July 20, 2016
UNITY IN THE BODY OF CHRIST – ALL HANDS ON DECK!
As we see all across the world, the body of Christ seems to be more and more divided and unity seems to be dissapearing. The Lord revealed how important it is now more than ever for the body of Christ to work in *unity* for the advancement of The Kingdom of God; seeking first His Mighty Kingdom without compromising His truth. We can no longer afford to sit at church as expectators, but all hands need to be on deck.
The Lord tells us very clearly how we are to behave in many scriptures in the Bible, but Romans 12 describes very clearly how we are to be as one… [Rom 12:4-5, 9-21 NKJV] 4 For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, 5 so we, [being] many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. … 9 [Let] love [be] without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. 10 [Be] kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; 11 not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12 rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; 13 distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality. 14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. 16 Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion. 17 Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. 18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. 19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but [rather] give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance [is] Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
My precious saints learn to work together in one accord with My Holy Spirit, [Eph 4:3 NKJV] 3 endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. With one mind in Me, in unity of faith, sharing and helping each other in My love as the early church did. [Act 4:32-35 NKJV] 32 Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. 33 And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all. 34 Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, 35 and laid them at the apostles’ feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need.
An example of many in the Bible of how God wants the body of Christ to be as one and closely knit together is in Exodus 17. Joshua was to fight the Amalekites and Moses had to hold his rod up in the air while the battle took place. When Moses put his rod down Amalek prevailed. Moses grew tired of holding the rod and had to rely on other people to help him support the rod up in the air in order for Joshua to defeat Amalek and have the victory. A similar account happened in the parting of the Red Sea. Another example, is in Exodus too, chapter 18 when Jethro counseled Moses how to delegate his job as judge to other selected God fearing men that would be rulers over a certain amount of people and serve as judges themselves. This would ease the burden on Moses and share the responsibility with others in the body. In the new testament, Jesus sent the apostles in two’s to go preach the gospel. There are so many examples of this principle. God never set us to accomplish everything as a “one-man show” and be separate from the body. God wants us to be a family here on earth for we will be one big family in Heaven. God wants all of our hands on deck now more than ever! And most importantly as we share with the body, we must Glorify God for it is by Him and thru Him that we win the battles. God sets it up that way that we may not boast in our own strength but give the Glory to Him who is above all.
Think of how The Living God works in unity with us. If God Almighty who is The omnipotent sovereign supreme God who spoke the world into creation, who performs Mighty works and wonders; our Mighty God, works thru humans to carry the Gospel to all the world; not because He has to use us, for He is all powerful, but because He loves us and He chooses to work thru us to glorify His Holy Name. God with one word can move nations as Smith Wigglesworth said. Yet God uses us as the extension of His lips, His hands, His feet, His heart to reach others for salvation, to reach His inheritance thru love and faith in Him. God is longsuffering and takes the time to raise us up patiently bearing His children to accomplish His greater purpose; and all the while as He builds our faith stronger and stronger, we trust Him and we spiritually mature. He transforms us into the nature of His dear Son, Jesus. Through His Holy Spirit, He works in unity with us as the perfect loving parent that He is.
How much more do we have to patiently love others and empower the body of Christ and move mountains for The Lord? How much more do we have to do for The Almighty who gave us His only begotten Son so that we may have eternal life? How much more do we give to our precious Mighty God we serve who gave it all for us? the answer is plain and simple, we give it all for Him, we give it all to Him! It’s all about Him brothers and sisters, it’s not about us, it’s not about our dreams, it’s about His dream that encompasses us within His eternal promise. We all have a destiny that He has called us to; which comes to fruition as we work together as soldiers of His big Mighty Army. It’s about The Glory of The Almighty and His Sons and Daughters working together as His heirs. [Rom 8:17 NKJV] 17 and if children, then heirs–heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with [Him], that we may also be glorified together.
[Jas 2:5 NKJV] 5 Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world [to be] rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?
In Ephesians The Lord tells us how He gives different gifts and ministries to each for the equipping of the Body of Christ; not being carried away by every foolish doctrine, but standing firm in faith, in His truth in unity … [Eph 4:10-16 NKJV] 10 He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things. 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; 14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head–Christ– 16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
[Psa 133:1 NKJV] 1 Behold, how good and how pleasant [it is] For brethren to dwell together in unity!
[1Th 3:12-13 NKJV] 12 And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we [do] to you, 13 so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.
May The Lord of Hosts be blessed and may you be blessed abundantly in His Name!