Tag Archive | unity

Jesus

Mar16

Joy of the Lord is my Strength.
Everthing Created by Him, For Him
Savior
Unity
Sacrifice

(Joy)  Then he said to them, “Go, eat of the fat, drink of the sweet, and send portions to him who has nothing prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
Nehemiah 8:10 NASB

(Everything)  For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him.
Colossians 1:16 NASB

(Savior)  to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.
Jude 1:25 NASB

(Unity)  I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me.
John 17:23 NASB

(Sacrifice)  But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:8 NASB

🌹Praise and glory to our glorious Lord Jesus Christ!

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon 

Continuous Prayer

Nov1

pray without ceasing;
1 Thessalonians 5:17 NASB

Jesus spoke about prayer, modeled prayer, and is the recipient of our prayers along with the Father and the Holy Spirit. We are to pray at all times and not lose heart because God will bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night. God will bring about justice quickly for us – the faithful in prayer. Faithfulness in prayer increases faith.
Prayer unifies the body of Christ. Praying for one another, with one another in one mind continually devoting ourselves to prayer. And we each have the gift of the Holy Spirit who helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
Luke 18:1/Luke 18:7‭-‬8/Acts 1:14/Romans 8:26‭-‬27 NASB

🌹Let us give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and pray always for one another.
Colossians 1:3 NASB

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

A House Divided

May3

But He knew their thoughts and said to them, “Any kingdom divided against itself is laid waste; and a house divided against itself falls.
Luke 11:17 NASB

Are you doing your part, in honor to God, to bring unity in your church body? God’s kingdom has enough outside conflict opposing it. Conflict within the body will only tear down and weaken the church and we will not be able to face the persecution to come. What a dishonor to our God to contribute to division within God’s Church, His body.

🌹He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me, scatters.
Luke 11:23 NASB

Continually Seeking Him, 

Sharon 

Therefore #1

Mar29

Therefore, we must fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it. 
Hebrews 4:1‭ NASB

Evaluation of the importance of God and His word in your life is vital.

And working together with Him, we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain—
2 Corinthians 6:1 NASB

(Recommended that you read all of 2 Corinthians 6).

For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also did; but the word they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united with those who listened with faith.
Hebrews 4:2 NASB

The word working in you confirms your faith and unites you with the like-minded believer of God’s word. Don’t sell yourself short by missing out on the daily feeding of God’s word. It opens doors to experiences with God beyond anything you can imagine.

For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of mere men, but as what it really is, the word of God, which also is at work in you who believe.
1 Thessalonians 2:13 NASB

🌹 Therefore, let us read God’s word daily so we don’t fall short of God’s rest nor take His grace in vain, being united with other believers by the same faith.

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

For Whose Name?

Jan22

They said, “Come, let us build for ourselves a city, and a tower whose top will reach into heaven, and let us make for ourselves a name, otherwise we will be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.” The Lord came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built. The Lord said, “Behold, they are one people, and they all have the same language. And this is what they began to do, and now nothing which they purpose to do will be impossible for them. Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, so that they will not understand one another’s speech.” So the Lord scattered them abroad from there over the face of the whole earth; and they stopped building the city. Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of the whole earth; and from there the Lord scattered them abroad over the face of the whole earth.
Genesis 11:4‭-‬9 NASB

What is man’s nature? Isn’t it to look out for #1? To seek what I think “is best for me”? “Come, let us make for ourselves a name”. Is it any wonder that God created new languages? Unity amongst man is a good thing when God and His will is our focus but left to our own way leads us away from God and His will.

Take a look at the world today. With the internet we can talk to anyone in the world without language being a barrier. We can be unified as one. But. . .

🌹 For whose name?

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

The Church – Keeping the Unity

Dec15

but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.     Ephesians 4:15‭-‬16 NASB

Jesus must be made the head of the body, the Church, for unity to be accomplished. He places each part (person) of the body in the church and He “causes the growth for the building up of itself in love”. We individually must surrender to the Lordship of Christ and be obedient to His commands (the Word of God, Bible).

