Showing posts with label unity in Christ. Show all posts
Showing posts with label unity in Christ. Show all posts
Saturday, April 28, 2012
Spiritual Camaraderie
Though typical it may seem after being done so many times, I’ve always liked that part in the movie where, in efforts to hide the one being sought out for punishment, an innocent person in the group stands up and says, “I did it”, followed by another one who says, “No, I did it”, and another, “No, I did it”; on and on until everyone in the group volunteers to take the fall for a transgression only one person committed. The message at this point is usually ‘if one goes down, all go down’. Or better yet, ‘One for all, and all for one.’ This philosophy of unity has been the mantra of many groups throughout the years because it speaks of a camaraderie that fights against our selfish human instincts.
From the beginning of time – literally – jealousy has led to division between brothers. Case in point: Cain and Abel. When God asked Cain for his brother, after he’d murdered Abel in cold blood, Cain responded, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Gen. 4:9) The answer to that, dear Cain, is a resounding “Yes.” We are our brother’s/sister’s keeper, and as such, a level of accountability should exist between us and our brethren.
It is common knowledge that in the army, they hold the philosophy that no man should be left behind. Therefore, if someone gets wounded in battle, his fellow soldiers are trained to seek that one out and carry him to safety, whenever possible. This battlefield motto is just as relevant to the Body of Christ as it is to those who serve their countries. This is because not only are we described as soldiers in the Bible, which connotes camaraderie, but we are also referred to as ‘brethren’, which implies close familial relationship.
Christ’s vision for the Church, His Body, has always been one of a loving, compassionate family. His dream is that we would be so connected to each other in our hearts that “if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.” (1 Cor. 12:26) However, truth be told, not everyone is as loveable as we would desire them to be, and not everyone is skilled at resolving conflict; therefore, it is common to find tension and strained relationships within the confines of ministry. Nevertheless, Paul exhorts, “let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 2:5)
It is imperative that as Christians our minds are under the authority of Christ, for if left up to us and our own opinions, unity with our brethren would become an unachievable task. But through the Spirit of God and the understanding that even those of us who are hard to work with, those whose peculiar gift seems to be stepping on the figurative ‘toes’ of others, those who blatantly display their dislike for us, are a part of the Body of Christ and the grand plan of God, we can stretch ourselves and become that brother’s/sister’s keeper.
Not every member of our church has to be invited to our thanksgiving dinner, but every member should be considered a brother or a sister. In other words, when someone comes under attack by the enemy, we should express our spiritual camaraderie by covering that person to the fullest extent of our ability. Today, determine that, despite ill-feelings and ensuing tension, you will be your brother’s/sister’s keeper; for if one is hurt, all are affected and the whole is weakened.
Scripture of the Day: “And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.” - 1 Corinthians 12:26
Friday, April 27, 2012
Our Church
Much of our lives are built around what we want. We drive vehicles because that’s what we wanted. We dress in ways that makes us feel better about ourselves. We eat custom ordered meals catering to our taste buds. We live in houses that are complete with all of our toys and technologies that make us feel successful. We are engaged in social media platforms in which we promote ourselves, share our opinions, and broadcast our lives. Notice the emphasis on ‘our’. It is mainly about us.
The Church (globally) was designed to be the total opposite.
The Church was not established for us or even centered on us. Quite contrary, our push, toil, and sacrifices for The Church should be much larger than our own preferences, tastes, and views.
When The Church was founded we were provided with a clear understanding of Who the focus should be on. In Matthew 16:18 Jesus announces, “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. (KJV)”
Have you ever noticed that Jesus didn’t say ‘our church’?
The entire structure, approach, and focus of the church would be drastically different if He would have announced, “our church”
We would:
A) Have people attend church for only what they can get out of it versus making personal sacrifices in order to reach up for Christ.
B) Have sermons that are self-seeking and self-serving versus sermons that highlight the character of God, the work of Christ, and the work of Christ in the life of each believer.
C) Have disciples of Christ focus all of their prayers on their own problems and predicaments and force their will on God versus praying in a way that allows God to dictate the conversation and impart His Will into them.
D) Have church attendees only give for tax purposes or to get bigger and better toys versus giving with a heart to see God’s kingdom and kingdom work expanded.
E) Church leaders would push their own agendas and preferences and ignore and demean those without titles versus Church leaders promoting unity and selflessness with a servants’ heart and Christ-mindset.
This would be the outcome if the statement was “our”. But Jesus was the Master Teacher. He knew what the result would be of the miscalculation of one simple word. Instead, He said, “my”. Quite simply, it is “His Church”.
The result then is that:
A) Every service is about Him.
B) Every program is about Him.
C) Every ministry is about Him.
D) Every worship experience is about Him.
E) The finances are about Him.
F) The vision is about Him.
G) The buildings are about Him.
H) The people are about Him.
Anything else is about us.
Scripture of the Day: "For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ." - 1 Corinthians 3:11
The Church (globally) was designed to be the total opposite.
The Church was not established for us or even centered on us. Quite contrary, our push, toil, and sacrifices for The Church should be much larger than our own preferences, tastes, and views.
When The Church was founded we were provided with a clear understanding of Who the focus should be on. In Matthew 16:18 Jesus announces, “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. (KJV)”
Have you ever noticed that Jesus didn’t say ‘our church’?
The entire structure, approach, and focus of the church would be drastically different if He would have announced, “our church”
We would:
A) Have people attend church for only what they can get out of it versus making personal sacrifices in order to reach up for Christ.
B) Have sermons that are self-seeking and self-serving versus sermons that highlight the character of God, the work of Christ, and the work of Christ in the life of each believer.
C) Have disciples of Christ focus all of their prayers on their own problems and predicaments and force their will on God versus praying in a way that allows God to dictate the conversation and impart His Will into them.
D) Have church attendees only give for tax purposes or to get bigger and better toys versus giving with a heart to see God’s kingdom and kingdom work expanded.
