Exceeding Abundantly Above All

Ephesians 3:20-21 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

Have you ever stopped to really take in the meaning of this passage in Ephesians?

If you’ve never read it or never REALLY read it, do so now. Then read it again. And again. Go ahead. I’ll wait. 

Now. What jumped out at you as you read these words from the Apostle Paul? These verses are part of a prayer by Paul to the church at Ephesus. 

Ephesians 3:14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

Paul prays for the saints at Ephesus that they may be strengthened by the Spirit, that Christ would dwell in their hearts, that they would be able to comprehend God’s amazing love to them and that they would be filled with the fulness of God. 

And then, he writes these powerful words that we find in verse 20. 

Ephesians 3:20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us

The thing that jumps out at me in this verse is God’s ability to do EXCEEDING ABUNDANTLY ABOVE ALL! 

The Greek word used for exceeding, is the word ‘hyper’.  If any of you ladies reading this have a very active child, you will know all about that word hyper. It has the idea of over, above and beyond. Hyperactive children don’t just do things. They DO things! Over, above and beyond what you expect. Nothing done half-heartedly. It’s over the top. 

And strangely enough, Paul uses the Greek word again, in the same verse. He uses it for the word ‘above’. So, we have 2 hypers in the same verse! That’s seriously hyper!  I think Paul wants us to really grasp this idea of God giving us so much more than we ask. 

Paul describes God as a God who can do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think.

So, God doesn’t just do and give what we ask or think, but He goes beyond. Over and above. He gives exceeding abundantly above.  We can’t even begin to understand what God can do. 

Matthew Henry puts it like this:

“There is an inexhaustible fulness of grace and mercy in God, which the prayers of all the saints can never draw dry. Whatever we may ask, or think to ask, still God is still able to do more, abundantly more, exceedingly abundantly more. Open thy mouth ever so wide, still he hath wherewithal to fill it.”

Just knowing that my God can do more than I ever ask is amazing, but did you notice that it’s not just what we ask but also what we think? Poof! Mind blowing moment! 

 We don’t even have to ask it, and He sees into our hearts and our minds, and goes over, above and beyond to do exceeding abundantly, to do even what we think and haven’t even verbalised yet! 

How many times have you prayed for something small, just a little thing, and God answered, and you thought to yourself, “Oh! I wish I had asked for more”. We pray our small prayers, hoping for a little drop of blessing and God pours out a colossal river of blessing from His vast treasure house and our puny, little bucket overflows, spilling out and filling others lives as we share what God has done.  And we’re left wishing we had lifted a swimming pool to heaven and asked for that to be filled! 

God answers over and above all that we ask or think. He doesn’t just answer, He ANSWERS! And He doesn’t just bless, He BLESSES! His grace and mercy are inexhaustible. Unfathomable. Immeasurable. Incalculable. Incomprehensible.  

But wait there’s more! God’s abundance is not limited to only a few. It never runs out! His wellspring of blessing is everlasting. It is unending. Unlimited. Boundless. So this means, that no matter how many blessings He showers upon other’s lives, there is still enough for me. For you. For everyone. We don’t have to fear that His supply will run out. There’s no need to worry that by the time He comes to us, there is only a drop left. No! EXCEEDING ABUNDANT! 

In the story of the 5 loaves and 2 fishes, God not only performed a miracle, but He ‘hyper’ performed it! He made sure that everyone was fed and that everyone was fed well.

Matthew 14:20 And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full.

There was an abundance of food. Enough for everyone there that day to be filled and then some! It’s interesting that God caused there to be 12 baskets full of leftovers. There were 12 disciples weren’t there? Hmmm. Food for thought. 

These last 2 verses of Ephesians 3 are the end of the prayer for the church at Ephesus and here Paul sets a good example for us. Notice he is ending the prayer with praise. Praise to an awesome God. In verse 20, he describes God and what he is able to do and then in verse 21 he gives God all the praise. 

