NO ONE LEFT BEHIND --- TOGETHER
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com This is a series.
TEXT:
1 Thessalonians 5:11 (MSG) So speak encouraging words to one another. Build up hope so you'll all be together in this, no one left out, no one left behind. I know you're already doing this; just keep on doing it.
Psalm 133:1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! 2 It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments; 3 As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.
Weddings are beautiful. We used to do the unity candle, then later we did sand. Today we are seeing the GOD’S KNOT --- 3 cords, the husband, the wife and the cord of God… God is gold, the man is purple
The bride is white. This GOD’S KNOT speak of the power of the Trinity of the Godhead.
TEXT:
Ecclesiastes 4:9 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.
Ecclesiastes 4:10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.
Ecclesiastes 4:12 And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
Ecclesiastes 4:12 (MSG) By yourself you're unprotected. With a friend you can face the worst. Can you round up a third? A three-stranded rope isn't easily snapped.
MORE TOGETHER?
I once read in a farmers’ magazine an article about horses. The facts represented were amazing to me. The discussion said one horse could pull 800 pounds, another could pull 500 pounds. IF YOU TEAMED THE HORSES TOGETHER? Together they could pull 1,300 pounds? NO THE HORSES TEAMED TOGETHER COULD PULL 2,300 POUNDS…
1,000 more pounds together than they could pull individually.
WHAT HINDERS GOD’S PEOPLE FROM THE LOVE OF “ONE ANOTHER?” COULD OUR ATTITDES AND WORDS HINDER UNITY IN THE CAMP?
I had a friend tell me about a rotten man in the community. The man was a drunk, wife abuser, child neglecter. He said bad words all the time. He never held down a job. Seems like everyone in the community spoke poorly of this man. He thought he would ask the Preacher about the man and trap him. The Preacher replied: HE SURE IS THE BEST WHISTLER I EVER HEARD.
PERHAPS THE GREATEST OBSTACLE TO “THE ONE ANOTHER” SPIRIT OF UNITY IS JUDGING OTHERS.
JUDGING IS A TERRIBLE WRONG IN THE BODY OF CHRIST… Read Facebook, listen to people THEY ARE PUTTING DOWN people for judging as they are judging people themselves. I thought the Bible said the perfect person can throw the first stone.
CAN WE UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE JUDGING PEOPLE FOR JUDGING PEOPLE?
Matthew 7:2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
Matthew 7:5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.
Romans 14:13 Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way.
Ever look at the splinter in another’s eye and refuse to look at the beam in your eye…
I see many get so good at JUDGING OTHERS FOR JUDGING OTHERS… wow? You didn’t do what I wanted when I wanted you too… consider what the others are doing…
The ones that do the least talking about the other people are trying… to work with ”ONE ANOTHER.”
My judging theory is simple. The obese person talks about the person smoking. The person smoking talks about the person that drinks alcohol. The person drinking alcohol talks about the doctor shopping prescription abuser. The pain pill addict talks about the person smoking mariwana, the pot smoker says this is natural substance. So they talk about the crack, methamphetamine, cocaine user. Seems everyone can find fault with others that sin differently than they do.
James 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
James 5:16 (MSG) Make this your common practice: Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can live together whole and healed. The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with.
ARE WE TOGETHER? ARE WE ON THE SAME PAGE?
I heard the other day that an NFL coach was speaking to his team. The coach said: WE HAVE A TEAM NAME. THE TEAM NAME IS MUCH MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE INDIVIDUAL NAME ON THE BACK OF YOUR JERSEY.
TEAM: T-ogether E-ach A-ccomplishes M-ore.
THE BIBLE SPEAKS MANY VERSES ABOUT TOGETHERNESS… ONE ANOTHER…
“ONE ANOTHER” is used 100 times in the Bible, 94 times in the New Testament.
1/3 OF THE VERSES THAT MENTION “ONE ANOTHER” SPEAK ON ONE TOPIC: UNITY.
I HAVE READ THERE ARE 66 VERSES IN THE 66 BOOKS OF THE BIBLE ABOUT UNITY!
EVER HEARD OF THE WEAKEST LINK THEORY. We are never any stronger than the weakest link in the chain.
SYNERGY: the cooperation of two or more to produce a greater combined effect than the sum total that the individuals can accomplish. Unity adds to productivity.
UNITY: full agreement, belong together, HARMONY, one accord, being made one. TOGETHERNESS: with each other, unison, to be calm and skillful, prepared,
BE HONEST, ASK: AM I GROWING IN LOVE AND AGREEMENT OR ARE WE BETTER ARE FAULT-FINDING?
