Chapter 5.18
Relationship
Fellowship
On the Golf course – Fishing – Adult Bible
Studies – Getting in on God’s Plan
Giving of your Time - Leadership Services –
Prayer for Healing – Attend Church
First Word
How
many times have you heard it? I
don’t have to go to any Church to fellowship with God.
I can fellowship
while on the golf course or out fishing in my boat. I believe both of those statements are true,
but if we have a choice, God wants that fellowship to be extended to others and
for others to extend the fellowship back to you.
Do not forsake the assembling of
yourselves together in fellowship with the body of Christ as some have been
accustomed to doing; it’s a privilege that many do not have.[1]
Fellowship
I
remember when my job forced me to work on The Lord’s Day and after a while
I just got out of the habit of going to Church.
When I retired I had to remind myself that this was a privilege
that I should not take for granted. Now
I only miss when sickness is in the family and I can’t imagine going to Church
without taking advantage of the Adult Bible Study classes
that precedes it.
Once, we were the objects of God’s wrath
and were out of fellowship with Him; in darkness.[2] At the cross, the blood of Jesus wiped away
all sin from us so that we can now have fellowship with God.[3] We are to fellowship with each other; teaching
each other so that God’s wisdom will richly dwell in all of us.
The
Church body grows; enlarged by those whose hearts have been cultivated by the
Holy Spirit. This happens as we spent time
studying,
praying, praising, sharing, fellowshipping
and breaking
bread together. Jesus is the
head of the Church which is the body of believers.[4] Loving the Lord and being of one mind makes
us fellow citizens in the kingdom. Because of Christ, we are not strangers to
each other, making it easy to receive someone into our fellowship that we don’t
even know. We are commanded to have fellowship and relationships with others; to bear one
another burdens and speak things to others that lift them up in the
name of Jesus.[5] We are admonished to be in one accord and to be of the same mindset and of the same love.[6]
God does not want us to be divided over
issues concerning His word and the best way to be in one accord is to study the
same book; the
Bible. When we spend time
coming together to share the things that have been revealed to us through the
studying of His word, we allow the fullness of the spirit of God to come into
our lives and we began to see Jesus for who He is; this knowledge strengthens
the whole Church.[7]
The body of the Church is inhabited by God
through the Holy Spirit. Although there
are many member of this family of God, we are still just one body or one Church;
each member has a special place of service and a special gift to the body.[8] So we are to be involved with each other
utilizing our gift whether it be in hope
or in pain.
Doing the will of God
makes us members of the same family.[9] It is our FAITH that binds us
together. We only need to believe and
receive Jesus Christ into our hearts to become part of this AWESOME
family of believers.[10]
Body Leadership
Some
members have been appointed to watch over the souls of the body; and
God holds them accountable. They are called Evangelist, Pastor’s, Prophets, Deacons,
Elders and Teachers.[11] They have been placed in authority to lift us
up, encourage us, teach us and perfect us for our work. We are to hold them in
high esteem and to be at peace with them and among ourselves.[12]
Relationships
God
has made the family unit through marriage very special.[13] We are to guard this family unit lest Satan
try to divide it. A man and a woman
become ONE
when they marry, just as our spirit and the spirit of God becomes ONE when we receive
Jesus.[14] We should treat our spouse as if they were
our very own body with love and sensitivity and to honor each other lest our
prayers be hindered by Satan. We are
commanded to be kind to one another, tender hearted, with self-control and
speaking good things; we are to submit to one another and to our God.[15]
LOVE
does not envy
nor is it prideful or rude, but is patient, kind, truthful with self-control,
thinking no evil, believing, bearing, enduring and hoping in
all things according to our faith.[16]
Relationships are so important in our life
that it’s God’s
commandment that we love one
another.
There is no greater love; than for a man
to lay down his life for a friend; Jesus did that for us.[17] We are to love one another with the “God Love”
that Jesus had.
1
Corinthians 13:13 – The greatest of things is to LOVE
13 So now FAITH, HOPE, AND LOVE abide, these three;
but
THE GREATEST OF THESE IS LOVE. (ESV)
Fellowship with One Another
When
we share with others what we have learned from studying God’s word, the
world recognizes us as Christians as we become ONE with Christ; just as He is ONE
with the Father God.[18] We become righteous in God; that’s right, if
you take Jesus as your personal Savior, you are righteous before God. It’s in the Book.
When we love God; His love is so powerful
that nothing can separate us from Him, not even death. In fact neither death, life, angels, principalities, powers, things
that are present or things to come, nor height, depth or any other
creature can
separate us from the Love of God.[19] When our hearts are rooted and grounded in
Love we will be able to understand the depth of love that Jesus has for us and
we will be filled with HIS
fullness.
