Rejoice:

Read:

³² All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. ³³ With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all ³⁴ that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales ³⁵ and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.

³⁶ Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means “son of encouragement”), ³⁷ sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.

One mind, sharing everything they had. That was how ALL the believers were… We don’t even have that among Church pastors. Oh how far from the Gospel we have come. Preaching unity, fellowship, and oneness, living as hypocrites promoting only our own “churches.” We complain about the need for God to move in our towns. We complain about the believers around us not feeling the great power of God but we don’t have unity among churches. This oneness in mission is vital! We need to be of one heart and mind to see the great power of God to be poured out on us! Shepherds left to be in charge, keep safe, equip the flock have been selfishly pushing their own agenda’s and preferences so we have churches filled with proud, self promoting people. Church we need to be praying God to move in our hearts, break us from the power of deceit and blindness. Open our eyes to the reality of those we are following and leading. We need to be lamenting daily at the throne asking God to break our habits of “church” distinction and disunity. Lamenting for god to put in us fellowship with people of different doctrine, style, color, location, complete fellowship. We need a move where people begin seeing more significance in unity and fellowship than their own control or comfort. We need a move in which leaders are passionate about caring for others instead of doing events that glorify their own causes or brand. If only we, the Church, practiced unity among ourselves… perhaps we would be useful vessels.

Respond:

Lord help me see the truth! Help me not be blinded by my comfort and preference but instead see Your mission as most important, above OUR church, above OUR plans. God help us to find unity among our city. Help us to lay aside all those things we find keeping us separate. God we need unity. We need fellowship, but we are actively working against it. Help us change.

Relate:

You need to be reaching out to people OUTSIDE your church. If you are only relating to people in your church then you are NOT assisting in breaking the mold. Don’t wait for other churches or other groups of Christians to reach out BE THE START! 🙂 We can work to get involved with other churches and start the revival that is needed! 😀