Berry Patch Devotions in 2021 - Day 204
Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ... Please take the time to take in song and lyrics from Steven Curtis Chapman singing … With One Voice … Powerfully singing of how God’s church comes together in unity to sing - and work - with heavenly harmony for God’s glory.
==============
Highlight Passage: 1Corinthians 12:13 [NIV] …
13 Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit.
… Paul helps a divided Church realize that we are ONE BODY and should work TOGETHER in HARMONY for God’s glory.
=============
Highlight Passage [Context]: … 1Corinthians 12:12-20 [NIV] … USE THIS LINK …
… Paul writes to a divided church about the harmony which should be achieved by God’s body, with all of its parts, coming together and working in unity for God’s glory.
==============
Reference Passage: … John 17:21 [NLT] …
21 I pray that they will all be one, just as You and I are one—as You are in me, Father, and I am in You. And may they be in us so that the world will believe You sent me.
… Jesus prayed that once he left earth that His body of surrendered believers would come together in one and have a remnant of the harmony which is found in the Triune God.
Reference Passage: … 1Corinthians 1:10 [NLT] …
10 I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose.
… Paul appeals to the Church in Corinth - and to us now - to come TOGETHER in harmony and, in unity, work for God’s glory.
Reference Passage: … Ephesians 4:1-6 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Paul also writes to the Christians in Ephesus (and to us) that we must CHOOSE to come together and become ONE BODY working together for God’s glory.
Reference Passage: … Philippians 2:3-4 [NLT] …
3 Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.
… Paul charges the Church in Philippi (and us) to avoid selfish interests and come TOGETHER to serve one another.
My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Mart DeHaan, AT THIS LINK … writes of a survey done among the world’s leading orchestra conductors, who rated Beethoven’s 3rd Symphony as the greatest symphony ever composed, … with the range of harmonies and emotions, evoking the most powerful symphonic work ever created.
You know, my fellow Christian, the Church was “composed” by Christ’s finished work on the cross to be God’s greatest, and most harmonic piece of work. He created His body, the Church, to carry out His work on earth after our Lord went back to heaven when His ministry was completed on earth. The question posed by today’s ODB is … are we now, as Christ’s “Ekklesia,” (i.e., His Church), working as God’s word calls us (see Scriptures above), to unify - as one voice - as Steven Curtis Chapman sings in the linked song - and working TOGETHER for God’s glory?
I pray each of us, reading here today, are doing all we can to use our individual gifts/talents as part of the unified chorus of believers (see photo), coming TOGETHER to sing in harmony and work in unity for our Lord’s purposes and His kingdom.
My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for using me in some small way within Your Body today for Your glory.
My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, … to do all we can to unify - as Your body - and work TOGETHER for Your glory today … and then again tomorrow. … Amen
=============
Blogger Note: Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online devotional blog entitled “Our Daily Bread,” distributed online via email by RBC Ministries. If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you can read/study the ODB blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.
No comments:
Post a Comment