FELLOWSHIP

1 John 1:7

But 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

What Is Fellowship? 

Many define fellowship as:

• Going to church
• Visiting and praying for others
• Being a church leader
• Greeting and shaking hands
• Attending a church event
• Gathering with other believers
• Being involved with a ministry

     Certainly these things are included in fellowship, but can any one be defined as fellowship?  Yes. No.  Maybe? Then what is fellowship?  Who is to participate in fellowship? Who can benefit?  Why is it important not to forsake (abandon) fellowship?  Why must we walk in the Light to have fellowship with one another?
 

Seeing the Body as a Whole 

 

     To understand fellowship, we must look at the Body of Christ as a whole.  Ephesians 4:15,16 tells us that the parts of the body work together to increase and edify the Body of Christ.  In order for the body to work together, there must be a unifying force able to help it connect and communicate.  This is where fellowship comes in.  Fellowship is part of the growth and maturing of the body through the unification of the Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 4:11-16

¹¹ And He gave some to be 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, and for the edifying of the body of Christ,

¹³ until we all come into 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;

¹⁴ that we henceforth be no longer children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the sleight of men and their cunning and craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

¹⁵ but speaking the truth in love, may grow up into Him in all things, who is the Head, even Christ,

¹⁶ from whom the whole body, fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

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• Footnotes
• Cross References
• Verse Numbers
• Headings
• Red Letter

 

Unification of the Body

     How does God expect the whole Body of Christ to fit and function together, when people are so different and divided?  Certainly, we can't be expected to unite every church and denomination.  Time and experience has taught us that there are insurmountable obstacles on the pathway to unity.   One might think this to be an unachievable task and unrealistic.  Or is it?  Perhaps, because of our limited vision, we have given ourselves tasks and burdens that God has not put upon us.  We have put our trust in man's ideas and vanity, instead of God's truth.  Jesus provided a different path and means to unite the Body of Christ when He imparted His Holy Spirit to guide us into the Light.

     God told us, that as we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another.  So, to be a part of the body, we need only to be in Him, to move and function together.  If we profess Christ, we know that the Father is in the Son, and the Son is in the Father.  Even more, if Christ be in me, then, I have knowledge and confidence that, "I can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me." Philippians 4:13  If we see with God's eyes, it becomes very clear how the parts of the body fit together, each part having their own function to increase and strengthen the body, but with like-mind, with Jesus Christ as the Head.

      We must be careful to distinguish the Body of Christ from the institutional church.  Today, the tares grow with the wheat.  However, when Christ returns for His church, the Body of Christ, He will sift the tares from the wheat.   Until then, we must examine ourselves.  Are churches today working together in fellowship?  Some would say, "Yes, they all spread God's Word."  Are they speaking the truth in love?  Again, some might say, "Yes."  Others might say that many churches today operate in an illusion, a façade, or they have created their own truth.  As disciples, we must spread the true Gospel of Jesus, so that true fellowship abounds, bringing others into the Light, increasing and fortifying the Body of Christ.

Truth and Love are Essential to Fellowship

     To find truth and love, we have to deny ourselves; who we think we are; that which we were; and what we think we should be.   We humble ourselves in repentance, die to ourselves and allow Christ to live in us, removing all iniquity (sin)  by the power of  His Holy Spirit. Then, love will cry out for truth and truth answers with love. 

     As the Body of Christ, we are compelled to walk and speak in truth.  If we fail to do so, we injure and weaken ourselves.  As it is explained in Ephesians 4:25, " Therefore, putting away lying, let every man speak truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another."  If we harm the members (parts) of the body, we too, being part of the body are afflicted.  We can not have true fellowship if we hide or deny the truth, neither are we in fellowship, if there is malice or deceit in our hearts.  Our fellowship effects the whole Body of Christ; not just ourselves; not just our church, community, city, state or nation; for we are called to unity and truth in Ephesians 4:4-6:

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

Fellowship requires commitment to the truth and to one another. 

     We grieve the Holy Spirit when our hearts do not pursue truth.  When we allow ourselves to be swayed or influenced by false doctrine or beliefs pertaining to certain rituals, status or appearance necessary to worship and fellowship with God, a struggle begins within us, that can eventually tear us away from the truth and God.  When we abandon fellowship, we not only fail to grow and strengthen ourselves, we fail others, also.  A weakened mind and body, falls prey to sin and deceit. 

