Canada Leadership Conference 2018

The Strength of Unity

This next teaching I want to share with you is very important

For If we received the word of the first teaching and neglect this part

Then we have achieved little as a body of believers and ministers.

The Truth of Who you are in Christ is very important to obtain

But if we obtain that and do not obtain unity then we remain alone in our Faith

But when we combine that truth of who we are in Christ

With the truth of the power of Unity

Great things can be accomplished for the Kingdom of God through us!

You brothers and sisters have been chosen by God to accomplish something for Him

And that is to Minister to those that are broken and lost

And to make disciples of those that are saved

For the Kingdom of God to be advanced on this earth

And all will see the glory of God working through you

But this calling was never meant for you to do alone

It has always been and will always be a group effort

Jesus did not call 1 man to follow him and be his disciple

He called 12 that would be the front runners to take his Gospel to the world

Through them many others were saved and many others were called to do the same

That has not changed to day, God is still raising up people to be His Frontrunners

That will take the torch when passed to them and run with it

But in this race there must always be those that are carrying the torch

Those that are passing the torch to the next person

those that are encouraging the runner along the way

those that are working behind the scenes that no one else sees but the runner knows them

Those that are caring for old runners

And those that are ever recruiting new runners.

This is the body of Christ and the Body is many members yet One body

If I may I would like to read to you some scripture concerning the body

Romans 12:4-5

"Just as each of us has one body with many members, and not all members have the same function,

so in Christ we who are many are one body, and each member belongs to one another.

Please remember those words as we read on each member belongs to one another

1 Cor. 12:18-27

Our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it.

 How strange a body would be if it had only one part!

 Yes, there are many parts, but only one body.

 The eye can never say to the hand, “I don’t need you.”

 The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you.”

 In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary.

And the parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care.

So we carefully protect those parts that should not be seen,

 while the more honorable parts do not require this special care.

So God has put the body together in such a way

that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity.

 This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other.

 If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it,

and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad.

All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it.

Amen

each of our organs in our body is wonderful and important

but the truth is, it is pretty useless without the rest

It is only when all of our organs are working together in unity

That we are able to not only survive, but we thrive!

Likewise is the body of Christ

When God’s people come together and work as One they can achieve great things

I am not saying this to you to be informative

I am saying this to you because God knows His people struggle to work together

It does not matter if it is in Africa or in America, there is a struggle.

People cannot agree on things, there way is the only right way

Or we do not like the way those people do church

We don't like sometimes the area a person comes from

And sometimes we don't like the relatives of that person

and we have a good memory for remembering all the wrongs

so therefore you will not associate with that person or that family or that village

And what that does is cause great division in the body

We think we are doing good by always closing the door on people

But let me say this to you friends

thank God Jesus Christ did not close the door on us when we were living against Him

Thank God He was willing to reach out to us when we were not worth reaching out to

Thank God He didn't give up on us but saw the worth inside each of us

Thank God He forgave us for He surely never had to

But you see Christ saw and sees a greater Good

He knows it is much more powerful to stand as one than to stand apart

When Peter denied Him 3 times, in his humanness it had to tear at his heart

That his friend that vowed to always be with him so quickly denied Him

But even with the pain that was afflicted, he saw a greater good in Peter

Jesus did not say oh I can't use you now you rotten man!

How can I use someone that denies they even know me?

but He knew He must use Peter, He had poured himself into Peter for 3 yrs

It was too late to start from scratch and find another frontrunner

No Christ did what is so difficult for us to do

He gave Peter the responsibility He always knew He would give to Him

Do you love me He said to Peter? Then Feed my Sheep!

He held nothing back from Peter, he did hold him at a distance from himself

With the thought you're not worthy to receive this responsibility

No he embraced the one that wronged Him for the purpose of the Kingdom of God

Likewise brothers and sisters, you will be asked to do the same thing

People and even villages that have treated you poorly

Wronged you and your family and caused you great hurt

God wants you, wants all of us to rise above these things

that keep the members of his body apart so the body can become unified

Now we just as the early church did have to learn unity

Because it is the will of God for His people.

