Building a Connected Fellowship in Christ's Love

Devotional

Day 1: Building a Community of Believers

In the New Covenant, believers are called to form a local body, deeply committed to one another in love and purpose. This is not merely about attending church services but about being interconnected, reflecting the body of Christ with Christ as the head. Each member plays a vital role, and together, they work towards glorifying God in their community. Carrying a burden for one's local community and praying for its spiritual growth is essential. This commitment requires patience and persistence, as God's purposes often take time to unfold. [02:06]

"For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit." (1 Corinthians 12:12-13, ESV)

Reflection: Who in your local community can you reach out to this week to strengthen your fellowship and commitment to one another?

Day 2: The Discipline of Spiritual Growth

Discipline is a crucial aspect of spiritual growth, especially in one's youth. It involves submitting to God's authority and enduring hardships with hope. This process shapes individuals into mature believers, ready to fulfill God's purposes in their lives. Discipline is not just about following rules but about developing a character that reflects Christ. It prepares believers for the future God has planned, enabling them to face challenges with resilience and faith. [05:19]

"It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth. Let him sit alone in silence when it is laid on him; let him put his mouth in the dust—there may yet be hope." (Lamentations 3:27-29, ESV)

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you need to practice more discipline? How can you start today?

Day 3: Grasping the Depth of Jesus' Love

Understanding the depth of Jesus' love is foundational for a believer's life. By meditating on the Gospels, believers can see how Jesus lived and loved, allowing this understanding to transform their lives. This love compels them to live selflessly, forgive others, and seek God's will above their own desires. It is the foundation for a life free from anxiety and fear, as believers rest in the assurance of Christ's love and sacrifice. [10:14]

"By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers." (1 John 3:16, ESV)

Reflection: How can you demonstrate Jesus' love to someone in your life today in a tangible way?

Day 4: Assurance of Salvation

Being sure of one's salvation is crucial for a strong foundation in faith. This assurance comes from the Holy Spirit and the Word of God, not from external validation. It enables believers to live confidently in Christ, knowing that their salvation is secure. This confidence allows them to face life's challenges with peace and hope, as they trust in God's promises and His eternal plan for their lives. [17:51]

"And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life." (1 John 5:11-12, ESV)

Reflection: What doubts or fears do you need to bring before God to strengthen your assurance of salvation?

Day 5: The Power of Forgiveness and Reconciliation

Forgiving others and seeking reconciliation is vital for a believer's relationship with God. Holding grudges blocks communication with God, as forgiveness is a reflection of Christ's love and sacrifice. Believers are called to forgive as Christ forgave them, understanding the gravity of their own sins. This act of forgiveness opens the door to healing and restored relationships, allowing prayers to be heard and answered. [42:07]

"Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you." (Colossians 3:13, ESV)

Reflection: Is there someone you need to forgive or seek reconciliation with today? How can you take the first step towards healing that relationship?

Sermon Summary

In our gathering today, I emphasized the importance of building a close-knit fellowship among believers, drawing from the New Testament's depiction of the church as a body, with Christ as the head. Unlike the Old Testament, where God dealt with individuals, the New Covenant calls us to be interconnected, forming a local body of believers wherever we are. This is not just about attending church but about being deeply committed to one another in love and purpose.

I shared my personal journey of carrying a burden for ten years before the first CFC church was established. This journey taught me that God's purposes often take time to unfold, and we must be patient and persistent in prayer and commitment. I encouraged everyone to have a similar burden for their local communities, to pray and work towards building a body of believers.

Discipline is crucial in this journey. Drawing from Lamentations 3:27, I highlighted the value of being disciplined in our youth, submitting to God's authority, and enduring hardships with hope. This discipline shapes us into men and women of God, preparing us for the future He has planned.

Understanding the depth of Jesus' love is foundational. I urged everyone to meditate on the Gospels, to see how Jesus lived and loved, and to let that understanding transform our lives. This love compels us to live selflessly, to forgive others, and to seek God's will above our own desires.

Finally, I stressed the importance of being sure of our salvation, having a strong foundation in Christ, and living a life that reflects His love and forgiveness. By doing so, we can be part of a generation that makes a significant impact for God.

