The Same Mind

Romans 12 says, Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation.

Here’s another description of what it means to be one. It’s all about the attitude of the heart, and how much gratitude is inside.

When we are full of gratitude, we will honor and love each other and be of the “same mind” – not to vote or do like each other exactly – but to associate on the same level – that of humility and honor.

Being one with another is to not exalt oneself above them because of economic status, race, material things, or intellect.  And when we have a lot of “things” in this world that are deemed a sign of “success” it’s easy to sit up on a high rock and beat our chest while we look out at those below us – or over them and completely miss them.

The only way to see the  needs of others, to love them as one, is to stand where they stand and sit where they sit…not above them.

Through One

Continuing with the next two verses after yesterday’s verse…Romans…

So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men. For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous.

What a powerful act one can have.  Could it be that one sin we commit, one lie we tell, one omission of kindness, one foul word, one mean retaliation…could affect a whole generation after us…and after them? I believe it can.

But equally so, one right thing, one act of love, one timely word of encouragement, one turning of the other cheek, and one heart with Him can also affect those after us and so on and so on.

The power of one…it’s amazing and daunting, isn’t it?

I want to think about this, this Christmas season, when I think about giving and then don’t.  Or when I think about someone and don’t tell them how much I love them. Or when I decide to say this or that to someone I love. 

One act.

One word.

One obedience.

One disobedience.

One matters.

The One

Romans 5:17 For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.

I’ve always wondered why Adam and Eve’s sin had repercussions for all of us.  Why did one man’s sin cause the rest of mankind to be born into sin as well, in need of a Savior?  I supposed it’s because we are all one – made in his image – and what we do as one affects us all.  Interesting, right?

But then…thankfully, because of ONE man Jesus, we all can have eternal life and forgiveness, because of what that one man did for us. Aren’t you glad?  Otherwise, we’d all have to be tortured and die a sinless holy one on a cross, for each of our own sins.

Even though I’m sad and wonder sometimes why I have to suffer just because of Adam and his wife Eve, I’m overwhelmed with gladness and also wonder at the fact that I don’t have to suffer because of another  man’s willingness to die for me.

One person caused death.

One person erased the effects of death.

And now I too, can live.

Something to think about today…

One Heart

Acts 4:26 And the congregation of those who believed were of one heart and soul; and not one of them claimed that anything belonging to him was his own, but all things were common property to them.

The title above this verse where I read it was “Sharing among the believers.”  This was a result of a group of people being one.

I’ve often thought that churches wouldn’t need to ask for tithes or pass the offering plate if we were all one. We’d be keenly aware of each other’s needs and we wouldn’t hesitate to share what we have with those who don’t have.  And it would all be because we stake no “claim” on the blessings we’ve been given.

I don’t know how to make that sort of attitude happen again.  But I do know that holding all things loosely, so that when we’re asked to share them we do, is a good way to live.

Being of one heart and soul releases our grip on the things that own us, so that we then don’t own them, and they flow freely among our family of believers.

I haven’t seen this in action continually, but I’ve seen it happen occasionally.

With Christmas around the corner, I love how that season and holiday alone spark this kind of generous giving in people all over the world, and how fun it is to give and to share…and to also receive.

One Accord

Acts 4:24

And when they heard this, they lifted their voices to God with one accord and said, “O Lord, it is You who made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and all that is in them,

Here’s an example of oneness (which we’ve been studying for days now in these devos).

Their voices were one – in that they acknowledged the Creator.

It’s no small thing to dabble in unbelief about the originator of life.  In fact, it’s paramount that we do believe that in the beginning was God.  It’s imperative that we believe that he created the earth and heavens around us, and created man in his image.

That’s the basic foundation of oneness in Him, because when we realize and acknowledge that God is the creator, we rest in his goodness, his power, his glory, his ability to set boundaries, his amazing creativity, and all that makes him God.

That’s the only way to lift up one voice.

Acknowledge him for who he is.

Bread and Meals

Act 2:46 Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart,

Here we see more description of what it means to have one mind with each other.

Again, no mention of hearing the same answers when it comes to looking for a new house, buying a new car, going on a vacation here or there.  They weren’t discussing those matters, matters that consume our thoughts and conversations today.

They were of one mind by relationship with each other, eating dinner together, and doing it gladly and sincerely.

Say what?

How can we be of one mind with our neighbors we call brothers and sisters if we only see them on Sunday and never build relationship with them during the week?

We can’t.

And we can’t do it when we’re grumbling, pointing the finger, or competing with them, either.

Gladness and sincerity come when we are one, loving them as we love ourselves, realizing the value – the gold – in each other.

Devoted

Acts 1:14

These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.

This was a description of the early church.

It doesn’t say they all voted with one voice, lived and wore the same one style of clothing, or even ate one kind of food. 

