James 2:1-13

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In chapter 1 we learned that pure religion is more than the muttering of prayers and rituals-more than being externally oriented. Pure religion has to do with visiting orphans and widows and keeping oneself unstained by the world. Keeping yourself unstained by the world begins with preventing yourself from being a hearer only (1:19-21), but an effective doer of the word of truth (1:22-25). In other words, being a hearer only tends toward definition without demonstration that leads to the worship of doctrine. But even sound doctrine by itself tends to put people sound asleep! James is appealing to be unstained from the world and the world's ways by not doing things by lecture, but by a lab that demands definition and demonstration!

Now, James continues his theme of keeping yourself unstained by the world when he turns to the subject of showing partiality. Don't hold your faith with an attitude of partiality toward others! 1 My brethren, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism. 2 For if a man comes into your assembly with a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and there also comes in a poor man in dirty clothes, 3 and you pay special attention to the one who is wearing the fine clothes, and say, "You sit here in a good place," and you say to the poor man, "You stand over there, or sit down by my footstool," [Your value system is false.] 4 have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil motives? [You are practicing discrimination.] 5 Listen, my beloved brethren: did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? [You fail to honor the poor whom God honors.] 6 But you have dishonored the poor man. Is it not the rich who oppress you and personally drag you into court? 7 Do they not blaspheme the fair name by which you have been called? [You favor those who oppress you.]

INSTEAD, fulfill the royal law. 8 If, however, you are fulfilling the royal law according to the Scripture, "YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF," you are doing well. 9 But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all. 11 For He who said, "DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY," also said, "DO NOT COMMIT MURDER." Now if you do not commit adultery, but do commit murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.

NOTE verse 5-LOVE GOD, and now verse 8-LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR. The royal law is an interesting term. Literally, it is the "law of the king" or the law that is fit for the king or a kingly law or the law of the king and kingdom. Jesus said in Matthew 22:37-40 that the entire Mosaic Law rests on "loving God and loving your neighbor as yourself", so here this is a fitting reference to the royal or kingly or kingdom law.

Instead of having an attitude of partiality, seek to fulfill the royal law of Jesus! 12 So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty. 13 For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.

So, speak and act (do): FIRST-Because you will be judged by the law of liberty (judged by the law that set you free from bondage and slavery, so reflect this gratefulness in your actions toward others).

SECOND-Because mercy wins out over judgment (literally, mercy celebrates, even boasts, triumphs over judgment).

NOTE there are two kinds of judgment that Jesus taught (Matthew 7): 1. Condemnation judgment 2. Conclusion judgment-discernment Here James is clearly speaking of the "condemnation" kind of judgment that is merciless!

NOTE the logic of this as it relates to being stained by the world. This is much like the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-27). The question is "Who is my neighbor?" The answer is anyone in your path that has a need you can address. So, today: 1. Many people suffer affliction of all kinds. 2. Many believers never relieve affliction for others, due to the stains on your heart and mind. So, believers find themselves going through the following process of ignoring the needs of those around them, even though (a) they were positioned there by God, (b) they were aware of the person's condition, (c) they were capable of meeting the person's needs and (d) they each had good rationalized excuses.

What is desperately needed is for people of true faith to remove the stains of the world that remain on their hearts and minds. To say it another way, I think Jesus is looking for SPOT REMOVERS!

You know what's interesting, Jesus never saw a prostitute; He sees through the stains! Also, Jesus lived out the royal law and therefore was and is always GOOD NEWS for everyone without partiality!

HOW CAN YOU BE A SPOT REMOVER? #1-Receive your own spot remover for the stains in your life-His love for you! #2-Reciprocate your love back to Him in gratefulness-your love God! #3-Release your love to others-your love for your neighbors!

PEOPLE OF TRUE FAITH ACT AS SPOT REMOVERS BY EMBRACING THE ROYAL LOVE OF GOD.

