Unity vs. Disunity

Colossians 3:12-14

New International Version (NIV)

¹² Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. ¹³ Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. ¹⁴ And over all these virtues put on love,which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Today I am going to write a lot from my devotional. I dont really do that.  I mainly get the verse and topic from my devotional, and then write my thoughts in my blog.  However this time I think the devotional is so good I have to share.   However some of the remarks are mine and not hers

BY Jennifer Landrith and Jessica Shonebarger

When someone sits in your place at church, unity says, "who cares? I am glad you are here." Disunity says" Hey that's my seat and asks them to move.

Unity says, I will support and pray for the leadership of my church knowing it is not an easy task .  Disunity says I dont like the pastor or vision of the church I will just gossip about them instead and be disgruntled. 

Unity says I want to see all people come and worship with us.  DIsunity says I want people that look like me to come.

UNity says I will give others the benefit of the doubt.  Disunity says There is no excuse for you to act like that.  I dont give second chances.

Unity says I love to worship no matter the style.  Disunity says I can only worship with my style of music.

Unity says pray for people when you see them going through rough times.  Disunity says Gossip about people when you hear they are going through troubled times.

Unity says forgive. Disunity says dont forgive.

Unity says don't judge  disunity says criticize everything

Unity says we are all on the same team. Disunity says I am doing my own thing no matter what the team is doing.

Unity says I will respect others  Disunity says I respect no one but myself.

Oh Father, let us clothe ourselves in characteristics that bring glory to your name.  Let me love others in practical ways and let me be quick to forgive, knowing that I have been forgiven.  Let my life be one that models unity in my home, my church, and my community.  In Jesus' name Amen.

Prayers of a Child

Every morning as we (maddie and I) take abby to school I pray for protection and the day and thank Him for my girls. Then abby Prays and says thank you jesus for Luke and Brooke and Abby and Maddie. Amen (some days (when she is really feeling thankful) she thanks him for our house and clothes and food and car) Then Maddie always says Jesus Mommy Daddy Amen. You are never to young to call on the name of the Lord. Isnt it awesome He hears EVERY prayer. Raising up prayer warriors...

One Mouth...WOW

Romans 15:5-6

New International Version (NIV)

⁵ May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, ⁶ so that with one mind and one voice (mouth) you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

There are a couple different directions with this verse.  One direction is similar to yesterday's blog.  I think I covered that yesterday, so I will go in a different direction today.  

James 3:9-10

New International Version (NIV)

⁹ With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. ¹⁰ Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.

How many times do we fall to this.. Our mouth is so hard to control.  Some may say what comes out of our mouths doesnt matter.  However that isnt true and it is a lie people choose to believe.

Matthew 12:34  ( King James Bible)

O generation of vipers, how can ye, being euil, speake good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.

The things that come out of our mouth is a window to see and view out heart condition..

How can I with "one mouth" praise and give honor to God and then go out and gossip about someone?  It is so common with facebook to post a scripture on one post and then post something off color on another site.  We look like schizophrenics out there.  That is one thing facebook reveals.  It reveals when we are trying to be one way with church people and another way with the world.  It all collides on facebook.  It can not be hidden as easily.  

The things that come out of our mouths can cause soooo much division in the body of the church.  Most people feel so justified for doing so too.  We dont think of the ramification we just want to be heard and to be right.  So many people can be "right" and be sooo "WRONG" in how they handle a situation.

Jennifer Landrith said (in my devotional) If we are in the Word of God and meditating on those words, it will be hard to dwell on Psalm 71:8, "my mouth is filled with your praise, declaring your splendor all day long" and then go out to chad about the neighbor down the street in a degrading manner.  If we fill our thoughts  with God's words then our mouths will promote Unity.  God is glorified when our mouths produce praise and not slander.  You have heard the saying , "if you talk the talk walk the walk."  The reverse is true: if you are walking the walk, then talk the talk.  Make your words consistent with your walk!  