E) Church leaders would push their own agendas and preferences and ignore and demean those without titles versus Church leaders promoting unity and selflessness with a servants’ heart and Christ-mindset.
This would be the outcome if the statement was “our”. But Jesus was the Master Teacher. He knew what the result would be of the miscalculation of one simple word. Instead, He said, “my”. Quite simply, it is “His Church”.
The result then is that:
A) Every service is about Him.
B) Every program is about Him.
C) Every ministry is about Him.
D) Every worship experience is about Him.
E) The finances are about Him.
F) The vision is about Him.
G) The buildings are about Him.
H) The people are about Him.
Anything else is about us.
Scripture of the Day: "For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ." - 1 Corinthians 3:11
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Come and See
About 2,200 miles off the coast of South America is a little island called Easter Island. It was named that because it was found by a Dutch explorer in the 1700s on Easter Sunday.
Not many people live there. However, because of its location, it is used for navigation. There is navigational equipment on the island, and planes flying in the area can receive a signal and redirect their routes, if need be.
I see Resurrection Sunday, our Easter, as an "island" in the midst of a materialistic world. It will help you navigate through life. Your entire future can revolve around the grand "event of all events," when death was conquered 2,000 years ago as Jesus stepped out of that tomb.
When Mary Magdalene and the other Mary arrived at the tomb on Easter morning, an angelic messenger was there to greet them. He said, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead..." (Matthew 28:5-7)
If the tomb of Jesus was empty, what was there for them to see? What is there for us to see? First, the empty tomb shows the humility of Christ. It shows "This is how far God will condescend to reach humanity--by having his Son come, be tortured and killed, and then be buried in that tomb. Next, it shows the reality of sin. If you want to see how bad sin is and what it will do, think of the bruised, broken body of Jesus Christ, who died for sin, and was put in that tomb. Then, it shows the mortality of men. Any time you see a tomb, it should remind you that's where you're going someday ("...it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment." Hebrews 9:27). Finally, it shows victory over death. What did the angel want the women to see in the tomb? Nothing! That was the whole point: "He is not here. He is risen."
So today, if you're a believer, go and tell others. If you're not a believer yet, come and see. Come and see that the resurrection is not a hoax; it's not a story. Just as pilots set their course by the information picked up on Easter Island, can I suggest to you that you change your course based upon one important fact? The fact is that Jesus died, was buried, and rose the third day. This fact gives a great promise to all who believe in Him, that they will rise with Him and enjoy His glorious kingdom forever.
When Mary Magdalene and the other Mary arrived at the tomb on Easter morning, an angelic messenger was there to greet them. He said, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead..." (Matthew 28:5-7)
If the tomb of Jesus was empty, what was there for them to see? What is there for us to see? First, the empty tomb shows the humility of Christ. It shows "This is how far God will condescend to reach humanity--by having his Son come, be tortured and killed, and then be buried in that tomb. Next, it shows the reality of sin. If you want to see how bad sin is and what it will do, think of the bruised, broken body of Jesus Christ, who died for sin, and was put in that tomb. Then, it shows the mortality of men. Any time you see a tomb, it should remind you that's where you're going someday ("...it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment." Hebrews 9:27). Finally, it shows victory over death. What did the angel want the women to see in the tomb? Nothing! That was the whole point: "He is not here. He is risen."
So today, if you're a believer, go and tell others. If you're not a believer yet, come and see. Come and see that the resurrection is not a hoax; it's not a story. Just as pilots set their course by the information picked up on Easter Island, can I suggest to you that you change your course based upon one important fact? The fact is that Jesus died, was buried, and rose the third day. This fact gives a great promise to all who believe in Him, that they will rise with Him and enjoy His glorious kingdom forever.
Scripture Of The Day: "The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said." - Matthew 28:5-6 (NIV)
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Get The Family Together
Did you know that unity in the family of God is very, very important to Jesus? It is so important to Him that in the garden shortly before the soldiers arrived to arrest Him, Jesus prayed that we would be one just as He and His Father are one. Here's what He prayed:
"I'm praying not only for them, but also for those who will believe in me because of them and their witness about me. The goal is for all of them to become one heart and mind -- Just as you, Father, are in me and I in you, so they might be one heart and mind with us. Then the world might believe that you, in fact, sent me. The same glory you gave me, I gave them, so they'll be as unified and together as we are -- I in them and you in me. Then they'll be mature in this oneness, and give the godless world evidence That you've sent me and loved them in the same way you've loved me." (John 17:20-23, The Message)
Sadly, you don't have to hang out at church more than a few minutes to realize that we are not one. In fact, the Body of Christ couldn't be more disunited. We're fragmented into hundreds of denominations, and even within those denominations the members can't even agree on the smallest things.
I am absolutely convinced the disunity of the Body is the devil's proudest accomplishment in the last two thousand years. Think about it: If you were the devil, how would you go about making sure the world didn't come to know Jesus? He can't discredit the Savior; He is blameless and spotless. He can't discredit God's word; it is truth without mixture of error. He can't discredit the message of the Gospel; it is the power of God unto salvation. So what's the devil to do to slow the spread of the Gospel? He went after the weakest link in the chain -- us.
The devil is a liar, but he's not stupid. If he can get you and me arguing and fighting with each other we'll be so busy going after each other we won't take the time to tell others about Jesus. And that is precisely what he has done so successfully for most of the last two thousand years.
Here's the truly heartbreaking part -- we've been separated for so long and the divisions run so deep that most of us have a great distrust for anyone who proposes unity among the various factions of the Body of Christ. I might have to admit that you are my brother in Christ, but if you adhere to a different belief than me about when in the course of history Jesus is going to return or whether or not a gift of the Holy Spirit is still valid today, I can't worship with you, I can't fellowship with you, I can't work together with you to win our city for Christ, and in a lot of cases I will preach against you in my pulpit. God help us! No wonder the world looks at us and decides they don't want what we claim to possess!