James 1:16-27

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The second subject James deals with is what pure religion or pure faith ought to look like. 16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. 17 Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow. 18 In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures. God is not to be regarded as the one who causes our problems, but He is the source of all that is good. AND, He has brought us (believers in Messiah Jesus) forth by the word of truth so that we might be an example among what He has created. Now James sets forth what kind of truth we are to follow.

Although religion is not a wonderful term today, James is using this term to describe "people of faith". He lists four basic elements of pure faith (religion), because people of faith are people of God's truth.

FIRST-Prepare yourselves to receive the word of God's truth. Be quick to hear. Be slow to speak. Be slow to anger-(the anger of man doesn't achieve the righteousness of God). Put aside all things that might distract you from receiving God's truth.

19 This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; 20 for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God. 21 Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls.

SECOND-Prove yourselves to be doers of the word. 22 But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; 24 for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. 25 But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.

NOTE that when a person is not careful to be a doer or one who applies the word, he deludes himself. Since we live in a world of information bombardment, it is too easy to be merely hearers who delude themselves. The delusion works like this. Just by hearing something, you believe that is enough-even feel like you have embraced this truth, might even share it with others. Just from hearing and agreeing with what you have heard, you may begin to think you have already done it, but you are a hearer only who has deluded himself. It's too easy to take a quick look into the mirror of truth and forget what it said. BUT if you look intently into the truth of God, apply it, not forgetting what you read and actually do the word you have just read or received, THEN you will be blessed in whatever you do!

This follows Jesus' teaching in the Sermon on the Mount when He says, 24 ``Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 ``And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. 26 ``Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 ``The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell-and great was its fall.'' Matt 7:24-27 Just hearing the word of truth without acting upon it sets you up for destruction!

NOTE the tension between hearing and doing faith; it's the same as the tension between faith and works. We'll deal with this in more detail later, but the best statement on this subject that will suffice for right now is: Faith alone saves, but the faith that saves is not alone. Genuine faith will be accompanied by works that prove out your faith.

THIRD-Put a lid on your tongue. 26 If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is worthless. NOTE how powerful the tongue is. Your tongue can cause deception in your own heart and make your pure faith worthless.

FOURTH-Pay a visit to the orphans and widows in their distress. 27 Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

NOTE how simple the demonstration of pure faith really is in the sight of God. Orphans and widows are at the heart of God. By paying attention to these who have lost their loved ones you may find the secret to keeping yourself unstained by the world and its values. God's heart is always with the needy and the broken and not in the large rallies and events or huge book promotions.

I view it as a CSI fellowship. God's heart is in the covert (underground and quiet), the subversive (revolutionary, against the tide of the normal) and the indelible (permanent marks on the lives of men and women-marked with a mark from God's own heart). I think God honors a CSI kind of fellowship. Try it out and see!

James 1:1-15

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The ACTS OF JESUS was all about the early gatherings around Jesus and His kingdom, it seems right to continue in the early days with the earliest of books written to the believers at that time. Remember that in the early "church or synagogue" of Jesus, there were more Jews than Gentiles. I like to call them Messianic Jews and Messianic Gentiles. One of the earliest books written to these believers (primarily to the Messianic Jews) was JAMES.

JAMES was most likely written by the apostle who presided over the leadership group of Messianic Jews in Jerusalem. We saw him in Acts 15. This is one of four James' mentioned and is the half brother of Jesus. It was written between 48-50 A.D.

The book is filled with the most practical issues of walking with Jesus and walking with one another. It's like the Proverbs of the New Testament. I see the entire book's theme as faith in action-I call it FAITH IS A VERB. You see, faith works when life doesn't. There is also an interesting play between faith and works that is introduced in this book.

Let's get into it: 1 James, a bond-servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes who are dispersed abroad: Greetings.

