Luke 17:1-4 – “Then He said to the disciples, “It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come!  2 It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.  3 Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.  4 And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.”  NKJV

The Lord Jesus clearly stated that “offenses” will come in life.  You cannot create a social climate where there are no occasions where someone is offended.  However, the word offend is to cause displeasure, anger, resentment, or wounded feelings.  It is possible for someone to be offensive and for we choose not to take offense.  It is my conviction and belief that to be ‘offended’ we have to make a choice to allow what was said or done to so influence us that we harbor resentment and hold an amount of unforgiveness in our hearts as a result.

While we cannot prevent offenses from coming, we do have a biblical directive on how to handle conflicts and offenses.  In the social medium of Facebook, I have had to block a few (very few) people from posting on my page because they became antagonistic and combative descending into personal attacks and using profanity.  In most of those cases, I reminded them that this could not and would not be tolerated and when those few decided to continue, I took that action. 

I have been blocked on occasions by others and only one actually notified me of their action but some of the others posted things on their pages quoting what I had said and vilifying me over them without calling my name.  One was religious and that person notified me of their action, and it was because they held a different doctrinal point of view than I and the other two were political. 

For Christians, there is only one true course to take with regard to offenses and that is found in Matthew 18.  It should be the minimum that a believer follows, and we should never shut someone out due to a perceived or real offense without following the directive of this passage outlined by our Lord.  It may be that the individual is unaware of their offense and what they did or said was not premeditated or malicious and something they would gladly rectify if given the chance. 

I have been misunderstood and misunderstood others in my life and each time I have followed, or they have followed Matthew 18 we quickly realized the offense or perceived offense was a misunderstanding and nothing malicious.  A friendship was preserved, and needless bitterness was prevented.

Matthew 18:15-20 – “If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother.  16 “But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that BY THE MOUTH OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES EVERY FACT MAY BE CONFIRMED.  17 “If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.  18 “Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.

19 “Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven.  20 “For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.”  NASB

I always encourage people, if they take exception to anything I say or do, let me know it and allow me to explain in an attempt to clear the air with regard to any malice on my part.  Offenses will come, we cannot prevent them, but we can prevent them from becoming havens of unforgiveness and bitterness.

God bless you as you go through your day!

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 – “There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven — 2 A time to give birth and a time to die; A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted. 3 A time to kill and a time to heal; A time to tear down and a time to build up. 4 A time to weep and a time to laugh; A time to mourn and a time to dance. 5 A time to throw stones and a time to gather stones; A time to embrace and a time to shun embracing. 6 A time to search and a time to give up as lost; A time to keep and a time to throw away. 7 A time to tear apart and a time to sew together; A time to be silent and a time to speak. 8 A time to love and a time to hate; A time for war and a time for peace.”  NASB

Without going through this list item by item and commenting I would ask that you focus on the simple reality that God has a time, for everything.  I heard an argument for a person who was Pro-Choice and Pro-Abortion attempt to use this passage to support their view and somehow makes it biblical.  They argued that if the pregnancy was unwanted that could indicate them being in the condition of “at the time to uproot”.  When they heard the pushback that abortion could be considered murder and was assuredly killing of the unborn.  They argued that this was simply God’s allowable time to kill, pluck up, and tear down.  I found that position to be absolutely astounding. 

This passage brings many challenges to a believer’s heart but making it a license to take the life of the unborn and innocent is astounding.  None of us determine the time of our birth and none of us should determine the time of our death.  There are associations in life that require us to cultivate and there are times when we must uproot those alliances and go a different direction. 

There is a time when weeping and mourning will be appropriate and there is a time when laughter is the proper answer to times of difficulty or ease.  There can be a time to go to war and a time to make peace.  There is a time to reach out and befriend and there is a time to separate ourselves from evil associations.  In short, God has His timing for things that we often do not understand and may not see His purposes or plan but we must TRUST! 

