Friday, August 29, 2014

One In Christ

John 17:22-23
One In Christ

     “And the glory which Thou hast given Me I have given to them; that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, that the world may know that Thou didst send Me, and didst love them, even as Thou didst love Me.”

     What does it mean to be one with Jesus and our Heavenly Father? Let us consider what it would be like if you went to grab a glass of water and your hand picks up the spoon next to it. Your hand has disregarded your body’s desire for a drink and decided it liked the feel of holding a spoon. This is kind of a funny illustration but we have been called the body of Christ and He is our head. For us to work as one body the head of the body must direct the rest for the good of the entire body. To be one in Christ is to be of the same mind, heart, and action with Him. His desire is our delight to carry out. Everything we do affects the entire body of Christ and when we are stubbornly set in our earthly pursuits, refusing to let go, it can have consequences that can take a long time to recover from.
     We need to look more closely at what this signifies in terms of the unity Jesus has said we are to have with our brothers and sisters. The comfort of the entire body is dramatically altered when all of its members are working together under the leadership of the head. Caring for one another, bearing with one another’s faults, and forgiving one another, is the muscle and tissue that keeps us together. Having hearts set on helping one another everyday should be an active thing rather than waiting for something bad to befall a neighbor before we feel any kind of need to help them. Our love and concern should not be cause and affect but continuous. 
     This is significant because it pulls us out of ourselves and into a life of service and blessing to everyone around us. If we let it, everyday will consume us with pursuits for our own gain, and concern for our neighbors, family, and friends will be forgotten. It is so easy to get caught up in these things that we don’t even notice. To be one with Jesus is to be filled with His love for everyone around us and to find ways to help them. To be one with Him is to seek His plan for our lives so that we can be doing the job that will most benefit the body of Christ. To be one with Him is to be filled with the joy of serving Him and seeing Him work through our lives.
     So I want to encourage all of you today to earnestly seek His plan for your life. It can be hard to lay down your earthly ambitions in order to do this but only someone who is truly willing to do whatever God’s plan is will receive His plan for their lives and carry it out. You cannot want your own plan and His because invariably your plan will hinder the effectiveness of His plan and the two will get in the way of each other. We cannot be divided when we serve God, but must serve Him with our whole heart. When we have committed all our heart and all our life to Him, His joy and excitement will come pouring into us to the point where we cannot even contain it.
    God desires to fill your life with excitement and the most amazing adventure, but it requires counting the cost of what you are going to let go of. His plan for your life will fill the rest of your life. It is all or nothing and will not be joyful and exciting unless you have committed everything to Him.
     So let us renew our commitment to Him and serve one another joyfully. Encouraging one another and spurring one another on to greater works in Christ!           God bless you all!



5 comments:

  1. 1. KEVIN
    Thank God for fulfilling all of our needs and also letting us spread His Word. For to be with Him; is His life in us.

    2. SILVIA
    God is real and he died for us to come into My heart and life.

    3. CHERYL
    Very interesting.

    4. B.
    I agree with how easy it is to get distracted in day to day life.

    4.5 THE GO-ER
    Pray for B. above to believe in God. He told me as for if God is for real, he said, "If I see proof of it maybe I'll believe."

    5. SHANTE -WTBY
    I just started Genesis and how everything was created to be as God wants it. (Just started reading the bible last night for first time). I can honestly say this is uplifting my mind body and soul to be as he wants it. I am willing to make that change. Thank you.

    6. AILEEN - WTBY
    It is true. Can't live life without having the faith and believing that there is a greater cause.

    7. NALBERTO - WTBY
    I think its obvious we all need Christ in us.

    8. ESTEBAN - WTBY
    I really liked this and I would like a copy of it. It true what it says.

    9. TAMEKA - WTBY
    God is good! and I've tried life without him and I know its just impossible for me because he loves and feeds me, cloth me and keep me safe. I love myself and others because of Him. :)

    10. GIGI - (Did prior study/ies)
    Wether we don't believe in God He is our father and sees and hears . Nothing impossible. All are call brothers and sisters. We are all God's creation.