Therefore, laying aside falsehood, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor, for we are members of one another. Ephesians 4:25 NASB

Neighbor: members of the church and accountable for and to one another.

be angry, and yet do not sin ; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil an opportunity. Ephesians 4:26‭-‬27 NASB

Remember that the devil is seeking whom he may devour and if he can destroy a church he will. Let us not give him the opportunity.

Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear. Ephesians 4:29‭ NASB

Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Ephesians 4:31 NASB

Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.  Ephesians 4:32 NASB

Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Ephesians 4:30 NASB

from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.    Ephesians 3:15‭-‬19 NASB

🌹O the blessings, the “riches of His glory”, “strengthened with power through His Holy Spirit”, the dwelling of Christ in the heart! By this and our obedience we comprehend with all the saints the abounding, overflowing, tremendous love of God and are filled to the fullness of God.

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

The Church – Body of Christ

Dec11

In yesterday’s devotion we read how a Christian is a new creation. We have put on the new self, the image of Jesus.

What does that look like in relation to the Church, the body of Christ?

Well, we, a part of the body should. . .

with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Ephesians 4:2‭-‬3 NASB

Be diligent (earnest, persistent, painstaking) to preserve the unity of the Spirit. How? In the bond of peace which means every part of the body (each person) must be humble, gentle, patient, tolerant in love.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.      Galatians 5:22‭-‬23 NASB

As a Christian we have the Spirit abiding in us so we have the capability to display the fruit of His Spirit particularly to the body of Christ.

There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.      Ephesians 4:4‭-‬6 NASB

God is the church. Jesus is Lord of His church. The Spirit unites us into one body under the Lordship of Christ and we are one with God who is over all, through all and in all.

🌹Are you united in faith with a body of believers? The body of Christ?!

God, I pray for your church. Unite your church into one body under the Lordship of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Pour out Your Spirit on Your body of true believers to be diligent in preserving unity in Your church by the fruit of Your Spirit being displayed toward one another. In godly love may Your church be known by their love for You displayed in loving one another.

In Jesus name, amen.

By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:35 NASB

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

Effectual Prayer

Nov18

And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness.And the congregation of those who believed were of one heart and soul;            Acts 4:31-32a NASB

Through prayer we are given the power of boldness to speak truth amongst our brothers and sisters to encourage them in the faith.

Through prayer we are given boldness to share the gospel outside the walls of the church.

Through prayer the church is unified as one heart and soul as the body of Christ.

The power of prayer. The Holy Spirit of God desires to work in us to point others to Christ and His saving grace.

🌹Do you speak with boldness the word of God to others for the glory of God and the eternal well being of others?

🌹Are you participating in corporate prayer so God can build the body for His glory and purpose?

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

You Are My Everything

Sep8

I am nothing without You.
You are . . .

My Justice
My Eternity
My Savior
My Unity
My Sustainer

My Compassion
My Holiness
My Righteousness
My Inspiration
My Shepherd
My Truth

None of these do I possess but by Your love and righteousness.

Therefore Jesus answered and was saying to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner.
John 5:19 NASB

I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.
John 15:5 NASB

If this man were not from God, He could do nothing.”
John 9:33 NASB

🌹Who is Jesus Christ in you?

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

Student See, Student Do

Oct30

So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. — Colossians 3:12-15

Through the Word of God (Bible) we see Jesus. He is compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. He is forgiving and loving. It is only through Christ that His church is unified and it is only in following Him, learning His attributes and practicing them that we can experience the peace of Christ.

Jesus our example, the Holy Spirit our teacher. As we draw closer to Jesus Christ, study His Word under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and learn, we will reflect the character of our teacher. We will reflect Jesus to others.

The one who is taught the word is to share all good things with the one who teaches him. Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. — Galatians 6:6-8

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon