~ Unity in the Body of Christ ~
WHO IS THE ACCUSER OF THE BRETHREN? OH, LORD LET IT NOT BE ME. WE SO NEED TO RE-VISIT THIS IN OUR LIVES. IN THE LAST DAYS THE BIBLE SAYS ...THEY WILL KNOW WE ARE CHRISTIANS BY OUR LOVE..
.
Ephesians 4:1-6
4 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
There is a book that made a great impact on me several years ago written by Francis Frangipane, called The Three Battlegrounds. This is from that book...
" One may ask, " How shall the Kingdom of God come and what sort of people shall possess it?" The Kingdom of God will be seen inn a love-motivated people who know the power of prayer. For when they see a need, instead of judging one another, they intercede until they are built up into all aspects in Him Who is their head."
He gives Rom. 8:34, Heb. 7:25 as references and mentions that the Scripture says..."Jesus, ever lives to make intercession for the saints" He did not 'call' us to judge each other but to pray for one another.'
An example he gave in his own personal life was at a time he belonged to a national Christian organization that had a 'true vision from God, yet also had several serious problems.' I will write the rest of this passage from his book in his own words...
"At that time I was pastoring a small church and I felt perhaps we should leave this group because of what was wrong. Together, the congregation and I began to seek the Lord, with periods of fasting, for forty days. At the end of that time I wrote a "list" of complaints and, holding them before God, I prayed (somewhat self-righteously), Lord, what should we do?"
Immediately the Lord replied, " Have you seen these things?"
"Yes, Lord," I answered, "I have seen their sins."
To which He said, "So also have I, but I died for them, you go and do likewise."
(Francis Frangipane then goes on to say)
You see, we will always be serving in churches where things are wrong. Our response to what we see defines how Christlike we are actually becoming. If we see weakness in the body of Christ, our call is to be an example of virtue. When we discover fear, we must impart courage, and where there is worldliness, we must display holiness. Our call is to enter the place of intercession and stand there until the body of Christ is built up in that area."
Well, I tell you my friends, I have fallen short a few times more than I would like to admit, but I am pressing forward...because we need too...if we are going to become like Jesus, we need to really get a hold of this. God bless ♥
THEY WILL KNOW WE ARE CHRISTIANS BY OUR LOVE
~MAKE US ONE ~