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  2. 11. MAHOGANY - N.H.
    God only wants the best for us. And through him we can achieve that.

    12. JAMIE - WTBY
    God has a plan for everyone and we should follow it.

    13. ALFRED
    I enjoy helping whoever I can in Jesus Name.

    14. GINACE - WTBY
    I believe that this is very true. A person must commit %100.

    15. THERESA - WTBY
    This was very nice reading. It will stick with me all day.

    16. CHAYNA - WTBY
    I feel I have to give myself to him and Stop Sinning.

    17. JESSIE
    I think its true what this says. If we are going to serve God we have to be all to him and not just half.

    18. DEE
    It make sense. I guess God wants us to love ourselves and neighbors and to follow in his word.

    19. ELLEN - WTBY
    I think it is true that we need to look out for one another and be kind,loving and forgiving as Jesus is to us. We need to spread more joy and peace in this world that is filled with hatred.

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  3. 20. SHIRLEY - WTBY
    Everything I read I believed in the Lord.

    21. NATASHA - WTBY
    Really inspiring message. Many more people need to hear it. Spread the Word. God is Love! Spread the Love.

    22. LUIS - WTBY
    I think it is the nicest thought and gesture. If we all thought the same we will find love and peace.

    23. ZIAIRE -WTBY
    I think we should serve God with a whole heart and not a divided one.

    24. PENIE - WTBY
    Interesting. I totally believe in God; Jesus.

    25. STACEY - WTBY (Did prior study/ies)
    True but meanfull. (I think she meant meaningful - the Go-er :)

    26. NANNY - WTBY
    Help everyone and be there just like the Lord was there for everyone and never give up. Amen.

    27. MARIA - WTBY
    For me God is the most important in life!

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  4. 28. ASA - WTBY
    True. We must give our all and commit to him Jesus but also his Father above him Jahovah God and take time to try to show that he and Jehovah is important in gaining everlasting life.

    29. TERRY - WTBY
    Understandable and straight to the point.

    30. MELINDA -WTBY
    I am a Christian and like to believe that I embrace God into my life every day.

    31. LISA - WTBY (Did prior study/ies)
    I think God is my Lord and Savior.

    32. JOEL
    It's a good thing. May the Lord change my life.

    33. ANDREKA - WTBY
    I think Jesus is a great person for giving his life up for us and He is the only way to God.

    34. ANNA - WTBY
    I believe this is helpful and informative info about God.

    35. RAY - WTBY
    Inspiring.

    36. JULIE
    Many people acknowledge there is a higher power or God but they are set in any number of consuming lifestyles. Love is missing in our lives and hate has become all to familiar. Thank you for this act of kindness.

    37. MARIA - WTBY
    He is one and the one we should trust in at all times.

    38. ALAN - WTBY
    To believe in God to understand God is to have FAITH.

    39. TASHADA - WTBY
    I believe everything that I read and I believe it has good and true to how you should think of Jesus.

    40. KAYLA - WTBY
    I think Jesus has a plan to make us all caring people and people need to get it together.

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  5. 41. TIFFY - WTBY
    Jesus is real and He's coming back to bring us home.

    42. ANNONYMOUS
    Very interesting and very true.

    43. QUONEISHA - NAUGATUCK
    The words to this passage is so inspiring and true. Many PPL fail to realize it is better to give then to receive. Not just monetarily but by being emotionally and spiritually support, etc family and friends.

    44. JOANN - WTBY
    Either serve God or the world. Serve our neighbors and forgive.

    45. JOHTERRRIE@AOL.COM - (Did prior study/ies)
    Counting the cost and leaving your comfort zone is the biggest challenge I have.

    46. CRYSTAL - WTBY
    I think what I read was really nice, mind calming.

    47. NOEMI - WTBY
    I believe this is true and it is inspiring.

    48. ASHLEY - WTBY
    I think this was very touching.


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