From: "Beverly French" <frenchb@vcss.k12.ca.us>
To: "Heritage" <gheritage@juno.com>
Subject: Blessings to All
Date: Sunday, November 18, 2001 8:00 AM

"God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord."  1Corinthians 1:9

The one who called is God, Jehovah, the Almighty One and He is faithful!
Other translations say,
"God is utterly dependable..."  J. B. Phillips
"God is entirely trustworthy..."  Charles B. Williams
"God is faithful (reliable, trustworthy, and therefore ever true to His
promise, and He can be depended on)..."  Amplified Bible

He, the faithful One, called us into fellowship with our Lord Jesus Christ.
And what is this fellowship?
Fellowship (koinonia in the Greek) in Vine's Expository Dictionary is
defined as: communion, fellowship, sharing in communion, contribution
(that which is the outcome of fellowship).

"...Called into fellowship..."  other translations follow,
"...Through whom you have been given a part with His Son..."The New
Testament in Basic English
"Who called you to share in the life of His Son..."The New English Bible
"By Him you were called into companionship and participation with His
Son..."  Amplified Bible

The Believer has been given a part with Jesus, called to share in His life,
called into companionship and participation with Him.  We Believers atest to
this with our mouths and in our minds, but have we come to is this
unshakeable reality in our hearts?  Only in divine fellowship with Jesus is
our peace and joy and rest.

Scripture tells us divine fellowship--
Is found in spiritual assemblies,  "For where two or three have gathered
together in My name, there I am in their midst."  Matthew 18:20

Is found in the communion of saints (true believers), "And it came about
that
while they were conversing and discussing, Jesus Himself approached and
began traveling with them."
Luke 24:15 (Read the chapter to see how their sorrow was turned to joy.)

It leaves a mark on a life, "Now as they observed the confidence of Peter
and John and understood that they were uneducated and untrained  men, they
were marveling, and began to recognize them as having been with Jesus."
Acts 4:13  (Read the whole chapter to see the effect that Peter and John had
on those gather there in Jerusalem because of their relationship with
Jesus.)

1 John 1:3 gives testamony to this fellowship, "What we hve seen and heard
we proclaim to you also, that you also may have fellowhip with us; and
indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ."
Jesus is light and Vs 7 says, "If we walk in the light as He Himself is in
the light, we have fellowship with one another..."  (Light and darkness
are incompatable, therefore, as children of the light we can only have
true fellowship with those who are of the light.  Read Ephesians 5: 1-14)

Spiritual receptivity is the condition of divine fellowship, "Behold, I
stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door,
I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me."
Revelation 3:20

Fellowship with Christ has many facets, but from this very tiny glimpse we
see that Believers are not members of a religion, but active participants in
a personal living relationship with a loving, gracious, faithful and kind
God.

Let us sing to the Lord with the words of the Psalmist in Psalm 34:1-3
"I will bless the Lord at all times;
 His praise shall continually be in my mouth
 My soul shall make her boast in the Lord;
 The humble shall hear it and rejoice.
 O magnify the Lord with me,
 And let us exalt His name together."
For He is worthy of all our praise, honor and thanks.  All glory to the Lord
forever.  Amen.