Fellowship with Our Father

 

 

We have nothing that God needs, but everything that He wants. He desires fellowship with us as His Saints (1 John 1:3). We often forfeit this privilege because our thoughts and behavior grieve God’s Spirit and block our communication with Him. Under the guise of grace, we wallow in our sins. However, true repentance cries out to God for forgiveness and restores our relationship with Him once again (1 John 3:9).

 

If we live in association with darkness and sin, we cannot have fellowship with the Father of light (1 John 1:6-7; James 1:17). The more we associate with our Father, the better we get to know Him and to walk in His light, as children of the Light (1 Thessalonians 5:5). In God, there is no darkness at all (1 John 1:5). From our fellowship with our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, abiding joy flows into us (1 John 1:3).

 

God’s light reveals our areas of weakness and presents them to us in a whole different light (2 Corinthians 5:17). We no longer see sin as acceptable, but as abhorrent and disgusting. We confess our sins, and He is faithful and merciful enough to forgive us of those sins (1 John 1:9). He gives us His limitless power and authority in the name of Jesus Christ, regardless of our human limitations (2 Corinthians 4:7; 12:9).

 

Another benefit or our relationship with God is our fellowship with His Body (1 Corinthians 12:27). We are here to bless and care for one another (Philippians 2:4; Romans 12:10). We cry and rejoice with each other, pray for and with one another, and exhort, admonish and encourage our brothers and sisters in Christ (1 Thessalonians 5:11). We have purpose and guidance in this life.

 

Prayer:
Father God, even in the darkest night of any trial You are in the midst of it with us, loving us from the inside out, giving us wisdom and making everything work our for our good (Romans 8:28; Jeremiah 29:11). Remind us to encourage one another and to pray for each other as Your Body. Show us the seeds of Your miracle in the midst of every tribulation.

 

Thought for the Day:

What mankind calls liberty and grace, God’s holiness calls rebellion and iniquity. Sin breaks our fellowship with our Father.

Enemies of God

 

We were all enemies of God at one time, but He reconciled us to Himself through the death of His righteous Son, Jesus. Those who repent of their sins and call on His name we are saved by His life (Romans 5:10). We pass from death to eternal life through all the fullness of Jesus Christ, our Lord (John 14:19). Death no longer reigns in the spirit, body and soul – mind, choices and emotions - of those who believe in Christ as their Savior (Romans 5:17). Our sins are paid for, and we are absolved of their penalty.

Through Jesus, the Kingdom of God is now within each Believer (Luke 17:20-21). Jesus purchased our salvation from corruption, by His death and resurrection. Now, He is the first-born of many brethren (Romans 8:29), the head of the body (1 Corinthians 12:12) and the light of the world, which is lost in darkness (John 8:12). Christ in us also makes us the light of the world (Matthew 5:14-16). We are bound to the fathomless Christ forever. We live in a personal union and intimate communion with Him.

God gave us His spirit as His sons. The Stone, which the builders rejected, is now our chief cornerstone (Psalm 118:22; 1 Peter 2:4-8). He made us living stones in a temple made without hands, as well as His royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:4-5; 1 Corinthians 3: 16-17; 2 Corinthians 5:1, 6:16). In ages past, God tried to reach man through dispensations of innocence, human government, promise, law and grace. We are now in this age of grace, which is also called the “day of the gentiles” and “the church age”.

There is only one era left before eternity; the millennial reign of Christ and His Bride on the earth. We will rule with Him for 1,000 years and live in His mansion with Him in glory (Revelation 20:4 - 21:1; John 14:2-3). Even now, God dwells in us and walks with us and considers us His People and the Sheep of His pasture (2 Corinthians 6:16). God teaches us the mysteries of His Kingdom (Matthew 13:11). He bids us to enter His rest and to cease from our own labor as we do His will each day of our life (Hebrews 4:10).

The triune God moves in and exchanges our carnal nature with the righteousness of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:12). He changes our heart of stone to one of flesh, which is pliable in the hands of His Spirit (Ezekiel 11:19). He raises us up to sit in heavenly places with Christ, and through Christ He shows us the richness of His grace and His kindness toward us (Ephesians 2:6-7). At the culmination of time, He will give us gladness, and joy and all sorrow and sighing will pass away forever (Isaiah 35:4; Revelation 21:4).

Prayer:

Father God, at Your command, the universe was set into motion, the earth was formed, and life was raised up by the power of Your Word. You brought Christ forth as a righteous branch from the lineage of King David (Psalm 148). One day soon, You will send our Savior and King to the earth to reign in prosperity for all. Through His justice, He will execute judgment in the earth. You will save Israel, just as You promised Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and they will dwell in safety in the land of Your promise. Jesus will reign as Lord of Righteousness forever (Jeremiah 23:5-6). All of Your Saints will serve You and praise You for eternity.

Thought for the Day:

The Kingdom of God is within us. – Luke 17:20-21