One of the reasons so few people seem to be touched by what the church or what churches do is because the world sees such a LACK of unity among church people. Church people bite each other and fight all the time right out there where the world is watching us.
I am not saying we need to hide our fights or hold them for a later time. What I am saying that is it TIME to STOP putting up with the crud of what doesn't matter and START doing what does matter.
When we get on our mind what God has on His mind, we will make a difference in the people around us. When we start doing what Jesus did and doing what God called us to do, more people will respond to what we say and what we give in His name.
Romans 15:5-6 (nasb) --- Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus, so that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
In the message this past Sunday, Lord, Make Us Effective, I talked about two things that happen when God's people seek unity. We will find that we have the "same mind" and that we share and lift "one voice". Those two items (noted in the verses above) are huge pieces of doing what God called us to do. Listen up. God will shape us and shake us when we STOP thinking about ourselves and START thinking about Him.
Being of the "same mind" literally means that we put on the mind of Christ. When a bunch of people head in the same direction, they take power and strength and potential to an entirely new level.
When we lift our "one voice", we will hear how loud the voice of Jesus is. Best yet, we will be able to get the attention of more and more people for Jesus.
My ONE PRAYER is, our ONE PRAYER is ... Lord, Make Us Effective.
Ephesians 4:3-6 (nlt) --- Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father, who is over all and in all and living through all.
If God is one and we are one in Him, then our work ought to be making major inroads into doing away with the lostness of the world. Why do you think it is that we see little results from what the church tries to do?
Plain and simple. Without unity, we are lost, stuck, hopeless, dead and powerless. With unity, there is unlimited power ready for us as we seek to SHOUT with "one voice" the name of Jesus while we HAVE the "same mind" because we are all focused on Jesus.
By praying, Lord, Make Us Effective, we are asking God to give us great impact and help us demonstrate His love in places and to people we have never thought we could reach. Join me!
For more on our current series join the conversation at www.oneprayer.com. Join The Community Fellowship and over 1,330 other churches by focusing on God for the next four weeks. Spend time praying, fasting, sharing and seeking God. It will change your life and your focus. Join us.
No comments:
Post a Comment