Lesson 1

OK.  I feel like there are things I need to share on this blog.  Mostly things God's is teaching me.  Some of it may be profound (highly unlikely), some may be DUH! (very likely) and some may make you think (huh).  If you think this is boring, only want stevens family updates, or arrived here by accident, I am going to Label them Lesson 1, 2, 3 etc.  so you can skip them if you so please.  But really, I want you to read them. 
Lesson 1
Unity in the Body.  I have been reading Paul's Letter's, trying to learn as much as I can about the NT church (i took 4 seminary classes so now i can abbreviate New Testament).  One of the things that keeps occuring is the Unity of the Body.  I have a sneaky suspicion that the NT church may have experienced some disunity.  Unfortunatly we still face these issues.  They look different but they are there.  2000 years ago the issues were circumcision, and the like.  Today we talk about can you drink, etc.  But Paul says in 1 Corinthians 7:19
"Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God's commands is what counts." Paul doesn't say if it's right or wrong, but following God is what's important.  Again he talks about  it in Romans 2 - it's the circumcision of the heart. 
Sorry kinda took a detour there, hope you enjoyed a brief discussion of Jewish customs, but my point is we still let rules, and law, and what we think people should be, get in our way of unity, just like the NT church.  This negates the love of Christ.  We are all sinner and we all screw up (I tend to do it a lot).  Over here there is very little unity so I know it is something I have to constantly be in prayer about, but it's not about unity here, it's about all Followers of Christ being unified and a reflection of Christ's love.  So let's stop arguing about circumcision and let the LOVE flow, so when the world looks at us the say - "what do you have? I want some of that"  Let em know what you think - leave a comment, you probably have a better idea of this then me.