Maintaining True Fellowship March 7, 2021

Important to understand the hour we are living in.  Tribe of Issachar.
There are signs of the end times.  Perilous times.
We will discuss the importance of maintaining godly fellowship with God and others in the Body of Christ.  True covenant relationship we have with Christ Jesus.  We have a challenge to maintain true relationships, to endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. (Ephesians 4:3)  importance of our encouragement of one another.
(Matthew 24:1-3, 10 - 12) 1And Jesus went out and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple. 2And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. 3And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
In his answer to this question, Jesus began to prophecy the signs of the end.
 
He mentioned  3 things
Many:
Verses 10, Many shall be offended and betray one another and shall hate one another
Verse  11 many false prophets shall arise shall be deceive many   
 Verse 12   The love of many shall wax cold
 
Wars and rumors of wars, pestilence, economic downfall, social unrest (nation against nation), catastrophic weather patterns
When you see these things begin to happen,  Look up, your redemption draweth nigh.  These are happening in our world now.. 
 
In Luke, Jesus warns, “offenses will come”. Opportunity for disagreement when more than one person dealing with anything.   (Luke 17:1) 1Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come!
 
There is a special challenge to the people of God in this last day to maintain fellowship through  truthful, honest communication.
 
HOW TO COMMUNICATE – (Honest communication)
 
Healthy relationships grow through constant, truthful communication.
Build godly character to maintain true covenant relationships.
Offenses come when someone mistreats, disrespects/misjudges, misrepresents another.
The closer the relationship, the deeper the wound
Deceptions come when people believe they are right even when wrong.
We sometimes judge by appearance and speak without knowing the behind-the- scenes issues. 
Hearsay, appears, assumptions
We should be quick to hear - hear by the spirit,, slow to speak, slow to judge and slow to wrath
There is a greater challenge to maintain unity these days. Godly relationhships
Let brotherly love continue
Let brotherly love continue. 2 Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. 3 Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body. (Hebrews 13: 1-3)
People will believe a lie and not the truth of God’s word.
Because the enemy brings confusion, division and separation, the love of many will wax cold.
 
There is a common identity through faith in Christ Jesus
Focus on the people of God.
They shall know us by our love for one another. 
Show forth the truth. The church is the ground and pillar of the truth.  Set an example for the world to see.
Maintain our love and true relationship with God.
We are one. 
We have a common identity, a common enemy/adversary. Children of God all on r in Christ Jesus.   The devil tries to keep you away from the future God has for them who trust in Him..
In this world but not of this world
Great commandment to love god and to love our neighbor as ourselves
Identify in the spirit.  The enemy comes to kill, steal and destroy.  (John 10:10)
We have a common destination:
 
THE LOVE OF GOD
Jesus’ sacrifice brought a covenant with God, a binding contract – a Godly contract that goes beyond that of a document on paper.  Heart to heart.
 
You can have an agreement without covenant.  You can believe in the same principles, etc.  Doing things together without being in friendship.
You can walk together without a covenant   (Amos 3:3) “how can 2 walk together except they be agreed”
 
A covenant is a commitment to do what is best for the other.
You can be in fellowship and not really be in friendship.
We look at agreement in relationships today.
Fellowship in the spirit by the word of God.
Purpose in a relationship is to accomplish a vision, ie: business, goals, focus
Standard Operational Procedures, vision for an enterprise, mission God inspired,   pledges, business goals
Agreement for working together as partners, members, fellowship to accomplish a goal.
POWER IN AGREEMENT:  one can chase a thousand… if any two on earth agree…
Associate to walk alongside
 
RESULTS ARE EXPONENTIALLY MULTIPLIED WHEN THERE IS AGREEMENT  (Matt. 18:19, Eccl 4:9)
 
