WEBVTT 00:04.992 --> 00:14.163 [SPEAKER_00]: As we continue our week on Jesus High Priestly Prayer, today we'll explore God's desire to see His people unified. 00:15.265 --> 00:17.107 [SPEAKER_00]: Why would this be important to Him? 00:17.928 --> 00:21.252 [SPEAKER_00]: What good could be and unity for us and others? 00:22.293 --> 00:25.998 [SPEAKER_00]: What is Jesus trying to communicate to the world through us? 00:27.259 --> 00:33.447 [SPEAKER_00]: May our hearts be open to the answers we discover today as we take a deeper dive. 00:33.747 --> 00:47.335 [SPEAKER_00]: Welcome to the first 15 podcast. 01:04.240 --> 01:09.790 [SPEAKER_00]: Our Scripture for today comes from John 17, verses 10 and 11. 01:10.772 --> 01:19.988 [SPEAKER_00]: In it Jesus' praise, all mine are yours and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. 01:20.457 --> 01:26.246 [SPEAKER_00]: And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. 01:27.388 --> 01:36.122 [SPEAKER_00]: Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. 01:40.269 --> 01:44.035 [SPEAKER_00]: We were created for unity with fellow believers. 01:45.247 --> 01:51.438 [SPEAKER_00]: It's in the pursuit of unity that the bonds of selfishness and pride are often broken. 01:52.861 --> 02:01.757 [SPEAKER_00]: It's in the surrender of opinion and selfish ambition that we find the abundant life that comes through sacrificial living. 02:03.300 --> 02:09.010 [SPEAKER_00]: And most importantly, it's in unity that Jesus is most glorified. 02:10.660 --> 02:26.800 [SPEAKER_00]: Jesus says, in John 17, verses 10 and 11, all mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them, and I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. 02:28.041 --> 02:36.972 [SPEAKER_00]: Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. 02:39.280 --> 02:45.909 [SPEAKER_00]: Unity between two humans is only truly possible by the working of the Holy Spirit. 02:47.452 --> 02:56.304 [SPEAKER_00]: Apart from God dwelling in transforming man, we will never be able to live sacrificially with any level of consistency. 02:57.827 --> 03:03.094 [SPEAKER_00]: It's for that reason that Jesus is so glorified through our unity. 03:03.766 --> 03:10.114 [SPEAKER_00]: and it's for that reason that pursuing unity between believers is of the utmost importance. 03:11.436 --> 03:18.886 [SPEAKER_00]: What are we declaring to the world when we bicker, slander, and give up on unity with fellow believers? 03:20.328 --> 03:29.200 [SPEAKER_00]: Why would the lost want anything to do with a group of dramatic, hateful, judgmental, and selfish Christians? 03:30.631 --> 03:35.558 [SPEAKER_00]: Christ has charged us with the command to be His hands in feet. 03:36.980 --> 03:44.050 [SPEAKER_00]: He's commanded us to make disciples and our ministry is nothing without love. 03:45.712 --> 03:54.765 [SPEAKER_00]: When we pursue our own pride and gain over unity, we are directly disobeying the commands of Scripture. 03:55.994 --> 04:04.286 [SPEAKER_00]: When we allow strife and pride to place barriers between us, we hurt the cause of Christ to which we are called. 04:04.346 --> 04:09.995 [SPEAKER_00]: Scripture is clear and it's command to pursue unity. 04:11.477 --> 04:16.905 [SPEAKER_00]: Unity isn't a suggestion that we don't have to adhere to because people can be difficult. 04:18.087 --> 04:23.014 [SPEAKER_00]: It's a command straight from God and it's of the highest importance. 04:24.108 --> 04:50.773 [SPEAKER_00]: Ephesians 4 verses 1 through 3 says, either for a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 04:52.576 --> 05:01.908 [SPEAKER_00]: Romans 12, 16 says, live in harmony with one another, do not be hotty, but associate with the lowly. 