Good morning!
Diving in, there is a difference in love. Charity is long suffering and kind. It is not proud or rude; and is not self-seeking … read more in 1 Co 13. Written as God is love; and love is a decision to love others as God has 1st loved us ~ even and especially in our worst conditions.
We are each in a processing stage of transformation to live in the kingdom of God! How great is this place to be? Making the decision to do what Jesus says do, is a decision to walk in the power of the love of God, who changes every person to be the best we can be.
I love to read the Bible, because I learn more about this man named Jesus! I want to follow a man who makes me a better person; and even more, I love the man of Jesus who helps me see the best in people, like God knows we are to Him and can become in Christ Jesus our Lord. This man is not just any man – Jesus chose to carry that cross for every person God has made!
Today, the Lord has called us to write about “We must love in Unity.”
Unity: The state of being ONE with God! Thank you, Jesus, and only by Your Name!
Let’s start there as the Lord uses us (best) when we work together with Him; not against.
Dewey asked me, “could you write a message for Hope for today? Because I had other things to do …. but instead of my plans, I paused to reply in the truth, “I don’t know what it would be. Praying. If the Lord shows me, certainly I will.” Dewey replied, “God told me to ask you sister.” I replied, “Ok. Did He give you a Scripture or topic?” Dewey, being also obedient to the Lord answered me, “We must love in unity.” I breathed air and it come to me, “Okay, I got it. It’s about the trees.”
See how Unity works? but it didn’t begin there, it began yesterday, as the Lord was already working before this in my conversation with Pastor Alston.
Friends, unity is like God created the trees. Each tree is like a person to God. Each tree stands alone, yet together as a family. As God uses people for multiple purposes by specific gifts He gives each person; God also designed the trees for many uses.
Some trees provide firewood, others provide wood to build houses. Trees provide shade; and some trees keep their needles and have sap that gets sticky, while other trees are hardwood and best suited for construction.
I realized in our conversation yesterday that I needed to write about this right here on FGGAM, but I forgot all about it. I forgot about the tree message, and I forgot I believe the Lord showed me yesterday that I was supposed to write here too. I was reminded by the Lord, but that jolt of remembrance come (in unity) from Pastor Dewey Moede this morning.
Lightening is reserved for a time of troubles to create something of power! And, it is written in the Book of Job that even the lightening bolt reports back to God and says, “here I am.”
Are we beginning to see the meaning of the comparison of the trees with people?
What if a tree compared itself to the other trees? I believe God has shown me, in my own life, that it is “the sin of comparison” that hinders the world seeing Jesus. What if our focus was on Praise to God for all He has made! Praise to God for the Lord thru all God has made.
When we experience humility in Christ, our hope turns to praise to God.
Glory to God for the title today – The Lord called this message: “We must love in unity.”
This is a small example of how God uses people working together to make a difference for His Glory and His Kingdom work. All because, For God so loved the world that he sent His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes on him shall not perish, but have everlasting life. Look it up in John Chapter 3 …
Do you want to go a little deeper?
I almost passed by a man the other day, because he appeared physically dirty, and potentially a “dirty old man”. I didn’t think he knew the Lord, but the Lord showed me how wrong I was. As we talked and I listened, the Lord inspired me to reach in my purse and offer help in the form of a bill of money. I folded it and passed it to him with the words, “This is from Jesus.” Before this, he was only referring to hope for our country in the form of prices coming back down. EVERYTHING changed when the Lord gave him that bill. I just watched and listened. His countenance changed and he never focused on the money. His testimony of the Love he has for God and Jesus come rushing out! The only thing that held me from passing by that man was JESUS! I paused to be polite. I listened to be helpful. But all the time i was thinking, Lord, I know he is going to want to shake my hand; and I admitted to the Lord in silence of my heart mind, Lord I don’t want to … I didn’t want to touch him. But Jesus did!
For the good Lord’s sake, and yours, don’t judge me for saying that, because Jesus didn’t judge me. Jesus held my hand out 3 times and that man prayed over me; and I received the prayer in Jesus’ name! What’s more, I passed the test, because I paused in my human perceptions to ask Jesus what he would do.
Jesus would stop and touch the man and make Him whole! I literally remembered that in the moment. I also, thought, Lord, why am I here? No particular reason come to me, but just to stand and trust Jesus to extend my hand.
It was Jesus who was holding my hand to make me whole in Christ; as well as touching that man too! I can’t tell you everything God is doing through that moment, but I can tell you I will never be the same!
