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We Are One - Your Daily Forward Devotional

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In The Days of the Judges

In The Days of the Judges

A Glimmer of Hope

A Glimmer of Hope

Bitter or a Believer?

Bitter or a Believer?

Great Faithfulness

Great Faithfulness

Bitter Emptiness

Bitter Emptiness

God Intended It For Good

God Intended It For Good

Getting Started...

Getting Started...

The True Vine

  • Jun 3, 2023

The True Vine

The Way

  • Jun 2, 2023

The Way

The Resurrection and the Life

  • Jun 1, 2023

The Resurrection and the Life

The Good Shepherd

  • May 31, 2023

The Good Shepherd

The Door

  • May 30, 2023

The Door

The Bread and the Light

  • May 29, 2023

The Bread and the Light

John Saw It All

  • May 27, 2023

John Saw It All

Worry About Yourself

  • May 26, 2023

Worry About Yourself

Count the Cost

  • May 25, 2023

Count the Cost

Do You Love God?

  • May 24, 2023

Do You Love God?

Jump All In

  • May 23, 2023

Jump All In

Gone Fishing Again

  • May 22, 2023

Gone Fishing Again

You May Have Life In His Name

  • May 20, 2023

You May Have Life In His Name

The Disciple Who Believed

  • May 19, 2023

The Disciple Who Believed

The Disciple Who Doubted

  • May 18, 2023

The Disciple Who Doubted

APRIL - JUNE 2023
January - March 2023
October - December 2022
July - September 2022
April - June 2022
January - March 2022
October - December 2021
July - September 2021
April - June 2021
January - March 2021

A Trustworthy Testament

  • Mar 31, 2021

A Trustworthy Testament

Is the Bible True?

  • Mar 30, 2021

Is the Bible True?

The Word of God

  • Mar 29, 2021

The Word of God

Fullness of Joy

  • Mar 27, 2021

Fullness of Joy

You Can’t Earn It

  • Mar 26, 2021

You Can’t Earn It

Once for All

  • Mar 25, 2021

Once for All

Unrighteous Righteous Deeds

  • Mar 24, 2021

Unrighteous Righteous Deeds

The Door

  • Mar 23, 2021

The Door

Peace with God or Peace Among Men?

  • Mar 22, 2021

Peace with God or Peace Among Men?

Who Is the King of Your Life?

  • Mar 20, 2021

Who Is the King of Your Life?

A God Who Gets It

  • Mar 19, 2021

A God Who Gets It

Ransom Paid, Fully Redeemed

  • Mar 18, 2021

Ransom Paid, Fully Redeemed

Jesus Alone Saves

  • Mar 17, 2021

Jesus Alone Saves

The Son of God

  • Mar 16, 2021

The Son of God

Is Jesus Really Who He Said He Was?

  • Mar 15, 2021

Is Jesus Really Who He Said He Was?

Justified into Sainthood

  • Mar 13, 2021

Justified into Sainthood

Let’s Stick Together

  • Mar 12, 2021

Let’s Stick Together

Take Care to Remember

  • Mar 11, 2021

Take Care to Remember

Lying to Ourselves

  • Mar 10, 2021

Lying to Ourselves

His Spirit Within Us

  • Mar 9, 2021

His Spirit Within Us

Handmade Humans

  • Mar 8, 2021

Handmade Humans

The Life You Deserve

  • Mar 6, 2021

The Life You Deserve

There is No Other

  • Mar 5, 2021

There is No Other

God Knows You

  • Mar 4, 2021

God Knows You

The Perfect Father

  • Mar 3, 2021

The Perfect Father

Our Constant

  • Mar 2, 2021

Our Constant

It Was No Accident

  • Mar 1, 2021

It Was No Accident

The Key to Being Bold

  • Feb 26, 2021

The Key to Being Bold

Battle Ready

  • Feb 25, 2021

Battle Ready

A Working Witness

  • Feb 24, 2021

A Working Witness

Raise Them Right

  • Feb 23, 2021

Raise Them Right

Leading in Love

  • Feb 22, 2021

Leading in Love

Submission: It’s Not What You Think

  • Feb 19, 2021

Submission: It’s Not What You Think

Be Intentional

  • Feb 18, 2021

Be Intentional

Children of Light

  • Feb 17, 2021

Children of Light

Empty Words

  • Feb 16, 2021

Empty Words

The Art of Imitation

  • Feb 15, 2021

The Art of Imitation

Watch Your Mouth

  • Feb 12, 2021

Watch Your Mouth

Honest Living

  • Feb 11, 2021

Honest Living

Before You Knew Him

  • Feb 10, 2021

Before You Knew Him

Don’t Give Yourself Up

  • Feb 9, 2021

Don’t Give Yourself Up

The Healthy Doctrine Diet

  • Feb 8, 2021

The Healthy Doctrine Diet

Stewarding Your Gifts

  • Feb 5, 2021

Stewarding Your Gifts

A Common Creed

  • Feb 4, 2021

A Common Creed

Bear With One Another

  • Feb 3, 2021

Bear With One Another

Unimaginable Power

  • Feb 2, 2021

Unimaginable Power

Knowing Love

  • Feb 1, 2021

Knowing Love

Be Strengthened

  • Jan 29, 2021

Be Strengthened

Fall on Your Knees

  • Jan 28, 2021

Fall on Your Knees

From Suffering to Glory

  • Jan 27, 2021

From Suffering to Glory

Why Am I Here?

