Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to ^[God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

1 Timothy 1:17 (NKJV)

Wherever I go, and whomever I’m speaking with, be it a family member, friend or stranger, I invariably reference the LORD, in the pursuit of whatever it is I’m doing at that particular moment.

What do I mean by that?  Well, I was speaking with my neighbor last week, and we were discussing the world as it is, and a vast array of other issues, including health, politics, groceries, inflation, all kinds of stuff that is on the minds of almost everyone today.  And while engaged in this friendly banter, I said, “It doesn’t matter what’s happening, because with God in my corner, I will get through it all. Without Him, I can’t do anything, and with Him I can get through everything. Amen.”

This particular neighbor is a Christian, and so she said an emphatic “Amen” herself. However, there are times where people who hear my praise and just sigh.  Or some may say, “must be nice to have that much faith…I wish I had some.”

Well, hang on a minute right there!  Wishing?  Wishing doesn’t bring on faith. Well then, you ask, what does?

Honoring the LORD and giving Him the respect, admiration, adoration, awe, praise and submission and obedience that He alone is worthy of is a good way to begin. We honor our parents, and respect authority, and value them greatly, do we not? However, honoring the LORD supersedes all else.

Reading the Word and becoming fully acquainted with the One who loves you far greater than any other being in this entire world and has loved you way before you were even formed in your mother’s womb, is the single most satisfying deed or action we can adhere to, concerning our LORD.

Who loves us deeply, fully, completely and openly? Who has given promises that are impregnable, unbreakable, and never ending? The LORD of lords who is LORD above all. Amen!

Let’s face facts.

We can’t coerce someone to believe or love the LORD, anymore that someone can convince me “NOT” to believe or love my LORD.

Nope that isn’t how faith works. Faith is also a gift from the Father of lights, He comes knocking at our hearts, it’s up to us to let Him in.

Remember in Acts 8:9-25, when Simon thought he could buy the power of the Holy Spirit?

Faith and belief can’t be bought. God’s love can’t be bought.  Nor can our passage to Heaven be bought.

Belief is a manifestation of awareness of the LORD and a keen insight to the Spirit within. It’s the innate plausibility of understanding spirituality, versus the ornate flesh.

It’s the acceptance of knowing that the LORD is Sovereign, and no one else surpasses Him, and embraces His Omnipotence, and Gospels and commandments as reverent and all consuming.

And most important, accepting God’s only begotten Son as our LORD and Savior, affirming and confirming His death and resurrection…and looking forward to our Eternal rewards.

I want to give Him glory, and praise His name, and give Him credit all day long, each day of my life.

He is love. He is peace. He is LORD. LORD above all.

Have you given recognition to Him during any conversation today? Have you witnessed His glory in and around you this week? Do you trust Him? Do you believe in Him? Do you want peace?  If you answered yes to all of these questions, you are truly blessed indeed.  If you answered yes to some or even one, that’s a blessing as well.  Maybe tomorrow or next week, you will answer “yes” to all of these questions, and more.

But here’s the best question of all.   “Do you know and love the LORD?”

Did you hear my reply?  I think you all know what my response is.

What’s your reply?

“LORD, thank You for Your love, promises, and forever guiding me through all the issues, circumstances and ordeals of life and whatever that entails, You are with me, morning, noon, night, and never take a day off from loving me, may I always reflect on Your love, promises, Presence, and Word, and give you Glory, today, tomorrow and Forever in Jesus’ name, Amen.”

A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

John 13:34 (KJV)

Christians should never argue with one another for their particular “church” of choice. I’ve been party to so many disparaging comments being hurled among people of faith, each side accusing the other of “the wrong way of worshipping” or “interpreting” the Father’s Word.

Most recently, I was inadvertently pulled into a “heated discussion” by two friends. I listened to both and found myself within the circle of both voices shouting, to the point of escalating into an all-out adversarial camping ground of viperous like behavior towards each other!

It was awful, contentious, and highly uncomfortable to be witness to such outlandish behavior by “two supposedly Christian” people.

They eventually insisted on pulling me in, “What do you think? Who is right? Isn’t it ridiculous what she/he believes? What do you say? 

I always ask for guidance from the Spirit before responding to any given situation, especially one in which there seemingly didn’t appear to be any way they would acquiesce or back down, holding their stance like two bulls circling each other.

After a long pause I answered, “Yes, I have something to say…and the answer is Jesus. And Jesus no doubt might say something like, Ye of little faith…have you any thoughts of what I feel, say, or think? Don’t you realize we are all one body? And one church?”  

The two squawkers grew silent, waiting for more.  So, I obliged.

Jesus is the head of all of us, and we are part of a many membered bodies in Christ.  So, fighting one another for incidentals, or maligning each other’s churches is not the solution. The solution is our love of Christ. And being born again and accepting Him as our Lord and Savior. When we recompense and align with our “inner belief” with the Word, we are all one, and on the same team. Don’t you see that?”

Ears, eyes, mouths, lips, legs, arms, all are part of our bodies. One doesn’t necessarily work without the other, it’s all part of the body.  So, believing in Christ, and doing His work, following His Gospel and commandments, we are part of the body of Christ.  We become a cohesive orchestra demonstrating and solidifying Christ’s purpose for all of us. The orchestra becomes a smooth flowing and beautiful crescendo of His Word, ways, and love.

Yelling at each other with a “spirit of condemnation” and trying to “guilt” someone into accepting terms of another “so called religion” is not Christ like at all.

If someone is against Christ and doesn’t believe, that is an entirely different story. And there are many who are “anti-Christ” in and around each of us.  We my friends are believers who attend different physical buildings/churches. But the Church of Christ is within, and we are all one.

The Light of the LORD is prolific and shines into darkness of the world.

Is the world not “dark enough” without our condescending and lambasting of each other’s churches?  Are we not all believers?  Are we not all lovers of Christ? Why then do we fight and exhort one another when we are all of one body?

My friends agreed and actually offered each other their mutual abject apologies, and then hugged.

Sometimes it takes a “voice of reason” guided solely by the Holy Spirit to bring unity to opposing parties. It takes disciples of Christ to bring order and love into what can be a “hateful” gathering of individuals, who unknowingly bring a separation of power in His name, into what becomes a glorifying of the enemy. And that is not something we should aspire to do. In fact, we are to glorify Christ and set the enemy running due to our unity and love and His Word!

Because when Christians and those of Christ fight each other, are they not bringing joy to the very “darkness” and the “enemy?”

Voices and bodies unite as one in Christ, and glory His Word in actions, in thoughts of heart.

“Love one another as I have loved you…”  is this not a familiar commandment?

Remember it the next time a blatant disparity of Spirit shows up to try and destroy unity.

Listen to His commandment and rejoice!

“Father, guide me and lead me all the days of my life, may I do all according to Your will and commandments, may the Spirit teach and direct me through all kinds of scenarios, predicaments, and situations, and to remember that we are all one body in Jesus Christ name, Amen.”