If you look at the disunity in the church and consider how many hundreds of years it took us to become this fractured, it is so easy to give up hope. There's no way we can ever put this back together again. We can't even get 10 people in our church to agree, how can we even dare to think the Body of Christ can ever be united this side of eternity?
But I still believe in and serve a miracle-working God! A God who spoke the universe into existence with the power of His Word. A God who time and time again has done the impossible. The Bible tells us in no uncertain terms that nothing is impossible for God. And in the Garden hours before He died for you and me Jesus prayed -- not that you and I would agree on everything, but that we would be one.
God, get your family together again!
Sadly, you don't have to hang out at church more than a few minutes to realize that we are not one. In fact, the Body of Christ couldn't be more disunited. We're fragmented into hundreds of denominations, and even within those denominations the members can't even agree on the smallest things.
I am absolutely convinced the disunity of the Body is the devil's proudest accomplishment in the last two thousand years. Think about it: If you were the devil, how would you go about making sure the world didn't come to know Jesus? He can't discredit the Savior; He is blameless and spotless. He can't discredit God's word; it is truth without mixture of error. He can't discredit the message of the Gospel; it is the power of God unto salvation. So what's the devil to do to slow the spread of the Gospel? He went after the weakest link in the chain -- us.
The devil is a liar, but he's not stupid. If he can get you and me arguing and fighting with each other we'll be so busy going after each other we won't take the time to tell others about Jesus. And that is precisely what he has done so successfully for most of the last two thousand years.
Here's the truly heartbreaking part -- we've been separated for so long and the divisions run so deep that most of us have a great distrust for anyone who proposes unity among the various factions of the Body of Christ. I might have to admit that you are my brother in Christ, but if you adhere to a different belief than me about when in the course of history Jesus is going to return or whether or not a gift of the Holy Spirit is still valid today, I can't worship with you, I can't fellowship with you, I can't work together with you to win our city for Christ, and in a lot of cases I will preach against you in my pulpit. God help us! No wonder the world looks at us and decides they don't want what we claim to possess!
If you look at the disunity in the church and consider how many hundreds of years it took us to become this fractured, it is so easy to give up hope. There's no way we can ever put this back together again. We can't even get 10 people in our church to agree, how can we even dare to think the Body of Christ can ever be united this side of eternity?
But I still believe in and serve a miracle-working God! A God who spoke the universe into existence with the power of His Word. A God who time and time again has done the impossible. The Bible tells us in no uncertain terms that nothing is impossible for God. And in the Garden hours before He died for you and me Jesus prayed -- not that you and I would agree on everything, but that we would be one.
God, get your family together again!
Scripture Of The Day: "Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!" - Psalm 133:1 (ESV)
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
It’s All About “Me”
“Re-member” is the name of a non-profit group working to “put back that which is broken.” That’s how founder Keith Titus describes it. Every year, volunteers from across the country sacrifice their time to help the Oglala Lakota people. Dilapidated homes are re-built. The tribe’s quality of life improves. Members reconnect to a stronger, loving community.
This puts me in mind of Jesus’ final rebuilding instruction to his disciples just before his crucifixion. At the last supper he repeatedly urged them to “remember me.”
This puts me in mind of Jesus’ final rebuilding instruction to his disciples just before his crucifixion. At the last supper he repeatedly urged them to “remember me.”
Listen to 1st Corinthians 11:23b-25: “On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and said, ‘This is my body, which is given for you. Do this to remember me.’ In the same way, he took the cup of wine after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood. Do this to remember me as often as you drink it.’”
Surly Jesus’ ultimate body and blood sacrifice deserves more than a sacred recollection now and then.
It is believed that the ancient definition of re-member is to “put back that which is broken,” If that’s true, communion is more than just a chance to think back on the miracle of Calvary. It’s also an opportunity for us to restore, revive and build up each other! Hear again the words of Jesus: “Re-member Me.” Put me back together. We are members of the body of Christ. We are his spiritual body parts. So “Me” consists of everyone who has confessed Jesus as Lord and Savior.
Romans 12:4-5 makes it clear that, “Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ's body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.”
1st Thessalonians 5:11 urges us to “Encourage each other and build each other up…” But too often the Body of Christ is busy producing free radicals or suicide cells. They cause the body to attack itself, and damage healthy cells. Spiritually, free radicals are strife, jealousy, envy and competition. They plant seeds of discord among the saints. But Jesus said “Re-Member Me.” Restore, uplift, edify and encourage “Me.” That’s how we ensure a healthy immune system in the Body of Christ, His church.
Surly Jesus’ ultimate body and blood sacrifice deserves more than a sacred recollection now and then.
It is believed that the ancient definition of re-member is to “put back that which is broken,” If that’s true, communion is more than just a chance to think back on the miracle of Calvary. It’s also an opportunity for us to restore, revive and build up each other! Hear again the words of Jesus: “Re-member Me.” Put me back together. We are members of the body of Christ. We are his spiritual body parts. So “Me” consists of everyone who has confessed Jesus as Lord and Savior.
Romans 12:4-5 makes it clear that, “Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ's body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.”
1st Thessalonians 5:11 urges us to “Encourage each other and build each other up…” But too often the Body of Christ is busy producing free radicals or suicide cells. They cause the body to attack itself, and damage healthy cells. Spiritually, free radicals are strife, jealousy, envy and competition. They plant seeds of discord among the saints. But Jesus said “Re-Member Me.” Restore, uplift, edify and encourage “Me.” That’s how we ensure a healthy immune system in the Body of Christ, His church.
Physically, if you stub your big toe, the entire body is impacted. When you are vibrant and fit the whole body feels exhilarated. So it is spiritually. Yes, we are many members with different functions. Yet we are all connected. What happens to one, impacts all.