  • Jan 26, 2021

Why Am I Here?

Discovered Treasure

  • Jan 25, 2021

Discovered Treasure

The Gift of Serving

  • Jan 22, 2021

The Gift of Serving

Bound and Determined

  • Jan 21, 2021

Bound and Determined

You Belong Here

  • Jan 20, 2021

You Belong Here

All Access Pass

  • Jan 19, 2021

All Access Pass

We Are One

  • Jan 18, 2021

We Are One

No Longer Outsiders

  • Jan 15, 2021

No Longer Outsiders

A Useful Gift

  • Jan 14, 2021

A Useful Gift

If Not for God

  • Jan 13, 2021

If Not for God

You Were Dead

  • Jan 12, 2021

You Were Dead

How Powerful Is Our God?

  • Jan 11, 2021

How Powerful Is Our God?

That You May Know

  • Jan 8, 2021

That You May Know

There Are Guarantees in Life

  • Jan 7, 2021

There Are Guarantees in Life

The Master Plan

  • Jan 6, 2021

The Master Plan

Glorious Grace

  • Jan 5, 2021

Glorious Grace

Chosen Ones

  • Jan 4, 2021

Chosen Ones

Grace and Peace

  • Jan 1, 2021

Grace and Peace

October - December 2020
July - September 2020
April - June 2020
January - March 2020
backtothebiblebttb2
Back to the BibleJan 18, 2021 7:00 am GMT

We Are One

 

January 18

 

Read Ephesians 2:14-16

For He Himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in His flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that He might create in Himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. 

 

Reflect

How did Jesus Christ make peace between the Gentiles and the Jews?

 

Last week, we talked about the Gentiles and how they had previously been considered outsiders. Gentiles (anyone who is not Jewish) were considered far from God. They were not God’s covenant people and therefore, they were not entitled to the blessings that belonged to the Jewish nation. Throughout history, the Jews warred against many Gentile nations. They were even oppressed and conquered by Gentile nations. The Jews and Gentiles were sworn enemies.

 

Because the Gentiles did not follow God’s laws and were considered “unclean” or “profane” many Jews treated them with disdain. The Torah was like a “dividing wall” between the Jews and non-Jews. In the temple, there was even an actual wall that kept the Gentiles away from the inner courts and away from God’s presence. The wall kept the Gentiles physically and spiritually far from God and separate from the Jewish people.

 

Until Jesus. Paul tells the Ephesians that Jesus Himself is their peace. How? By abolishing the very laws that kept them separate. But Jesus didn’t just make the two separate groups friendly with each other. Paul clearly states that Jesus made the two groups one. This wasn’t just a peace treaty. This was unification. Through Christ’s work on the cross, Paul says that both groups were reconciled to God and therefore, the hostility between the two has been killed. The hostility died with Christ on the cross. The law has been abolished and a new covenant was made between God and His people. Jew and Gentile both make up the church of Jesus Christ. We are now one body. His body.

 

What does that mean for us today? It means that if we are in Christ, we are one body. Regardless of our culture, race, ethnicity, gender, or social status, we are His body. All who believe in the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ for our salvation and reconciliation to God are united in Him. We are one.

 

Friends, we are united so we should be at peace with one another. There should no longer be hostility between the members of the body of Christ. He Himself is our peace. Let’s walk in that truth!

 

Pray

Jesus, thank You for Your grace and mercy that tears down the walls that divide people. Thank You for making us one body, your church. Help us to live out the peace that You have sacrificially given to us. Amen.

 


~ Pastor Nat Crawford

 

 

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rgomezgarciavirginia
virginia
2 years ago
*THANKYOUJESUS*
2
likeReply
2 years ago
Thank you Lord for making us one body, your church. Thank you for making us one group. You are our peace, let us walk in that truth.
2
likeReply
D
David
2 years ago
There was a time when I was both physically and spiritually far from You my Lord. But You have come, You have died in my place, and have wrought my salvation. Thank You Lord Jesus for uniting me with You and with all who believe in Your finished work on the cross.
2
likeReply
C
Cynthia
2 years ago
By creating one man to invite the two people into one.
2
likeReply
J
Julie
2 years ago
Amen!
1
likeReply
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