James, although an apostle, maybe the chief apostle, and the brother of Jesus, doesn't reference either but sees himself in the "highest calling" of all-a bond-servant. We'll see this term more throughout the New Testament (NT). It refers to a slave or a person who is hired on as a servant.

NOTE that this letter from James is written specifically to the twelve tribes who are dispersed. This refers to those Messianic Jews who lived outside Palestine, scattered around the world among the Gentiles. There were 2 great dispersions-the eastern and the western. The first was when 10 of the 12 tribes were carried away by Assyria and in the time of the Babylonian captivity (586 B.C.). The other was the western dispersion that happened during the reign of Alexander the Great (early 300's B.C.). This placed Jewish communities throughout the world in large numbers in some areas where they were united in their synagogues. This gives better understanding to why Paul felt the need to travel all over in his mission trips. He knew of these communities throughout the world who would be interested to hear the messages of the kingdom of God and the Christ (Messiah).

James begins with a section on trials. It's something everyone faces from day to day and especially those who were living outside Jerusalem who might easily get discouraged when their new faith is attacked even by other religious people in their communities, let alone those outside the fellowship of faith. I see this as a time of lifting the faith of believers outside of Jerusalem. So, when you need a faith-lift, what do you do? I think the answer is REFOCUS.

FIRST-REFOCUS BY REJOICING IN THE PRODUCT! 2 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Are you serious? Count it all joy when you face a variety of trials in your life? There is a way of refocusing so that no matter what comes your way, you may be able to reframe it to see the good in it.

There are two kinds of temptations or testings. One has to do with tripping you up-to trick you into doing something wrong. The other is to test with the view toward approval-to prove you as genuine! When you are faced with a test that might trip you up, God wants you to view it as a test of genuineness.

Don't focus on the trial or testing itself. You'll end up wallowing in it-the problem will get bigger and bigger! Instead, focus on the end-product! "Here comes another testing or trial. What will I learn from this?" James says the primary thing you will gain from trials is perseverance. The testing of your faith produces perseverance-the ability to hang in there and get through it. And, if you allow perseverance to have its way, you will be more mature and complete in your life-lacking in nothing! WOW!

Therefore, when a trial comes your way, refocus and look for what's in there to make you more mature and complete to the point of lacking in nothing! This goes along with that promise of good endings-Romans 8:28, where God causes all things to work together for good!

NOTE when you brood over your problems, you'll hatch despair! NOTE that many times you'll find yourself being overwhelmed by problems that aren't that big-like mountain climbing over molehills! NOTE-it's not what happens to you, but how you handle what happens that counts!

SECOND-REFOCUS BY REQUESTING A NEW PERSPECTIVE! 5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, 8 being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

Now, in the midst of a trial it's difficult to know what to do. Many times these trials call for decisions to be made. So, in a time such as this, refocus by asking God for wisdom. NOTE that you are encouraged to ask God for wisdom and He will give it to you, if you ask. I hang on to that with everything I've got! I ask Him for wisdom and I believe He will give it to me as I need it. NOTE that you must ask in faith without doubting. In other words, ask Him for wisdom and count on that fact that He will give it to you and act out accordingly with this wisdom from God. If you doubt, you will not get it and you will be tossed about on the surf by the winds of life's circumstances. You cannot expect to receive anything when doubting. HOWEVER, if you ask for wisdom in faith without doubting, you can expect that you will receive it!

This seems to coincide with the promise of great escapes-I Corinthians 10:13, where God provides a mountain pass in order for you to get through it!

THIRD-REFOCUS BY RECONSIDERING YOUR POSITION BEFORE GOD! 9 But the brother of humble circumstances is to glory in his high position; 10 and the rich man is to glory in his humiliation, because like flowering grass he will pass away. 11 For the sun rises with a scorching wind and withers the grass; and its flower falls off and the beauty of its appearance is destroyed; so too the rich man in the midst of his pursuits will fade away. 12 Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, ``I am being tempted by God''; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. 14 But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. 15 Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.

