L.I.G., And Open Up

Good Morning, My Friend!! Too often we are ready at the smallest provocation to give up, or to verbally beat up, on another member of the church. But that is not the way followers of Christ,...who when He was slapped, beaten, scourged, and killed, never struck back. This is how we are to behave ourselves. Through the strength of the Spirit of Christ,...which is in each of His children, and which empowers the church as a whole,...we know that we can overcome any obstacle, forgive any offense, release any grudge, and love any sinner. It is this Spirit-led, Spirit-induced unity, not the false unity of spiritual compromise or false pretenses, that we are to labor for with supernatural determination and exertion.

Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.—Ephesians 4:3 (NIV)

Embedded in the phase is the idea of struggle, taking pains to reach a specific goal. For the church of Jesus Christ to succeed, and be a witness in the world for good, it is necessary that we strive, to the point of exhaustion, for peace and unity within the body,...and all other relationships, as we are to be examples of God's Love for people. We are never to give up this noble goal.

We take offense, and so we give offense,...but that's not God's way.

Holy Spirit of God, help us to reach out and forgive, just as we have been forgiven. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

"God does not want us to live lives that are paralyzed by fear,
...He wants us to trust Him."