Lisa Notes: Not divide and conquer; unify and conquer

How wonderful, how beautiful, when brothers and sisters get along!
Psalm 133:1 (The Message)

Pastor Mark was preaching it hard on Sunday. Our “ministry of love” is reconciliation of relationships (2 Corinthians 5:18). How will others know who we are? By our love.

It was important to Jesus; it should be important to us (John 17:21).

This past weekend I spent time with three of my lifelong friends. We all grew up in the same small town and went to the same small church. But we graduated from two different colleges, now live in three different cities, and are part of four different churches.

But we spent Friday all together in Auburn, proving unity doesn’t call for uniformity. Because not all four of us are equal Auburn fans (and one is no Auburn fan at all). My bff Alicia is the biggest Auburn fan I know, yet she married a University of Alabama man, lived in Tuscaloosa for a time, and sent her sons to college there. She proves you don’t have to totally agree on everything to be unified.

Love is not divide and conquer, Pastor Mark reminded us.
It is unify and conquer.

Regardless of our different preferences and tastes and team affiliations, my friends and I share a core, common love of Jesus Christ. He’s at the heart of our friendship. May our love for each other prove it to be so.

By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.
John 13:35

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Who can you love this week and show you are Jesus’s disciple?

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beezworthy 33p · 632 weeks ago

I wholeheartedly agree with your pastor and I love his words, "It is unify and conquer." I think that's where Satan really defeats us--not on how we should love but with whom should we love. We let so many little things get in our way of loving one another and working in God's kingdom to bring others to Him. I'm soaking in your words today, Lisa. Thanks for the blessing!

fsamons 60p · 632 weeks ago

I love that verse. If we really lived that verse out in life the world would look like a much different place I think. The ties that bind are much stronger than the ones we let divide us. A good reminder of our mission here.

Good for you to be able to have life long friends and sisters in Christ. What a blessing.
My recent post BATTLES AND PERSPECTIVE

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Mia · 632 weeks ago

Dear Lisa
Oh yes, dear one, love does not divide over small, trivial things, but unites us is spite of them all. Over via Emily's.
Much love
Mia
My recent post Message in A Bottle

Lynn Severance · 632 weeks ago

How great to have the unifying history of many years with your women friends.

I am sure you have buoyed each other up during many changes and experiences over the years and grown deeper in your relationships with each other and the Lord.

Truly, you all are a microcosm of what the Body of Christ can be - either for a lifetime or a day.
Each person we meet deserves the love and attention we have to give at that moment!

My recent post Rainbows in the Night

lauraboggess 49p · 632 weeks ago

You girls are beautiful! What a gift to have such good friends to walk with. Your friendship gives a good picture of unity :).

emilytwierenga 46p · 632 weeks ago

wow, what a gift, friend. friendships like this help us remember how special we are to the Lord. bless you.
My recent post A Dare to Love Yourself: In which I invite a man to share his story

Jody Collins · 632 weeks ago

What a treasure,Lisa, are old friends. This post was perfect. We've been reading I, II and III John in our Home Group and he writes the same thing there as in the Gospel--the greatest thing we have as believers to show Who we know is our love, especially for believers.
'Unify and conquer.' Boy, your pastor's smart :-)

fourboys4 9p · 632 weeks ago

Lifelong friends are such a treasure! Even among those who don't share our love of the saviour, I think it's our love that strikes them...that makes them see that our lives are different. Love IS the key.

Katie · 632 weeks ago

Unify and conquer --- I needed to hear those words, along with reconcile relationships...... been fighting with my spouse a lot tonight. I should be loving him instead of fighting.