Recipe for a Happy Fellowship and Home

A fall day in Wisconsin

     This past August, my husband and I celebrated our 41st wedding anniversary.  We have been fortunate to know the Lord all the years of our marriage and have had many opportunities to serve in various church fellowships.  I wish I could say that every experience we had was a positive one.  However, not all fellowships are healthy and happy ones.  We have witnessed splits over minor issues, pastor bashing, and we, ourselves, have had personal attacks from fellow saints.
     It would have been very easy to leave the organized fellowship of believers and never return, but God, in His infinite wisdom and mercy, restored us and allowed us to find a healthy place to worship Him.  Our fellowship of believers is not perfect (there are none that fall into this category this side of Heaven), but it is a place that follows the guidelines that Peter laid down for believers in his letter.
     I Peter 4: 7-10 gives us some glimpses of what it takes to make a healthy church fellowship especially in the times in which we live.  In his letter, he writes:  "The end of all things is at hand; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer.  Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.  Be hospitable to one another without complaint.  As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God."
     These keys to good fellowship are important in our homes as well as our churches.   We need to be a people of prayer and sober judgment.  The world is full of pitfalls, pain and heartache.  There are many deceivers out there trying to grab the spotlight, so it behooves us to keep our thinking clear as we base it on the Word of God through prayer.

A view from our window in Kentucky

     Secondly, we need to act in love towards one another.  We have seen so many instances in our current fellowship where people who are going through difficult days have been brought back to spiritual health and restoration through the love and acceptance of Jesus Christ.  Bashing people over the head with the Bible or condemning them for their shortcomings is not what the Lord did as He walked among us.  This only causes people to put up their defenses.  The same can be said for our homes and families too.  Love does, indeed, "cover a multitude of sins."  It can keep both home and church together in the most challenging situations.
     Peter encouraged the early church to also show hospitality.  Often in our rat race society, we overlook the importance of taking time out to break bread with fellow believers.  It's even hard to do this in our own homes with our family.  Yet, the Lord wants us to open our homes and hearts to others without complaining.  We don't have to have a large fancy meal, nor do we have to have a home that looks like Martha Stewart's!  Instead, we can keep things as simple as a cup of coffee and a dessert.  What is most important here is the feeling of acceptance and the act of communication with those in the Body of Christ or in our families.  Some of the greatest ministry that is ever accomplished is often done around a table while breaking bread.
     One of the last things that Peter points out is that we are to use the gift or gifts that God has given to us to serve one another.  Both in the church and in our homes, we should be good stewards with these God-given abilities that the Lord has blessed us with.  For example, I know that the Lord has given me a gift of encouragement.  It is important that I seek Him daily to see how I may encourage my husband, my children and others in the Body of Christ.  If we do not know what our gift is, there are certainly many good books and Bible studies available that deal with this.  We need to seek this out and ask the Lord to show us.  Then, we need to use our gifts to bless one another.
      A healthy church fellowship and a healthy home can thrive when these guidelines are followed.  Peter is correct to remind believers that we must be sober in judgment for the purpose of prayer, fervent in our love for one another, hospitable even when its not convenient for us and that we must be good stewards with the gifts which God has given us.  If we seek to live this out in our church fellowships and homes, we will see positive growth in the Body of Christ.  It will bring glory and honor to the Lord as well.  Selah!

I welcome your thoughts and insights as always.  How has God led you to be hospitable?  How is He working to build your church fellowship and family?

How to be an Overcomer

The beauty of a Florida sunset

     For over 21 years, I had the privilege of teaching our children at home.  There were good days and some very challenging days as we studied together.  On those easier days, everyone had a positive attitude and was willing to work hard applying themselves to their studies without grumbling.  However, on the challenging days, I can only liken every one's outlook to trying to get a mule to drink water when it doesn't want to.
     At present, I am working in my husband's optometry practice and the same thing holds true in an office situation as well.  When attitudes go sour, the atmosphere of either home or office can head south quickly and tension rises.  Soon everyone is an unhappy camper and very little is accomplished that day.  It is almost like watching a display of dominoes fall down in a chain reaction.  What can we do to prevent this and be an overcomer even in the middle of a less than perfect day?
     In reading the story of Cain and Abel, I came across several verses that really opened my eyes concerning how sin creeps into our lives.  Read Genesis 4:1-7.  Let us key in on verses 3-7:
     "And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of
      the ground to the Lord.  Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat.
      And the Lord respected Abel and his offering, but He did not respect Cain and his offering.
      And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell.  So the Lord said to Cain, 'Why are you
      angry?  And why has your countenance fallen?  If you do well, will you not be accepted?
     And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door.  And its desire is for you, but you should rule
     over it.'" (NKJV)
     In these verses, we see a picture of two young men bringing their offerings of tribute before the Lord.  Cain was a farmer so he brought grain or fruit.  Abel was a shepherd so he brought a firstborn
lamb.  God accepted the offering of Abel but not the offering that Cain brought to Him.  We often
wonder why the Lord did not accept Cain's offering.  However, sometimes we forget that the Lord can see the heart (I Samuel 16:7) and we often cannot.
     Abel brought the best he had to offer.  It was the firstborn and it was a blood sacrifice.  However, some theologians believe that Cain did not bring his best fruit or his first fruit as well as a good attitude. To substantiate this, all we have to do is look at Cain's reaction when the Lord did not accept his offering.  He became angry when when his worship was rejected.  He stood at a crossroad as we do when confronted with sinful pride.
     God pointed out to Cain that sin was lying in wait outside his door much like the description given Satan as a "roaring lion seeking whom he may devour" in I Peter 5:8.  Cain could open that door and allow sin to rule his heart or he could repent and return to the Lord.  This simple choice had profound implications.  Of course, we know what Cain decided in his heart, and the result of his anger shattered the family peace with the murder of his brother.

