In Synch

Genesis 24:55-58

King James Version (KJV)

⁵⁵ And her brother and her mother said, Let the damsel abide with us a few days, at the least ten; after that she shall go.

⁵⁶ And he said unto them, Hinder me not, seeing the Lord hath prospered my way; send me away that I may go to my master.

⁵⁷ And they said, We will call the damsel, and enquire at her mouth.

⁵⁸ And they called Rebekah, and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she said, I will go.

In Synch

The passage above is from the account of how Issac and Rebekah were brought together. Abraham and Sarah insisted that their son, Issac, marry someone from their kin group.  They were not in their homeland, so they sent a servant back home to find Issac's bride.

The process is laid out in the Word with a whole slew of specific steps.  What stands out today is this small request by Rebekah's family.

Now that the match has been made, her family wanted her to delay her departure.  Seems like a reasonable request.  After all, when a bride at that time left, chances were good that she would have very little contact with her birth family especially if her husband's family lived in a foreign land.  This was all happening so fast.  I'm sure her mother just wanted to spend a precious few more days with her daughter.

But that's not how a move of God works.  When the timing is right to go, we must already be prepared and go.

This servant of Abraham understood that he was benefiting from the favor of God.  He understood that everything that had been needed for a successful journey had been given.  He wasn't about to let some emotions get in the way of the prosperity he was enjoying resulting from obedience.

But do we?

Oftentimes in the Gospel, Jesus is credited with saying some seemingly cruel things...let the dead bury the dead is one that comes to mind.  But cruel to whom?  Cruel to our emotions or cruel to God?

Jesus operated in strict obedience to the Father.  There was no questioning of orders.  There was no hesitation in going as directed.  He understood that disobeying the Father was more important than anything, or anyone else.

Those of us who have served in the military have often lived this way.  We've seen the confusion on loved ones faces when we've explained that we'll miss holidays and birthdays and family celebrations because we have 'orders' to obey.  Even now, there are soldiers, sailors and airmen on foreign soils who've not met children born while they've been away...who've missed funerals and weddings because they are in the line of duty.  This may not make sense to some who haven't served or who haven't spent time with those who do.  It makes perfect sense to those who understand the demands of duty.

This is our charge as followers of Christ.  We are called to a work; a tour of duty, if you will. Allegiance is the expected norm because that's what we've been given.  We were worth the very blood of Jesus...the entirety of His being.  He gave all.  In return, we are expected to offer the same.

The reward of this obedience is a fail safe plan.  Things that shouldn't happen will happen according to the will of God.  Not to our understanding, and not as things would be expected to happen necessarily.  But they will happen in a way that glorifies God.

Loved ones, maybe you've been dealing with areas of disobedience in your life.  Maybe you've been resisting a calling, or just resisting giving in and yielding your will.  Maybe yesterday it was no problem, but today it's the biggest challenge you face.  I know I've been there sometimes.

No matter how it comes or what it looks like, we have to be honest enough with ourselves and call out disobedience for what it is.  Only then can we get back 'in synch' with the Holy Spirit.  When we align our will with the will of the Father, then things can flow.  We we force our own will and resist Him, I know in my life it can feel like a physical blockage.  It can feel that way because that's what it is.  We block the flow of God through our lives with a dam of willful disobedience.

We come to Christ of our own free will.  We follow Him the same way.  There is no 'making us do something' in how God operates.  But, as born again believers, we are different so things just won't work until we accept who He is in fullness...not just Savior, but Lord and if Lord, then Master.

Proverbs 16:25

King James Version (KJV)

²⁵ There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

2 Corinthians 10:1-6

King James Version (KJV)

10 Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you:

² But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh.

³ For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:

⁴ (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)

⁵ Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

⁶ And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.

Unblock and get in synch with the Master.  He'll answer the questions but He's expecting our obedience first.

Lifeline is produced from the Evangelistic Ministry of Fellowship Church in Jonesboro, GA. You are encouraged to share this message. The Fellowship Church website (www.fcchosengeneration.com) includes a link to the Lifeline Blog (www.lifelineatfellowship.blogspot.com) where you can find previous messages. 

Evangelist Robinson also posts her entries on Facebook and Twitter. To subscribe to the mailing, or for questions and comments, tweet (@evangeliststeff) or send email to fellowship_lifeline@yahoo.com. Fellowship Church can be reached at chosen.gen@att.net.

Fellowship Church

Where Passions Become Reality

Because You Are a Chosen Generation

455 Hwy 138 W. Suite C

Jonesboro, GA 30238

Between GA Hwy 85 and US 19/41

Across from EJ Swint Elementary School

Church Website - www.fcchosengeneration.com

Don't Try. Be.