Ephesians 3:21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

It’s a good habit to get into. That of concluding our prayers with praise. Yes, praise should play a large part in every aspect of our praying, but to end our prayers with praise and thankfulness to God will bring glory to His name and have you rising from your knees with a grateful heart and a spring in your step. 

So, I want to encourage you to keep this verse in your minds and in your hearts and remember that God is able. 

It doesn’t matter what struggles you may be facing, what burdens you may be carrying, what trials you may be suffering through, God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all!  It doesn’t matter how big or how small your prayers are, He is able. 

Psalm 81:10  I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.

Take heart. Trust in His promises. Wait on the Lord. Watch God work. 

And when He does, give Him all the glory. 

Revelation 7:12 Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.

Just Some Thoughts………..

I love to write. I love to speak. But sometimes, despite all my study and all my time spent alone with God, it’s as if I come up blank. I know there are things He has taught me from His Word, and I know there are things I want to share with others, but I seem to draw a blank at what it is I’m to write about or speak about.

I’ve recently been studying for our monthly Ladies Bible Study here in Katherine and also praying about what God would have me speak on at the Mum Heart Conference in Dundee, NT in March.

I don’t want to just write or speak for the sake of it. God has taught me so many things in these past few years and many of the lessons I have had to learn came through sore trials and pain and suffering. But it is often the fire that is needed in our lives. The purifying work that God does. We don’t like it, but it is needed. The storms, when all we want is calm. The work, when all we want is rest. The pain, when all we want is comfort.

I love it that God always knows what is best for us and that He sees the bigger picture and knows what it is we need as opposed to what we want.

My life has never been as busy as it is right now. I have never had so many things to attend to, so many hats to wear, so many commitments to fulfill. But in all the busyness, God can still bring calm. I recently read this quote,

“Sometimes God calms the storm.

Sometimes He lets the storm rage and calms His child.”

Wow! Isn’t that true? The storm rages all about us and we cry out to God to stop the storm. Stop the busyness. Stop the craziness, the screaming schedules, the pulling from every direction. But no, He lets the storm rage and begins to calm His child.

“Calmness doesn’t mean the absence of activity,

but rather the clear reality of God being in control at all times.”

He is in control and whether we can see His hand or not, we can trust Him. The tumult of the world rages on about us, our schedules scream, but we can be as calm as a leaf, floating on an absolutely glassy surface of water. And that calmness is inside of us. He brings His peace to our soul. He calms our struggling, our restlessness, our minds and our hearts. But only if we let Him. He longs to hear us cry out to Him. He wants us to come to Him.

Psalm 107:28-30 Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses. He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still. Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.

Maybe one of the reasons I can’t find exactly what God wants me to write or speak about, is the fact that I am not letting Him calm my heart. I am expecting Him to give me something while I rush about. On the run. “Toss me something Lord, while I run by, I don’t have time to stop! I’m too busy!”

I need to take the time to sit. To meditate on His Word. To spend time in earnest prayer. Asking God for peace. Begging Him for wisdom.

As much as we women like to say we’re too busy, we seem to make time for the things that bring us pleasure. It may be friends, social media, hobbies, even exercise! But taking the time to sit down bodily, and in heart and mind and focus on listening to God speaking to us is often pushed aside.

A little saying that I have been trying to keep in my mind constantly is,

“Instead of saying, ‘I don’t have the time’, try saying, ‘It’s not a priority’, and see how that changes things”

When we realize that it’s our priorities that need to be put in order and it’s not a matter of running out of time, the rubber really hits the road.

God only gave us 24 hours in the day, and while we may think we need so many more, He knew from the beginning of time how many hours we would need.

As busy wives and mothers, we rush about, trying to fit everything into the 24 hours, sometimes not stopping to ask how God would have us fill it. It’s no wonder we feel so stressed and frazzled. Who better than God knows how to fill those hours?  God is bigger than our day to day problems. His wisdom is beyond comprehension. His love and grace are unfathomable. We have only to ask Him.

