DAILY BREAD READING (Published Daily by Our Daily Bread Ministries)
APRIL 23, 2026
READ: Romans 15 (Focus vs. 5-7)
MEMORY VERSE
“Accept one another . . . to bring praise to God.” Romans 15:7
BACKGROUND
Lillian Colón, who grew up in an orphanage, beat out four hundred dancers to win a coveted spot on a world-renowned dance team. She performed with that group, with its tightly ordered synchronized choreography, until her mid-forties.
Now teaching dance at age seventy, she imparts to students her greatest lesson from precision artistry: Work together. “On and off the stage, our lives are deeply intertwined,” she said, “and we all fare better when we support and care for one another.”
The apostle Paul knew the importance of this principle. Harmony in Christ points praise to its true purpose—glorifying God. Paul taught this lesson to believers in Rome, both Jewish and gentile, to encourage their unity.
“May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had,” he wrote (Romans 15:5). This was “so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (v. 6).
Competing voices won’t produce this result. Joining together to praise God, with no one person or group discounting another, gives unity in Christ its true purpose. “Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you,” wrote Paul, “in order to bring praise to God” (v. 7). When we seek God’s help to do this, He inspires our common voice as we step together and give Him glory.
Patricia Raybon
INSIGHT
In Romans 15, Paul says the foundation for the unity of believers in Jesus is to have “the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had” (vv. 5-6). Unity is found in following Christ’s example of self-giving love, not in having identical beliefs, backgrounds, or preferences.
The goal of this unity is worship “so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (v. 6). In fact, unity itself is a form of worship: “Accept one another . . . in order to bring praise to God” (v. 7).
Romans is especially focused on Jewish and gentile unity. Paul quotes Israel’s Scriptures to emphasize that Jews and gentiles worshiping and glorifying God together fulfills God’s promises (vv. 8-12).
In the apostle’s vision, Jewish and gentile believers finding unity in worship is evidence that the united worship of believers offers a picture of creation’s full restoration, when all will join in praising their Creator (see 8:18-23; Isaiah 45:23).
Monica La Rose
APPLICATION
Whose voice can you join in praise to God? How can you prioritize unified praise?
PR’s (Pastor Richard) RE-EMPHASIS (From Today’s Post)
“Unity is found in following Christ’s example of self-giving love, not in having identical beliefs, backgrounds, or preferences. The goal of this unity is worship “so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ””
PR’s TAKE
“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” Psalm 133:1
“Teamwork makes the dream work” John C. Maxwell
“Talent wins games but teamwork and intelligence win championships.” Michael Jordan
PRAYER
“Please open my heart, dear God, to unified praise with others.”
TODAY’S HYMN/WORSHIP/PRAISE/GOSPEL SONG
“BIND US TOGETHER”
Bind us together Lord,
Bind us together with cords
That cannot be broken
Bind us together Lord, bind us together
Bind us together with love
There is only one God.
There is only one King
There is only one body
That is why we can sing
Bind us together Lord,
Bind us together with cords
That cannot be broken
Made for the glory of God.
Purchased by His precious Son
Born with the right to be clean
For Jesus the victory has won
Bind us together Lord,
Bind us together with cords
That cannot be broken
Bind us together Lord,
Bind us together with cords
That cannot be broken
You are the family of God.
You are the promise divine
You are God’s chosen desire.
You are the glorious new wine
Bind us together Lord,
Bind us together with cords
That cannot be broken…
