togetherness – Godinterest

December 26, 2022December 26, 2022

Umoja (unity) Christ Prayed For Unity

Let’s be clear, Kwanzaa is a cultural and not religious holiday created by an African American. However, the principles of Kwanzaa (from Swahili) can be found in scripture and can build and enhance families and communities and elevate the political dialogue on issues of importance to all. Hence, 7 days before the start of the year, I offer this Kwanzaa perspective for Christians, as it relates to the Seven Principles of the first fruits (kwanza).

Principle 1. Unity/Umoja: Psalms 133:1. How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity. This bible verse reinforces the unity principle of togetherness and harmony and instructs that our speech, strategies, and behaviour should be directed toward bringing people together as opposed to the divide and conquer, demonize, and dominate approach that is all too present in our social relations and politics.

Politicians seem to thrive on division. Income brackets separate communities into one side of the tracks or the other. Even people who share the same beliefs bicker about how to live out those beliefs. Unity may seem far-fetched, but unity is what Christ prayed for before going to the cross. More than anything, His desire was for the church to be one because their uncommon unity would be a powerful witness of God’s love. (John 17:23).

Today Umoja (unity) teaches us with so much division in our world, Christians’ ability to be unified, even when we’re not the same, is what will set us apart. This kind of unity doesn’t happen naturally. It comes from God. As we experience God’s love for us, it leads us to love others with pure, unselfish motives. We stop trying to push ourselves to the top and begin submitting to God and one another. Just as God is unified, we are to be unified to bring God glory. We are His plan to reconcile people with Him. But reconciliation must start with us. When believers live in harmony, people take notice and get a glimpse of Christ’s love

How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity (Psalms 133:1).

Let’s Pray

Yahweh, when I think of places lacking in unity, the church is not the first thing I imagine. Yet today the church is full of division. Father, whether the topic is racial, same-sex relations, abortion or others, churches are not on the same page. God, how can we be of the same body but cling to so many different beliefs? We read the same text and have drastically different takeaways? Are we interpreting the Bible the way we want or are we genuinely confused? Whatever the answer, I pray that you would help the church find unity on various salvific issues. Please give us clarity on issues of culture or politics. I ask that you help us to be clear about what is most important to You in Christ’s Name, Amen!

In Reflection

When you look at your relationships, how much unity do you see at home, at work, or at school?

What is one practical way you can build unity in the church and your community?

When is the last time you prayed for the church? Take a moment to follow Jesus’ example in praying for your church family. Pray that we would experience the same unity that Jesus had with God and the Holy Spirit.

January 15, 2019February 25, 2019

What does it mean to be crucified with Christ?

So today I got mad. And I cried for an embarrassingly long amount of time over it.

Did someone die? No. Did a friendship end? Nope.

A friend and I were arranging my brand new writing space, a room I had wanted for a long time. We began to place my books on the closet-turned bookshelf, and as we laid down the last book, boom. Just like the walls of Jerico, it came tumbling down. It seriously ruined my whole day. Now, what does any of this have to do with God? Not a whole lot, but it has more to do with his nemesis. I let the devil rob me of my joy for a good chunk of the day over something so trivial and earthly.

I told everything that had happened with the broken furniture, how I reacted, and how I still felt about it to one of my church leaders (because we are more like family than anything) and she flat out told me that needed to stop tripping. Nowhere in the Bible does it say it isn’t okay to be mad or upset, but it does tell us that in the end, earthly things will have no room in the kingdom of heaven. God’s word also instructs us not to be anxious over anything, but to instead, trust that everything will work out to his glory.

God is trying to teach all of us something, and for me right now, those lessons seem to be joy, peace, and patience. True joy is found in God, and crying over the little inconveniences of life isn’t honoring him; it’s feeding the enemy.

My friend told me, “Really Ali? You’re going to be this upset over something so small? Is that gonna matter when you get up to heaven?’ With a little attitude, I responded with, “ I’m gonna ask God why he allowed this bookshelf to break.’ She laughed and said, “Then God will say ’Ëœdepart from me, you’re petty.’

God knows our hearts desires, but the unfortunate thing is that Satan knows some things about us as well; he knows exactly what to do to make us angry.Ã‚ I love books, and anything to do with writing, so of course, like the turd he is, he’s gonna go after those areas in my life.

I’m not mad about it anymore, and truth be told I should have just let it roll off my shoulders then and there. No matter what it is that’s got you down in life; bills, a toxic home life, a bad day at work, spilling coffee on your laptop, all of those things, big or small, have no power over us, because we are the children of a God who loves us, knows us better than anyone, and knows what we can and can’t handle in our lives.

