OUR COMMONALITY IS IN CHRIST ! JESUS CHRIST IN our entire being !

8/21/2021

Our world today is filled with DIVISION. There is a message being pushed that creates hundreds of little groups that all deem their identity and their needs SACRED. We are being constantly pushed to accept new cultural ideas and actions that go Directly Against what we Believe and what we see as Truth. This is NOT A NEW PHENOMENON. Over Time and History we have always seen groups of leadership that have pushed their way of seeing things, and in their minds and words it has always been for the “Good Of Everyone”. These ideologies always leave one common ending….DESTRUCTION. The truth is that God created us to LOVE ONE ANOTHER. The greatest thing we can do is to look out for one another. Pray for each other. God gives us a heart of Commonality In His Son. The Commonality comes from our bond as believers in the Gospel. Our strength is our abiding in Jesus. We share a Hope. We share Peace. We share the GIFT OF GRACE. It gives us the NEED and HEART to go beyond our nationality, our comfort, our daily lives to think about and care about others that are SO FAR AWAY AND DIFFERENT FROM US. Different in every single way….except…WE ALL KNOW JESUS AS OUR LORD AND SAVIOR ! The world cannot break that, It is what draws us together.

THEREFORE, I, THE PRISONER IN THE LORD URGE YOU TO LIVE WORTHY TO THE CALLING YOU HAVE RECEIVED, WITH ALL HUMILITY AND GENTLENESS, WITH PATIENCE, BEARING WITH ONE ANOTHER IN LOVE, MAKING 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 AT YOUR CALLING-ONE LORD, ONE FAITH, ONE BAPTISM, ONE GOD AND FATHER WHO IS ABOVE ALL, AND THROUGH ALL, AND IN ALL. Ephesians 4; 1-6

I APPEAL TO YOU, BROTHERS, BY THE NAME OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, THAT ALL OF YOU AGREE, AND THAT THERE BE NO DIVISIONS AMONG YOU, BUT THAT YOU BE UNITED IN THE SAME MIND AND THE SAME JUDGEMENT. 1 Corinthians 1:10

NOW YOU ARE THE BODY OF CHRIST AND INDIVIDUALLY MEMBERS OF IT. 1 Corinthians 12:27

In my heart, I know that the Church is divided, and going to become more and more so. It is a sad state of affairs that we are so self focused that we often think that Christianity comes from our own experience, culture, environment, place of origin or spot we are currently in. We don’t want to go all the way to the rawness and reality of being a martyr. Being persecuted. Facing brutality, fear, upheaval, hatred, death. No church pew, no small group, no surety of our mission, our purpose, and our future. And yet, WE SHARE CHRIST ! WE SHARE FAITH ! WE SHARE A SAVIOR, AND A LORD, AND A KING. We need to realize that the Brother of Sister that we stand beside and lean on and will share ETERNITY WITH may be from another country, another culture, have a different family structure, different goals, different ways of doing things….and yet, WE WILL BE TOGETHER IN CHRIST ! JESUS IS WHO WE ARE.

RATHER, SPEAKING THE TRUTH IN LOVE, WE ARE TO GROW UP IN EVERY WAY INTO HIM WHO IS THE HEAD, INTO CHRIST, FROM WHOM THE WHOLE BODY , JOINED AD HELD TOGETHER BY EVERY JOINT WITH WHICH IT IS EQUIPPED, WHEN EACH PART IS WORKING PROPERLY, MAKES THE BODY GROW SO THAT IT BUILDS ITSELF UP IN LOVE. Ephesians 4: 15-16

TO EACH IS GIVEN THE MANIFESTATION OF THE SPIRIT FOR THE COMMON GOOD. 1 Corinthians 12:7

BUT OUR CITIZENSHIP IS IN HEAVEN, AND FROM IT WE AWAIT A SAVIOR, THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. Philippians 3:20

Christian Believers ! We are in a time where it is vital that we move closer and closer to our Lord, Savior, and King. Jesus is our Strength and our Refuge. HE alone has us in His Hands. No matter what the world brings our way, Jesus is THE WAY< THE TRUTH< AND THE LIFE ! Seek and be in a community of people who are focused on Jesus. Be together in Purpose and in Faith. Pray Together, Sharpen each other, and Love and Care for each other. A storm is upon us. Our Hope is in the RISEN CHRIST AND ETERNAL LIFE IN HIM ! JOIN TOGETHER/JAA

THE LORD IS MY STRENGTH AND MY SONG; HE HAS GIVEN ME VICTORY. THIS IS MY GOD, AND I WILL PRAISE HIM-MY FATHER’S GOD, AND I WILL EXALT HIM. Exodus 15:2