Re: [FamilyofGod] Purpose of Fellowship
From: Wanda Ward <angelina56p47@
To: FamilyofGod@
Sent: Tue, 8 June, 2010 20:44:29
Subject: Re: [FamilyofGod] Purpose of Fellowship
wanda
Prov.28:13- he that covereth his sin shall not prosper, but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them , shall have mercy.
From: Michael J. Knight <michaelnight82@ yahoo.in>
To: FamilyofGod@ yahoogroups. com
Sent: Mon, June 7, 2010 11:36:35 PM
Subject: [FamilyofGod] Purpose of Fellowship
Purpose of Fellowship
John 17:20-21, "I am praying not only for these disciples, but also for those who will ever believe in me because of their testimony. My prayer is that they will be one, just as you and I are one, Father-that just as you are in me and I am in you, so they will be in us, and the world will believe you sent me."
The sad fact is that we throughout church history have left this prayer of Jesus unfulfilled. It is our mission as believers to fulfill this prayer of Jesus to establish unity in the Body of Christ. Jesus is not talking here about being a Catholic, Baptist, Pentecostal, Non denominational or any denomination for Christ cannot be divided otherwise He would not be the Christ who died for our sins. There is a clarion call going out by those who are seeking Jesus in these days that the Lord is serious about wanting unity in the Body of Christ. We are the Body of Christ those who have put their trust in Jesus Christ and been born again by the Holy Spirit. Do you hear the plea of Jesus in this verse?
"My prayer is that they will be one, just as you and I are one, Father-that just as you are in me and I am in you, so they will be in us, and the world will believe you sent me."
What this is saying here is that our actions directly affect the work of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit here on earth! Our choice to choose to walk in harmony with God's plan is one that is very important to Him. Besides if you feel that being a Catholic, Baptist, Pentecostal, reformed, etc… is more important than following Jesus Christ then you have missed the whole point of His life, Death and Ascension and your own salvation in Him. It is not about what any one denomination believes to be true that matters most, it is working together. What matters the most is that we believe in the inerrancy of Scripture, salvation by grace, the cleansing of the blood, justification by faith and so on… It is not an argument about who is right or wrong about "woman pastors' or even "who is right about tongues" or "the spirit gifts" it is about Jesus and His Body working together to spark revival in the land. This can only be accomplished by working purposefully together to establish unity.
"I am praying not only for these disciples, but also for those who will ever believe in me because of their testimony."
Our testimony today in the world is severely hindered by this for lack of a better word, "Phariseeism" this harden of hearts in saying that we are the ones who are right in our belief in Scripture. Didn't Jesus severely rebuke this same spirit during His life here on earth? It is the attitude of our hearts that matters the most and it is time that we broke up the fallow ground in our own hearts that says that we are right our other brothers and sisters are wrong. It is time that we had as Phillip Yancy said "grace healed eyes". The world watches our testimony by the way we love each other. In all honesty we have failed in this area throughout church history and even in most of these Christian fellowship communities to do so. I know I have also been guilty of being engaged in this "Phariseeism" but thank God in His kindness He forgives us as we turn to Him. Don't allow bitterness or any other place of division to have any place in your life. God is calling His body to be ONE in intention and purpose. Join Him in His Work today!
John 17:22-24, "I have given them the glory you gave me, so that they may be one, as we are- I in them and you in me, all being perfected into one. Then the world will know that you sent me and will understand that you love them as much as you love me. Father, I want these whom you've given me to be with me, so that they can see my glory. You gave me the glory because you loved me before the world began."
Can you hear the words of desperation in His Voice? He is crying out here for us to experience the power of His glory for He is in Glory! That He says All being perfected into one means that we can only be perfected into one if we are truly in Him. It doesn't matter how long you've been a believer in Jesus Christ but what does matter is where your heart is with Him. Are you walking in intimacy with Jesus today, or are you walking in your own way and will? The world shall know us as we are to be when we are at peace with ourselves first and that can only happen in a relationship with Jesus Christ. Jesus is praying for the Body of Christ here to be One so that it can reach and change the world with the everlasting Gospel of Jesus Christ. Don't understand what I mean here? Jesus is One with the Father; our actions indirectly affect what happens for all eternity. Our refusal or acceptance to do the Great Commission and the Great Commission directly affects how many souls will be in heaven! We are to labor for the Lord for our labor is not in vain but we must begin to labor not as "denominations" but as One for that is when the world will see us that we are truly what we say we are.
Since love is the bond of peace and without love we are nothing but a clanging symbol this love will change the world upside down only as far as we allow it to do so. If we wish to do God's Work, we must first have God's love inside of us. We must spend time in His Word to allow Him to do His business, so that His Glory will be manifest in our lives as we minister as One with Him, and One with each other. Praise the Name of the Savior!
John 17:25-26, "O righteous Father, the world doesn't know you, but I do and these disciples know you sent me. And I have revealed you to them and will keep on revealing you. I will do this so that your love for me may be in them and I in them."
This fitting together of each other can only happen with intention and purpose. For this very reason the Lord has placed in me a deep burden for years to be purposefully in establishing unity in the Body of Christ wherever He takes me. It is this call to unity that the Body must hear. We must be fit together meaning we must act intentionally towards being at peace with one another. Paul said we are to live at peace with all men, not some men but all men. In order to live in peace with all men we must first be at peace with our Savior. It is all about the Savior first and foremost. In order for revival to sweep these Christian communities and our land in general we must first seek to be unified to God's purpose for our own lives, which is sharing His love and grace to the areas of influence He has put us in. Praise God!
Love & Prayers,
Michael J. Knight.
http://groups. yahoo.com/ group/A-C- T-S/
What we are is God's gift to us. What we become is our gift to God.
Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces. (Psalms 122:7)
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