Unity is a supernatural thing

Acts 2:1 NASB  When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place.

We are not all just unified because we are in the same room together or just because we belong to the same church.  Unity is the product of the Spirit of God. The power of belonging is unity. This is more than passive acceptance of leadership or other members of the church. We are together in one accord only when we each fully understand and back the mission of the church with active participation. If the vision of your church is really in your heart then you do something about it. This kind of unity requires action! It is not just the stuff of heart and mind, but of sweat and labor.

You can also hear this kind of commitment in the words people speak. When there is a weak commitment to the local house people talk about “the pastor” or “the church.” When there is a strong commitment to the vision of the church you will people talk about “my church” and “my pastor.” Our commitment to the house of God will be demonstrated by the time we spend there, the service we give, and the money that we contribute. The motivation that we have for these things should be our love for God and for others.
When the vision of the house is clearly understood and accepted there will be a reason not to be caught up in petty arguments and offense.  The Holy Spirit operates in the atmosphere of unity. Let’s make sure that we are in active support of the vision of the church we attend. If you can’t support that vision, find the one you are supposed to support and get with it!

Insult Induced Joy

Luke 6:22-23 NASB  “Blessed are you when men hate you, and ostracize you, and insult you, and scorn your name as evil, for the sake of the Son of Man.  (23)  “Be glad in that day and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven. For in the same way their fathers used to treat the prophets.

What a different outlook heaven has on things. We are not to judge after the outward appearance of things, but we are so prone to do so. We are supposed to look at the things that cannot be seen. When you are tempted to complain maybe you better stop and determine if you are looking at the wrong thing. Where you look and what you expect to find will always determine your attitude. You choose your attitude. Choose wisely!