James 1:5  If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

Sometimes I start out my day with so many things on my to-do list, that I don’t even know where to start. You may say, ‘start at the beginning’. But where is the beginning? I need to stop, right then and there, and ask God to show me where to begin and where to end and how to fill in the middle.

I will never feel truly satisfied with my day of busyness and interrupted plans unless I let the Lord decide how it should be ordered.

I lay out my list before Him and He gets out His big black marker, and crosses out the unnecessary, and adds in the important, and rearranges the order, sometimes so much so, that I don’t even recognize my list anymore. I may feel frustrated and confused. But I stop and take time to listen to Him speak, He hears my heart, He knows my longings, my desires and He plans as only He can.

His ways are not my ways. His thoughts are not my thoughts. But I have the comfort in knowing that although it may seem like He’s messed my list all up, or thrown it out altogether, He is omniscient. I can trust Him.

So, ladies, if you’re feeling the need of some calm and order in your day, take the time to sit and ask God to order your day.

I have this little reminder pinned up above my desk and probably need to pin it up in a few more handy places as a reminder:

Stop what you’re doing

Sit down in body, heart and mind

Seek God’s peace and priorities

Start up again

When you feel the storm rising up inside of you and you feel overwhelmed and calmness seems out of reach, take the time to sit. Read through the promises in God’s Word. Pray over your priorities. Listen to God speak. Rise up. Resolved to take God at His Word and trust Him.

Lift your tired eyes, raise your weary head, and press on. Take that next step. And the next one. And the next one. God is there with you.

The storm may rage about you, but God can calm His child.

Philippians 4:6-7 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Isaiah 26:3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

Letting Go and Pressing Forward

As 2019 draws to a close and a new year looms on the horizon, how do you feel about the year that has just gone by? Do you look back on it with regret? Do you see things you wish you could go back and change? Were there times of trial? Days of testing? Moments of joy? Hours of celebration?

As the curtains are drawn on the stage of a passing year, I find myself reflecting on what I was able to accomplish. Did I reach my goals? Did I even set goals? Were they unrealistic, or was I just too complacent and let them slide? Did life get so busy that the opportunities God sent my way, just passed me by and I didn’t give them a second thought?

I’m sure we can all reflect on the good and the bad of the past year. But it is up to us whether we choose to stay in 2019, or jump wholeheartedly into 2020, eager to do more for God, more for our families, our friends, our ministries.

It’s so easy to drag ourselves down with feelings of worthlessness on a job NOT well done. But God tells us in His Word that we can forget the past and move onto the future, with hope and assurance that He will accomplish something great in our lives, if we allow Him to.

Philippians 3:13-14 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

In this passage in Philippians, we are encouraged by the apostle Paul to reach forward. To forget the things that went before.  

We can be loosed from the past by God’s grace, mercy and forgiveness. Yes, we can look back and learn from our past mistakes, but we can also press on, focusing on improving each step and reaching toward our goals.

Paul likens our life to a race. We have to keep our focus on the road ahead, not on the path behind. If we are continually looking back, we will trip and fall. A runner is intent on the prize before him, not on the hazards that lay behind.

So, how does this all play out in our day to day lives? As women, we wear many hats, each and every day. And sometimes it becomes quite a juggling act. If the year just gone by, has you depressed because of your lack of accomplishment, then let it go. If there are things that need to be dealt with, then deal with them and then leave them there. In 2019. In the past. Don’t dwell on your mistakes, just resolve to try harder this coming year. Set more achievable goals. Hand your list over to God and let Him show you what you should be focussing on. Open your hand and let Him hold the pen.

On a personal note, I usually write up a list of things I’d like to achieve each year and this year, well, honestly, I feel like my list didn’t get the nice little ‘check’ boxes filled in beside each goal. Now, I could dwell on my shortfalls, or I could tear that list up, and prayerfully, sit down and let God help me write a new one, with the knowledge that He knows what’s best and what’s achievable in this new year. He is the only one that knows what this new year will hold, so it only makes sense for Him to write the list!

