Our Filling Station

Introduction

Is God always with you? Ponder that question for a moment.

2 Chronicles 15:2 “2 And he went out to meet Asa, and said to him: “Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin. The Lord is with you while you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you.”

Zechariah 1:3 “3 Therefore say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Return to Me,” says the Lord of hosts, “and I will return to you,” says the Lord of hosts.”

Malachi 3:7 “7 Yet from the days of your fathers You have gone away from My ordinances And have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return to you,” Says the Lord of hosts. “But you said, ‘In what way shall we return?’”

NT

Hebrews 7:19 “19 for the law made nothing perfect; on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.”

Scripture

Prayer

James 4:8 “8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”

Please say this statement with me tonight:

Salvation is totally Him, relationship is on us.

In other words, any relationship to be solid takes both parties to make it work.

We say the statement: To have a friend you must be a friend. And so goes our relationship with Jesus.

We discussed worry Sunday morning. I mention that because worry can marry with what I am discussing tonight. There is an audit, there are some tell tell signs if you will as to our fellowship with God.

Now, do not confuse what I am saying. I am not implying that if these conditions are prevalent in your life that you are probably not saved. Oh, no sir, no mam, I am not saying that. But if some of the conditions prevail in your life, you might ask the question, how is my present fellowship with Jesus?

Now let me disclaim tonight I am not discussing that conditions will be ideal to understand the audit. Audit is an accounting term to measure certain factors. We live in a falling world and as long as we are on earth we will encounter troubles. I am discussing tonight how you respond to life regardless of the conditions that are about you.

For example, Paul and Silas were singing God’s praises in jail in Philippi. How? Why? Because of their fellowship with the Lord.

Matthew 6:34 “34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

The question is how would you respond right now to an emotional, psychological audit based upon the happenings in your life.

Mrs. Betty states, “I am not talking about happiness, happiness is based upon happenings. I am talking about your joy. Has anything robbed you of your joy?

Ask yourself the question, do I still have a hop in my step? Do I laugh?

Psalm 126:2 “2 Then our mouth was filled with laughter, And our tongue with singing. Then they said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.””

Job 8:21 “21 He will yet fill your mouth with laughing, And your lips with rejoicing.”

Ecclesiastes 3:4 “4 A time to weep, And a time to laugh; A time to mourn, And a time to dance;”

Our moods swings, our demeanor's, our countenance are all good measures of our fellowship is with the Lord?

How could you say that? Why would you say that?

Galatians 5:22–23 “22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.”

“I am the bread of life.” (John 6:35, 41, 48, 51) As bread sustains physical life, so Christ offers and sustains spiritual life.

Nutrition. Growth.

 “I am the light of the world.” (John 8:12) To a world lost in darkness, Christ offers Himself as a guide.

Direction. Purpose, Vision.

“I am the door of the sheep.” (John 10:7,9) Jesus protects His followers as shepherds protect their flocks from predators.

Opportunistic. Do you feel you have walked through your final doors?

“I am the resurrection and the life.” (John 11:25) Death is not the final word for those in Christ.

Life is real and with its troubles, do you have bounce back? Are you easily stifled?

“I am the good shepherd.” (John 10:11, 14) Jesus is committed to caring and watching over those who are His.

Do you have a mission of mentorship? Are you breathing life into others?

“I am the way, the truth, and the life.” (John 14:6) Jesus is the source of all truth and knowledge about God.

Do you feel assured you are in the center of God’s will for your life?

The seventh is the supporting “I am” statement to realize that our pipe line, our funnel, our filling station of the Lord is in this attribute.

******The seventh is the source statement*****

“I am the true vine.” (John 15:1, 5) By attached ourselves to Christ, we enable His life to flow in and through us. Then we cannot help but bear fruit that will honor the Father.

All of these topics or measures are a sign of fellowship with the Lord.

When I say the word “Fellowship”, what am I speaking of?

Fellowship with God is a Deliberate Action

“Draw near” to God

When I say the word “fellowship”, what am I referring to?