The description here says they were continually praying.

Wow, is that what oneness looks like?

When we are down, discouraged, don’t understand, when we’re depressed, despondent, disgusted and downright appalled at life and others…we pray.

I’m convinced that this is one practice missing in the church today.  Many only pray for provision, blessings, and help when in need. We don’t pray much for others, unless all of our own needs are met first.  And we often pray in faith until that which we prayed for doesn’t occur, then our faith wanes, and we don’t pray for a while.

Prayer is a part of being one, because prayer is the key to hearing our Father’s voice, so that we can hear him and obey – just like his son Jesus did.

Keep Them

John 17

 I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one.  They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.  Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth.

“I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word;  that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.

Sanctify means to set apart.  We are to be set apart from worldly reactions and actions, not because we’re haughty or better, but because we love and prefer. 

Jesus is still praying for us, because he knew we would live in world full of evil, and that it would be hard to do right, to treat others with respect and love, and to not succumb to the pull of self-righteousness and self-exaltation.

We have to be one with the Father in order for others to believe in His love.

If we argue, shun, despise and criticize one another – even for voting for “that” person – we are not set apart.  We are saying that we know best, our neighbors know nothing, and we can’t be friends if they don’t come into our camp.

Those who don’t believe will never believe when we act childish in our relationships, hitting and pushing when we don’t understand or get our way.

As We Are

John 17:11 I am no longer in the world; and yet they themselves are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep them in Your name, the name which You have given Me, that they may be one even as We are.

Here in this verse, Jesus is praying to his Father for us.

He asked that the Father keep us in His name – the name given to Jesus – that we may be one like Jesus and his Father are one.

This idea of oneness seemed really important to Jesus, enough that he reiterates the point over and over again in this book of John.  He knew it would be a difficult task and that’s why He’s asking the Father on our behalf, to enable us to do it.

Oneness in a marriage doesn’t happen on the wedding day, even though that’s when the vows take place.

Oneness happens over the years of marriage, where we learn each other’s preferences, personalities and character, and we bend and forgive and mess up, and ask forgiveness, repent and change our ways…over time.

We have to walk out this oneness by listening, hearing, and obeying all that the Father tells us to do.

And the first thing he tells us is to love Him and love others.

When we get that down…oneness will emerge.

A New Thing

John 13:34

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.

Have you ever wondered why Jesus called this a “new” commandment? It was new because Jesus had now come in the flesh to demonstrate what oneness, true love for your neighbor, looked like. 

It looked like eating at the table with sinners.

It looked like healing a person, even on the Sabbath.

It looked like compassion for the hungry, and a miracle of provision.

It looked like healing a blind man.

Being one with the Father meant Jesus obeyed what the Father told him to do.  And those things were exhibiting his character towards us, that of selfless love.  That’s what oneness is.

Jesus loved us by laying down his life for us.

That’s the new thing…to love others even if they reject us, ridicule us, and betray us to death. 

And the only way to do this is to be one with the Father.

Are One

John 10:29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.  I and the Father are one.”

What a verse to grant us security, hope, and peace!

Nothing and no one can snatch us out of the Father’s hand, because we belong to Him.  That’s an amazing promise from our Good Shepherd.

Right after that statement Jesus says he and his Father are one.

In other words, they both love us, are in agreement that Jesus was to come and die for our sins and save us, and because of that agreement, that love that is constant and sure and unending, that purpose that comes out of relationship between Father and son – they are one.

They are not divided with one loving us and the other wondering if we are deserving of His love.

They are not divided at all; therefore, they are committed to holding us near and dear for eternity.

That’s oneness in its purest form.

And it’s quite hard to even grasp, what true Oneness can produce…

His Voice

John 10:16

… they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd.

Here we could stop and ask the question again, regarding the recent election, why then do we pray and ask God who is to be our president and then we vote differently than our fellow believer, who prayed to the same God?  Of course, we are not clones of one another, but why do we hear different answers?

This verse seems to indicate that those who know HIM will hear his voice and become one flock WITH one shepherd – Jesus – the Good Shepherd.

Some may say we all don’t hear correctly, because of sin or prejudice or blockages in our hearing due to our own life experiences.

But I don’t think that’s it.

We can all vote differently, and yet still hear his voice and be one with Him.  Part of hearing His voice is hearing him say to love our neighbor as ourselves, and what better circumstance to show that love than during an election?

I might say that those who have criticized, unfriended, and shot down their brother or sister for voting the way they did apparently didn’t hear His voice at all….

That’s my opinion, of course.

One Flesh

Matthew 19:5

and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’

Remember what we said about a heart of flesh a couple of days ago, instead of a heart of stone?

