You Would Want To Marry Somebody Like That

We're still on the subject of 'Fellowship of the Spirit.' Today, let's take a look at Phil 2:1 and break it down phrase by phrase.

If there be any consolation in Christ

The Greek word for consolation actually means:

A calling near, encouragement, that which affords comfort or refreshment.

Wouldn't you want your lover to be one who is always wanting to be near you and was constantly encouraging you? What if every time you were around your lover every care went away and your strength and joy were renewed? You'd want to marry somebody like that.

If any comfort of love

The Greek word for comfort actually means:

Persuasive address

Does that sound strange? How many of you have had a lover that you changed your habits for simply because they asked you to? The love that had DEVELOPED between the two of you caused you to do that. Chances are, you married someone like that.

We're discussing 'Fellowship of the Spirit.'

If any bowels and mercies

The Greek words for bowels and mercies mean that His whole heart is filled with kindness, benevolence, compassion, tender mercies and affections.

Again, you would jump at the chance to marry someone like that.

That's who Jesus is. The reason you don't know Him like this is because you haven't stopped long enough to fellowship with Him. You spend two or three minutes, or even an hour pouring out your heart to Him. But, you have never given Him a chance to speak to you. He doesn't come down with a big booming voice, or write you a message on your living room wall. Just like any lover, He desires to spend some quality time with you and you alone. His desire is to show by experience how much He loves you and not by words only.

Fellowship of the Spirit.  Paul knew the advantages of living in His love. He had to to be able to go through what God's will brought him to. 

Spend some time with the One who is your Lover as well as your Lord. You'll find that He's one you would want to spend the rest of your life with.

Fellowship of The Spirit--Love Who You Are Talking To

When you think of fellowship, you think of talking, you think of laughing, you think of exchanging ideas, you think of interaction, and you think of coming away from a time of fellowship feeling great.

You never think of talking to a washing machine, overheated car, telephone poll or your tomato bush as fellowship. Why? Because they don't and can't interact with you. When somebody just sits there and listens to you, you don't call that fellowship.

Meaningful and enjoyable fellowship is a two-way conversation. Do you rush to have fellowship with someone you do not enjoy talking to? No. When you and your spouse were just dating, did you go through your day with a pep in your step as you anticipated a meaningful and enjoyable time of fellowship later on that day? Of course you did.

Paul is saying in Phil 2:1 that he found some enjoyable and relaxing time in conversing with the Holy Spirit. Am I saying that we should be sitting around listening for some mystical voice? Of course not. You see, God has already started the conversation thousands of years ago. He has told us that He loves us. He has already said that He would meet our needs. He has already said that He would be with us. 

Back when you were dating, and the conversation lagged, invariably one would say, "I love you" and the other would answer, "I love you, too." Since He has already told us of His love, why not get to your quiet place and start a time of fellowship with Him by relaxing and saying, "I love you, too." Say it enough that you start enjoying His presence and the rest of the conversation will take care of itself.

Fellowship of The Spirit-What Are You Talking About?

Phil 2:1 mentions the phrase 'fellowship of the Spirit.' That began to roll around  inside of my spirit as I was working today. When I came home and looked it up, I found several blogs worth of stuff. So, right now, let me just deal with one aspect--communication.


Fellowship between two people involves conversation, among other things. But, if we tried to converse with someone of a different nation, we would come to exasperation pretty quickly. Neither of us would understand what the other was trying to say. Therefore the fellowship would be short and unproductive.


Fellowship with the Holy Spirit is the same. The Holy Spirit knows only ONE language, and that language is identified in the Word of God. When we start thinking or talking in ways that are contrary to God's Word, the Holy Spirit is unable to fellowship with us.


Here's a surefire way of proving the point. Sit still and start thinking about all of the things that have hurt you, irritated you or drove you to distraction this week. After a few minutes, do you sense His presence? Obviously not.


Now take a few minutes and meditate on how much He loves you, what He has done for you on the cross and how much He means to you. It won't take too long before you know that you have His attention and that the two of you are sharing a conversation.


A relationship between two humans builds during pleasant conversation. The same with God. The more you talk His language, the more your relationship with Him will deepen. The more time you take to spend with Him in fellowship and worship, the stronger your faith in Him will grow. It all starts by speaking his language.

Fuel Your Faith More Than You Fuel Your Doubts

Great is Thy Faithfulness, O God my Father
There is no shadow of turning with Thee
Thou changest not, Thy compassions they fail not
As thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.


Summer and winter, springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above
Join in all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.


I hope this is one of your favorites as it is mine. The title to today's blog has been going through my heart all week. You will have to agree that we are 'prisoners' of our thoughts. Our thoughts govern the course of our actions just like the steering wheel on a car. Too often, wrong thoughts lead to serious and hurtful accidents.

