Even as I began to write the title of today’s blog I am reminded how spending time in prayer can effect your future. At the beginning when I went to prayer God gave me the thought for the name of our church. I know people who can relate to hearing God speak and others are looking for what I like to call the Noah experience where they hear God from above in a loud booming voice.
2 Corinthians 13:14 tells us: The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all. Amen.
It would be so biblical if I could tell you that I heard that chapter and verse as I heard the name for the church. It was so different however. The Lord showed me that free will is all about choice in our lives and that in exercising those choices perhaps we should learn to make new ones. It would be my task to empower and love on people to make those “New Choices” toward their journey with the Lord Jesus Christ.
Then came the idea of fellowship. Good minded people argued with me that it sounded like a link or idea of other faiths that would be too conservative or simply not attractive to people. Others told me the name was too long and it would not be easy to remember. I kept getting the vision that it was fellowship with God and relationships with each other. He showed me a church direction where we would learn to interact and work together with Him through His Holy Spirit.
Now just a little over 2 years later. I have seen so much of this happening. I see people who have been miraculously healed, lives changed, and renewed dedication to Jesus that never stops surprising me each and every day. The healing’s in this year alone have been amazing!
This year we shifted more towards that fellowship with the Holy Spirit by first learning to recognize the Holy Spirit in our lives. It seems that many are confused when we say the Holy Spirit is God. The New Testament expressions uses God in several ways. It is important to look deeper into the context to see the way what your reading is referring to God. When we learn to study the Bible rather than just reading it, it helps us to more deeply understand the message.
The Holy Spirit is more than just an influence. Say that out loud. The Holy Spirit is more than just an influence. The Greek word used for fellowship is Koinonia (koy-nohn-ee’-ah). It means fellowship, partnership, and distribution. When Jesus said that by His leaving we would be given the gift of the Holy Spirit I am not sure even the apostles knew what that meant. A fellowship/partnership with God to live within us. Wow!
While Jesus and God are together in heaven, the Holy Spirit of God resides within us. Working in partnership with us when we accept the calling placed upon us by God to fellowship with His son Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 1:9 You get the idea God in all that He is, Father, Son and Holy Spirit is working to partnership with us both from above and within. Who or what can disturb our peace? Who or what can take our joy? We have the perfect combination working in our favor. The grace of Jesus, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit to make it all clear to us. What more can we ask?
All of that to say go deeper there is so much more than you might be seeing. Make a “New Choice” and “Fellowship” with all that is God and all that there is for you. See beyond our normal definition of “religion” and see God’s plan for His relationship with you.
Sorry for the length today, my prayers are that it will reach someone and bless them with renewed hope and understanding. God bless and keep you all.