So, Romans 12:15 says, “Rejoice with those who rejoice. Weep with those who weep.” And Hebrew 13:11 tells us to “Let brotherly love continue.” Yes, we are our brother’s keeper. 1st Peter 4:8 reminds us to “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.”
Every year on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, strangers from near and far gather to help build up and restore a tribe broken by prejudice and hardship.
Christ was broken and bruised to restore the world. When we restore or uplift someone, we remember him. We unify his body, the church.
So, take time today and purposely re-member, edify or uplift a brother or sister. Give a hug, a smile or an encouraging word. Restore someone’s faith in human kindness, decency and genuine friendship.
Remember, it’s not about you. It’s all about “Me,” the body of Christ.
So, Romans 12:15 says, “Rejoice with those who rejoice. Weep with those who weep.” And Hebrew 13:11 tells us to “Let brotherly love continue.” Yes, we are our brother’s keeper. 1st Peter 4:8 reminds us to “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.”
Every year on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, strangers from near and far gather to help build up and restore a tribe broken by prejudice and hardship.
Christ was broken and bruised to restore the world. When we restore or uplift someone, we remember him. We unify his body, the church.
So, take time today and purposely re-member, edify or uplift a brother or sister. Give a hug, a smile or an encouraging word. Restore someone’s faith in human kindness, decency and genuine friendship.
Remember, it’s not about you. It’s all about “Me,” the body of Christ.
Scripture Of The Day: "Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other." - Romans 12:4-5 (NLT)
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Where Unity Is, The Power Is!
To some degree, we have allowed things such as selfishness, comparisons, and competition to keep us from the unity that Our Father desires. The Bible is very clear that, where there is unity, there is power!
In John’s gospel chapter 17, Jesus was preparing His disciples for the day in which He would no longer be in the earth. His desire was that they would be one. In fact, beginning at verse 9, He begins to pray to the Father that they might be one, even as He and the Father were one. Jesus understood the challenges that they would face as believers. He knew the persecution and hardships that they would have to endure if the Gospel was to spread to the uttermost parts of the earth. He also knew that the only way that they would be able to do it, would be to have the anointing. And the only way that type of burden-removing, yoke-destroying power would be available to them was if they were one. Because, where unity is, the power is! That is a Word for us today if we are going to see the Glory of God manifest in the earth, in these last days.
When the church is one, the supernatural power of God will be in manifestation. You may recall, in Acts 1:4, they were assembled together, and Jesus told them not to depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father. He then told them in verse 8 that they would receive power, after the Holy Ghost would come upon them. They obeyed what Jesus said, and in Acts 2:1-2 the Word says, “they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.” Verse 4 then says, “And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” So we see that God’s power was made available to them when they were unified. Where unity is, the power is!
This truth is further demonstrated in verses 42-47. By adhering to the Apostles’ doctrine, fellowshipping, sharing meals, and praying corporately, they demonstrated their unity. They also sold possessions and distributed to each other based on needs. As a result of this type of unity, five things took place.
In John’s gospel chapter 17, Jesus was preparing His disciples for the day in which He would no longer be in the earth. His desire was that they would be one. In fact, beginning at verse 9, He begins to pray to the Father that they might be one, even as He and the Father were one. Jesus understood the challenges that they would face as believers. He knew the persecution and hardships that they would have to endure if the Gospel was to spread to the uttermost parts of the earth. He also knew that the only way that they would be able to do it, would be to have the anointing. And the only way that type of burden-removing, yoke-destroying power would be available to them was if they were one. Because, where unity is, the power is! That is a Word for us today if we are going to see the Glory of God manifest in the earth, in these last days.
When the church is one, the supernatural power of God will be in manifestation. You may recall, in Acts 1:4, they were assembled together, and Jesus told them not to depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father. He then told them in verse 8 that they would receive power, after the Holy Ghost would come upon them. They obeyed what Jesus said, and in Acts 2:1-2 the Word says, “they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.” Verse 4 then says, “And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” So we see that God’s power was made available to them when they were unified. Where unity is, the power is!
This truth is further demonstrated in verses 42-47. By adhering to the Apostles’ doctrine, fellowshipping, sharing meals, and praying corporately, they demonstrated their unity. They also sold possessions and distributed to each other based on needs. As a result of this type of unity, five things took place.
1. Signs and wonders were seen.
2. Every need was met.
3. The favor of God came upon them.
4. The Lord added to the church daily.
5. There was joy and gladness among the people.
What would happen today if the world were to see this type of power manifested on a consistent basis in the church? Quite simply, we would be more effective in getting people saved, restored, healed, delivered, and set free. We would be able to exact change in our marriages, with our children, our schools, and our communities. With the perilous times that we are living in today, the Body of Christ must get this revelation of unity so that we can see God’s power manifest in ways that we have never seen before. As a result of this, the world will have to acknowledge that Jesus is Lord!
2. Every need was met.
3. The favor of God came upon them.
4. The Lord added to the church daily.
5. There was joy and gladness among the people.
What would happen today if the world were to see this type of power manifested on a consistent basis in the church? Quite simply, we would be more effective in getting people saved, restored, healed, delivered, and set free. We would be able to exact change in our marriages, with our children, our schools, and our communities. With the perilous times that we are living in today, the Body of Christ must get this revelation of unity so that we can see God’s power manifest in ways that we have never seen before. As a result of this, the world will have to acknowledge that Jesus is Lord!
Scripture Of The Day: "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." - John 17:21 (NKJV)
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Unity Through Disunity
By Milan Ford
“Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will. Lukewarm acceptance is much more bewildering than outright rejection.” – Martin Luther King, Jr. (Letter From A Birmingham Jail)
Before proceeding any further with this devotional, I encourage you to read over the above quotation once more.
The power of those words most certainly demand it.
Powerful words, don’t you agree?