We are to love God with all our heart, soul,
mind and strength, this love is better than offerings
and sacrifices.[20] We are to love life, speaking no evil, doing good,
seeking peace, being of one mind in Christ, having compassion for our brothers and sisters.[21] We are
born of God and know Him, IF we are operating in brotherly love.[22]
We are to fellowship with our Lord through
the reading
of His Word and the singing of spiritual songs.[23] The Word says that WE SMELL GOOD to God when we share his Word. This begs the question; what do YOU smell like to God?[24]
Ephesians
3:17-19 - How wide, long, high, and deep is His
love.
17 Then Christ will make his home
in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love
and keep you strong.
18 And may you have the power to
understand, as all God’s people should,
HOW WIDE, HOW LONG,
HOW HIGH, AND HOW DEEP
HIS LOVE IS.
19 May
you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the
fullness of life and power that comes from God.
(NLT)
Relationships in Healing
My mother would often tell me that she wanted
me to be a doctor, because doctors were next to Godliness; doctors went about healing
those that were sick. I thank God for doctors and I thank God for
the great physician Jesus Christ; we need them both. We can go to God in prayer about our needs and
share it with others in the body of believers and have hands laid on us in a unity
of prayer and faith.
The Gift of healing is present
within the body of believers in the Church.[25] God said this; not me: It’s in the book. It’s a normal process for our bodies to be
attacked by sickness. Our bodies “wellness center scales” fights
against the invasion of sickness in order to balance up the scales. Satan’s minions quickly attacks our mind to
mess with the balancing of these scales.
Most people DO NOT read the Bible, so they don’t know the promises of God. They only know what their Belief System has experienced; so their “Truth”
is based on their BS experience
Because of our experience, OUR MIND tells our body that we probably won’t receive
supernatural healing. THEREFORE, according to
scripture, to receive healing we must first renew our mind and embrace the scriptures as the FINAL AUTHORITY.
There are
roadblocks to the receiving of our healing and tricks of
Satan that steals our promises; willful sin, strife, pride, doubt, fear, unbelieving
friends and scriptural ignorance. The scriptures also indicate that there’s a
war going on with principalities and powers to delay or stop the promises of
God from ever reaching us, another reason to pray without ceasing.
Although we are believers, we also carry
some un-belief. Therefore to receive,
first of all we must believe and not doubt; then pray often about our need.[26] To get a good crop of Faith, we need to spend time tilling the soil of the scriptures and watering it daily.
A family member of mine went to be healed
by Oral
Robert’s healing ministry. When she was not healed, she was told that it
was because she
did not have enough faith; she was devastated. I find upon reading the healing accounts in
scripture, that when the healings occurred FAITH was present
within someone; either the sick person, those bringing the person or the one who was speaking healing over the
person; so perhaps it may also have been that those at Oral Roberts ministries
that were laying on the hands may NOT have had enough
faith.[27] That statement
is not meant to be negative, but is just something to think about. SELAH
When the disciples could not cast out a
demon, Jesus said it was because of their “little faith”.
With that said, if the Disciples faltered in their faith, it would seem
more that plausible that we too can falter in ours.[28] To increase our Faith, Jesus said to spend
time fasting and praying.
It’s in the Book
Every person that came to Jesus Christ was healed. Jesus said He only did the things the Father
did, therefore we can conclude that it is God’s Will that
we be healed; no
ifs ands or buts; it is His Will.
Jesus took the beating on His back, the
cuts in His flesh, the pain and the grief, so that we might be healed.[29] So claim it.
Nowhere
in scripture are we told or is it implied that the gifts of healing have
stopped.[30] There is no special method to receive our
healing, it can be either instant or gradual; the emphasis is not on the
process, but on the result.
The Take Away
We
are commanded to not forsake the assembling of ourselves together
whether it be in Church, in homes or eating out together; that we need relationships
and fellowship
with likeminded believers.
We have
fellowship with one another through studying the Word and the breaking of bread in others
homes.
I believe playing golf, sports or fishing
with fellow believers develops relationships in Christ, but it is in addition
to sharing our needs with the body of Believers and reaching out to others in
their needs thus making a difference in their lives.
We have fellowship with the Father and
with his Son Jesus Christ, by attending Church; coming together to study God’s
Word, devoting ourselves to the teachings with prayer and the singing of hymns and spiritual songs, with
thankfulness in our hearts toward God. When
you have a relationship with just yourself, you miss out on being a part of
God’s plan in others’ lives; God does not need your money or your time; but
when you give it, you become part of what God is doing whether it be in HOPE or in PAIN.