When a couple marries, they become one flesh physically, but also in the same sense as a heart of flesh.  They learn to bend, respond, and respect one another with hearts of flesh that are no longer hardened and cold and alone.

If this doesn’t happen, there are problems in the marriage.

What a symbol marriage is of the relationship we are to have with Christ!

We become one with him, our stony hearts are replaced with hearts of flesh, and we bend and move and respond to Him as being one with him.

Pray for your marriage and for others and their marriages, that they will have hearts of flesh toward each other…and toward Him.

The Only One

Zechariah 14:9 

And the Lord will be king over all the earth; in that day the Lord will be the only one, and His name the only one.

One aspect of being one with each other is acknowledging that there is only one – the Lord Jesus – who is king over all the earth.

That’s what many of us had to do during the recent election.  We came together to acknowledge this truth, to stand on it, to find peace and hope in it.  Regardless of who takes the presidency in our nation, when we all agree that there is one Lord – Jesus -  and that in His name we are saved and in none other – then we are starting to live as one people with one voice.

There can only be one leader.  All others can serve and follow, but there has to be a final decision maker. 

I’m thankful for the only One – the HOLY ONE – Jesus.

Are you?

One Heart

Ezekiel 11:19  And I will give them one heart, and put a new spirit within them. And I will take the heart of stone out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in My statutes and keep My ordinances and do them. Then they will be My people, and I shall be their God.

Here we are told what kind of heart will be given to us in order to make us one, when we follow God.

He takes the heart of stone and gives us a heart of flesh.

Stones are hard, cold, and dead.  They are not easily moved, and when broken not easily restored.  And that’s the kind of hearts many of us have.

Instead, he offers us a heart of flesh. These hearts are pliable, tender, able to be moved and respond.  These are the hearts God gives us all when we follow his commands and directives.

When we don’t know him, we may be moved with compassion, but also hardened because of the pain we see, the lack of response from others, etc.  However, when we know him, we are moved with compassion to act, to love, and to extend mercy without judgment.

One heart.

That’s what he gives us.

A heart of flesh.

In Unison

II Chronicles 5:13 in unison when the trumpeters and the singers were to make themselves heard with one voice to praise and to glorify the Lord, and when they lifted up their voice accompanied by trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and when they praised the Lord saying, “He indeed is good for His lovingkindness is everlasting,” then the house, the house of the Lord, was filled with a cloud,

Skipping forward in the New Testament to this book, we read that the worshipers did so with ONE voice.

It appears to mean that they all declared the same praises to God about who he is and was.  It even says they sang in unison – no harmony – all on the same note.

After they did this, the house was filled with a cloud – symbolizing His presence.

I sing on a worship team, and when we want emphasis and the lyrics to really be heard, we too sing in unison.  Unison, apart from constant harmony, can be bold and daring and audible and evoke a response.

There’s something to be said about joining with others in one voice to hear yourself say it, to hear others say it, and to hear the whole group say it –

He is indeed good!

His lovingkindness is everlasting!

One People

Genesis 11:6

 The Lord said, Behold, they are one people, and they all have the same language. And this is what they began to do, and now nothing which they purpose to do will be impossible for them.

Interesting, right?  The people were one, yet that was a direct disobedience to the order God had given them to scatter.  They decided to stay together and in that disobedience, they began to build a tower, make themselves a name, and stay in the safety of the comfort of being together.  

Again, it was not God’s plan for them to be one in this way.    After the flood, God told the people to disperse and replenish the earth, and that wasn’t going to happen with this “oneness” the people were seeking.

We learn from this story that oneness, in and of itself, with whoever and whenever, is not always God’s will.  Oneness can be detrimental to the purposes of God in our lives if that oneness occurs between others and causes us to turn from reaching out and going forth, as he tells us to do.

There was a stiff punishment for this kind of oneness – the people’s languages were confused.  But then…they scattered according to their languages.

This encourages me that no matter who you voted for, and who I voted for, God is in control of our country and the oneness we all seek to have when putting plans on earth into place. 

Even our best efforts will be thwarted if we are seeking our own ways for our own good, and not for the good of God’s love for others.

This is something I’m going to need to digest for a while…

Becoming One

The election has everyone in a stir, and it has me asking this question…

If Christians all pray and ask God for direction in voting, then why do they not all hear “one” answer?  Do some not hear well?  Does God care who’s president?  Are some hearing and disobeying?  And by the way, I’m asking, just what does it mean for Christians to be “one” as Jesus and his Father are one? 

He told us to be one, like they are, but what does that mean?  Does it mean if we are, we’ll all vote, believe, and act the same way?

Come with me as I look at the word “one” in the Bible….

The first mention of oneness between two people is Genesis 2:24

For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.

I suppose this is talking about sexual intimacy?  It’s certainly not referring to them meshing their bodies together into one body.  They are still two separate people, but they come together for intimacy in a oneness that is reserved for the two of them…only.