On yesterday, I took some time out and read all 6,932 words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Letter From A Birmingham Jail. What is (in my opinion) one of the most brilliant and compassionate collection of words ever written, the circumstances that led King to write this letter that day were rooted in the shallow understanding and lukewarm acceptance that many southern white church leaders had regarding the civil rights movement at that time.
King along with many other freedom fighters were being accused by them of precipitating violence and disorder by leading several marches against the racial injustices occurring in Birmingham.
This deeply saddened King, who after being placed under arrest by the Birmingham police, made the decision to unveil his heart to the white church leaders who were upset at his actions. With the love of Christ being the common denominator, he set out to turn his adversaries into his advocates.
His call for unity and an end to injustice was heard around the world. A powerful letter indeed.
This month, we celebrate the 47th anniversary of this powerful letter. Yet, as a young leader, I am sometimes concerned that we as a Body of Christ have yet to achieve the UNITY King aspired to. While I am quite certain that perspectives range on this from person to person, I’d like to suggest this one thought for us all to consider today:
Perhaps it is not UNITY that we should be striving for alone.
But rather DISUNITY as well.
In Isaiah 43:18, these words are found: “Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing.” And in Hebrews 10:9, these words are found: “God takes away the first, so that He may establish the second.”
While our country indeed has matured incredibly from its once insidious past as it relates to matters of race, many are still surprised that Sunday morning remains the most segregated hour in America. Yet believe it or not, this is in no way a surprise to God. In order to achieve the kind of UNITY God desires for us to have as believers, our churches must examine those things we no longer need to be doing.
How will we ever see what NEW things God has in store for us as believers, if we do not allow Him to challenge us to take away some of the OLD things that keep our churches segregated?
Are we willing to DISUNIFY ourselves from some of our comfortable preferences of worship? Are we willing to DISUNIFY ourselves from some of our methodical forms of preaching? Are we willing to DISUNIFY ourselves from a few of our traditions that may be causing others (of different races or nationalities) to feel unwelcome?
This simple and timeless truth convicts me time after time: CULTURE trumps VISION.
The integrated greatness of our God will always be overshadowed by our culturally segregated safe houses. Culture is indeed something we should celebrate, but it can become dangerous when institutionalized. Narrowing the church's mission as either black or white must come to an end.
Today, I believe God is looking for a grey church. One that has discovered that we can (at times) only gain to the degree that we are willing to let go.
May we all strive for such maturity.
Scripture For The Day: “Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing.” - Isaiah 43:18 (NKJV)
Milan Ford has been a leader (and survivor) of ministry within the local church for most of his life. The author of the brand new book, 83 Things I Wish The Black Church Would Stop Doing, you can find Milan rambling and writing at http://www.thepewview.com.…
“Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will. Lukewarm acceptance is much more bewildering than outright rejection.” – Martin Luther King, Jr. (Letter From A Birmingham Jail)
Before proceeding any further with this devotional, I encourage you to read over the above quotation once more.
The power of those words most certainly demand it.
Powerful words, don’t you agree?
On yesterday, I took some time out and read all 6,932 words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Letter From A Birmingham Jail. What is (in my opinion) one of the most brilliant and compassionate collection of words ever written, the circumstances that led King to write this letter that day were rooted in the shallow understanding and lukewarm acceptance that many southern white church leaders had regarding the civil rights movement at that time.
King along with many other freedom fighters were being accused by them of precipitating violence and disorder by leading several marches against the racial injustices occurring in Birmingham.
This deeply saddened King, who after being placed under arrest by the Birmingham police, made the decision to unveil his heart to the white church leaders who were upset at his actions. With the love of Christ being the common denominator, he set out to turn his adversaries into his advocates.
His call for unity and an end to injustice was heard around the world. A powerful letter indeed.
This month, we celebrate the 47th anniversary of this powerful letter. Yet, as a young leader, I am sometimes concerned that we as a Body of Christ have yet to achieve the UNITY King aspired to. While I am quite certain that perspectives range on this from person to person, I’d like to suggest this one thought for us all to consider today:
Perhaps it is not UNITY that we should be striving for alone.
But rather DISUNITY as well.
In Isaiah 43:18, these words are found: “Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing.” And in Hebrews 10:9, these words are found: “God takes away the first, so that He may establish the second.”
While our country indeed has matured incredibly from its once insidious past as it relates to matters of race, many are still surprised that Sunday morning remains the most segregated hour in America. Yet believe it or not, this is in no way a surprise to God. In order to achieve the kind of UNITY God desires for us to have as believers, our churches must examine those things we no longer need to be doing.
How will we ever see what NEW things God has in store for us as believers, if we do not allow Him to challenge us to take away some of the OLD things that keep our churches segregated?
Are we willing to DISUNIFY ourselves from some of our comfortable preferences of worship? Are we willing to DISUNIFY ourselves from some of our methodical forms of preaching? Are we willing to DISUNIFY ourselves from a few of our traditions that may be causing others (of different races or nationalities) to feel unwelcome?
This simple and timeless truth convicts me time after time: CULTURE trumps VISION.
The integrated greatness of our God will always be overshadowed by our culturally segregated safe houses. Culture is indeed something we should celebrate, but it can become dangerous when institutionalized. Narrowing the church's mission as either black or white must come to an end.
Today, I believe God is looking for a grey church. One that has discovered that we can (at times) only gain to the degree that we are willing to let go.
May we all strive for such maturity.
Scripture For The Day: “Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing.” - Isaiah 43:18 (NKJV)
Milan Ford has been a leader (and survivor) of ministry within the local church for most of his life. The author of the brand new book, 83 Things I Wish The Black Church Would Stop Doing, you can find Milan rambling and writing at http://www.thepewview.com.…
Friday, April 23, 2010
Walking In Unity
By Pastor Frederick Kenneth Price Jr.
If the Body of Christ got on one accord, we could reach the whole world. Unfortunately, right now we are not on one accord. We are not walking in unity.
