CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE IN CHRIST MINISTRIES DAILY DEVOTIONAL BIBLE STUDY ON YOUTUBE
Philippians 3:15-16
“Forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead,” and to, “press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” as the Apostle preaches in Philippians 3:13b-14 (NKJV), is to be the mindset of all Christians – we are to have the same mind as that of Christ Jesus and walk together by the same rule. Paul declares in Philippians 3:15-16, “15Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you. 16Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind.”
This is a command to seek the ways of Christ Jesus in that we, as Christians, will all have the same rule and mind.
I once heard a pastor say, and I believe, that the devil goes to church with us – he sits in the pews and watches us and listens to the sermon as if to find a new way to bring division between us as Christians. He is subtle, he is deceiving, and he will sneak into our lives, even in the church, to divide us. We are to have the “same mind” as the Apostle Paul teaches us in Philippians 3:15-16 as we press toward the “upward call of God in Christ Jesus” as Paul declares in Philippians 3:14. The Bible teaches us in Galatians 3:26-29, “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”
My plea to you today is this: To prove that the devil goes to church with us, and that he is always devising new ways to divide us within the Church, can you tell me why we have so many different denominations of the church, and of why the different denominations of the church believe differently? I challenge you also with this: Show me in the Bible where we are taught to divide the Church with different denominations – I believe that you cannot. But show me where the Bible teaches us to be of the same mind and to be one in Christ Jesus; that you will find over and over – in Christ. As the Church was being established, we learn in Acts 3:44-47, “Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.
“So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.”
Dear LORD,
My prayer today is that You will open our hearts, minds, and souls to the truth that the devil is always seeking to divide us, even in the Church, as his deceiving ways are slick and he is cunning. Please give us all the mind of Christ Jesus that draws us back together – In Christ Jesus so that we will all strive for sharing the love You have shown us and truly be one – in Christ. In Jesus name I pray, amen.