If I truly believe that God has a time for everything and truly believe that He is taking every event of my life and blending it together for my good and His ultimate purpose I can TRUST and REST in Him.  I can deal with times when my heart is broken, I have been let down by someone near and dear or I am under severe attack.  I can raise my sword and go to war and I can lay it down and extend the olive branch of peace because I TRUST Him and am confident in His timing. 

Our problems are often when we try to force our timing into the situation. It is there that we may weep when we should be laughing, embracing when we should be shunning, planting when we should be plowing, or speaking when we should be silent.  His ways are higher than our ways and His thought than our thoughts.  Our secret to success is learning to HEAR His voice that voice of the Spirit of God confirmed by His Word and TRUST!

God, bless you as you embark on today’s leg of life’s journey!

Isaiah 1:18-20 – “Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the LORD, ” Though your sins are as scarlet, they will be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, they will be like wool. 19 ” If you consent and obey, you will eat the best of the land; 20 “But if you refuse and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.” Truly, the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”  NASB

I have been told by well-meaning ministers that human reason has no place or part in the salvation experience.  To them it is all about emotion and the entire work is done on God’s side and man has no role in that experience.  Please understand, I do believe that man cannot save himself and that it is wholly God who washes away the sin and transforms that life from lost to saved.  However, these words of Isaiah, speaking as a prophet of the Lord, ‘human reason’ is a significant part.  Confession of sin most assuredly involves human reason. 

Sadly, many use human reason to justify their sin but if I do not evaluate my condition and consider my guilt, I will not repent.  If I do not think through my condition and what I have done I will not repent.  If I do not think through what God offers through the work of Jesus on the Cross I will not repent and seek His forgiveness.  Therefore, we need to reason with the LORD about our condition and sin.

The promise is that even as vile and stained as my soul is through my ‘missing the mark’ SIN God will wash me and make me white as pure snow.  It is only as we are ‘born again’ are our names written in the Book of Life.  Only then are we translated from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light.  Only then are we ‘new creations’ in Christ and Born Again spiritually.  But, the Promise of God does not stop with, “you will go to heaven when you die” it is “you can have heaven here on earth.”

Look at the last part of the promise.  IF and be sure to see the word ‘if’ because it demands thought, consideration, and evaluation.  “If you consent or agree with God that you have sinned and turn from those sins in obedience to the Word of God…”  IF you do that, then you will eat the best of the land! 

That is what Jesus spoke of when He said I am come to bring Life and that more abundant.  That is what Jesus was speaking of when He said, “Fear not little flock, it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”  That is what Paul is talking about when he tells us that “The Blessings of Abraham” belong to the believer.  That is what he meant when he said that we can be more than conquerors through Christ. 

You do not realize the instruction of Paul to Timothy to ‘study to show himself approved unto God’, without thought and reason.  Therefore, human reason is involved in the process of salvation.  It does not produce salvation but leads us to that place of repentance and receive restoration.

The negative of the last part of the promise is IF again.  If you refuse…  If you refuse you will be devoured by the sword.  The powers of hell will have direct and open access to your life if you refuse to receive that which God has offered in salvation.  Consider the blessing and the curse.  Consider the matter of life or death eternally.  Consider what is being offered and ‘reason together’ with the LORD and I do believe that His Spirit will convict your heart and lead you to repentance and salvation.

God, bless you as you embark on this day in Jesus!

John 8:31-32 – “So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, ” If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”  NASB

My purpose is not to start a firestorm of religious argument but to call attention to both the requirement and promise of our LORD to those of that day and us today.  He was speaking to Jews who believed Him or believed in Him.  They believed He was who He claimed to be, “Messiah”.  They believed that He had the words of eternal life.  They recognized Him as a great prophet and knew that His message was completely other than that of the religious leaders of their day.  The believed!

Jesus then said something that is troubling for many.  He said, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will now the truth and the truth will make you free.”  There are many facets of what He said that need to be considered, observed, and accepted if we are to find, have, receive, and walk in the Abundant Life He Promised and become the Glorious Church He came to build. 

