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What can happen when we fail to consult the Lord We now consider two instances where the Israelites did not consult the Lord and created serious problems for themselves The deceit of the Gibeonites Joshua 9:15 So Joshua made peace with them, and made a covenant with them to let them live; and the rulers of the congregation swore to them. 16 And it happened at the end of three days, after they had made a covenant with them, that they heard that they were their neighbours who dwelt near them. 19 Then all the rulers said to all the congregation, "We have sworn to them by the Lord God of Israel; now therefore, we may not touch them.  21 And the rulers said to them, "Let them live, but let them be woodcutters and water carriers for all the congregation, as the rulers had promised them." The Gibeonites' deception is a story about the Gibeonites tricking the Israelites into making a peace treaty with them. God had told Israel to destroy all the Canaanite tribes. The Gibeonites were Canaanites who disguised themselves as travellers from a faraway land to save themselves from Joshua's army. They wore old clothes and sandals, loaded their donkeys with worn-out sacks and wineskins, and brought dry, mouldy bread. They then asked Joshua to make a covenant with them. Joshua made a peace treaty with the Gibeonites and guaranteed their safety. Three days later, the Israelites learned that the Gibeonites were their neighbours. Joshua couldn't break his promise to the Gibeonites, but the treaty threatened Israel's covenant with God. The Gibeonites eventually became fully assimilated into Israel as slaves The Israelites did not do an ID check with the Lord to see where the Gibeonites came from. Israel had to make do with the situation they had gotten into-by not consulting the Lord! The defeat of Israel at Ai There were two battles at Ai (see Joshua Chapters 7-8) Israel was defeated in the first battle – due to the sin of Achan However, after repentance Israel, won the second battle Another example where Israel did not consult the Lord was their military defeat at Ai (pronounced as Ai or eye). Israel is defeated by the inhabitants of the city of Ai, and it is revealed that the reason for the defeat is because one of the Israelites has sinned and kept some of the “devoted things” from the spoils at Jericho. Achan, from the tribe of Judah, is found (by lot) to be the guilty party, and he and his household are all executed according to God’s instructions. We need to pay attention to what the Lord is saying in any given situation and of course be obedient to what he has said. Take away points We need to consult the Lord before our battles, major decisions, projects and everything else that is important. Do you consult the Lord in this way? Amen Prayer In Part 4 (our final part) we consider what it means to be totally committed to the Lord.

The Apostle Paul knew where he was headed in life, what about you? Everyone’s life is driven by something! A dictionary definition of driven includes guided , controlled by , or directed by . Think of your car when it is driven by you, hopefully you are guiding it and controlling it every moment you are driving! Today a problem, or a pressure or even a deadline might drive you. You could also be driven by a painful memory, an overwhelming fear (phobia e.g. fear of failure) or even an unrecognized belief or mindset. What would your closest family and friends say drove your life? There are literally hundreds of circumstances, values and emotions that can drive our lives. Here are 5 examples of common ones. Many people are driven by Guilt . They spend most of their lives running away from regrets and trying to hide their shame. Guilt-driven people are manipulated and controlled by their memories. They allow their past to control their future! They often unconsciously punish themselves and even may try to sabotage their own success. After Cain murdered his brother, his guilt caused him to become a restless wanderer. This is perhaps a good description perhaps of many people who wander through their lives without a purpose. We may be products of our past, but we do not need to be prisoners to it. God’s purpose in your life is not limited by your past. God turned Moses from a murderer into a national leader and the timid Gideon into a valiant warrior. I wonder what he is going to do with you and me? God specializes in giving people a fresh start. Oh the joy of whose sins have been forgiven (that is us). Many people are driven by resentment and anger. They hold onto their hurts and wounds and never get over them, instead of dealing with the hurt by forgiveness they replay the offence in their minds. Instead of dealing with the hurt by giving forgiveness they replay the offence over and over and keep it a fresh source of negative emotions. Some people repress their anger and pain whilst others explode with rage. Both responses are unhealthy and unhelpful. Resentment gnaws away at us (like a rat in your soul) and has more effect on the ‘offended’ than the offender. The offended person just stews in their own juice. We must learn to let go of all bitterness and resentment with God’s help and forgive people with His forgiveness. Easier said than done, you might say, but doing the right thing surely leads to health and peace of mind. Many people are driven by fear. Fears come upon people in many ways. Some traumatic experience, unrealistic expectations, superstitions, growing up under dominating people or perhaps some people may be more fearful than others by nature. Many fear-driven people miss out on great opportunities because they are afraid to go out or step out into the unknown. Instead they play it safe every time, avoid every risk and always vote for the status quo. Fear is a self-imposed prison which holds you captive from finding God’s purpose for your life. Perfect love casts out all fear and we have the full armour of God to help us deals with its attacks. Many people are driven by materialism. The acquisition of material wealth becomes the overriding purpose of their lives. Remember the parable of the wealthy man who built bigger barns and planned the good life not realizing his time was up. There is the underlying misconception that more material wealth will bring more happiness, more security, and more importance. It would not take to you too long to find examples of many people who could tell you otherwise. Possessions only bring a temporary happiness, then we get bored with them and want newer, better (or even younger) replacements. Your value to God does not lie in your possessions but in your very life, you are his treasure. What is your treasure? Wealth does not make you secure; you can have a billion in the bank but a need for 1.1 billion arises. Wealth can be lost in a moment e.g. the Wall Street crash. We find our security in our relationship with the living God (we have a written covenant with him that is fireproof, waterproof and event proof). Many people are driven by the need for approval. Some people allow the expectations of their parents, spouses, or teachers or even their friends to control their lives. Many adults are still trying to win the approval of their unpleasable parents (can even happen when the parent is dead). Others are driven by peer pressure to conform to the group or gang. We will never succeed in life by trying to please everyone! Jesus said no man can serve two masters, either we will please God or man. Being driven by the opinions of the others will result in us displeasing God. I am sure you will agree that it too high a price to pay. We must be on our guard for anything driving our lives that would lead to our unfulfilled potential or destiny. We need to live our lives guided and controlled and directed by God’s (and only) God’s purposes for our lives. Nothing matters more than to be in his will