[Gary Antion] Marching bands. Football linemen. Choruses. Basketball teams. And husbands and wives. What do they all have in common? They all strive for unity. They all strive to be together. They need to be of one accord and unified.

We just came off of the Feast of Pentecost, In Acts 2:1, I'd like to set the tone for this sermon, which talks about they were all together, it says: with one accord in one place. If you want a title for this sermon, if you're a title person, you're entitled to this, it's titled “In One Accord”.

Acts 2:1. And when the day of Pentecost was fully come they were all with one accord, in one place. Now let me ask you a question. What if they hadn't been of one accord? What if they had been scattered all over the place? Jesus said, you need to wait there; you need to be there on that day of Pentecost for the receiving of God's Holy Spirit. Would they have received God's Spirit if they had been disputing? Would they have received God's Spirit if they were divided? I doubt it. God said be together. He said in a word there in that particular verse is homoo. H-O-M-O-O in the Greek and it means be to be together. Now we'll see other ones that will talk differently. But “in one accord” comes across as “be together”. But being together does not mean apart. So again it does mean “to be one”.

Marching bands, if you've ever watched them, especially I like to watch on the New Year's Day Parade because we served out there for so many years in Pasadena at the actual parade and had a chance to sit in the reviewing stands and watch, not reviewing, but in the viewing stands and watch them. And do our own personal review and you could see them marching, this is out of line, crooked, the lines are crooked, they are not walking together, they are not marching the same, left, right. And it's frustrating to watch.

Synchronized swimming in the Olympics. You watch that and they are all supposed to pop out at the same time, well what if they pop up at different times? It doesn't come across well. What if you have a chorale that you're leading the chorale or the choir or the chorus and you go down and whatever the song is, it doesn't come across well because they are not unified. It takes unity, it takes practice, it takes time.

What about football linemen? What happens when one of them moves before the others? Penalty. Five yard penalty in illegal motion. They were off-side. They were encroaching. Or they were jumping ahead of the gun.

So, everybody likes unity. Husbands and wive. What a blessing for them to dwell together in unity. What a blessing for them to work together. To be together. To be on the same page. As we will see later, being unified does not mean we are all yellow pencils or that we all even write with the same color ink. Some people write with blue ink, some people write with red ink, some people write with purple ink. You try to grade some tests at ABC, I have to switch my pens. I usually use a red pen, but I can't use a red pen when people have written in red so I have to grab my blue pen. People write in blue I grab a different one. So anyway, the point being, God doesn't expect us to be exactly alike in every single thing in our lives, but He does expect us to be unified on matters of morals, matters of Godliness, and matters of life. So ask yourself, how unified are we?

Acts 1:14. We read: before they had received God's Holy Spirit they all continued with one accord—the word there is homothumadon—which means the same mindedness; alike minded. It's used, in fact, in the book of Acts ten times. I'll read to you from Vines Expository Dictionary, homothumadon means of one accord. It means the same: homo, thumos: mind. The same mind. It occurs eleven times. Ten in the book of Acts.

The other one, Romans 15:6, which I'll read again, it means to be with one accord; one mind. Some cases it's translated unanimously. It's a unanimous vote. They're all together on that particular issue. When it's matters of life we definitely need to be. They were with one accord with prayer and supplication with the women and Mary, the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers. So I guess this is the first time the brothers decided to learn about Christianity once their brother was dead.

So now look at Acts 2:46. After they were with one accord in one place, they, continuing daily with one accord—same mindedness; same approach—with one mind, one accord, in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house to eat, and did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart. So there was a oneness, there was a togetherness there. 

Why is it so important? Why does unity seem to be so important? Why do you hear it stressed from time to time? Because unity in the church, the Body of Christ, is extremely important to God. Let's learn in this sermon how we may be, and stay unified. Christ's prayer illustrates how important unity is. Christ knew He was going to be put to death in a most horrible way. And yet, part of His prayer to His Father in John 17, His Lord's Prayer. Part of His prayer He took time to talk about the need for God's people, His disciples, to be unified.

John 17:11. Skipping in to the prayer here, He lifted up His eyes and prayed to God: And now I am no more in this world; but these are in the world. I'm leaving Christ said. I'm no longer going to be there with them. Not physically. I won't be there. But theseare in the world. But I come to you, Father. Holy Father, keep through Your own name those whom You have given me. Why? That they may be one as We are.

