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28th August 2010
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“About Blind Faith”
21st August 2010
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“You Can’t See God Yet Trust Him”
14th August 2010
23rd January 2010 |
| Posted by John Gummer (john) on Feb 03 2010 |
Ephesians 4:4-6. 4.There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called— 5. one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6. one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. (NIV)
Christmas and New Year have come and gone and most of us have spent time with our families. I find family get togethers to be quite eye-opening. Amid the eating, looking at pictures, talking, laughing, and catching up, I'm amazed by how people from the same family can be so different. We differ in size, shape, personality, perspective, vocations, interests, opinions, and a host of other characteristics. But what we share as a family binds us together -- name, heritage, shared history and experiences, and years of life together.
The church -- the family of God -- is very much the same. We are a diverse group of people. We come from many different countries. We don't all worship the same way. Some shout, dance and clap while others sit in quite reverence. Our personalities are different. Some of us are outgoing, and some of us are more reserved. We all serve Christ in different ways, with different circles of influence. But what binds us together as the family of God is what Paul wrote in his letter to the Ephesians: "One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all."
However, even with all of our different shapes and sizes, races and cultures, we all belong to the same family through Christ. Do we recognize that? Are we "making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace"? (See Eph. 4:3.)
Prayer
Dear Lord, forgive us for looking down on our brothers and sisters because they are different. Help us to maintain unity. Amen.
Thought
What unites us as believers is far more important than what separates us.
Focus
The people of my church
WRITTEN BY JOHN GUMMER FOR THE INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CENTRE CHURCH BULLETIN
Last changed: Feb 03 2010 at 8:35 PM
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