I could also decide to do away with trying to reach any goals, but then a verse in Proverbs comes to mind.

Proverbs 29:18 Where there is no vision, the people perish:

but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.

We need goals. We need dreams.

That word vision does mean dream, but it also means revelation, which in turn means ‘divine guidance’. So, we need a vision and we need guidance. From God.

So, in writing our new year goals, we need guidance from the Lord as to what He would have us accomplish. Goals are not bad things and yes, we will fail. But God sees our hearts and He knows our desires and He is willing to give them to us if they are according to His will. The important thing is that we press forward. Don’t be continually looking behind and moping over past failures. Jump into 2020 with both feet! Eager to see what God has in store. Excited about what God can and will do through you.

Be enthusiastic! Look ahead. Keep your eyes looking forward, on that one step in front of you, and let God take care of whatever lies ahead. Be content to trust Him. Submit to His will and His plans for your life.

We have God’s promises to cling to and His Word is always true.

Isaiah 42:16 And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.

Leave 2019 in the past and embrace 2020 without fear of failure.

God will go before you and you can trust Him. Keep your eyes on Him and He will guide your steps.

Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Christmas 2019

Re post

Yes, another year has almost come to an end and I find myself reflecting. What have I done with the time God gave me? What have I done with another year of opportunity? Did I waste it in pleasing self or did I use every moment in reaching out to a lost and dying world with the glorious message of salvation?

Sobering thoughts. When I stop and think about the 8760 hours I had to serve Him, how many of those hours were actually spent in service to Him.

At this time of year, more than any other time, we have the opportunity to share with others the real meaning of the season. As the world's focus is on buying gifts and eating, drinking and being merry, our focus should be on reaching out and telling others about the miracle of Jesus birth.

This time of year becomes so busy that we can't see Christ for Christmas. It's easy to get caught up in the swirl of activity and the buying buying buying. We hear the carols playing in every store, over loud speakers down the main street, hip hopped versions blared loudly as we do our grocery shopping. But does the world know the true meaning of “Away in a Manger” or “Joy to the World”?  And if they don't, is it our fault?

Is it our fault we pass people in the street and give them the customary, “Merry Christmas” instead of sharing with them the beautiful story of Jesus Christ coming to this earth to be born in a stable, humble and lowly, so that He could die for our sins?

Yes, too often I am guilty of just trying to ignore this whole time of year and wait impatiently for it all to be over. The hustle, the bustle, the frustrations of the busyness and the short attitudes that go along with it. Too often, I pass people in the shop, busy choosing that perfect gift for a loved one, filling their trolley with Christmas wrap, tinsel, lights, bon bons, without even a thought of saying something that might help to bring them to consider their eternal destiny.

Not everyone celebrates Christmas in the same way. And yes, some are quick to judge when others do things differently. But, whether you give gifts or you don't, the story of Christ's birth is still the same. The fact that God chose to send His only Son down to earth, to be born of a virgin, so that we might have eternal life, is still amazing! And the story hasn't changed.

We dash around madly, making sure the dining room is decked in splendour, while somewhere in the foggy recesses of our minds, we vaguely remember a dusty, dirty, smelly stable, where our Saviour was laid in a manger and the angels rejoiced.

Luke 2:13-14

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the

heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest,

 and on earth peace, good will toward men.

Sometimes, in our efforts to witness at this time of year, we are guilty of only telling part of the story. Yes, the season is about Christ's birth, but it also brings us to the more sobering thought of His death. As the song so aptly puts it,

“Born to die upon Calv'ry, Jesus suffered my sin to forgive.
Born to die upon Calv'ry, He was wounded that I might live”

Jesus wasn't just born and that was the end of it. That's not the end of the story. He was sent down to earth to die on the cross for our sins. He was born to die. The reason for His humble birth was so that He could save us from eternal damnation.