Trials are the great leveler of both the rich and the poor! In ICU, it makes no difference what you own or what you owe. If you are rich, glory in your humiliation before the Lord. if you are poor, glory in your high position with God. You came into this world naked and you'll go out in the same condition-with more things wrinkled and drooping. After you die, there will be a big garage sale of all of your treasures.

Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial-God will reward this kind of response to problems with the "crown of life"-one of five special crowns given to those who love Him. It's interesting that perseverance is tied to loving God. We persevere due to our relationship with Him-love for Him.

NOTE James points out the cycle of how temptation works. It doesn't come from God, but from inside ourselves. 1. Temptation-the thought of it. 2. Carried away and hooked by internal lust for it. 3. Then lust gives birth to sin. 4. When sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.

God will not take you into that kind of temptation, but will use it all for the testing and proving out of your genuineness. It's like a refining process, burning off all of the dross and impurities out of our lives.

The promise of great expectations seems to work well here-Philippians 1:6, where He promises to continue His work inside us until Jesus returns!

Remember, faith is like a kite-a contrary wind makes it go higher and higher!

FELLOWSHIP IS A VERB

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Are you in? Are you in far? And, are you inviting others in?

What are the benefits of being in, being in far and inviting others in? The benefits are all summed up in the person of Jesus. Over the years we have come to understand the following:

FIRST-Religion cannot regenerate a person's heart-not Christianity, not Islam, not Judaism, not Buddhism, not any.

SECOND-Churchianity cannot regenerate a person's heart-not the presbytists, nor the episcolics, nor the bapterians.

THIRD-Only Jesus has the power to regenerate and fill a person's heart with life that eternally satisfies.

Jesus is not into converting you to a religion, but wants a personal relationship with everyone on planet earth. Religion is mankind trying to avoid going to hell in order to go to heaven. Relationship is mankind saying, "I've been to hell and I don't want to go back!" Jesus offers Himself. It's like man says: "Jesus, I have a problem. It's me!" And Jesus says: "Man, I have the solution. It's me!"

He offers Himself as our SALVATION. Salvation is not what many make it out to be-a membership card into heaven or proof of fire insurance to keep you out of hell. Salvation is so much more than that! Check out this partial list of what salvation is:

1. To make wide-freedom from stuck, from distress-free to be! 2. God will come through on your behalf-wait and see mighty deeds! 3. Safety & Security-to maintain life unafraid of numerous dangers! 4. Healing-emotional/physical well-being-Wholeness! 5. Constant loyal love-genuine love that seeks restoration! 6. Destroys purposes of evil forces-You can count on it! 7. Distinguishes Himself as the God of gods! 8. God's unconditional love in action-He is relentlessly courting us! 9. Proactive presence of God among His people! 10. Death is a doorway to the presence of God! Only one who can save like this is worthy of our devotion! His name is Jesus!

God isn't calling you into Christianity, churchianity or some unique spiritual club. He is calling you into the fellowship of Jesus and His people. Believers in the 1st century "were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer" (Acts 2:42). God wants us to do the same today.

Listen in on Jesus' prayer about the fellowship: I spelled out your character in detail to the men and women you gave me. They were yours in the first place; then you gave them to me, and they have now done what you said. They know now, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that everything you gave me is firsthand from you, for the message you gave me, I gave them; and they took it, and were convinced that I came from you.

They believed that you sent me. I pray for them. I'm not praying for the God-rejecting world but for those you gave me, For they are yours by right. Everything mine is yours, and yours mine, and my life is on display in them. For I'm no longer going to be visible in the world; they'll continue in the world while I return to you. Holy Father, guard them as they pursue this life that you conferred as a gift through me, so they can be one heart and mind as we are one heart and mind. As long as I was with them, I guarded them in the pursuit of the life you gave through me; I even posted a night watch and not one of them got away, except for the rebel bent on destruction (the exception that proved the rule of Scripture).