First, they were believers!  However, Jesus indicated that just believing was not enough to enter into that fullness He taught there had to be Continuing as well.  That continuing meant obedience to His words, precepts, and teachings.  It is only in continuing that we become genuine disciples not simply one that professes a belief that He is who He declares Himself to be. 

The profession of faith is the first step, not the entire race.  It is the beginning, not the conclusion.  If we stop there, we fall so far short of what God has for us we will be tormented by the enemy of our souls and never fulfill the words of Isaiah’s promise in 40:31 – “…They that wait upon the LORD will gain new strength; they will mount up like the eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and to become weary.”  We will not find ourselves in the place of Psalm 91 nor will we truly embrace and experience the promise of Jesus in Matthew 11:28-30.  So, Continuing is a necessary ingredient in our spiritual development and life.

Next, Jesus promises that “If We Continue” and become genuine disciples Then two things will happen.  We will Know the Truth and that Truth that we know will make us free.  I said the Truth that you know not just truth.  Yes, God’s truth is what makes us free but if we do not know that truth, we will not exercise faith with regard, to it nor will we walk in that truth, and being made free requires both knowing and obeying therefore it is The Truth that You Know that makes you Free.  Not your own definition of truth but God’s Truth.  God’s Truth becomes part of your being, part of your consciousness, and shapes who you are.  So, continuing in His Word in obedience leads to Freedom. 

It is not enough to give mental assent to the truth we must Continue in it.  It is not enough to express the belief that Jesus is the Christ we must Continue in His truth and as we embrace that truth, walking it out in our lives, that Truth liberates us, empowering us to stand in the face of all temptation and in the midst of any storm of life. 

God, bless you as you continue in His Word and Follow Him fully and freely!

Luke 6:46-49 – “Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?  47 ” Everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and acts on them, I will show you whom he is like:  48 he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock; and when a flood occurred, the torrent burst against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built.  49 “But the one who has heard and has not acted accordingly, is like a man who built a house on the ground without any foundation; and the torrent burst against it and immediately it collapsed, and the ruin of that house was great.”  NASB

I have witnessed the disparity between what a person says and what they live in and outside the church.  That is a natural reality in life that people say one thing and do another.  However, when it comes to a relationship with God, just saying you are a Christian does not make you one.  Let me state, clearly, that I refuse to be anyone’s judge, and if anyone professes, they are a believer I will evaluate the fruit of their life, contrast their life with their declarations, but leave the determination of whether they are or not to God. 

In this passage, Jesus identified this problem vividly and His words should resonate with us and provide sufficient cause for us to carefully examine our own lives.  Jesus asked, “Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?”  Clearly, it is not our own declaration that makes His Lordship a reality in our lives it is the fruit of our lives that reveals the true condition.  No, I am not offering a justification for becoming judgmental and self-appointed fruit inspectors.  Jesus gave an analogy that is valuable for us as individuals in our self-examination of our own lives.  Let’s examine his comparisons and see if we can glean benefit.

If we Hear, the Words of our LORD and act on them in obedience Jesus said we could be compared to a prudent and competent builder.  That builder would dig a deep and solid foundation going to bedrock ensuring that if the floods or violent winds came the house would be strong.  In short, “having done all to stand, able to stand.” 

The person that Hears, the Words of Christ but does not act or obey them is like the person that ignores the foundation and erects his structure.  It may look wonderful on the outside but has no stability and will easily be destroyed.  Obedience involves an investment of time and energy in allowing a solid foundation to be built. This is the work of the Holy Spirit with our cooperation as we “study to show ourselves approved unto God, rightly handling the Word of Truth.”  This is allowing the Love of Christ to be shed abroad in our hearts and a commitment to obedience.  This is a love relationship that is not interested in simply looking right or sounding right but being right.

Just because one professes to be a follower of Christ does not mean the fruit of their lives will validate that claim.  When trouble comes, we find out what we are made of.  When the enemy comes in like a flood, we need a foundation that can withstand his assaults.  We must make Christ our Rock and upon that Rock build our lives, otherwise, it is the shifting sand of will-power and nothing more than rain on a tin roof.  Noise but no substance.

