š¦Welcome to a new move - as we buy into God's heart for his world and his people this new year, we pray that God aligns all our hearts, anoints our intentions and positions us to do his will. Amen! Let's dive in:
- WHILE WE FOCUS ON THE ONE AND THE NINETY-NINE, GODāS EYE IS SET ON ALL THE ONE HUNDRED.Ā
Matthew 18:12Ā How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray?
Why would a shepherd leave ninety-nine sheep in pursuit of just one? What if upon his return, four of the ninety-nine were lost - would he be okay with that? Obviously not! God does not value the 1 over the 99, neither does he value the returning prodigal son over the faithful one who stays. The father, like the shepherd, wants them all. All his children- all his flock - all his church! Till We ALL Come! The goal is to bring the 1 back to the 99, so that they all may be one! Why do we then feel content if just our family, inner circle, small group, or local assembly is safe, when God makes it clear that His agenda is the ALL? Why do we think salvation of those immediately around us alone is enough?Ā
- GOD WANTS ALL OF THE ONE HUNDRED TO BE THE ONE; FOR DIVIDED THEY CANNOT STAND, YET UNITED THEY ARE UNSTOPPABLE.Ā
John 17:21-23Ā That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
Jesus prays this prayer for the church, that āthe allā may be one - and thereby, the world will believe. The church militant has achieved so much upon the earth, but how far have we gone in achieving oneness in Christ? What glory has been withheld from the church due to her lack of unity? Is it possible to fulfil the eternal agenda without the oneness King Jesus so fervently prayed for?
Matthew 12:25Ā And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:
Genesis 11:6Ā And the LORD said, āBehold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do. And nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them.
- DIVISION SEEMS EASIER THAN ATTAINING ONENESS. ONENESS REQUIRES SAINTS TO PUT IN THE WORK.
For over 2000 years, whenever there is a misunderstanding with regards to the faith, men have solved the problem by forming new denominations rather than labouring in the word to attain unity of the faith. We would rather create new tables than shake existing ones by the truth. Paul and the apostles of old, taught the word to maintain the unity of the faith, and taught early believers to do same. It is easier to walk away from the things that divide us and only collaborate with believers who have the exact same faith(beliefs) as us, but then we would be focusing on the wrong āoneā. The one Jesus is focused on is not āusā, itās āALL of usā - The One body - The church.Ā
Ephesians 4:11-13AĀ And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith...
God has equipped us all for this work, and the unity of the faith is an essential prerequisite for the church coming unto the perfect man. But who will do the work if everyone is on the sidelines?Ā
Isaiah 6:8Ā Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.
- ARE THE TEACHERS OF THIS GENERATION READY TO RIGHTLY DIVIDE THE WORD OF TRUTH THEREBY SETTLING THE CONTENTIONS THAT DIVIDE US?Ā
Hebrews 5:12Ā For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
As long as we remain focused on the one individual and not the one body, we are content with slow progress and baby steps, which though encouraging, do not take into account that there is a whole body depending on us to be ready. As long as we remain babes, we make ourselves the one individual who takes, and not a part of the one body who gives. We need to redeem the lost time, for the days are evil.Ā
- GODāS AGENDA ON EARTH IS MEANT TO BE FULFILLED NOT BY ONE MAN BUT BY THE ONE CHURCH! IT IS GLOBAL! IT IS MULTIVERSAL!Ā
Ephesians 3:10-11Ā To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Ephesians 1:22,23Ā And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.
The eternal agenda is not for one man, or one group, but for ONE CHURCH! The one body will fulfil Godās eternal agenda on earth! It takes each of us, for all of us to make it to perfection.
In this year we not only focus on our own growth, but also focus on one of the main reasons why we need to grow - the growth of the body of Christ! We put our hands to the plough in pursuit of
THE UNITY OF THE FAITHĀ
Welcome to Year 12! Are you ready?Ā
#RightlyDividingBodyUniting
#OneEqualsOneHundred
#TheUnityOfTheFaith
#TheTimeOfTeachers
#TheEternalAgenda
#OneBodyOneFaith
#TillWeAllCome
Ephesians 4:13
Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.