Open Heavens Daily Devotional August 23, 2017
Topic: The Church of God …2
Key Verse: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ: Ephesians 4:13
Read: 1st Corinthians 1:1-11 (KJV)
1:1 Paul called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother,
1:2 Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both their’s and our’s:
1:3 Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
1:4 I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ;
1:5 That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge;
1:6 Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you:
1:7 So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ:
1:8 Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1:9 God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
1:10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
1:11 For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.
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Bible in one year: 1st Chronicles 4-5, Ezekiel 29:10-30:4
MESSAGE: The Church of God is the embodiment of Christ here on earth and for all eternity (Ephesians 1:23). God will continue to inhabit His people, and His people will continue to live in Him and worship His majesty forever (John 14:16).
The Church of God on earth is the representation of His personality among men. She is the Body of Christ, filled and controlled by the Holy Spirit, and so, she renders all honour and adoration to God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Although the Church is operating in the world, there is no room for the world in the Church (John 17:16)
“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!”
Psalm 133:1
The Church of God called to live in blameless unity. Unity is a characteristic that distinguishes God’s people. We derived this characteristic from the nature of God in us; therefore, God expects His Church to manifest unity, through commitment to one another. In essence, the Church of God is one, because it is founded on one gospel, united in one Lord and walking in one Spirit (Ephesians 4:4-6).
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However, the unity of the Church is constantly under attack because the enemy knows she is unstoppable when she walks in unity. Because it is inherent in our fallen human nature for people to be divisive, unity needs to be continually maintained and actively expressed in fellowship. The fellowship that Christians share as a result of our common union with God through Jesus Christ is expressed as we share the triumphs and challenges of life together. The Bible strongly emphasizes the importance of Christian unity. Act 4:32 says,
“And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.”
God exhorts the Church to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (Ephesians 4:3-16). We as Christians are to preserve the oneness that the Spirit imparts to all are baptised into the Body of Christ, which is identical to the oneness of the Holy Trinity. The unity of the Church should be evident in our love for one another, in worshipping together and in a practical commitment to one another, which is demonstrated through deep concern for the weak and a readiness to provide for the poor and needy.
Prayer point: Father, please baptise your Church with true love and bind the Body of Christ together with a strong cord of unity in Jesus’ Name.
Open Heavens Daily Devotional was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God.