From the Moderator

John 17: 20-23 NIV

²⁰ “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, ²¹ 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. ²² I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: ²³ I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. 1

Just as Jesus so fervently prayed for his disciples and future believers, that same cry permeates our lives today. In the current world Satan is pulling us away from Jesus in such strong terms that he seeks to divide and conquer our faith. Our churches continue to shrink and die off while many never attend any church at all. We must seek to make Jesus and our faith the number one priority in our lives. We must strive to find unity within and without our churches.

When we become divided Satan comes in and develops fractures. Here we miss the fullness of Jesus Christ and the true course that God intended for our lives. In John 17 we see Jesus coming to the close of his time with his disciples. One can only imagine the sincerity and passion of his prayer. Future generations are among the list contained in his words. Can we afford to be lax in our earthly journey? We must continually seek his face in all we do. Church has to become more than a habit. Study and prayer must be a daily part of our lives.

When Satan begins to crack our spiritual shield, we must be ready to address his incursion with a faithbased response. Every day I see and talk to individuals whose lives are on the brink of spiritual collapse. We are warriors for the gospel who must share our testimony and values based on Scripture. Our strength comes from our faith. It is at the trying times that we must turn to God in prayer. He then is allowed to work for his good. Unity is the result of working together in prayer and discernment. Satan stands no chance against the power of our faith through Jesus Christ. Jesus prayed that we might be brought together in complete unity to let the world know that we have Christ as our Lord and Savior and that God loves us just as he loves His Son.

Let us always seek unity.
In Christ always,
Pastor Ellis, Moderator

¹ The Holy Bible: New International Version. (1984). (1 Co 1:10). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.