Last night, I was teaching a good sized group of Texas Christian people about the power and spiritual desirablilty of being in one accord. Or you could say, being in unity, or harmony.
Jesus thought it was so important for believers to BE BEING in unity, or in accord, that he said in Matt. 5 to stop all spiritual activity if you remember while you are doing it that your brother or sister in Christ has any grudge against you, no matter how small you see it.
You know what we American Christian's do? We say, "If you have a problem with me, that is your problem, not mine."
You had better get back in the Word of God, since you WILL give account of such thoughts and actions to the Lord.
Besides that, wouldn't you rather grow by obeying? Or grow even more, to be right and know you are right, and accept being wronged, for conscience' sake? This is an acceptable sacrifice of love in the eyes of God, who did that for you. If he had not, there would be no salvation.
As Jesus put it in Matthew 18. 19, 20 if two or three agree, I am the source of that agreement and your desires are on the right track.
Here is a desire on the right track. What if we all began to 'agree' that we Americans can be found in Jesus' description of the Laodicean Church described in Revelation 3. Then we might 'agree' that we want what he said they should want, for him to give us spiritual gold, refined in the fire; white clothes to cover our shameful nakedness (like our childish grudges and attitudes), and salve to put on our eyes, so that we can really see.
Every choice we make to relax and not take things so seriously at this point, has major consequences for our churches, our children our future and our country.
I call us all to remember the words of the hymn, "Rise Up O Men of God."
Rise up o men of God,
Have done with lesser things,
Give heart and soul and mind and strength,
To serve the King of kings!
And from the Lord of the Rings...
"Hold your ground-hold your ground! Sons of Gondor-of Rohan, mybrothers! I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me.
The day may come when the courage of men fails, when we forsake our friends and break all bands of fellowship-but it is not this day!
An hour of wolves and shattered shields,
when the Age of Man comes crashing down-but it is not this day!
This day we fight!
By all that you hold dear in this good earth,
I bid you stand, men of the West! "
Men, Women, Young, and Not so Young!
All of us, we can humble ourselves more than ever and stand together no matter what. On top of that we can stir ourselves to action now, so that we are found ready when the times come that try men's souls.
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