Welcome to Friday, August 6th!

Today’s episode of The Cross Talk Daily Devotional is titled:

Rules For Growth: Christian Fellowship

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Scripture references are from the New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995}

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  Rules For Growth: Christian Fellowship

Our Rules For Growth topic for today is Christian Fellowship.

So far, we have considered two of the four foundational aspects of the Christian faith - Bible reading and prayer. Christian Fellowship is the third.

The general definition of fellowship is a friendly association with people who share one's interests. So when you and I say that somebody is our friend, it is almost always based only on our shared interests. One could then make the case that aside from this, our lives have nothing in common.

Christian fellowship adds a further dimension to the standard definition.  The New Testament word for fellowship is the Greek word koinonia which means sharing in common.

Between believers, there exists much more than just a shared interest. Our Christian faith is also a shared interest, but the phrase does not accurately describe our connection because it is so much more. The believer's relationship with others is on a spiritually intimate level.

We sometimes note that we could engage in Christian Fellowship with a believer within any country of the world regardless of language because our connection is on a spiritual level.

God's Word states very clearly that we are to seek out and spend time with other believers. Why? Because we desperately need the encouragement of our shared Christian experiences. These are people who believe as we do and experience life much the same as we do.

The writer of Hebrews notes the following:

Hebrews 10:23-25 NASB

Let's hold firmly to the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful;  [24]  and let's consider how to encourage one another in love and good deeds,  [25]  not abandoning our own meeting together, as is the habit of some people, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.

We encourage one another by gathering together and sharing our lives. This might include worship services and Bible studies or any gathering of believers or even meeting one-on-one around a cup of coffee.

Often, when someone shares a struggle in their lives, you and I have gone through the same battle at some point in our lives. We can then share how God met us in our time of need and encourage them.

Genuine believers need each other - their presence, fellowship, strength, encouragement, care, and love.

One of my favorite verses is:

Proverbs 27:17 NASB

As iron sharpens iron, So one person sharpens another.

As we engage in Christian fellowship, it sharpens our faith walk. Our friends may see areas in our lives that need to be changed, confessed, or honed so that we become effective as the hands, feet, and voice of Jesus Christ.

As we gather with other Christians, we also benefit from their insights into God's Word. It is also a great encouragement to pray with other believers.

During this last year, Covid interrupted many possibilities of face-to-face Christian fellowship. However, if you are computer savvy, don't forget about meeting with others on various video and audio platforms. Using the phone can even be an excellent way to make contact.

The point is that we should seek out Christian fellowship at every opportunity. God knows that it benefits us greatly to know that others experience life in much the same way we do.

Tomorrow we will consider the fourth and last in our series on Rules For Growth . . . Witnessing.

Let's Pray,

Gracious Heavenly Father,

Help us understand that going it alone in our Christian walk is foolish.

May we find encouragement and strength in our interactions with other believers.

Strengthen our desire for Christian fellowship.

In the Name of Jesus,

Amen!