Division

Good Morning to all. I pray that this day finds you blessed. I was watching some tv and working in the kitchen. To say the least, I wasn't watching tv but rather listening. I don't think I was giving the tv very much of my attention but as I was studying this morning the whole segment on tv came to my mind. It was talking about division. Why are we so divided? Well it could start out that we divide ourselves based on where we live. We divide ourselves based on our skin color. We divide ourselves based on our genders. We divide ourselves based on what we believe. We divide ourselves on our moral standards. We divide ourselves on political parties. So we can divide ourselves very easily. But we also let those who think they are in charge to divide us. We let what we watch on tv to divide. And then the most corrupt, is we let them divide us on religion and what we think the Bible is saying. Did you know that division is a sin? We, human beings, live by sectarianism. What is that? Sectarianism is an excessive attachment to a particular sect or party. This is even in the church. This is in politics. This is everywhere. So let's go to 1 Corinthians 1:10-17. Paul reprimands those that say I follow this, I follow that when in fact we should be following Jesus Christ and being united. 10- Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you ALL speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be PERFECTLY JOINED TOGETHER in the same mind and in the same judgment. 11- For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe's household, that there are contentions among you. 12- Now I say this, that 'each of you says, "I am of Paul," or "I am of Apollos," or "I am of Cephas," or "I am of Christ." 13- Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were baptized in the name of Paul? 14- I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15- lest anyone should say that I had baptized in my own name. 16- Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas. Besides, I do not know whether I baptized any other. 17- For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect. Now lets just go back to verse 12 and lets for just a moment insert something different. Lets make the Scripture personal. "Now I say this, that each of you says, " I Baptist." "I am Methodist." "I am Catholic." "I am Pentecostal." (And the list can go on because we have so many "religions.") Our basic beliefs are the same but we have different interpretations of God's Word. If we want God to heal us and bring us closer to Him, should we not lay these names aside. Not one of these religions was crucified for you. Not one of your pastors, deacons, teachers were crucified for you. If we want the world to see Jesus, shouldn't the church unite and show the world Jesus. This as you know is something that God lays heavy on my heart. He doesn't want us to disagree on His Word. It is His and He is the one that teaches us. He calls pastors, deacons, teachers but they have to live a life full of Christ so they then can teach us or God's Word gets lost and then division sets up and that is where Satan wants us-DIVIDED! So let's throw off the ties that bind us, open God's Word, let God write it on our hearts and lets move. God is waiting for us and we are sitting here like He has abandoned us. Lets rise up and show a God movement like this world has never seen. I know I am. I don't know what but I know that I can say, "Here I am, send me!" I don't even need to know what, where or how but I am willing and waiting on the Lord. Have a blessed day and lets unite not divide. Rise up children of God, Rise up!