Sunday, January 23, 2011

January 23, 2011 … The Effect of Patience

Passage of the Day: Ephesians 4: 1, 2 [see bold/underlined portion] – As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.

My Journal for Today: Okay, since Dr. MacArthur has had me in Eph. 4: 1-2 for almost a month now, … I get the message! We, the Body of Christ, are to walk worthy of our Lord, individually and collectively in humility, meekness, patience, and love. Jesus even prayed for us in that regard (see John 17: 20 – 21) …

>>> SCRIPTURE: John 17: 20 "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21that all of them may be one, Father, just as You are in Me and I am in You.”

Jesus wants His Church, all of us, to be one in all the aspects of Godliness. And He tries to get His disciples to realize that only in a unified expression of Christlikeness and God-driven love will the world see Him as He should be seen in and through us [His church].

>>> SCRIPTURE: John 13: 34 … Again, Jesus … "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another."

John MacArthur has a rather stinging statement in this regard. He writes in his devotional entry in Strength for Today for this date, “If the Church were full of people who had genuine humility, gentleness, patience, and love for one another, others would be more inclined to listen to what we say.” And continuing he writes “… realize that what you say will have a fare greater effect when you live in harmony with what the gospel teaches. If the world could see a clear picture of Jesus Christ through the unity of the church and its humble, gentle, and patient people, our evangelism would be sped along on wings!”

And to that I must say a resounding, “AMEN!”

To the extent that we are divided by denominationalism, disunity, and disharmony, our light as a Church into the world is dimmed, not allowing the lost, who grope in the darkness, to see Christ for Whom He is … the Light of Love!

>>> SCRIPTURE: Matt. 5: 16 … [Jesus from His convicting Sermon on the Mount] … Let your light so shine before men that they will see your good works and glorify your Father in Heaven.

My Prayer Today: Lord, help add my heart/mind to the unity of Your Body, shining Your love into the world. Amen

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