Saints, 23 Nov 10
This devotional is not about you and me. This is about unity in the church. Please, let us be emptied of ourselves and filled completely with God, His love, His plan, and His purpose.
As one pastor said, “Pray for the church, because society does a good job at being society, but the church doesn’t do such a good job at being the church.”
May this devotional spur you on to chase after loosing yourself in God. May we embrace being conformed into God’s image, into His love, into His mind, into His plan. I submit to you that in conformity to Jesus Christ lies complete satisfaction. This is how we connect with our creator in the deepest way. This life is not about us! My life is not about me! Our lives are about bringing glory to the Father in a maximal way. And somehow through this, we receive complete joy, complete satisfaction, and consuming peace. As a Christ follower, you know this is true. I do too.
We know that God earnestly desires unity in the church. Paul speaks about it in Romans 15:5-7. Jesus prays for it in John 17:20-23.
Romans 15:5-7 (NIV)
5 May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus,
6 so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
7 Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.
5 May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus,
6 so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
7 Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.
John 17:20-23 (NIV)
20 "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message,
21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.
22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one:
23 I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
20 "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message,
21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.
22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one:
23 I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
Yes, Father, two thousand years later we echo with passion these words of Jesus: “May we be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent Jesus and have loved them even as you have loved Your Son.”
So, if unity in the church is so important to the Father, let’s ask ourselves some questions to help us see how we can be a part of building unity in the church.
Think about a unified church. Think about your church being more unified. What would that look like? What role would you play in moving your church to be more unified in Christ?
What does the Holy Spirit bring to mind?
For your church to be more unified, would that mean that you need to go to a brother or sister and be reconciled? Does it mean that you need to give yourself to prayer for unity, your staff, and your church? Does it mean you need to offer forgiveness or confess a sin? Does it mean you need to swallow your pride and do something you don’t want to do, but is the best thing to do? Does it mean you need give your prize possession for God’s work? As a musician, I understand how music can deeply move us—it also can be a source of contention in the church. Have you allowed music or anything else to become a stumbling block to humble, surrendered worship of our most high, amazing God? Is church about you or is it about our heavenly Father? Do I need to make some adjustments with my tongue—to build and encourage, not backbite or tear down?
If some of these questions sting a bit, please take them to God and work through them in prayer. May God help us as we do this…all to His glory!
To help us see how conformed we are to Jesus Christ, determine which statements best describe your prayer life?
I tend to pray for myself more. I tend to pray for God’s help with MY life.
Or
I pray that God would take my life and glorify His name and use my life as He wills. I tend to pray for others more.
I know this can be discouraging, even so, take heart saints, because God is our strength. Let us cry out to God that yes, His name be glorified in our lives. May our lives be spent for His eternal purposes, not our temporary purposes.
Father, please help each of us to be one with You not only to yield in submission, to Your will, but to enjoy complete conformity to Your will, that we may see the unity in the church which You desire. That with one voice we will glorify the God and Father of our Lord, Jesus Christ, making disciples, witnessing, praying, and engaging in the ministry of the Word.
As Jesus prayed in Gethsemane , may we cry out with one heart, “Thy will be done!”
May God daily teach us to pray. May God compell us to pray for the church.
Compelled to pray and desperate for God, Steve
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