Fireside Chat 5.13.21

Fireside Chat 5.13.21

Hi thanks for joining us for this week’s Fireside Chat: Where the light of Christ gives us HOPE for tomorrow!
A.W. Tozer writes, “If you have one hundred concert pianos, and you tune the second piano to the first, and the third piano to the second, and the fourth piano to the third, until you have tuned all one hundred pianos accordingly, you will still have discord and harmony.
But if you tuned each piano to the same tuning fork, you will have unity and harmony. So, too, in the body of Christ. When we each tune ourselves and our lives to Christ’s, we will have unity.” A.W. Tozer The Pursuit of God
I share that story because this week we are looking at our third core value. This week our core value is God Honoring Unity!
Now what is unity?
Unity is not insisting on uniformity. Uniformity is a cheap counterfeit to God Honoring Unity. In fact, biblical unity is found in the midst of real and passionate differences like when Jesus called a Zealot named Judas and a tax collector named Matthew. You talk about being on the opposite side of the spectrum!
But God honoring Unity sets aside in the recognition that the difference we have are nowhere as important as the King we serve.
Unity does not mean everyone has to be best friends. But it does mean that we get along well enough to avoid the miscommunication, serotyping, and personality conflicts that so easily get in the way unity.
So, how do we have diversity without blowing everything up?
The key is to clearly determine ahead of time by the things we won’t fight about and then made crystal clear to everyone that these issues are off limits.
That is why we in the series This is Us. We are sharing a vision a picture of a preferred future that we be a place that #HopeChangesUs. We are on mission to Know Jesus & Make Him Known. This vison and mission is built on our core values which clearly define what we are about and what we will not compromise.
Those values are:
•Biblical Authority
•Spiritual Maturity
•God Honoring Unity
It seems outrageous to think that a church could become perfectly one. With all the splits and arguments and divisions. To the world it looks like a big pipe dream. Right? But remember, we believe in a God who sent His son to die on a cross to draw us near to Him. Why, is it hard to believe that He will find a way to draw us all together? This was His prayer.
Listen to Apostle Paul’s words, “Make every effort to keep unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one Faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.” Eph. 4:2-5
Seven times Paul mentions the word ONE. How could he do that? Well, he has a Hope a confident Expectation built on God’s Promises and Faithfulness.
We worship the same God who gets what He wants, He wanted us and He made a way to get us. He wants our God honoring unity to impact the world, He will find a way to bring us all together.
This week we want to invite you back as we look at our third core value God honoring Unity. Remember the best is yet to come.

This week join us for worship at NTCC as we look at our second core value spiritual maturity. We are excited about this Sunday so not forget that the best is yet to come.

Let’s Laugh:

I have a few jokes about unemployed people, but none of them work.

Hear about the new restaurant called Karma? There’s no menu - you get what you deserve.

I went to buy some camoflauge trousers yesterday but couldn't find any.

What do you call a bee that can’t make up its mind? A maybe.
I wasn’t originally going to get a brain transplant, but then I changed my mind.

I used to be indecisive; now I'm not so sure.

What did the grape say when it got stepped on? Nothing - but it let out a little whine.

Let’s Ponder:

We are all a bit broken in some way, but remember… even broken crayons can fill a page with glorious color. --unknown

Let’s Pray:

Lord, thank You for how You continue to bless me! I know that every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from You – the Father of heavenly lights – who does not change like the shifting of shadows. Lord, You are there with Your people at all times; I know that You will bless them in everything that they do! Uplift the hearts of Your people and continue to shine Your unwavering light upon them In Jesus name, Amen. James 1:17