Remember what Jesus Christ said in John 10:30?

John 10:30 – He said: I and My Father are one. May they be together like We are together. May they be at one like We are at one, in one accord.

It is absolutely important in a world that is divided. Can we say the world is unified? Why Muslims are killing Muslims. Isn't it a great thing to go blow yourself up and kill your fellow Muslim? That's what they're doing. Of course Sunnis are killing Shiites and Shiites, Sunnis. They're killing each other off. North and south Korea. Killing each other off. China and some of the other countries, certainly Chinese are closer Oriental origin trying to take over. Japanese and  others are fighting each other. We live in a world or at least are preparing to defend themselves. We live in a world that is pretty divided. Jesus Christ said, I'm leaving. I'm leaving. And I'm leaving these behind and I don't want them to be divided. I want them to have a sense of unity that will surpass anything this world has ever seen. And we'll see later on the effects of that.

John 17:20-23. He says: Neither do I pray for these alone. He didn't just pray for those back in that time of that first century. For them also which shall believe on me through their word. Through the words that they have kept. Through the words that they have written down and preserved and sent to us. He said: that they may believe on Him through their word that they also may also be as one as you, Father, are in Me and I in You, and that they may be one in Us that the world may believe that You sent Me. They have such a togetherness and they are so close and that's what shows up every time.

The church in Omaha, not a big church, when they heard Susie and Todd had been injured, or Susie had been injured and the girls, the church took up a collection, the women brought in I don't know how many casseroles for them to bring over and freeze. They collected money for them and they went shopping and bought them all kinds of things from Sam's to help them through. And different ones said “What can I do to help?”. One of my daughter's girlfriends from over in Columbus area, Columbus-Mansfield area said, “I will come over, I'm a schoolteacher and I will be out of school, and I will leave my children with my parents and I will come over and spend two weeks with you. I will clean your home, I will drive around, I will do whatever I can to help you.”  One of Susie's very best friends. All the way from Columbus to Nebraska, about 12 or 13 hours. I'll stay with you. See, that's the love that God has. That's the unity, that's the care for one another, having the same care one for another. We'll see that in a moment. But Jesus Christ's prayer, notice in John 17:22, he says:

John 17:22 – And the glory that you gave me I have given to them, that's future, that they may be one even as We are one. Again, Jesus Christ stressed to His Father, His last prayer He could have been talking about Himself, oh, I don't want to go through this, oh God help me to make it through. Oh God, please don't let me give up and quit and turn back. What did He pray about? He prayed about the oneness that we all need to have. The togetherness. I in them, You in Me, that they may be made perfect in one that the world may know that You have sent Me and that You have loved them as you have loved Me. You've loved them. You've taken care of them. You will take care of them. The oneness is stressed by Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 12. Why did He stress that? Because Christ wants His Body to be straight. Jesus Christ wants His Body all moving in the same direction. What happens if my one leg goes forward and my other leg goes backward and I may be doing the splits. But if that happened to me I would fall. What happens to you when you become uncoordinated? You fall or you fumble. Christ wants His Body to be one. He wants the Church of God to be one.

1 Corinthians 12:12-27. I'll quickly read through verses 12 through 27 so just keep your place there. For as the body is one, remember it's the Body of Christ—the church is the Body of Christ. For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. Christ wants His Body to be one. He doesn't want His Body to be disjointed. He doesn't want His Body to be spazzed. He wants His Body to be able to move. And move efficiently and effectively. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body-whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free-and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. So we have a lot of means to be one. For the body is not one member but many. It is made up of many members. But those members of the Body all have to work in harmony, don't they? They have to work together in one accord for the Body to be efficient. If the foot shall say, because I am not a hand, I am not of the body, is it therefore not of the body? If the ear should say, because I am not an eye, I am not of the body. Most people do not say you have beautiful ears. They do say you have beautiful eyes. I don't know of any song that says beautiful ears. But Beautiful Blue Eyes is a song. Beautiful big ears, beautiful small ears, beautiful crooked ears, beautiful cauliflower ears. I've never heard any songs like that. But there is a song, Beautiful Blue Eyes. And so again: and if the ear should say because I am not an eye, I am not of the body, the ear has to do its job.

