Walk in the Light
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December 18, 2011 |
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 "If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin." (1 John 1:6-7)
Can you confidently say you have fellowship with God? 'Fellowship' is not promoted by oneself. To know someone doesn't mean you have fellowship with him. For example, citizens of a country know well who their country's leader or president is. Does this mean that they actually have fellowship with the president? No matter how well they know of him, if the president doesn't know them as well, they can't say they have fellowship with him.
The same principle applies to our relation with God. Since God is able to respond to whatever we ask, if we have fellowship with God the Almighty, everything goes well with us and we can lead blessed lives.
1. Those Who Have Fellowship with God who Is Light
The depth of fellowship is different from person to person. In some relationships they might only recognize each other's face and some might say hello to each other. Others, on the other hand, are close enough to share their secrets. It is the same with the relationships with God. When God knows, trusts in, and recognizes you, then you can say that you have true fellowship with Him.
The Bible talks about David. David had a very firm and close relationship with God. God recognized David as a man after His heart. David loved God, reverently feared Him, and relied on Him completely in all circumstances.
As written in 2 Samuel 5:19, David inquired of the LORD, saying, "Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will You give them into my hand?" And the LORD said to David, "Go up, for I will certainly give the Philistines into your hand."
2 Samuel 5:23-24 also reads, "When David inquired of the LORD, He said, 'You shall not go directly up; circle around behind them and come at them in front of the balsam trees. It shall be, when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then you shall act promptly, for then the LORD will have gone out before you to strike the army of the Philistines.'"
God meticulously told David what he had to do so that he could achieve victory wherever he went. If we have this kind of fellowship with God like David had, then we can also receive answers to whatever we ask. But if you don't receive answers and blessings, although you are God's children, you have to look back on your life thinking 'Do I really have fellowship with God?'
Many people do not practice the word of God, but store it up as knowledge. Nevertheless, they think, 'I know God and have fellowship with Him.' Is this thinking correct? Of course, it is important to know God's Word, but it is more important to act according to it. Only when we put it into practice can we receive strength from God and quickly receive answers to our prayers from Him.
To have deeper fellowship with God, we have to circumcise our hearts. Suppose there are two members. One works diligently without circumcising his heart, the other works faithfully while circumcising his heart. The two cases are totally different. The former does not change his heart, but only works with his own fervor and zeal. So he still has ill-felling when others do not recognize him. He even thinks about quitting his duty when he has times of difficulty.
On the other hand, the latter works faithfully circumcising his heart. He tries his best to keep peace with others even if they do something that doesn't agree with his way of thinking. Even when he is faced with difficulties, he just accomplishes God's works by depending on God and praying.
2. We Have to Circumcise Our Hearts
If you have fellowship with God who is Light, you have to accomplish justice, mercy and faithfulness in your heart (Matthew 23:23). As recorded in Matthew 23, Jesus reprimanded the scribes and Pharisees since they didn't circumcise their hearts though they gave the whole tithe for even the leaves of plants. Then, what about the things associated with justice, mercy, and faithfulness?
'Justice' represents casting away sins, keeping the Word of God, and obeying God in faith, 'Mercy' is in the performance of duties, and 'Faithfulness' is becoming partakers of divine nature. Thus, in order to walk in the Light and have fellowship with God, we have to become sanctified by circumcising our hearts and achieving holy hearts in us.
To the extent we circumcise our hearts, God will answer our prayers and bless us more quickly. It is the evidence of our fellowship with God. When we get rid of the untruth and walk in the Light by acting upon the Word, our hearts will be cleansed. When we don't do what God tells us not to do and we cast off what we should and practice the truth as He commands us to keep it and accomplish it, then we get rid of untruth. This process of getting rid of the filthy things in our hearts and filling up our hearts with truth is the process of circumcision of the heart.
For example, God told us not to hate each other. When you get rid of hatred from your heart and fill up your heart with love this is circumcising your heart. Even though you have already received the Holy Spirit, circumcision of your heart cannot be accomplished overnight or with an isolated attempt. You must keep circumcising your heart until you completely get rid of works of flesh and things of flesh (sinful nature) from your heart. You have to first quit doing works of the flesh (sin put into action). Let's say you drink and smoke. You must quit drinking and smoking. Or if you are hot-tempered easily and argue with others, you must stop doing so.
After getting rid of works of flesh, you must get rid of things of flesh in your hearts and thoughts. They are not revealed outwardly, but if you still have hatred, jealousy, envy, greed, selfish-motives, and adulterous mind in your hearts, you have to pull them out. It can be done when you receive the help of the Holy Spirit and the grace and strength of God through fiery prayer and fasting. Only when you get rid of even such things of flesh in your hearts can you have an even closer fellowship with God.
3. We Can Be Cleansed by Walking in the Light
1 John 1:7 reads, ". . .but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin." When we act in the Word of God which is the truth, we can say we have fellowship with God and become His true children. How, then, can the blood of Jesus His Son cleanse us from all our sins?
Let's take a look at John 6:53-54 saying "So Jesus said to them, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.'"
Here, 'the Son of Man' refers to Jesus. His flesh means the Word of God since the Word became flesh and Jesus came to the earth in the flesh in accordance with John 1:14. Therefore, to eat the flesh of the Son of Man indicates to make our spiritual food of the 66 books of the Bible. To drink His blood refers to acting according to the Word of God.
Only when we make the Word of God our bread, can the truth in the Bible function as a nutrient in us and sinful natures slip through our hearts. Then, we can become men of truth. Such people can say that they have fellowship with God. Through the fellowship, we can become men of spirit who walk in the Light.
The world is stained with sins and evil. It's very hard to find goodness and love in the world since it is becoming pitch dark spiritually. In this end time, I hope that you will diligently make the Word of God your spiritual bread for your souls and put it into practice. I pray in the name of the Lord that by doing so you will have a closer fellowship with God and receive abundant blessing from Him.
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