Unity of Spirit
- Sat 21st April 2012, 6:59 pm
UNION
E PLURUBUS UNUM; From many ONE.
We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord
We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord
And we pray that our unity may one day be restored
And they`ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
They will know we are Christians by our love
We will work with each other, we will work side by side
We will work with each other, we will work side by side
And we`ll guard each one`s dignity and save each one`s pride
And they`ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
They will know we are Christians by our love
We will walk with each other, we will walk hand in hand
We will walk with each other, we will walk hand in hand
And together we`ll spread the news that God is in our land
And they`ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
They will know we are Christians by our love
Ephesians 4:1-6
1 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called— 5one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
Romans 15:5-7
5 May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, 6 so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
7 Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.
Union: the act of uniting two or more things.
the state of being united.
Some thing formed by uniting two or more things; combination.
a number of persons, states, etc., joined or associated together for some common purpose: student union; credit union, Union Christian church,
To find unity in diversity;
We are a diverse group of people. We have different backgrounds. We have different jobs. Some work. Some are retired. Some are married. Some are single. Some are facing the struggles of age. Others are facing the struggles of youth. Some are democrat. Some are republican. We are from different nations. But together we are all part of one church…HIS church.
Union: equivalent to Latin ūn ( us ) one + -iōn- ion
Union Christian Church….US ONE.
John 17:11
Jesus is praying before he goes to the cross. I call this “The Lord’s Prayer”.
“I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name—the name you gave me—so that they may be one as we are one.”
John 17:20-23
20 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: 23 I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
I Corinthians 12:12-13
“The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.”
Three quick points on what is achieved in life by working together as one:
I. UNITY OF PURPOSE BRINGS PEACE
a. Whenever you have differences of opinion of where you should go or how you should get there, on the job, at home, at church..in your relationships, you have emotional difficulties. It causes stress.
b. However, when you are all pulling together as one to achieve the same goal, there is lack of friction, there is lack of animosity, there is peace.
c. We are all in this life together. Our goal is heaven, nothing more, nothing less, and nothing else.
d. We need to be encouraging each other.
e. Hebrews 10:23-25 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. 25 Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
f. Our goal is not simply to keep the doors of this open. Our goal is to reach the lost, to provide a church home for those in the community around us, to help meet each other’s need. Our goal is not to just simply survive, but to thrive.
II. UNITY OF EFFORT: MANY HANDS MAKE LIGHT WORK
a. In whatever you do, on the job, at home, you accomplish more when you have someone helping you.
b. It is also easier with less strain.
c. We need to have the attitude in life of “let me help”.
d. In marriage, sharing the load is vital. So it is in the church. I need to find ways to do less after church on Sunday morning so that you have the opportunity to do more.
III. UNITY IN ACCOMPLISHMENTS
a. When one succeeds, all succeed. When one suffers, we all suffer together.
b. In my marriage, Celia’s success is my success. I glory with her when her students do well or something good happens at school.
c. At work I have discovered that like in the church, it takes all of us working together to achieve our goals. When we go, we all share in the praise.
d. The work I do is critical, but without other folks doing their parts, my part is useless. When we all work together and help each other, we share in reaching our quotas.
Jack Ballard, who preached at Mt. Carmel Christian Church for so many years, told this story at a revival here, and I still remember it. He talked about the board meeting he was in where they were discussing adding on a Sunday School room. One board member was vehemently against it and argued against it. The board voted to build it anyway. Jack Ballard thought that because of that vote he would not see that man in church again. Jack said he was wrong. When the building started, that man was there doing his part. Jack asked him why he was helping since he had been against it. The man replied, “I didn’t want it to fail just because I wasn’t for it.” I hope in the days ahead as we face challenges here, that we continue, as we have for so long in the past years, in a unity of spirit in the bond of peace, encouraging each other the more as we see the Day approaching.
