United
I keep seeing the word “United”.
Much has gone over the past two years that have forced people as a whole to take a stand, pick a side, decide what they believe in and to take action. Many people had gotten comfortable staying on the sidelines, straddling the fence, not wanting to make waves or create enemies. The current affairs over the past couple years of forced people off the fence and off the sidelines and to take action. And in doing so they’ve had to choose. What do they believe? What will they stand for? While the enemy has tried to cause great distraction and devastation through fear, death, confusion, and perversion of the truth. God has been busy fulfilling his plan to unite His people.
The word “united” is past tense. God has united and is continuing to unite His people. When considering the past tense form of a verb, I asked myself why is it not present or future tense. Why wasn’t it “unite” as a call to unite? Or why not “will unite” as in a coming (yet to come) unity? Future plans can be thwarted, present plans can be subverted, but the past cannot be changed. It is done, and it has already happened. Just like God‘s plan it cannot be changed, it is done, and it cannot be stopped. The enemy has gone through great lengths to create discouragement and despair among the nation and throughout the world. Many of us have become discouraged, have lost hope for humanity and the church body, but God has been busy this whole time working all things for His plan and purpose.
Years ago, God taught me a lesson about how He (not humans) creates unity. The way I was used to seeing unity come about among a group of people or even in the church body was by someone presenting an idea and others choosing to join in on that idea on the basis of what was presented. In other words, people were persuaded by other people into unity concerning a certain matter. There is nothing wrong with this type of unification. However, God taught me and allowed me to experience something different. God had put a very specific idea into the hearts of two of my friends. They wanted to hold an outdoor worship festival. As they felt moved by God to execute the plans that God gave them, they started sharing what God had told them with others. They quickly discovered that God had put the same plan in other people’s hearts. So when they shared their plans, they found that others had the same charge; and therefore wanted to join efforts not based on the persuasive presentation of the idea, but instead, because God had already put the same call in their hearts. So God assured unity by placing individual desires, calls, and plans in multiple people’s hearts (separately) and then guided their paths to cross. So unity was already achieved even though the people that carries the same plan in their heart had not met yet. It is in this way that God is building, has built and has united people as one. One in purpose, one in faith, and one in Him.
The pressure of being forced to make a choice, take stand and take action has facilitated a reliance on God. Had there not been external pressure resulting in internal questioning, many would not have turned to God for guidance. The pressure caused many to turn to God.
The enemy has sought to divide mankind to turn him/her against one another, but God has use the plan of the enemy to awaken a boldness and tenacity within His people. Those that have been comfortable sitting on the sidelines watching others battle over thoughts, beliefs, and current affairs have been violently shoved into the game (active life) and onto the field of decision. It was and is a much needed shaking of the body. He caused people to wake up and take action in areas of life where they had become complacent and exhibited a lukewarm lifestyle. It is this kind of shaking that is brought about conviction in the hearts of people where they have intentionally tried to circumvent any situation that would force them to take a stand. Many people did not want to lose relationships or be judged based on their beliefs, and so they stayed quiet. They avoided difficult situations and conversations. This won’t be tolerated anymore. We have stepped into a time where everyone will have to choose and it will be increasingly difficult to be a bystander and follow Christ. Following Him will result in lost relationships, judgement, rejection and persecution. Every continued step with Him will not get easier, but it will be the most fulfilling thing you will ever do.
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“Yes, and everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. But evil people and impostors will flourish. They will deceive others and will themselves be deceived.”
2 Timothy 3:12-13 NLT
“God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.”
Matthew 5:10 NLT
“If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first.”
John 15:18 NLT
““I have come to set the world on fire, and I wish it were already burning! I have a terrible baptism of suffering ahead of me, and I am under a heavy burden until it is accomplished. Do you think I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I have come to divide people against each other! From now on families will be split apart, three in favor of me, and two against—or two in favor and three against. ‘Father will be divided against son and son against father; mother against daughter and daughter against mother; and mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.’ ””
Luke 12:49-53 NLT
“If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.”
Matthew 16:25 NLT
“Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith. I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!”
Philippians 3:8-11 NLT