Devotions from Judy’s heart
More than ever before, the Church needs to stand together in unity. Each morning, as Al and I pray together, I pray for the Body of Christ to stand in oneness and to stand strong. Unity is important and there is power when we are united in Him. When we are apart, we are sitting ducks for the enemy.
In my devotional time, I am reading what Paul had to say to the Corinthian church to help them walk in love and unity. Corinth was a wealthy city on the sea and people came from so many diverse backgrounds. He writes on the importance of unity and how to in walk in love. Paul says in I Cor. 1;10 (NRSV), “Now I appeal to you, brother and sisters, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you be in agreement and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same purpose.” He calls them brothers and sisters, and that’s what we are when we belong to God’s family, for we share the same Father. Of course, that doesn’t mean that we all think alike and even if we have different viewpoints, it doesn’t mean we cannot have harmony. When we agree on the important matters like salvation, the Trinity, and the Word, we can live in oneness even if we don’t agree politically or on social issues. Of course, the enemy loves to divide Christians from one another, as he knows we are stronger when we united together in oneness.
In Paul’s day, quarreling broke out between them as to those who identified with Paul, and those who favored Apollos or Cephas. Paul said that should not be, for the Lord unites us and we should be considerate of one another, cultivating a life in common. We should not take sides!
When we start arguing, and pressing our point of view, we divide the Body of Christ. The Holy Spirit is very capable of speaking to each member of the Body, and sometimes we ruin what He is doing by being pushy with our agenda.
Yes, we have worship styles that differ as well as, our attraction for different kinds of preaching and teaching, but it should not divide us. We all belong to Christ and our unity runs deep!
Let us not get caught up in splintering into different groups but be unified, strong in spirit, careful to maintain the unity.
Challenge for today: The next time you notice differing views as you talk with a fellow believer, hold your view and ask questions about his.
Blessings on your day and prayers and love, Judy
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