If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would the smelling? What about the nose? I haven't heard too many songs about noses, either. Except Rudolph, the Red-Nosed you know who. But that's a bad one to sing anyway. But now God has set the members, every one in the body as it pleases Him. And God wants those members to work together. And He wants those members to work effectively and efficiently. And if it were all one member, they were all one member, where would the body. Oh here it is, this is the whole body, my hand. How does the hand function without the arm? How does the arm function without the shoulder? How does the shoulder function without the chest? How does the chest function without the torso? How does anything function without the head giving it directions? It doesn't. So He goes on to say: But now are many members, yet one body. And that's the key. He goes on to say: And the eye cannot say to the hand I have no need of you; nor again the head to the foot, I have no need of you. No, much more, those members which seem to be more feeble are necessary. And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, upon these we bestow more abundant honor. We need to pay attention to all the body and if your little toe is damaged, or your big toe, it affects your whole body. Pretty soon you can be  hurting everywhere else as you favor it. And so we need to realize that the body is important and it's important to work together and it's important for it to be healthy together. He says: for our comely parts have no need, but God has tempered the whole body together having given more abundant honor to that part which lacks. So God wants to elevate everyone. And I know sometimes, in the church, we feel, I'm not very important, church could just go on without me, the church doesn't really need me. God needs you. If He didn't need you He wouldn't have called you. If God didn't need you, He wouldn't have brought you into His church. He needs you. That's why you're here. And no matter what you think, whether you're the little toeor the little toe toenail, whatever you think you are, the freckle on your elbow, whatever you think you are in the Body of Christ, you're important, and you're needed for the Church to be one. Don't let that freckle get all upset, it may cause the arm to hurt, may cause the whole body to hurt. We need each other.

He says in 1 Corinthians 12:25, the apostle Paul writes:

1 Corinthians 12:25 – that there should be no schism, or split, in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another.There's that oneness. One accord. Whether one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and members in particular. We're one body. We're supposed to be one. We're supposed to move as one. We're supposed to act as one.

Philippians 2. The apostle Paul again stressed this in his writings, he does that a lot in his writings.

Philippians 2:1-4. We read: If there be any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the spirit, if any bows and mercies, any tenderness , any compassion, any emotions, and mercy, fulfill my joy that you be like minded. It's interesting that that word like minded is sumpsuchos You know what it means? Like minded or co-minded. That you be as if you are of the same mind as others. That you be like minded. He said: And having the same love, being of the one accord, that's that word, sumpsuchos, and one mind. So it's a different Greek word; sumpsuchos, but it does mean to be of one being together. Being co-minded. Like minded. That's the sense of it from that Greek word in verse 2. Being of one accord and one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vain glory. God doesn't want to see strife. Does that mean if you have a question about something, being as you see something is amiss you don't understand can't ask about that you'll be disunified. No you ask about it. You go and you talk about it. But you don't cause divisions because you don't understand something. You ask about it. You get it resolved. You know what, brethren? God does not want mindless loyalty. God wants mindful loyalty. You think about it. Play it through your mind. If there is something wrong you ask about it. And you get it clarified. You don't go marching off and start your own group because you don't like something. You don't go marching off and become somewhat independent because you don't like something. You've got to resolve it. Does that mean everybody sees everything at the same time in the same way? No. But we can. We can have unity. Why? We'll see the three steps to unity in a moment. So he says: let nothing be done through strife or vain glory but in lowliness of mind let each esteem the other better than themselves. And sometimes you say, you know what? I see it this way, you see it that way, maybe you're right. Maybe you're right. I'll give you. You might be right. I still think I'm right, but you might be. But it's not on matters of life. It might be what does this verse mean? How does this verse work? Not on matters of life, or the Ten Commandments, or how you should live, or the laws of God, or the coming kingdom of God. Those are all big issues that we all should agree upon. But there are sometimes questions you have about this, what does this prophecy mean? What does that scripture mean exactly? Maybe let's dig into it. Look into it more, I'll study it more. But instead of saying, oh, I can't think anything else. You can think, but if you start to have a thought that's contrary to what the general church teaching is, you should get it clarified. And there are plenty of ministers around who will sit with you and help you answer and understand. And maybe they'll understand more. But don't get all shook up and go your own direction. He says: But in lowliness of mind esteem the other better than themselves.

In 1 Corinthians 12:4, Look not everyone on his own things, but everyone, every man also on the things of others. And the word there, the translation, does not mean that you're trying to take over people's things, but you are caring about others things. If you borrow something, if you look after you take care of them look after others as well.