This past year has been a year of opportunity for me. The Lord has brought so many opportunities into my life to serve Him and yet I have failed many times to grab hold of them with both hands, and ask for God's strength to enable me to use these times wisely and help to make an eternal difference in someone's life. We know that it is God that does the work and He doesn't need our help, but He chooses to use us, as imperfect people, to spread the Word and be a light in a dark world.

This time of year, can be very dark, metaphorically speaking. A world blinded by consumerism and materialism and everything it can offer.  All the more reason to shine our light and shine it brightly!

We can hold our Christmas services and enjoy our festive luncheons, but if we are not out there, being a witness to the lost, telling the whole story, and testifying of God's goodness in our lives on a daily basis, we might as well stay home.

The story of a babe in a manger is easy on the ears and easy to tell, but to tell of a Saviour, suffering and bleeding on an old wooden cross for our sins, in our place, is a whole lot harder.

The shadow of the cross hung over the manger on the day of Christ's birth. It was there, that shadow, right from the very beginning. God knew what He was doing, and He was willing to give His only Son to die for us.

THIS is the real story. THIS is the story the world needs to hear. Not only the story of His miraculous birth, but the story of His sacrificial death, His burial and His resurrection.

PRAISE GOD! We serve a risen Saviour!

God's Word 

Isaiah 43:2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

This passage of scripture is very special to me. Every time I read this verse, I am reminded of my darkest trial. I remember the times spent lying on the cold hard concrete floor of our storeroom, in darkness, crying out to God and repeating the promises of God, with tears streaming down my face, begging God for help and seeking comfort from His Word.

I couldn’t understand why I was having to go through such a sore trial. I felt as if God had turned a deaf ear to my plight. Why wasn’t He listening to me? Where was He when I needed Him most? I prayed His promises, I clung to them, I cried them aloud and yet relief seemed out of my reach.

But each time I read this verse in Isaiah, I felt His presence once again. “I will be with thee”. Through waters, through rivers, through fire.

Like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego of long ago, it wasn’t about the fire that surrounded them, it was about who was in the fire WITH them.

God was with me in those dark times. He was right there beside me, His arms around me, holding me, comforting me. And yet, at times, I couldn’t feel it. I was so focused on my circumstances, my hurt, my pain, that I was blind to His presence. The darkness threatened to overwhelm me. I couldn’t see a light at the end of the tunnel. Was it because God had deserted me? Was it because I had been forgotten? NO!

It was because my eyes were closed! I couldn’t see Him because I was blinded by my own doubts and fears. His promises still held true no matter how I felt about them. If I doubt the promises of God, it doesn’t make a difference to whether they’re true or not. It changes nothing! God’s Word is true, and His promises are sure.

Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and for ever.

In those dark and gloomy days, it was God’s Word that lifted my spirits, that gave me hope, that set my feet back on the rock.

Psalm 119:92 Unless thy law had been my delights,

 I should then have perished in mine affliction.

As the Psalmist writes, if I didn’t have God’s Word, I would have perished. Without God’s glorious promises and words of comfort, I might still be lying in darkness. Without the Word of God lifting me and sustaining me, I may have lay down in despair, letting my burdens overwhelm me and crush me. But God’s Word lifted me up.

Psalm 40:2  He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established  my goings.

You may be feeling the weight of burden and stress pressing in on you, threatening to crush you. But if your times of trials bring you to your knees, then you’re in the perfect position to pray! Sometimes God forces us to our knees to get us to pray more seriously. More sincerely. More devotedly. More consistently.

I searched the scriptures daily, looking for comfort from God’s Word, and I was never left disappointed. There was always something there to feed my soul.

Psalm 34:4 I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.

Psalm 34:15 The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous,

 and his ears are open unto their cry.

Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

The Word of God is full of blessed promises for those who love Him. People will let us down. Continually. But God never will! This became very real to me last year, more than any other time in my life. And this baring of my soul is not for my glory but for God’s glory! He is the one who brought me through. Yes, He used His people to strengthen and encourage me, to pull me up, to walk alongside me, but it was all Him!

