Wednesday 6th February 2019 Prayer Devotion
Scripture Reading:- 1 Corinthians 5:1-13
Topic:- The Discipline With The Believers’ Fellowship
Text:- 1 Corinthians 15:33
Love in the fellowship among believers must be balanced with control, check and discipline. Sin must be rebuked and gotten rid of, else it destroys the fellowship life of believers. That is why there must be discipline within the believers’ fellowship.
We are to exert discipline over the people that are not living right, “who having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof, from such turn away.” See 2 Timothy 3:5.
True believers should not make friends with hypocrites who have a shallow religion, devoid of the power to overcome sin. There must be separation from every brother or sister who “walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.” See 2 Thessalonians 3:6.
We are not to encourage backsliders, but to point them to the way of repentance and restoration. “For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. Look to yourself, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.” See 3 John 7, 8.
We must beware of false Prophets, deceivers and all those who “abideth not in the Doctrine of Christ.” See Matthew 18:15-17; Psalm 119:63.
The demonstration of love in the believers’ fellowship as stated by Apostle Paul gave us much insight on how to balance discipline with love. See Hebrews 13:1-7.
The discipline of a few erring believers should not hinder the flow of love in the believers’ fellowship. We are to increase in love, compassion, mercy and in helping one another. “But as touching brotherly love, ye need not that I write unto you; for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.” See 1 Thessalonians 4:9.
Paul, the Apostle, with all the gifts and power of the Spirit was concerned about the absence of one of his converts in a meeting “I had no rest in my spirit, because I found not Titus my brother.” That is the attitude of somebody that has love and is really in fellowship. See 2 Corinthians 2:13.
True fellowship means caring and being concerned for one another. In this time of adversity, we ought to be encouraging, praying for, talking to and developing one another. “Then, they that feared the LORD spake often one to another; and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon His name.” See Malachi 3:6.
Words of love and encouragement given to a faltering brother or sister will not go unrewarded by the Lord. We must endeavor to strengthen those that are weak, restore the backsliders, help the feeble and watch over our own lives that we are not taken away from the fellowship of the people of God. See Romans 16:3-4; Hebrew 12:14.
Prayer Points:-
1. Oh Lord God, help me to live a discipline life in You, in the name of Jesus Christ.
2. I want to see You Lord, help me to live in peace with all men and also to be holy, in the name of Jesus Christ.
3. Give me the grace to love the brethren as You want me to be, in the name of Jesus Christ.
Happy Mid-Week!
