DIVINE FELLOWSHIP

"Dear friends, if our conscience is clear, we can come to God with bold confidence. And we will receive whatever we request because we obey him and do the things that please Him. And this is His commandment: We must believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another just as He commanded us. Those who obey God's commandments live in fellowship with Him and He with them. And we know He lives in us because the Holy Spirit lives in us." 1 John 3: 21-24

Fellowship is a word we use a lot in the church. It is that friendly connection between believers as they join together to worship or serve the Lord. Webster's defines it as companionship or a company of equals and friends.

Personally, I cherish fellowship and the special blessing it has brought and continues to bring to my family and myself. I see my companions...my company of friends in the church as an extended family, always there for me when I need them...always ready to offer love and a kind word. There's a comfort zone I find in fellowship.

Today's scripture takes the concept of fellowship to the highest plain possible for John is discussing fellowship with fellowship's Master Maker...the One who has created those who exercise fellowship here on earth. And in order to be in proper fellowship here on earth, we first need to be in fellowship with the Lord. Our passage today tells us that we only enter into fellowship with the Lord if we are obedient to His commandments and we only stay obedient if we welcome the Holy Spirit into our hearts and minds. In other words, the Holy Spirit offers us the conduit by which the Lord communicates with us in our fellowship relationship.

There's another benefit beyond fellowship that comes from living in obedience to God. We can live with a clear conscience, free from the haunting conviction of the sins we have committed. This allows us to enter into fellowship with God in "bold confidence" and "receive whatever we request".

Question: Where do you stand in regard to fellowship with the Lord? Do you have a clear conscience from living in obedience to His commands? If not, there is good news. You can repent right now. Confess your sins before the Lord and ask for His help to rid you of your weknesses. Then ask the Holy Spirit to come into your heart and mind and bring you into fellowship with the only One able to strengthen you against temptation. When you enter into true fellowship with God, you will truly feel like you're part of His family. You'll experience His companionship and begin to develop a relationship that can carry into all eternity when your earthly life is over. Are you ready for divine fellowship? The Lord is awaiting you.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.

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