1 Corinthians 12:12-13. Wherefore my beloved as you have always obeyed. You've always obeyed, it's just a hallmark. You expect God's people to obey. God's people are obedient. Not as much in my presence only. But now much more in my absence. You don't just play games, I think as Mr. Van Ausdle brought out. You don't play games whether somebody is watching you or not. You are Christian and because you get mad at something that doesn't give you a right to not be a Christian. Excuse me, I'm going to step out being a Christian, I'm going to plow you in the face. Now I'm going to come back and say I believe in not plowing people in faces. It doesn't mean that. You're a Christian all the time, not just when you want to be. I'll go to church, I'll be a Christian. When I'm not at church I'm not a Christian? Christianity covers our whole life no matter what we do, where we go, what we eat, what we wear, how we wear it, that's our Christianity. That's your Christianity too.

He says: But now, much more in my absence work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. Absolutely. We have our own set of responsibilities, things that we must do ourselves. Sure. The church is not going to pray on your behalf. You need to be praying, too. The church is not going to study the Bible for you. You have certain things you have to do, choices you have to make, choices I have to make. Ourselves. But when it comes down to what are our marching orders? What do we believe about eternal life? What do we believe about the Kingdom of God? What do we believe about the way of life that God has given to us? It better be together. And it better be one.

He goes on to say, and here's the reason why: For it is God which works in you. Now God is working in me and God is working in you. Are we going to see things pretty much on the same page? I think so except for when our humanity gets in the way once in awhile. For it is God who works in you. Both to will and to do of His good pleasure. So there is every reason why we should be united. No matter where we come from.

Galatians 3:28. Also Paul again writes to the region of Galatia. He says to them: There is neither Jew nor Greek. Now there are Jews and Greeks but when in Christ, there is neither Jew nor Greek, There is neither bonds nor free. There are bonds and free people too today. There is neither male nor female. There are male and female, we all know that. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. What is the unifying effect? Christ Jesus. We're all aiming to be like Whom? Not like Michael Jordan. Used to be an ad: Be like Mike, be like Mike. We're supposed to be like Jesus. Be like Jesus. We're all aiming to be like Him. If we're all aiming to be like Him, it seems like we're going to look alike. At least in personality and character. Not personality, but in character and approach. In attitude, in heart and mind and action, aren't we?  I would say so.

So let's take a look. I want to read one more scripture and we're going to get to the three steps I have for you.

1 Corinthians 1:10. Again, the apostle Paul seems to like unity. He writes to the church at Corinth which did have it's share of difficulties and divisions. But he writes: Now I beseech you. I beg you. I implore you, brethren. By the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ. When you give an order like that, that's pretty powerful. You're invoking the name of Jesus Christ saying that you all speak the same thing. That there be no divisions among you. But that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. God wants us to be together. On the same page. And if you're not on the same page, you'll find yourself pulling away from the body. If my finger says, I don't like this hand, I'm going to be on the left hand. Sorry, you'd look awful funny on the left hand because you'd be angled out instead of in. It can't be on the left hand. I want to be on the left hand, I don't like being on the right hand, I get pain too much because you're right-handed. I want to be on the left hand so I don't get hit so much. Sorry right finger. You can't be on the left hand. Now you could leave the body, get cut off. Then he wouldn't be around anymore. And the body would probably be better off ultimately if that finger is cut off because it doesn't want to be there. Unless it repents. I'm sorry, I want to be on the right hand now. So, again, God wants us to be able to speak the same thing. If we were to say which day is the Sabbath? We all agree. What are the Holy Days? We all agree. What is God's plan of salvation? We all agree. What is God say our way of life we should walk? According to the Ten Commandments as expanded and expounded by the Bible. We all agree. Do we? If you go off on your own little tangent on certain things we won't all agree. Now I've talked to several people who have their own little pet ideas, and I'll say what do you do with that idea? So, let me ask a question. You do it that way and think you're right, and the rest of the church does it this way. So what must you think of the rest of the church? You must think we're wrong. The reason you're doing what you do is because you think you're right. So therefore, you're saying I'm wrong. Now it depends on how wrong you want me to be, does it become wrong to the point of sin? Then will you indulge yourself with sin? You have to be really careful. Now again, now there's nothing concrete where the church doesn't have a decision or manner. Fine, you have your own idea on something. But walking in the way of life that God has prescribed scripturally, biblically, we all need to walk in that way. Otherwise you have division; the church is not effective.

