UNITY - Dingi, Mon & Chris

Unity - We are Better Together

DINGI

Unity in the family

Proverb 1:8 Listen, my son, to your father's instruction and do not forsake your mother's teaching.

Colossians 3:13 Bear with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgive each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.

FAMILY.

A group of one or more parents and their children living together as a unit.

All the descendants of a common ancestor.

UNITY.

The state of being united or joined as a whole.

The quality or state of being one

Some words that mean the same as unity; harmony, solidarity, identity, agreement.

1. The 2 fundamentals Of family unity

The foundation of unity lies in God, the same God  who ordained and blessed the first marriage.(Genesis 2:22-23)

He intended that man should co exist in harmony, for he said go and fortify the earth; and that was the first family.

So then, that tells us that family is the root of unity.

Part 1 is in Proverbs 1:8 Listen, my son, to your father's instruction and do not forsake your mother's teaching. ........so there's God and  the parents, and then there's sons and daughters, that's how it flows down , so as children we listen and not forsake.

Part 2 is in Colossians 3:13 Bear with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgive each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.. ......this one involves all family members.

So if each one belongs to a family that should come naturally, is it inherent, is it easy no? NO.

2 The perfect family.

Colossians 3:13 says bear with one another, there is no such thing as a perfect family unless we're all perfect. "But all have fallen short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).

But there's hope of perfection, Hebrews 10:14 "For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified."

So the enemy tries to break families so that he can destroy unity at it's core, through divide and conquer, hardships, temptation, hurt and hate, disturbance, unfaithfulness, all these and many other devices. So how do we overcome this?

So God has shown us that the way to unity is love

1 John 4:12, 20 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. 20 If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.

Things happen when families unite, goals are achieved, troubles are conquered, it is comforting to have a shoulder to lean on in times of grief. And of course "For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them. Matt 3:20.

Remember that times are always changing, you never know when you gonna need someone and stay open and connected to family because someone needs you.

In every family there are members with different characteristics, different strengths and weaknesses, different visions and thought processes. We have to learn to be the best of ourselves in order to gain the best of each other. Just like the eyes is better at seeing than the ears, the ears better at hearing than the eyes, but when they co-ordinate they have the best of both.

We should Never lose hope for family that are struggling, be it in faith, or other hardships, keep praying for them, find someone to pray with in unity, remember things happen when we unite.

Sometimes we dought whether or not we were born in the right family, we just want to finish school and run off somewhere very far, but I say trust the almighty father, it's all a big masterplan and you are one special piece he's placed at the right place and his plan for you will be fullfilled.

My mum used to say to us, "Muji sungenge Bana bane"  (look after one another). And that's very true, because if we don't look after each other who else will do it.

One of the greatest gifts or comfort you can leave someone behind is the legacy of your love and harmony, time is fleeting show love and unity now for tomorrow is not promised.

#So let us love, let us care, let us stay in touch, let us embrace one another in all types of seasons, and let us spread the unity.

God bless you.

CHRIS

UNITY IN COMMUNITY  - Be the Light

Brief overview • Chris James attending oasis since Dec 2006 • Lived and worked in community for 15years Child Protection Social and emotional wellbeing Mental and AODS so I'm in the community right? after all its called community services. But what does unity in community look like Let's pray In community and society today there are still many things that come to divide and try to stop us from having peace with others. Things like our differences of opinion, forcing or feeling force to compromise on values or morals, offenses, natural disaters, wars or rumors of wars. Romans 12:18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone So for me and you to have peace in community it must depend on how I feel, whether someone is nice to me or not, says the right thing or likes what I like determines if we can work in unity right? Not the case ... even though this something I see all to often even in my life. But we need to remember this is why this scripture says as far as it DEPENDS on you.. So first step to having unity in community starts with you 1. Check our attitude? ATTITUDE - by Charles Swindol The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company...a church....a home (Community). The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past...we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude...I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you...we are in charge of our attitudes. So as far as it DEPENDS on you. What that means for us is we are accountable for our attitudes. How I choose to act, respond or react are on me. 2. Be different Romans 12:2 NKJV: And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. To be light to others we need to prove what is good and acceptable which means being different from just what society expects and the courage to go against the grain. 3. Show Love/Charity 1 Corinthians 13:13 KJV And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity. Charity in thus context is Tzedakah is the Hebrew word for philanthropy and charity. It is a form of social justice in which donors benefit from giving as much or more than the recipients. So much more than a financial transaction, tzedakah builds trusting relationships and includes contributions of time, effort, and insight. This means genuine giving to others without expectation of getting anything in return. This helps build others up that then has a flow on effect to the wider community. So we can build unity by being the light through: 1. Checking our Attitudes 2. Be different 3. Show Love/Charity

MONICA

Unity in the Body

Scripture: Psalm 133:1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brethren to dwell together in unity! NKJV

The Passion Translations Psalm 133:1 How truly wonderful and delightful it is to see brothers and sisters living together in sweet unity!

I want to share on Nehemiah chapter 2-3.

Nehemiah was rebuilding the wall, while others despised him, he had others join him in building the wall.

We see men and their sons. Men with their daughters coming together to build new structures and some repairing damage walls.

We noticed people coming together who had different perspectives, professions, and skills.

Ch.3 Vs 8 Goldsmiths – Goldsmiths, design and make gold jewellery, including jewellery with precious and semi-precious stones. GOOGLE

Ch.3 Vs 8 Perfumers - A perfumer is an expert on creating perfume compositions, sometimes referred to affectionately as a nose (French: nez) due to their fine sense of smell and skill in producing olfactory compositions GOOGLE

A merchant is a person who trades in commodities produced by other people, especially one who trades with foreign countries. Historically, a merchant is anyone who is involved in business or trade. GOOGLE

These people who put their hand up to help Nehemiah had no building or construction background, but we notice their wiliness to participate in building the wall.

Despite their ability or inability, their job, their education, ethnicity they all came to work together for one purpose to build the wall of Jerusalem.

Today brothers and sisters we gather today to build the church and the church is you and me. No matter what background of skill or speciality you have we can remain united in the body and build each other to grow in our relationship with God

My personal experience is that I came to a church that welcomed us and helped me to grow spiritually. I built friendships that have become close as a brother and sister. Our children love to be in church because of the community of people around them.

To finish off I would like to be thankful for all brothers and sisters who are part of the body – the church.

I Thessalonians chapter 1-5 encourages us to be thankful for God and his people!

Thankful for:

Our pastors for taking up the vocation of faith- dedicated in believing and praying for people and building the church of God.

To all leaders for planning and organising events for people to experience the love of God.

To all you fellow brothers and sister for, being like the four who lowered their friend to receive healing - you brought your friend to church, you put in a prayer request for their healing and need.

For making a meal to help families.

For visiting others when they were sick.

For helping with minding children for parents or for a single mum or dad.

For putting a smile on someone’s face by simple acts of love.

For dedicating your time to create a welcoming, warm environment.

For rejoicing with others when they had victories.

For writting songs and practicing (in your time) to play the songs in worship for us to experience the joy of the Lord.

In all you did you were and are building the church of the living God.

As we all leave this place we are revived, we are encouraged, and we have built relationships that will carry us through and through the journey of life.

Psalm 133

2 It is like the precious oil upon the head, Running down on the beard, The beard of Aaron, Running down on the edge of his garments.

3  It is like the dew of Hermon, Descending upon the mountains of Zion; For there the Lord commanded the blessing — Life forevermore.