When I was in high school I read this definition of fellowship: two men in a boat rowing for the same shore. Amos 3:3 says, “Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?” 1 John 1:7 says, “But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.”

1 John 2:9-10 says, “He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him.”

We are the body of Christ. 1 Corinthians 12:25 says, “That there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another.” Schism means division.

Philippians 2:2-3 says, “…having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.” Pride destroys relationships.

1 John 1:5 says, “This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.” God is holy, therefore no darkness can come near Him.

In the sermon on the mount, Jesus gave a charge about being light. Matthew 5:14 says, “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Verse 16 says, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”

John 3:19 says, “And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil.” They hate the darkness because it exposes their evil deeds.

Verse 21 says, “But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.” The Lord sees everything. Psalm 139:12 says, “…the darkness and the light are both alive to You.” Nothing is hidden.

Let’s go back and review Abraham’s questions for the Lord regarding Sodom and Gomorrah. He kept asking that if the Lord found 50 righteous, then 40, then 30, then 20, then 10, would He destroy the righteous with the wicked. Genesis 18:16-33.

Who escaped? Four: Lot, his wife, and his two daughters. Lot’s wife disobeyed the Lord’s instruction, and remained a pillar of salt because she looked back. Moab, the father of the Moabites,  and Amon, the father of the people of Amon were born out of incest. Genesis 19.

Jeremiah 49:1-6 was the judgement against Amon. Verse 5-6 says, “…you shall be driven out, everyone headlong, and no one will gather those who wander off. But afterward I will bring back the captives of the people of Ammon. Do you see His mercy?

God’s favor was on Lot because he was Abraham’s nephew. That favor remained on Moab and Amon.

So it is with every unbeliever. Ephesian 2:2-3 says that we were dead in trespasses and sins. We were enslaved to satan. Verse 4 says, “But God, who is rich in mercy…”

I was asked a question about Lot’s daughters the other day. Apparently that was still on my mind as I read a few chapters in Jeremiah. I’ve read them before many times, but this time the Lord’s mercy was astoundingly clear.

He had pronounced judgement on Moab in chapter 48. Verse 11 says, “Moab has been at ease from his youth; he has settled on his dregs, and has not been emptied from vessel to vessel, nor has he gone into captivity. Therefore his taste remained in him, and his scent has not changed.”

Verse 42 says, “And Moab shall be destroyed as a people, because he exalted himself against the Lord.” Verse 46-27 says, “Woe to you, O Moab!…Yet I will bring back the captives of Moab in the latter days, says the Lord….” Do you see His mercy?

Our fiery trials are a picture of God’s mercy. He strategically uses them to pour us from vessel to vessel, so we don’t settle on our dregs. Trials intensify our acknowledgment for our dependence on Him. Our taste changes and so does our scent.

I started to memorize Titus 2:7-8. The first words in verse 7 stopped me. “In all things.;..” All means no exception. I thought about all things in our lives. That includes all thoughts, words, actions, attitudes, interactions, verbal or written communications, what we wear, etc.

Think about your own life. Verse 7 says, “In all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility.” Though Paul wrote this to Titus, we can make a personal application. What pattern do you display for others to follow?

Think now about how your speech sounds to others. Verse 8 says, “Sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of you.”

Can you echo Paul’s words in Philippians 3:17? It says, “Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern.” Also in 2 Timothy 1:13? It says, “Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.”

We are called to be a partaker of the Lord’s divine nature. 2 Peter 1:4. Longsuffering is a character quality of Christlikeness. He develops it in us as we go through our fiery trials. It will only be evident in our lives when we walk in the Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit who produces the fruit of longsuffering to those who submit to His control.

Longsuffering is a language of love. 1 Corinthians 13:4 says, “Love suffers long and is kind…” Are you kind to the unthankful? The Lord is. Luke 6:35 says, “But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return…For He is kind to the unthankful and evil.”

Walking in our calling is described for us in Ephesians 4:2. It says, “With all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love.” Colossians 1:11 says that when we walk worthy of the Lord, we will be, “Strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy.” Joy is a watermark of an authentic believer.

In reading through Jeremiah, I noticed that many times it said that God spoke to them. He used the words, “…rising early and teaching them, yet they have not listened to receive instruction.” The children of Israel greatly provoked Him.

Time after time He said that if they would turn back to Him, He would relent of the disaster He had planned for them. It reminded me of Isaiah 30:15. It says, “…In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and confidence shall be your strength, but you would not.”

There is a great definition of rebellion in 1 Samuel 15:23. It says, “For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord…”

Anytime that we act independent of the Lord, we are rejecting His word. Rebellion, stubbornness, and disobedience come from a heart, “…hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.” Hebrews 3:13.

James 1:22 says, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving ourselves.” A doer actively applies His word and walks in it.

Hebrews 12:1 says that our journey of progressive sanctification is a race. Distractions will disrupt our endurance. They are classified as, “…every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us…”

Isaiah 50:7 says, “For the Lord God will help Me; therefore I will not be disgraced; therefore I have set My face like a flint, and I know that I will not be ashamed.” Setting our face like a flint is a pattern of Jesus that we can follow.

Hebrews 12:2 says that we do that by, “Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” With singleness of heart Jesus remained on the cross to bring many into His Kingdom.

Here is our instruction for endurance. Luke 9:23 says, “…If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” We embrace our trial-cross by walking in the Spirit who resists our flesh.

David wrote Psalm 86. Verse 5 says, “For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, and abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You.”

Verse 11-12 says, “Teach me Your way, O Lord; I will walk in Your truth; unite my heart to fear Your name. I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart, and I will glorify Your name forevermore.” In verse 11 he was asking the Lord to give him singleness of heart.

What trial are you facing? Let’s take our example from Jesus.. He was on His way to Jerusalem to die for us. Luke 9:53 says that as they entered a village of the Samaritans, “…they did not receive Him, because His face was set for the journey to Jerusalem.”

He did not allow anything to distract Him. Verse 62 says, “…No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” Fit in the Greek means useful.

Beware of distractions. They can be subtle, but are the devil’s strategic weapon to pull us off course.

I was reading through the book of Jeremiah. The Holy Spirit stopped me at Jeremiah 32:40. The context was after God had scattered His people. Their disobedience had placed them in captivity. His promise was that He would bring them back.

Verse 39-40 says, “Then I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear Me forever, for the good of them and their children after them…but I will put My fear in their hearts so that they will not depart from Me.”

Psalm 25:14 in the Amplified helps us understand how we fear the Lord. It says, “…who fear (revere and worship) Him…”

Malachi 3:16 gives us the language of those who fear the Lord. It says, “Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord listened and heard them; so a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the Lord and who meditate on His name.”

What does the Lord hear when He listens to your conversations? A lifestyle of worship is reflected through every aspect of our lives.