Devotional Song: Go to this link – Please take your time to see a video of a worshipful song, sung by an anonymous worship group, singing Find Us Faithful , leading us to worship in faithful unity as Christians and to shine God’s light in this ever darkening world.
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Highlight Passage #1 - NKJV: John 17: 22-23 [Jesus’ prays for Christian unity.]
22 And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one:
23 I in them, and You in Me; ... that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.
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Highlight Context - NKJV: John, Chapter 17… GO TO THIS LINK … … [From Jesus’ priestly prayer for His disciples] …
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Reference Passage #1: Matthew 5: 14-16 [NKJV] … [Jesus exhorts a unified Church to shine His light for the world to see His way.] …
14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket: … but on a lampstand; and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
Reference Passage #2: John 13: 34-35 … [NKJV] … [Jesus commanded unified love in His Name.] … 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Reference Passage #3: Acts 1: 8 … [NKJV] … [Jesus seeks for us to be unified in our faithful witness throughout the world.] …
8 “… But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
My Journal for Today: Os Hillman pointed out today in his devotional that there are over 24,000 Christian denominations, growing by hundreds every year. … What’s that all about when Christ Himself prayed for and commanded His disciples to faithfully join together, witnessing to His love and shining His light in an ever darkening world?
Who said, “United we stand, divided
we fall?” … I don’t know; but whomever it
was, he or she was right on!!
Why can’t we get it, fellow Christians? Every one of the passages Os Hillman and I have shared above were red-letter quotes from Jesus, … either of Him praying for His disciples of Him preaching to or exhorting His followers to join together, unified in the power of the Holy Spirit to shine His light brightly – TOGETHER – in a lost and sin-ridden world that so needs His light of love.
Yet, even with Jesus’ strong word and the example He set for us, we default to selfishness and disunity, running like cockroaches into the darkness of our sin, … not being willing to let His power of love shine through a unified church. So, how will I – being one of His disciples – join with others and shine His love light today? How will I promote unity in Christ’s body and help my fellow Christians to shine His light as brightly as we can – TOGETHER – in this world.
I’ve got to answer that for myself today; but how will you answer it for our Lord yourself today?
My Prayer for Today … Lord, help us to unify faithfully in Your love to shine Your light more brightly today. … Amen
Blogger Note: Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online blog entitled Today God Is First [TGIF], authored by Os Hillman. If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you’ll find a link to read Hillman’s TGIF blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.
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