God, bless you as you seek Him in all things and at all times! 

Titus 1:5-9 – “For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you — 6 if a man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of dissipation or insubordination. 7 For a bishop must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, 8 but hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled, 9 holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict.” NKJV

If you allow this short devotional to identify the qualities, qualifications, and characteristics of elders, deacons, overseers, or leaders in the church you make a grave mistake.  We can only highlight some key elements and a full study of the Book would be required to fully identify the function, character, habits, lifestyle, and abilities of true elders, not just man appointed persons to fill positions out of popularity.

Paul spoke to Titus, Timothy, and his sons in the faith regarding the purpose and charge he had left them with.  They had numerous objectives including:

• Set in Order that which was lacking.  In doing that they were to identify and appoint elders in each city with specific function and character traits and qualifications.
• The Elder was to be ‘blameless’, the husband of ‘one wife’, a ‘steward of God, not self-willed, quick-tempered, given to wine, not violent, or covetous on this worlds mammon.  He was to be hospitable, loving the good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled, holding fast the ‘faithful word’ as he has been taught and able to use ‘sound doctrine’ to exhort and convict those who would bring a contradictory gospel.

That is not a small inconsequential list that everyone would meet rather it was a specific that most would not meet the qualifications.  In reading the directions of the apostle to his faith sons this was not ‘get the best you can’ but ‘these are the requirements’ and failure on one front is to fail on all fronts and disqualify or delay the appointment because of the severity, powerfulness, and purpose of the ministry.  This was a leadership role that would help guide and shape lives spiritually. 

You can’t have an elder who is given to intoxicating beverages and as indicated succumb to the temptation to imbibe more than moderation that testimony would not be conducive to the Gospel Message.  If a man had multiple wives and his children were unruly, getting into trouble or mischief he would not be qualified for he is to be able to lead his own home before he can lead the church of the Living God.  Insubordinate insolent children, negatively reflect the depth of the teaching and living of the message in the home and identifies qualifications, for if the bishop has lost his own home how can he influence the homes of others?

The Elder is to be free of greed, hospitable having a genuine love and concern for people, loves what is good, sober-minded, just, holy, and maintains self-control in all things.  He is one who is a student of the world and able to rightly handle the word of truth being able to give answer to every man for the reason of the hope that is in him.  He will face opposition so he cannot be a novice and must have maturity and experience to handle opposition, disappointment, and difficulty. 

His family is unified, his faith is anchored, his commitment is absolute, his studiousness exemplary.  It is not a title he is to receive but a function and in the function a position that requires him to lead.  Qualifications are not just important but essential and Paul is warning his sons in the faith to not appoint unqualified people to the position but find those elders who ‘eld’ and those deacons who ‘deke’.

One of the greatest tragedies in the modern church has been our popular elections to fill positions with titles electing unqualified and ill-prepared people to assume leadership roles.  No wonder the church is often, off course, inconsistent, and powerless.  It is when we have the right people in the right positions doing the right things that we progress and often in a dynamic manner.  The focus becomes HIM (Jesus) not the elder, deacon, pastor, or anyone. 

May God be with you as you seek to bring your life into harmony with His purposes but to see the leadership of your Church God-chosen and God-appointed with God-qualified people!

May God bless you as you go through your day!

Esther 4:15-16 – “Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai: 16 “Go, gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me; neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will fast likewise. And so I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish!” NKJV

Being willing to die!  There is so much beautiful life truth found in the Book of Esther and the entire Bible for that matter but today the famous words of Queen Esther resonate in my heart like never before, “If I perish, I perish!”

In our pursuit of God’s purposes and kingdom, I believe that our commitment must be ‘to the death’.  If anything, even natural life comes before our commitment to God then our commitment is flawed.  Some time ago we watched the movie “God’s Not Dead.”  I was impressed with the young college freshman and others who were willing to risk their future for God.  We are living in a world that is rapidly moving to a state where Christianity is in the crosshairs and targeted for eradication.  I know some will say, “Roy that is being an alarmist.”  I hope that is exactly what I’m feeling in my heart, but I do not believe the evidence supports that challenge to my position.