Now I'm returning to you. I'm saying these things in the world's hearing so my people can experience my joy completed in them. I gave them your word; the godless world hated them because of it, because they didn't join the world's ways, just as I didn't join the world's ways. I'm not asking that you take them out of the world, but that you guard them from the Evil One. They are no more defined by the world than I am defined by the world. Make them holy-set apart for a mission-with the truth; Your word is truth. In the same way that you gave me a mission in the world, I give them a mission in the world. I'm consecrating myself for their sakes so they'll be truth-consecrated in their mission.

I'm praying not only for them, but also for those who will believe in me because of them and their witness about me. The goal is for all of them to become one heart and mind-just as you, Father, are in me and I in you, so they might be one heart and mind with us. Then the world might believe that you, in fact, sent me. The same glory you gave me, I gave them, so they'll be as unified and together as we are-I in them and you in me. Then they'll be mature in this oneness, and give the godless world evidence that you've sent me and loved them in the same way you've loved me.

Father, I want those you gave me to be with me, right where I am, so they can see my glory, the splendor you gave me, having loved me long before there ever was a world. Righteous Father, the world has never known you, but I have known you, and these disciples know that you sent me on this mission. I have made your very being known to them-who you are and what you do-and continue to make it known, so that your love for me might be in them exactly as I am in them (John 17:6-26).

He wants you in! He wants you in far! He wants you to be inviting others in! Make fellowship a verb in your life!

DECISIONS CONCERNING THE FELLOWSHIP PRINCIPLE

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After all is said and done, there is more said than done! Now, what are the action steps that must be taken in light of the fellowship principle? I believe there are three questions that must be answered-four decisions that must be made-in order to activate the fellowship principle.

First, ARE YOU IN? The phrase "in Christ" occurs approximately 167 times in the New Testament. It's a technical term that speaks of your relationship with Jesus. Just as you put something into an envelope and it envelops that something, so you have been placed "in Christ" and are completely enveloped by Him. When God looks upon you, He sees Jesus. This is why it is said that "there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1). Being "in Christ" means that you have a personal, faith relationship with Jesus, the Christ-you have placed all that you know that you are into all that you know that He is.

Why is being "in Christ" so important? Well, in addition to all of the salvation issues that are available through Jesus, there is another reason. Being "in Christ" places you on a different elevation-a spiritual perspective on life, because all is not as it seems in this world. When you are "in Christ", you learn to move to a different drumbeat than the world system around you-walking, thinking, loving and talking like Jesus. You become one with the greatest revolutionary ever! Then, you are in a position to really make a difference in your world!

Second, ARE YOU IN FAR? Being "in Christ" is an interesting dynamic. It's a relationship and therefore must be cultivated. Many believers in Jesus are content to stop at being "in Christ" and not progress any further. The result is that most believers are content to sit, soak and sour in the pew. Once you become "in Christ" you begin a meaningful, spiritual journey. This journey is all about fleshing out the person of Jesus into your lifestyle. Every day you walk, think, love and talk like Jesus, you allow Jesus to be seen and experienced one more day by those around you.

Being "in far" requires that you don't attempt to grow it alone. It requires that you gather other believers around you as partners who become your support system, encouraging and exhorting you in growing your personal relationship with Jesus. Being "in far" is your relationship with the people of Jesus.

But why is "being in far" so important? It is so important because there is a war going on out there in the universe between good and evil-between God and the Evil One. You cannot fight this war alone, but must have the strength of a small group of believers who stand with you-a covenant community.

A community of believers is galvanized by making covenants to one another. It is amazing how simple agreements and commitments to one another provide a bonding power among the participants. These covenants may be agreements to pray for certain things for a certain time period, going on a mission trip together, producing an event, or agreements to go through a study together. This is the fellowship principle!

