As I was praying the Lord gave me a picture of a gold bullion. And what He showed me next encouraged and challenged me.
We know that our faith is to be gold tested in fire. That the dross must be removed. We know that the Refiner's fire is able to do the work. We know that the fire must be turned up slowly so that the gold isn't ruined but that the impurities are released to be removed. All this with know, and more.
But it wasn't about faith that I was praying. And it wasn't about trials or troubles. It was about unity.
Unity: standing together and loving one another despite our differences.
I was praying about different denominations within the Body of Christ. It was then that the Lord showed me the gold bullion. And this is what it means.
It means that none of the denominations have any value without the gold behind it. Without faith in Jesus Christ, they are as good as confederate money, monopoly money... worthless, without even face value. Just as the currency we carry represents the gold with which is it secured, so do the denominations within the Church. While we may place different value to each... to some a $50, to others a $1... we are secured by the same gold. The same faith.
Christ prayed that we would be one as He and the Father are one. Jesus and the Father are separate, distinct, and yet completely One. We cannot comprehend it, but we are called to represent it.
The gold needs to be refined. If the Body of Christ is to truly represent Christ, then we need to remove the dross. Every denomination has some. We can easily spot it in every denomination but our own. The time for disunity is passed. Christ desires to unite all those who call on Him in Spirit and in Truth.
I pray that 2011 is a year of unity. I pray that each of us reach out to other Brothers in Christ, regardless what denomination they worship in. Pray for the Fire of the Holy Spirit to convict and to purify, and let it begin in my house, let it begin with me. Let me be the first to reach out to those who do not worship like me, who do not read the same version of the scriptures, whose hearts are for Christ,...
I pray that we each have the humility to exalt Christ above our comfort zone. That we might all renew our relationship with Him, that we all remember that we love Him because He first loved us! It is about a relationship with Him! It is about what He has done! Not what we can do.
Do you worship in a Methodist Church? A Baptist? A Catholic? Praise God! Wherever you are, serve the Lord... but know the Lord you serve!
Let us, as Brothers in Christ, stand together and love one another despite our differences so that Christ may be exalted. Let us together show the world that He alone is greatly to be praised.
Father, I pray that You would increase the fire in all of our lives. I pray that You would open our eyes to those things that we do hoping to find Grace, so that Grace can be what it is! The good we could never deserve. I pray that You move in the hearts of men to step out and be counted for You, to not be ashamed of the Gospel, and to demonstrate the love that You showed from the cross.
Let us all fall into Your hands, so that You can hold us together.
In Jesus' name.
SDG
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