Key Takeaways

1. Building a Local Body: The New Covenant calls us to form a local body of believers, not just attend church. This requires a deep commitment to one another, reflecting the interconnectedness of the body of Christ. We must carry a burden for our communities and work towards building a fellowship that glorifies God. [02:06]
2. The Value of Discipline: Discipline in our youth is essential for spiritual growth. It involves submitting to God's authority and enduring hardships with hope. This process shapes us into mature believers, ready to fulfill God's purposes in our lives. [05:19]
3. Understanding Jesus' Love: Meditating on the Gospels helps us grasp the depth of Jesus' love. This understanding transforms our lives, compelling us to live selflessly and forgive others. It is the foundation for a life free from anxiety and fear. [10:14]
4. Assurance of Salvation: Being sure of our salvation is crucial. It provides a strong foundation for our faith, enabling us to live confidently in Christ. This assurance comes from the Holy Spirit and the Word of God, not from external validation. [17:51]
5. Forgiveness and Reconciliation: Forgiving others and seeking reconciliation is vital for our prayers to be heard. Holding grudges blocks our communication with God. We must forgive as Christ forgave us, understanding the gravity of our own sins. [42:07]
** [42:07]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:25] - The Importance of Fellowship
[01:24] - Building the Body of Christ
[02:41] - Personal Journey and Burden
[04:28] - The Goal of Local Fellowship
[05:19] - The Value of Discipline
[06:33] - Submission and Spiritual Growth
[08:53] - Understanding Jesus' Love
[12:11] - Assurance of Salvation
[17:51] - The Foundation of Faith
[20:27] - Meditating on God's Word
[23:03] - The Promise of Prosperity
[25:02] - Loving Jesus Deeply
[29:54] - The Seriousness of Sin
[37:32] - Responding to Jesus' Sacrifice
[42:07] - Forgiveness and Reconciliation
[57:08] - God's Plan for Your Life
[60:17] - A Call to Radical Change

Sermon Clips

Jesus came not to gather a congregation but to build a body, and the New Testament uses the example of the human body and says that we are to be members like the members of our body connected to the Head, where Christ is the head. So, if you are just a Christian by yourselves, and you've accepted the Lord, it's a very selfish type of life. [00:01:16]

I had a burden even when I was about 24, 25 years old to see a local body of Believers built together. I did not know anything about it, but I saw it in scripture, and that's why I had that burden, but it took 10 years before the church between the first CFC church was born in my home. [00:02:40]

It is good for a young man to be under disciplined because that causes him to sit apart in silence beneath the demands that the Lord has on his life and to lie with his face down in the dust. Then there will be hope for him, and if people strike him on the cheek, let him turn the other cheek and accept the awful insults that people give him. [00:05:10]

I have observed Christians now for 64 years in many countries of the world, and I've seen there's a world of difference between those who are in their youth being broken by God's spiritually broken, I mean, through discipline, and where they submitted to whatever God permitted in their life, submitted to Authority especially. [00:06:33]

One of the things that God showed me when I got converted was how greatly Jesus loved me to give his life to save me, and I find a lot of Christians are not taken up with that, and that's why they don't discipline themselves to study the word of God. They're so lazy in studying God's word. [00:08:43]

I spent many hours through the years reading the gospels especially to see how Jesus lived, loved, lived, and how much he loved me because it's only if you are gripped by that that your life will become secure and be free from anxiety and fear. You'll be free from trying to hit out at other people who hit out at you. [00:10:01]

Every one of you must be 100% sure that your sins are forgiven and that Jesus Christ has come to live in you and made you a child of God. If you're not sure of that, that's where you have to begin. It's like saying you can't build a house without laying a foundation. [00:12:17]

If you forgive others their sins, your father will forgive you, but if you don't forgive others, your father will not forgive you. You know there's a verse in the Bible that says your father will not forgive your sins no matter how much you pray. You pray and pray and pray, Lord, please forgive my sin, and God says no. [00:41:46]

If you do not forgive others, your father will not forgive your sins. Forget about going to heaven. He will not even listen to your prayer if there's sin. It blocks the connection. It's like the phone line being cut. The internet is cut. You cannot communicate with anybody. [00:42:54]

I want to tell you my dear brothers and sisters if you really believe that you have been saved from going to an eternal hell, where you would have been burning for millions and millions and millions of years, you really believe Jesus died to save you from that, I'm sure you can say more to Jesus than I would say to that man whose legs were broken to save me from being run over. [00:37:23]

I want your life to come for God. I want you to be part of this generation that is going to count for God. We want to raise up a generation of people who count for God in this time. So if you meditate on the love of Jesus, it'll be very easy to forgive others because Jesus the greatest sin now you may think that what somebody did against you was a terrible sin. [00:44:32]

I want to tell every one of you I believe if you've accepted Christ into your life, God has got a wonderful plan for your life. You can be sure of that. I did not know that 60 years ago, but now when I look back over my life, oh how amazing a plan God had for my life and step by step by step by step he fulfilled it. [00:56:58]

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