Fellowship can only be conceived in the marriage of the lamb. When we enter into relationship with Jesus and accept Him as Savior can we know fellowship with God. Jesus’ blood given for our sins and our acceptance of that gift allows us into harmony, into relationship with the Lord, the triune God.

The Greek word translated “fellowship” in the New Testament is koinonia, meaning “partnership, sharing in common, or communion,” and the essence of partnership is agreement or unity of purpose. Fellowship with God is, at its most basic, agreement with Him in all things. The New Testament assures believers of this partnership. Not only do we have fellowship with God the Father, but we also have fellowship with His Son and the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 1:9; 2 Corinthians 13:14; 1 John 1:3).

1 Corinthians 1:9 “9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.”

2 Corinthians 13:14 “14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.”

1 John 1:3 “3 that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.”

In other words, our fellowship with others hinge on our fellowship with God.

How your relationships fare, how your life fares as contentment, tranquility, and joy will be in direct correlation to your fellowship with the Lord.

Listen to:

Amos 3:3 “3 Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?”

It’s the chicken and the egg. Two can not walk together unless they commune together. They spend time together.

There are numerous couples in the room tonight that would attest that over a great amount of time being together that they begin to think similarly on many subjects. By spend time with your spouse you learn how they think, you know what makes them tick, you know their hot buttons and you know what motivates or encourages them.

Ill. Social Media feeds come from your interest. I imagine many of you have had this feed in recent days. Someone rebuffed Dr. Tony Evans on the subject of going to church. I can worship God in nature and while hunting or golfing, etc. He said yo u are right, that true. But let me ask you a question or consider this thought. You can be married, but let’s assume you spend no time with your spouse, what will that do to your relationship?

The Bible calls us to make deliberate action in fellowship with God.

Fellowship with God has Dividends that are an Asset

“He will draw near to you.”

So, if our aim is to draw to the Lord and encounter oneness or being likeminded, we only experience that with time together.

Let me ask you a question. Does your life, your behavior, your attitude, your demeanor change within a day? Let’s be honest. Even within moments.

We need to consider daily behaviors, daily pursuits in our relationship with God.

Ephesians 2:19–22 “19 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.”

Paul writes of this matter of action following our salvation.

“fellow citizens of the saints”

We are a product of our environment. We tend to be influenced by those we hang around. I hope and pray that you surround yourself with Christian friends. My best friends are Christian friends.

Do we need lost friends? Absolutely. How can we impact if we are never around the lost? But we must be undergirded, strengthened, sometimes motivated, held accountable by our Christian friends.

Ecclesiastes 4:12 “12 Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”

Matthew 18:20 “20 For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.””

Think a moment about your exercise regiment. Do you do better when you know someone is counting on you to meet them than when you have to be motivated to go at it alone?

We are stronger together in our fellowship with God and each other when we spend time together.

2. “Members of the household of God”

Geographically, that fellowship incurs hopefully off campus, but here at church as well. Our fellowship here together teaches others by example. Furthermore, you discipline influences others in their discipline to be in church.

You might ask or think because at various times I have encouraged “off campus cell groups.” I still encourage that. Why?

Matthew 28:19 (NKJV)

19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

The idea of “going to church.”

When we go to church, we are going on a date.

There is no chapter and verse supportive of coming in a more prepared fashion as a casual fashion, no more than you have a chapter and verse support for the way you come. But I want us all to consider something tonight about church, going on a date with the bridegroom.

What makes for a good date?

Your attire states a great deal as to what you think about your time together. Dr. Steven Lawson is a theologian I listen to and every time on Sunday morning or Sunday night he enters the pulpit, He is the lead, the authority at that time presenting the Word. he is entering the throne room of heaven and He wants the Lord to take Him at his best. Not that he just came in from a pajama party. Furthermore, He is delving out serious business and wants to appear business.

Dates are important when we make them special. Our dress, not becoming mundane in where we go and making it special.

Brother Wayne Burns told Jane and I 40 years ago as a young married couple that you get out of church what you put into it.

Can I remind you of the most basic truth going. The one’s who love church are the ones who attend church.

“For there where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

Let’s brainstorm ways that you can keep the primping, the courting, the spice of the date at church.

