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FROM PASTOR'S DESK 2020 Pastor's Desk

Title: How to maintain fellowship – May 03, 2020

Beloved: grace, mercy and peace be yours immeasurably from God our Father and Jesus Christ our precious Saviour and Lord. I am pleased to welcome you into the month of May 2020 and pray that it will overflow with God’s goodness for you and your home, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Now, as we begin this new month, I want to remind you of how important it is for you to stay in fellowship with the people of God. Yes, I know that because of the current situation of things in the world, we all are experiencing some degrees of limitations in the kind of access we have to one another. We are unable to meet together in the same place, as we used to. And we are not even able to visit one another freely in our various houses, as it is appropriate for us to be doing.

Nevertheless, we must never forget how important it is for us to stay in fellowship with one another. This is so that we may continue to mutually edify and watch over one another and that Satan may not take advantage of the situation and destroy the faith of many. As some of us already know, there have been brethren that have slipped back into unbelief, immorality, bitterness, covetousness and so forth as a result of the present situation of things in the world. And that is because they are no longer in touch with certain individuals that God has been using to streghten their faith and to guide them in the way of righteousness. Their case is just like the case of King Joash of Judah that lost his way and was led astray to abandon the worship of God as soon as his mentor and spiritual guide, Jehoiada, died. (Cf. 2Chro 24)

So, we need to understand that it is not the will of God for His people to be robbed of the privilege of fellowshipping with one another. Yes, there may be circumstances that will necessitate this. But such circumstances are often not brought about by God but by the devil. And we need to know how to handle them, so that we can frustrate Satan’s purpose and bring about a fulfulment of the will of God in our lives.

How, then, do we do that? The answer is in the Scriptures. And what do they teach about this? First, they show us that we need to maintain in us the desire to stay in fellowship with one another. That is the place to begin. And we see an illustration of this in the way Paul and his ministry partners related to the brethren in Thessalonica. They had been enjoying a beautiful fellowship with these brethren before they were hurriedly asked to leave the city because of persecution. Nevertheless, they maintained in themselves an intense longing to see these brethren and be reunited in fellowship with them, so that they could supply whatever was lacking in their faith. (Cf. Acts 17:1-15; 1Thess 2:17&3:10)

Unfortunately, even though these apostles, especially Paul, longed and tried more than once to visit these Thessalonians, they were unable to get to them. Why? According to Paul, it was because Satan hindered them (1Thess 2:18). Think about that. Paul acknowledged that he was hindered by the devil from doing the will of God in this case. That is why I said, often, it is the devil that brings about this kind of situation in which believers are unable to enjoy together the blessings of our divine fellowship.

In any case, when Paul and his colleagues realized that it was Satan that was hindering them, they decided that even if it was only one of them that would be able to visit these brethren and strengthen them, the person should go. So, as the opportunity showed up, they sent Timothy to them, and God made his trip fruitful. Then they did not stop praying to God to clear the way for all of them to get to these brethren (1Thess 3:10). In addition, Paul took advantage of one of the major means of communication at the time, letter writing, and used it in exhorting and encouraging the brethren. So, even though the circumstances seemed to be against these saints of old, they still ensured that their fellowship with one another was maintained and not broken. That is why they were able to pass on the truths of Christ to generations of believers after them.

In like manner, instead of allowing the present situation of things to destroy or render impotent our fellowship with one another, we too should, of first importance, maintain in us a burning desire to stay in fellowship. Second, we should keep praying that God will clear the way for us to be reunited with our brethren again. Third, we should do our best to take advantage of all the available and legitimate mediums of communications to stay in touch with one another and to keep edifying and strengthening one another. And as we do this, there will be a mighty release of the supply of the Spirit of God for us all to walk in victory over the current world crises and everything that is seeking to destroy our common faith in Christ Jesus.

Do have a great week.

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