and purpose in your life and nothing this world has to offer us can really compensate us for missing his purpose for our lives. Without a purpose, life is motion without meaning . Without a purpose, life is activity without direction . Without a purpose, life has no reason . Without a purpose, life is trivial, petty, and pointless . Benefits of living a Purpose Driven Life Here are 5 great reasons of living a purpose driven life. Knowing your purpose gives meaning to your Life. Life without God and hence without purpose is meaningless. Where there is no meaning there is no significance or hope . Live without purpose is a terrible burden. What hope do the godless have? Nothing really matters. Why should anyone care about anything? Each day would drag on and on! Cancer patients with a strong life purpose and desire to live do better generally than those who do not. God has plans for your life, plans to bless you, and prosper you. Is anything too difficult for him? Knowing your purpose simplifies your Life We can simplify our lives into doing either things that… Please God or do not Glorify God or do not Things that are in obedience to God’s word or not. Any new project, plan or proposal can be measured up against your life purpose by asking will it help or hinder my God given purpose. Without a clear purpose we base our decisions to allocate out time and resources on momentary things such as mood, pressures etc. Isaiah 26:3 You Lord give perfect peace to those who keep their purpose firm and put their trust in you. Knowing your purpose focuses your Life We can become effective by being selective. It is all too easy to become distracted by minor issues. We usually major on the minors. Thoreau said many people live lives of quiet desperation , but Rick Warren has suggested it might be more apposite to say they live lives of aimless distraction like gyroscopes spinning fast but going nowhere. Without a clear purpose we will change relationships, jobs, houses, churches etc. hoping that the next change will make everything all right, but it usually does not. What will help you, will be focusing clearly in on God’s purpose for your life then making any changes based on that. Being focused is more important than being busy. White light is diffuse and not focused and needs a magnifier to get focused, but a laser is highly focused and can cut through steel! God wants you to live your life focused like a laser . Look at Paul, Philippians 3:13, I am focusing all my energies on this one thing, forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead. Knowing your purpose motivates your Life Purpose produces passion . Nothing energizes like a clear purpose. Passion dissipates when there is no purpose. Meaningless work wears us out quicker than overwork. G.B. Shaw wrote “ This is the true joy of life; being used up for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one, being a force of nature instead of a feverish little clot of ailments and grievances, complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy. ” Which one of these is most like you? Knowing your purpose prepares you for eternity Most people want to be remembered when they are dead. Yet, at the end of the day it is now that what our fellow men think and say of us really matters. All our records, trophies and achievements will eventually be surpassed. Living to create an earthly legacy is a shortsighted goal. We need to build an eternal legacy . We were put on earth to prepare for heaven. Each one of us will give a personal account to God for us our stewardship of our lives [ Romans 14:10]. He will ask you ‘ What did you do with my son Jesus Christ’ ? Did you accept him and what he did for you? Your answer will determine where you will spend eternity. ‘ What did you do with your life ( health, strength, gifts, talents, resources etc .)? ’ Your answer will determine where you will be for eternity. Knowing your purpose will give you the right answers to these questions. Summary Living with purpose is the path to peace and faithfulness. Let us forget what lies behind and focus in like lasers on God’s purposes for our lives. Amen Prayer

How can we commit our ways and our works to the Lord: practical suggestions 1.Start with prayer of committal that draws on your knowledge of God’s character (bible). 2. Let go of how you think the plan should be executed 3. Expect the unexpected 4. There may be a battle for God’s plan to be implemented 5. Keep trusting God for He knows best Practical example for a new children/youth ministry Prayer: Lord, we know that you love children and young people, and you suffered the little children to come unto you. You tell us to bring up our children in the knowledge and admonition Lord we now hand over all our ideas and thoughts of how we can achieve this to you acknowledging that you alone have the right plan. Watch out for unexpected developments e.g. a gifted worker in these areas may suddenly turn up or a facility may be made available. There may be difficulties and problems appearing just when it looks like we have Gods plan Keep believing, keep trusting, God has our prayers covered and will bring his answer at the right time. Abba Father knows best. Amen Psalm 127: :1 Unless the LORD builds the house, They labour in vain who build it; Unless the LORD guards the city, The watchman stays awake in vain. Whatever we do in any sphere of life we must understand that all our undertakings require a total dependence upon God for without the Lord being in charge, all efforts will be frustrated, and all activities will be rendered unsuccessful. Even in terms of our security in all the areas of life we do all that is prudent, but our trust must be in the Lord. A biblical example of Commitment to the Lord: Noah The account of Noah’s commitment was particularly clear. Yes, you know Noah, the man who preached for (120) years about a thing he’d never seen before. If there’s a man that can teach us about how to be committed it would be him. We read his story in Genesis 6:13-9:29 . From Noah we learn three key things: Faith : God says to Noah, “I’m going to destroy the earth, and I want you to build a boat to save all the people who want to be saved as well as, the land animals and birds. Oh, don’t forget and you will also be saving your three sons and their wives.” Investment : The Bible doesn’t tell us what Noah’s day job was. Noah had to source and procure all the things that were needed to build the ark that was estimated to be 450 feet x 75 feet x 45 feet. It would have taken many tons of wood, gallons of pitch and a whole lot of hours to get this project completed. Persistence : Biblical commitment is often called faithfulness-–it’s because we can’t truly commit to something without faith. We have to believe before we can start investing in something. What about our commitment to what God is building in your church fellowship today? Psalm 37:4 Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. In a sense delighting in the Lord also involves him in every situation. Delight in the Lord can be interpreted to mean that: Enjoying God brings contentment: When we delight in God, we find complete satisfaction and contentment in Him. God gives us what we want: God gives us what we want because He gave us the desire to want it. Godly desires are placed in our hearts: When we delight in God, He places godly desires in our hearts. Our desires are fulfilled: When we delight in God, our desires are fulfilled because our contentment is satisfied in Him. The Hebrew verb for "delight" in Psalm 37:4 is a command that charges us to find enjoyment in the Lord. Another Hebrew word for "delight" means to bend toward or incline toward, which is a fitting description of what our attitude should be toward God. Amen Personal Prayer In Part 3 we consider what happened to God’s people when they did not check with the Lord or consult with Him.

