Some Observations about Fellowship (1 John 1:1-10)

• Fellowship is mutual participation. It is the sharing of common Life. The literal meaning of the word is, partnership, i.e. (literally) participation, or (social) intercourse, or (pecuniary) benefaction: — (to) communicate(-ation), communion, (contri-)distribution,
  
• Fellowship is based upon the experiencing of that life. i.e. hearing, seeing touching etc.
  
• In order for fellowship to take place, their must be a willingness to testify to the experiencing of that life. “and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)” (1John 1:2 KJV)“that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us” (1John 1:3 ESV)
• Fellowship is both vertical and horizontal. “so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.” (1John 1:3 ESV)
  
• Fellowship is a pleasurable experience for all that involve themselves in it. “And we are writing these things so that our* joy may be complete.” (1John 1:4 ESV)“And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.” (1John 1:4 KJV)
• Fellowship can take place through writing!
• Fellowship requires that we walk in the Light “If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.” (1John 1:6-7 ESV)

Dear Lord, may we walk in the ligh this day, enjoy fellowship with you, and others that are enjoying fellowship with you.

The Marks of an Excellent Spirit

“because an excellent spirit was in him.” (Dan 6:3 ESV)

• Faithfulness-“because he was faithful, and no error or fault was found in him.” (Dan 6:4 ESV)
  
• Persecution-“Then these men came by agreement and found Daniel making petition and plea before his God. Then they came near and said before the king, concerning the injunction, “O king! Did you not sign an injunction, that anyone who makes petition to any god or man within thirty days except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?” The king answered and said, “The thing stands fast, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be revoked.”” (Dan 6:11-12 ESV)
  
• Worship-“he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously.” (Dan 6:10 ESV)
• Prayer-“and found Daniel making petition and plea before his God.” (Dan 6:11 ESV)
• Favor-“Then the king, when he heard these words, was much distressed and set his mind to deliver Daniel. And he labored till the sun went down to rescue hi” (Dan 6:14 ESV)““May your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you!”” (Dan 6:16 ESV)
• Trust in God-“because he had trusted in his God.” (Dan 6:23 ESV)
• Ultimate Deliverance-“Then the king was exceedingly glad, and commanded that Daniel be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no kind of harm was found on him” (Dan 6:23 ESV)
• Authentic Prosperity- So this Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
  

Dear Lord make us people with excellent spirits!

Who do you think will be the next president?

“The sentence is by the decree of the watchers, the decision by the word of the holy ones, to the end that the living may know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will and sets over it the lowliest of men.’” (Dan 4:17 ESV)

“till you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.” (Dan 4:25 ESV)

“until you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.”” (Dan 4:32 ESV)

“At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever, for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation; all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?”” (Dan 4:34-35 ESV)

“Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble.” (Dan 4:37 ESV)


I know who is going to be president! Whoever God has planned!

Thanksgiving

I realize that this is a day late for a Thanksgiving post, but I did want to write some things that I have been thinking.

I am thankful that this Thanksgiving, my niece and her family got to come down and spend some time with us. I had to sneak up and get this picture of her because she doesn't like her picture taken. :)

Things have really changed for Holly and I this year. For the first time in over 25 years we are not in full time ministry. I must say that I enjoy what I am doing, and am very thankful for the way the Lord has provided a way for us to make a living.

I am especially thankful for my partner Sid Baker. Sid's kindness, vision, and wisdom have really been very helpful to me these last few months. Sid is a Christian who loves the Lord Jesus Christ, and I am looking forward to working a long side him for many years to come.

I am also thankful for my son Joel, who is working with us. His insight into business owners, and advertising is very helpful to what we are doing. I am proud of him and his work at Southside. I am thankful for Waynette, who is a godly wife and mother, and of course little Alena Marie!


This year we saw the last of our unmarried children get married. I can honestly say we did not lose a son, but gained a daughter in law. We love Cheryl very much! We are so thankful that God has given Jeremy a godly wife. We have been able to spend some really good quality time with Jeremy and Cheryl in the last several weeks. Jeremy has been working with me also in graphic design for the websites that we have been building. His ability in design is amazing!