 Peter 1:13-16

King James Version (KJV)

¹³ Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

¹⁴ As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:

¹⁵ But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;

¹⁶ Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

Don't Try.  Be.

John reminds us that "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." (John 1:1).  Jesus has always been the Word of God.  Jesus came to Earth completely unblemished and took on all sin to restore humankind to the Father.  Period.

As Jesus entered His earthly ministry, He set a path for those of us who would become followers.  He never gave possibilities or generalities.  Jesus gave specifics.  There was never 'think about believing' but believe.  He never said 'according to the general gist of your faith...' but 'according to it, be...'.  Jesus dealt in absolutes.

And so should we.

We can spend alot of energy justifying our actions and our resistance to living holy.  We'll compare ourselves to other people.  We'll measure our mistakes against how we see others' mistakes and make sure that we always come out in the 'not that bad' category.

But that's not our call.  Jesus didn't tell us to be holy as a general sort of direction.  We were told to be holy because holiness is available...to us...now.  But, like salvation, we have a decision to make.

The Holy Spirit is available to lead believers in all righteousness.  He has to be received, and followed.  If His guidance is the path of holiness, then the path without Him isn't.  There's no opinion.  There's no interpretation for context.  It's walking a path obediently, or disobediently.

This isn't a call to condemnation.  It's an offering for clarity.  We get so many messages..self talk in our heads, television, radio, work, email, co-workers, family, friends, enemies...seems like everyone and everything is vying for our attention that it gets hard to hear, see or understand.  If we lump the clear voice of God on this heap, it's really easy to start filtering what He says through our justifications and clarifications, as if God needed help saying what He means.

Holiness is a choice.  We can be holy or not.  So we make a choice.  Some days we get it right.  Other days, not so much.  But it doesn't change the choice.  It just removes the excuses for why we're not.  Once discipleship gets that clear, it's easier to dismiss the distractions and walk as we're called...in holiness.

The Church at Laodicea was called out in the book of Revelation for being neither hot nor cold (Revelation 3:14-16).  If we're cold in God, He is ready and able to fire us up.  If we're hot, we're already following after the Holy Spirit.  But lukewarm is no place to be in Christ.  Lukewarm is being nothing.  Be hot.  Be cold.  Just be something.

And, if I may suggest, BE holy.  Don't try to be holy.  Don't strive to be holy.  Don't work on being holy.  Just be holy.  Will we come up short?  Yep.  But that's what grace is for.

You can do this.  So can I.  The Holy Spirit will lead, comfort, correct and console.  Let's get beyond trying.  Let's be.

John 17:20-26

King James Version (KJV)

²⁰ Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;

²¹ That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.

²² And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:

²³ I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

²⁴ Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.

²⁵ O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me.

²⁶ And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.

Lifeline is produced from the Evangelistic Ministry of Fellowship Church in Jonesboro, GA. You are encouraged to share this message. The Fellowship Church website (www.fcchosengeneration.com) includes a link to the Lifeline Blog (www.lifelineatfellowship.blogspot.com) where you can find previous messages. 

Evangelist Robinson also posts her entries on Facebook and Twitter. To subscribe to the mailing, or for questions and comments, tweet (@evangeliststeff) or send email to fellowship_lifeline@yahoo.com. Fellowship Church can be reached at chosen.gen@att.net.

Fellowship Church

Where Passions Become Reality

Because You Are a Chosen Generation

455 Hwy 138 W. Suite C

Jonesboro, GA 30238

Between GA Hwy 85 and US 19/41

Across from EJ Swint Elementary School

Church Website - www.fcchosengeneration.com

770-573-9339 Phone

770-574-4967 Fax

chosen.gen@att.net

Wholly Holy

Romans 12:1-2

1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

² And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Wholly Holy

This passage has come up a lot in my Spirit lately.  Maybe it's because we spent the month of September at Fellowship focusing on commitment.  Maybe its from what's been shared in gatherings and in one on one conversations.

Regardless the reason, it seems that this is a season to think about why we do what we do as disciples of Christ.  And, to decide, are we all the way in?  Are we wholly holy?

Its an impossible question for someone on the outside to answer.  It is personal and frankly, the answer probably varies day to day (or experience to experience).  But what we can remember and find encouragement in is that God is in fully.

We go from emotional ups and downs, wants and wanes and often let those dictate how committed we feel.  But just as Jesus held back nothing, God is fully invested in us.  So much so that in addition to paying the sin debt with His own Son's blood, He then set up everything we need to be transformed.  It's not something we have to do, but instead, something we accept that He'll do.