When we dwell on the past hurts, mistakes, jealousies, and anger we are actually trying to steer our lives while driving in reverse. We are constantly looking at our past, mulling over who did what, when and how. It's no wonder we wind up going nowhere or getting to our desired destination so slowly. Instead of thinking about where we are going, our minds 'eyes' are locked on things that happen 40 years ago, if you're that old---or maybe just 5 or 10.


Do you realize that the words to this great hymn are enjoyed by unbelievers and ungodly just as much as they are by the 'saints.' Maybe even more so. Take, for example this hot summer weather. Saint and sinner alike can be heard to say, "I can't wait until the fall brings cooler weather." And, in the winter, we say, "I can't wait for warmer weather." They are actually praising and believing God in THINKING about His great faithfulness.


What are we as Christians, real "Bible believers" doing? Are we fueling our faith more than we are fueling our doubts. Bad stuff happens alright but God said in Jer. 29:11 that He is planning on doing something good. When we dwell on our past, we are fueling our doubts and are not looking 'forward' to anything else but continued failure.


Hot weather doesn't stay and cold weather doesn't last forever. I have already got plans for what I want to do in my flower garden when October and November get here to have a prettier spring. You probably do, too. God promised us that we did not have to build a home in the valley of the shadow of death. He said He would be with us as we go THROUGH it.


Think about how much time you spend looking backwards. Turn your faith car around and fuel you faith more than you fuel your doubts.

That Is Totally Uncalled For

I know that everyone has had things that have happened to them that we could classify as TOTALLY UNCALLED FOR. Friends have wronged us. Relatives have wronged us. Life itself by it's very sinful nature is going to wrong us time and time again.


I've been in one of those funks for several months. You've probably been there, yourself. As hard as I try, either present 'uncalled fors' or a myriad of past 'uncalled fors' come buzzing around to tear my mind up. For all of you grammar buffs I know that I just wrote a no-no twice. But, folks when doo-doo is thrown on you, you step in it and can't shake it off and you have to smell it while others around you smell good, you could care less about correct grammar. Can I get a witness?


During my worship time this morning, I was listening to Jeremy Camp sing 'Overcome.' I began to think about the sacrifice that Jesus made for all of us. The rejection, the envy, the hatred, His arrest, the crown of thorns, the lashes, and the cross were totally uncalled for. Or were they? 


Yes, they were called for. My sins called for His blood to be shed. He didn't deserve to die, I did. He did the hard part. He took all the disrespect and pain that the world could ever inflict for one reason, to free a sinful world of everything that was totally uncalled for.


The answer is in the Word of God repeated several times in that song. "We shall overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony." You know, He did the hard part and left us the easy part to do. We can ALL overcome by the word of our testimony. Let His Word and not our worry be on our lips. Let His Word change whatever is wrong in our lives today. It really is the easiest part.

Jesus, Be More Real To Me Than What I'm Going Through

Jesus, be more real to me than my problems.
Jesus, be more real to me than my doubts and fears.
Help me to find more to praise You about than to complain about.
Help me to be more concerned about lost souls than what someone else has done to me.
Help me to learn the lessons You are teaching me.
Help me not to teach others what anger and doubt are all about.
Jesus, help me sing Your praises more than I feel sorry for myself.
Help me to give people more of Your love and less of my mind.
Let folks see more of Your beauty and less of my ugly.
Be glorified in all I do. In Jesus name, Amen

Don't Balk at Your Lessons. Learn to Finish Them

Gal 4:1--Now I say [that] the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all,
2--but is under guardians and stewards until the time appointed by the father.


It is true that out of all Jacob's sons, Joseph was unfairly persecuted by his brothers. Other than being a typical, overzealous younger brother and his father's favorite, there was nothing that he did to deserve the junk he had to endure for years. But, as we look to what Joseph was called by God to do, we realize that what he went through was just a training ground for him. God had a purpose for everything Joseph went through. He was  under tutors and governors until the time appointed by the Father. 


Think of it like this. None of the other brothers had to go through what he did. I dare say that no one in Egypt had to go through it either. HOWEVER, because Joseph remained faithful to God in ungodly circumstances, none of his brothers got the great blessing that he got, neither were they allowed to share in Joseph's prestige. They got to stay in a land that God had prepared for them alright. BUT, they didn't share in his position in the country or his continuous wealth. Joseph got the girl, the power, the castle AND he got to see his father until Jacob died.


Everybody forsook Jesus and left Him to suffer and die alone. Yes, this was prophesied. But, as Jesus remained an obedient Son under ungodly tutors and governors as well as to His Father, He received a resurrection no one else could share.


Think about it for a minute. When it seems like no one else shares the burdens you are under, no one else will share the glory of His blessings on you, either.


What about the time?  Paul, who also suffered greatly, declared from experience that the Father's time was an appointment. You know, like your doctor's appointment at 10:30. It is our Father's appointed time that he has set aside just to bless you like He's not going to bless anyone else around you?  Why not? Because, nobody else has had to go through what you are going through right now.


Live in His Grace, my friend.