If you want to be successful in anything you must get God in it at its inception. Whatever we do for the Lord we must get God himself in on the act. The Lord must be the first guest at any celebration for he is the life and soul of the party. We must seek the Lord for both the direction and the execution of any task he has given us. Unless God is in the task from its inception our plans are going nowhere and will eventually fail. Also, unless the Lord is sustaining all our ministries and service then we are just wasting our time. If God is not involved in any project, then why should we be? Psalm 37: 5 Commit [a] your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass. [a] = Lit. Roll off onto. Way= plans and purposes The Amplified Bible Classic (AMPC) edition renders Psalm 37:5 Commit your way to the Lord [roll and repose each care of your load on Him]; trust (lean on, rely on, and be confident) also in Him and He will bring it to pass. David wrote this Psalm in his old age and so he is talking from experience. Commitment: Committing to the Lord means to hold nothing back and to trust God completely. Trust: The verse emphasizes the importance of trusting God and placing one's faith in Him. Action: The verse assumes that faith is inseparable from action, and that those who trust God will continue to do what He says. Rolling with God: The Hebrew word for "commit" literally means "to roll". This concept is similar to the idea of "rolling with God". God's care: God can take better care of us than we can do for ourselves. Psalm 37 encourages people to not respond to evil with yet more evil. This psalm is especially relevant when things don't seem to be going our way, and we are struggling forward through a fight of faith Commit your works to the Lord Proverbs 16:3 Commit [a] your works to the Lord, And your thoughts will be established. Pledge or dedicate your use of energy, mental and physical effort to the Lord, and your way of thinking and intentions will be set up on a permanent basis.   [a] = Roll all your actions–good or bad–unto God and He will arrange your thoughts, purpose, and intentions. The AMPC renders Proverbs 16:3 Roll your works upon the Lord [commit and trust them wholly to Him; He will cause your thoughts to become agreeable to His will, and] so shall your plans be established and succeed. Plans should be aligned with truth. The best chance for success is when plans are aligned with truth. Those who submit to God's will are in a better position Those who submit to God's will and seek Him are in a better position than those who ignore or reject Him. Plans should glorify God Plans should include serving other people and using gifts to bring God glory. Trust in God The proverb assures those who worship the true God that their plans will be successful if they place their trust in him by seeking and following his guidance. The word translated into English as "established" conveys the idea of laying a foundation. Amen Personal prayer In Part 2 we consider the practicalities of how to commit our way and our works to the Lord

Jesus is a superconductor of the Holy Spirit. Acts 10:38; God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and he went around doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil, for God was with him. In Luke 4:18 Jesus spoke these words “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor, he has sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord.” Jesus' mission statement or manifesto was as follows. Jesus came to meet people’s needs Jesus came to meet their need for Salvation Jesus came to meet their need for Deliverance Jesus came to meet their need for Healing Jesus came to meet bind up broken hearts, open blind eyes, and deaf ears, to heal their bruises and to tell them “today is the day of Salvation, if you hear His voice don’t harden your heart”. Jesus came to meet people’s needs and he had the anointing of the Holy Spirit to give the power to meet those needs of the people. Isaiah 10:27 tells us that is the anointing that breaks the yoke (of bondage).  In other words, the Holy Spirit (in believers) supplies the power to change, to save, to set free, and to heal. The ‘anointing’ in a physical sense means a perfume prepared from oil and aromatic herbs and this perfume was poured on the head of the High Priest, setting him apart as holy unto the Lord. This perfume is a picture of the Holy Spirit being poured out onto the head of the believer. Jesus Christ - The Anointed One (Luke 4:18) And we are the Christians the ‘little’ anointed ones. The power of God comes with the anointing. Every good work needs power, from Salvation to healing and deliverance. In the New Testament a miracle is literally a ‘Dunamis’ a working of power. Only God himself, God the Holy Spirit can supply this power to change, heal, to set free and to have this power available to meet the needs of people so we must have the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Summary God wants you and me to meet these same needs in the lives of people, for salvation, healing, deliverance and will give you and me the anointing to perform these works.                 So, what is the limiting factor?                 So, why don’t we see more miracles?                 So, what is the problem? Why was Jesus able to always be successful in meeting the people’s needs? He led a Holy sinless Life. (Psalm 5:4; 66:18) Electricity can flow down wires, but its flow is impeded (we call it resistance) by non-conducting components. Non-conductors produce unwanted heat and so reduces power. Water flowing through a pipe is greatly impeded by blockage in that pipe. The liquid flow can become a trickle if there are leaves and debris in your petrol tank. Such debris will eventually find their way into the pump and stop all power to move in your car. If we consent to evil, give regard, allow, nurture it so will the sin in our lives reduce the power of the Holy Spirit which is able to flow in our ministries and we will not be able to meet the needs of people. God hates sin in all its forms and must turn away from it. Testimony God drew certain mental sins in my life, attitudes of not giving up something that wasn’t right. But the moment I repented and forsook these attitudes (with God's help) I knew a new power and anointing in my ministry. In retrospect, it seems clear these unforsaken sins were significantly hindering the flow of God`s power through me and as a result people`s needs were unmet or not fully met. Dead flies in the ointment Ecclesiastes 10:1 KJV: Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour. In this scripture the ointment represents the anointing of the Holy Spirit in the believer's life. The dead flies represent our sins/folly that produce a bad smell so that the perfume cannot perform its function. When the perfume of the Holy Spirit is removed than we have no power to perform the good works commanded by Jesus. We should avoid any foolishness in our lives and maintain a good reputation.                          King David came at this issue in a similar way, speaking of the little foxes that spoil the vine (Song of Solomon 2:15). Application Now, is the time to identify any dead flies in your ointment, asking God to reveal to you, what sins/foolishness that need be forsaken. If you do repent you will experience a new power of the Holy Spirit present within your ministry and that God will use you to meet the needs of people. Such an anointing, when you ask for it, will be available for each circumstance, see the example below. Me: Lord, I have no power of my own, and unless you provide the anointing for this person nothing will happen. They will be disappointed so you so will I. Dis-anointment causes disappointment. Lord: My son and daughter, will you forsake the sin in your life, for I cannot flow through an unclean vessel. Me: Lord, I will, I name them now and with your help I forsake them, thank you for blood of Jesus Christ. Lord: My son, what do you want? Me: Lord I want an anointing of the Holy Spirit with the power to meet this person’s need. Lord: My son, go in faith. God wants you to be vessel for meeting people`s needs. Purge and cleanse your vessel and cast the dead flies out and be filled afresh with the Holy Spirit. See the power of God flow through you and meeting people`s needs, Glory to God. Amen. Personal Prayer