     Each time that we put our armor down and allow ourselves to indulge in sin, we open ourselves to the enemy who is looking for a place to gain a foothold.  Then, we wonder how it happened that Satan slipped in never realizing our responsibility to bring all our "thoughts into captivity to the obedience of Christ..." (2 Cor. 10:5).  God gives us the victory over sin when we yield in our hearts to His Lordship and fill our minds with His Word.
     Quite often though, it is much easier to just vent our anger on one another, and when we do, the atmosphere of our homes or work place suffer not to mention our relationships!  Attitude really does reflect the condition of our hearts.
     Our Lord has given us all we need for "life and godliness" (2 Peter 1:3).  However, we must daily put on our armor and follow Him.  Keeping a "short account" with God and being willing to confess our sins quickly will keep the "crouching sin" which lies outside our heart's door from gaining entrance.  This is the key to being an overcomer!  Selah!

How has God helped you to be an overcomer?  I welcome your thoughts and insights.

The Blessing

The Church of the Holy Ghost in Heidelberg, Germany

     When I was in college, I remember well that in every letter or card which my mother wrote to me she concluded with the blessing found in Numbers 6.  To put it in context, we should read the verses before the blessing and after (Numbers 6:22-27):  "The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 'Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the people of Israel; you shall say to them,
     The Lord bless you and keep you;
     the Lord make His face to shine
        upon you and be gracious to you;
     the Lord lift up His countenance
        upon you and give you peace.
So shall they put my name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them.'"
    These words have echoed throughout my life and have brought me much comfort knowing that my mother imparted a blessing to me each time she wrote to me.  It was a reflection not only of God's protecting and keeping power for my life, but also a demonstration of my mother's trust in the Lord.
     In the same way, when we come to the conclusion of a worship service, I look forward to the benediction (the good word of blessing) which the pastor gives to the congregation.  How sad that some people slip out before they hear this good word from God.  After all, we all need a blessing as we leave the community of believers to go, once again, into the busy work day world during the week.
     Throughout the Bible, we see many situations where believers receive God's blessings.  The benediction is given to embolden, encourage, instruct or remind a believer of the grace they have received because of Christ's work on their behalf.  Some examples include:  public worship and celebrations of the Lord's work in redeeming His people (Leviticus 9:22; Numbers 6:23-26; 2 Chronicles 30:27); on momentous occasions when the Lord is pleased or when a great works for the Lord are about to begin ( I Kings 5:8, Genesis 24:60 at the betrothal of Isacc and Rebekah, Ruth 4:11-12);  in the answering of prayer (I Samuel 1:17-18, 2:20); at the time of parting from one another (Deuteronomy 33 and Luke 24:50); and at the end of many of the epistles in the New Testament where instruction and communication has been given.  These are some examples of where we see the blessing being imparted.
     Perhaps one of the most often used benedictions comes from Paul's epistle to the Church at Corinth. It is found at the end of his second letter (2 Corinthians 13:14):  "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all."  What a blessing we receive from the Trinitarian Godhead!  We are reminded of the grace of Christ which sets us free from the bondage of sin, the unconditional love of God which brought to us salvation and the abiding fellowship of the Holy Spirit to live within us guiding us daily.  This good word is a short sermon in itself.  In fact, we need to meditate on this during the week.
      Whether meal blessings, benedictions at the conclusion of a service or a blessing written at the end of a letter or card, God has provided a means for us to remind one another of His grace.  At coming worship services, take note of the benediction.  Receive this good word from God and consider it as you go out into your activities.  Pass the blessing on to others by living in the love of Christ.  Likewise, impart the blessing to your children even as my mother did for me.  It is life changing to hear the words of blessing imparted to us from God.  By the blood of Christ we have been redeemed and by the blood of Christ we have received all of God's blessings and benefits.  Let us live as children of blessing and pass on His blessing as we serve others.  Selah!

In a church garden on Anna Maria Island

I welcome your thoughts on this today.  How have your received God's blessing in your life?