We can't even agree on salvation. We can't agree on the "infilling" of the Holy Spirit. We can't agree on water baptism. Some of the Church says that you have to be water baptized to go to heaven. I mean all kinds of misinformation and all these different denominations. This is what is keeping the Body of Christ fragmented. Keeping the Body divided while people are dying. People are dying without Jesus and Jesus wants a harvest, but people are just dying because we can't get along.
We are talking about "walking in unity." We are talking about being on one accord. The Body of Christ needs to be on one accord. Right now, we are not.
Ephesians 4:11 says, 11 and he himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the son of god, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;
Sounds like something can't happen until we all come to the unity of the faith. This also tells me that Jesus has faith in His Body. That we can get on one accord. Jesus believes that the Body of Christ can get on one accord. It wouldn't be in the Bible if He didn't believe that. He believes that it's possible.
However, too many of us Christians are not lining our will up with the will of God. We have our own agendas. And, so we fuss and we fight and argue and have foolish dissensions.
Jesus said through the mouth of Paul that the ministry gifts are set in the Church "for the equipping of the saints. "For the work of ministry." "For the edifying of the Body of Christ, until we all come to the unity of the faith." Until "we all come to the unity of the faith."
Now, if one wants to argue and say, "well, the unity of the faith just simply means salvation." Well, it can't be just salvation because look what it says after "unity of the faith." It says, "and of the knowledge of the Son of God, "to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ" that word "perfect" simply means "mature." God's Word says, to a mature man, "to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ."
Well, all churches don't teach that. The majority of your churches are teaching that you're not even worthy, that you're not righteous. You can't go to the throne of God. You can't be like Christ. But the Word says, "to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine." Too many in the Body of Christ are running to every healing conference and then running over to all the prosperity conferences. They are running over to different conferences because they really don't have any Word in them.
They're not at a church that's teaching them the uncompromising Word, so they just keep looking for something or someone because they don't know how to pray for themselves. So they recite the Jabez Prayer." That's not an attack. I'm just saying, we're tossed to and fro with every little different thing we hear. You know, "whatever's hot right now in the Body of Christ. That's where I'm at."
What's the reason for this running around? I believe in part it is because the fivefold ministry gifts have not been doing what they're supposed to be doing. Too many pastors are not feeding the sheep.
Jesus can't come back to a fragmented Body-a divided body, He says, until what? "We all come to the unity of the faith" that means that it is possible.
Now, personally, I believe that it's going to start with this new Joshua Generation of young people. We don't have any hang-ups. We don't care about this color issue. The white teenagers of today, they didn't put the black teenagers in slavery. We don't have all that junk. We are all on the same page. We speak the same language.
I said it once and I'll say it anywhere: hip-hop-the culture has done an extremely tremendous job of bringing together different cultures. Better than the government and the Church combined. You may not like the sound of that, but it's true.
I believe reaching the unity of the faith is going to start with the Joshua Generation because as I said, we don't have any hang-ups. We don't care what you look like. We just want to get you saved.
Scripture Of The Day: "And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ" - Ephesians 4:11
Pastor Frederick Kenneth Price, Jr. is the youngest of four children born to Drs. Frederick and Betty Price. He is a graduate of Cottonwood Christian Center’s School of Ministry and is an ordained Pastor. For more information about Pastor Price, log onto http://www.crenshawchristiancenter.net.…
If the Body of Christ got on one accord, we could reach the whole world. Unfortunately, right now we are not on one accord. We are not walking in unity.
We can't even agree on salvation. We can't agree on the "infilling" of the Holy Spirit. We can't agree on water baptism. Some of the Church says that you have to be water baptized to go to heaven. I mean all kinds of misinformation and all these different denominations. This is what is keeping the Body of Christ fragmented. Keeping the Body divided while people are dying. People are dying without Jesus and Jesus wants a harvest, but people are just dying because we can't get along.
We are talking about "walking in unity." We are talking about being on one accord. The Body of Christ needs to be on one accord. Right now, we are not.
Ephesians 4:11 says, 11 and he himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the son of god, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;
Sounds like something can't happen until we all come to the unity of the faith. This also tells me that Jesus has faith in His Body. That we can get on one accord. Jesus believes that the Body of Christ can get on one accord. It wouldn't be in the Bible if He didn't believe that. He believes that it's possible.
However, too many of us Christians are not lining our will up with the will of God. We have our own agendas. And, so we fuss and we fight and argue and have foolish dissensions.
Jesus said through the mouth of Paul that the ministry gifts are set in the Church "for the equipping of the saints. "For the work of ministry." "For the edifying of the Body of Christ, until we all come to the unity of the faith." Until "we all come to the unity of the faith."
Now, if one wants to argue and say, "well, the unity of the faith just simply means salvation." Well, it can't be just salvation because look what it says after "unity of the faith." It says, "and of the knowledge of the Son of God, "to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ" that word "perfect" simply means "mature." God's Word says, to a mature man, "to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ."
Well, all churches don't teach that. The majority of your churches are teaching that you're not even worthy, that you're not righteous. You can't go to the throne of God. You can't be like Christ. But the Word says, "to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine." Too many in the Body of Christ are running to every healing conference and then running over to all the prosperity conferences. They are running over to different conferences because they really don't have any Word in them.
They're not at a church that's teaching them the uncompromising Word, so they just keep looking for something or someone because they don't know how to pray for themselves. So they recite the Jabez Prayer." That's not an attack. I'm just saying, we're tossed to and fro with every little different thing we hear. You know, "whatever's hot right now in the Body of Christ. That's where I'm at."
What's the reason for this running around? I believe in part it is because the fivefold ministry gifts have not been doing what they're supposed to be doing. Too many pastors are not feeding the sheep.
Jesus can't come back to a fragmented Body-a divided body, He says, until what? "We all come to the unity of the faith" that means that it is possible.
