Jesus prayed His followers would be united in heart and purpose. Unity is the oneness or harmony of believers in Jesus Christ. It is our relationship with Christ that unites us with each other. We are to be united in essential doctrine, mission and purpose, and love for one another.

Main Points:

1. Jesus prayed for the unity of His disciples. He knew if they would work together in unity, a unity that comes from the love of Christ, they would be effective in their mission. But if they allow division to come into their midst, if they began to fracture their relationships, they would be ineffective.

2. Though we are different in many ways, Jesus calls us together in unity of purpose and mission. We love one another and live in harmony with each other. In a broken and divided world, this unity will be so compelling and so contagious that the world around us will see that Jesus is the source of our unity.

3. How do we maintain this kind of unity? Each of us must search our hearts and ask sincere questions. How can I support the purpose and mission of God’s church? What small differences should I let go of? Which personal preferences should I relinquish in light of God’s greater plan for His church? How can I show more love to my brothers and sisters in Christ?

Today’s Scripture Verses:

John 17:20-21 - “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.”

“I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought.” (1 Corinthians 1:10)

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Why is it important to have a biblical or godly perspective? Our perspective should be the same as the God we serve. We want to see and interpret things the way God does. This will only happen as we make the Bible the lens through which we see the world. You’ll never see things the way God does until you see things through the lens of scripture.

Main Points:

1. It’s common to hear people, in a moment of disagreement say, “I don’t see it that way.” As Christ-followers, we need to ask the question, “How does God see it?” We then reframe our perspective to match how God sees things.

2. Our perspective matters because it influences our beliefs, values, our lifestyle, our mindset, and our attitude.

3. Determine that the Bible will be the lens through which you see and interpret the World. As you do, you’ll begin to see things the way God does.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

2 Corinthians 4:7-9 - “ But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.”

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 - “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

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Which voices are you listening to? As Christians, we have to guard our hearts. We cannot listen to just any voice. We can’t give all voices the same credence and acceptance. We must decipher through the voices to determine what is true, what is right, and what is godly. All other voices must be rejected.

Main Points:

1. The Word of God is our filter. If the Scripture is the final authority for faith, belief, and practice, it must become the lens by which we see and interpret the world.

2. The enemy of our soul will bombard us with words of fear, discouragement, and despair. We’ll be provided with counsel and guidance that can lead us astray. He will lie to us and tell us God is not good and that He is not faithful. He’ll use the words of others to distract us and keep us so preoccupied with busyness that we cannot hear the voice of God. Our adversary will bring people into our lives that will offer deception and cause us to deviate from the truth we know.

3. You and I cannot listen to every voice. We must be discerning. We must choose to listen to Godly voices and shut every other voice out. The Word of God must be our gauge by which we determine the validity and the acceptance of each voice.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

Proverbs 10:11 - “The words of the godly are a life-giving fountain; the words of the wicked conceal violent intentions.”

Proverbs 10: 20-21 - “The words of the godly are like sterling silver; the heart of a fool is worthless.” The words of the godly encourage many, but fools are destroyed by their lack of common sense."

Proverbs 10:31- 32 - “The mouth of the godly person gives wise advice, but the tongue that deceives will be cut off. The lips of the godly speak helpful words, but the mouth of the wicked speaks perverse words.”

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One of the amazing characteristics of God is that He is omniscient. This means God sees and knows all things. Nothing is hidden from Him.

Main Points:

1. The omniscience of God is not meant to cause us to fear. The book of Hebrews reveals that God knows even the thoughts and intents of our hearts. The omniscience of God is a good thing.

2. The knowledge of God assures us that God will meet our needs. The Bible tells us He knows our needs even before we ask Him. While God desires and delights in our prayer, His full knowledge of our lives provides him with the necessary information to meet our needs.

3. The knowledge of God provides us with confidence that our future is in God’s hands. We don’t know what tomorrow will bring, but God does. The God who protects us, sustains us, and guides us today will be faithful tomorrow. I can sleep tonight in peace knowing He has tomorrow in his hands.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

Proverbs 15:3 - “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good.”

Isaiah 40:28 - “Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.”

Job 28:24 - “For he looks to the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens.”