Let's look at some examples in scripture regarding Unity

John 17: 20-23

“I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message.

 I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one

as you are in me, Father, and I am in you.

And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.

 May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me

and that you love them as much as you love me.

Acts 1:14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication,

 with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers

Acts 2:1 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place

2:46 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple,

and breaking bread from house to house,

Acts 4:23-24 And being let go, they went and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them.

²⁴ So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord

And there are at least 7 more times in the book of acts where the disciples were in one accord

One Accord means this "To be in harmony with one another and in one mind and passion.

This also includes the consent of opinions and wills to have an agreement.

So this one thing we know without a doubt

Being in One Accord is the will of God

Being in One Accord or Unity requires effort on our part,

The early church was not just automatically in one accord, they had to choose that direction.

These are the things that chose to be in one accord for

1. Being One to Stand and fight for what they believed in

2. Being One In the Doctrine of Jesus Christ, it was true above all other doctrines

3. Being One In praying and making supplication to the Lord

4. Being One to establish churches and missions to reach the lost

5. Being One to Help each other in the body, tending to the needs of one another

6. Being One in their Love for each other in the body

7. Being One as they Praised and glorified Christ together

Now there is not only power in Unity, But Unity is Powerful!

This is what I mean, Unity in itself tends to draw people

The very purpose people are unified has a powerful draw to it

A group of people working together, united as One is appealing

It catches the attention of the people around them

They are attracted by the fact a group of people have something in common

Because friends rarely do you find anyone in Unity on this earth

The only time you will find a strong unity in the natural is when a disaster has happened

The people are naturally drawn together to work as one during that situation

We as the church, especially as leaders of the church

must have the ability to work as One together without a natural disaster!

We are called to do what in the natural cannot be done

for in the natural Unity cannot be obtained

In the natural families cannot stay united

In the natural friends cannot stay united

In the natural communities cannot stay united

In the natural Counties cannot even stay united

But God calls His church to Stand in Unity, in One accord.

So the world may see that we are different then the norm

So we stand out among them, we are not to look or act like them

We are not to be a loveless church that does not know how to behave as Christ

We have the Spirit of the Living God in our members, we are suppose to stand out!

If we handle ourselves the way the Word tells us to we will stand out!

And People will be drawn to a people that are not like anything on this earth

Hallelujah and Glory to God!

Jesus was not like anyone every before on this earth

people were drawn to Him, they followed Him everywhere He went

If He got in the boat headed to the other side, they would follow Him

If He went in the wilderness to pray they followed Him

why? Because He brought to them something the world could not offer them

He walked in power and He walked in Love and He walked in Righteousness!

We too have the same ability to walk as Christ did in power, love and righteousness!

If He alone drew people, imagine how the body of Christ can draw people when they are Unified in Christ!

I believe we can and I believe we need to now, more than ever

The Day is shortening and the midnight hour is approaching

We have much to do yet before the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ!

So let's look at a prescription for becoming UNITY

U =Uplifting

Making a choice to be uplifting and caring towards those that you have a hard time liking

anyone can be kind to a friend, but Jesus called us to be kind to our enemies

He also did not call us to like people, He called us to love them

He said Do good to those who hate you

bless those who curse you, pray for those who are cruel to you

 We are to rise above their actions and not avenge them with the same treatment

Not focus on the fault of a person but find the good that is within them

Not for our own sake but for the sake of the body of Christ

Always encourage those that are down, reach out to them and help strengthen them

Use your words to build people up and not tear people down

As ministers all eyes are on you as to how you treat people

We are called to be the example to the flock as Christ is the example to us

Let them see Christ in us always by our actions and our words

N= Need

We need each other! Like it or not we are not any good alone

Some of us do not want to have to need anyone

God has a word for us, get your pride out of the way

Not only do you need others, but others need you!