Now, personally, I believe that it's going to start with this new Joshua Generation of young people. We don't have any hang-ups. We don't care about this color issue. The white teenagers of today, they didn't put the black teenagers in slavery. We don't have all that junk. We are all on the same page. We speak the same language.
I said it once and I'll say it anywhere: hip-hop-the culture has done an extremely tremendous job of bringing together different cultures. Better than the government and the Church combined. You may not like the sound of that, but it's true.
I believe reaching the unity of the faith is going to start with the Joshua Generation because as I said, we don't have any hang-ups. We don't care what you look like. We just want to get you saved.
Scripture Of The Day: "And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ" - Ephesians 4:11
Pastor Frederick Kenneth Price, Jr. is the youngest of four children born to Drs. Frederick and Betty Price. He is a graduate of Cottonwood Christian Center’s School of Ministry and is an ordained Pastor. For more information about Pastor Price, log onto http://www.crenshawchristiancenter.net.…
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Unity In The Body Of Christ
By Pastor Bryan Crute
There is unlimited power in unity! Unity simply means having continuity in purpose or action.
Unity is the glue in the body of Christ that allows us to be one. Even with all the differences...different perspectives, races, experiences, denominations, worship practices-we can celebrate these differences and still work together.
The three key components associated with unity are agreement, harmony and oneness.
AGREEMENT
"Again I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they ask, it will be done for them of My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them." Matthew 18:19-20 (King James Version). At the core of unity is the principle of agreement. Unified agreement in the body of Christ brings answers to our prayers, fulfillment of our needs AND the very presence of the Lord into our midst. If we agree, there can be harmony.
HARMONY
Everyone loves to hear a symphony play with harmony by blending separate, individual sounds to create one sound. This is what we can do in the body of Christ to more effectively influence the world in which we live. Paul powerfully spoke of harmony in Galatians 3:28, "We are no longer Jews or Greeks or slaves or free men or even merely men or women, but we are all the same--we are Christians; we are one in Christ Jesus." (Living Bible) Let's wrap up by looking at oneness...
ONENESS (one heart and one mind)
It would be great if we had oneness in the body of Christ like Jesus has with the Father. We can pray as the Lord did in John 17:11, "Holy Father, I am no longer in the world. I am coming to you, but my followers are still in the world. So keep them safe by the power of the name that you have given me. Then they will be one with each other, just as you and I are one." (Contemporary English Version) Snowflakes are pretty fragile but if enough of them stick together they can stop traffic. That's true with us. By myself, I can't do a lot. By yourself, you can't do a lot; however, together, we can make a Kingdom impact that will leave an indelible impression upon a generation yearning for the validation of its significance and purpose.
Let's not just believe for unity...for Christ's sake, let's be one!
Scripture Of The Day: "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!" - Psalm 133:1 (NKJV)
Founder and Sr. Pastor of Destiny Metropolitan Worship Church, a 6,000 member Purpose Driven Church in Atlanta, GA, Pastor Bryan Crute has helped lead this church to becoming the 6th fastest growing Church in America (in 2008). Pastor Crute has been recognized as a National Church Leader and a pioneer in mentoring and developing leaders. http://www.destinymetro.org
There is unlimited power in unity! Unity simply means having continuity in purpose or action.
Unity is the glue in the body of Christ that allows us to be one. Even with all the differences...different perspectives, races, experiences, denominations, worship practices-we can celebrate these differences and still work together.
The three key components associated with unity are agreement, harmony and oneness.
AGREEMENT
"Again I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they ask, it will be done for them of My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them." Matthew 18:19-20 (King James Version). At the core of unity is the principle of agreement. Unified agreement in the body of Christ brings answers to our prayers, fulfillment of our needs AND the very presence of the Lord into our midst. If we agree, there can be harmony.
HARMONY
Everyone loves to hear a symphony play with harmony by blending separate, individual sounds to create one sound. This is what we can do in the body of Christ to more effectively influence the world in which we live. Paul powerfully spoke of harmony in Galatians 3:28, "We are no longer Jews or Greeks or slaves or free men or even merely men or women, but we are all the same--we are Christians; we are one in Christ Jesus." (Living Bible) Let's wrap up by looking at oneness...
ONENESS (one heart and one mind)
It would be great if we had oneness in the body of Christ like Jesus has with the Father. We can pray as the Lord did in John 17:11, "Holy Father, I am no longer in the world. I am coming to you, but my followers are still in the world. So keep them safe by the power of the name that you have given me. Then they will be one with each other, just as you and I are one." (Contemporary English Version) Snowflakes are pretty fragile but if enough of them stick together they can stop traffic. That's true with us. By myself, I can't do a lot. By yourself, you can't do a lot; however, together, we can make a Kingdom impact that will leave an indelible impression upon a generation yearning for the validation of its significance and purpose.
Let's not just believe for unity...for Christ's sake, let's be one!
Scripture Of The Day: "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!" - Psalm 133:1 (NKJV)
Founder and Sr. Pastor of Destiny Metropolitan Worship Church, a 6,000 member Purpose Driven Church in Atlanta, GA, Pastor Bryan Crute has helped lead this church to becoming the 6th fastest growing Church in America (in 2008). Pastor Crute has been recognized as a National Church Leader and a pioneer in mentoring and developing leaders. http://www.destinymetro.org
Monday, April 19, 2010
Blest Be The Tie
By Alan Riley
I have a confession to make: I am a Baptist. I've spent most of my life around Baptists. Over the years I've discovered that in Baptist churches there are a lot of things that are common to almost all of them. Just like you can walk into a McDonalds anywhere in the world and order a Big Mac and know it will taste the same, you can go to most Baptist churches and find a lot of the same things on the "menu," if you catch my drift. Some of these things that are the same are good. Some of them are not so good.