It requires leaving mother/father and clinging to each other above all others.

That’s a start.  Oneness, in the beginning, wasn’t becoming a clone of another, but rather it was about relationship.

That must be the first key.

Coming Down

James 1:17

LOVE THIS VERSE!

Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.

I like to imagine standing outside in the dark of night, no moon or stars in sight, and all of a sudden little white flecks of snow start falling all around me.  They are intricately made, light and feathery, and some fall into my mouth because it’s open wide to taste.  Eventually, there are so many of the white flakes they start to illuminate the night, and I realize I’m covered with a warm coat and gloves, and a hat to keep my head warm, and I’m called to come and play, to build, to call out my neighbors, to romp and play and enjoy the goodness of this gift in the night.

You may have a different imagination of the good gifts coming from above.

But every good thing and perfect thing is from Him – the “Father of lights.”

I love that phrase.  He never leaves us in darkness or leaves us alone, he’s always a good father, lighting our path and holding our hand.

Look up.

Wait for his goodness to fall.

Give thanks.

Enjoy Him.

Established

I Thessalonians 3:13 so that He may establish your hearts without blame in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints.

Don’t get tripped up by the word “saints.”  That’s just a word to describe those who believe in Jesus, those who will live after death because of Jesus.

The key word in this verse is “establish.”

That’s what God is doing when he is at work in our lives, over the years of following him.

Something that is established, like a tall tree by a river, has deep roots, is not easily blown over in the wind, and isn’t going anywhere in a storm.  But it doesn’t become established overnight.  It takes time, drinking water, soaking in sunshine, weathering adversity, etc.

We don’t have to worry or fret about all of those storms, because it’s HIS work to establish us.  In other words, he is the one who will keep us spotless and without blame so that we are around forever.

Once we give our lives to Him, we’re in his hands to shape us, and those are good hands in which to be. 

In fact, there’s no safer place and no better future, than to allow God to establish us in his hands, to be used for His glory.

Whatever...

Colossians 3:17

Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.

This is a power-packed, sobering, verse isn’t it? 

Everything we do – in our language and in our actions – we need to do in his name – giving thanks.

This means that what we say, which comes out of our heart, needs to be filtered through thanksgiving to Jesus.

This means that what we do, those actions that speak louder than words, must be done in his name, for his glory.

When we speak and do in this manner, others are blessed, and we don’t have to apologize later for wrongdoing and hurt feelings.

My own issue is that I often don’t stop and think, and pause, before I speak and do.  That requires listening and obeying, two things that we want to ignore when we’re reacting out of impulse or retaliation.

Dear Lord, help me to pause and consider my words and deeds this Thanksgiving season, so that I learn to give thanks, and bless instead of curse.

All Things

Ephesian 5:20 always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father;

I don’t know about you, but I’m not always giving thanks.  Even in the month of November, when we approach Thanksgiving, our hearts are often far away from feeling thankful.

It’s hard to be thankful if money is tight.

It’s hard to give thanks if kids are sick or far away.

It feels impossible to be grateful if a loss has occurred.

And yet we are told to be thankful for all things – but wait!  It says to give thanks in the name of Jesus to God, the Father…

This means that all things in our lives, good or bad, because we belong to Him – will work out for good – and we know that he is a good, good Father – so we can be sure of his care.

For that…we can give thanks.  For that…we can be hopeful.  For that…we can rest.

Even in the middle of pain.

Two Little Words

Galatians 1:3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ,

This is a common greeting in many of the books in the New Testament.  Instead of saying, “Hello, how are you?” which is what most of us say today, the people were greeted with grace and peace.

It might be a good practice to consider these two words when we meet people – either strangers or friends – grace and peace.

Offering grace to others excludes judgment, and therefore they feel welcome to freely be themselves in front of us – the ones that God made them to be.

Offering peace to others reminds me of the old westerns where the Indians met the settlers and if peace was spoken, then fighting wasn’t necessary.

Words are powerful.  Grace and peace are heart attitudes that need to be extended to our kids, our spouses, our neighbors and those we have yet to meet.

All because of Jesus, we can go and greet in grace and peace.

Existing

I Corinthians 8:6 yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him.

What a statement!

There is only one God

We exist for Him

One Lord, Jesus

We exist through Him

God was, is, and always will be, and he is a Holy God that desired to restore us – his children – into fellowship with him.

Jesus lived, died, and rose again and gave us that pathway to the Father so that we can have fellowship with Him.

This is the belief foundation in the bible, and from it flows all that we are and all that we do.

There is no other God by which we can be saved except through his son Jesus.

Do you ever wonder why you exist, why you breathe and live? 

It’s for Him – your Father – to experience life as his child.