DAILY HOPE DEVOTIONAL: JUNE 12 REVIEWING THE CHURCH JESUS BUILT (1) SCRIPTURE: Matt. 16: 18; Acts 11: 26

By 2015, a report from Pew Research Center puts the total numbers of Christians as 2.3 billion. Same Pew Research Center report as at 2024 puts it at 2.382 billion. This makes Christianity the largest religious group in the world. This number will definitely be higher presently. Christianity is a religious group built after Jesus Christ had gone to heaven. Presumably, all Christians belong to this group. The name “Christian” was first used in Antioch during the second Missionary Journey (Acts 11: 26). Before then, Jesus spoke of building His Church upon a Rock, which means upon His name, that the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Presently, there are so many denominations with different sizes and populations generally referred to as churches. It is generally believed that these churches took after the church Jesus built. These series of the devotional is beaming a search light on the church trying to see if the present church is that which Jesus Built.

Christians know that the word “church” came from either the Greek word Ekklesia or the Hebrew word “Ecclesia”. The two words mean “assembly of people.” The Jews do have assembly of citizens called out of their homes in charge of taking decisions for the people. It was extended to gathered crowds for worshipping their gods or the Almighty God depending on the religion of those gathered. It can mean gathering of politicians too. This makes either the word Ekklesia or Ecclesia a gathering of special people for special purposes. As it is, one will be correct to say that during Jesus time; many assemblies existed doing things differently, the good, the ugly and the bad.

Jesus had in mind, a new Assembly which supposed to be built after God’s Kingdom Lifestyles and according to God’s patterns. Reason He said He will, on this rock, build His Church that the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. This Church is not the building within which people sit to worship God. This Church should be people called out of their respective cultures, traditions and tribes to form a group for Divine purposes. Members of this Church supposed to be set aside and trained for things after the characteristics of God and the heavenly people. Jesus actually had the good picture of how His Church will be, will worship God, will relate with other human beings and so on. This devotional will try as much as possible to bring up what the Church Jesus Built looked like, and compares it with what the present churches are, to determine if today’s churches are the true Church Jesus Built. The humble appeal of this devotional is for all readers to patiently follow us to the end of the series. God will so much bless every one of you. May you be clothed with grace to understand us in Jesus name.

PRAYER:

FATHER, give me understanding Spirit and retentive memory to get all you are about revealing about the Church your Son Jesus Built, in Jesus name.

POSITIVE DECLARATION:

I will not miss out of Heaven because I belong to the Church Jesus Built. Hallelujah!!!

bishopubaudenyi@hopealivechurch