Heavenly Father, I praise You for the seasons that give us planting, weeding, harvest and then winter. I praise You for the ever-changing weather so that we have a variety to help us learn to adjust. I thank You for the growing of our physical bodies as I watch my grandson learn to crawl and stand up to the growing of the spiritual body which is Your church.
Holy Spirit, we have divided the body long enough with man’s doctrine and arguments, wars and politics. We need to get back to the basics of the first church talked about in Acts. We need to come to You in prayer seeking guidance and how to demonstrate love not only to our communities but to our brothers and sisters. Paul teaches us, “I exhort you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you were called. With all humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another in love, be eager to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, even as you were called in one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” [Ephesians 4:1-6]
Holy Spirit I understand how we conceived multiple doctrines over time, I also understand that each of us needs different types of support to be functional. We can have this, but we need to show unity, not competition in fulfilling the great commission. Numbers should never be our goal, souls getting to know Jesus and being cared for by the Holy Spirit should be our upmost desire and work. Churches are not for getting sinners saved, followers of the way are. Churches are for refueling and creating encouraging fellowship among believers so they can be fully equipped to face a world that is lost and dying at a fast rate.
John tells us, “By this we know the love of God: that He laid down His life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers (and sisters). Whoever has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, but closes his heart of compassion from him, how can the love of God remain in him? My little children, let us love not in word and speech, but in action and truth.” [1John3:16-18]
We need to learn to respect each other and their differences in doctrine and work to change our community. One unifying way for all of us to serve together is to pray together for the change in our communities and for people to see the hope and love that resides in us instead of arguments and hatred. We need to show a world what Jesus looks like in our time and the benefits of salvation in light of what is to come in eternity. Help us to do better in demonstrating the fruits of the Spirit and less of what our pride and rights want to dictate. In Jesus’ name, Amen.