The Bible tells us that in the ‘latter times’ or ‘last days’ the condition and position of our world and world leaders will be very anti-God and those who refuse to denounce God and the Lord Jesus Christ will be in danger of annihilation, imprisonment, and more.  Persecution will come and be widespread.  If my commitment and confidence in God will not allow me to face death unafraid then I have to question my commitment and confidence. 

Peter rashly declared when Jesus told him He (Jesus) was going to die that “I will go with you even to death.”  We know that Peter became afraid, intimidated, and denied the LORD not just once but three times as Jesus warned.  Later, Peter became so totally confident in his LORD and his commitment rose to the level that he not only could but did go with Jesus unto death as did most of the original apostles.

We all may face times when we have to stand as Queen Esther and say in our hearts if not with our mouths, “If I perish, I perish!”  If they take our lives what have they done?  They have only escalated our departure into the Eternal Kingdom of our Lord.  If my hope is truly in Christ and He is my savior then as Paul declared in 1 Corinthians 15:54-57 – “So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”  55 “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?”  56 The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”  NKJV

We have a Hope and a Promise that we can depend upon, have confidence in, and make our declaration and commitment – “If I Perish, I Perish!”

May God be with you as you go through your day!

Romans 16:17 – “Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them.”  NASB

Philippians 3:17 – “Brethren, join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us.”  NASB

Paul gave us two groups of people to Mark or Identify.He gave specific and definitive directions regarding each group.  One is an enemy of the Local Church and the other is a Powerful Witness for the LORD in the Local Community. Both are to be noted and marked.

The first group to Mark is those that ‘cause division’ and the second group are those who ‘set the right example’.  We are to MARK both groups.  We are to avoid the first group but cling to, immolate, and copy the second. 

The devil wants to infiltrate the church local with the first group and diminish the influence of the second.  He does everything he can to create division in the church.  Sadly, he has been somewhat effective in many churches across America today and rendered them powerless forms but not substance and lasting impact on the community. 

I wish it were not so, but in some churches that are thusly divided by the devil there are no life, vision, spirit, power, or tears and the devil has backed them into a corner where they are holding the fort but not impacting their community.  That is unfortunate and incredibly sad.  They fuss and fume and cannot have a business meeting without war and no board meeting is devoid of conflict.

I refuse to engage in a brawl in the church.  The work of God is too important, and time is too valuable to waste it on what is often pettiness.  There are too many souls perishing, and this is no time for the Body of Christ to engage in childishness and act petulant throwing temper tantrums and pouting if we don’t get our way.  If we are going to fulfill God’s Purpose and Plan for the local church, we must identify the division, call it what it is, and reject it completely. 

The devil cannot defeat the church from without. He can only defeat us from the inside.  Those on the outside can label us however they please, call us anything they desire, spin fabrications about us, assignation of our character, and attempt to shut us down physically but they will never truly be successful Unless we allow division to rule in our midst.  If we do, we step outside the protective covering of the LORD and stand on the devil’s turf and he will make mincemeat of us if we do.  That is not God’s Plan, Purpose, or Promise and we must not settle for less than His best.

The only thing that can destroy any local church is the people in that church.  The devil can only defeat the local church from the inside, but he can never win fighting from the outside.  In order for the devil to hinder the progress of the local church, he must get in the middle of the church and divide it.  Have you ever seen a local congregation where there was a division on the board, among the elders, or people in the pews who will not speak to each other?  Disunity and disharmony run rampant.   Then and only then can the devil hinder the church local.

We are engaged in a War, a Spiritual War and the first thing that we must seek to do is learn all we can about our enemy.  That was one of the areas in which we were often bogged down in Vietnam.  President Johnson often lamented that his intelligence reports were terribly inaccurate.  You have to know all you can about an enemy to fight that enemy effectively.  In WW II we had spies even one of Hitler’s inner circle was forwarding notes of Hitler’s meetings with his generals to the Allied Commanders and often we knew every move he planned.  We secured information on the U-2 rocket that Germany was developing.  Had Germany perfected that rocket, or the jet engine earlier there is a real possibility they could have won the war.  They had superior technology when the war broke out, superior forces and yet we won the war.  How?  We knew more about them than they knew about us and we had prayer backing our forces. 

