-------
"Jesus Brings Peace" by Edith Miller
Ephesians 2:11 Therefore, remember your former state: you Gentiles by birth — called the Uncircumcised by those who, merely because of an operation on their flesh, are called the Circumcised — 12 at that time had no Messiah. You were estranged from the national life of Isra’el. You were foreigners to the covenants embodying God’s promise. You were in this world without hope and without God.
13 But now, you who were once far off have been brought near through the shedding of the Messiah’s blood. 14 For he himself is our shalom — he has made us both one and has broken down the m’chitzah which divided us 15 by destroying in his own body the enmity occasioned by the Torah, with its commands set forth in the form of ordinances. He did this in order to create in union with himself from the two groups a single new humanity and thus make shalom, 16 and in order to reconcile to God both in a single body by being executed on a stake as a criminal and thus in himself killing that enmity.
17 Also, when he came, he announced as Good News shalom to you far off and shalom to those nearby,[Ephesians 2:17 Isaiah 57:19] 18 news that through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.
19 So then, you are no longer foreigners and strangers. On the contrary, you are fellow-citizens with God’s people and members of God’s family. 20 You have been built on the foundation of the emissaries and the prophets, with the cornerstone being Yeshua the Messiah himself. 21 In union with him the whole building is held together, and it is growing into a holy temple in union with the Lord. 22 Yes, in union with him, you yourselves are being built together into a spiritual dwelling-place for God!
-------
A church congregation fell on difficult times and found itself struggling. Membership and finances declined significantly. Needed repairs went undone. A troubled economy hindered sale of the property. The pastor resigned; a new one arrived. Still, the faithful few continued meeting in the spacious sanctuary, praying for divine intervention. Praying until one day, unexpectedly, a man stopped at the church office and asked if they had any interest in selling their building.
The pastor and remnant then joined a flourishing sister church and together the two churches formed a partnership to spread the gospel. Issues arose that first year–difficult issues, personal preferences, ways of doing things, leadership styles–as the two separate groups found their way to becoming a unified, thriving whole.
So it is whenever there are two or more people, organizations, faith communities, ethnic groups, and so on. There are often difficulties in reaching unity and peace in life’s journey. However, One stands ready to be our peace. He who provided a way for the Jews and Gentiles to be one stands ready to usher in peace today.-------
Hymn for Today: "In Christ There is No East or West" by John Oxenham
1. In Christ there is no east or west,
in him no south or north,
but one great fellowship of love
throughout the whole wide earth.
2. In Christ shall true hearts everywhere
their high communion find;
his service is the golden cord
close-binding humankind.
3. Join hands, disciples of the faith,
whate'er your race may be.
All children of the living God
are surely kin to me.
4. In Christ now meet both east and west;
in him meet south and north.
All Christly souls are one in him
throughout the whole wide earth
-------
Thought for Today: Psalm 133:(0) A song of ascents. By David:(1) Oh, how good, how pleasant it is
for brothers to live together in harmony.
-------
Please Pray: That many people in Switzerland will come to know Yeshua the Messiah and receive the fullness of the Ruach HaKodesh.
-------
No comments:
Post a Comment