Luke chapter 1: A case study Luke was a Gentile physician, a companion of the Apostle Paul. Luke also wrote the book of Acts. His books give insight into the ministry of Holy Spirit. Luke Chapters 1 and 2 are popular texts at Advent. Today we look at Chapter 1 to see the events preceding the birth of the Messiah but with special emphasis on the work of the Holy Spirit. We ask you to consider what are the described effects on men, women, and babies of being filled with the Holy Spirit? Chapter 1 Verse 1-4; Here is the exact truth of the Gospel as carefully investigated by the Apostle Luke. Verse 5-25; The baby carried by Elizabeth was prophesied by the angel Gabriel to have a mighty ministry of reconciliation, preparing the way of the Lord. V15 John will be filled with the spirit in his mother’s womb. Verse 26-38; Mary gives her consent Verse 39; Elizabeth welcomes her relative Mary into her house. Verse 40; The fulfilment of verse 15, the baby leaped in her womb as Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit Verse 42; Elizabeth cried in a loud voice recognized Mary’s calling and announces the great favour of God on Mary. Verse 43; Elizabeth recognized her own honoured position that Mary the mother of Jesus should come to her. Verse 45; Elizabeth recognized Mary’s belief in what God had told her. Verse 46; Mary exalts God, her soul proclaiming his glory. Verse 47; Mary’s spirit greatly rejoiced in God her saviour. Verse 48; Mary recognizes God’s high favour upon her, and prophetically recognizes all generations will called her blessed. Verse 49; Recognized of God’s great plan and purposes. Verse 50; Mary under the influence of the Holy Spirit quotes from the books of the Psalms and Job Verse 54-55; Mary remembers the covenant, by which God continues to show mercy to Israel. Verse 67; Zechariah filled with the Holy Spirit now prophesies. Verse 68; Zechariah recognized God’s plans concerning the redemption of his people. Verse 69; Zechariah continues to prophesy concerning Messiah and quotes Psalm 18:2. Verse 72-3; Zechariah declares that the Lord remembers his covenant with Abraham. Verse 76-79; Zechariah now prophesies that his son John will be called a prophet of the Most High, then goes onto prophesy outlining about the Messiah’s ministry. Verse 78; Zechariah now quotes Malachi 4:2 Verse 79; Zechariah now quotes Isaiah 59:8 These scriptures and many more showing the many and varies effects of being filled with Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 Gives several examples of what can happen when we are filled with the Holy Spirit. The connotation here is that these examples, are not all inclusive or separate. So here is a recap from Luke Chapter 1. 1. Spoke in loud voice 2. Exalted God 3. Recognizing God’s plan 4. Recognizing God’s calling on lives 5. Recognizing the honour involved 6. Recognizing others obedience 7. Great rejoicing 8. Quotation of scripture 9. Remembers covenant 10. Prophecy concern ministry The purpose of this study is to recognise Spirit filled ministry and learn to participate in it! Amen Prayer

How to move in the gifts This teaching is not just about the gifts of the Holy Spirit but is also about how to be able to move in them so that the church of Jesus Christ can be built up. Ephesians 4:4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling. 5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. 7 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. 8 Wherefore he saith, when he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. 9 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) 11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors, and teachers. 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ: v8 Victorious Roman generals on returning to Rome paraded the biggest and strongest of their captives so that the Roman citizens could see the extent of the legion’s victory. They would also have their men shower the crowds with trinkets such as coins and small pieces of jewellery so that the people could share in the victory. So it was that when Jesus Christ won the greatest victory of all time triumphing over the devil and all his powers and principalities and made an open show of them! When he ascended back to heaven, he showered men (the church) not just with trinkets but the wonderful and precious gifts described in verse 11. These gifts are known as either the five-fold or four-fold ministry gifts and their purpose is to bring the church of Jesus Christ into a full maturity so that the body can perform the ministry. All the ascension gifts are dependent on the anointing of the Holy Spirit and it may well be that these gifts are not just limited to the ministry gifts (v.11) but also include many other (if not all) the other gifts of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the gift of gifts Himself! 1 Corinthians 12:1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant. 2 Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led. 3 Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. 4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. 8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom, to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit. 9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit. 10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to other divers’ kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: 11 But all these worketh that one and the self-same Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. Please notice in verse 7 the gifts are given to every man to profit the body of Christ. These gifts are not just speaking about natural talents, e.g. the gift of tongues means that someone is good at foreign languages. This cannot be referring to the spiritual gift of tongues since there are many unbelievers who are gifted at languages! There are nine gifts of Holy Spirit described here and these can be conveniently divided into three groups for study purposes. 1. The verbal gifts; tongues, interpretation, and prophecy. 2. The inspirational gifts;(God shows us something we otherwise could not know) word of knowledge, word of wisdom and discernment of spirits. 3. The power gifts (demonstrating the power of God); healings, miracles, and faith. Although the power gifts may be the most spectacular of the gifts the emphasis of the bible is on the verbal gifts with over half the Scripture about the gifts devoted to these. 1 Cor 14 teaches solely about the verbal gifts. There is not a whole chapter devoted to either the inspirational or the power gifts. We are also taught to desire the gift of prophecy above all others! In the early church we find that the verbal gifts were the gifts most manifested in the church. If we follow the example the Corinthian church there should be tongues, interpretation, and prophecy at every church meeting! Interestingly the other six gifts tend to be used more in personal ministry with occasional manifestations in the church meetings. The verbal gifts are often the gifts that open us up to begin to move in the other six gifts. In some ways they are easier to move in since these gifts are under our control i.e., we can either speak or keep silent! Regular use of the verbal gifts seems to keep us open and ready to operate in the other six gifts when the Holy Spirit gives them to us. They help us to recognise the voice or leading of the Holy Spirit. The gift of tongues is especially useful to us in that we can use it for our personal edification almost anywhere, doing the ironing, in the car and we can use it without speaking out! For those of us who can speak in tongues it should be a daily exercise so that in addition to our personal benefit we are ready to give a tongue at church if the Spirit wills. 1 Corinthians 14:1 Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy. 2 For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries. 3 But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort. 4 He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church. 5 I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interprets, that the church may receive edifying. 6 Now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine? 7 And even things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, except they give a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped? 8 For if the trumpet gives an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle? 9 So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall speak into the air. 10 There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification. 11 Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me. 12 Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church. 13 Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret. 14 For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful. 15 What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also. 16 Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest? 17 For thou verily givest thanks well, but the other is not edified. 18 I thank my God; I speak with tongues more than ye all: 19 Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue. 20 Brethren be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men. 21 In the law it is written, with men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord. 22 Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe. 23 If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad? 24 But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all: 25 And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so, falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth. 26 How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying. 27 If any man speaks in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret. . 