Isaiah 40:29-31 He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

God didn’t just give me crutches to lean on, stumbling along my way, tripping over my own feet. No! He gave me wings to fly! Not just walk. Not just run. But fly! Like an eagle! Soaring above my circumstances, confident in God’s hand, holding me up, lifting me above the dark clouds, above the storm.  He renewed my strength. He gave power.

I began to compile a list of verses that I could go to at any time. I wrote them up on cards, I pinned them up in my room, in my office, in the storeroom. I kept them handy on the Bible app on my phone. I committed some verses to memory and quoted them in the wakeful times during the night.

My reason for telling you this, is that I want to encourage you to make time to dive into God’s Word and find the treasure trove of promises there. There are too many to list. The verses that spoke to me the most during my time of trial may not be the same ones that speak to you.

That’s what is so wonderful about God’s Word. It’s personal. And it’s applicable to anyone in any season of life and in any trial. There is something for everybody. No one need go without.

And don’t just wait for a trial to hit before you find these verses. Search now! Have them ready to go for your time of need. Commit them to memory now!

Psalm 119:50 This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me.

God’s word will revive us. It will breathe life into our tired lungs. It will soothe our souls and bring strength to our weary bodies and minds.

When you are going through a sore trial, when you feel down and discouraged, dig deep into the Word of God and search for those promises to help you. Don’t be satisfied until you find the treasure you seek. Don’t give up! Beg God for something from His Word. And don’t rise from your knees until you find it! Lay hold of it. Read it. Pray it. Beg God for it!

Then, and only then, will you find the peace that passeth understanding. God’s peace.

Philippians 4:6-7 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

As the Psalmist says, you will be able to lay down in peace and sleep. Despite the turmoil going on around you, God will bring peace.

Psalm 4:8 I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.

And when you come through the other side, don’t forget to praise God! Daily. Or, as this verse says, 7 times a day!

Psalm 119:164 Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous judgments.

God will sustain you. He will lift you up. He will bring peace. Don’t despair. And as one of my favourite sayings goes, “Don’t doubt in the dark what you KNOW in the light”

Psalm 55:22 Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.

Bible Study Post Three

True Christian fellowship

In our last lesson, we looked at 2 areas to work on in order to strengthen our walk with God. Prayer and quiet time. These are very important aspects of our Christian walk. We need to be talking to God and we need to be listening as he talks to us.

But there’s another aspect of our Christian walk that I wanted to look at. And that’s fellowship. Now, this word gets thrown around a lot in Christian circles as we have ‘fellowship’ lunches and ‘fellowship’ greetings in the morning service. I think sometimes we use the word a bit too flippantly without really grasping the true meaning of the word.

The word fellowship, in the Greek, is the word ‘koinonia’ which by definition is communion, joint participation, sharing, having something in common.

The root of this word is Koinos. There are 2 main ideas with this word:

a. “To share together and take part together” in the sense of partnership or participation, and

 b. “to share with”, in the sense of giving to others.

True fellowship involves getting together for spiritual purposes, for sharing needs, for prayer, for discussing and sharing the Word, for encouraging, for comforting and for edifying one another.

These are all important aspects of Christian fellowship and areas that are often lacking in the church today, but even this does not fully comprehend the full meaning of ‘fellowship’ in the New Testament.

In Acts 2:42, we read of the new believers fellowshipping.

Acts 2:42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

Notice that it says they continued stedfastly in fellowship. Stedfastly means to persevere, to be constantly diligent, to adhere closely to. So, they devoted themselves not only to the apostles teaching but also to fellowship. And in breaking of bread (so there’s the Baptist lunches!) But they also devoted themselves to prayer. There were some serious prayer meetings going on with these new converts. Fellowship was a priority to these early Christians.

So, let’s look at what fellowship means in our everyday language.