What if I have passed by that man, by wrongfully looking at another family member of God?
Do you think I am the only one who looks at the appearance and has thoughts about where someone’s mind and heart is?
The Lord is showing me this:
Do you remember the story Jesus told about the unjust steward; and another and especially the beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at the certain rich man’s gate, full of sores, and desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: MOREOVER the dogs came and licked his sores. And when the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: The rich man also died, and was buried; and in hell …. Read more Luke 16:19-31.
Before I share that one, do you know that 1st John writes of many tests we must endure to be made pure for the Kingdom of God and to abide in the charity of God’s work to know and believe in the love God has for us and to exude that perfect love in Christ?
2 Peter 1:10 writes and reads, “Give diligence to make your calling and election sure, for if you do these things, ye shall never fail.
—– Ref: 1 John 4:16, which reads a valuable Scripture to know and believe!
For we have come to (know and believe) the love God has for us! God is love. And he who abides in love, abides in God and God in him.”
1st John mentioned several tests that give assurance —
1 Jn 1:7, 2:5, 3:14, 4:14, 4:13, 5:2
Ethically, as we are, do professing Christians have a changed life, and keep the Lord’s commandments? Do we know God – or just know about Him? Do we know the Son God sent and why? or just know about him? God is calling us to more – we must love in unity.
To know Him involves a personal relationship that changes one’s behavior.
After my day yesterday, all I could say, was I just received a powerful and beautiful lesson of extreme and radical humility in Christ Jesus my Lord.
Friends, I passed the test with Jesus! I really believe we are nothing but dust without our God who loves us and come as his own Son to die for us so we could know how to die to self and live in Christ Jesus our Savior, Lord, Brother and Friend.
If it weren’t for Jesus in me, I really think I would have passed by. I know I wanted to, but I know Jesus too much to pass by someone God placed in my path. That is humbling to me. I am saved and all Praise to God. And, thank you Jesus, God saved us all – but all have not known; and some may have rejected.
That part is also up to God. What does Romans 10:6 say?
6 But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:)
Read on, because the Word directs us to know the other way too.
Unity is based on Christ, who is the Mind of God. (God is love); and Jesus is the only name of pure and untainted genuine Unity in this world; and Peace is with and in him.
The word is nigh thee, [even] in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Jesus said, if you clothe the naked, we clothe Jesus! Jesus said, if we feed the hungry, we feed Jesus! Jesus said, if we visit the prisoner, we visit Jesus …. And, Jesus said, if we ignore those people God places in our world around us, we pass by knowing Jesus [Emphasis Mine], but for your reading’s sake, pick up your Bible with Jesus and look up what would Jesus do?
How does Jesus want us to respond to those God loves, but we see imperfect?
And, Jesus teaches, a house divided can’t stand.
Unity is in our heart, the Church, the Compassion and Mercy of God hammered in our heart that has been well loved by God thru every hurt and every pain and every injustice – God has made us whole! …. and healing and wholeness has a purpose to love in unity and is rooted and grounded in and from the sacrifice of Jesus; and it’s the Holy Spirit guiding in us is to be the “charity – a decision to love” in unity and in the place of peace, in the action of the true and authentic power in and of the love of who God is to us, for us, and with us, who has proclaimed, For God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes on Him, shall NOT perish, BUT HAVE everlasting life.
We have a purpose here! And we must love in unity, like the trees coexist and live together, so men should behave. Be like a tree and be the best you you can be!
John 3:16 & verse 17 continues, For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that through Christ Jesus the world might be saved.
Friends, as we look through human lenses, God is looking for our spiritual heart. We have tests to be assured both KNOW and Believe in the love God has for us. And the Bible is very clear about what Jesus would do. Are we spending more time with God in His word to love in unity with our Lord.
We must have the same Lord and Savior; or else, would we be trying to be our own god -deceived to our own destruction? … letting go of self to get more of God is good for us. And God wants the best for us!
The Debt we have to God is “bound” and “loosed” according to how we agree with God in Heaven and treat others as God has first treated us.
Matthew Chapter 18
Who is Greatest? Humility in Christ! Receive Jesus? Verse 5 reads in red: “whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.” Friends, I don’t think Jesus is showing us a cute little baby. Jesus is referring to verse 3, “Verily, I say unto you, except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of God.”
God gives us a warning with an opportunity to make things right and The Scriptures teach us what Jesus would do, how to speak, what to edify or rebuke; but all in love; and how to pray. But to hate someone based on our human perspective is to jump over Jesus and judging what Jesus has already prayed on the cross, “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.”
