"UNITY."

(IN THE HOME, IN THE CHURCH, AND IN THE NATION).

Scripture References: Romans 12:9-21; Philippians 2:1-4; Psalm 133 & John 17:20-23

AMPLIFIED VERSION OF THE BIBLE.

One of the greatest things the Spirit of God has always been reaching for in the Church

is Unity. Unity is the glue that holds nations, families, churches and organizations

together. The truth is unity is far more essential and vital to churches, families and

nations. There are no doubts that unity is one of the strongest forces that needs to be

upheld within the church. Where there's no unity, there can be no progress. Unity

basically allows people to come together under a common purpose and a common

dream to fulfill the goal or objective of the church. Churches, nations, businesses and

families will fail if they cannot produce and foster some sort of unity.

Christian unity is the key to evangelism and cultural renewal. It's easy to get good

players. But getting them to play together is the hard part.

Two battleships met in the night and began to attack each other. In the conflict, a

number of crewmen were severely wounded, and both vessels were damaged. As

daylight broke, the sailors on the ships discovered to their utter amazement that both

vessels flew the English flag.

Christians sometimes "attack their own ships," and the victory that could have been won

by battling the real enemy is lost. Harsh words and belligerent attitudes weaken the

effectiveness of Christ's body, the Church. How much better to "keep the unity of the

spirit in the bond of peace!"

Isaiah 52:7-8 declares: "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that

bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that

publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth! Thy watchmen shall lift up

the voice, "with the voice together shall they sing" for, "they shall see eye to eye," when

the Lord shall bring again Zion."

The Window of Spiritual Power is UNITY.

Lack of it, which reflects immaturity, flesh driven ideas and desires, and spiritual failures.

The truth is disunity stops God dead in His tracks according to Numbers chapters 12,13

& 14. Disunity halts God's advancement among any group of people pursuing a

common purpose (believers in particular).

(1) The Church cannot consider herself mature without Unity.

(2) The Church cannot accomplish her best without Unity.

(3) The Church cannot project Jesus Christ, the Head of the Church effectively and

truthfully without Unity.

Please note that you and I constitute the Church and not the building in which we gather

from time to time. Mature people are not self-gratifying, BUT rather responsible and

accountable, quick to understand, and have the capacity to solve problems instead of

creating and festering problems. Mature people are peace-loving, pliable and not

obstinate, not sectarian or divisive.

Mature people fearlessly and without intimidation, share their concepts and ideas to

help advance the course of their communities, countries and other people. All truly

mature people are selfless, sacrificial, responsible, reliable, trustworthy, and

accountable. They're not flip floppers. They're not lack-luster, spineless and backboneless

people. They rather have a sense of purpose and wear transparently, a loving

and a caring heart. They desire what's best and honorable for all; friends and foes alike.

They have distinguishable "mettle." The scripture declares in Ecclesiastes 10:16,17.

"Woe to you O land, when your king is the son of nobles, and your princes feast at the

proper time for strength and not for drunkenness."

Nobility is therefore associated with maturity. Mature people have become adults and

when you're an adult, you solve problems to pave the way for progress and

advancement; you don't become an obstacle neither a liability; you don't create

problems for yourself and others. You contribute positively and intelligently to progress

and to nation and society building. God doesn't use babies and the immature; nations

are not built by babies and the immature. Rather, by the mature, the wise and the

stable. The Church cannot fulfill her earthly assignment until the people of the Church,

you and I, become fully grown in our ways, mannerisms and behaviors. The Church has

to spurn divisiveness, pettiness, rivalry, triviality, and self-exaltation and the coterie

mentality. These are the blatant and undeniable characteristics of the immature.

Maturity has got nothing to do so much so with age in life or in the Kingdom and the

graces one bears. Rather it's about one's nature, attitude, emotions and spirit. How

much one is able to forgive, share his/her life and values with other people. Above all,

how much one loves God and His Word and lives the Word and sincerely exhibits that

love. How one exhibits and projects the Christ Personality in all his/her ways and

deliberations.

The immature person, male or female has the repeated tendency of allowing frustration,

resentment, jealousy, selfishness, un-forgiveness, spite and bitterness to cloud and

downplay his/her own abilities, talents, skills and what he/she has, and for that matter

causes him/her to envy others and to plot to sabotage, undermine, defame, and destroy

them and their enterprises. The immature always dwells on the past and delights in

fabrication and exaggeration. Making restitution is a wonderful privilege rather. In a

sense, it allows us to change the past. While we can never turn back the clock, we often

have the opportunity of correcting past mistakes, making up for them, and turning them

into good. If we have stolen, we can repay. If we have defrauded, we can restore. If we

have taken, we can return. If we have injured, we can affirm. If we have broken, we can

mend. No man, in spite of his skills, talents, education, abilities, and resources can build

the future by firmly dwelling on the past. The human society and for that matter, nations

are framed in three (3) significant ways. The past, the present and the future. Your

present is the result of your yesterday and your today will determine your tomorrow. You

can't reconstruct a marriage, a relationship, a family, a business, a community or a

nation by strongly and consistently walking in the tracks of the past. You cannot allow

yourself to be apprehended by the past and expect to advance into the future freely and

easily. The best any person can do for himself is to factually, intelligently and sincerely

learn from the past and not to make a calculated or conscious determination to change

the past or build on it. The immature person's whole life is enmeshed in negativity,

vengeance, and a constant well orchestrated rehearsal of the mistakes and shortfalls of

the past and that of his fellows. It is not even advisable to dwell on your past glories