According to the Websters dictionary, fellowship means:

1.    Being a part of a group, a body of people

(so, there is our church. A body of people. A group)

2.    It means having or sharing with others certain things in common such as interest, goals, feelings, beliefs, activities, labour, privileges and responsibilities, experiences and concerns.

3.    It can also mean a partnership that involves working together and caring for one another as a company of people, like a company of soldiers or members of a family.

And I think this is where the rubber hits the road. As Christians and fellow believers, we are in a partnership working together towards a common goal. That of reaching the lost with the gospel. We are to be a family. Looking out for one another, caring for one another, exhorting, serving, loving one another.

As we see in the 2^nd definition of fellowship, we are drawn together because of common interests or experiences or activities. There will be people in your circle of Christian friends who you are drawn to because of your commonalities. They like the things you like. They have experienced similar things in life as you. But then there are others that you have nothing in common with. You’re different as chalk and cheese. Or so you think!

Fellowship is firstly a relationship.

In the New Testament, the first thing they had in common was a relationship with Christ. And in a church, that is the one major thing we have in common. Despite all our differences, we have in common our salvation. We are a family because of being a child of God.

Ephesians 4:2-6 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

Koinonia or fellowship, was an important word to the apostles and their new converts. It was never used in a secular sense. It always had a spiritual significance. The idea of earthly fellowship, as we seem to know it, founded only upon common interests was foreign to the apostles.

Fellowship is firstly a sharing together because of our relationship with God. Fellowship is first and foremost a relationship, rather than an activity. Any activity that follows should come out that relationship.

I think sometimes we get it backwards. We are drawn to someone because of common interests and we ‘fellowship’ with them and then one day we realise that we have a relationship with Christ in common that really should have been at the forefront. The relationship with Christ should have been the glue, not just the common interests.

Now there is nothing wrong with getting together with friends and sharing together, but when we meet together in the name of fellowship and there is no mention of God’s goodness, then we really shouldn’t call it fellowship. Yes, we are Christians so we are a part of God’s family, but if we not sharing what God has done in our lives and using our time to build each other up in our Christian walk, then we are just having a friendly get together, not a time of fellowship.

1 John 1:3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.

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.

Our fellowship is with the Father and with each other.

In Philippians 1, we read a letter from Paul and Timothy to the believers at Philippi.

Philippians 1:3-6 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now; Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: 

Here we see mentioned the words ‘fellowship in the gospel’. In this case the fellowship is distinctly connected with the gospel and Paul and Timothy are thanking the Philippians for their fellowship in the gospel. But what does that really mean? Fellowship in the gospel?

How are we as Christians to enjoy this kind of fellowship?

Firstly, we can’t have fellowship in the gospel unless we have Christ in common. We also have to be on the same page when it comes to our goal of seeing others come to Christ and preaching the gospel.

To have true fellowship, we are to be comrades, working together. Fellowship requires participation. It requires our time our energy and our resources. Each person bringing to the table what God has enabled them to do.

We are to pray together, to suffer together, to share together. Everyone carrying the load together by doing their specific jobs in order to get the gospel message of Jesus Christ out to the lost world.

In my studying, I found an article highlighting the different ways that the fellowship of the gospel expresses itself.

Fellowship in the gospel expresses itself in thanksgiving. Paul tells the Philippians that he is thankful for them.  All of them. Despite his rebuke to a couple of women in the church that were out of sorts, he was still thankful for them.

Philippians 4:2 I beseech Euodias, and beseech Syntyche, that they be of the same mind in the Lord.

It’s hard sometimes to be thankful for certain people in the church or other Christians we know casually. There’s a lot of prickly people out there and a large percentage of them are Christians! But being thankful for other brothers and sisters in the Lord helps save us from wrong attitudes like jealousy, resentment, irritation. It’s hard to thank God for someone, sincerely, and be resentful in the same breath. Love the unlovely. God does!

