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In this day that we are living, the church of the Lord Jesus Christ needs
to be united and in one accord. There are many Bible believing Christians
who will not associate with other Bible believing Christians because of a
few differing beliefs that have no relevance concerning eternity. These
differing beliefs can be one who believes in healing and one who does not,
one who believes in speaking in tongues and one who does not, one who
believes in prophesying and one who does not, one who believes the King
James Bible is the only translation that should be read and one who does
not. Such bickering does not unite the body of Christ, but rather brings
animosity and division and causes us to not fulfill the Lord's command for
our life to love others as we desire to be loved. (Hebrews 12:1-3)
The Lord commands the believer to love God with all of your heart and to
love your neighbor as yourself as we read in Matthew 22:37-39 "Thou shalt
love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with
all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is
like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." Loving our
neighbor does not only pertain to the person next door, but also to the
person who goes to a different church. (Ephesians 4:29-32) (Acts 4:10-12)
We are to lay aside our differences as the Body of Christ and realize that
there is a hurting and dying world that needs to hear the good news that
Jesus Christ saves all who call upon His name in truth. He is the focus
and all other disputings need to be put away so that this world can hear
the good news and receive the Savior for themselves. (Ephesians 5:15-21)
I hope today's message ministers to your heart.
THE CHURCH STEEPLE
Many years ago I lived in a town which was about 20 miles from the
Northeastern Extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Several times as I
drove down that road, I noticed that on one small rise in the road, there
were two churches across the street from each other. Both were built of
stones, both were very pretty. In fact, I noticed that they looked very
much alike.
Then one time while driving by, it suddenly occurred to me that there was
one very noticeable difference. The church on the right had a high steeple
pointing to the sky, while the church on the left had only a square, flat
tower where the steeple should have been. Later I learned the story behind
those two churches.
At one time, there was one church, and when they were ready to build a new
building, an argument broke out between those who wanted to have a church
with a steeple, and those who didn't. The way they resolved the conflict
was for the church to split and build two churches, one with a steeple,
and one without.
To this day those churches stand along the highway as a monument to the
reality that too often those who claim to be Christians have taken their
eyes off the One whose Name they bear, and have focused instead on
something rather inconsequential.
With the Apostle Paul, we appeal to the Euodias and Syntyches of this day
to "agree in the Lord!" (Philippians 4:2)
Author Unknown
My prayer is that every believer in conflict realizes their error and
understands that arguing amongst ourselves is not only displeasing to the
Lord but also will have no relevance in the eternity of heaven. We are to
love one another the same as we love God and esteem others higher than we
esteem ourselves. The Bible declares in 1 John 4:20-21 "If a man say, I
love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his
brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And
this commandment have we from Him, That he who loveth God love his brother
also." (Acts 15:24-25) (Philippians 2:3-4)
Read and meditate on these scriptures:
Ephesians 4:29-32 "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth,
but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace
unto the hearers. And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are
sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and
anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all
malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another
even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you."
Romans 12:1-2 "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God,
that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God,
which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but
be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is
that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."
Romans 12:9-14 "Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is
evil; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to another
with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; Not slothful in
business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; Rejoicing in hope; patient
in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; Distributing to the necessity
of saints; given to hospitality. Bless them which persecute you: bless,
and curse not."
All of these scriptures can be found in the King James Version Bible.
Today's Selected Poem: MEET ME IN HEAVEN
Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/inpoem49.htm
Today's Selected Testimony: TAKING A GOOD LOOK
Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/testimony189.htm
In Christ's Service,
Dwayne Savaya
Gods Work Ministry |