Remember how Christ has designed the body, He gave us each unique gifts and talents

We each have strengths where another one is weak

yet that weak one in another area has strengths we don't possess

I know that for me I need to have people in my life that can help me in my weak areas

People that when I join with them it takes my strength and makes it much more strong

I don't want to think I don't need people, that I am smart or wise enough myself

for at times my wisdom and understanding may fail me

but when I am surrounded by others my wisdom and understanding becomes stronger

I am not held accountable by them as they can rightly judge my actions

And as a pastor as we show that we have need of others

It teaches those that we lead to know they need others as well

No one in the body is to stand alone, we need one another to function as His Body

I = Integrity

Christ has called us to walk in the light as He is in the Light

to set ourselves aside for His holy use

To be a vessel sanctified unto Christ, we belong to Him to use and not the worlds to use

Our Integrity determines how well we are choosing to set ourselves apart

And live a life of holiness unto God

This is important for Unity, for there is fellowship in Purity

but with sin light can have no fellowship with the darkness

Many a Pastor has and still are living a life of sin

They have failed to put off the corruptible nature for the incorruptable

They think it will not matter if they sin, as long as people do not know it

And yet they wonder why there is no power in their ministry

They wonder why they are not seeing breakthroughs in their communities

They wonder why there is no peace in the body in the church, people are always arguing

But the problem is that where there is sin there is not fellowship with the Light

and they are trying to produce something that can only be produced in the light

When they are wallowing in the darkness of sin

What fellowship, what unity can be established on this foundation??

The answer is none! So put off these unclean things and put on purity

 for the sake of your church and for the sake of the body of Christ

T=Trust

Trust is something friends that if you don't have it you can't go anywhere

Let me ask you this, if you Needed to make it back home

and home was a 1000 miles from where you were

Would you get into a car with someone you did not think could drive?

If you could not trust that person to drive why would you get in the car?

But if you trusted the person knew how to drive, you would gladly get in that car

You may even take a nap while they drove you, because you trusted their driving

God wants His people to be able to trust each other like that

It is not enough to just say hey I am a Christian, you have to trust me

No you trust that person because you see how they drive the vehicle of their life for God

If they are not driving their lives right you can't trust them

Even if they have the words Pastor, Bishop, Evangelist or Prophet before their name

But do trust is those that are living their lives righteously

Trust them and let them know you trust them because of their integrity

These are the ones to surround yourself with

and those that you cannot trust let them know why you can't trust them

Hold them accountable as we are told to do in scripture

And don't let people say you are judging by doing so

It is our responsibility to judge the behavior of those in the body especially the leaders

Or how will the Standard of Christ ever be kept by the Body?

Y= You

Unity in the body  must begin with You!

You have a critical role as a leader and you have a critical role in building the Unity of the Church

Standing together You will overcome the attacks of the enemy

Standing alone he will walk right through and continue to play havoc in the body

In the book of Nehemiah, we are told of how the wall of Jerusalem was in ruins, burned down

The enemy had utterly destroyed not only the wall but the city was ransacked

the people were dragged off as captives and the city was left in ruins for 70 yrs

But Nehemiah got a word from the Lord to return to Jerusalem and rebuild that wall

Because the people when they returned were not secure but open to attack

It says that Nehemiah said to the people “Let us rise up and build.”

Then they set their hands to this good work. Neh. 2:18

They each had to decide to say yes I will do this

They each had to decide to work together as One

so they set their mind to rebuild the wall together

 and they rebuilt the entire wall half its height, for the people had a mind to work

and then their enemy heard what they had accomplished

but Nehimiah said, "Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, great and awesome,

Fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses.”

¹⁶ So it was, from that time on, that half of my servants worked at construction,

while the other half held the spears, the shields, the bows; Neh. 3

They worked together united as One as each person choose to unit with each other

Together they not only rebuilt the entire wall but withstood the attack of their enemies

Each of You are a deciding factor of how strong a force the body will be

Each of you will determine if you will fight for the one next to you

And each of you will determine if Unity can be obtained in Uganda

as ministers you will have to chose to stand united for the Kingdoms sake

or stand alone and fail for there is no strength in just one

Today Please I ask you to make a commitment to stand United in Christ

and remove any barrier that has kept you from being in one accord.

Amen.

Yours in our Lord Jesus Christ

Bishop Kaharwa Moses.