By accepting His transformation and rejection conformation to this world, we become the proof of God's will.

But, like salvation, the transformation has to be accepted.  It isn't forced.  During the transfiguration of Jesus, He walked up the mountain, leading others, and accepted what happened.  He wasn't dragged.  It didn't happen in the midst of everyday chores.  He literally got above everyday life and let the Father do as He intended.

Being wholly holy often means getting out away from daily distractions.  It always means submitting to the will of the Father, and not trying to bend the Father's will to meet ours.  But, we CAN be just as holy as He intends us to be.

The question for each of us, everyday is, are we in?

Romans 8:22-23

King James Version (KJV)

²² For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.

²³ And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

Romans 8:28-30

King James Version (KJV)

²⁸ And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

²⁹ For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

³⁰ Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

Your predestiny is waiting...in it, you're wholly holy.

Lifeline is produced from the Evangelistic Ministry of Fellowship Church in Jonesboro, GA. You are encouraged to share this message. The Fellowship Church website (www.fcchosengeneration.com) includes a link to the Lifeline Blog (www.lifelineatfellowship.blogspot.com) where you can find previous messages. 

Evangelist Robinson also posts her entries on Facebook and Twitter. To subscribe to the mailing, or for questions and comments, tweet (@evangeliststeff) or send email to fellowship_lifeline@yahoo.com. Fellowship Church can be reached at chosen.gen@att.net.

Fellowship Church

Where Passions Become Reality

Because You Are a Chosen Generation

455 Hwy 138 W. Suite C

Jonesboro, GA 30238

Between GA Hwy 85 and US 19/41

Across from EJ Swint Elementary School

Church Website - www.fcchosengeneration.com

770-573-9339 Phone

770-574-4967 Fax

chosen.gen@att.net

What's Love Got To Do With It? Everything.

1 Corinthians 13

1 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.

² 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.

³ 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.

⁴ Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

⁵ Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

⁶ Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

⁷ Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

⁸ 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.

⁹ For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.

¹⁰ But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

¹¹ When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

¹² For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

¹³ And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

What's Love Got  to do With It?  Everything.

This is one of those Biblical passages that even non-believers know.  It usually gets trotted out for weddings or is used on a power point slide show with pictures of kittens and babbling brooks. I'm all for the Word being spread regardless of form so I support however it goes out. But for those of us who are believers, this isn't some collections of sweet thoughts.   This is a call to action.

Why we do what we do matters.  We can't just settle for doing the right stuff.  As disciples of Christ, we have to do the right stuff for the right reasons, with the right attitude and with a healthy dose of respect for authority.  All that, whether we're buying a stranger a cup of coffee on a cold day, or donating the seed funding for a multi-million dollar building.  Our motives matter.

And our motive requirement is love.

Everything our Savior and Lord Jesus did started from a place of love.  It didn't matter if He was laughing a group of small children or throwing money changers out of the temple, He was always motivated by love.  Love of the Father, first and foremost and love of the Father's people.  Jesus confirmed this Himself:

Matthew 22:36-40

King James Version (KJV)

³⁶ Master, which is the great commandment in the law?

³⁷ Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

³⁸ This is the first and great commandment.

³⁹ And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

⁴⁰ On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.  That is powerful.  First God, then our neighbor as ourselves.  

I'll leave it to theologians to argue priorities among people.  What I have to share is this:

We have a call to arms...loving arms.  The warfare we walk in is a spiritual one and it is founded on and propelled by love.  Love of the Father, and love of mankind.  We must love the Father enough to be obedient and to accept His gift of 'so loved', the sacrifice of His very Son for us.  And we must love our neighbor enough that we would lay down status, reputation and all the trappings of the world to show him or her the love of God.  

The obedience equips us for our battle and gives us the actions of our battle plans.  Everyone is called to a purpose, but not the same action.  My left hand can't do what my right ear does and vice versa.  But, I'm not willing to give up either one of them voluntarily.  So it is in the Body of Christ.  We're not all called to stand in a pulpit but we are all called.

And the reason for our callings is love.

The actual language in 1 Corinthians 13 is beautiful.  But I encourage you to look beyond the beauty of the language and see the beauty of the Lover.  Jesus withheld nothing for you...for me. Whatever was necessary for us to be restored to the Father, He paid for with His very life, out of love.  We are as restored to God  as in the first days of Eden if we choose to accept and confess that Jesus is Lord.

And if He's Lord, then we should love God first and our neighbors as ourselves.  Then we'll walk as He walked and live as He lived in obedience to the Father, fit for The Master's use.

So, love because we've been 'so loved'.