39 Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues. 40 Let all things be done decently and in order. Comments by verse v.1 We ought to desire spiritual gifts especially that we should prophesy! v.2 When we speak in an unknown tongue, we are not speaking to men but to God. It is a direct communication between man and God or vice versa. Although our minds do not understand we are speaking mysteries about God. What do you think the angels make of this? v.3 Prophecy is in English and is understood by the church thus building them up. v4. Tongues builds up the speaker, but prophecy builds up the church. see also Jude v20. v5 Paul wants everyone to talk in tongues but even better if they prophesy so that others can be fed. However, if there is an interpretation of the tongue it has the same effect as a prophecy i.e. it is understood! v6-12 What good is done in public if no one can understand what you are saying. Love considers others not just our own profit. If you want to give a tongue for the church pray and ask God for the interpretation as well so that everyone will be blessed. v15. Spirit filled Christians should pray and sing, sometimes in English, sometimes in tongues. Both are OK and one should not preclude the other. v16-17 Do not give thanks at the meal table in tongues since no one can understand and say Amen. v18 Paul appreciated the gift of tongues and used it more than anyone else! v19 but we must know the correct context for the use of tongues i.e. do not confuse the private use with its public use. At the meetings concentrate on what benefits the whole church. v21.-24 There appears to be an apparent contradiction between verse 21-22 and 23-24 in that in the former tongues is designated as a sign for the unbeliever but in the latter as a sign for the believers. The explanation lies in that on the day of Pentecost the Jews who first heard the other tongues were fulfilling the prophecies of the old testament (Isa 28 and Deut 24 v29)to show the Jews that they were in unbelief. However, the reference to tongues in v23-24 is for the Church and therefore is for a different purpose i.e. for the believers not the unsaved. v27 Let tongues and prophecies be given in batches of two or three and then give the congregation time to digest them and to discern what the Lord is saying to the church. v39 Do not forbid the speaking in tongues. v40 Be sensitive to the Spirit and others. Never behave in an unseemly or outrageous way for the church is the household of God. The practicalities of using the gift of tongues There seems to be two main roles for the gift of tongues. 1. The manifestation that often occurs at the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Then used for communicating messages to God. 2. The operation of the gift to communicate a message from God to the church. Although not all spirit filled Christians do talk in tongues, I personally believe that they have the ability. If you are in that position and would like to operate in the gift of tongues, we will be discussing how to remove any hindrances. Some people just seem to take off either speaking or singing in tongues right away. Others seem to pick it up a few words at a time! Hindrances to speaking in tongues 1. Fear or shyness; sometimes people are called forward at meetings and are prayed for and told ‘just start speaking in tongues!’. This can be a nightmare for people who are very shy and would not even speak in English in front of a group of people! Such people who are shy should be allowed to manifest the gift of tongues at home or in a small supportive group. We need to be sensitive when ministering in this area. Sometimes at a meeting where most of the congregation are speaking in tongues it is much easier for the first timer to just join in. 2. Ignorance; some people believe that speaking in tongues is involuntary. That is not the case since scripture is clear that we have control over the gift, since we can speak quietly in tongues or sing or shout in tongues. Some people have been filled with the Spirit for many years and want to speak in tongues but do not realise that the gift is operated by faith with our co-operation. Sometimes new tongue talkers get stuck repeating one phrase and need to ask the Lord to develop their tongue. Many spirits filled believers operate in more than one tongue and seem to be able to recognise the change of tone. When the new tongue-talker hears the words coming out of their mouths they sometimes think that is just coming from themselves. However, we must have the humility to admit that we would not recognise most other known languages if we heard them. If a small boy were learning French and said to his dad ‘oui oui’ or ‘bon bon’ then his dad might say ‘wee wee’ and ‘bonbon’ are not French words, but he would be wrong. Likewise, we will not recognise the syllables and words in our other tongues. Although counterfeit tongues are exceedingly rare, if you are not sure about your tongue whether it sounds fight or not ask a small group of believers to listen to it to see how it sounds to them. 3. Unbelief; sometimes people can be in bondage over this gift and need a prayer of deliverance to set them free to move in the gift. Bondage can be brought about through sitting under wrong teaching on tongues or might even be due to fear of man about looking or sounding silly in front of others. We need to realise that the gift of tongues was a normal part of the spirit filled church life in the new testament church. Why is God so interested in our tongue? James 3:8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 9 Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. 10 Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. God knows that we need to sanctify our tongues and when we are speaking in other tongues in a sense God is taking control of our tongues whilst we still retain overall control. If the Lord can gain control of our tongue, then He can be begun to take over the rest of our lives as well! When we are using tongues as a manifestation of the baptism in the Holy Spirit, we are praying to God and we can all do it together. God can hear all of us at once! (remember the day of Pentecost). However, when the direction changes to when God wants to speak to the church a different rule applies. Usually only one person speaks in tongues at a time and everyone listens because we are not like God and able to receive all the tongues at once. Although most tongues that can be translated by someone present give glory to God, very rarely there might be an impression of something wrong with a tongue. In such a case a prayer of deliverance is needed. remember, when you ask God for something good that is what He gives, not something bad! When a tongue is given in a meeting someone should bring forth the interpretation in English. Amen Prayer

How to be endued with power from on high to boldly witness about Jesus Firstly, it is important to realize that the baptism of the Holy Spirit does not set any believer who has received this, above any other believer who has not. There are no second-class citizens in the church of Jesus Christ! Before we explore the purpose and method of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, it is important to consider the Holy Spirit himself. Teaching on the various doctrines about the Holy Spirit are complex and usually involve many scriptural references. The purpose of this study is to try to simplify the topic of the baptism of the Holy Spirit and as such is presented in an abbreviated form. There are two vital things to appreciate about the Holy Spirit. 1. The Holy Spirit is a person 2. The Holy Spirit is God His Personality So many people talk about the Holy Spirit as though he was a force and refer to him as ‘it’. A person can talk to you and understand you, but a force cannot! A person can love you, but a force cannot! John 16:13-14 His Divinity Acts 5:3-4. We are now going to consider the time sequence of the disciples’ experience of the Holy Spirit. The Disciples receive the Holy Spirit. John 20:19-22 “Receive” in the Greek is in the aorist meaning receive now! If you carefully read the above full chapter (John 20) you will find that this took place on the same day as the resurrection! This is the birth of the church when the Holy Spirit first came to permanently indwell believers. There is no record of any outward manifestations. Mary was not allowed to touch Jesus, but Thomas was permitted eight days later! So what happened in between? Jesus was lifted to heaven on the first day of the week (compare John 20 with Leviticus 23) and waved before the Father God as a first fruit offering. We find the next special offering on the fiftieth day (Pentecost). Acts 1 vv3-5 This message was spoken to men who had already received the Holy Spirit that they should wait for the promise of the Father, that they would be baptised with (or immersed in the Holy Spirit). v8 the purpose of the baptism of the Holy Spirit is to fill us with power to witness to Jesus Christ. The ministry of the Holy Spirit The Holy Spirit comes to regenerate us when we believe. He comes to indwell us forever. He is the one who baptises us into the body of Christ. He seals us i.e. puts God’s mark of ownership upon us. He gives spiritual gifts of his choice to the believer to edify the church. He has many other ministries. Enduement with power from on high Luke 24:49 Hebrews 6:4-5 The power of the world to come can be experienced by believers! What a difference this enduement with power made to the disciples. One day Peter is frightened to be associated with Jesus and fifty days later Peter is standing up in public preaching Jesus Christ to thousands. This enduement with power can be referred to in various ways, as