Fellowship is the coming together of God's people, endowed by the power of the Holy Spirit,  exemplifying (showing) the glory of God, to increase and fortify the Body of Christ.  In other words, our fellowship should depict who God is; His will and His way.  

     If we worship in spirit and truth, our commune (fellowship) with God, produces a true fellowship with others in the body.  Fellowship looses God's power within the body to: help others become edified; built-up; strengthened; increased in faith and love; able do the work and will of God; worship Him; and live abundant and everlasting lives.

Fellowship is part of worshipping God. 

 

     God requires that we worship Him in spirit and in truth.  He has given us a spiritual connection, through which we come to purification, to live in holiness, righteousness and repentance.  We can not have true fellowship (commune) with God if we despise, harm or have a hardened heart against a member of the body. 

John 4:23,24 (KJV): 23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
 

Philippians 3: 3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.

 

Accountability

     Worldly fellowship can be like running the gauntlet.  It is clouded by darkness and pain.  Pain may be inflicted, just by entering the door and walking down the aisle.  One may feel the pangs of mental and emotional distress, due to discriminating stares and gossip coming from both sides, by those who call themselves Christians and children of God.  It is no wonder that some see no difference from the treatment they receive in the world.  The darkness in the world is harsh enough. When people are looking for refuge and deliverance and only find more darkness in the church, we have stood in the way of leading them to God. Often, after the Word of God draws men, hurt and pain from worldly fellowship, within the church, drives them away.  As children of God, we stand accountable in all things.  With fellowship, comes accountability to God and others.  Therefore it is imperative that we walk in the light.

  

    Fellowship tests our spiritual growth and maturity by the fruit we bear.  Learning to fellowship can make us very uncomfortable and expose weakness and sin.  Reward comes as we surrender to His will and allow Him to abide in us.  Through His Holy Spirit, we learn to walk in the Light and begin to bear the fruits of the spirit.  Galatians 5 (KJ21)

²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

²³ meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
 

Father, we magnify and glorify your name. We come to you in spirit and in truth. We humble ourselves in repentance of our sins, that we may be cleansed. Search us and remove any darkness within, that we may fellowship with you and walk in the Light.

Father, forgive us for standing in the way, preventing others from coming to know you. Help us to love our neighbors as we love ourselves; seeking and speaking truth in love. Let our eyes be filled with light that others may see you. When we look upon the hurt and pain of others, let our fellowship comfort and heal, through your Holy Spirit within us.

As we pray, we pray as members of the Body of Christ. We pray that others will come to walk in your Light that we may commune with one another.  May we strengthen one another through fellowship and prepare the way of our Lord. Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.

In the name of your Son, the Truth, the Light and the Way. It will be. Amen

By the Grace and Mercy of God

Your Servant

Mishael

Your Measure of Faith

Questioning Our Faith

Daily, we are exposed to a world of diversity...a world driven by the pursuit of power, material things and pleasure. We must function within a social conglomerate that meshes people from various backgrounds and cultures, whose morals and values may differ from our own. The pressure of this conglomerate, added to the responsibilities of family and work, compounded by the technology that orchestrates our lives, can be overwhelming and confusing, causing us to weaken and sometimes question our faith. As a result, we begin to use other people, things and standards in the world as a gauge to measure our lives, our self-worth and our faith. Comparing our lives to others, may bring doubt that God exists; if He has all power; or if we are worthy of His blessings. Our doubts and fears deprive us of the power of His Holy Spirit within us, for it is portioned to us by our measure of faith.

Human Sacrifices

The  darkness that lives amongst us has an insatiable appetite.  It feeds on greed, selfishness, violence and immorality that is conceived in the hearts of men.  In the face of darkness, the morality of society digresses, in order to meet the demands of its hunger.   The darkness creates an illusion of progress and prosperity, freedom and power.  Society is distracted by its endless creativity and heightened pleasure, as well as social problems resulting from moral decay.  While millions fall asleep under the spell of worldly pleasure, they are shackled, chained and enslaved to darkness.  The hungrier the darkness becomes, the more society digresses, until moral decay is beyond extraction.