John 3:16-17

¹⁶ For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

¹⁷ For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

I hope those of you who are regular readers of this blog/email share these words with both saved and unsaved.  We should love our neighbors enough that we give every opportunity we can to introduce Christ.  

John 12:30-32

³⁰ Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes.

³¹ Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.

³² And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.

Our charge is to lift Him...He'll do (and has done) everything else.

Lifeline is produced from the Evangelistic Ministry of Fellowship Church in Jonesboro, GA. You are encouraged to share this message. The Fellowship Church website (www.fcchosengeneration.com) includes a link to the Lifeline Blog (www.lifelineatfellowship.blogspot.com) where you can find previous messages. 

Evangelist Robinson also posts her entries on Facebook and Twitter. To subscribe to the mailing, or for questions and comments, tweet (@evangeliststeff) or send email to fellowship_lifeline@yahoo.com. Fellowship Church can be reached at chosen.gen@att.net.

Fellowship Church

Where Passions Become Reality

Because You Are a Chosen Generation

455 Hwy 138 W. Suite C

Jonesboro, GA 30238

Between GA Hwy 85 and US 19/41

Across from EJ Swint Elementary School

Church Website - www.fcchosengeneration.com

770-573-9339 Phone

770-574-4967 Fax

chosen.gen@att.net

Getting Into Shape

Romans 8:29

For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

Getting into Shape

Ever feel like things don't 'fit'?  You go through your day to day, but the whole process, though familiar just feels uncomfortable?

This can be especially present just before or after a big spiritual breakthrough.  Maybe you recently accepted Christ as Savior and Lord (congrats, btw).  Maybe you decided to come off the fence and be dedicated to your calling and to yield to His will.  Maybe it finally clicked to let God be God in your life and every man a liar.

Or maybe its just a season of change.

Regardless the motivation, the truth remains the same.  We have been predestined to be conformed to the image of Christ.  Anything less than this is the wrong shape for us.

Those of us who have accepted Christ I dare say deal with this daily.  We are told to be in the world, not of it, but we spend alot of time and energy working this walk out.  It's hard to move from one shape to the next.  Don't think so?  Start working out.  Our muscles are designed to be strong and flexible, but if we haven't challenged them since gym class in middle school, chances are good that they are going to resist the change.  It's hard work to get up and jog or lift weights or do any physical activity when you haven't done it in a while.  But, after some diligence and discipline, not only does it become easier, it becomes desired. We still remained immersed in a world of fast food and celebrated leisure, but through some hard work, we can come out of that mindset and help our physical bodies be the shape they were designed to be.

Now, lets think about that in the spiritual.  We were designed, destined to be conformed to the image of Christ, but that doesn't happen if we're not working at it.  If we spend time with everyone and everything BUT Christ, is it any wonder we get out of spiritual shape?  And, just like getting at that spare tire, it takes work to get back in shape.

The difference is the Spirit man within us already desires that we get there, so we literally have someone on the inside working with what we do on the outside.

Today, now, is as good a time as any to start this work out.  Deep within you is the desire to be who you are in Christ.  The change is complete on the inside.  We just need to bring the outside into compliance.  Pick up that Bible.  Listen during prayer.  Get to a good Bible study.  Don't just go to church as a ritual, but get involved.

Like wearing a suit that's too small, this world is uncomfortable when we've been saved.  It doesn't fit.  We have to take on a new look entirely.

You're new fall fashion has arrived.  It's blood red but when you put it on, it's white as snow.  It's tailor made for you and is available right now.  The label is discipleship and its from the house of the Lord.  We offer fittings at Fellowship every service.

Wear what fits.

Romans 12:1-2

King James Version (KJV)

1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

² And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Peace.

Lifeline is produced from the Evangelistic Ministry of Fellowship Church in Jonesboro, GA. You are encouraged to share this message. The Fellowship Church website (www.fcchosengeneration.com) includes a link to the Lifeline Blog (www.lifelineatfellowship.blogspot.com) where you can find previous messages. 

Evangelist Robinson also posts her entries on Facebook and Twitter. To subscribe to the mailing, or for questions and comments, tweet (@evangeliststeff) or send email to fellowship_lifeline@yahoo.com. Fellowship Church can be reached at chosen.gen@att.net.

Fellowship Church

Where Passions Become Reality

Because You Are a Chosen Generation

455 Hwy 138 W. Suite C

Jonesboro, GA 30238

Between GA Hwy 85 and US 19/41

Across from EJ Swint Elementary School

Church Website - www.fcchosengeneration.com

770-573-9339 Phone

770-574-4967 Fax

chosen.gen@att.net