the baptism of the Holy Spirit or the filling of the Holy Spirit. When we are born again and receive the Spirit it is as though we get a pilot light inside us but the baptism in the Holy Spirit switches the full burner on! The Holy Spirit baptises us into the church, but it is Jesus who baptises us into the Holy Spirit. Jesus plunges us into or immerses us in the Holy Spirit. Picture a sunken ship surrounded by water inside and outside, or a sponge saturated with water! Day of Pentecost Acts 2:1-4. On the day of Pentecost 120 believers were gathered in the upper room when there was the sound of a mighty rushing wind. This reminds us of the dedication of King Solomon’s temple when 120 priests blew trumpets and the Shekinah glory of God fell on those present. It was as though God was filling his temple with his Spirit and this is also what happened on the day of Pentecost for God filled his new temple i.e. the believers’ bodies. Some would argue that what happened on the day of Pentecost was simply them being born again but in Acts 4 we find the believer being filled again with the Spirit, so that this would mean they were being ‘born again’ again! Similarly in Ephesians 5 where Paul says be filled with the Spirit, in the Greek it is continuous i.e. keep on being filled with the Spirit (moment by moment, day by day). We need the oil of the Spirit daily to lubricate our lives and ministries! When we are getting empty of the Spirit, we are like grinding metal! The Subsequent baptism of the Holy Spirit in the book of Acts Acts 9:17 Paul had believed in Jesus when he received his vision of him. Now what he needed was to have his sight restored, to be baptised in water and to be filled with the Holy Spirit through the laying on of hands. Acts 10:44-46. The gospel is preached at Cornelius house and the gentiles are filled with the Spirit. Acts 19:1-7. These men were disciples and obviously as such, believers! They were then baptised in water and then were filled with the Holy Spirit by the laying on of hands. In the book of Acts Jews, Romans and Greeks who had first believed in Jesus were subsequently filled with the Holy Spirt thus enduing them with power of service. The initial evidence of the baptism in the Holy Spirit was usually them speaking in other tongues! Receiving the enduement with power today Some people are fortunate enough to receive this on the day that they first believe like those of Cornelius household! The original 120 disciples had to tarry at Jerusalem because Jesus was obeying the law of the feast of weeks or Sabbaths (Leviticus 23) and the timing of the baptism of the Spirit fell on the day of Pentecost. There is no obvious reason for believer to tarry today. Some people have been filled with the Spirit while praying or when meditating in bed! We cannot put the Spirit in a box, but the key thing is to be open! There are four important things you must bear in mind when considering asking for this enduement with power. Luke 11:9-13 1. Father wants you to have this experience and Jesus is willing to baptize you. Every one that asks, receives! 2. Confess any unrepented sins and be cleansed so that God can fill a clean vessel. 3. Get your motives right. This enduement of power is for your witness and ministry not for your personal desires. Remember the parable of the friend chapping up his neighbour for bread for his visitors! Be persistent, keep knocking until you receive for the benefit of others not yourself. 4. Come expectantly to Jesus, believing that you will receive the filling of the Holy Spirit! Do you want this? Do you believe God is willing to do this? And if you have been filled before it is OK to ask again! As D.L Moody said, ‘I have been filled with the Spirit, but I leak’! Prayer for the baptism in the Holy Spirit Lord Jesus fill me with your Holy Spirit so that I can be bold in my witness to your wonderful salvation. Lord endue me with your power from on high and give me divine appointments to share my faith in you with many other people. Amen Personal Prayer

What things has God still got planned for your life? When we consider the meaning and purpose of our life, it is important to put our lives in the context of eternity. The Preacher (aka King Solomon) says in Ecclesiastes 3:11 that God ‘has set eternity in our hearts’ , which I take to mean that, God has given we humans an awareness/consciousness that there is something beyond our natural lives. An awareness that there is someone and something that is beyond our understanding of time. Eternity represents a fork in the road, when we are trying to fathom out, just exactly what is the meaning or purpose of our life. Are you living for time, or for eternity? If we have taken the Jesus fork on the road, then perhaps today might be a fitting time to revise our bucket lists but this time in the light of eternity. So what is on your personal bucket list today? A bucket list, as you know, is a list of all the main things we want to do before we die i.e. before we kick the bucket! Here are the most popular types of items on most peoples' bucket list To go somewhere they have never been To do something they have never done To do something exciting/dangerous/extravagant perhaps just one time in your life. This raises the question what can we take from this life into the next? Here is what Jesus said in Matthew 6:19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. So, what does this mean? So, what treasure we can store up in heaven? Here is what the Apostle Paul said in the key passage about the judgement of believers works. 1 Corinthians 3:10 According to the grace of God, which is given unto me, as a wise Master Builder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. Paul likened the Christian life to constructing a building and tells us we must build carefully. 11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. For every one of us 12 Now if any man builds upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble. Our works not our salvation. In your life are you building a palace or a mud hut? [1] 13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. Gold,Silver and Precious Stones are fireproof but not Wood,Hay and Stubble. We will all bring our big bag of works to the bema (platform) judgement. 14 If any man's work abides which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. The various crowns to cast at Jesus’ feet. 15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. Clearly th is is talking about loss of reward not loss of salvation. The fire will differentiate between work we have done in the flesh (our own ideas, our own power) and work we have done by the Spirit (God’s ideas and God’s power). So, in closing here are some things to consider for our spiritual bucket lists in the light of eternity. Here are some ideas of the type of thing that might bring you gold, silver, and precious stones in heaven. At this stage I believe this could be an opportunity in which God wants to communicate with each one of us personally today, so be open to what the Lord might be saying to you personally. 1] Go somewhere for God you have never been, maybe a short-term mission Testimony-Brazil, Tanzania-made many friends who still are today! 2] Do something for God you have never done before, do something creative write something, sing something, paint something, give something, pray something, bless someone Use all your God-given creative talents to full effect. 3] Do something exciting/dangerous/extravagant for God, perhaps just this one time in your life, share the Gospel message, tell a friend or neighbour about your faith, be a good Samaritan to someone in need. Or what about the wonderful woman who poured the alabaster box of costly perfume on Jesus’ feet? She did not store up her treasure on earth. Here is her story, in Luke 7:37 And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment,38 And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. Those present had doubts and concerns about the woman, but Jesus praised her, whoever has much forgiven , loves much. What about you? Prayer Father God, we ask you in Jesus’ name, to teach us how to live and to love in the light of eternity. Show us all the tasks and opportunities of that are from you which will produce treasure in heaven. Show us what is on your list for me specifically and help me to live out and complete your plan (bucket list) for my life. Amen [1] Roger Price CCF Tapes BBS 023

