For those filled with the miracle working power of God, a knowledgeable and Spirit inspired lifestyle is essential. This requires an intimate understanding of God's purposes and values. We need to be aware that the scriptural principles we choose to prioritize, will determine whether we keep growing and prospering spiritually, or whether we fall short of the promised blessings that the Lord has offered us. First and foremost, the local church is part of the whole family of God... the body of Christ. Every church is a family structure in its own right with many of the apostles confirming this principle with the very personal content of their epistles. Family attitudes and priorities should be the driving influences behind every blessing and all overcoming. The following is a series of scriptures that reveal the extent of this great truth.

God has taken diverse people from every corner of society and filled them with the power of the Holy Spirit. We are all different, have different expectations, differing skills and abilities and differing priorities; however, we are all expected to build God’s family together. We have no natural ability or talent that bridges all these differences, thus we have to take our instruction from God's word. This focus on family life is more about keeping people in a place of safety from the judgment coming upon this world than it is about having a good time. There is a real urgency to get our lives into order; there are many other lives to save.

The following scriptures make a clear case for the church to promote the anointing of the Holy Spirit as its first and most urgent priority. Many today are being sidetracked by the need to have 'spiritual experiences', while the bible is more interested in getting people filled with Spirit of God. Jesus Christ died and was resurrected so that the human race could have access to the life giving powers of God. Jesus himself could not begin his ministry till he had the same experience that is the prime focus of the gospel... the infilling power of the Holy Spirit.

The book of Malachi was the last book of the bible written before Jesus Christ was born (approx 450bc). It also plays the same role as does the book of Revelation in the New Testament. Like Revelation, it contains layers of truths for the time of its writing, but also contains many prophetic revelations about the age of the church; our current age today. A simple study reveals that Malachi serves far more people in this age, than the one that preceded Christ. The following verses are perhaps of key relevance and interest to us as we face the near return of Christ.

Fellowship is much more than turning up at a meeting and communion is much more than drinking and eating food elements once a week. Paul makes some very sobering observations about the benefits of fellowship and the severe cost of misunderstanding these truths.

Our memory is a very unreliable keeper of the truth. Due to a variety of reasons we forget things... we forget the truth. When something is forgotten, then those memories are not able to shared with others and that particular truth can be lost forever. Mankind has consistently forgotten the things that God has done for him, hence many are unaware of his promises. Just as the passing of time assists us to forget historical facts (allowing it to be rewritten); so to has man's potential relationship with God been distorted. God keeps us in touch with the truth through the continuous working of the Holy Spirit; always prompting us to offer the truth of Eternal Life to others. God's memory doesn't dim or change with the passing of time.

The following topics lay the foundation for an acceptable Christian life, which is both pleasing to God’s people and God himself. The salvation message is simple, yet very effective. There is an acceptable level of faith, which should not be confused with our potential. Spiritual bullying. Inviting people to fellowship meetings…

The attitude of a true shepherd of God contains the same underlying wisdom, which also enables the leading of the Spirit to fulfill its work. To be dedicated towards these principles is well pleasing to Christ, because it imitates the same disciplines and efforts that he made for us. Many fail to grasp what Christ wants from us, because their lives are filled with those things that God has given them, as opposed to those things that we can do for him. It is the difference between giving and taking, between being mature and childish (the difference between being one who has moved from the milk of the word to the meat of the word).

The kingdom of God doesn’t have a flashing neon sign over the entrance gate, nor does it have clearly lit street signs leading to it. The way of God is hidden from all men, because it is not discerned through the natural senses. The application of sight, hearing, touch, etc, reveal nothing. The way to God is a spiritually discerned path and can only be found through the instructions given by God’s people. The right instructions bring the right results.

There is only one reason why evil prevails in a world, where good people outnumber the bad by huge differentials. Surprisingly, it has nothing to do with the numbers; when the good won’t stand up and fight for what they know is right, then evil prevails. Thus, it stands to reason that if good men do nothing, then evil will prevail more and more.