Hebrews 55:8-9 - “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

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To love God first is to put him first in our affection, attention, and priority. If anyone or anything comes before God, it becomes an idol. We can even make the ministry for him more important than a relationship with him.

Main Points:

1. Our motive for putting Jesus first in our lives cannot be the desire for blessings alone. The primary reason we put Jesus first is because He is worthy. Jesus is supreme. He is preeminent. He alone is God. He is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.

2. What is true in our theology must be true in practice. What is true in our beliefs must be true in our lifestyle.

3. You and I will never be fulfilled until we put God first in our lives. And we can never do that until we surrender our lives to Jesus Christ once and for all.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

Revelation 2:4-5 - “Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent.”

Colossians 1:15-16 - “Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see—such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him.”

Colossians 1:18 - “Christ is also the head of the church, which is his body. He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead. So he is first in everything.”

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The Spirit of God is not for sale. It is not a commodity that can be bought or sold. The power of God can only be received. It is to be used only for kingdom purposes. God, who knows our hearts, will never give us His anointing and power if He knows we have improper motives.

Main Points:

1. It’s not wrong to want to be used by God. In fact, it’s a wonderful desire. It’s a holy desire. But an important question is: “Why do you want to be used by God? Why do you want His power in your life?”

2. If our ambition is to build our own kingdom, set up our own platform, and receive our own recognition, we will never be given the power of God.

3. I believe today God freely gives His Holy Spirit to those with pure hearts and those who sincerely desire for God to use their lives for His glory.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

Acts 8:20-24 - “But Peter replied, “May your money be destroyed with you for thinking God’s gift can be bought! You can have no part in this, for your heart is not right with God. Repent of your wickedness and pray to the Lord. Perhaps he will forgive your evil thoughts, for I can see that you are full of bitter jealousy and are held captive by sin. “Pray to the Lord for me,” Simon exclaimed, “that these terrible things you’ve said won’t happen to me!”

Jeremiah 17:10 - “I, the Lord, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve.”

Psalm 115:1 - “Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to Your name be the glory…”

Revelation 4:11 - “You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power. For you created all things, and they exist because you created what you pleased.”

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One of the greatest challenges we face emotionally is how we respond when we are hurt. With the offense, we have a choice. Will we respond with grace and forgiveness, or will we respond with harshness and cynicism? Will we be quick to overlook an offense, or will we respond with the same hurt we experienced?

Main Points:

1. I’m sure you’ll agree, it’s not always easy to respond in a Christ-honoring way. We feel pain, and it seems human to respond in the same way. We tend to match emotion with emotion, anger with anger, and insult with insult.

2. You and I can refuse to allow ourselves to become bitter. I wish I could offer you an offense-free life and promise you that from now on, you will no longer be hurt by others, but such promises cannot be made. I can promise you that the Holy Spirit will give you the power to forgive and move on.

3. Unforgiveness is a burden. I think we all know what it feels like. But forgiveness is freedom. Where there was once sorrow, heaviness, and bitterness, is now comfort and peace. When we forgive, we are released from bondage. Forgiveness is like God opening the prison door and allowing us to walk away and leave it all behind.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

Proverbs 19:11 - “Sensible people control their temper; they earn respect by overlooking wrongs.”

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Through our relationship with Jesus, we possess the ability to live with joy, regardless of our circumstances. While the world around us may be falling apart, feeling defeated, and living in despair, Christians have the blessing of choosing to live with joy.

Main Points:

1. How does this happen? How can you be joyful when life isn’t going well? It’s here we often confuse joy with happiness. They are not the same thing. Happiness is the result of having a good set of circumstances. Joy is different. Joy is God-given. It’s not natural, it’s supernatural. In Galatians chapter five, we learn that joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit.

2. We experience joy as we abide daily with Jesus. Remember, He is the source of our joy! If you want joy, spend time with him. Joy is the result of being with Jesus. As you experience the fulfillment of His presence, joy remains.

3. We experience joy when we choose to trust God. Psalm 40:4 - “Oh, the joys of those who trust the Lord…” When we choose to trust the Lord, we are choosing not to worry, fret, and be anxious. As we choose to trust God, we remember He is trustworthy.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

Philippians 4:4 - "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!”

Nehemiah 8:10 - “The joy of the Lord is your strength.”

1 Peter 1:8 - “Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy.”

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