I am also very thankful for Nathan and Bethany. They have had a very difficult year but have persevered and are doing well in San Francisco. We miss them very much, and are looking forward to their coming home after the first of the year. Nathan has done very well in completing his basic training in the Coast Guard and is working on his advancement in rank.



It is hard to believe that John and Rachel have two children that are as big as they are! They are coming up next week, and spending 10 days with us while John goes to Europe on business. I thank the Lord for John and the way he takes care of his family. I wish we could spend more time together.



I am very thankful for the love of my live. It is hard to believe that we are working on our 28th year of marriage! She is more beautiful to me than she has ever been! I am looking forward to continuing to grow old with her. It has been amazing, just her and I the last several weeks. We are able to have lunch together, and spend quiet evenings together. I love our life together!

Finally, I am thankful for the Lord Jesus Christ! It is because of His marvelous grace and mercy that I have all of these things and many more for which to be thankful. One day my life on this earth will be over, and I will enter in to His Presence to spend eternity thanking, praising, and worshiping Him for all that He has done for me.

Seeking God by Seeking His Word

“Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart,” (Psa 119:2 ESV) “With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments!” (Psa 119:10 ESV)

It is interesting that the psalmist couples seeking the Lord with one's whole heart, with keeping his testimonies, and not wandering from His commandments.

There is a direct correlation between seeking the Lord with one's whole heart, and their relationship with His Word. Though reading, meditation on, and studying the Word of God are not the only way to seek the Lord, it is a very important way.

Many times in my life when I have felt distant from the Lord, I have prayerfully gotten in to His Word, and heard from Him, and was drawn closer to Him.

To me there is no joy or peace in this life with all of it's problems, apart from a joy giving, peace giving faith in the Lord. And where do we get that faith? Rom. 15:13 ¶ May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. Rom. 10:17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

This Day can be a Day of Success!

“This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Save us, we pray, O LORD! O LORD, we pray, give us success!” (Psa 118:24-25 ESV)

As I meditate on the passage of scripture above, three things come to mind.

1. This day that we are living in right now, has been made by the Lord. I notice that the focus of the psalmist is on just this day. We cannot rejoice and be glad in tomorrow, because it has happened yet. We cannot rejoice and be glad in yesterday because it is already gone. But we can rejoice and be glad in today, when we recognize that our Loving, Sovereign, Heavenly Father is the one who made it.
   
2. Rejoicing and being glad is a choice. The KJV put's it this way, "We will rejoice and be glad in it." This day with all of it's problems and challenges is still something that we can choose to rejoice and be glad in. There is much for which to be thankful, because the bountiful hand of the Lord has given much.
3. We should pray for our own success, realizing that our success comes from the hand of the LORD, and not our our cleverness or ability.
   

Let's rejoice in this day, knowing that our God made it, and let's depend upon Him for our success in it!

Vertical Worship, Horizontal Benevolence

“Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.” (Heb 13:15-16 ESV)

Throughout Scripture there is a dual emphasis on our relationship with God, and our relationship with other people. For example, the first four of the ten commandments have to do with our relationship with God, and the last 6 have to do with our relationship with man. When the Lord Jesus Christ was asked what was the first an greatest commandment, he replied, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind;” (Luke 10:27) But then he was quick to add, “And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” (Matt 22:39)

In our text from Hebrews we find once again these two concepts put together. We find the offering of praise as a sacrifice to God, followed by doing good and sharing what we have with others. The writer simply says, "for such sacrifices are pleasing to God."

We must live our lives with both of these concepts in view. We must worship God, and praise Him with all of our hearts, through the merits of our Lord Jesus Christ. But we must also do good, and share what God has given us in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Both are necessary to be pleasing to God. Both are necessary if we are going to live our lives with pleasure to our selves.

"Father help us by your grace to worship and praise you with all of our hearts, and do good, and share what you have given us with others."