In order to maintain this overindulgent appetite, society chooses to make human sacrifices.  The old, the poor, weak and sick, minorities and even children are obvious casualties in order to feed its appetite for the sin of the world, but no one is exempt. People become dehumanized.  They become numbers within a system of statistics that determine their status and well-being.  These  facts and figures become guidelines to value and devalue lives, according to their perceived impact upon society.  Desire outweighs need and sets the standards for individuals and families. A society which promotes material wealth, pride and vanity will lead people to seek relationships  based on self-gratification which revolve around what others can do for them, instead of what they can do for others. 

America, is not the only nation who feeds the darkness and sacrifices her children.  She is not alone in her malevolent attitude, nor do the roots of darkness reach only to her shores.  The hungry darkness searches for the rotting corpses of sin throughout the world.  Those who point a finger need only look around them.  If they are not casting the light and love of God, then they are covered in darkness.  Where there are hardened hearts, there is no light, and no place for them in the Kingdom.  Those who do not seek the Kingdom of God, are lovers of the world.  If they are lovers of the world, then they are lovers of darkness and a prisoner to sin.

Some say sin and darkness are the reality of the world. There is nothing we can do.  However, it is a reality created out of fear and pride, comprised of many false layers.  Peel away the layers of equations and data and remove the quagmire of self-gratification strangling relationships, then move beyond the superficial layers of material wealth and want, and find the inescapable reality that the world fears.  It is the reality of the immeasurable unknown, which can only be met with immeasurable faith in God.  Faith that trust God to take care of the past, present and future.  Faith that lives beyond fear.  Faith that lives in God's Truth and Light, for when you accept God's truth, there is no need to create your own false truth that leaves you in darkness.

Measuring Up 

Often, we find ourselves changing in order to please the world.  Sometimes, we may become depressed because we can not meet either our own or others' expectations.  Like Job's companions, other Christians may question our faith because we do not meet their idea of being blessed and faithful to God.  Faith can not be measured by material wealth, status or earthly pleasure.  Faith has a greater reward.  God will open the doors of the Kingdom and give you life everlasting.  Faith reaps the fruits of the Holy Spirit and brings joy more precious than gold.

The adversary always wants to put doubt in our mind as to whether or not we are measuring up to being children of God.  Often, this causes people to set unrealistic and unattainable goals for themselves.  Most people believe they must fix themselves or "get right" before pursuing a relationship with God and other believers.  Many religions and doctrine teach that there are stages, steps, procedures and goals one must meet to achieve a higher state of mind or spirit.  They may lead us to believe that our relationship with God is contingent upon completing these steps. As people observe or come into contact with those who claim to be believers, they may feel inferior and not worthy or capable of being like them .  Some may even be deterred by the behavior or treatment they receive. 
 

Your Measure of Faith

 

The world will tell us that we are hopeless and of no value,  but we are always important to God.  God always wants a relationship with us, even when we feel we are at our worst.  We are made perfect through Him.  Only God can complete the work He has begun.  Our relationship with Him is based on our faith. 

 

We repeat our mistakes over and over again, not because we do not meet the world's standards, but because we need to have faith and trust God more.  Our knowledge of the Word of God and our prayers often lack faith.  We hear the Word but do not receive it into our hearts.  Our pride tells us not to surrender all.  Then, our lack of faith allows us to be led into trials and temptations, leaving our prayers unanswered.  We may believe we are trapped on an endless treadmill, when there is always the option to get off by increasing our faith in God. 

 

You can not measure faith of a Christian by whether or not they attend church regularly.  There may be those who know little or nothing about the Bible, but have more faith that God is able to change their life because they have heard and truly believed.  Who are we to try and squash their faith by telling them that we know more about God and the Bible then they do?  Be encouraged that God's love embraces all who seek Him in spirit and in truth.  Jesus longs to increase His flock and reward our faith.

 

God does not want to withhold anything from us.  We prevent Him from giving to us because of our rejection and rebellion through disobedience and lack of faith.  We are left to wander in the wilderness to grow in faith because we refuse to surrender all to God.  Faith does not come with age.  We are told to come to God with the heart of a child because it is natural for children to place faith in those who care for them. God has given us the spirit of His Son.  If we abide in Christ, He will keep us from sin as well as perfect and reward our faith.

 

DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN?

     Through prayer and supplication, we invite the Holy Spirit (God) into our lives.  He is always waiting for the invitation to abide in us.  By His grace, we are granted the privilege to rest and abide in Him.  The Holy Spirit is not an it, a thing, a guest or a visitor.  He is a host...a heavenly host...the living presence of God within us, returning us to the Garden of Eden to walk with Him; this time in the Light of Jesus, His Son, the Word of God.  Through the Word of God, we are invited to taste and see the goodness of the Lord and to commune with Him.

