United By Prayer Wall
PRAYING TOGETHER AS A FAMILY
The topic of God's people Living Together In Unity was part of Christ's High Priestly prayer, just before His walk to Calvary. This was one of the songs of ascent that Israel would sing to the Lord with joy in their hearts, as they advanced on their pilgrimage to Jerusalem. This was a hymn of praise that would echo throughout the land, as God's people travelled towards their sacred destination. We too are on our own march towards our heavenly home, but every step we make toward that day when the Lord takes us to be with Himself, should be a day when we live together with our brothers and sisters in Christ in gracious harmony and godly unity. Unity does not imply uniformity. But in the Body of Christ there should be a real oneness of spirit on the essential fundamentals of our faith, while lesser, subordinate issues should not cause discord, disunity, or division. Little disagreements or alternative views on minor issues should be approached with wisdom and grace. In all our dealings there should be a godly spirit of unity and love. There should be a patient, kind, gracious love that comes only from the Spirit of Christ Who is our life. In Him our soul is refreshed and we are equipped to edify others, which glorifies our Father in heaven. A song of ascents. Of David. How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity! Our United Prayer:
Heavenly Father, we pray that we may learn to live together with all our brothers and sisters in Christ in godly love and unity, to Your praise and glory. Protect us from discord, disunity, or division, and help all Your children to stand firm in the faith, because through the death and Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, we who are saved are all united together in Him. May we honor Him by living with our fellow Christians in unity. In Jesus' name we Pray, AMEN. This verse is specifically dealing with legalists and false teachers, who tie up heavy burdens on others by forbidding certain food or demonizing certain God-ordained institutions; such as marriage and the family unit, which have been graciously given by God for our benefit and instituted for the good of mankind. They prohibit this... deny that... and insist on the other! They not only place unbearable burdens on the people of God and deliberately distort the beauty of His creation and design, but they seek to undermine the Word of God which must remain the only plumb-line for life and living - and the only standard for truth. These false teachers and gnostic lawgivers discredit the name and character of God... the end result of which is to call good - evil and to call evil - good. In this passage, and elsewhere in the Scriptures, we see that they forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, fruits, herbs, and seeds, which are part of God's gift to us, for our healing and benefit. "For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving,." The ultimate authority comes from the Scripture, and when preachers, teachers, institutions, or religious bodies teach things that are contrary to that which is written in the Word of God, we should question the legitimacy of their position - and Hold Fast To The Word Of Truth. Our United Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank You that You have graciously allowed us to have access to the Word of God and the truth it contains. Give us wisdom to stand on the foundation of truth and not to be influenced by those that deny the eating of particular foods or restrict certain God-ordained institutions, like marriage and the family unit for unbiblical reasons ; knowing that all good and perfect things come from You. For this, we give You grateful thanks and praise. In Jesus' name we Pray, AMEN. We are called to edify and encourage one another. But pointing the finger of blame, over-stating a brother's fault, participating in unfounded gossip, censorious speech, or condemning the legitimate, freewill choices of another Christian, when their actions conflict with the freewill standards we have chosen, is considered to be evil speech. It is quite sobering to realize that the spirit behind evil, incorrect speech, is not only a sin; because it violates God's written Word, but contravenes every biblical instruction on godly living, we are not to judge one another. "Judge Not," Christ warned us, "that ye be not judged?" We are certainly called to judge the spiritual fruit of pastors and teachers, and to check the doctrines they teach against Scripture. We are to be spiritually discerning. We are to beware of false teachers and be able to identify unbiblical teachings and doctrines. However, we are not instructed to judge the thoughts, hearts, motives, and behavior of others. It degrades our own testimony and dishonors the Lord, Who is the only one worthy to judge the thoughts of the heart and the actions of a others. Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. Our United Prayer:
Heavenly Father, we pray that we may become a doer of Your holy law and not fall into the foolish trap of judging it, by condemning the actions of others. Lord, You alone can judge the thoughts of the heart and we have no right to condemn others, through our own self-righteous attitude. Keep us humble before you and help us to become an encouragement to our brothers and sisters in Christ, and not their accuser. Keep us from being 'wise in our own conceit', or making arbitrary assumptions about the motives of others and above all, teach us to love others as Christ loves us, for in so doing we will honor Your name, as Christ lives in and through us. In His precious name we Pray, AMEN. This was the ministry for which God the Father sent His Son into the world. A Ministry Of Reconciliation And Hope for a world lost in sin; providing salvation for all that would trust in His finished work on Calvary. This was the anointed One Who announced, "The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted." This indeed was His mission and ministry when He came to the lost sheep of the house of Israel 2000 years ago, and this continues to be His mission and ministry throughout this present age of grace, the dispensation of the Church of God. Whosoever will, may be healed and made whole, His grace is sufficient and His forgiveness is for all. There are those that choose to reject His offer of salvation and His gift of forgiveness of their sins. There are those that, in their selfish ways and pride, refuse His comfort and peace, His atoning work on Calvary's Cross where "He was wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities, and the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; by His stripes we are healed." But, still to this day, God in His grace is convicting the world of sin, of righteousness, and judgement so that all that look, will live: A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he has brought justice through to victory. Our United Prayer:
Loving Father, praise Your name. We thank You that in Your grace You lifted us up out of the miry clay, when we were that broken reed and smoking flax, and set our feet on the Rock of our salvation. Thank You for Your tenderness, loving-kindness, and care. May we always come to You in times of trial and distress. Keep us under the shadow of Your wing. In Jesus' name we Pray, AMEN. Although Christians are not under the 'Mosaic Law' per se, we are certainly under 'the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus' which is "The law according to the Scripture," and there are many instructions that believers in the Church age are given on many of the issues that are addressed in the Law of Moses e.g. vengeance and justice belongs to the Lord. The importance of loving our neighbor as ourselves is a principle that both the born-again believer and the unsaved people recognize as coming from the lips of Jesus, and is opposite to the reaction of the natural human in this fallen world. However, as members of Christ's Body, we have been given an even more astonishing (and impossible) commandment, that we Love One Another AS CHRIST LOVED US. May we seek to fulfil this worthy directive in the sustaining and almighty power of the Holy Spirit of God, without Him we can do nothing, but in His sufficient strength we can demonstrate godly love to others in the same way that Christ loved US. “’Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD. Our United Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank You for the Old Testament teachings and the many things that we can learn from Your Word. Teach us to take every thought captive to Christ, when we feel that our rights are being violated or when we would like to take matters into our own hands. Thank You that through the power of the Holy Spirit, we are supplied with the sufficient grace to love others with Christ’s own perfect love, a love which passes our understanding. May we grow in grace and increase in holy love toward others, for Your greater glory. This we ask in Jesus' name, AMEN. |
Prayer
We are a growing group of people praying daily for and with others. We were led to start an online ministry to deliver what is needed more now than ever, a place where you can go to easily to submit a prayer request or requests involving others to pray for your needs. The Power of Prayer. Matthew 18:20- For where two or more come together in my name, there I am among them. You are never alone in prayer. The Power Of Numbers Praying.
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