05:02.989 --> 05:05.232 [SPEAKER_00]: Never be wise in your own sight. 05:06.834 --> 05:13.082 [SPEAKER_00]: In 2 Corinthians 13, 11 says, finally brothers rejoice. 05:13.467 --> 05:26.118 [SPEAKER_00]: Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace, and the God of love in peace will be with you. 05:28.203 --> 05:31.611 [SPEAKER_00]: You are called to be a carrier of peace. 05:32.671 --> 05:43.392 [SPEAKER_00]: The Holy Spirit dwelling within you longs to make you a person who pursues restoration, comfort, agreement, and peace with fellow believers. 05:44.715 --> 05:53.532 [SPEAKER_00]: He longs to fill you with love, honor, patience, and respect for the fellow believers he has placed in your midst. 05:54.980 --> 05:57.662 [SPEAKER_00]: When you feel dissension, arise within you. 05:58.583 --> 06:02.627 [SPEAKER_00]: Choose to serve your brother or sister out of reverence for God. 06:03.888 --> 06:06.570 [SPEAKER_00]: Choose to pursue peace at all costs. 06:08.051 --> 06:19.301 [SPEAKER_00]: And in doing so, you will bring glory to Jesus and declare to the world the wonderful transformation that comes only through salvation in Jesus. 06:21.222 --> 06:24.345 [SPEAKER_00]: Settle your heart as you enter guided prayer. 06:58.649 --> 07:19.510 [SPEAKER_00]: as we begin, meditate on the importance of unity in the body of believers, allow scripture to motivate you toward peace and harmony with others. 07:20.502 --> 07:33.685 [SPEAKER_00]: aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you. 08:16.747 --> 08:17.348 [SPEAKER_00]: and next. 08:18.730 --> 08:23.057 [SPEAKER_00]: What is keeping you from pursuing unity with believers around you? 08:24.639 --> 08:29.086 [SPEAKER_00]: What thoughts or perspectives keep you from loving other Christians well? 08:30.889 --> 08:36.257 [SPEAKER_00]: What work does the Spirit want to do in you today to help you pursue unity? 09:20.180 --> 09:20.841 [SPEAKER_00]: and last. 09:22.244 --> 09:27.813 [SPEAKER_00]: Surrender any pride or negativity that is keeping you from pursuing unity. 09:29.255 --> 09:39.032 [SPEAKER_00]: Ask the Lord to give you the courage to fight for peace and choose a life of sacrifice rather than selfish ambition. 10:32.776 --> 10:36.041 [SPEAKER_00]: loving others always has to start with you. 10:37.403 --> 10:41.809 [SPEAKER_00]: You can't expect others to change before you choose to love them. 10:43.251 --> 10:49.180 [SPEAKER_00]: The Lord doesn't call us to wait for others to get their lives sorted out before we pursue unity. 10:50.362 --> 10:57.552 [SPEAKER_00]: He's asking us to choose obedience to Him by loving others even when they don't deserve 10:58.797 --> 11:06.377 [SPEAKER_00]: choose love today and discover the abundant life and purpose within unity between believers. 11:37.053 --> 11:42.442 [SPEAKER_00]: Thanks for listening to today's podcast on the Unity available to us in God. 11:43.084 --> 11:44.827 [SPEAKER_00]: I'm Josh Miller with First of Team. 11:45.969 --> 11:55.365 [SPEAKER_00]: Whenever conflict arises today, remember that God has a perfect plan to lead you into unity with others around you. 11:55.497 --> 12:01.671 [SPEAKER_00]: take a moment even if you can't see the path to unity and ask him to illuminate it for you. 12:02.753 --> 12:09.307 [SPEAKER_00]: A wonderful prayer you can pray is, God help me to see where you're at work in the lives of others around me. 12:10.109 --> 12:12.274 [SPEAKER_00]: Help me to see you and others. 12:13.503 --> 12:22.202 [SPEAKER_00]: May God give you a profound sense of connection with your brothers and sisters in the faith today as you seek to live in unity as Jesus prayed. 12:23.364 --> 12:28.255 [SPEAKER_00]: Have a wonderful rest of your day today and may God bless you as you seek Him.