Daily Devotional ~ A Church United
Worship: If you'd like to play a song before you begin or while you read, may we recommend "Make Us One" by Jesus Culture.
Daily Verse: I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose.
☆ 1 Corinthians 1:10 NLT
Let's Talk About It: Would you consider the church to be of one accord, united in thought and purpose?
There so many different denominations. While there are 5 major denominations, factions have formed within those denominations. Some estimate that there are tens of thousands of Christian denominations around the world, while others claim it to be more like 200.
Either way you slice this pie, you can see that it must be sliced. There is little unity within the church today, and this in violation of scripture.
So, how did we get here? We all have different views. We have all been through different situations that have provided us with lenses by which to view the world. Due to this, we all see things a little differently.
This can easily be seen in eyewitness testimony. Multiple people can see a crime be committed, see the perpetrator get into a vehicle and each person can say the car is a different color. How can this be? It's those lenses.
Paul is very specific however, about how he expects the church to behave. Go read chapter 14 in Romans and let's talk about whether we believe the church is living up to the scriptural standard laid out for us, or not.
Millennials are leaving the church in droves as they seek intimate relationship with God and one another. Why do you believe this is, and how do you believe we can "fix" it?
Additional Reading: Romans Chapter 14
Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for this day. Father, there is no one like you, and I give you praise and worship your holy name. Lord, I humbly ask that you help us to be less critical of one another. Help us, Lord, remember to walk in grace and love. Your Word says that we are to stop condemning one another, and live in such a way as to not cause one another to fall (Rom. 14:13). Lord, help me live according to your word, not just in this way, but in ALL your ways. I ask that you would look after those who are struggling in any capacity. You know their need, Father, and I humbly ask that you meet those needs today. Lord God, I pray Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Thank you, for blessing me today. I love you Jesus, and in your name I pray, amen.