Fellowship in the gospel also expresses itself in faith. Paul had confidence in these Christians. He had confidence in what God was doing and would do in their lives. We need to have faith in what God can do. We know that as humans, we fail, but we can have the confidence in God. And we can have faith in others and their ability to accomplish what the Lord has for them to do.

Fellowship in the gospel expresses itself in love. 

Philippians 1:7-8 Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace. For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ.

Notice here in these verses that Paul said that he had these Christians in his heart. Not just in his head or on his lips, but in his heart. Sometimes we lack this simple expression of the fellowship of the gospel. Love. We are often critical of one another and judgemental and harsh. But God commands us to love.

John 13:34-35 A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

How often do we truly love the brethren? And as Christ loved? The Bible clearly states that by our love shall all men know that we are Christ’s disciples. So, when we have love and we show this in our fellowship, we are obeying God’s commands. And this means loving the unlovely. Those Christian sisters and brothers who we find it a struggle to be around. The world is looking on and watching how we treat each other.

One of the most well-known passages of scripture on love is found in 1 Corinthians.

1 Corinthians 13:1-8 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

Fellowship in the gospel expresses itself in ministry. What is the ministry to which we are all called? To advance the gospel. 

Philippians 1:12 But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel;

When we live our Christian life according to the Bible, we advance the gospel through our testimony. When people around us see our reactions to circumstances that come into our lives, they are either drawn to or drawn away from God. Paul was tested and tried and yet his reactions glorified God and advanced the gospel.

But it’s not only our lives and how we live, it’s also our lips and what we say.

Notice the words “speak” and “preach” in these verses.

Philippians 1:14-18 And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will: The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds: But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel.What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.

When we testify to others of God’s saving grace, we advance the gospel. By what we say, we can be a testimony and a shining light in a dark world.

And how is it possible to show the fellowship of the gospel? Through the help we are given by the Holy Spirit. To work together for God’s glory, we need the Lord’s help. We are sinful creatures and we don’t love others as we should, but in order for us to truly fellowship with each other, we need the Holy Spirit working in our lives.

I love that fellowship has no age barrier. Age doesn’t matter in the body of Christ. We are able to fellowship with believers of any age and any season of life. Fellowship can also be enjoyed with people of different cultures. It’s amazing how you can sit through a service in a language you can’t understand, yet still feel a sweet spirit and have fellowship with the believers. It’s Christ we have in common. Our relationship with Christ is what joins us together.

I mentioned that fellowship is firstly a relationship. A relationship with Christ. Fellowship is also a partnership. The Greek word also means to share together in the sense of a partnership. We are automatically co-partners in God’s work here on earth.

” Relationship describes what we are: a community of people bound together by our common life and the blessings that we share together through our relationship with Christ.”

“Partnership describes how we are related to each other in that relationship: we are partners in a calling in which we are to work together in a common purpose to obtain common objectives for the glory of God and the gospel of Jesus Christ”

Philippians 1:27 Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;

Philippians 2:1-4 If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

Acts 2:46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,

The partnership these Christians had, saw them continuing daily of one accord, which translated, means unanimously or of one mind. They had one mind, one spirit. Wouldn’t that be great if people could say that of our churches? Oh, that we could be of one accord and of one mind.

We have to develop the art of communication. We need to be able to share our burdens and also our aspirations with other believers and we need to learn to listen to what others are saying so we can minister to each other. We need to be able to communicate on a spiritual level.

Sure, it’s great to have common interests but we really need to communicate about spiritual things and reach a deeper level of fellowship built on our relationship with Christ.

In order for us to have true Christian fellowship, we need to be first devoted to God’s word and to his will and then we need to be devoted to caring for one another.  We need to be willing to share with each other what we have learned and what Christ means to us.

Fellowship is firstly vertical. Our relationship with Christ. And then it is horizontal. Our relationship with others. Let us strive towards developing a deeper level of fellowship that goes beyond earthly commonalities and reaches upwards towards Christ then outwards to our brethren.