When you think of the word "fellowship", what's the first thing that comes to your mind? Most people, I believe, would be thinking along the lines of a group getting together, whether for a Bible study or solely for socialization with other Christians. Looking in the Bible, we find that almost every single instance of usage of the word "fellowship" is not talking about anyone other than yourself and your individual fellowship (or communion) with Christ. The definition of fellowship in this case (Greek koinonia) is the spiritual union of the believer (you) with Christ.
Still, there are a fair share of instances in which God, through the Bible, tells us about fellowship with others. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 is a great example of our need of fellowship with others. It says "Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken."(NIV). In other words, it can be extremely difficult on your own to battle the devil's arrows and the temptations of your own flesh, but help is here...with God in charge and others to help you in your walk with Him. When you are in fellowship with others, the help you receive can take many different forms. By setting a good Christian example, others may be able to help you to better give to God all the challenges you're currently having in your life. Those challenges may include everything from a lack of disciplining yourself to spend time with Him to losing your temper too much when tough challenges arise. Another way others may be able to help is if two (or more) of you become accountability partners! Fellowship might just be for the purpose of your having a good, spirit-filled Christian friend to socialize with, or maybe even for God to work through YOU to help the other person you're in fellowship with!
Adapted from the site: www.christianchefs.org/newsletters/1999/09CITK.htmlDo you have an accountability partner? A close friend to share your burdens with? Are you staying connected with other believers? If not, make every effort to find them. Your life will never be the same...
See you tomorrow!
Pastor Brian
1 comment:
"Your life will never be the same"
SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO TRUE! I pretty much had sworn off fellowship with anyone other than my husband, my mother and my daughter.... People hurt me because they weren't perfect (yes I niavely expected them to be). So I shut them out and my world became very small. I THOUGHT I was happy with things that way... Then God pushed me to Flamingo Road Church... and my life truely HAS NEVER been the same. Each day my world grows bigger... people still aren't perfect... but I'm okay with that... because I know we are ALL trying to be! And hey... I've been known to screw up a time or two myself! Really CONNECTING and letting people in.... taking the time for fellowship WILL change YOUR life!
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