"Relationship... Fellowship"

    We may have relationships without relating, or in Biblical terms, we can have relationship without fellowship.

   "If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin" (I John 1:7).

   Note that the Apostle John, writing to believers, raises uncertainty concerning the matter of our communion with God.  "If we walk in the light… we have fellowship."  That is, we must live in the reality of Truth in order to commune with the Lord who declared, "I am… the Truth" (John 14:6).  Or, in the words of the Apostle Paul, "If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit" (Galatians 5:25).  Relationship does not assure fellowship, that is, we may be born again through faith in the Lord Jesus without consistently availing ourselves of His living presence and desire to commune with us.

   "The prayer of the upright is His delight" (Proverbs 15:8).

   We tend to think of fellowship with our Heavenly Father in terms of our need.  We do better to begin our contemplation of such glory in terms of His delight.  That is, He loves human hearts to the degree that we elicit joy in the Divine heart when we approach Him in truth and in faith.  God does not need us, existing as a perfectly sufficient being in and of His triune personhood (Acts 17:25).  He does desire us, however, with a love that spans an "eternal purpose in Christ" that included the cross of Calvary to fulfill (Ephesians 3:11).  Indeed, whenever we wonder how much our Father may desire us to walk with Him in loving fellowship, we do well to remember He smote and forsook His eternally beloved Son on the cross in order to make such grace possible - "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?!" (Matthew 27:46).

   Our Lord gave to us relationship with Him when we believed.  "As many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name" (John 1:12).  He presently offers to us fellowship.  "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all" (II Corinthians 13:14).  Imagine, the living God beckons us to walk with Him in this day, indeed, in this moment.  May we do more than imagine as the reality of our relationship draws us into the realization of fellowship with the One for whom our hearts were made, and the One who values our hearts to the degree He gave His cherished Son to the brokenheartedness of Calvary.  How can we possibly refuse so great a gift, purchased at so high a cost?

"Our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son, Jesus Christ."

(I John 1:3)

Weekly Memory Verse

   Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.

(Isaiah 55:1)

   

"To Overcome"

    In our present existence, authentic spirituality does not involve the absence of our fleshly weakness, but the overcoming of it.

   "A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard. He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not. Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first" (Matthew 21:28-31).

  Salvation births our spirits through union with the Spirit of the Lord Jesus.  Growth in His grace and truth matures and strengthens this "new man, created in righteousness and true holiness" (Ephesians 4:24).   In His wisdom, however, God allows our earthly members and faculties to remain, including a "law of sin" that inhabits them (Romans 7:23).  The potential for temptation thus remains so near to us that it must be overcome within our very being.  As with the faithful son referenced in our Lord's parable, obedience involved initial response and desire to the contrary.  His feelings and thoughts said "No".  Something deeper in him, however, changed his mind, resulting in a faithful "Yes".

   The "something deeper" in born again believers involves Someone working in us "both to will and to do of God's good pleasure" (Philippians 2:13).  First thoughts, feelings, inclinations, and even physical sensations notwithstanding, the Holy Spirit moves within us to illuminate the fact that we are being tempted, and then reminds us of the indwelling power of Christ to overcome.  "If ye, through the Spirit, do overcome the deeds of the body, ye shall live" (Romans 8:13).  Our Lord is present in the temptation, as is our flesh, and "greater is He that is in you than He that is in the world" (I John 4:4).

    Regardless of how long or how faithfully we walk with the Lord in this present life, our flesh and its proclivities will remain.  This is why the Apostle Paul, writing in the future tense of the Greek language of the New Testament, rhetorically pleaded, "Who shall deliver me from the body of the this death?" (Romans 7:24).  Thankfully the answer came, "We ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body… we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality" (Romans 8:23; I Corinthians 15:51-53).  Yes, "we shall be changed," and "this corruptible must put on incorruption."  

     But not yet.  The flesh remains, not to be presently eradicated or glorified, but to be overcome through the power of the Spirit and our confidence that He works in us to make His desire our deepest desire.  "I delight in the law of God after the inward man" (Romans 7:22).  Accordingly, our initial reactions and responses may flow in a direction contrary to our Father's will.  This can quickly result in sin if we do not remember and affirm the greater truth of the Spirit of Christ dwelling with and within us to overcome.  He transforms initial "No's" to the will of God into "Yes" as we trust and submit ourselves to Him.  This is godliness in our present existence, as triumphantly revealed not by the eradication of challenge, but by triumph over it.

"In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."

(John 16:33).

"This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith."

(I John 5:4)

Weekly Memory Verse

   Now the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always by all means. The Lord be with you all.

(II Thessalonians 3:16)

"A Clear Conscience"

"A Clear Conscience"

    "Herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God and toward men" (Acts 24:16).

    As referenced in yesterday's message, the Lord Jesus Christ provides a clear conscience to those who trust in the mercy provided by His atonement and intercession on our behalf.  He forgives our sins when we believe in order to provide forgiveness, relationship with God, and peace of heart.  He thereafter leads us by His Spirit to walk in the faith and faithfulness that keeps our conscience clear.  Moreover, in those times when we sin, the Holy Spirit leads us to avail ourselves of the forgiveness that maintains our fellowship with God through "having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience" (Hebrews 10:22).

   The believer's clear conscience results from dedication to obedience and confidence in Christ's intercession for us.  Obedience is best, but sacrifice (His sacrifice) avails for us to provide quick restoration if we distrust and disobey our Lord.  Our sensibility must therefore involve the determination to trust and obey God at all times, through the power of the Holy Spirit.  "Now the God of peace… make you perfect in every good work to do His will, working in you that which is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ" (Hebrews 13:20; 21).  We maintain the confidence and conviction, however, that the Lord promises restorative forgiveness and cleansing for His children as necessary.  "Let us come boldly to the throne of grace to obtain mercy" (Hebrews 4:16).   Thereby we join the Apostle Paul in seeking "to have always a conscience void of offence toward God and toward men."  

   A Christ-maintained tranquility of heart means that we will far more likely abide in His Word, in prayerful communication, and in the joyful determination to honor the Lord Jesus in all things.  Such a walk with God will foster ongoing growth in His grace and truth, and a growing, consistency in faith and faithfulness.  The Spirit, the Word, and the Blood make possible such a gift of peace, and such a life of glory to God that results from a Christ-maintained conscience.

"My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous."

(I John 2:1)

"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed upon Thee, because He trusteth in Thee."

(Isaiah 26:3)

Weekly Memory Verse

   Now the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always by all means. The Lord be with you all.

(II Thessalonians 3:16)