Fellowship ( Koinonia ) Life is loving and serving one another Jesus said I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. How would you like to have a church fellowship that is well pleasing to God? Words sometimes change their meaning over time So with the word fellowship has had its meaning changed when we use it to mean a cup of tea and a biscuit, or similar, after the meeting. In the new testament the Greek word for fellowship is koinonia (n=20 times). This word derives from the Greek word Koinonos whose primary meaning is “fellowship, sharing in common, communion, community.” As you know the language of the NT is k oine (common) Greek. Koinonia means having all things in common. In practice a group of Christians because of their common faith are willing to go beyond this and are willing to share in every area of the lives. This involves the sharing of one’s very nature and life force producing an intimate relationship of sharing and caring. It is a partnership, a sense of belonging to Gods family in a way beyond the bounds of our natural families. In the ancient world koinonia could be used of marriage where two persons loved one another, had so much in common, that their lives were joined into a mutual sharing of everything in their lives. The intimate sharing of all one’s life, joys and sorrows, pain and heartache like in a family situation. Our true fellowship begins when we come to faith in Christ and ought to develop with our brothers and sisters in the local church. God is calling us back to true fellowship, God is calling Hawick Elim back to true koinonia fellowship. Let’s explore what true k oinonia fellowship really looks like. Koinonia is more than a club (or political party) How many of us are in clubs, golf, bowling, darts, fishing, music, dancing etc.? Usually we enjoy meeting our friends in clubs we enjoy chatting and sharing a hot drink. Although we can enjoy this and that is OK, we can’t make the standard of behaviour in a secular club member, the same when we gather in Christian fellowship. Many Christians think that fellowship is simply a matter of having tea or coffee with your fellow believers after a meeting but, it must go much deeper than this. The first occurrence of koinonia is in. Acts 2:42 They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship ( koinonia ), to the breaking of bread and to prayer. The four elements of the new and thriving Pentecostal church were. Apostles teaching = bible study Fellowship = sharing lives together Breaking of bread = sharing meals together Prayer = necessary to work with the Lord Christian fellowship is a key aspect of the Christian life. Believers in Christ are to come together sharing in love, faith, and encouragement. That is the essence of koinonia . God himself lives in a dynamic sharing of life and fellowship as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Part of Elim’s vision for 2020 is ‘One’, One Lord and one people and fellowship is how we show that we are one people. The Methodist preacher W E Sangster put it like this; the fulness of the Christian life cannot be known except in fellowship - fellowship with God and fellowship with one another. Moreover, the purposes of God in this world require a social organism by which to express themselves. Fellowship with God 1 John 1: 3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship ( koinonia ) with us: and truly our fellowship ( koinonia ) is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. The Lord wants each one of us to develop an intimate sharing of life with Him and as a result of this we should begin to develop true and sincere fellowship and friendship with each other. This could be summarized in terms of commitment to God and commitment to each other. Jesus commands us to love one another in John 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. Well how does Jesus love us? Testimony: about two years ago, we had a new couple in our church, someone stole their laptop during the service, and they were upset by this. In the spirit of koinonia some of our people clubbed together and bought them a new laptop. This is the spirit of true fellowship; the couple were very touched. When a misfortune happens, sometimes we can add something that links to the unhappy memory, e.g. the story of Auntie Jennie and my bike accident. Galatians 5 22-23 The fruit of the spirit is love … Fruit in nature is reproductive because it bears seed. A loving, caring and sharing fellowship will draw and win people to Christ because it is sowing the reproductive seeds of love. Apologies to the SAS but it is not ‘who dares wins’ but rather who cares wins (souls). So, what does this true fellowship Koinonia look like in practice? This growing in fellowship with each other is aided by spending time together and by having meals together. We need to stop holding others at arm’s length. This is a natural defence mechanism that we need to overcome. You cannot make an omelette without breaking eggs and you cannot make a true Christian Fellowship without getting involved with each other and with the Lord in the first instance. We are of God’s family and household and like all human parents he wants his children to love one another. The only one who gains from Christians not getting [1] on is Satan [2] ! We need to walk in the light. Philippians 2:1-2 If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Koinonia is agreeing with one another, being united in purpose, and serving alongside each other. Our koinonia with each other is based on our common koinonia with Jesus Christ. What more can Christians have in common, One Lord, One faith, One baptism… 1 Corinthians 12:26 And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it. There should be such a complete identification with our brothers and sisters so much so, that whatever touches or affects them also directly affects us. We are members of the same body, the body of Christ. How good are you at Christian fellowship, do you find it difficult, I confess I do, but I see need to obey the Lord in this? What will you do when a member from your church turns up at your doorstep needing help? 1 John 4:19 We love because he first loved us. 20 If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. 21 And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother. Today we are going to look at other ways in which we as brothers and sisters can interact with each other. Just before moving on however, it is necessary to say something about smaller groups within a church fellowship. Importance of smaller groups As a church grows it often becomes difficult to get to know everyone and this can make it more difficult to have true fellowship with each other. This problem can be overcome by forming smaller groups within the church. These small groups may take the form of house groups (as in EE) but also may include ministry teams such as praise bands, children’s workers etc. The key thing in terms of developing koinonia fellowship is to get to know the people in your group, seeing them as close brothers and sisters. In these groups we should really be taking care for each other, developing friendships, encouraging each other, praying for each other etc. etc. As industrious as our church leaders are, and they are, we can all play a part in caring for each other, with the more difficult situations and problems being passed to one of the elders. ‘One another’ scriptures [3] A powerful example of what koinonia should look like can be found in a study of the phrase “one another” in the Bible. Scripture commands us to be devoted to one another ( Romans 12:10 ), honour one another ( Romans 12:10 ), live in harmony with one another ( Romans 12:16 ; 1 Peter 3:8 ), accept one another ( Romans 15:7 ), serve one another in love ( Galatians 5:13 ), be kind and compassionate to one another ( Ephesians 4:32 ), admonish one another ( Colossians 3:16 ), encourage one another ( 1 Thessalonians 5:11 ; Hebrews 3:13 ), spur one another on toward love and good deeds ( Hebrews 10:24 ), offer hospitality ( 1 Peter 4:9 ), and love one another ( 1 Peter 1:22 ; 1 John 3:11 ; 3:23 ; 4:7 ; 4:11-12 ). That is what true biblical koinonia should look like. 1 Pet 1:22 KJV Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently [ 4] : 1 Peter 4:8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 9 Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. All these instructions in scripture can be summarised by saying the Lord commands us to live together in love as part of his family in a sincere, a committed and involved way. Each one of us needs a sense of belonging and being a functioning part, together with our brothers and sisters, in the body of Christ. If we do this our church fellowship will be pleasing to the Lord. God is calling this Fellowship today become a true fellowship, a true koinonia , that is an intimate sharing of lives. Amen Prayer Communion 1 Corinthians 10 16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion ( koinonia ) of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion ( koinonia ) of the body of Christ? 17 For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread. (The Greek word is κοινωνία. ) One of the places we find this word is in 1 Corinthians 10:16 where the bread and cup of the Lord’s Supper are described as a “communion” in the body and blood of Christ. This word gets translated differently according to which Bible you pick up. Some say communion , others participation , and others sharing . I find “participation” to be the most helpful description of what communion is. Resources consulted Roger Price Fellowship Life Series #1 ( Koinonia ) and #2 (Commune or community?) See additional Resources on main menu. Footnotes [1] 1 John 1 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. 7 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, purifies us from all sin. 8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. [2] 1 John 2:9 Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness. 10 Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him to make him stumble. [3] 37 occurrences in KJV NT. [4] White hot.

