Unity… realized!

Unity is very much misconceived in the church and because of our perception, it is worked for and in that very labor as it is… it is unattainable.
Unity has become a place or object of achievement.
Unity is not a goal that God has required; it is entrance into His call; it is the essence of relationship.
Many claim to have relationship to Jesus but have no idea of just what unity is. To know and be in the love of God is the foundation for unity. Man continues to work toward unity while having no idea what it is they are trying to achieve. Just as man works, to be loved by God he is too often side tracked by other loves (Lusts) that dissuade him from his real need… that of God. Side tracked because the love of Jesus is freely given, not worked for.

As long as we continue on in our selfish mind frame and not submit our thinking ever to Jesus (Putting on the mind of Christ) we will observe unity as an achievement to be worked for and obtained… it will be anything but death to self/surrender/abandonment. Which is freedom from the bondage of our selfish flesh and the only door to unity.
So we know unity is what God would have for us and more so today for our need of, for lack of, His love, but we still remain in the flesh in our pursuit.
Hearing the voice of Jesus and knowing His will is not our goal… obeying His will is His purpose for us.

Unity begins in; God is one… “That they may be one, just I and the father are one” the cause and effect of perfect love is perfect unity. God is love and all acts concerning man “in” Christ Jesus stem from this relationship. God so loves us… He gives us Himself… the heart of God is exposed in Jesus. He does not bring another set of rules but He brings (As a man) personal loving relationship… giving new meaning to marriage, to brotherhood and to friendship. We are family… and only with the love of Jesus can this come to fruition. This new reign is the law of love… and the center of it is unity.

Unity is a given.

There is one God;
One Jesus;
One Spirit;
The same in all who are called and are by faith following…
First question; are you called?
Are you following by faith?
Now have you died to self?
Have you come to a place of abandonment?

Unity is relationship!

To live for Christ has never been a goal and the desire to die for Christ has eluded most Christians here in the USA. The idea of giving your life for your faith is further most in our mind, if there at all. Try to get a Christian to believe we are to die for each other and they will tell you they didn’t sign up for this!

Most of us have never been taught the cost of following. It has been mostly about entering, joining by grace. Grace has been introduced as what God has done for us or is doing for us in and through Jesus. No requirement; you receive grace, you receive salvation, you receive relationship. God through Jesus has extended himself to you. He did it all for you. This is true. And so what is left for you to do?

It has been taught what God does for you to the point that little else matters as God gives us Jesus and Jesus just gives and gives and we receive and receive. So much so that now giving is taught in terms of what ever you give God, He will give you much more in return. So even our giving has become selfish. And so whatever we do or give we do it for a reward now… it’s more like an investment, you give so much in, you get ten times as much back. We give to get… a destructive half truth.

Jesus did it all, means for most of the Church that there are no requirements, now that grace is given. We do or participate as we like… We give as the Spirit leads or as guilt pressures or as pride would have us show off or our need of acceptance moves us. We choose the Church we attend for what ever criteria we deem acceptable, from the Pastor to the building design to the financial strata of members to the type of music. There are styles of church and we get to choose, traditional or yuppy, quiet or shouting, up beat or somber or anywhere in between, Jesus seems to exploit Himself by the general attitude of modes or expressions of assembly.

God you’ve got to like it we’re doing it for you! This is the Church following Cain; we offer what we please. It may not be what you require, like Able… but here it is anyway.

And now add to the mix what is not God, the new wave techno church which is even more entertainment oriented then most rites and rituals. Screens, flashing pictures, movies, live TV, surround sounds, light shows and bells and whistles much like an adult version of “Sesame Street” The young people love it… do you wonder why?

Some will leave, some will run to it some will just grin and bear it like creatures of habit that we are, attending to the flesh with little or no concern for God’s purpose.

Most attend church as observers more than they do as participants. Is this God’s will or man’s will? We observe, we listen, we critique and we are basically there to receive. Our part in doing is getting there and being there and making demands as to what it should be.  We make demands in effect; if we don’t like it, we pick up and go somewhere else or in some cases we dismiss Pastors, vote in new boards to keep or get what we want… whether it has anything to do with God’s will or not, the criteria is what we want or at best what we are offering God. Some actually say “I need to be fed!” most are fat for the slaughter for being over fed and fat for inaction.

Unity… How can there be unity in a self serving people?

The offerings today, are largely based on singing songs to God… this is called worship in denial of Romans 12 (read it meditate on it) Church indeed has become a “place” and at that, a place we choose to attend for our personal liking.

Unity is unobserved by half seeing roving eyes and unheard by ears that are being tickled by the sound of their own lip service, granted by those who would please them!  The life of unity which is the life of Christ in His people is chocked off for want of His love that is voided by self-love.

 We meet, we greet, we have a seat, we get a treat less the meat
then we beat feet and tell the world how very neat…
only to find my friend that in the end
we’ll face the heat!

There is no truth without love!

Jesus has been blended by our thoughts and words into our own desire to find a place He will fit into the comfort of our lives. We reverence God by thoughts and words but our actions prove otherwise. He remains a God on stand by… calling on Him to help us when we want. We don’t live for God… He lives for us!

Sunday go to meeting… an hour or so for God the rest of the week for us… and of course you have the elitists who attend church twice or three times a week, totaling a whole 3 or 4 hours, even 5 or 6 hours… of 168… about 1% of our time?
And how much money do you really give? If you tithe 10% it’s still 90% for you! That is if you do tithe? How and when do we serve God? Serving God is voluntary when and if we want that is if we have time, my real work is providing for my family. This excuse gets me the classy house- “They need” the sleek new car, “they need” The 60 inch TV, “they need” the membership at the Golf or Country club “they need” All the toys I play with that “they need” Ah thank God for the family… the one Jesus says “if you love and serve only them you are no better than criminals for they do that as well”
It is easy to see how unity or relationship plays so little a part in Church.

Motive! What is the motive! There is no truth without love begins in knowing all facts are worthless without Jesus. He alone is the truth (the only truth we ever need), the life (that is a life we are to example) and the way (no one can go to the father but by me) Centered on Jesus… when He is our all… when we need Him moment to moment every day… when we are secure in His love, nothing can overtake us… no fear can distract us.
We begin to know our place in His purpose… not trying to squeeze our plan (much like Judas) into His purpose for us… it won’t work.

Unity begins in a loving relationship with Jesus… and in that love we have loving relationship with everyone in His body…

Unity is in us as long as the Spirit is in us.

The only thing that keeps us separated is our selfish flesh. Unity awaits our dying to that flesh, that we all may abide together in perfect love… the essence of unity.

Unity prevention: Do anything but change, by faithfully drawing closer to Jesus and being filled with His love, begin to demonstrate it by sharing it!
Or do nothing; or continue on your present course of minimal participation.
Continue to be an observer and not a doer… continue to make excuses and find fault in everyone but yourself. Continue to make church a place.
Unity prevention is separation and separation is death.

Will you pick up your cross today?
Will you seek your first love?
Will it be your only love?

Time is short… the days are evil… darkness comes…

Will you be consumed by darkness or just blend into it or will you be part of that bright and shining city on the hill?

Unity exists right now… will you be a part of it or remain a searcher or an observer of it?
Or even worse, be in denial of it!
Unity is in you, don't look outside for it, first die to your selfishness, then live in it!

We are one in Jesus!

Jesus Christ’s Community at Hebron

 www.jesuschrists.com