Be one
Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are. John 17:11
I have some friends. Many of my current friends are people that I walk through life with at work and in ministry. Being that I am a part of many different ministries, sometimes friendships overlap as well as opportunities to help and encourage others. Needless to say, we do not always agree on everything. Sometimes there are questions, other times there are disagreements and almost always there are various opinions. These are not bad things, in fact if handled properly, conflicts and differences can make relationships and connections stronger. It is like working together to get to the best possible solution or presentation, depending on the circumstances. The things that we do agree on are scripture and following the leading of the Holy Spirit.
The reason we sometimes differ is because each individual have different points of view and different gifts that we are ministering from. Again, this is a good thing. It forces us to work together and in doing that, we all bring our own unique dynamic to the ministry. When we all come into agreement about the mission purpose of reaching people with God’s unconditional love, that is when we are walking in unity as one.
In today’s reading, Jesus prayed for His disciples, whom God had given to Him to train up to be the leaders of the New Testament church. They would be the elders who turned the world upside down with the good news of salvation in Jesus. Jesus prayed that they would be one, or of one mind, just like Jesus was with God His Father. He wanted His team to walk out their days in this world with the heart and mind that He had for people (including His disciples) just like He shared with His Father. He was One with His Father because He submitted His will to Him and followed the plan for His mission.
He wants the same thing for us today. As we live out our days here on this planet, we are to walk in unity as one with all other believers. This does not me that we will always agree on everything or see things in the same light. We all have different gifts and abilities that God put in each one of us to minster to others with. Some worshiping, some teaching, some helping, other leading, some even administrative to keep order and there are many more. Our individual part is to bring these talents together to saturate the world with the message of salvation in the most appealing way, covered in the anointing of the Holy Spirit. It is ok, not to always see things the same way, the most important thing is that each one is submitted to the leading of God’s Word, God’s Spirit and each other in grace. When the focus of each individual is getting results in the ministry, differences will enhance and hone in the processes to be the most effective.
Today I want to encourage you in the mission that you are on. Submit your heart to the leading of God’s Word and Spirit. Commit to being one with others and God as Jesus and His disciples were with the Father in heaven. Do not be afraid or stressed if there are differences. Rather let those conflicting opinions be the sharpening stone that makes the mission the most powerful in the grace of the Holy Spirit’s leading and direction. If you are not part of a ministry, begin praying and watching for the opportunity to join a team. It can be as simple as serving at the weekend service at your local church or looking for opportunities to help in your community. Begin being faithful in a small area of ministry and soon door will open up to you that you can step into all that God has planned for you. Be one today with other believers and Jesus. Only then will you be one with the Father.
Today’s scripture reading: John 17:6-19
6 “I have manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours, You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word.
7 Now they have known that all things which You have given Me are from You.
8 For I have given to them the words which You have given Me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came forth from You; and they have believed that You sent Me.
9 “I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours.
10 And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them.
11 Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are.
12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.
13 But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves.
14 I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.
15 I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one.
16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.
17 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.
18 As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.
19 And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth.
The Daily Dose 