Watch Focus Friday May 9, 2025
 
Our watch focus this week is for the church of Jesus Christ. There are three aspects of the existent church. The universal church is the heavenly and eschatological assembly of everyone—past, present, and future—who belongs to Christ and His kingdom through the new covenant. The church militant is made up of believers here on earth called to fight the good fight of faith amid trials and temptations. The church triumphant is made up of believers who have run their course, gone to be with the Lord, and await His coming, together with us, to restore all things. These make up the whole church of Christ in all its denominational expressions. Ephesians instructs us, “There is one body, and one Spirit, even as you are called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.   But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.” The New Testament typifies His church in seven pictures as God’s:

Eph. 1:22—Assembly (Greek Ekklesia): “And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church.”

Eph. 1:23—Body: The body of Christ: “the church which is His body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.”

Eph. 2:10—Workmanship: Masterpiece “ For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

Eph. 2:19—Family: Household: “Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household.”

Eph. 2:21—Temple: Building: “In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord.”

Eph. 5:25–27—Bride: Wife of Christ: “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.”

Eph. 6:10–13—Army: Soldiers: “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm.”

The prayer and expectation of the Lord is that His church as His eternal partner fit for Him may be a glorious body, holy and blameless, without “spot or wrinkle.” We pray for outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the whole Church in America. That she awaken and arise to the fullness of her call and blessing, true, effective, and influential, as spiritual salt, light, and the ground and pillar of truth, in our culture and among the nations. This week the world watched as 2 billion Catholics worldwide were appointed a new leader in Pope Leo XVI. We pray the Holy Spirit will direct and guide him in righteousness, truth, and wisdom, according to the grace of God.

Matthew 5:13-16, “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”

James 3:17, “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.”

Revelation 22:2, “In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.”

We pray the Prince of Peace would release His peace and healing for India and Pakistan. May there be a de-escalation and peaceable wisdom to solve their differences. May there be healing from any historical wounds between these two nations.

Psalm 46:9, “He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; He burns the chariot in the fire.”