Genesis 11 the importance of right communication is vital to success in any kind of fellowship or agreement and have the accomplishment of a goal.  Communication Vital in any fellowship or agreement.
We are the body of Christ, one body, many parts
Maintain true godly relationships, knowing that many members but one body
1Cor.12:    12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
The hand cannot say I have no need of the foot…
 
We are in this together and we need one another.
Honor the graces we each bring to the table.
Gifts and giftings, abilities, talents, gifts of God
Each brings a different aspect or function to the workings of the body
 
Agreement:  We have a common purpose, a common goal, we must be of the same mind
Gen. 11 the land of Shinar
Let Us: (Gen 11:4 )  And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth. 
(11:6)“And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.
They were all with one goal and one purpose.
Notice the wording: We,Us and Our  They were brethren together in unity.  A mistaken human endeavor, but they were committed together.
He destroyed the Lines of communication and understanding of one another’s speech
They were with one goal and one purpose.  Unity mindset
Special grace and anointing
God reigns down on those who are in agreement
The principle of agreement is powerful, but God said Let Us go down and confound them.
(11:7)   Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech. 8 So the Lord scattered them abroad from thence
They were not trying to accomplish God’s will but their own.
 
Communication, character and caring are key
First thing Paul said when encountering Him was “who are you, then what will you have me to do?
RELATIONSHIP, CHARACTER… CARING
No deception, speaking the truth in love.   open rebuke is better than secret love
When you see a brother in a fault, go in the spirit of meekness to restore him
“This is my brother”  I am going to pray for my brother and Gid dwill show me what words a=to say, how I can reach him.
He who winneth souls is wise (Prov. 11:30)
Paul refused to be recognized as important.  I count all this]gs as dung
How can I honor you? How can I be a blessing?
SPEAK THE TRUTH IN LOVE, confess your faults one to another that you might be healed.
 
3 John 1:1-2 1The elder unto the well beloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth. 2Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth
 
When the trust factor is gone the relationship is on the way out. Must be honest.
3John 1   Gaius was a friend trusting that they were prospering because of testimony of them walking in truth.  Others were testifying of their walk.
My greatest joy is to know that my children walk in truth.
“You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.”
Confess and forsake your sin.
Learn to forgive. Love your enemies,
 
Ephesians  “Put away lying lips.”
 
SPEAK THE TRUTH, DO THE TRUTH
John 3:16,17,18,19  light is come into the world and the world loves darkness because their deeds are evil
Honest, truthful, even when it hurts
Even when wrong confess and forsake, know how to forgive and heal
 
Healing in relationships
Do good, love, forgive
You must forgive in order to be healed
 
Verse 19
He that doeth truth cometh to the light that his deeds might be manifest
 
A man of integrity knoweth how to communicate truth in the right way.
If not careful we can begin to respond to problems in the wrong way
 
Responses to pressure: streamers, screamers and schemers
streamers - cry, shed tears
Steamers: don’t say anything, hold it in until the pressure is too great  (like the tea kettle) 
Screamers: fight and argue, scream:  whoever is the loudest is right.
Schemers: thinking of how to get revenge, retaliate
Owe no man anything but to love him.
This is the message that in God there is no darkness at all
In the beginning God created…l
Every good gift
The same yesterday, today and forever, he cannot lie, He is the faithful god who keeps covenant
John all about love:  this is the message that God is light and in him is no darkness at all
Every good gift and every perfect gift Is from God
In Him is no darkness at all
 
(IJohn 1:6)  If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:7But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 8If we say that we have no sin, we lie
Verse 6   if we walk in he light as he is in the light we have fellowship one with another…and the blood of Jesus cleanses us
If you are offended, go to your brother and communicate,
Clear the slate.  Heal, forgive
Know how to honor and appreciate the gift of God in each other
We need each other
Can’t do it on your own
We need the encouragement and strength we gain from one another when we fellowship in the spirit.
 
Lord give us the grace to be doers of your word and not hearers only.
We are our brother’s keeper.
Be glorified in us.