The Real Lord's Prayer

"And now Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed. I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world...I am praying for them..And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, I have guarded them, that they may be one, even as we are one...I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one..Sanctify them in truth; your word is truth..I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me."

John 17

Some of the last words of Jesus before leaving earth were devoted to praying for mankind..but not that we would do well and prosper period, but that His witnesses would be bound together so that the world would know who he is. What a challenge to the church. Be about Christ, or be found fighting against the advancement of His Kingdom and against the belief of His future followers. If our unity (or lack thereof) within the body of Christ affects others' belief in His identity, then surely the church has some priorities to re-assess..

"and may they forget the channel, seeing only Him."