Books/Stories available in PDF format
- Sun 1st April 2012, 12:55 pm
If you would like access to any of these writings by Allan B. Thames, please send an email to thames3083@comcast.net and Allan will send it to you. In lieu of payment, your donations to Woodland Christian Camp, 90 Woodland Camp Road, Temple, GA 30179 would be appreciated.
CYN
Romance/Fiction
In this work, Allan explores many themes in a church setting. “Your sin will find you out”, “Your sin affects everyone around you”, “Husbands and wives need to pay attention to each other and to the needs of their children”, “Ministers are not infallible”, “Non-Christian friends don’t always have the best advice”, and “God does forgive”. Cynthia, a middle aged woman, is struggling with her businessman husband who has taken her for granted. Will she find romance in the arms of another man? How will it affect her family and the church?
DESTINY
Romance/Fiction
Love through the ages is the theme of this romantic novel set partly in lush, green Jamaica. Two souls struggle to meet each other again and again in their lives through the ages, but when will they meet as was destined for them at creation? Will it be in Jamaica? As hard as fate works to get them together, it seems that equally opposing forces work to keep them apart. Allan has long considered this to be his “Magnus Opus”.
DESTINY, TOO
SERE
Romance/Fiction
A sequel to his DESTINY, this book follows different characters but once again the theme is destined love. This is a book for treasure seekers. Will plain Sere Smith, from a plain town like Blountstown, Florida find treasured love that was prophesied by her doctor? In search of love, Sere finds herself gambling her whole life savings on finding love at Cape San Blas, Florida as she goes in search of the young man that left his ball cap at the restaurant where she worked. Will ghosts from the past reach out to pull them together or tear them apart? Sere must face shadows of Indian warriors, United States Marines, KKK members, and slaves in the old south to win love. She also must face some very hard racist attitudes that confront her. And what about the fabled, legendary Chief McIntosh treasure? Is finding that part of her destiny, too?
ELIZABETH AND GEORGE
Romance/Fiction
When George’s wife divorces him he takes in a young waitress whose alcoholic boyfriend is abusing her. George is afraid to love again, but afraid of being alone. Can George ever love again despite his fears? Will he allow himself to be hurt?
This is a story of sin, of redemption, and of struggling sinners being saved. It is story of the devastation of alcohol in our society. It is the story of one man reaching out to help one young woman and how he changes her life...and how she changes his. It is the story of much good coming from much evil. It is about the love of Christ reaching out to help a young woman break through that cycle of abuse.
The theme is one of total self sacrifice for those you love.
THE LAST SAD HOUR
Romance/Fiction
Alycia Key, the old minister’s daughter, is in the hospital on her death bed surrounded by her current husband and three older daughters when an old boyfriend from church comes in. She is in a coma, and as he sits with her, he remembers their first date, the first time they held hands, the first kiss, the church Formal, and many other good times. She wakes before the end to tell him why she had broken off their relationship, even though she had loved him. The backdrop for this story is their church. It is a story of friendship that can become love. It is a story of love that becomes simply friendship.
The theme is friendship through the years, of love that never really dies.
THE ROAD GOES FOREVER ON
TRAVELOGUE
Biography/Autobiography
Travel with the Thames family to the beach, to the mountains, and on other adventures. This is the true, written record of the Thames family vacations from 1982 to 2004. You get a rare, inside look at the travels, the roads taken, the restaurants stopped at, the money spent, the good times had. Allan makes commentary, throughout, from the vantage point of today as he looks back on those trips. You get to watch the kids grow up from vacation to vacation and see the different places the family stayed. The mileage and time from city to city is often noted. Things seen along the way are also noted. If you can’t go there, it’s almost like being there. Almost.
The theme is the memories that families make together last a life time.
PORTAL OF HEAVEN
Biography/Autobiography
This is a true record of Allan’s Papa’s final days in the hospital after a stroke and his subsequent death in the hospice. Much of it was written by his bedside as the family struggled with him for life and as they watched him die. It is a sad story, but also a glad one for Christians. The theme is the family pulling together, and the idea that death is just a passage from this life to the life God has in store for us. It is also a tribute to the kind people of Southwest Christian Hospice that cared so gently for Allan’s Papa. It is also a look at the wonderful service that hospices render.
