Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That’s when you discover who you really are, and your place in God’s family.
Matthew 5:9 MSG
This verse immediately made me think of the peace I experience internally. To have the ability to spread the Prince of Peace’s peace sounds awesome! But first we need to make sure we are showing what peace looks like in the Church.
And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts.
For as members of one body you are called to live in peace.
And always be thankful.
Colossians 3:15
Formal clothes…jeans. Tie…no tie. Saturday…Sunday. Three hour service…one hour service. Bible study…no bible study. Some things which we allow to come between us as a Church are… trivial. God called us to be One Body. One. Yes, we all have different functions, but we are still one Church.
So then, let us aim for harmony in the Church and try to build each other up. Don’t tear apart the work of God over what you eat! Remember, all foods are acceptable, but it is wrong to eat something if it makes another person stumble.
Romans 14:19-20
I’ve been told before, by non-believers, that they don’t believe in God because of the inconsistencies in churches. This, along with “not living right enough,” and religion (vs. relationship) are common reasons I’ve heard.
To me this is saying that we as the Church need be mindful of how we represent our God. It irks me when Christians teach/preach the Bible and it’s incorrect. If someone came to me with a list of things I couldn’t do, I’d be turned off by it, too. Tell me about a Maker who cares about the hurts and heartache of this world AND wants to have a relationship with me and you’ve got a better chance!
Yes, sadly there are going to be those people/organizations that claim to do things in the name of the Lord that are off-balance, but our representation of the One, True, Living, Loving God can outshine anything. God’s character is so fantastic and we have got to portray it right!
As long as the true Gospel, from the Bible is being preached (nothing more, nothing less), we the Church, should be able to link together and represent a united and whole God to the world. One God. One Christ. One Church.
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Lord, help us not let our differences hinder people from seeing You. Instead let the Church’s light shine bright on the path leading to You because You care more about people than traditions and appearances. Thank You that we do not have to shine Your light on our own, but have brothers and sisters to help us! Help us to be kind to one another and stay focused on who truly matters—You! Amen.
About Ahmee Bronaugh
Thank you, Ahmee, for sharing this, and I’m praying your prayer as well. Peace in my life, brings peace in The Church, which demonstrates peace to the world around us. That kind of peace only comes from the Prince of Peace. I’m so thankful that my life is His.