NOTE:  I think these "three things" brought out below are quite 
profound. Take time to ponder them.
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Date sent:      Fri, 19 Nov 2004 10:03:27 -0500
From:           "Robert G. Harms" <rgharms@...>


The 3 KEYS to UNITY - a Vision

My first vision occurred in the early 1980s. I was attending a meeting 
in Ohio. The main speaker was Bob Mumford, a well-known Christian 
teacher from Florida.

During his presentation Bob Mumford was talking about unity among 
Christians. He said that God was "crunching" His people together so 
that we would no longer look at each other and say, "You are of one 
group and I am of another group", but we would say, "Hi, brother, 
let's serve the Lord together." Then Bob Mumford said, "I don't know 
what we can do to promote this process."

Immediately I lost consciousness of being in that meeting, and was 
surrounded in white, like a dense fog. Three questions came to my 
mind and heart:

First, "How is it that you call yourselves by this name or that name? 
My people should be called by My name."

Second, "And how is it that you say, 'I belong here' or 'I belong 
there'? You belong to Me.

Third, "And how is it that you bind yourselves together with bonds 
of covenant when I would have you bonded with love?"

With those three questions ringing in my heart, I realized that I was 
still in the Bob Mumford meeting. I didn't know whether to stand and 
prophesy those questions, or to go forward and tell them to Bob 
Mumford or the host pastor. So I prayed, "Lord, what do You want 
me to do?" In response I got the impression that they would not 
receive this word, but it was for another time. (Acts 22:18)

I believe the time is now. The answer to the question, "What do we 
do to promote unity among believers" is: REPENT. We need to 
repent of the pride which has separated us from one another. We 
need to repent of naming ourselves. Since "Christian" is the generic 
term for followers of Jesus Christ, let us unite in Him.

Do we really belong to this church or that denomination? No! We are 
"bought with a price". (1 Corinthians 6:20, 7:23) We belong to Him 
alone. Let us follow Jesus wherever He might take us. Let us fellowship 
with whomever He wills, and be free to fellowship with believers everywhere.

Let us no longer bind ourselves with covenants to the exclusion of 
other believers. There are no cousins in the Body of Christ, only 
brothers and sisters!  [Surely this refers to signing up for "membership"
of just one particular denomination. -ed].

The answer to the question, "What can we do to promote the unity 
of believers?" is: REPENT.

Father, please forgive us for naming ourselves by this name or that 
name. We confess it as sin. From now on let us be ever so grateful 
that You allow us to bear the Name which is above all names - the 
name of Jesus Christ. To be a true, faithful, humble-minded, loving 
Christian is the highest calling there is.

And please forgive us for believing that we belong here or there. We 
belong to You, and may we all be free to be led by Your Spirit wherever 
You want us to be, doing whatever You want us to do.

And please forgive us for binding ourselves together with bonds of 
covenant. Please set us free from all bondage of heart and mind. 
Let the only bonds on us be the bonds of love for You, for one 
another, and for all people.

In Jesus' name. Amen!