TRUE UNITY IS NEEDED

Unity can be defined the state of being one; oneness. When I think of unity or the state of being one, my mind goes to Colossians 3:15, "And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called to one body and be ye thankful." or Amos 3:3, "Can two walk together, except they be agreed?" Can't be unity within a bunch of bickering and backbiting amongst each other. That's one of the reasons America is so jacked up. We call ourselves, "United" and yet we're the furthest from it. We in the church like to talk about how messed up America is when the church is not at a perfect state right now itself.

The church is supposed to be an example of unity, but it's the furthest from it. Prove it you say? What's the most segregated day of the week? Sundays. Unity? I know we as people have different thoughts and ways we do things, but why do we let that stop us from unifying? The head and the feet are different but they both serve a purpose on the body, right?

I'm going to use the Church of God In Christ for an example. The break down goes something like this: local church, then district, then jurisdictional, then national. It takes more than one church to make a district. So if the district superintendent wants to have a meeting of the churches and one church shows up it's not really a district meeting is it? Or if the jurisdiction calls for a convention and one district shows up, then it's not really a jurisdictional meeting. It takes more than one finger to make hand. It takes more than one house to make a neighborhood. It takes more than one car to have a collection of cars. It takes more than one team to make up the whole NFL.

Think of a family. If a family only comes together only during the holidays, where is the unity in that? Being blood related makes no unity. You have to spend time together. Get to know each other to create unity. Of course a family reunion is going to be awkward if you only have it once a year. The C.O.G.I.C. has multiple conventions for all the churches in the organization to come and worship together. That creates unity. "Behold how good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!" (Psalm 133:1)

How can you say you're unified with God when you don't pray. When you don't try to get close to God how is that being unified? Think of getting unified like a relationship, and what's one of the main keys to relationships? Communication. Usually when there's no communication, the relationship falls apart. Where there's unity, there's power. We as believers have to be more unified. I'm not talking denominations, I'm taking believers as a whole. Red and yellow. Black and white. We are precious in his sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world.

Stay Saved,

Daniel Richerson

BE YE DOERS OF THE WORD (GIANTS WILL DIE)

1 Samuel 17:26b (GNB) "After all, who is this heathen Philistine to defy the army of the living God?"

Psalms 133:1 (GNB)"How wonderful it is, how pleasant, for God's people to live together in harmony!"

U.S.A. United States of America. The country has never really been united unless a terrorist attacks. I remember 9/11 when it seemed that everyone was an American for like a week or two and then after that it was back to normal. What can I compare that to? Our denominations. When is the last time the body of Christ has ever truly united? We can't even unite on what the Bible says. We got the Baptist not liking the Pentecostal folks and vice versa. I hear all the time, "God delivered me from the baptist church." Word?

Homosexuality is not the only giant attacking the church. Don't get me wrong homosexuality needs and must be talked about, but it's not the only thing attacking the church. We got this giant of racism that needs to be dealt with. We got this giant of arrogance that needs to be dealt with. Who are the Davids to slay these giants? Who's willing to stand up these Giants with their rocks and sling shot? If Giants die, who's going to slay them? We can sing and talk about Giants dying and let's slay these giants, but there's got to be some action, right?

James 1:22-25 (GNB)  "Do not deceive yourselves by just listening to his word; instead, put it into practice. Whoever listens to the word but does not put it into practice is like a man who looks in a mirror and sees himself as he is. He takes a good look at himself and then goes away and at once forgets what he looks like. But those who look closely into the perfect law that sets people free, who keep on paying attention to it and do not simply listen and then forget it, but put it into practice — they will be blessed by God in what they do."

What am I saying? All this talking about the world is coming to an end, and we're about to get out of here is all true, but sitting down saying it over and over isn't changing a thing. Action brings change. People want to know what to do, but if you're not willing to tell them, then what? People are giving up, people are throwing in the towel, and us preaching our denominations isn't going to help. Jesus gave this command that my Pastor recently preached on, "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come." I didn't read that it was a baptist gospel, or Mormon gospel, or a COGIC gospel. "This gospel" refers to the gospel of Jesus Christ. So if a preacher comes to your church to give the sermon, don't worry about the denomination, worry about if he has Jesus in his heart. Is he or she filled with the spirit.

Stay Saved,

Daniel Richerson