otherwise you will find yourself struggling to reach unto the superlative. That will be the

glowing miniature of a person who is un-teachable, incorrigible, lacks ideas, innovation,

inspiration, progressive fervor, true leadership skill and spirit, and a noble sense of

purpose. To rebuild our individual lives, our homes, our churches and our nation, let us

look for ways to make restitution or amends for any wrongs we have individually and

collectively done....and consider it a liberating privilege. It is an evidence of Christ's lifechanging

power. Restitution is evidence to others that one has made a transaction with

God. Let us be committed to making restitution when needed, in God's timing. Another

thing we have to seriously transition into and advance as a nation is what I personally

call "moral relativism." Our society has rejected transcendent truth and moral absolutes,

choosing instead to craft their laws and govern their lives by personal opinion and

societal consensus. But God's Word is truth between two covers. It is absolute, inerrant,

infallible, unshakable, timeless truth; and it enables us to live our lives with certainty,

having all the the God-given facts, promises, and explanations we need from Him who

created us. "Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people."

Proverbs 14:34 NKJV. "Blessed is the nation whose God is The Lord, And the people

whom He has chosen as His own inheritance." Psalm 33:12 NKJV.

Some people place their trust in education. Education is undeniably one of the vehicles

of nation building and advancement. However, education without God only produces

intellectual barbarians. Because education is borrowed knowledge but wisdom is the gift

of God. Hitler's Nazis were well educated, and yet they threw Jewish children alive into

the blazing ovens of Auschwitz. They had obtained scholarly degrees, but they were

educated heathens with hearts of stone. They were robbed of the reality that wisdom,

knowledge, and understanding are for the service of the good of man and society

everywhere. God ordained that we use the vast resources of the earth to His service

first and second, to the service of Man. To use wisdom, knowledge, understanding; or

position, privilege or education, to exploit, extort, rob, control, enslave, destroy, hamper,

torture and impoverish the lives of other people, does not only make one barbaric but

equally illiterate, insane and uneducated overall.

The progress, and fulfillment of the destinies of these three (3) classes of institutions,

the Home, the Church and the Nation, can only be entrusted with the truly mature in

mind, spirit, behavior and attitude who can initiate and advance Unity.

SOME OF THE BENEFITS OF UNITY

Psalm 133.

1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is

For brethren to dwell together in unity!

2 It is like the precious oil upon the head,

Running down on the beard,

The beard of Aaron,

Running down on the edge of his garments.

3 It is like the dew of Hermon,

Descending upon the mountains of Zion;

For there the LORD commanded the blessing---

Life forevermore (Psalm 133:1-3, NKJV).

This psalm teaches 4 truths regarding Unity.

1. UNITY IS PLEASING.

The psalmist wrote, "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell

together in unity!" The Hebrew word translated "unity" in this verse can also be rendered

as "close association in relationships." Close relationships grow between individuals

who share fundamental and unshakable beliefs and principles.

Unity is not uniformity. Everyone cannot agree on everything. However, "brethren"

should be able to agree on the most important aspects of faith. Furthermore, when there

are disagreements, we can interact in a loving manner. In other words, with the love of

Christ in our hearts, we can disagree agreeably.

Living in unity with others is pleasant. Have you ever tried to have a meal with someone

you do not like, and the feeling is yet mutual? Usually, there is a tense silence. Possibly,

you act much more interested in your food than normal. If anyone speaks, the

conversation in these situations is shallow, evasive, and condescending.

However, when you go out to eat with true friends, the time spent is enjoyable. There is

laughter, interesting interaction, and a feeling of relaxation. You can be yourself,

knowing that your fellow patrons are not going to verbally, or physically attack you. Your

time is pleasant.

2. UNITY IS APPEALING

The psalmist illustrates the appeal of unity by referencing the anointing of Aaron, which

is recorded in Exodus 30:22-30.

The fragrant ointment used to anoint Aaron emitted a pleasing aroma which was

enjoyable to the one being anointed and to everyone in the area. The oil was fragrant.

The oil was lavished upon Him.

Have you ever heard someone say, "Your Attitude Stinks"? Well, they are saying your

behavior is not appealing. It's not attractive. It's repulsive and nauseating.

A Christ-like attitude is appealing, just like a fragrant cologne or perfume.

3. UNITY IS REFRESHING

David continued in illustrating the value of unity by writing, It is like the dew of Hermon,

Descending upon the mountains of Zion;

The dew upon Mount Hermon refreshed the land below. Unity therefore renews our

strength. Disunity saps our strength and makes us completely weak to function

successfully.

4. UNITY IS FULFILLING

The psalm closes with the words, For there the LORD commanded the blessing----Life

forevermore.

God desires us to be blessed in this life. Eternal life starts the moment you are "born

again." Jesus said "I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more

abundantly (John 10:10, NKJV)."

By contributing to the unity among believers, we experience the abundant life God plans

for us.

So, what can you do today that will contribute to unity at home, at work, in the

community and at Church? Evaluate your actions in the last few days or weeks. Have

you sown unity or discord?

Friends, countrymen and fellow Kingdom family members, I implore you to live humbly.

Be sincerely and constructively united with one another. Help build if you can, but never

calculate to sabotage or tear down what others have labored hard to build; otherwise

you'll end up not having your portion in life. INITIATE AND BUILD UP UNITY AT ALL

COSTS, AND WHEREVER YOU ARE. YES! YOU CAN DO IT WITH GOD'S HELP.

GO FOR IT!

Bishop Peter Morgan.

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