Promoting Unity

“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you.” John 17:20-21

New York City has been nicknamed the melting pot. The term describes the ethnic richness of the city. New York’s metropolitan region has a plethora of residents from a diverse pool of nationalities.

Without question God’s love extends to each and every one of these individuals. In the Christian church, a variety of denominations and flavors of worship exist. We do not all hold to the same beliefs. We differ in style and in Scriptural interpretation. Some of us are more traditional, while others enjoy a contemporary approach to worship. But can we agree on some things?

Perhaps we can unify around the basic essentials of our faith. Do we agree that salvation can only be found by placing one’s trust in Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection? Do we believe that the Lord is one God who exists as the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit? Do we believe that the Scripture is the inspired word of God?

If believers can agree on such fundamental truths as these, perhaps we have a basis for unity. We do not have to compromise our beliefs, but we can learn to focus on what we have in common.

Jesus prayed that we would be one as he and the Father are one. Let us also pray for this to be a reality as we take the necessary steps to promote unity within the Body of Christ.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Teach me to embrace the entire body of Christ. With your help I choose to love those who are truly my brothers and sisters in Christ, but who approach worship differently than I do. Make us one Lord as you and Jesus are one. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

© Copyright 2008 by Tom Toya. All rights reserved.

The Mountain

Great rocks spiring, pierce the sky
A head of snow, a torso of granite
Its massive feet anchored in the valley
This mighty mountain, the handiwork of God, mirrors its Maker
Strong and tall, adorned with unshakable beauty
Bold, unashamed truth bathed in beauty
As a cataract flows down its frame
Melted ice gushing from the precipice
Warmed by a heart on fire with extravagant love

© Copyright 2009 Tom Toya. All rights reserved.

God's Power Released

“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father just you are in me and I am in you.”
John 17:20-21

When the 120 believers came together in unified prayer, the power of Pentecost fell. There is great power in unity. The psalmist spoke of the preciousness of brethren coming together as one (Psalm 133). He said it was like the oil poured upon the head of Aaron the high priest. Oil in the Bible is a symbol of the Holy Spirit. Moses poured anointing oil on Aaron to prepare and equip him for the Lord’s purposes.

As the oil poured down Aaron’s beard, it flowed over his twelve-jeweled breastplate. Each gem represented one of the tribes of Israel (Exod 28: 15-21, Lev 8:7-12). This symbolized the power of the Holy Spirit being poured out on unified followers of God.

As we love one another, God releases His power within and upon us to help us accomplish His will. Jesus prayed that we would be one just as He and the Father are one (John 17:21). It is only through a spirit of unity that Christians will be able to adequately fulfill the great commission.

Many of us have experienced God at work on outreaches and short-term mission trips, where a spirit of unity prevailed. The Lord moves mightily when his body comes together around his purposes. Let’s expect God to do extraordinary things as we strive to prefer one another in love.

Dear Father God,

It is my desire to honor my fellow believers. I choose to relate to them in a spirit of unity. As I do this, I trust that your power will work on my behalf and that your Spirit will cause wondrous things to happen for your glory. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

© Copyright 2008 by Tom Toya. All rights reserved.

Remember the Cross

For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for the will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. Romans 7:18-19

Though I believe it is every true believer's desire to walk in the Spirit, the truth is we all fall short of God's best. It's important to know that the Lord's mercy extends to each of us at our point of need. At the cross, Jesus paid the price for our sin - past, present, and future. His mercy is enough to wash us clean and to set us back on our feet. Proverbs 24:16 says a righteous man may fall seven times, but he rises again. In the Christian life, we will fall, but when we do we can remember the cross.

Jesus has already forgiven us. To receive His forgiveness we must confess and forsake our sin. Then the Lord will hold us in His arms of love and give us the ability to get up and walk free from our besetting sin. Let's remember the cross. Doing so will not only secure our forgiveness, it will help us to walk in victory. The Scripture calls believers overcomers (1 John 5:4-5). Let's receive that title by faith and through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can learn to walk more and more steady - always mindful of the cross.

Dear Lord,

Thank you for the cross. Thank you for your suffering. Thank you for choosing to die for me when you did not have to. Forgive me for my sins. Cleanse me and wash me, and help me to follow you ever more closely. Teach me to walk steady in the Spirit. In Jesus Name I pray, Amen.

Judge Not

Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Matthew 7:1

It’s an easy thing to spot sin in another. How quickly we’ve learned to point our fingers. But Christ taught us to be circumspect, to discover our own shortcomings. When we yield to the conviction of the Holy Spirit, he shapes us as vessels of reconciliation. God can then use us to influence others toward upright living.

I believe that the chief purpose of God-given discernment is to encourage us to pray effectively for others. When God removes the log in our own eye, we can – through prayer – remove the sliver in our neighbor’s eye. At times, the Lord may lead us to gently speak to the individual, but confronting others should never be our mainstay.

We are not called to become instruments of condemnation, but as God leads us we can peaceably bring restoration to another. We are to do this with care so that we do not fall into temptation ourselves (Gal 6:1).

Dear Lord,

Help me to spot the sin in my own heart before I judge others for their shortcomings. I am sorry for pointing my finger at others, when all the time you wanted to refine my character. Teach me to pray before I speak into other people's lives. Don't allow me to bring words of correction to individuals unless I am being led of your love and your Spirit. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

The Feather

She stretched her wings
That great bird perched on a brick chimney
One quill found freedom
A wisp of air set the feather sailing

Over housetops
Through the valley
Then it rested on the lush green grass

But a gust launched it again into orbit
It fluttered back and forth, ever yielding to the wind

Blessed are those born from above
Who move with the gentle tide of the Spirit
Who listen to His stirrings
Who surrender to the daily call
To follow

May I every fly for You Lord
May I always hear and obey your promptings

© Copyright 2009 Tom Toya. All rights reserved.

Love Never Fails

“Love never fails.” (1Corinthians 13:8)

Love is a mighty force for good on the earth. It is a weapon that trumps the hordes of hell. God’s love draws the sinner to the Savior. When believers love those lost in sin, they release the Holy Spirit who can win the unsaved to his kingdom.

Faith, hope, and love will remain for eternity. But the greatest of these is love (1 Cor 13:13). Love is eternal. When we choose to love others, we act according to the divine, immutable will of God.

We can not guarantee the reaction of those we love. Some will respond kindly towards us. Some will hate us, but when we love in return we can not fail. We stand unblemished and untainted by the darkness of this world. The love of God inside the human heart causes men to triumph in the midst of horrific realities.

This is how every faithful martyr has died. They chose to love even their enemies, and that love, which can only come from God, never fails. Saul stood in approval as Stephen was stoned to death. Stephen publicly glorified God at this time and expressed forgiveness to those that stoned him. The witnessing of Stephen’s killing may very possibly have been a seed that drew Saul to embrace Christ.

Dear Father God,

Let your love so fill my life that others are drawn to you. May my love walk witness to those that do not know you. Teach me to love even my enemies as Christ forgave me on the cross. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

© Copyright 2008 Tom Toya. All rights reserved.