Unified

By Donna McCrary –

“Get out your Hymnals and turn to page 52 and let’s sing Victory in Jesus,” the man at the front of the crowd announced. His comment was met with a quiet chuckle as everyone in their Sunday best gathered around the side of the river bank for their spring baptism. In unison the crowd’s voices harmonized the lyrics of the song. Without missing a word, I quietly joined the crowd. This song was a favorite in the church that I grew up in. The quaint church I was visiting is very similar to the one from my childhood, wooden pews, hymnals, family oriented, traditional.

As each believer waded into the chilly water proclaiming their new life in Christ I was moved to tears by their heart and passion. From young to old they were sharing their excitement and freedom in Christ. I looked at my husband and whispered, “Unified”. He responded with a smiled and a quiet, “Yes”.

Unified was the name of the band that just rocked the house at our current church. By rocked, I mean flashing lights, thumping drums, smoke machines and a crowd jumping as they raised their hands in praise. The music is not the only difference in the two methods of worship, but one word continued to invade my thoughts – unified.

God’s Word says in 1 Corinthians 12:13, “For we are all baptized by one Spirit into one body – whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free- and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.” We are unified as the body of Christ – the church.

We are united by our faith in Jesus Christ birth, life and death on the cross. We are united by the Holy Spirit that lives inside of us. We are united by an eternal destination in heaven. There are so many things that unite us as a body of believers.

Would the world see the church in a different light if we started living as a unified body of Christ followers?

Just asking…

PRAYER: “Thank you God for Your Spirit. May a deep passion and desire begin in me to stand united in the truth of Your Word with other believers so others will know You. ”

“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, Father, just as You are in Me and I am in You. May they also be in Us so that the world may believe that You have sent Me. I have given them the glory that You gave Me, that they may be one as We are one: I in them and You in Me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that You sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me” (John 17:20-23 NIV).

Clothed

By Cheri Cowell –

My mother is a terrific seamstress and made most of my clothes as I was growing up. What she didn’t make, we received as hand-me-downs from my cousins. I learned early that the clothes I wore made a statement about me, and that it also had an influence on my attitude. If I dressed sloppy, my attitude was sloppy, and if I was proud of what I was wearing I carried myself with pride. I also learned to prepare what I was going to wear the next day on the night before. This way I could make sure my clothes were ready and appropriate for the event. I still do this even today.

Jesus told a parable about clothing yourself properly and having a right attitude. He has something to say to all of us about choosing our “clothes.”

It was customary in Jesus’ day to receive two invitations to a wedding. The first invitation informed guests that the feast was being planned–a sort of “save the date” notice. The second invitation was an announcement telling everyone it was time to come. Along with the second invitation, wedding clothes were also sent for the guest to wear to the banquet. It was considered an insult to the host not to wear the garments given.

In the Parable of the Wedding Banguet, not only did those first invited refuse to come, but one of the men who came with the second invitation refused to put on the royal robe. As gentiles, you and I are receiving the second invitation. However, simply accepting the invitation is not enough; we must be appropriately dressed in robes of righteousness. These clothes have been provided for us. Have you put on the robe?

PRAYER: Thank You, God, for Your invitation. I recognize he filthy rags I still cling to and ask You to help me to finally take them off. Clothe me in Your garments which are clean, pure, and holy.

“But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. He asked, ‘How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend?’ The man was speechless” (Matthew 22:11-12 NIV. See verses 1-14 for the full parable).

Signature Fragrance—What’s Yours?

By Robin J. Steinweg –

One of my students told me that when she catches a whiff of vanilla, she always thinks of me. Vanilla—I can’t get enough of it. I love it in hand wash, lotions and candles. I love it in cookies, ice cream and pancakes. If I could, I’d wash my hair and my clothes in it.

Ever since my student’s observation, I’ve paid more attention to others’ fragrances. Some are hard to identify, since they switch from one brand to another. Some folks wear the same perfume their whole lives. Others carry the scent of their occupation. I had a high school friend who worked on a pig farm. No matter what strong cleanser he scrubbed with, the smell of pigs would not wash off. So he covered it up with cologne. To this day I can’t smell Old Spice without thinking of how it never quite disguised the odor of pig manure. A friend’s father, a mortician, unwittingly carried a scent of embalming fluid everywhere he went.

