Keep Yourselves United - Greg Laurie Devotion - May 1, 2025
Greg Laurie Daily Devotions
Audio By Carbonatix
Crosswalk.com
Thursday, May 1, 2025
Keep Yourselves United
“Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.” (Ephesians 4:3 NLT)
In our increasingly fractured culture, we don’t have to look hard for issues that divide us. But where can we find things that unite us? Ephesians 4 is a good place to start our search. For the next few days, we’re going to look at the apostle Paul’s teachings on creating and nurturing unity in the church.
In the first three chapters of his letter, Paul reminded the Ephesian believers of what God had done for them. In Ephesians 4:1, he urged them “to lead a life worthy of your calling” (NLT). When you have a sense of what God has done for you, you’re more likely to serve Him out of gratitude. You don’t lead a worthy life so that He will love you; you lead a worthy life because He loves you.
Leading a worthy life means embracing qualities such as humility, gentleness, and patience. That might involve tabling your own agenda for the sake of someone else’s. Or choosing to forgive instead of taking revenge. Or learning to appreciate the characteristics and quirks in other people that don’t mesh with ours.
James put it a little more bluntly: “Don’t grumble about each other, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. For look—the Judge is standing at the door!” (James 5:9 NLT).
Don’t complain about other believers. Go to them and try to help them. The phrase “grumble about each other” means to groan within yourself. It speaks of a person who has a bitter attitude. Some people are always criticizing. They think it’s a spiritual gift—the gift of tearing others down. But it’s not a gift of the Spirit; it’s a work of the flesh, and it’s used by the enemy. Don’t be known as someone who burns bridges; be known as someone who builds bridges. Don’t be known as someone who kicks others when they’re down; be known as someone who reaches out to people and pulls them back up again. Don’t denigrate and tear down one another. If you have something to say about someone, say it to them, not about them.
Paul said, “Make every effort to keep yourselves united” (Ephesians 4:3 NLT). If that means sacrificing your own preferences, so be it. If it means swallowing your pride, so be it. If it means meeting people more than halfway or doing the heavy lifting in a relationship, so be it. Keeping people united may seem like thankless work at times, but God sees and rewards our efforts. His Spirit works in us and through us, making sure that our efforts don’t go to waste.
As believers, we share one body, one Spirit, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father of all. That gives us a wide swath of common ground on which to build unity.
Reflection Question: What is your best strategy for building unity in a group?
Copyright © 2025 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved.
For more relevant and biblical teaching from Pastor Greg Laurie, go to www.harvest.org
and
Listen to Greg Laurie's daily broadcast on OnePlace.com and weekly podcast on LifeAudio.com.
Watch Greg Laurie's weekly television broadcast on LightSource.com.
The Revelation Answer Book by Mark Hitchcock
The book of Revelation is one of the most fascinating and misunderstood books in the Bible. In The Revelation Answer Book, respected prophecy teacher Mark Hitchcock walks through key questions about Revelation in a clear and engaging Q&A format. You’ll explore topics like the mark of the beast, the identity of the 144,000, the Antichrist, the Tribulation, and the return of Jesus, all with solid biblical insight and a focus on hope. Request your copy this month with your gift to Harvest Ministries.
