10-12-14 Day 15 of 40 Days of Fellowship- Mark 9:37

10/12- Sunday (New Theme: “FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD” Read LT- Chapter 3) Mark 9:37 "Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me."

Bonhoeffer: “Let him who cannot be alone beware of community.  He will only do harm to himself and to the community…But the reverse is also true: Let him who is not in community beware of being alone.”

Thoughts: A little child shall lead us.  Lead us where?  Children, for the most part, seem to have this innocence- an ability to trust and rely on others.  It is more than their having to be dependent that enables them to trust others.  It is not being scarred, jaded, and made careful that enables them to trust others- but also to trust God.  As we become hardened, we give up on trusting others but we also tend to give up on trusting God.  Children remind us of the need for that innocence and invite us back to faith just by their existence.  Too often churches only want to be for a certain age group- all old, all young, all middle but not inter-generational.  Sometimes populations- like at retirement areas are meant to be one generational.  But mostly we are called to learn from each generation- to learn patience.  Children can teach us to trust.  Older folks can teach us the wisdom of the Lord.  In the middle is energy and the strength of the church.  Together- as a family- as a fellowship we grow and please God.
    As we get older we get more and more busy and self-important. Our busy-ness gives us the illusion of control and strength.  But real purpose is not in productivity but in fulfilling God’s will- sometimes that may include facing our crosses with bravery and grace. 

Prayer: Help me to live like a little child.  To follow you in trust to and through my crosses. 

Day 14- Forty Days of Fellowship- Better When We're Together

10/11- Saturday Ecclesiastes 4:8-12- 8There was a man all alone; he had neither son nor brother. There was no end to his toil, yet his eyes were not content with his wealth. “For whom am I toiling,” he asked, “and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?” This too is meaningless— a miserable business! 9Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: 10If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. 11Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? 12Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

Bonhoeffer: [when we eat together]…We share our bread. Thus we are firmly bound to one another not only in the Spirit but also in our whole physical being.  The one bread that is given to our fellowship links us together in a firm covenant.  Now none dares go hungry as long as another has bread.”

Thoughts: Fellowship with others is important for it helps us to leave a legacy- giving meaning to work (4:8).  Fellowship allows the synchronicity and serendipity of labor.  Two can do more together than two separately.  Fellowship is lifting another up and allowing someone to lift us up.  Two can keep warm better, fend off attackers better, be intertwined and strengthened better.  In other words, life itself teaches us that fellowship is important- despite dangers or difficulties of being together.  Someone said that where two or three Presbyterians get together there is food.  Eating together is a visible way that we share and encourage.  The Lord knew this- so communion is an encouragement to us to sustain us on our journey. 

Prayer: Lord, help me to believe that fellowship is better than isolation.  Help me to want to work together with others fro your glory.  

There is an organization in our church, affiliated with the deacons called "Helping Hands."  It helps with a meal when someone is sick or grieving. 

Day 13- Forty Days of Fellowship- 1 Thessalonians 4,5

10/10- Friday- 1 Thessalonians 4:18; 5:11,14 18Therefore encourage one another with these words. 11Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. 14And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 

Quote on Bonhoeffer: “God uses our work to strip away self-centeredness, forcing us to focus beyond ourselves.  No matter what we do our work becomes a form of worship when we are working for God.  Then everything becomes a prayer.”  (“In Visible Fellowship” John Walker on “Life Together”).

Thoughts: One of the great purposes of the fellowship is to encourage one another.  In a world full of bad news- new plagues, new wars, new failures the great calling of the church is to help us to look up.  The hour of worship- is an hour of prayer/focus that “calls us from a world of care.”  The Bible says not only that you are not alone- but if you can possibly believe this- the Creator of the universe loves you.  In the fullness of His omniscience and providential care- He cares for you.  The great news is He shows His care by coming in Christ and dying on the cross- to make a way past our past.  This passage gives some concrete ways to encourage in the fellowship (from vs. 14): 1) Warn those who are doing nothing- we are called to use our talents for a greater cause- as long as we can physically and mentally do so.  Work is a gift to bend our will to a higher cause and to earn money to not just provide for our needs but to encourage others; Idleness can lead to disruptiveness- forgetting that the world does not revolve around us but others have a calling that they must answer;  2) Those who are disheartened are to be encouraged so that they will not give up in their true hope; This involves time and an eye to pay attention to those who may be discouraged; 3) Help the weak.  Here the weakness is not described.  It could be physical, financial, mental, social, or spiritual weakness.  The ones in the flock limping along at the end- are to be aided.  4) Be patient with everyone.  The more busy we are, the harder this is.  Yet the call to patience is a call to believe the interruptions of life are actually important;  it is a humbling realization to understand that our own agenda is not the all- important issue in life.  The fellowship is built up by such encouraging things. 

Prayer: Lord, send your Spirit and your people to encourage me.  Lift up my head so that I may be the lifter of another’s head.  Use your church to help us to purposefully be mutually encouraged in you. 

Day 12- Singing in Fellowship

10/9- Thursday- Colossians 2:2; 3:16 My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ…16Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.

Bonhoeffer Quote: “Where the heart is not singing there is no melody, there is only the dreadful medley of human self-praise.”