     Although, He abides in us, He is our host, for He nourishes and sustains us.  We do not nourish and sustain Him.  For what can we offer the Lord that is not His?  What wisdom or strength can man impart that does not come from the Lord?

     Do you know what you have been given?  We are blessed with the presence and power of God within us.  His Holy Spirit brings us comfort, healing, wisdom, strength and joy--unspeakable joy beyond earthly comparison.  What human deed or event can bring joy that compares to the joy of the Holy Spirit...joy that is not fleeting, but everlasting?

     Because of His heavenly gift, we do not have to reach out to access God.  We need only to acknowledge His presence within us and understand what we have been given.  Yes, we can feel Him within us and others can feel Him through us.  He is always there.  He will never leave us alone. Hallelujah!  Therefore, let us be holy, lest we grieve Him within us.  Let us walk boldly in faith, for we walk in the Light.


Father, I acknowledge your holy presence within me. Help me to be holy that I may be wholly thine  When others see me, let them see you.  When I touch others, let them feel your life changing Holy Spirit.  When I speak, may they hear the Word of God.  Help me to walk in your Light to dispel the  surrounding darkness.  "Thy Kingdom come.  Thy Will be done, as in Heaven, so in earth."

Amen

By the Grace and Mercy of God,

Your servant

Mishael

SEEING THE INVISIBLE

     If we believe God to be our life-giving power, then, is it possible to see and touch Him in the form of His Holy Spirit?  When Jesus' disciples asked that He might show them the Heavenly Father, His reply was that they need only to look at Him.

John 14:9 King James Version (KJV)

"Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father?" 

     If Jesus meant, He looks like God, then perhaps, we can imagine God as the Jesus depicted in some pictures, with a beard, brown eyes, long and wavy hair; or long, blond hair and blue eyes.  Jesus said that the Father is in Him and He is in the Father.  Even so, God was standing there and the disciples were unable to see Him.  Jesus' reply to His disciples, implies that they have limited vision. 

     If we continue to seek God only with our eyes, we too have limited vision.  Our eyes and mind can identify water as being a clear liquid.  Although, it is comprised of more than one element, we do not see it beyond its liquid form.  We breathe air and it consists of various gases we are unable to see with our eyes. It is not uncommon  for us to describe or label an object as being in its true form, yet, we see it only as our eyes can project it to us.  It is no wonder that, like the apostles, we too are blinded, when we try to seek the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit, only with our eyes. 

     Exodus 3:14. "Ehyeh asher ehyeh"  translates in Hebrew as, "I Will Be What (That, Who,  Which, Where) I Will Be."  It is God's definitive answer to Moses concerning His name, which leaves no question to who He is and what He can do.  His name is a declaration that He is and forever will be many things.  Man can not limit the power of God.

Exodus 13:21 (KJV)

"And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night"

     Jesus demonstrates "I Will Be What I Will Be" in the following statements::

• “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. (John 6:35)
• “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12) 
•  I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. (John 10:9) 
• “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” (John 10:11)
•  “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.” (John 11:25-26)
•  “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)
• “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)

     Until you come to know the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Jesus' metaphoric statements are simply that...just metaphors.  Without spiritual eyes and understanding, it is hard to conceive that He can possibly be that, which He says.  Impaired by limited vision, man can not move beyond that which he can see, touch or explain scientifically.

     The unproven and unexplained are categorized as supernatural and metaphysical.  In as much, as the human mind and body may fit into this category, we do not consider ourselves to be supernatural, although we are unable to explain the force within us, regulating our thoughts and functions.  As incredible as life is, the act of being alive has become commonplace to us...an everyday occurrence. 

       We live in a busy world, where most people, while trying to cope with everyday life,  don't have time or take time to think about the unknown.  It is more comfortable to settle for limited, incomplete scientific explanations for our existence, allowing one to take for granted, that humans, a massive accumulation of cells and water, function for some reason or another.  Despite the multitude of questions and unknown factors, many still deem God's existence improbable and unjustifiable, finding it incredible that a higher power not only created them, but is able to impart His own essence into one's being. 