Our sense of smell can lead us (mm, the brat stand is this way), protect us (uh-oh, I smell gas!) identify us (that’s not my mommy’s smell) and invoke memories (does that take me back…).

If it’s such an important factor in our lives, I need to ask: What fragrance do I carry spiritually? Do I overwhelm others with religious talk, or do I leave a hint of heaven that draws them in? Do I occupy myself with moral filth that I can’t wash off? When someone crushes my spirit with harsh words, do I respond in like, or do I give off the aroma of forgiveness? What scent is my trademark?

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, when You were bruised for my sins, You gave off the most appealing aroma. Let my life be a sweet-smelling offering of worship. Let me leave the trace of Your essence wherever I go. Your signature fragrance is forgiveness. I bless and thank You!

“Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing” (2 Corinthians 2:14-15 NKJV).

Endurance

By Donna McCrary –

Endurance is the ability or power to bear prolonged exertion, pain or hardship; toleration of hardship; persistence over time.

Endurance is the soldier’s sleepless nights listening to the bombs exploding.Endurance is the athlete’s relentless pursuit of perfection to master a skill.

Endurance is the farmer who works tirelessly for the sweet taste of an apple or a fresh ear of corn.

Endurance is Paul’s experiences in prison for sharing the gospel.

Endurance is Joseph sitting in prison wrongfully accused of rape for three years.

Endurance is Noah building a giant boat without ever seeing a drop of rain.

Endurance is David waiting for his rightful place as King.

Endurance is staying power.

Endurance is patience.

Endurance is survival.

Endurance is stamina.

Endurance is continued existence.

Endurance is fortitude.

Endurance is a trait of a Christ Follower who has learned where their strength comes from.

As Paul explained to Timothy there will be times in our journey where we don’t feel we can endure any longer; a breaking point where our faith seems to run out. Endure anyway because God is always faithful.

If we could ask a soldier, an athlete, a farmer, Paul, Timothy, Joseph, David, and Noah if it was worth it; worth the pain, the hardship; I believe we would hear a resounding OOOOORAHHHH!

PRAYER: God forgive me for the times when I get lazy, or gripe and complain about my circumstances. You have called me to a life of endurance for Your kingdom’s sake. Father, give me an attitude of thankfulness.”

“May you be strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for all endurance and patience, with joy giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the saints inheritance in the light” (Colossians 1:11 HCSB).

Fast to Feast to Fast

By Robin J. Steinweg –

I confess. Sometimes I fast to feast and feast only to fast again.

How many Thanksgiving Days have I gone without breakfast—maybe even no lunch—so I’d have room for more Thanksgiving dinner? More turkey, more mashed potatoes and gravy, more stuffing, relishes, scalloped corn, rolls, frozen cranberry salad and pumpkin pie. M-o-r-e, please. Eat some more! Won’t you have some more? Look how much is left; have some MORE! And then I skip the next meal or two afterward because the thought of food makes me feel ill.

I don’t mean to cause a guilt trip here (not that I think you’ve ever done this). But I pondered this subject when I read an article, “Extending the Table” by Leslie Leyland Fields, in Kyria magazine.

Feasts and fasts—each can have a meaningful place in my life rather than be a gut-level response to a harried holiday time or to a family reunion.

A feast might be held in celebration of the Lord, one’s faith, country or family.

A fast might be physical (cleanse the body’s system, increase mental clarity, reset one’s body clock, change habits or diet). It might be spiritual (deny the body’s appetites to gain discipline, rely more on God, grow closer to Him).

In the future, I’d like to think things through in advance. To be intentional about it; purposeful. Not a fast to feast, or a feast to fast.

AUTHOR QUOTE: Feast or fast: without intent, they are harmful at worst and pointless at best. But what a productive thing either can be, if carried out for a good purpose!

“Then I set my face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer and supplications, with fasting” (Daniel 9:3a NKJV).
[They celebrated] “…with gladness and feasting, as a holiday, and for sending presents to one another” (Esther 9:19b NKJV).

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