JOY!

Once you have tasted and lived even a smidgeon of the richness of the mystery talked about in Ephesians 3, there is no return to the lackluster humdrum of everyday religion. Loving God  is a moment by moment walk of confidence and true freedom. The  joy of enjoying the same confidence and freedom with others is an irreplaceable treasure not to be treated lightly.

 3 How that by revelation he made known unto me(Paul) the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, 4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) 5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; 6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel: 7 Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. 8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;9And to make all men see what is the fellowship (link) of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: 10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, 11 According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: 12 In whom we have boldness (link) and access with confidence by the faith of him.

-->  Camaraderie, friendship, community are all examples of groups of people relating together; but genuine fellowship based on God’s Word is the highest form of relationships. It is what the mystery is all about. It is Christ in every believer functioning together, openly and honestly believing together, respecting together, and accomplishing great things together. It does not happen without the ‘unity of the spirit’. It cannot be fabricated, manufactured, forced, or compromised by untruth.

1 John 1:5-7 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship (link) with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship (link) one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

I have participated on many, many, many teams during my lifetime, and the only truly effective ones were those based on acting on the principles in the Word.   Some of the people I worked with may have not even been aware that they were utilizing Biblical principles but they still worked regardless. Light is light no matter which room it is in. God's methods and practices, whether He gets the credit or not, absolutely work! It is pure joy to do things God's way.