UNITY

By: REV. DENNY SMITH

God’s will for you and me is unity with other children of God: “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word. That they may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You” (John 17:20-21 NKJV). This prayer of Jesus is specifically for you. Did you know that Jesus prayed for you personally? He did. He prayed that we would be united in our faith, so all the world would learn that God sent Jesus down here in the flesh. Are you “one” with all the other believers? It’s a sad commentary that the people who claim to be Christians are prejudice, and can’t get along with each other. How are they “prejudice”? By looking at other believers, other denominations, and speaking badly about them because they don’t see things the same as you do. Pay attention, and see if you find yourself speaking negatively about other Christians. If you do you should realize, “I am failing at what Jesus prayed I would do- be one with other believers.”

A major problem with the ones who claim to be the children of God is that they can’t get along with the other ones who claim to be the children of God. Do you know what the biggest problem is that missionaries face out there on the mission field? It is not that they can’t relate to, and get along with the ones they are seeking to minister to.

The problem they come home talking about is that they can’t get along with the other missionaries. They both have the same goal, helping others, teaching them about Jesus, but they refuse to get along because of petty differences. Paul says: “All the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another” (Galatians 5:14 & 15).

The biggest problem with the church is TOO MANY CHIEFS, AND NOT ENOUGH INDIANS. Jesus is supposed to be the only Chief, and He wants all His under-shepherds to get along. Whining and complaining about other Christians is not God’s will. You’ve probably heard it: “They don’t believe in speaking in tongues,” or the opposite, “they are wrong to speak in tongues,”- “they believe the rapture comes before the tribulation”, or “they don’t believe in the rapture”- “they disagree about the baptism in the Holy Ghost”- “they don’t use the King James Translation of the Bible”- “they play rock music over there”- “the women wear pants to church”-“they think the Sabbath is Saturday”-“they allow drinking alcohol”- “they don’t believe in smoking”- Waah, waah, waah.

Jesus wants unity, not division. Talk about the things we agree on, the important things like “Love one another/ bear one another’s burdens/ all who believe on Jesus will be saved” (1^st John 4:7 & Galatians 6:2 & Romans 10:13). God wants us to “be one” and live in unity.