30 DAYS OF PRAYER | DAY 29 – Praying for Unity

As we set out to launch this new outpost for the gospel in this City, we must remember, and always remember, that we are here for a purpose:

To be authentic disciples of Jesus who live for the glory of God and the good of our world.

We are a people who have been made new by Jesus, who bear the mark of redemption on our hearts- not because of anything that we have done, but because of everything that Jesus has done.

Because of this amazing thing that Jesus has done for us, we find ourselves being for many things.

• We are for the advancement of the gospel.
• We are for the Lost to be reached.
• We are for the growth of all believers in love, knowledge and discernment.
• We are for the working out of God’s sanctification in us through the preaching of the word and through living in community with other believers.

God wants us to be in unity with His people, for the proclamation of Jesus Christ, for His mission. The apostle Paul understood this and urged the Philippians to be united:

So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Philippians 2:1-2

We are urged to be unified in Jesus because we are bent towards disunity. We naturally gravitate to our own interests, our own agendas, our own ambitions. Without a constant reminder of who and Who’s we are, we will inevitably wander off course, chasing all sorts of secondary issues, pet programs, and many other agendas that divide us, that dishonor the name of Jesus, and keep us from participating in God’s mission here in this City.

In God’s sovereignty, He has orchestrated the lives of some 65 people to come together and plant Redemption Church at this point in time, to participate in the advancement of the gospel in Edmond and north Oklahoma City- to be unified in Christ. We, like many other gospel centered Jesus proclaiming churches in this area, get to participate in the advancement of His gospel, to proclaim Christ.

Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will.  The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel.  The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment.  What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice, – Philippians 1:15-18

And we rejoice with Paul when the gospel advances, when sinners like you and me repent, and when the gospel of Christ is proclaimed and lived.

Because of this next work of God in this City, we pray for many things; that many who are weary of trying to earn God’s approval and forgiveness find rest in Jesus; that because of Jesus, broken families would be healed; that because of the partnership of many churches, the Name of Jesus would be lifted high in this City- far above any denomination, any one style of ministry, and any one church.

Would you pray with us, that we would be a people united under the name of Jesus for His mission, that we would unite with other believers and churches who proclaim Christ, for the glory of God and the good of our world?