(It has been a busy week so here is another blast from the past that I believe that you will find still to be a timely word.)
Get Together#55 That We All May Be One
Joh 17:20 -21 “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; “that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.
The Lord has really been stressing something to me that I have always believed ever since I have walked with Jesus Christ. That is the power that is in unity. It is the Lord’s desire that His people not be divided. In the passages at the top of the page we see where Jesus looked across history the night before He would go to the cross and die for our sins. He prayed for all of us. Being fully God He knew in advance what awful sins we would commit. He made the ultimate sacrifice. And what was His prayer for us the night before H e went to the cross? It was that we would be one.
Sometimes we feel that we are really only connected to those brothers and sisters who are in our particular denomination, or non-denomination. But the truth is if we have put our faith in the shed blood of Jesus Christ we are brothers and sisters of all other Christians who have been born again by faith in His blood.
Jesus prayed that we would all be one. This does not mean that we will always pull for the same football team. It does not mean that we will always vote for the same people for political office. It does not mean that we will always like the same kind of Praise and Worship music. But He did pray that we would love each other with such love that we would consider one another better than ourselves.
The Apostle Paul mentions unity in Ephesians 4:3 endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. In the Book of James we also get good advice on how to have unity in the Body o f Christ. James tells us how to avoid division and how to experience unity “Jas 3:6 For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.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.
Here are some practical ways that the Lord will use to help you and I promote unity in the Body of Christ.
• First of all ask the Lord to remove any pride that you may have about what God has done in your particular congregation or denomination. Ask Him to replace pride with humility and gratitude.
• Replace criticism with prayer over any difference that you may have with other brothers and sisters in the Body of Christ.
• Make praying for other congregations and Christian leaders a part of your prayer discipline.
• Study how God has worked through other parts of the Body of Christ throughout history.
• Ask the Holy Spirit to convict you when you begin to say things about other Christians that would grieve our Lord’s heart (by the way He hears us when we do it).
• Workplace, workplace, workplace (this is where the Body of Christ is really coming together) along with the athletic field, and campuses.
• Pray Lord Jesus please don’t let me work against Your prayer in John 17.
Let Us Pray
Lord Jesus today I know that You prayed that we would be one. Lord I know that in many ways we are different. But Lord we praise You that You can take our differences and weave us together around Your cross. Today Lord help us to be one as You and the Father are one.
IN JESUS NAME
Amen
I love you all. God is getting ready to do big things. I am glad that I am on His team. He is a good God. I pray that He continually will be with you all.
Your Friend/Kinfolk
Preston
