I in them and you in me so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. John 17:23

Someone once told me that they had been taught that the religion that they had been raised in was “the first religion”. Maybe they are right. But, in Romans 16:17 the Apostle Paul warned the church at Rome “I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them.

In my opinion Religious Denominations and technology were created by Satan ; ). God can and does use them to glorify Himself, but I think Satan and his minions are behind the scenes working and using both to draw us away from God and to keep us from being fully effective for Him.

Considering that I never came to know Jesus as my Lord and Savior until I was about 33, I have been to a LOT of churches. I was not a member of a lot, but did visit a lot, of churches. And you know what I found? Every one is different and operates a little differently. Some have boards that oversee their funds and make major decisions, in some the elders make those same decisions, some believe in the speaking in tongues, some do not, some have music like a rock band and some have just an organist playing old time hymns and do you know who is right? No? Neither do I.

What I do know is that the churches that I visited and belonged to all believed that Jesus Christ was the Son of God and the Way the Truth and the Life. They believed that the Bible was the Holy and inerrant work of God. The rest of the things that I talked about are NOT salvation issues. The type of music that is played or whether people can speak in tongues or who makes the big decisions in the church, have no impact on a persons salvation and I, therefore do not care!

For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs – heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. Romans 8:14-17. We Are Family!

If we believe that “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:9, We Are Family!

Unfortunately, we, the body of Christ (all those who have trusted Jesus as Lord and Savior) are so busy critiquing each other and our churches that we are not only robbing God of glory, but we are pushing those who don’t believe even further from God!

Our daughter posted on a social media sight, the worship band at her church performing a secular song. It was being sung in a way that was pointing to God, but it was none the less not a christian praise and worship song. She was literally, verbally, attacked by a young man whom we love in the Lord. A young man whom our family had prayed for, worshiped with and assisted. He spent hours, berating and tearing down our daughter, her church and her beliefs, on that social media sight. All because this worship band, after the service was over and the family of God was lingering, loving on each other and fellow shipping, played a song that he felt inappropriate. We still love and pray for this young man because We Are Family.

This young man is not the lone ranger. We all critique and tear down to some degree. But, can you imagine the kind of impact we could make on the Kingdom of God, if we spent the minutes, hours and days that we waste in this life tearing down churches, pastors and brothers and sisters in Christ, and instead evangelized, glorified God, built each other up and united like the family of God.

It’s not about music, leadership, tongues or denominations! It is about Jesus Christ and those who don’t know Him!

I pray that you would have a clear view of the body of Christ. I pray that you would have a clear understanding of the family of God that we belong to. I pray that you would remember (as Jesus taught us) “And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.” 1 John 4:21. I pray that we (the body of Christ) would all be untied in a new way and would love each other in a way that would glorify God and draw those, who don’t know Him, to Him.

If you don’t know Jesus as your Lord and Savior, I pray that you would go to our Life Preserver page and pray the prayer outline there. When you do, please reach out to me at admin@Forgiven-N-Loved.com and let me know, so that I can be in prayer for you and might be able to help you grow in your knowledge of and relationship with Jesus Christ.

Luv ya!