We need to know our enemy and we must never forget this enemy Hates us.  His prime tactic is to divide and conquer. I want to look more closely at the enemy of which I speak and will need another devotional to accomplish that task or objective.  So, I pause here and wait until the ‘morrow to delve a little deeper into God’s Eternal Love and expose the devil and his strategies.

God, bless you richly is my prayer and desire!

Proverbs 6:16-19 – “There are six things which the LORD hates, Yes, seven which are an abomination to Him: 17 Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, 18 A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that run rapidly to evil, 19 A false witness who utters lies, and one who spreads strife among brothers.”  NASB

The Bible is filled with instructions as to the individual Christian life and the life of the Church of Jesus Christ.  One of the areas in which God has chosen to devote a lot of focus is Unity.  There are several key passages that relate to that I list them here and hope that you will take the time to read, examine, and study them: 

Proverbs 13:10, 10:12; 26:21; 29:22; 17:14; Philippians 2:3; and 2 Timothy 2:24 are direct and provide an incredible understanding of this subject.  There is nothing that the Enemy of our souls would like better than to destroy the local church.  I believe that is a prime objective of the devil. He hates any local church that is impacting its community for God.  He probably sees the potential of the local church more than the local church sees itself.

Romans 16:17, “Now I beseech you, brethren, MARK them which cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine you have learned; avoid them.”  That is the kind of language and instruction that comes under fire from many facets of the world and the church today.  It involves Church Discipline and engages in the idea of being separate, not isolationism but separation from sin and sinful lifestyles. 

Paul says, Mark them that cause division among you.  Before you say, “But Roy, that would be judgmental,” remember this is the Word of God and God never puts things in His word without purpose. This is a warning designed to preserve the unity and functionality of the local church.  I am convinced that the only way any church can truly rise to greatness is they learn to dwell together in Unity.  They have a common vision and become Christ-centered and Others-centered.

We are told in Psalm 133:1, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity.”  Unity is not, compromise but having a common vision and a common set of core values.  In Acts 4:32, we read, “And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of things which he possessed was his own, but they had all things common.”  That was not a plea for a lifestyle of communism or socialism but a plea for Unity. 

Paul instructs believers in Romans 12:16, “Be of the same mind one toward another.  Mind not high things but condescend to men of low estate.  Be not wise in your own conceits.”  Then in Romans 15:16, he prayed, “That you may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”  Then in 1 Corinthians 1:10, his plea and prayer were, “Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.”

Unity is essential if we are going to become the Church that Jesus promised to build and the Church that will shake up its world for God.  Unity is essential not just desirable.  A house divided against itself cannot stand and it is critical that we have the same judgment and vision.  We are enjoined by the apostle Paul through the Holy Spirit to “Endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” (Ephesians 4:3). 

He instructed believers, “Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see or else be absent, I hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.”  (Philippians 1:27).  A few verses later he urged them to walk by the same rule and have the same mind.

Back to the charge or instruction to Mark people.  Although few pastors today and fewer Churches would be willing to engage in this practice it is a biblical concept and something we have abandoned to our hurt as local congregations.  I do not mean nor suggest that we become like the Pharisees but follow the instructions of two passages considering the entire Bible.

In Romans 6:17 we are told to Mark a certain group of people and then in Philippians 3:17, we are told to Mark another group of people.  Both are critical if we are going to be what God wants us to be and for the local church to impact its community as God desires and has designed.

I have laid a foundation that I wish to continue in the next devotional and identify both groups that we are charged to Mark and what we are to do once we have marked them.  We want to discuss the importance and impact of this kind of action as a local church.  

So, until next time, I pray that the LORD will be with you, guard you and guide you in all that you do.