AS THE DAY DRAWS NEAR

In these days, with the goings-on, your life in God ought to be different. If you are still living normally like you used to before this plague, then you are living in self-denial. This is not the time to brag, the fact that the mercy of God has preserved you does not mean you are better. This is the time to be grateful to God.

When God sent the plagues upon the Egyptians, the children of Israel were preserved by the blood of the lamb on their doorposts, which was called the Passover. Now, in our day, the Passover is called the Communion-the body and blood of Jesus. The plague is no more in Egypt and whatever name COVID-19 is being called, it is nevertheless a PLAGUE. So when we take the bread and the wine, we do it in remembrance of the Lord-recalling to mind the shed blood of Jesus.

Every time God brought a plague, it was for a season and a reason. As a people, we must not allow it to continue for too long. And while this is going on, we must begin to take stock.

“Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching”. Hebrews 10:23-25

As the day is drawing near, there will be things that will keep coming to question our faith. Still, we must hold fast to the profession of our faith and stand in the consciousness that God is faithful.

How can we hold on to the profession of our faith? We do so by;

Considering one another and to provoke one another to love and good works. The times will make us want to consider ourselves and be self-centred. We must keep assembling together and exhorting one another. God commanded it and warned us not to deviate from it.

WHAT IS GOD'S PRESCRIBED PATTERN FOR OUR ASSEMBLING TOGETHER?

“Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. And all that believed were together, and had all things common; And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart”. Acts 2:41-46

- The gathering should take place in the temple

- And from house to house

The church is the big family and the home is the small church.

Fellowship has no replacement. As the day keeps drawing near, the real thing satan is trying to destroy is our fellowship. If the devil succeeds in tampering with that, so many things will be tampered with. We must not forget that the real reason God created man was fellowship.

Now, having known that the root of this attack is against fellowship, God is calling for our attention. He’s calling for our attention through the personal and corporate type of fellowship. They both have their place; one cannot replace the other. However, the corporate fellowship will not make much meaning without the personal fellowship. For the corporate fellowship to make an impact and be effective, the personal fellowship must be sound, fervent and effectual. Revelation does not come by explanation, it is birth in the place of fellowship. Your greatest asset is your personal communion with the Lord. The root of many of our problems in the world is tied to our lack of fellowship with the Lord. There is a purpose of God that can only be accomplished in every part coming together in fellowship. If you are not attending to your personal altar now, you are missing the point of the season. The work starts with ME but ends with US.

We can never come into the fullness of God in isolation.

“According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord… for this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named… that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God”. Eph. 3:11-19.

For whatever reason, stop taking fellowship for granted.

“And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead. Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up…”Acts 14:19-20. The presence that is made manifest is determined by the people’s identity. It was this presence that saved Saul later turned Paul because they gathered as disciples of Christ. We must stop taking our gathering for granted because there is an attack against FELLOWSHIP but we must not be victims.