Go the extra mile: it is never crowded What is the most unfair thing that has ever happened to you? You might have been passed over for a job or promotion when you were best qualified or placed to get it. Your parents might have shown favouritism towards one of your brother or sisters e.g. Jacob/Joseph. Your husband or wife has let you down badly, or you might have been accused of something you never did by your family, neighbours or even the police leading to a false imprisonment. Personal testimony When I was a boy, my family were quite poor and did not have many valuables. However, one time my mother received a Churchill crown (a coin), considered to be valuable. When I was a young teenager, my mother took me aside one day, and entrusted the Churchill crown to my safe keeping, I hid it in an old piece of furniture. I forgot all about it for several years, when the matter of the coin was raised at a family gathering, I could not account for it. I knew that I had not sold it or disposed of it, someone in the family had taken it! I became the butt of family jokes, such as do not give anything to him to look after, look what happened to the Churchill crown! The stigma of an unjust accusation hung over me for many years until eventually a family member gave me another Churchill crown. This experience helped me to identify in a very small way with those suffering from injustice or unfairness. It is not a nice feeling, when you realize that you are being treated unfairly but we must handle unfairness or sense of injustice in a Godly way. Let us turn to God’s word to learn how to cope with unfairness and injustice. Definitions Unfair: is not fair, unjust, or not just, biased, prejudiced, contrary to rules of the game (or life). Matthew 5:38-45 God’s instructions on how to deal with unfairness or injustice. Verse 41 ; In every situation going the extra mile, there are two parties. The one is you (in your circumstance) we always assume the Christian will be one compelled but are you the one forcing another person to go the extra mile. Make sure you are the one being forced to go the extra mile and not the other party who is doing the forcing! Extortion (see 1 Corinthians 6:10) Demanding more of them than is fair or necessary. Does your spouse always have to give in? Do you always insist on getting your own way? This is the sin of extortion which is forcing people to go or to give more than they are willing. Extortion is not just about money but making unfair demands on someone’s life with the threat of emotional blackmail. Love never demands its own way. Love never is not selfish and self-seeking. Matthew 5:41 The act of love (by going an extra mile) defuses an act of selfishness. Love covers a multitude of sins. Jesus tells us if someone forces us to go one mile, then go with him two miles. Somehow this going the extra mile neutralizes the power of selfishness. 2 Timothy 3:12 The devil has a special form of unfairness called persecution through which he tempts the believer to be ashamed of being a Christian and with the goal of getting you turn away from God and his word. How did Jesus Christ handle his persecution and unfairness? Acts 8:32-33 (see also Isaiah 53:7-8) Humiliated and persecuted he did not even speak in his own defence. Jesus Christ would be tortured and killed, but because of his love for God the Father and his love for mankind he endured the ultimate injustice and unfairness and was silent like lamb before his shearers. He who was without sin, was made to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteous of God ( 2 Corinthians 5:31 ). God the Father did not spare God the Son from great suffering in his earthly ministry. It seems that for all Christians living Godly lives, then we can expect some persecution and unfairness will come. But don’t despair, but count it all joy when you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance, and perseverance must develop so that you may become mature and complete, lacking nothing in your walk with God. God although allowing some injustice in our lives, never lets us be tempted above our measure when we are hurting through injustice. We can go to God and ask for judgement in the Old Testament sense, knowing that the judge of all the earth will do right. Psalm 7:8 Judge me, O Lord, according to my righteous, according to my integrity says the psalmist. God is the one who vindicates his people. Conclusion When unfairness comes, walk the extra mile, show love which disarms evil or selfishness and when the pressure gets too great, then call out to the judge of all the earth knowing that he will do right. Amen Prayer

God is zealous for you, you should be zealous for Him.   What do you think of Jesus Christ? What is the reaction of your heart to the mention of his name? Do you think he is only a prophet? All right, can you take or leave him? Remember Jesus says about the lukewarm that he will spit them out of his mouth. Or does your heart burn within you like those disciples on the road to Emmaus. When you think of Jesus Christ do you have a holy zeal for him.                 A holy zeal for his name                 A holy zeal for his honour                 A holy zeal for his reputation                 A holy zeal for him to keep his commandments. Today we are going to consider ‘ what is zeal for God ’ and find out from the bible how God feels about you and me and what the response of our hearts to God should be.   Remember our Definition Zeal; is intense enthusiasm for a cause or person, a passionate ardour for a cause or person. To be zealous is to be urgent, passionate, enthusiastic, and earnest for God, to be jealous for his honour, his reputation, and his name.   How does God feel about you? Can he take or leave you? How important are you to him? God has intense enthusiasm for you, he is ardent about you/ he cares about every detail of your life. He so loved you that he sent his beloved Son Jesus Christ to die on the cross for your sins. God loves you deeply and strongly and his love ought to produce a response in your heart.   1 John 4:19 We love him, because he first loved us: while we were dead in our sins and trespasses God loved us and gave his Son Jesus Christ for your sins. Not when we were born again at our best, but when we were at our very worst. God gave that which was most valuable to him i.e. his Son to die an agonizing death on the cross. Yes, God is zealous for you. God is willing to give his best for you. God cares intensely for you yesterday, today, and forever.   Ephesians 3:16-20 God wants each one of us to know just how great his love for us is. God wants all his people to know the dimensions of his love for you…How Broad , covering all races, peoples, all colour all shapes and sizes. Long , God says to his people, I have love you with an everlasting love. Jesus Christ has promised you that he will never leave you nor forsake you. Deep , enough for Jesus Christ to submit to crucifixion for we sinners.   Romans 8:35-39 Who can separate you from love of Christ? Troubles/problems? Distress? Persecution?  Famine? Nakedness? Danger? Verse 38 ; Neither death or life, nor angels/ supernatural beings, things that exist or will come to exist e.g., height (mountains) depth (bottom of the sea) any wild animal can separate you from love of God which you first found in Christ Jesus. God is zealous for you Depth: God cares about the minute details in your life. He even knows the very number of hairs in your head. He knows you intimately, he made you and gave you, your personality.  God loves you from the tips of your toes to the top of your head. He cares about your family, your job, and your affections.   James 4:5 Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously? He is jealous for your love and does not want you to spend it on other gods,idols, or things. God is jealous and zealous of/for you. God is intensely enthusiastic about you and cares about every details of your life. God is passionate about you. He is ardent and sincere and always wants the absolute best for his children. He wants you to be like him.   This wonderful love should produce a response in our hearts. We should become zealous for him, the mention of the name of Jesus Christ should stir our hearts with passion, ardour, and zeal. Our hearts should cringe when we hear his name taken in vain. Rather, His name, we ought to always exalt when we hear or see him glorified. He is our first love, high above all other loves. Our zeal for him will help us to kill off the sin in our lives.   John 14:15 Jesus says if you love me, you will keep my commandments . We must be zealous (ardent and passionate) for our God, we must have intense enthusiasm for him, his name, and his ways. Love him like he loves you! Amen  Personal Prayer