be. Not everyone can throw a certain type of pitch effectively so just because we can does not mean we ought to.

That thought carries to the church. My early church days were seen developing a style if you will. Over the years God made it uniquely me. That would be my consideration for you. That you always grow better while growing like God intended for you. I often told my children “just because we can does not mean we ought to.” (A variation of 1 Corinthians 10:23)

So what do we teach? I submit that until a child can eat on their own, force feeding them, whether it be meat or anything else is not healthy. We feed them the proper foods at the proper times of their growth for the best health.

In the area of believers, let us get the reality of Christ and who they are in Him deep in their being. That they not turn to supernatural endeavors of another kind, or ascend to education without transformation or lack the faith to stand. That they might be equipped for the days ahead, reliant on God, in full trust of His capabilities, love and grace.

Many would say eating the occasional junk food is not problematic for the average person and neither would I suggest that all revelation or teaching be off limits. BUT it would be the steady diet of junk food, either in the natural or the supernatural that ought perhaps be avoided for good health.

Paul accused the Galatians of returning to the law, or eating from a deadly porridge. “Who has bewitched you?” he asked of them. Galatians 3:1

That which equips you properly will make you healthier, vibrant and powerful. (I want to say “able to leap tall buildings in a single bound,” but alas I will refrain.) It will position you for faithfulness. Set you up for multiplication and extending what God has done in you.

True equipping has generations in mind. (Like a 12 step program it will practice principles over personalities.)

To understand where equipping of value comes from one will need to understand who the true equippers are and what their purpose is in that role.

For instance, an apostle in my current thinking would appear much like this.
The word apostle means, “one sent forth.” An apostle is sent forth by God to minister with God-given authority. He/she is a pioneer who establishes churches and lays foundational truth in people’s lives. Galatians 4:19

I would submit “Christ formed in you” would be a true understanding of who Christ is in the person of grace and truth (John 1:17), with freedom and liberty and a work finished on the cross.

Equipping like parenting is fruitful in so many ways, yet challenging in others. I have often “joked” that people send more time learning to drive than at learning to parent. With that in mind not everyone is currently equipped to be a parent. And neither are all equipped to equip.

The emergence of true equipping and equippers is at hand. Let us not look for a “diet” change but let us embrace a lifestyle.