Union Church 6-9-08

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Form Your thoughts in my mind and Your desires in my heart, as I watch and wait for the leading of Your Spirit. ... "Solomon sent word to Hiram, saying, 'You know that my father David could not build a house for the name of the Lord his God because of the warfare with which his enemies surrounded him, until the Lord put them under the soles of his feet. But now the Lord my God has given me rest on every side; there is neither adversary nor misfortune. So I intend to build a house for the name of the Lord my God ..." (1 Kings 5:2-5). You've sent me this week to pray with Your people, proclaim the coming of Your kingdom, and help prepare the way of the Lord in Kerrville, Texas. We're meeting at the First Christian Church, one of the original four churches of this community. Your city-wide church began with the blessing of unity in this hill country community. People of faith and prayer from four different denominations came together to build the Union Church -- shared jointly by the Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, and Christian churches. All four traditions of Your body in this city came together in this house of the Lord for its first service on Christmas Eve, 1885. You crushed the enemy of sectarianism and division under the feet of the unified body of Christ in this region. Under the name of Jesus, they came together "to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace," declaring by word and action that Your church is of "one body and one Spirit ... one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all" (Ephesians 4:3-6). It's in the unity of the body and the bond of the Spirit that You establish Your victorious church and give us "rest on every side" from the warfare of adversity and misfortune. In the city-wide witness of Your city-wide church we win the city-wide war in the heavenly realms. The principalities and powers of the kingdom of darkness are displaced by the light of the glory of Your kingdom shining forth through Your people who choose to love You and love one another. You release Your power through the union of Your church. On Your high priestly prayer to our Father during Your ministry on earth, You prayed that we "may become completely one, so that the world may know You have sent (Your Son)" (John 17:23). Restore the church of this city to that deep and strong root of unity. Bring together Your church in every city in the bonds of love and peace in Your Spirit to display Your glory. In that bond, the enemy of our souls and Your church will be crushed under our feet by the power of Your name (Romans 16:20). Though Your church, the lost will be found, the broken will be healed, and the bound will be free because the world will know that the Father has sent His Son in His love for them. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Subscribe free by email to Messiah Ministries -- MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord ... Ministering the Healing Love of God" www.messiah-ministries.org 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 Order our Resources On-Line: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org