So, how may we have and maintain oneness as the people of God? I have three steps, only a few scriptures for each, I definitely will be done by 4:00 or a few minutes thereafter. So according to Mr. McCready it will be a great sermon because you don't have to listen to me so long. But let's take a look at point number one. Three steps.

Point number one. Recognize the same authority. Recognize the same authority. Who do we all recognize as the head of the church? Well, Jesus Christ. Who is appointed by God the Father.

Ephesians 1:22-23. You know what? If we recognize the same authority we can all appeal to Him. We can all go to Him. We can all follow Him. It's the same. We look to Him, and we don't just look to Him as the little Lord Jesus. We look to Him as the head of the church. We look to Him as High Priest. We look to Him as our Lord. We look to Him as our soon-coming King. We don't just look to Him in one phase or one facet of His job, or His role. We look to Him in every way. So Ephesians 1:22 we read this: And has put all things, talking about God, has put all things under His feet and gave Him to be the head over all things to the church. So to whom do we look for the ultimate authority? Jesus Christ.

We have Monopoly games, you probably played Monopoly. You may have played Risk, you may have played Clue. I looked them up. Parker Brothers basically distributes all of them, but they weren't founded by Parker Brothers. They had different founders who found Monopoly and Clue. It's called Clue Do in England, if anybody's been to England. C-L-U-E-D-O. Clue Do in England and it's the same game. And if I want to know what the rules of that game are what authority do I look to? The rule book. And who wrote the rule book? The ones who produced the game. Now if I want to change the rules I could talk to all the people there when we decide to change the rules. Oh we can play this, OK you can do that. But what fun would it be to play a game of Monopoly where everybody has his or her own rules? Where you could double count if you want to so to end up on the right property? I wanted Park Place so badly and I got a six and I really only needed a five so I go 1-2-3-4-5. I count two at the same spot and end up on there. What fun is that? What fun is that to decide in basketball my three point line is lay up zone? Everybody else's is back there beyond the key, mine is at the lay up. Every time I lay up, three points. That's not fair. You would say, that's not fair, you're not playing according to the rules NCAA, NBA, whoever else would not allow that? So you have an authority to which you can look and if we all have that same authority to which we can look who has the final word and what is the written word called? The word of God. What was Jesus Christ called? The Word of God. We have the written word. We have Christ's testimony. We have Christ's example for us to look to that same authority.

Ephesians 1:23 He says: which is His body, the fullness of Him that fills all in all. We're the body of Christ. The church is His body and He's the head, the one to which we can look.

James 4:12. Who established the rules? Who made the rules, anyway? There is one lawgiver if you check Isaiah 23:22 you'll find it's the Lord. There is one lawgiver who is able to save and destroy who are you that judges another? So, who is the one lawgiver? God is. So God is the one that decides the rules of the game. He's the one that decides the rules of unity. He's the one that decides how we play the game. It's no fair if you have somebody who can decide he can run out of bounds when he wants to with the football. Or play hockey, that's a good one, with a club. You ever think of high-sticking with a club instead of a hockey stick? You'd call all types of guys out of the game for good. Like what do you call it? The cricket club, it's rounded and has a flat side. Maybe you could hit a few pucks into the net. But mostly you could just high-stick people, you take them out of the game, you get a penalty, they're finished. That won't work, will it? That would be stupid. Nobody would agree to a game like that. You'd get frustrated and that's what happens when people are not unified and don't want to play according to the rules. And they want to make up their own rules. These are my rules. It doesn't work that way, does it?

James 4:12. There is one lawgiver and that's God.

Hebrews 12:2. To whom should we look then. Looking to Jesus the author and finisher of our faith. And who is above Jesus Christ? Jesus Christ acknowledged God the Father.

So what is the ultimate authority to which we all can appeal? God. When people want to complain, I say, hey, complaint department is three heavens up. You are welcome to go there. That's the complaint department, and talk to God. He is the ultimate authority. So if we are all looking to the same authority, we have the one source that we can all appeal to.

Secondly, how do you be one as the people of God? How to maintain that oneness? Know and follow the same rules. Know and follow the same rules.