The target audience is all Christians, but especially those with elderly parents. This little book opens a window on the hospice experience.
GHOST PENNANT
(An unfinished work. Be warned, this book has no conclusion…so write one yourself!)
Sports Fiction
The San Antonio Alamos baseball team is fighting for first place in their division when their plane goes down killing all aboard. Their minor league affiliate, with a few additions, will take their place. Columbus, Georgia is the setting as the minor league team prepares for the majors. Surprisingly, the team finds some major talent in Columbus, including two young, black brothers whose church going grandmother is raising them, a mysterious young man with a mixed, international background, a major league pitcher trying to get back to the majors after an injury, and an old farmer as a relief pitcher with a weird pitch, the milk ball, that none can hit. The cast of characters includes a general manager who always looks as if he just stepped out of GQ magazine, a 70 year old retired major league manager back for his last hurrah, and an old negro league ballplayer who will travel with the team as a coach to the young black brothers. Will they win the pennant? Not even the author knows as he waits to finish this book.
SECOND TIMOTHY-A STUDY GUIDE
Bible Study
This is a study guide that Allan used to lead a small group. It is an in depth look at the Apostle Paul’s last words.
THE BOYS OF ENON ROAD FAIL IN LOVE
Fiction
Travel with the Boys of Enon Road to high school. The author writes that “This book is dedicated to anyone who has ever suffered from a broken heart. That covers most of us.” Follow the Boys as they suffer through heartbreak in high school. Will they ever find the women of their dreams?
DAY BY DAY
THE LIFE OF GREG THAMES
Non-Fiction-Biographical
A look at the life, and death, of Greg Thames (Allan’s older brother), a man who would not take no for an answer and how he overcame problems.
SECRET CODE
Fiction (we hope)
Written backwards, this short story is one of spies, murder, mayhem and nuclear holocaust. Read it. It’s fun.
THE LIAR
Fiction (as are most lies)
A car battery salesman passes time on the road by telling stories he concocts on the spot to anyone who will listen. He never knows how the story will end…and never knows how they affect people. Sometimes the stories backfire. This is a light hearted spoof of people you know who like to invent stories and stretch the truth.
SACRIFICE
- Sat 5th November 2011, 6:36 am
Sacrifice. The secret to a successful, happy,fulfilled life is sacrifice, giving up that which is important to you so that someone else may experience what is important to them. Sacrifice-putting the needs and desires of someone else before your own because you consider theirs to be more important. Sacrifice-doing something that is uncomfortable for you for the greater good of someone else. Sacrifice-putting others first.
Sacrifice seldom finds time for self. Sacrifice always carries a steep personal price tag...or it wouldn`t be called sacrifice. Sacrifice-giving up something you know you can never have back....like time...or reputation. Sacrifice often hurts.
Sacrifice.....the only way to live is to die to self.
Sacrifice...the only way to die to self...is to live for others.
Sacrifice.....its the only way to LIVE.
THE MASTER`S HANDS
- Fri 21st January 2011, 7:54 pm
THE MASTER’S HANDS
I feel the pressure of the Master’s hands,
a little less here,
a little more there.
Hands that are shaping me, breaking me.
Hands that are molding me, making me.
Hands that are sculpting my life as it spins.
I feel the pressure of the Master’s hands,
smoothing out the bumps,
easing out the lumps.
Fingers feeling for yielding in me.
Fingers feeling for building in me.
Fingers are sculpting my life as it spins.
I feel the pressure of the Master’s hands,
reworking the whole,
reforming the soul.
Finger tips mending imperfections.
Finger tips soothing insurrections.
Finger tips sculpting my life as it spins.
I feel the pressure of the Master’s hands,
sculpting my life as it spins.
Allan Thames
1-21-2011