Almost all Baptist churches have "business meetings." If your church has a congregational form of government, I suspect you have something similar to the business meeting. These are regularly scheduled gatherings where the "business of the church" is discussed. And discussed. And discussed. And then that business, usually in the form of a "motion" is voted on. Baptist Churches use Roberts Rules of Order to guide them in how to conduct these meetings. As a child I used to wonder who this Roberts guy was and why was he causing so much trouble in my church?
Going to church business meetings was great entertainment for me when I was a kid. You got to see adults acting really, really bad. Sometimes, if you were really lucky you'd get to hear them yell at each other. But most of the time the comments were just condescending or sarcastic and frequently sprinkled with the term "Brother" or "Sister." ("Brother Moderator, it is obvious that Brother Smith, the chairman of our Grounds Committee believes money grows on trees since he wants to spend $50 to spray the shrubbery for bugs!")
At the end of the business meeting, no matter how contentious it had been, no matter how close people came to jumping across the pews and strangling their fellow church members, the people would stand up and hold hands across the aisle and sing this little ditty:
Blest be the tie that binds
Our hearts in Christian love
The fellowship of kindred minds
Is like to that above
I didn't have a clue in the world what those words meant when I was a little kid. But I did know what a tie was. It was that awful contraption that you had to wear around your neck only when you went to church. I would have to stand still long enough for my dad to tie it and when he was done he tightened it up and my face immediately started turning blue from lack of oxygen. I could relate to "the tie that binds"!
When I got older I came to understand it was a song about how much we love each other, and how the love we have for each other here is a little taste of what it's going to be like in heaven. Say what?? We argue, fuss and fight for an hour or more and then declare that's what heaven is going to be like? If that's true, I think I'll pass! (Thankfully it is not true - I rest in the assurance there will be no business meetings in heaven.)
But you know, now after many years of seeing the best and worst of people at church, I've sort of mellowed in my view of business meetings and the people who go to them.
Church business meetings are kind of like life. We're not perfect, we sometimes say things we shouldn't, and sometimes we make complete idiots out of ourselves. But through it all somehow God still loves us. And through it all, we really do love each other. You see, I've come to realize the singing of that song wasn't about how things were, it was a statement of how in our heart of hearts we really wanted them to be. And how - praise the Lord - it will be in heaven.
So church - and I mean ALL of the church, not just us Baptists - let's stand up, hold hands across the aisle, and sing together: "Blest be the tie that binds our hearts in Christian love..."
Scripture For The Day: "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!" - Psalm 133:1 (NKJV)
Alan Riley is Vice President for Ministry and Media Development for 316 Networks (http://www.316Networks.com), Streaming Faith’s sister media property. He can be found blogging at http://www.alansblog.com or more often opining in 140 characters or less at http://www.Twitter.com/AlanRiley.…
I have a confession to make: I am a Baptist. I've spent most of my life around Baptists. Over the years I've discovered that in Baptist churches there are a lot of things that are common to almost all of them. Just like you can walk into a McDonalds anywhere in the world and order a Big Mac and know it will taste the same, you can go to most Baptist churches and find a lot of the same things on the "menu," if you catch my drift. Some of these things that are the same are good. Some of them are not so good.
Almost all Baptist churches have "business meetings." If your church has a congregational form of government, I suspect you have something similar to the business meeting. These are regularly scheduled gatherings where the "business of the church" is discussed. And discussed. And discussed. And then that business, usually in the form of a "motion" is voted on. Baptist Churches use Roberts Rules of Order to guide them in how to conduct these meetings. As a child I used to wonder who this Roberts guy was and why was he causing so much trouble in my church?
Going to church business meetings was great entertainment for me when I was a kid. You got to see adults acting really, really bad. Sometimes, if you were really lucky you'd get to hear them yell at each other. But most of the time the comments were just condescending or sarcastic and frequently sprinkled with the term "Brother" or "Sister." ("Brother Moderator, it is obvious that Brother Smith, the chairman of our Grounds Committee believes money grows on trees since he wants to spend $50 to spray the shrubbery for bugs!")
At the end of the business meeting, no matter how contentious it had been, no matter how close people came to jumping across the pews and strangling their fellow church members, the people would stand up and hold hands across the aisle and sing this little ditty:
Blest be the tie that binds
Our hearts in Christian love
The fellowship of kindred minds
Is like to that above
I didn't have a clue in the world what those words meant when I was a little kid. But I did know what a tie was. It was that awful contraption that you had to wear around your neck only when you went to church. I would have to stand still long enough for my dad to tie it and when he was done he tightened it up and my face immediately started turning blue from lack of oxygen. I could relate to "the tie that binds"!
When I got older I came to understand it was a song about how much we love each other, and how the love we have for each other here is a little taste of what it's going to be like in heaven. Say what?? We argue, fuss and fight for an hour or more and then declare that's what heaven is going to be like? If that's true, I think I'll pass! (Thankfully it is not true - I rest in the assurance there will be no business meetings in heaven.)
But you know, now after many years of seeing the best and worst of people at church, I've sort of mellowed in my view of business meetings and the people who go to them.
Church business meetings are kind of like life. We're not perfect, we sometimes say things we shouldn't, and sometimes we make complete idiots out of ourselves. But through it all somehow God still loves us. And through it all, we really do love each other. You see, I've come to realize the singing of that song wasn't about how things were, it was a statement of how in our heart of hearts we really wanted them to be. And how - praise the Lord - it will be in heaven.
So church - and I mean ALL of the church, not just us Baptists - let's stand up, hold hands across the aisle, and sing together: "Blest be the tie that binds our hearts in Christian love..."
Scripture For The Day: "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!" - Psalm 133:1 (NKJV)
Alan Riley is Vice President for Ministry and Media Development for 316 Networks (http://www.316Networks.com), Streaming Faith’s sister media property. He can be found blogging at http://www.alansblog.com or more often opining in 140 characters or less at http://www.Twitter.com/AlanRiley.…
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