Thoughts: This passage makes the claim that we can know God- in all His mystery- more fully when we are united in love and encouraged in heart. Singing is a visible sign of seeking encouragement.  The deeply discouraged are paralyzed from seeking the hope of God and usually cannot even sing the blues.  But those who are encouraged in heart believe it is possible to know God and to look to Him in song.  Of course God is fully revealed when He came to earth in Christ- the mystery touched this earth in Him.  Many times we will allow our past problems/griefs/sins to paralyze us.  But the person who has learned to believe God heals/comforts/forgives can pursue- and find God.  Divisions and disappointments may keep us from being united in love.  But it is when the fellowship is united in love that we experience the full riches of fellowship- including a more complete understanding.  A Christian has a song to sing and someone to sing to and others to sing with.  It is no accident that some of the greatest secular singers began singing in church.  

     Our songs teach us the message of Christ so that His truth lives/abides/dwells richly and fully in the fellowship.  Singing has a true teaching element.  Songs may encourage us; unite our voices in harmony or single note;  allow us to experience the Holy Spirit who moves us often in song; brings gratitude to our hearts.  So this passage teaches us the importance of music, of being encouraged, of being united in heart. 

Something to do: So today- pray for our choir and its director (Walter Cuttino), our organist/musician (Sara Beardsley), and our Children’s Choir Director (Janet Roberts).  If you can send them an email or note to thank them for leading us in pslams, hymns, and spiritual songs.

Prayer: Lord, take not your Holy Spirit from me, but put a new song in my heart.  Put a song in me that will teach me more about you; that will encourage me; that will unite me together with your people.

Day 11 Forty Days of Fellowship, 10-8-14 Prayer and Fellowship

10/8- Wednesday Philippians 1:3-5,27- 3I thank my God every time I remember you. 4In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now…27Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit,^e striving together as one for the faith of the gospel

Bonhoeffer Quote: “We are to pray to God as a fellowship, and this prayer must really be our word, our prayer for this day, for our work, for our fellowship, for the particular needs and sins that oppress us In common, for the persons who are committed to our care.”

[Note: Tonight at 6:00 there will be a service for Healing and Wholeness with special emphasis on Mental Health as this is Mental Health Awareness week].

Thoughts: Paul is united to them in thought by praying for them [Philippians] though he is far away.  I have often thought that if we could send a very short prayer up when we text someone or respond to them by email or social media then we would be much better off.  If, at the end of the day, we prayed for those we talked to that day, our love for them and fellowship would be stronger.  Take a second and think of who you saw this day and say a prayer of blessing on them.  Then think of those who are far away from you that you miss. Say a prayer for them and send one of them a text/message/note. 
    Think about the “sins that oppress us in common” [Bonhoeffer quote above].  How can we stand firm together against these sins?  How can your fellowship with others be improved?

Prayer: Lord, it is your grace that sustains me.  Help me to honor you by praying for others to also be sustained by your grace.  Protect us, Lord, from common sins.  

Day 10- 10/7/14 Life Together- Agreeing

10/7- Tuesday I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought.(1 Corinthians 1:10).

Bonhoeffer: “Unison singing, as difficult as it is, is less of a musical than a spiritual matter.” 
Note: [Trinity Presbytery meets today at Lake Murray Presbyterian to talk about some controversial matters].

Thoughts: Agreement is symbolized by singing in fellowship. Singing in harmony means to compliment each other with the different perspective and talents we have.  Singing in unison means to agree to mold my talents for a common note- or goal.  The people of God need both harmony and unison singing.  We need both different perspectives and an ability to work together- submitting my way to a common way. 
    In this passage we are reminded that faith and intellect work together to form agreement.  We are called to be united in mind and thought.  Mind and thought could cause pride and division- when we think we are right and cannot listen.  But mind and thought combined with faith hope and love can be bent to think in harmony and unison with each other.  When the church is united it is a beautiful thing.  When people become critical and destructive inside the church, the church languishes and is paralyzed.  Let us learn to bend our minds, voices, and actions toward each other to compliment and unite for the glory of God!

Prayer: Lord, unite us!  Lord, we want to agree, help us to do that.  

Day 9 of 40 Days of Fellowship- Life Together Romans 1:12

10/6/14- Monday- Romans 1:12- that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine. (ESV)

Bonhoeffer: “God has prepared for Himself one great song of praise throughout eternity, and those who enter the community of God join in this song.  It is the song that the “morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy at the creation of the world (Job 38:7).”

Thoughts: Mutual encouragement is a true blessing of fellowship.  I remember John Wesley saying, “If your heart is as my heart: give me your hand” (2 Kgs. 10:15).  True Christianity is not a religion of the head, but a religion of the heart.  Someone else’s faith encourages ours- just by having faith.  They have found what we have found.  We are not alone in our experience of God.  God has brought another into the same experience.  Synchronicity is a beautiful thing.  What it means is that 2 together can get more done that one person alone in twice the time.  Think of moving a large table.  Two people may move it quickly whereas one may move it only a bit at a time.  In our day we have developed tools to help us accomplish things: hand trucks for moving; social media for communicating.  But mutual encouragement is still meant to be done with the presence of another.  In heaven the great image is of being together with God and with others who believe.  There is no temptation or tear or division or destruction any more.  But there is the ongoing mutual encouragement of being together.  Our hands are united because our hearts are united and God blesses that with the oil of His synchronistic presence. 

Prayer: Lord, give me a desire to want encouragement but also to be encouraging.  Let me build others up as I seek to be built up by others.