Weekly Message / Prayer Request

ACTS 2:42 MEN’S FELLOWSHIP

“As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called—one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” Ephesians 4:1-6 NIV

Every person has been given a purpose from God. It is an individual calling for which we are to live our life toward—proclaiming the glory of God. But the Lord never designed us to live our lives as individuals alone and isolated from one another. Instead from the very beginning He has emphasized the importance of unity.

The Apostle Paul understood this concept well when he wrote from a prison in Rome to the church of Ephesus in 60 A.D on the ‘unity of the Spirit’. This passage from Ephesians 4 clearly shows we are of one mind, one body, and one Spirit when we enter a relationship with Christ as our Savior. It is the ‘unity of the Spirit’ which binds us together.

But it will only remain a concept and never come alive in each one of us unless we put it to practice in our own life. And this is not just about acting in one Spirit; it is about believing it and putting the concept deep into your heart and mind.

For Christ spoke clearly of the concept of unity before the scribes from Jerusalem in the gospel of Luke:

“Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them: ‘Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall.’” Luke 11:17 NIV

What I find fascinating and important about this passage is the first part of the verse where it says ‘Jesus knew their thoughts…’ The scribes did not even have a chance to bring up the possibility of disunity by their actions or words. It was their thoughts which prompted a response from our Lord.

I believe there is no difference today. The Lord will measure our thoughts of unity, not any action of unity. Just coming together as the ‘body of Christ’ once a week does not represent whether we are truly a part of the ‘body of Christ’. It is whether we are each unified in our minds to the body of Christ which matters to our Lord…

If this would happen and we each come to this realization upon where unity starts in our own life (in the mind), then I truly believe the Church will be changed and it will take on the understanding of the ‘unity of the Spirit.’

Then when troubles come to each one of us, the body will be there to raise each one of us up in encouragement and love…

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Thanks for coming this past Wednesday. Meeting with each one of you has been a tremendous blessing and encouragement on my life. I pray that each one of you feels the same…