Father in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, Lord let your will be done on earth as it is done in heaven. I am glad to be a part of your Ministry of Reconciliation. Lord, help us to pursue holiness and peace. Thank you, Lord, for blessing those who hear your Word and are striving to live it daily. Thank you, Lord, for giving us an ear to hear what the Spirit says to the people who are called by your name. Thank you for forgiving our iniquities and giving us the courage to forgive and bless my family, friends, and enemies. Lord, thank you for giving us the authority and power to confront evil and claim victory. Strengthen us so we have the courage to rebuke false teachers and expose false doctrine. May the words of my mouth bear witness to my transformation as a new creation and to my belief that you are omnipotent and omnipresent. Please guide me to speak words pleasing to your ears and food for your people. In Jesus' name, I pray, Amen.
Whether good or evil, every part of the body serves every other gene, cell, bone, or segment that is part of the whole. When our actions contradict our claim to be one body, serving one Lord, we diminish our credibility and the Lord’s reputation. We must keep our conduct honorable if we are to maintain our good name and glorify the Lord. "There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling" (Ephesians 4:4, NKJV).
Unless you believe in evolution, one man and one woman gave birth to humankind. If you believe the Bible is a record of the truth, then one family survived the flood. Even if you do not believe any of this, you cannot deny that there is only one earth, and we must stand united or we will fall divided, and no one is expendable. I say no one is expendable because the Lord told us to love our neighbor as we love ourselves and it is God’s desire that no one will perish.
We believe as Paul believed when he said to the Corinthians: "The eye cannot say to the hand, "I do not need you!" And the head cannot say to the feet, "I do not need you" (1 Corinthians 12:21). Applying that logic, it stands to reason that Anglo-Saxons cannot say to African Americans, "I don't need you;" Republicans cannot say to Democrats, "I don't need you;" Canadians cannot say to Americans, “I don’t need you;” and Americans cannot say to Mexicans, “I don’t need you!” at least not in good faith.
From the beginning, one part affects the other parts of the body. Eve's actions affected Adam and their unborn children. What Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar did is still affecting us today and will influence the world for generations to come. When a portion of the body decides to do its own thing and fight against the other parts, we become divided in Spirit and truth. Too many families are splitting up over money, violence, disrespect for family members, and the like. Too many churches are dividing over arguments concerning power, sexual immorality, women preachers, and the like. Do not deceive yourself, a little strife can turn into anger, and eventually to uncontrolled violence. It is like a little leaven that spoils the whole loaf. When we put a little yeast in the dough, it spreads through the whole batch. Put a few false teachers in the church or a few dissidents in a community and the groups fall apart. We are knit together as one body by faith, love, and hope; and when those things are disrupted, chaos follows.
Do not be like the Pharisees and the Sadducees and all others who are "always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth" (2 Timothy 3:7, NIV). We must function together in harmony for the good of the whole. The call is for you and me to go into the world, preach the gospel, and influence unbelievers to try the Gospel of Jesus Christ for the salvation of humankind. We can do this through Church ministries or conversations in Walmart, Target, Kroger, or the Mall. When we are grounded in faith, the venue is no consequence; we find ways to exalt Christ as Savior. Fill up with the Holy Spirit and do what is necessary to "avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and useless" (Titus 3:9). We do what is necessary to stand united under one Lord, never forgetting that all of us are essential parts of what some refer to as this human experiment. For the sake of humanity, as far as it depends on us, we need to be diligent and make every effort to unite and preserve the peace. "Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord" (Hebrews 12:14, NKJV). Those who do evil and call it good are adversaries to peace. Victory belongs to the Lord, the Creator of all things.
Closing Prayer – May grace and the peace of God be with you today and forevermore. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen!
