Jesus Prays For Us - For Unity

"My prayer is not for them alone.  I pray also for those who will believe in Me through their message, that all of them may be one, just as You are in Me and I am in You... that they may brought into complete unity." (John 14:20-23) 

Thoughts from Max Lucado -- "Unity matters to God. Disunity disturbs Him. Earlier Jesus had said, 'All people will know that you are My followers if you love each other.' (John 13:35) 

Not if we always agree with each other. Not if we are unanimous on each vote. 

But if we love each other. 

Unity creates belief. Disunity creates disbelief.

'All people will know that you are My followers if you love each other.' 

Think about it. Could this mean unity is the key to reaching the world for Christ?"

All You Need Is Need!

All you need is need....

Philippians 4:19  --  "And my God will meet all your needs, according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus."

Hebrews 4:16 -- "Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace in our hour of need."  

So come, all of us, poor and needy.  Come to Jesus! 

All we need...yes, all we need...is need!

Do you qualify? I did...and I do!

An old pioneer gospel song -- some say one of Daniel Boone's favorites:

   "Come ye sinners, poor and needy.  Weak and wounded, sick and sore

   Jesus, ready, stands to save you. Full of pity, love and power.

   Come ye weary, heavy-laden, Lost and ruined by the fall.

   If you  tarry 'til you're ready, you will never come at all!

   I will arise and go to Jesus. He will embrace me in His arms

   In the arms of my dear Savior - O there are ten thousand charms!"

It's A Hallelujah Day!

Want to make this  a Hallelujah Day?

Make it your goal to please God today -- not to finish your "to do list" for the week...not to schedule more activities for the weekend --- but to, in every way, all day -- seek to please God!

Psalm 147:11 tells us: "The LORD delights in those who fear [hold in awe and adore] Him, who put their hope in His unfailing love."  Fearing Him and trusting in Him pleases Him. No matter the circumstances ...acknowledging that we know He is faithful pleases Him. Just as an earthly father delights in his children when they trust him.

Then it gets even better -- Look at Philippians 2:9. "For God is working in you giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases Him." Not just the desire...but the POWER to do what pleases Him. He shows us what He wants us to do,  and then helps us do it! What an amazing God we have!

It's going to be a Hallelujah Day for sure!

So How Should We Live?

 

Just a reminder of how we should live these days --

"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to prove what God's will is -- His good, pleasing and perfect will" (Romans 12:2)

   Paul wrote this to the Christians in Rome about 2000 years ago! (Remember the old saying, "The more things change, the more they remain the same''? Perfect example!)

  What happens when the Spirit renews our mind? We can see Christ as who He really is, in all His perfect beauty, and also see ourselves as we really are -- broken and hopeless and helpless -- in dire need of a Savior!

  But that is good news! It rids us of our pride and arrogance -- it throws us back on the mercy and grace of God. 

All of life becomes centered in God - charged and energized by His presence. And we begin to focus on Jesus. 

As we do that the Spirit renews our thinking and our behavior and we start to become like Him. He will actually transform us into the image of Jesus. We will know and obey His will... all of our life activities will become acts of worship!

And His love will overflow fro our lives into the lives of others...and we will help bring God's Kingdom to earth, as Jesus prayed."Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven..."

Maybe we should give it a try -  starting right now!

When God Said 'AMEN'!

Just something to think about with joyful thanksgiving and praise...

             The Resurrection was God's 'AMEN'

                      to Christ's 'It is Finished'!

Keep thinking about it all day...as we will forever!

This Only Do I Seek

Psalm 27:4  -- "One thing I ask of the LORD, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD."

David's supreme priority is to 'gaze upon the beauty of the LORD.'

Gazing is not a one-time glimpse,  but a steady sustained focus.

David finds God Himself beautiful, not just a bestower of gifts.

'This only do I seek,' says David.   

Father, I know there is only one thing I need in life and I choose to want You above all else. I want to see and sense Your beautiful holiness  and love You for Yourself alone. I want  David's prayer to be my prayer, my gracious, kind Father.

"Give unto the LORD the glory due His Name. Worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness" Psalm. 29:2