     Incorrect interpretations of the Bible and false teachings have misled Christians into believing God's Holy Spirit comes and goes, but does not dwell within us.  The adversary continues to place fear in our minds to convince us that such an act is impossible and even if this higher power exists, dwelling within the human body would be controlling and possessive.  Having a powerful entity in us and over us every second, watching and judging, is an unsettling thought for some people and a threat to their concept of free will.  They want control over their lives and believe that they have the right to live free and autonomous lives.  They believe we are intelligent beings capable of deciding our own destiny and well-being.  They believe it is in their best interests to reject anything that interferes with living and doing as they please.  Many consider the idea of an unknown, higher intelligence to be an insult to their intelligence. The leap from corporeal thinking to spiritual thinking is a leap that some people simply can not or will not make, due to pride. 

God does not possess--He abides, or lives in us, at our invitation.  We have a choice to rest and abide in Him freely and ask Him to watch over and guide us through life, here on earth.  As a result of rejecting Him or not trusting Him to guide us, we continue to sin and make unwise choices.

 

By the Grace and Mercy of God,

 

Your servant

 

Mishael

CHASING THE BREATH OF GOD

 Genesis 2:7 (KJV)

"And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul."

SEEING THE INVISIBLE

"Instead of facing our insecurities, man creates new truths."

     When we receive a wrapped gift, on a special day, we can't wait to unwrap it to see what we have been given.  Filled with hope and anticipation, we anxiously await the opportunity to remove the wrapping, show off our gift and put it to use.  We have a Father in Heaven, who shows us His undying love, by giving us so much, each day.  Yet, nothing compares to His love, when He gave the gift of His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to die for our sins, that we may have abundant and everlasting life.  To fulfill His promise, Christ arose from the dead, ascended into Heaven, and imparted the gift of God's Holy Spirit.  Can we unwrap this gift and make use of its wondrous power and beauty? Can we unwrap something we cannot see...or make use of something we feel is intangible?  Perhaps, sometimes, we even doubt His existence in us.

     As we develop a closer relationship with God, it becomes evident that the Holy Spirit is very real and tangible.  Tangible I say?  How do you touch God?  Is this humanly possible? Scientists have discovered that the human body has endless known and unknown capabilities.  Consider the process of accessing a thought or memory.  Where does this intelligence come from?  Is intelligence limited to genetic make up, determined by DNA, along with the accumulation of knowledge and experience? If so, how are thought patterns mapped on cells and how are they maintained, erased or blocked?  How does the body know to initialize these functions; when and why to do them?

     Perhaps, there exists something that cannot be seen, even under the highest powered microscope, or exposed by any chemical or physical laboratory experiment man can devise.  Perhaps, it is as invisible as air and can come and go as the wind, from any direction.  Perhaps, we just don't know what we are looking at and it is staring us in the face.  Perhaps...  Yet, this power has cause and effect, in much the same way atoms, electrons, protons and neutrons create physical reactions, but this force remains unseen and untouched. So, we have been told.

     The human body has been created with miraculous organs and senses.  We can see or hear a word and an image appears in our mind.  We can see a word and recall a taste, touch or smell. All because, we can access information, from a seemingly unlimited capacity of memory, stored in a comparatively small head.  Hmm... and the unknown, higher power, which many claim to have created this wondrous creature, can not be seen, nor touched.  So, we've been told. 

     Surely, there must be a way to see something so complicated and powerful, capable of creating such an advanced organism that can procreate, experience pain, joy, nourish and educate itself to survive and thrive in its ever changing environment, world and universe.  Could this force be evasive, or just not there? Or, do we simply lack the technology to detect it?  Still, we know that something is there to keep us all together, due to the sheer fact that we are alive and remain under its influence to grow, change, contribute and influence other human beings.  Day to day, we share a certain amount of faith and hope, that life will continue, until external or internal forces decide otherwise.

     Can it be, that man has examined every cell in the human body, only to have their origin remain a mystery?  Can it be, that time has worked against us and buried the secret deep within?  Or, could it be that this life-creating matter does not belong to us and is not ours to keep, destroy, alter or duplicate?  Wherein, it must remain an unsolvable mystery to us...for now.  But, that's not good enough. 