Read Matthew 18:18 – “Bound and Loose” refers to being set free by our King
(see vs 27); or held accountable to pay for all (ref vs 34).
People can be mean, but why are you here? To know and believe in the love God has for both you and the world. To pray for them. To hope for them. To show love towards them and change the direction of their day.
Don’t eat crow; and learn not to feed people eating crow more crow.
To walk in this love in unity with our Lord and each other, it’s a call of God on our life that we can do with Jesus! John 16:13, Jesus says, it’s hard, howbeit when the Holy Spirit comes, HE will guide you into all truth and shew you things to come, KJV. Jesus prayed for us; and for those who might believe through our words in John 17.
To love in unity, we must read the Word knowing it’s all about Jesus.
We must know the ONE we are following well! Then, we can love in unity! Praise be to God who guides us and helps us and holds us still.
When we experience the love of God love for us in our worst and in our best, we will never be the same; and so, then are we held accountable to love our neighbor as God has first loved us.
And, we can trust God to place our hope and trust in all God will do for us, to help, provide, and make us whole, if we just focus on the Gospel of the good news of Jesus in our life who saved us from even ourselves.
Who is our neighbor? The man the priest passed by on the other said, the man the Levite saw and left behind. The man who was beaten by thieves and left to die, but the good Samaritan took care of his neighbor in his path, as if he was taking care of his own self.
Jesus further explains our neighbor is even not like we have heard. Jesus said you have heard it said, to love your neighbor and hate your enemy. BUT Jesus said, but I say to you, love your enemy, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you and pray for them who use you and despitefully persecute you. [Emphasis mine] – But it is written on my heart.
Where is the address in the book? It is written for us to help us know God and to know Jesus. WWJD? Do we know what Jesus would do? We must love in unity of knowing what Jesus would do more than our human perspectives want to believe. We must know God and know the Son He sent and why.
God wants the best for us!
God loves all people. God also is the Creator, so he also knows how everything will end for us. So he writes his Bible for us to know Him through reading about his Son he sent. What would Jesus do and why would Jesus go to the cross for sin?
There is more than meets the eye. That is why God gave us faith to discover there’s more than the human perspectives. There is lasting JOY and transforming peace and eternal life beyond this one that is structured by God to get us to a better place.
Where would you choose to be planted if you were a tree?
God knows your purpose is to rise above the horizon of what you know.
A tree doesn’t know if it is for shade, or wood for a fire, or material to build a house.
A tree is created by God to be a tree.
People are created by God to have a personal relationship with Him – To come to know and believe Him and to come to know and believe in the love God has for you; and for me, for me; and for the world, the same love God has for the world (the lost, the blind, the sick, the sinner).
When you receive this, you will never be the same!
I don’t think it is rude to suggest, as I include myself, that Let’s all pick up our Bibles and pay attention to how we love and honor Jesus by the way we speak of and treat the family of God. We are HIS family in Jesus. And, it’s not our job to say who is in or who is not in the family God has made for Himself to give life and to love.
The trees live together as a family. We can praise God more by thanking God for the life that is in the seed that grows all kinds of different trees and for every purpose under the sun.
God is our Creator – And these things must be. It is written.
But what if the large Oak tree looked at the evergreen Pine tree with bitter envying and strife?
James 5:8 reads, Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. 9) Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold the judge standeth before the door.
Now, I ask you to help me too. If you noticed, I didn’t have time to quote and reference every Scripture Jesus spoke to my heart. We invite you to help us by leaving Scripture references in the comments to help us all and encourage us all in our journey through this world that we must love in unity.
The Story I reference earlier is found written in Luke 16:19-31 “The rich man and the beggar named Lazarus at the gate with the sores being licked by dogs. Thank you, Jesus for holding our hands together! We see you in everything! keep us in your perfect love and perfect peace and perfect unity for your Name’s sake.
I hope I pleased God by being obedient to what I believe Jesus helped me put together.
The title today is our personal duty: We must love in unity. I believe that means with mercy and forgiveness and compassion all done in Jesus Name. A house divided cannot stand, but God is still God.
(if not in agreement; at least mercy and prayers in Jesus Name).
What is it Jesus, God wants us to know about Him?
In Jesus Name, I pray,
Karen Rowe,
Hope in Today Ministries, Inc.
Lord Jesus, help me to stay humble and kind to be a part of helping you to build your Kingdom of God, and don’t ever let me miss an opportunity; or get into Your way.
“He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.” Matthew 12:30, KJV