Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. 1 John 4:11.
The world is looking with gratification at the disunion [seen] among Christians. Infidelity is well pleased. God calls for a change among His people. Union with Christ and with one another is our only safety in these last days. Let us not make it possible for Satan to point to our church members, saying, “Behold how these people, standing under the banner of Christ, hate one another. We have nothing to fear from them while they spend more strength fighting one another than in warfare with my forces.”
After the descent of the Holy Spirit, the disciples went forth to proclaim a risen Saviour, their one desire the salvation of souls. They rejoiced in the sweetness of communion with saints. They were tender, thoughtful, self-denying, willing to make any sacrifice for the truth’s sake. In their daily association with one another they revealed the love that Christ had commanded them to reveal. By unselfish words and deeds they strove to kindle this love in other hearts….
But the early Christians began to look for defects in one another. Dwelling upon mistakes, encouraging suspicion and doubt, giving way to unkind criticism, they lost sight of the Saviour and of the great love He had revealed for sinners. They became more strict in regard to outward ceremonies, more particular about the theory of the faith, more severe in their criticisms. In their zeal to condemn others, they themselves erred. They forgot the lesson of brotherly love that Christ had taught. And, saddest of all, they were unconscious of their loss. They did not realize that happiness and joy were going out of their lives, and that soon they would walk in darkness, having shut the love of God out of their hearts.
The apostle John realized that brotherly love was waning in the church, and he dwelt particularly upon this point. Up to the day of his death, he urged upon believers the constant exercise of love for one another….
In the church of God today brotherly love is greatly lacking. Many of those who profess to love the Saviour neglect to love those who are united with them in Christian fellowship….
Harmony and unity existing among men of varied dispositions is the strongest witness that can be borne that God has sent His Son into the world to save sinners. It is our privilege to bear this witness. But in order to do this, we must place ourselves under Christ’s command. Our characters must be molded in harmony with Christ’s character; our wills must be surrendered to His will.—Manuscript 143, December 10, 1903, “Unity.”
The Upward Look p. 358
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Prayer Requests
—-Please pray for Mary that God will give her wisdom in a certain situation. Rose
—-Please continue to pray for Esther. Rose
—-I need urgent prayer I’m being terminated without any investigation from my shelter with my 2 kids .i need a prayer agreement for God to intercede in Jesus Christ name. Tasha
—-Please pray for the family and friends of Pastor Dave who passed away because of Covid. B
—-Please pray for Shannon who has a ministry for truckers. He is hospitalized with Covid. Shawn
—-Please pray for my son, Ron. Going to Dr. this am for Hyperthyroid. Pray for Dr’s giving him the Right medication. Ann
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Dear Friends,
It seems that there are so many people that I know or know of that are dying of the illness. Troubles and trials are on every hand in so many families. It brings to mind Peter’s statement, “For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away.” 1 Peter 1:24 How fragile is life. It can be gone in a moment. How important, then, to be sure of our standing with our Great Creator, “in whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.” Job 12:10 In view of this fact, John bids us, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.” 1 John 2:15-17
Truly, now is the time to make sure of our standing before God. “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” 2 Cor 6:2 Think of it! We have assurance but of this moment. We know not what the future holds. Yet, how often we live as if we have an eternity of “the good life” before us. How often we seek the things of this world with scarcely a thought heavenward. Jesus told a parable concerning the futility of this tendency of ours, “The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” Luke 12:16-21
May we daily “give diligence to make (our) calling and election sure.” 2 Peter 1:10 May we seek first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; for we have the promise that if we do all our needs will be supplied. (Mat 6:33) May we daily open our heart’s door to our Loving Saviour, Who, because of His great love for us, left the glories of Heaven and the adoration of all the unfallen beings of the universe, to live a life filled with all of the hardships, troubles, and trials that the evil one could heap upon Him, and finally to die upon the cruel cross; that we might dwell with Him throughout all eternity partaking of the joys of that fair land where “eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” 1 Cor 2:9
Rose

Blend in Unity