2-8-21   THOUGHTS

Each morning that God gives me, I rise in renewed HOPE! It is a SPIRITUAL hope that includes ETERNITY WITH GOD, and that was PURCHASED BY THE BLOOD OF JESUS!  But this morning, there is a special “light at the end of the tunnel hope” in my heart.  I look forward in such a special way to being in fellowship physically with at least some of you next Sunday morning.  The Old Testament passages below use much physical imagery to capture the joy of being with God’s people to worship God!  I believe FELLOWSHIP is a special gift from God.  It is a collective SHARING of the LOVE OF GOD PLANTED IN OUR HEARTS.  JOY, COMPLETED and PROCLAIMED is the FRUIT of FELLOWSHIP.  

Ps 122:1     I was glad when they said to me, "Let us go to the house of the LORD."
Ps 55:14   We who had sweet fellowship together Walked in the house of God in the throng.
Ps 42:4   These things I remember and I pour out my soul within me. For I used to go along with the throng [and] lead them in procession to the house of God, With the voice of joy and thanksgiving, a multitude keeping festival.
Ps 92:13   Planted in the house of the LORD, They will flourish in the courts of our God.
Ps 118:26   Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the LORD; We have blessed you from the house of the LORD.
Ps 135:1-3   Praise the LORD! Praise the name of the LORD; Praise Him, O servants of the LORD,  2  You who stand in the house of the LORD, In the courts of the house of our God! 3  Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good; Sing praises to His name, for it is lovely.
Isa 2:3   And many peoples will come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, To the house of the God of Jacob; That He may teach us concerning His ways And that we may walk in His paths."  For the law will go forth from Zion And the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

1John 1:1-4    What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life —  2  and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us —  3  what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ. 4  These things we write, so that our joy may be made complete.
The above passage summarizes our very PURPOSE in life. Having SEEN... WE PROCLAIM!  

My Prayer:
Oh God of heaven, thank you for hope in Christ Jesus.  We thank you for the design of the blood bought Church.  Help us to revere it and labor joyfully in it with each other.  We pray for others, who will yet be brought to this awesome kingdom.       In Jesus precious name            Amen