Tehillah Generation Chapel
Daily Manna | Saturday, June 24, 2017 | Reading: Exodus 33:1-11, Exodus 4, Gen 3:1-21
Topic: The Tabernacle of God 156
Scripture: But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say not of this building. (Heb 9:11)
Note: Gen 3:8, “And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.” After the fall, Adam and Eve lost what they shared in common with God. They were now scared of God’s presence. Instead of warmly embracing His approaching presence, they kept running away from Him in the opposite direction. Sin had made fellowship in God’s presence a no-go area for Adam and Eve.
Fellowship creates the right ambience among believers to become one in the worship of God. It becomes a relationship of interdependence among believers through the expression of love, care and sharing of our lives, our unique talents and our substance within the body of Christ, commonly referred to as fellowship of the brethren or the local church.
Fellowship is not optional as some may want to think, believe or argue about. The scriptures are unambiguous in admonishing believers to make it a habit of provoking one another to love and to good works. The need not to neglect the assembling of ourselves as we see the day of Christ approaching each passing day, is strongly emphasized by the writer of the book of Hebrews as a warning (Heb 10:24-25). Believers who have been genuinely constrained from fellowship with the believers due to other commitments or geographical barriers, will usually not wane in their love towards the brethren. They will still be communicating actively with the brethren while they are away, sharing their joy and their challenges together.
On the other hand, the backsliding believer who is often out of fellowship for no apparent reasons, will not feel comfortable keeping in communication with the brethren. They wouldn’t want others prying into their secret affairs which they have tagged their private affairs. Their love for the brethren becomes compromised, and they tend to feel more at home with other shady people outside the circle of known believers. They shun the love of believers for this new circle of ‘trusted’ friends, whose passions and preferences are at variance with the word of God, and are not known within the circle of known believers. These new friendships thrive on secrecy and they are economical with information flow about their dealings.
Food for thought: If we walk in the light of God’s presence, our desire for fellowship with one another shall grow.
Declaration: If we say we have fellowship with God while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practise the truth. 1John 1:6
©Author: Rev Fred Aboe