I have to relate everything back to being a wife and mother.  I do not want my children to see hypocrisy in me.  If I am praising the Lord and doing all this work for Him, yet when I am home I talk bad about people, or I speak harshly to my children I am a hypocrite.  If I demonstrate that trait to my children they will mimic it.  It is so important as parents to follow the Lord with all their hearts.  I want to raise children that know there is power in Christ and living the way he commands.  I dont want them to see a mother full of compromise.  

The prayer from my devotional is so awesome today:

Lord, help me to not talk unkindly about anyone, and convict me when I do.  Let me be quick to make things right.  Don't let both praising and cursing come from my mouth. Let ,e be known as a woman whose tongue promotes blessing and unity.  In Jesus' name, amen..

Ps 19:14

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my strength and my redeemer.

They will know us by our LOVE

1 Corinthians 1:10-13

New International Version (NIV)

A Church Divided Over Leaders

¹⁰ I appeal to you, brothers and sisters,^[a] in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought. ¹¹ My brothers and sisters, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. ¹² What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas^[b]”; still another, “I follow Christ.”
¹³ Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul?

I have mentioned in previous blogs I am a pastor's daughter, turned youth pastor, turned youth pastor's wife.  I could probably write a book on this subject but I wont.

It is soooo important for us "christians" to be known by our love.  So many people out there go to church and do nothing but talk about about their church and or their pastor.  We should be ashamed of ourselves.   If you are unhappy at the church you are attending, and cant commit or submit to the leadership of a church then you should find another church.  We as Christians should not be the cause for disunity in a church.  The Lord has put a man over a church and he is anointed. So we should be careful with the Lords anointed.

I meet with people all the time and they will tell me stories of how they have been to so many churches, and because of the way they were dressed or looked they didnt feel welcome.  How horrible!  The Lord doesnt look at me or you that way!! How can we look at others that way.. The Lord accepted me and my sin was as filthy stinky rags.  How can we not be the same way.. ??!!

Eric and I recently met with a mom (of a teen in our program) and she said something like how at churches she has been to people said stuff to her and she wasnt welcome.  Eric told her that wont happen here, and if it does you come to me and I will take care of it because they will be in the wrong.

I remember when I came to the church to be the youth director..  I painted the youth hall black..  Most of the people in our church didnt get it.  Some told me Jess I dont like black but if thats what you want ok by me.. Others could care less.  However there was one or two that said oh Black walls that is demonic.  Every time they went into the youth hall (2 times a year) They told me how we needed to paint it and they could feel evil spirits in there.  (this person no longer attends our church.)

My point is PAINT! Really?! We are going to be worried about paint!!  The world shouldn't know us by arguing about paint!! We should LOVE.  We should be Christ's earthly example of LOVE..

We as the CHURCH we cant get hurt feelings easy.  However if your feelings are hurt then you should go to that person and talk about it.  We should not slander their name all over church or our community.  honestly it doesnt matter what they have done if you go around gossiping about them.  Because then you are in the wrong and need to apologize.

We can not reach the world church if we are fighting with ourselves!  John 13:35 says By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.  We have to live this!!!

This prayer was in my DEvotional it is so good that I am posting it here.
Lord, let my tongue not cause division.  help me to say only those things that edify! When I disagree with someone, let me speak respectfully and go directly to that person to speak the "truth in love".  Let my life be one that is in harmony with those in my church.  I want to make you attractive!!! In jesus's name AMEN..

I just want to say I am going through a devotional book for topics and verses.  Theses thoughts are mine and mine alone (except for the prayer).  I Know because I posted this some might wonder what's happening at Praise Cathedral.  However my church is doing wonderful and God is blessing and the unity is better then ever.  I am proud of my church and how they support going after the lost and not caring what it looks like or how it comes.  They want to see the lost saved and the young people on fire.. I am to honored be apart of my church and have such an awesome church family...