I have been grappling with how to apply this multiplication strategy in my own life-purpose. So, in the spirit of the fellowship I asked 3 other men to come alongside me to be with me and to turn the fellowship into an active verb. As we came together, we (and our wives) we entered into a 45 day prayer covenant. We have entered into a covenant with one another to be faithful to the following:

1. To embrace the principles of Jesus as a lifestyle. 2. To mentor men and women in the Jesus lifestyle. 3. To believe God for the raising up of leadership world-wide. 4. To empower the youth of our world. 5. To restore the broken, poor, fallen, abused and addicted. 6. To serve everyone everywhere.

This small community of believers must answer two functional questions: First, are you willing to minister to anyone God brings your way? This may not be as easy as it seems. When God brings a drug dealer your way, are willing to minister to him? When a porn addict shows up on your doorstep, are you willing? What about the druggie, the drunk, the communist, the terrorist; are you willing to minister to anyone God brings your way? You may be the answer to someone's prayers.

Second, are you willing to be ministered to by anyone around you? This is even a more difficult question. Most people find it easier to minister to someone in need than to be ministered to by anyone around you. Years ago, I had it set up in a Sunday morning Easter service for the ushers to come forward bringing wash basins. I announced that we were going to experience the washing of one another's feet. The shock was incredible! Most had no problem with washing someone else's feet, but were very resistant in allowing someone to wash their feet. That was just too much! Someone you don't even know may be the answer to your prayers.

Third, ARE YOU INVITING OTHERS IN? At the end of each of the Gospels and at the beginning of the book of Acts Jesus commissioned His followers to do one thing-MAKE DISCIPLES! His command is still as relevant to us today. We are to be making disciples-inviting others into a personal relationship with Jesus. He gave 3 action-steps to do this:

First, make disciples by going. This is the principle of initiation. We as the fellowship are to pray for God to attract others to the light-to raise up laborers for the harvest. We are to actively set our hearts toward that end.

Go in the fellowship of Jesus (Are you in?). Go with the fellowship of Jesus (Are you in far?). Go tell of the fellowship in Jesus (Are you inviting others in?).

Second, make disciples by baptizing. This is the principle of identification. As the fellowship we are to identify the people God raises up as disciples of Jesus. The identification process will mean inviting them into the fellowship.

Third, make disciples by teaching. This is the principle of instruction. As the fellowship we are to teach all of the principles of Jesus to the ones who have been identified as disciples. As we continue to teach disciples of the principles of Jesus the cycle starts all over again for each new disciple and the fellowship grows like a mustard seed grows. You have a vital role to play in this great war! Are you in? Are you in far? Are you inviting others in? Who are the "others" we must be inviting in?

We have identified 5 groups of people that God brings our way. 1) The Enquirers who are actively seeking answers to life. They show up by the process of elimination-nothing else works. 2) The Restless who are on empty, lost, compensating and coping. They are caught up in the rat race of life, but somehow know that even if they win they will still only be a rat. 3) The Religious who have a heart to do right, but are burdened-down with religiosity! 4) The Stuck whose life and/or relationships are out of control. Life is not working. 5) The Wounded who are broken, poor, fallen, abused or addicted. Most often, the wounded will be found among the enquirers, the restless, the religious and the stuck. Remember, Jesus came to seek and to save the sick and wounded!

All of the above are the prisoners in the great war between good and evil-between God and the Evil One. The fellowship principle is all about setting prisoners free!

When you come together, be aware of the needs of everyone around you-believer and non-believer alike. The prophet Isaiah speaks of the Messiah's mission when he writes: "The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives and freedom to prisoners; to comfort all who mourn, giving them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting. So they will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified" (Isaiah 61:1-3). If you are to be a follower of Jesus Christ (the Messiah), you must follow His mission.

Jesus told the Twelve: "And as you go, proclaim, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.' 'Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons" (Matthew 10:7-8).

If you aren't in a fellowship today, pray for that experience for yourself. Then, PRACTICE BEING IN A FELLOWSHIP with one another!