-Dressing up sets a mood that something special is going to happen today.

Ill. Brian-Hillside-Deer Hunting

How much you are knowledgeable about your date and how well you are in keeping the conversation is everything to the time together.

Read your lesson from Life Groups. Engage with your teacher. Ask questions. Meet the challenges for the week that your teacher presents you. Report back of the results from the application your teacher shared with you.

Ambiance is everything to an enjoyable date. Being on time. Having the vehicle cleaned up. Finding the right table and the right entree, etc. Get to church early. Prepare the evening before by putting out your clothes. Have your Bible and your Sunday School book ready. Get in worship early and locate the hymnal. Make up your mind that you are going to be engaged in the date and you are going to sing when it is time to sing, pray when it is time to pray, listen when it is time to listen, and respond when it is time to respond.

If you do those things, you will enjoy the date. And guess what, others will want to go on the date with you because you rave as to how enjoyable the date was. Amen. Do you know when this church will grow? Besides the obvious, when God brings the increase. When you are proud of your church, your proud of your time here, and you can not wait to tell others about the atmosphere here.

Atmosphere in the date most times has all to do with how much we put into the time to make it special. Amen.

3. “Being Built on the prophets and apostles”

Begin your day with a consistent, methodological Bible study/prayer life.

Prophets-OT, Apostles-NT

And may I recommend that methodology. As for example.

Straight from OT to NT-”God bless you.”

OT, Wisdom Literature, NT

1 chapter of each and if you do that you will read the Bible in One year.

And may I make a comfortable amendment to the plan.

Clean area-upright, no distraction, notebook, journal, and pen with Bible.

Close your night with the Bible-flat of your back. Just bedside table light. Do you know how your phone dims the white light or your Ipad after 10 pm? That is a feature to relax you.

Read the Psalms at night, Proverbs, Song of Solomon, read text that is more relaxing that ministers to our souls.

This is my testimony as an example.

Lift-Coffee

Lord-

It is interesting that when I use this method, my list, my priorities change. Pressures of the list shift. Priorities and pressures that may be mounting cease.

List-

When these things take place we enjoy the dividends of walking with the Lord as spelled out in the fruits of the Spirit.

Real Fellowship with God will Deter Sin from our Lives

“Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double minded.”

I want you think about a water purification system. I do not know what happened in Montgomery 30 or so years ago but there was an emphasis on a second level water filtration system on our sinks. I can see the one we had that looked cylindrical and it was white with a blue ring and it was screwed onto the threads of your faucet and in our case it was in the kitchen.

It’s my understanding that the water passed through fine small pieces of charcoal that filtered the water to pretty clear water as it passed through.

The idea is that when we follow those measures of pursuing a deliberate action in fellow shipping with God. We engage fellow believers that act as accountability partners, we attend church and come to church with the idea of getting something out of church, come with purpose and then saturate ourselves in the Word of God and communion in prayer, those actions will acts as an infiltration system to the sin that is in our lives.

The Holy Spirit will point out and you will be nudged in your subconscious either by something you read in the Word, by someone’s actions as positive example or by their disappointment by a different action. The Lord by the working of the Holy Spirit will begin to clean you up and purify your heart.

Several benefits come from cleaning up our acts:

Job 17:9 “9 Yet the righteous will hold to his way, And he who has clean hands will be stronger and stronger.”

Clean vessels can be used in greater ways for the Lord. You will be amazed at how much more God will use you in life to influence others positively for the kingdom.

Temptations will reduce as you surround yourself around those that do not commit sins in your presence.

Isaiah 1:16 “16 “Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil,”

“Out of sight, out of mind.”

What works for me when it comes to sweets. If they are not around, I’m not tempted.

If you are not out in a Juke Joint around midnight, do you believe you will be tempted?

If you are not going on premises of a casino, do you believe you will be as tempted to gamble?

If your reading materials are not sultry, do you believe your mind will wander away as much as it might by reading more wholesome reading?

When we do these things:

James 3:17 “17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.”

Let’s look at what happens as a result:

1 Peter 1:22 “22 Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart,”