Philippians 2:11. I already read that. Obedience is a hallmark of Christians. As you have always obeyed. It's the hallmark of Christianity.

Romans 15:6. We read what the apostle Paul wrote He said: that you may, with one mind and one mouth glorify God. Whatever you say, whatever you think, and of course whatever you think you will eventually do, even, he says with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

What is our marching orders? What are they? What are the rules?

Matthew 4:4. What are the rules of the game? What are the rules of Christianity? Jesus Christ in His response to Satan the devil who was trying to tempt Him. Tried to get Him to eat the bread to stay alive. Jesus Christ said this: It is written, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. What are the rules? There they are. The rule book. That's what we live by. Now if I'm living by this and you're living by this we're walking down the same path of righteousness. If we're both living according to it and we have a question about it, I don't know if I can walk that way, oh, let's see, it does say don't walk that way. We have this to guide us and to help us so that we may have that unity. So that we may seek God's kingdom together, that's the goal, right?

Matthew 6:33. Seek you first the kingdom of God. As we seek our goal. We, as individuals, if we were going to play chess together, let's play chess, okay? You're a good chess player. My rook can go diagonally too. Now if you play chess you know the rook can only move forward. It can't go diagonally. Mine can. How frustrated would you be because the queen can do that but no one else can do that. The bishop can go diagonally but can't go forward. What kind of a game would that be? You know, mine gets to do this. The rules don't say that. You're not allowed to do that. Christianity you're not allowed to do your thing either. You frustrate other Christians when you do your thing instead of God's thing. When you follow your own set of rules when you draw the line instead of walking according to God's set of rules. So as we seek God's kingdom we need to make sure we're walking.

1 John 2:3-4. One final scripture. If you claim you know God, you know Christ and you're going to follow Him and follow His lead then you'd better be keeping His commandments. 1 John 2:3-4. Hereby we do know that we know Him if we keep His commandments. And he that says I know Him, well I know who the authority is here, I can write the Parker Bros. I can read the rule book. How to play the game. All kinds of games. Aggravation and Sorry and all the rest that you can play, you've got to play according to the rules or one is playing according and the other one is cheating. You think God wants cheaters in His kingdom? No. He does not. 1 John 2:4. He that says I know Him and keeps not His commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him. He's not playing according to the rules. He's not playing the game right. If I don't follow suit in the game of Hearts, I don't want to follow suit, they're trying to smoke out my queen and I don't want to give it up so I'll play another card on it. You wouldn't like that. You'd say, hey, wait a minute, now I played that and you threw a heart on there, or you threw a club or a diamond. That's not fair. You're right, it isn't fair. But as a Christian it's not fair if you try to play according to your own rules. If you want to have oneness, you have to play according to the rules. You've got to know them first, that means you study, and then you've got to apply them.

Number three. Point number three is we need to have the same morale. The same morale. The same spirit. God wants His people to be spirited. He wants them to be enthusiastic about His way of life. He wants them to have a good attitude in His way of life. Revelation 3:15. This is a negative one and I'm using it advisedly. Revelation 3:15-16. But the church of Laodicea was God's church. It wasn't like He was talking to somebody who was not His church. This is His church. He says to them: I know your works. Is God aware of what we're doing? Yes He is. Is He aware each one of us of what we do? Yes He is. I know your works that you are neither cold nor hot. I know your attitude. You're lackadaisical, you're lazy. You're not diligent. That's what He's saying. I would that you were cold or hot, so then that because you are lukewarm and neither cold nor hot I will spit you out of my mouth. What's the solution to not being in a wrong spirit, or wrong morale?

Revelation 3:19. He says: As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten, be zealous therefore and repent. Change. You can change. You don't have to stay that way, you can change. God is all for people who want to change. Laodicea needed spirit they needed a zealous spirit. And we have the means to have that. There is no reason why we can't have the right morale.

I try to encourage people with serious sicknesses and diseases. Some of them I write to regularly. Stay positive. Don't give in. And I know everything in you wants you to be negative. You're hurting. You feel bad. You wonder about the future. Everything within you wants to go negative. You stay positive. Don't let that beat you, you beat it. Stay positive. Being positive works wonders. And we as individuals have every reason to be positive.

