Last week we discussed the Lord trying to get us back to the Church of Old in unison as one body. Sharing what we do have with others, so no one in the body is in need or lack. If you missed I encourage you to go back and listen. This week we will discuss how to get us, the body, as one. Us Christians often get off track subconsciously and don’t even know it. We go through this life not thinking of ourselves as a body part but as a whole all by ourselves. We think of me, myself and I.

Then our families, work, brothers/sisters in Christ and then church. We even use scripture speaking if a man doesn’t work he doesn’t eat (2 Thessalonians 3:10) to justify not supporting and not sharing with one another. Once you find your tribe that does share, hang onto them, love on and appreciate them. Everyone the Lord has sent my way I am truly grateful and thankful for. As we look around we see so much division rampant in the church. We see comparison, pride, competition, self righteous spirit, critical/judgemental spirit and the list goes on and on. I know all of us have been to a church where as soon as we go through the doors, we get stares, eye rolls, looking you up and down all making assessments of us by the color of our skin, how we dress, how we wear our hair, who we are married to and our children’s ethnicity.

Our “assessments” of others seem to be harmless but that is the furthest from the truth. The only thing it accomplishes is people feeling unloved, not accepted and not good enough to be considered part of the fold. Where Jesus called the Pharisees hypocrites.(Matthew 23)  Also He states in Romans 10:9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

After we get, believe and accept the simple truth of Jesus and what He says in His word  we will get back to the first step  of becoming one body in unison.

After reaching that level in unison, we must reach the next. Which leads me back to the condition of the church. Yes we need to be one mind on what Jesus says what we must do to be saved and reach heaven. But then just as crucial we need to reach the next one.  The next one is just as simple and at the same time seems to be so difficult. What do I mean? I’m glad you asked. We need to be on one accord and even though it sounds as simple as the first one mentioned, it is far from it.

Us as christians have our own intimate relationship with God. Our own journey which means we are all at different places, levels and stages in our maturity and relationship with the Lord. We look at ourselves next to others and tend to want to “help” them get to the next stage. Really though if we examine closer are we actually helping? Are we wanting to share what we do from the heart of God or with the attitude that my way is right and yours is wrong?

I hear what you’re saying, no, I’m not trying to prove I’m right! But wait, Don’t be so quick to dismiss it….when I just mentioned it did you feel a ting in your spirit? Pride often disguises itself as false humility, false compassion, wanting to teach someone what you have learned. Yes, even to the last one. The devil lurks around studying us watching our every move looking for someone to devour. If you really from the heart of God wanted to share what you learned with the heart of helping we must recognize others are trying to do the same thing as I said we are on different levels.  When you’re sharing what has worked for you, if others oppose it or say something different than your opinion of what God has taught them what’s your response? An attitude? Not listening and over talking each another? Not being open to any other way? 

So people of God, how do we truly get to a genuine oneness as one body with many members? Stop the division!  Stop the hatred! Stop the judgement! Stop the condemnation. Stop the comparison! Stop the competition! Stop the attitude of my church is better than yours, and even the lie of I am only Holy Spirit led and don’t have a church. As God is a God of order.  When Mary and Joseph were looking for Jesus they found Him preaching and teaching in the church.We need to stop willingly being the Pharisees of today’s society when we always say we would never be like that yet do it everyday.

If we believe in the Father Son Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit we are one. We believe and bow down to the same God. it doesn’t matter if you’re baptist, lutheran, protestant, to name a few as we all bow down to the Lord Jesus Christ. We need to find similarities to unite us and stop listening to society that says we need to celebrate our differences. If we could get to a place of balance we could do that but for many it is one or the other. We need to find things we can agree on, learn to agree to disagree. We need to value the friendship and relationship more than the disappointments. We need to ask ourselves the hard questions of do I want to be right or want to be loved? Do I want to focus on all the imperfections of people or work on my own imperfections? We need to follow Christ’s example of humility, love, and looking at people’s hearts and characters.Then is when we will truly see one body in unison in the church.  

As we go through our week examine our own thoughts , own desires , own attitudes and line them up next to the Lords- doing a self evaluation and see where we need to improve. As we pray for the Lord to expose, reveal and remove we must do our part to let go and let God replace it. Lets stand up speak out and be a willing participant in the process