CHRIST’S PRAYER: “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that you have sent me. And the glory which you gave me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and you in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that you have sent me, and have loved them, as you have loved me. ...” John 17:20-26
Question, what is preventing the QUALITY of unity that Christ is desiring?
Lets honestly tackle this question. I agree with Christ’s prayer, as we all should, for our oneness is the evidence “by which the world may believe” according to this scripture. Practically speaking to start, if individual leaders don’t go for the “jugular” of every area in them that resists Christ’s Lordship we will be left wanting. It starts with leaders. Logic even says, If there is not personal Lordship, starting with me as a leader, we will not experience unity, we will be chasing the wind of our own individual desires. As a result we will be left striving in form (religious traditions of men) without substance (Christ as Head) or at best mixture polluting the stream. There must be a plumb-line, everything hinges on Yahshua (Jesus) being Lord.
What does this look like? If knowing Gal. 2:20 (“I am crucified with Christ… no longer I who live…”) doesn’t go beyond doctrine to the reality of Spirit-led practice the foundation for unity is faulty. We will get the same current results of 41,000+ fragmented expressions (denominations/non-denominations) of the distorted image of Christ that the world laughs at. As the saying goes, “If you always do what you always done, you will get what you always got.”
It is time to break the cycles, time for earnest prayer. I believe we are at a point in history if something transformative doesn’t happen sovereignly we will be left in this current condition of stagnation and none-effectiveness.
Yahshua is not moved by our demands, we must move by His heart, His nature, His pattern, and His empowerment–LORDSHIP. The quality of unity Christ is talking about starts from core obedience of love, individually, to turning the world “right side up,” collectively–like the early church (ekklesia). My heart longs for that kind of authentic life, how about you?
THE CHALLENGE, we must be brave enough to allow Christ, the Light, into the core issues preventing unity. We need to be willing to grapple with the pride, rebellion, woundedness, fear, ego, and greed in our own hearts. It is imperative to allow God to examine us and to not get distracted by judging our brother’s heart. Invite Christ to dominate the inside and burn up everything that resists Him. I’m convinced to advance the kingdom to functional unity we need pure hearts humbly surrendered to the King. Love and unity is the glory Christ has given us to show the world who He is. Be the answer.
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This is original content posted / re-posted from the writings / videos of Jeffrey Parrott. To find out more about Acts In Motion go to: http://www.actsinmotion.com.
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