DO WE EVER REALLY GET BURDENED ENOUGH TO PRAY FOR UNITY IN THE FAMILY AND IN THE CHURCH?
IT IS SO PAIN TO THINK HOW THE ENEMY SNEAKS INTO THE CAMP AND SOWS SEEDS OF DISCORD AND STRIFE.
We might accomplish so much more in the spiritual realm if we could attain THE UNITY OOF THE FAITH. We need to come together and stop TRIVAL PURSUE and start AGREEING IN PRAYER for greater UNITY among God’s people. How can we fight our enemy if we are fighting each other?
WHAT IS THE MEASURING STICK IN THE NEW TESTAMENT THAT DEFINES IF WE ARE FAKE OR REAL?
By this they shall know, UNITY IS LOVE, LOVE IS UNITY…
John 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
Keep commandments and love one another…
1. 1 John 3:14 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.
THE SECOND THING THAT WILL BRING UNITY AND PURPOSE TO THE CAMP OF GOD IS FOLLING GOD’S COMMANDMENTS. They are more than suggestions.
2. John 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
1 John 2:3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
WE ARE LIKE THE HUMAN BODY, BY WORKING TOGETHER, EACH BODY PART MUST FUNCTION IN UNITY BY WORKING TOGETHER… AS ONE?
Romans 12:4 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: 5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.
NO ONE LEFT BEHIND… ACTION ON PURPOSE… COME TO CHURCH WITH A PERSON ON YOUR MIND… pray for them all day, and when you get to church do something TO ENCOURAGE THEM.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 (MSG) So speak encouraging words to one another. Build up hope so you'll all be together in this, no one left out, no one left behind. I know you're already doing this; just keep on doing it.
One third of the “ONE ANOTHER” of UNIITY in the New Testament commands us to deal with the church getting along with EACH OTHER? Wonder why?
THE WORD OF GOD TEACHES US TO SHARE “ONE ANOTHERS” BURDENS… WE NEED EACH OTHER…
Galatians 6:2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
ARE YOU KNOWN AS ONE WHO EDIFIES AND ENCOURAGES “ONE ANOTHER?”
WE MUST PURPOSEFULLY Encourage one another.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.
BE HONEST DO WE HAVE BOUNDLESS FORGIVENESS… Forgive one another?
Ephesians 4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
Matthew 18:22 (KJV) Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
Be at peace DO WE KNOW WE HAVE TO BE AT PEACE WITH ONE ANOTHER TO ACHIEVE TOGETHERNESS AND UNITY?
Mark 9:50 Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another.
ONE OF THE GREAT HINDERANCE TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER IS COMPLAINING AND GRUMBLIG. THIS CAN BECOME HABITUAL.
John 6:43 Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves.
TO COME TOGETHER WE NEED THE MIND OF CHRIST AND COME TOGETHER.
Romans 12:16 Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.
BEWARE OF EXCLUSIVE CLIQUES…Accept “one another “
Romans 15:7 Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.
CANNIBALISTIC CHRISTIANS!
Don’t bite and devour EACH OTHER. The judgmental spirit is CANNIBALISTIC… cannibalistic AS YOU BITE AND DEVOUR OTHERS, the skeleton at the feast is you!
Galatians 5:15 But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.
ARE YOU A KIND PERSON? Why not asked other if you are known for being gentle and kind? Are you patiently and tender hearted with “ONE ANOTHER?”
Ephesians 4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
James 5:9 Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.
You can’t grumble and complain and praise God at the same time. You can’t PRAISE GOD and complain and grumble. It is like oil and water. It will hinder “THE SPIIRIT OF ONE ANOTHER.”
Don’t complain TRUST GOD AND PULL TOGETHER.
TO PULL TOGETHER WE MUST LEARN TO BE A SERVANT OF ALL.
We must learn to love to serve one another…
Matthew 20:26 But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;
Galatians 5:13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
CONCLUSION: There is great power in “ONE ANOTHER” standing in love and unity. The is strength in UNITY, and great weakness in DIVISON. Abraham Lincoln said: UNITED WE STAND, DIVIDED WE FALL.
Even the weak are strong when they stand together. Consider how weak one little snow flake is? WHEN THE SNOW FLAKE UNITES WITH MILLION IT CAN HALT THE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM. Look at the small ant, it has been known to bring down and devour an elephant over a brief time period, by unity.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
I appreciate every reader that God sends to my work. May God bless and keep you in peace and UNITY!
I DO THIS IN SERVPERAL PARTS, A SERIES. Or you have to condense.
