My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
I'm reading a book and keep going back to these passages quoted below. There are many denominations within the Christian faith. If we are to build up the Kingdom, we must understand that through our differences we have THE most important thing in common, Jesus Christ. Rather than tearing each other down with Bible verses and differences in dogma, why don't we cooperate in unity of the Holy Spirit to bring others to what the restless heart longs for, God? IMO many don't 'go to church' or become believers because they see that we, in the family of God, can't get along. "You have to come to MY church, if you go to THAT Church, you will go to hell."...how loving and hypocritical is that? Or we just enclose ourselves within our own church walls with the like-minded believers and don't look out the windows because that's easiest. Christianity IS hard and Jesus gives us that warning. "..you will be hated by all because of My name." Luke 21:17
It's very difficult to be Christian in our times, Christians are very counter-cultural and should be "Do not love the world nor the things in the world" 1 John 2:15. The world will not give you what you need. A true Christian understands that this world is just passing, yet there is a peace, love, joy, forgiveness that the heart longs for that can be obtained in the here and now. My plea and prayer is that in our little corner of the world, we do our worship on Sunday mornings separate, but the rest of the time recognize that we are all in this together. Let's treat each other in the Christian faith with respect. A wise person once told me "Everyone believes in God but they just don't know it." Many hands make light work in helping people discover this and building up Jesus' Kingdom.
"Let's get together, love one another, tolerate and support one another and see ourselves as all parts of the great whole, the great work of God, the Church of Jesus Christ. Let's not ignore our differences or be false with any truth, we don't need "Sloopy agape" but we need true love, believing in the one Lord, the one faith, the one baptism, the one God and Father of us all. Ultimately, all true evangelism is ecumenical and all true ecumenism leads to Christian unity."
"Only when Christians are one, will the world stand in awe and finding no other explanation of this unity, proclaim that Jesus is sent from God to reconcile man to God and establish a kingdom of PEACE AND LOVE AMONG MANKIND." -"A Portion of My Spirit" Rev. Michael Scanlan, TOR
If you made it this far reading, thank you and may God's blessings be abundantly poured upon you!
Come Holy Spirit!
In Christ,
Jenny Goeppner
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