Message from the Monthly Flyer September 2018

United with purpose

What is the basis of unity, people or purpose? Scripture answers this question beautifully in both Genesis 11 and Nehemiah 2.

In Genesis 11, God sees a people that are united in a wrong purpose - "let us make us a name" (11:4). Because of this, He steps in and confuses their method of unity...communication. What was being communicated? Purpose.

It is less important that we concern ourselves with uniting with the right people and more important that we unite ourselves with the right purpose. When our purpose is right, that purpose will unite us with the right people. We will all speak the same, and as was exampled in Genesis - nothing shall be impossible.

In comparison to Genesis 11, we read in Nehemiah 2 of the beginning stage for the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem. Nehemiah was careful in the beginning not to speak all that God had put in his heart to do. Yet, a beautiful team of people was formed. As Nehemiah communicated, he recognized that they shared the same purpose in their heart. They rebuilt the walls. As the story concludes, those who looked upon the completed work saw that it was of the Lord's work. Nehemiah 6:16 And it happened, when all our enemies heard of it, and all the nations around us saw these things, that they were very disheartened in their own eyes; for they perceived that this work was done by our God.

From the beginning, it has been Satan's desire to be like God. He pays close attention to God's words and work and will often try to duplicate or pervert. He saw the success that God had in the beginning by confusing the language of those who were working together. So, he also tries at every turn to disrupt the effort of people who are united in God's purpose. What better way to disrupt than to attack the method that unites people to the same purpose...communication? Often times, this can be as simple as causing a misunderstanding between brothers or sisters. It is important for us to recognize the tactics of the enemy of our soul and to stand against them by not allowing a misunderstanding to disrupt the purpose of God in our lives.

The Apostle Paul was wise to uncover the enemy's plot as he encouraged the church in 1 Corinthians 1:10 - Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

To those who are unified in purpose by the same speech, nothing shall be impossible. As in the days of Nehemiah, may those who look upon us also say that our work was of the Lord! hp