----Grace Comes From God Alone / United in Christ ~

--"Where there is neither Greek nor Jew; circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free; but Christ is in all."
---[Colossians 3:11] --

--Unity in a body of believers is a beautiful thing. All Christians everywhere experience salvation through faith in God and the blood of Jesus. As God's people, it is important for a church to agree on ways to practically exercise God's principles. However, we can easily begin to think that only those in our own church group are capable of being " good enough."

How do we really feel about groups of Christians whose applications to Bible principles are different from ours? What about those of a different nationality, race, or culture, or the brother who came from a community where drunkenness and immorality are common? Perhaps there are even brethren among us who were formerly gang members or murderers. Do we consider all these to be as vitally important in the church we view ourselves?

The church must not let any barriers stand between her members. Ephesians 2 says that Christ can break down these barriers and enable all believers to be at peace with each other. According to the Word of God,, all of of God's people are equal regardless of their background, for "Christ is all, and in all." That is to say, all that a Christian needs is found in Christ---.of his salvation, hope, and joy--and Christ is available to all. He lives in all who have experienced new birth and are walking in newness of life, no matter what nationality, race culture, social status,, or past life.

Knowing then that Christ is able to remove all barriers form among us, let's be "fitly joined together in Christ (Ephesians 4:16). "In lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves (Philippians 2:3) ~

--BSW/JW~.
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--BROKEN BUT BEAUTIFUL ~~

--"The pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands, so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him."
---[Jeremiah 18:4]

--Recently, my daughter showed me her collection of sea glass. Also known as beach glass, the varied bits of colored glass are often remnants of shattered and discarded glass bottles.

If the discarded glass ends up in an ocean, it is relentlessly tossed about by currents and tides. It's jagged edges are ground down by the sand and waves eventually are smoothed away and rounded off. The result is something beautiful. The jewel-like sea glass has found new life and is treasured by collectors and artist.

In a similar way, a broken life can be renewed when it is touched by God's love and grace. In the Old Testament, we read that when the prophet Jeremiah watched a potter working, he noticed that is an object was marred, the potter simply reshaped it (Jeremiah 18:1-6). God explained that in His hands the people of ancient Israel were like clay, which He would shape as He saw best.

We are never too badly broken for God to reshape. He loves us in spite of our imperfections and past mistakes, and He desires to make us beautiful. His grace is sufficient for us. ~~

--ODB/CH~