     From the Garden of Eden to the exploration of the earth and outer-space, it is evident that the unknown has never been acceptable to man.  We simply must know.  So, instead of facing our insecurities, man creates new truths. That which man cannot prove, he devises theories, philosophies, conjectures and inconclusive analyses, which do not offer proof and confirmation, but instead, authoritative resolution.  Such as, the scientific theory that mankind crawled out of a primordial pool and evolved.  If one choses, to accept this school of thought, one can not deny that there are still more questions to be answered, such as, where did the matter in the pool come from and what internal mechanism spurred it into evolution?

     Why would a creator leave us in such darkness and confusion, or has He?  For those who doubt or reject God's existence, we believers have simply created our own answer to the unknown.  However, once one has truly accepted, unwrapped and utilized God's gift, one realizes that the unknown has always been the answer.  The allure and intrigue of the unknown is God's way of inviting us to get to know Him.  We chase the breath of God to understand our own existence.

     As we unwrap the gift of His Holy Spirit, life takes us on an incredible and very different path, where soon, we discover that God is not hiding how we came into existence.  Right now, He is trying to show us that it is more important to understand why we exists.

By the Grace and Mercy of God,

Your servant

Mishael

ACTION

Blessings to the Body of Christ,

I am pleased to hear that new ministries are being created and the fruits of your ministry have lead others to discipleship.  We must continue to pray that others may come to see the deception of false doctrine, denominations and religion, which are created and exists as an excuse and deterrent from having a direct and accountable relationship with God. Our lives must show others how to live as spiritual beings and how to acknowledge the power and presence of the Holy Spirit within them.

This Holy Day, reminds us that He, the Holy Spirit (the Holy Ghost) is always with us because of the sacrifice and salvation of Jesus Christ. The Holy Ghost is the strength and power of the Gospel, the Rock upon which Christ built His church; sent to purify us and make us whole; sent to draw us into the Kingdom and graft us onto the Vine.

Can man make anything Holy? Can man create fertile ground? Can man bring repentance? As disciples, our work becomes fruitless, impotent and in vain without the Holy Ghost. As with Simon, the sorcerer, we see that some people may believe, they may be baptized, but there is no change. There is no change because they receive under their own will, conditions and pride, when it is not their will that must be done, but God's will. We have read in Acts 8:14-23

14 Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:

15 Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost:

16 (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)

17 Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.

18 And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,

19 Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.

20 But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.

21 Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.

22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.

23 For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.

Today, the world is filled with so much bitterness and the shackles of bondage have been tightened to keep God's people in sin and bondage. As we spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we must be aware that more is required of us to free God's people. Yes, we can sit back and wait upon the Lord and trust the wonder working power of His Holy Spirit. Yes, we believe that His light will shine through us and His power will penetrate the stone walls built up around the hearts of others, remove the scales from their eyes to see their sin and repent.  We want to believe that once others have accepted the Lamb of God, sacrificed for their salvation, they will live in the fullness, abundance and everlasting life promised to them. Yes, belief is needed...patience is needed, also.

Yet, God told the apostles at Jerusalem that something else was needed for the Samarians who believed, so, they sent Peter and John to them. The Samarians had been in bondage to idol worshiping and sin for a long time. Action was needed so the seeds scattered would take root. Peter and John took action and prayed for the Holy Ghost to come upon the Samarians.

Will we allow our seed to be blown away, snatched, trampled, wither and die, or will we take action to loose the Holy Spirit to fall upon others? Will we take action: by the laying on of hands; through prayers of supplication, words of edification and exhortation; by walking in the Light and experiencing His miraculous power; by speaking and praying things into existence; by living in the Kingdom to show others the Kingdom; and by humbling ourselves to die daily and live in Christ that we may follow and serve? Upon this Holy Day, this is my prayer for me and the body of Christ. Let us take action with love and faith to increase the Kingdom through the power of the Holy Ghost.

The Holy Ghost is our embedded connection with God, to empower us, that we may empower others. All praise, glory and honor be to God, our Father, who continues to love us so much, having given His only begotten Son up to the cross, so that today, He lives in us and we by faith can abide in Him.

When someone asks, “What is God telling you today?” We can answer because we have direct access to the Good Shepherd. We are His sheep and we know His voice. There is no question of who He is, because He is the same today, as He was yesterday.

Pray for me as I pray for you. As we serve and worship, let it be in spirit and in truth, so that the power of the Holy Ghost may enlighten and transform, creating a new being in Christ.

By the Grace and Mercy of God,

Your servant

Mishael