Don’t let the devil win. He may know how to attack, but so do you. Make him mad with the way you respond, shake it off, know that things can be fixed, and have an awesome day. The devil can’t win if you don’t play the game.

Thanks, hope all is well!

-Alisha-

January 15, 2019January 22, 2019

Harmony of the Body of Christ

The Ecclesia is collectively the Body of Christ. This is undisputed in its apostolic doctrine. With that said, I want to say, what we have come to know as the “Church’ and what the scriptures declare to be the “Ecclesia’ are NOT the same thing. The “Church’ as we know it will never be united and the Ecclesia will make an exodus from the Church before she, the Ecclesia, can be united.

One of the mandates of Holy Spirit, through the 5-fold gifts & anointings, is to bring unity to the Ecclesia. For that unity to manifest, Holy Spirit has begun to lead each member of the body to a place of complete submission to His voice. To avoid any confusion in what I am speaking of; let me be clear; we will NEVER achieve maturity in the body of Christ simply reading the scriptures. We will NEVER achieve maturity in the body of Christ through preaching sermons. We will NEVER achieve maturity in the body of Christ through self-improvement. There is only one avenue by which unity and maturity will be achieved in the Ecclesia, and that is through divine intervention of Holy Spirit.

Consider this analogy; before a child learns to walk, the child lacks the maturity in its body parts (members) to command them to facilitate the act of walking. At a certain time in their development, their maturity produces the harmony within its members to walk. Though each of its members is not doing the same thing or serving the same function, the agreement between each member to fulfill the objectives of walking is evident.

The ultimate objective of the natural body, at any given moment, is determined by the soul that occupies that body. Once a decision is made, each member of the body instantly understands what is expected of it. Communication within the body is systemically recognized by each member concerning what is expected of it to execute the decision. For example, when the decision is made to run, every member in the body is simultaneously engaged to produce the activity of running.

Likewise, each individual member of the Body of Christ may not be doing the same thing, neither are they necessarily serving the same function; but each member is systemically connected through Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit has been given the mandate to ensure that each member of the body knows what is expected from them concerning our Father’s will. In this season, Holy Spirit has begun to do two unique things that, heretofore, has not been done in the kingdom or the Body of Christ. First, He has begun to bring about a level of maturity, that is necessary for the manifestation of the sons of God. This manifestation will bring about an authority to command the kingdom that has not been manifested since our Lord’s earthly dwelling. The sons are being positioned to implement the will of our Father with authority, accuracy, independence, and without apology. Second, He is declaring truths that have never been heard by the Ecclesia.

Authority

The maturity Holy Spirit is delivering to the Ecclesia will manifest the authority our Father has always intended us to have but has determined this season to hand it over to us. Holy Spirit has begun to instruct us in the responsibility and accountability that comes with this authority. The Ecclesia is beginning to hear Holy Spirit say things to them that are causing questions they have never asked before. They are beginning to reject the old wine represented by the message of grace and are beginning to inquire of the Lord concerning taking possession of their inheritance.

Accuracy

The Ecclesia is understanding the distinction of the Father’s voice clearly and accurately. We are hearing exactly what our Father is saying when He says it, and with the sense of urgency, He is saying it. This is necessary for this season because we have lost the luxury of a hit and miss attitude. The urgency of the season mandates that we get it right the first time. We have entered the season excessively wicked men and the kingdom must be defended with the power of the “proceeding Word’ not the written Word of scripture.

Independence

Our Father has called us to a place of independence. A place that requires that we understand his perfect will. A place that we understand that we are being asked to do His will in the earth and not Him doing his will in the earth. A place that we will not be allowed to ask his permission for every step we take. We have been led to a place that we are being asked to take full responsibility for what we say in his name and what we do in his name.

Without Apology

Finally, these things must be done without apology. We are being asked to operate in the spirit of the lion, not the lamb. The season of the lamb has been fulfilled and the season of the lion has emerged. The offense of others has taken a secondary concern with respect to our Father’s will for the occasion. We no longer have the mandate, neither should we feel the necessity to give concern about our confidence, arrogance, or audaciousness. Because the clarity and accuracy of our Father’s Word has become available to us at every turn, we can speak with authority, accuracy, independence and without apology.

Those who are unwilling or have become too fearful to wholly submit to the guidance of Holy Spirit, will not enter this place of harmony and unity in our Father (Yahweh). These will continue to hope in this religious system we have come to know as the church. These will become the foolish virgins, the goat, the bad fish, the chaff. Those who will wholly submit will become the wise virgins, the sheep, the good fish, the wheat.

Let him that has an ear to hear, let him hear what the Spirit is saying to the Ecclesia.