Philippians 2:5. Let this mind be in you. Let this mind be in you. The word is phroneo. And it's not the word, the thinking mind, it's a mind of an attitude toward things or toward situations. Let yourself think about situations and things and people as Christ does. You can look it up. You'll find it's not the same word as nous – N-O-U-S. Or thumos. It's not the same. It's a different Greek word that's used. Phroneo. And it has to do with your attitude toward things. Your direction of your mind. How you direct your mind about this issue or that issue; that person or that thing. God wants us to have that positive mind like Christ did. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus. Do we have that mind available? Can we have that same spirit? Yes. Can we have that same attitude toward life? Yes. Why can't we be together then? There needs to be oneness. And I believe when there is oneness God is going to do many great works. But when there is not, it hinders. It holds the whole body back just like a broken foot, or a broken toe. It makes you less effective. Are we together?

2 Timothy 1:6-7. Of course we have God's spirit that generates the beautiful fruits of love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, kindness, meekness, temperance and faith. It generates wonderful fruits. But 2 Timothy 1:6-7, he says: I put you in remembrance that you stir up that gift of God which is in you by the putting on of My hands. So we have to use it. We cant just say I've got it and let it lie dormant in our lives. We've got to let it be used by us as we grow in Godliness. And he said: For God has not given us the spirit of fear.

I've played in some basketball games, I remember going in some gyms. It was pretty scary. I remember going in one; a prison; we went in to play. It was like a youth prison. And those guys looked like they are, whatever they looked like, they looked like they were going to slam you into the boards every time you made a move. We beat them. But nonetheless it wasn't a very nice time to be there. It was the place that my mother used to always say if you're bad, that's where the bad guys go. It was named Morganza. That's outside of Pittsburgh,it's outside of Canonsburg, called Morganza. It's no longer there. Actually they have a couple of nice hotels in that area where I normally stay when I go to Pittsburgh. But Morganza is what it used to be. We played basketball, Bridgeville, played against Morganza. And you walked in there expecting to be mugged, beaten up, kicked in the face, whatever, punched out; they were bad kids. That's how they were. God doesn't want us to be that way. God doesn't want us to be fearful. He doesn't want us to be afraid. He wants us to move forward with power. He says: But of power, and of love, and a sound mind. So we have the means by which we can have the proper spirit and the proper morale.

So those three again, what are they?

• To recognize the same authority.
• To follow the same rules.
• To have the same morale, or the same spirit.

 

In conclusion, what good does it do when people could work together in unity? You know the Psalm—How good and how pleasant it is for God's people to dwell together in unity. But look at Genesis 11:1. And the whole earth was of one language and one speech. They had a couple of elements to unite them. And they began to build this tower to say, let's rival God. Let's put this in the nose of God, before we, so we make a name for ourselves. But Genesis 11:6; And the Lord said, and here's the principle that we can gather from this. The Lord said, behold the people is one. These people are together, and they all have one language, and this they begin to do. Now, nothing will be restrained from them which they have imagined to do. That's negative. Let's stop this. They're together for evil. But let's make it positive. When people are unified together, God says there is nothing that they cannot do. That's how important it is to be united.

Ephesians 4:1-6. I'll close with this section of scripture. And we see the apostle Paul again. Paul was really teaching unity and togetherness and one accord being in one accord. Therefore he said, I therefore being the prisoner of the Lord beseech you that you walk worthy of the vocation wherewith you were called. Walk worthy. Follow the rules with all lowliness and meekness. Your attitude and your mind. With long-suffering forbearing one another in love.

Ephesians 4:3. Does it come easy to be unified? No. It's not easy. If it were easy Paul would just say be unified let's go on to other things. How many times does he have to speak about it? It's not easy. And he says: endeavoring, trying hard, working at it, to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace. It's hard to be unified. It's hard to swallow your own babies and ideas, and let somebody else's baby or idea be put forth. It's hard to be able to play second fiddle at times. Are you willing? I may be just as good a fiddle player as he is but he's been chosen to be first fiddle, I'll play second fiddle, that's okay. I'll be the best second fiddler I can be, and I'll wish him well being first fiddle. Can we do that? Can you do that?

Ephesians 4:4. There's one body, one spirit even as you're all called. One hope of your calling. One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is above all, through all, and in you all.

God wants us all to stand fast. He wants us to strive together to get the gospel out. So let's make sure that we extend, exert every effort to be unified. And let's move forward with preaching the gospel and preparing God's people, and let's do it all in one accord.