SELAH
It’s in the
Book
[1] Hebrews 10:24-25 – Don’t forsake assembling together in Church -- Philippians 1:3 – Remembering the body in
prayer
[2] Colossians 1:13 – We are transferred from darkness into the kingdom of
Light
[3] Matthew 16:15-18 – Jesus builds the Church on the
ROCK of
Confession of Faith
-- Ephesians 2:20-22 – Jesus is our
cornerstone, our foundation our only hope -- Ephesians 3:21 – Jesus is the glory in the Church -- Colossians 1:18 – Jesus is the head of the Church
-- Ephesians 1:22-23 – Jesus has
authority over all things
[4] Colossians 3:16 - Singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs
with thanksgiving
[5] Galatians 6:2 – Bearing one another’s burdens -- Romans 15:5-7 – Welcome others; Live in
Harmony and Glorify God
[6] Philippians 1:27 – Being of one spirit, one mind and one faith -- 1
Corinthians 1:10 – No divisions, Same mind, Same judgment Philippians 2:1-2 –
Affection, Sympathy, Encouraging with the same Love, same Mind -- Ephesians 1:10 – We are all united in all
things in Him
[7] Acts 2:45-47 – We fellowship at Church and in our own homes. -- Ephesians
2:22 – Believes become a dwelling place for Spirit of God -- Acts 2:1 – We
gather in one place to fellowship together
[8] 1 Corinthians 12:12-28 – The body has many different functions
[9] Galatians 6:10 – Doing good to everyone
-- Matthew 12:50 – Doing the Will of the father -- Acts 2:42 – Devoting yourself to the
teachings and the fellowship -- Hebrews 10:24-25 –
Fellowship Stirs up love and good works
-- 1 John 1:3 – The Believer has fellowship with the Father and the Son 1 John 1:7
– If we walk in the light we will have fellowship
with one another
[10] Ephesians 2:19 – The Believer is a member of the household of God -- John 1:12 –
He gives Believer’s the right to become children of God -- Romans 12:4-5 – We have different functions
from each other, but the same body -- Galatians 3:26 – We are sons of God through
our Faith -- Ephesians 3:14-15 –
We bow our knees before the Father
[11] Ephesians 4:11-12 – Apostles, Preachers, Deacons,
Elders and Teachers
[12] Hebrews 13:17 – Submit to the leadership of your church. -- 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13 –Respect, Esteem the
leaders, and be at Peace among yourselves -- Hebrews 13:7 – Imitate the way of life of your leaders
[13] Genesis 2:18 – It is not good that man should be alone -- Ephesians 5:21-33 – The mystery of marriage is profound -- John 3:16 – Whoever
believes in Jesus Christ will have eternal life
[14] Genesis 2:24 – A husband and wife become one
flesh
[15] John 15:17 – Love one another; it’s a
command -- John 15:9-10 – Keep God’s commandments and abide in His love -- Ephesians 4:31-32 - Be kind, tender
hearted, forgiving one another
[16] 1 Corinthians 13:1-8 – Love endures all
things and never ends --1 John
4:10-12 – When we love each other, God abides in
us --1 Peter 3:1-7 – LOVE; So your prayers will not be
hindered
[17] John 15:12-14 – Jesus laid down His life out of love
for us -- John 3:16 – Whoever
believes in Jesus Christ will have eternal life
[18] John 17:21-23 – We are unified as a family of Christ -- Ephesians 5:30 – We are all members of His
body.
[19] Romans 8:38-39 - Nothing can separate
us from the love of God
[20] Mark 12:30-33 - Love your neighbor as yourself -- 1 Peter
3:8 – Be tenderhearted, forgiving one another
[21] 1 Peter 3:11 – Do good, Seek peace, Strive to do the Word
[22] 1 John 4:7-8 – Anyone who truly loves is a child
of God
[23] Ephesians 5:19 – Singing praises and songs among yourselves
[24] Ephesians 5:2 – Christian Love is a pleasing AROMA to God) -- 2
Corinthians 2:16 – We are life giving PERFUME
to those saved
[25] 1 Corenthians
[26] James 5:14-16 – Confess your sins; Anoint with oil, pray for each other’s
healing
[27] Matthew 9:28-29 – According to YOUR FAITH be it done to you -- Matthew 9:20-22 – You receive healing through your faith --
[28] Faith is developed through Prayer and Fasting
[29] Isaiah 53:5 – We are healed by the wounds on Jesus Christ -- 1 Peter 2:24 - By his wounds we have
been healed -- Exodus 15:26 – I will put none of the diseases on you that I put
on the Egyptians
[30] Romans 11:29 – His gifts and calling to us is irrevocable
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