Yesterday we wrote about one of the greatest moves of God … the Moravian Revival. When the community was in complete disarray, Count Zinzendorf focused on how they could live together in love despite their differences. He called all the men together for an intense study of the Scriptures to focus on how Christian life in community was portrayed. These studies combined with intense prayer convinced many of the believers that they were called to live together in love and that their disunity and conflict were contrary to the clear calling of Scripture.
Zinzendorf’s dream was to see the differences among the community’s many traditions become secondary to a corporate unity in love. In the history of the Moravian revival, we read:
“Zinzendorf was not aiming at organizational unity and uniformity among Christians and did not desire the dissolution of particular traditions, but rather their binding together in fraternal charity, mutual respect, communication and communion within a sort of loose federation.”
Thus they learned to agree to disagree on certain subjects – the one thing they agreed upon was the emphasis on love – and this was necessary in order to fulfill the “great commission.”
Reader, the complexities of God’s truth will make uniformity in all doctrines impossible for all believers. It is even probable that secondary issues may be used of God to test our hearts. The essential truths of the faith, however, are indisputable among true brethren and they form the truth basis for our unity. The Moravian Revival motto was, “in essentials unity, in non-essentials liberty, but in all things love!” Revivals always reveal the veracity and power of this motto, and their fruit is the result of God’s wonderful unifying presence. We will not compromise on the essentials (though some may even disagree on what they are); and we will peacefully discuss our convictions about secondary issues, agreeing to disagree and preserving the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace.
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[worthy_plugins_devotion_single_body]In my travels across the United States, I’ve come to a greater understanding of the racial divisions which seem to characterize much of the restlessness in America. While I was in Little Rock, Arkansas I spent time with a black pastor who was taught of the true legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. While historians will rightly record MLK as a civil rights leader, he was first and foremost a Baptist pastor, and was a biblical rights leader who saw that, in the Kingdom of God … there is NO RACE! That was the revelation which inspired MLK to speak out against the social injustice of his generation.
As we’ve been traveling across the United States, one of the messages we’ve been carrying is being a minister of reconciliation for bringing restoration of relationship between parties that have been divided and wounded.
As we’ve been traveling across the United States, the spiritual warfare is more tangible than ever before. Whereas years ago, it was done in secret, open, and public occult demonic activity is increasing in numerous places. We are facing principalities and powers in heavenly places and here on Earth, and we must fight as the saints of old, with the spiritual weapons of faith, and the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God. And ultimately it IS His battle.
Carl Armerding wrote a funny story in Moody Monthly, about his experience at the zoo. “As I stood there,” he said, “an attendant entered the cage through a door on the opposite side. He had nothing in his hands but a broom.
When Saul was king of Israel, there were no giant slayers in their midst; so when Goliath stood against the armies of Israel, the Israelites trembled! There was, however, a young shepherd, whose intimate knowledge of His God inspired and empowered him to fight the evil giant, and defeat him.
An ancient story is told of a King of Spain who was to visit a poor country village. Upon hearing of his plan to visit them, the people seemed excited to offer a great celebration that would show their adoration and love for their king. But the villagers didn’t have much to offer.
Samson is a powerful example of a man of God who won his battles over and over again because the Spirit of the Lord came upon him. Yet when he was finally defeated by Delilah's temptations he didn’t realize that the Lord had left him, so effective was the woman's spell...