MRE stands for Meals Ready to Eat. Survivalists have adapted military technology and have meals full of calories and nutrients with the only thing needed to add – water. Just add water and the meal is ready. Companies now sell MRE’s for entire families. Pouches, and buckets of food, all prepared for a moment’s notice to have on hand in the event of an emergency or a life and death situation. Some pouches will even heat the food up for you. It is a good plan – to plan ahead! You can have meals ready to eat with your loved ones.
The earliest Christians had regular interactions with each other that included enjoying a meal together. More than only the Lord’s Supper (just a little cracker and some juice) they would have full meals, sometimes called “Love Feasts” (which indicated their love for God and for one another). You may or may not have an MRE, but every Christian should be having some degree of fellowship with other Believers. We need each other.
Hebrews 10:24–25 says, 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.
What is Fellowship? Fellowship is defined by the Bakers Encyclopedia as “The essence of the Christian life—fellowship with God and fellowship with other believers in Christ.” I like that. Because we have fellowship with God the Father through God the Son, we can have fellowship with other Christians. Bakers continues by stating: “The depth of camaraderie among the first Christians is portrayed in the early chapters of Acts. Daily the believers met together in house groups for teaching, fellowship, the Lord’s Supper, and prayer (Acts 2:42, 46).” Essentially, fellowship are the friendships you enjoy on a daily or frequent basis.
Hebrews 10:24–25 instructs, 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.
Every Day Carry Christians have fellowship with other believers every day, not just on Sunday.
Fellowship with Christians starts Sundays. Church Gatherings generally happen on Sunday mornings. The American church in some locations and denominations added several other formal church setting times with Sunday Night and Midweek preaching services. While these may be helpful for some, these are not a requirement in Scripture.
These times are an invention of the American Church. Depending on who you ask, it could be evening services started because of the invention of the electric light bulb. For others, it was World War 2 and the factory workers, working 7 days a week, could not come to Sunday morning to church so they turned on the lights to come at night. Others suggest it was an agricultural thing where farmers would farm for 6 days, and travel to church and have a morning service, lunch on the grounds, and another church service after lunch. Whatever the origin, evening service practice is not the same in each part of the country or across each of the various denominational churches. Each local church is independent of others and can have quality and quantity of time as it sees fit for itself to host church services. Our church family in Wilton meets more often and for longer periods of time than in the previous American Model we used to follow. We read the Bible and discovered the activity of the First Eventury Church and are trying to follow their example more closely. What we are doing is working for us and our church. No matter what your church chooses to do about church services, start with fellowship with God’s people on Sunday with your local church.
Fellowship Continues Each Day. I have contact with lost and saved people every day. Every day, I am trying to engage and encourage other Christians to be growing in the Lord. In addition, I need the fellowship of other Christians too! As a Christian, husband, father, son, and friend, I am just a regular, everyday fellow who needs Everday Fellow(ship)! I too need other Christians to be involved in my life. Have some Christian friends in your life. Notice the benefits of Christian friends from this passage:
- We Can Consider One Another. Thinking of how to bless others clarifies your own thinking and helps you process what is truly important in life. “How can I help? Replaces “What can I get?” It’s one of the 30 plus “One Another’s” in Scripture.
- We Can Provoke Others to Love and To Do Good Works. All of us need our hearts affirmed with truth and our minds readjusted with God’s love. Provoking others and being provoked to help, serve, minister, and do good things is something we all need.
- We Can Keep Each Other Accountable. The Day of Christ’s return is coming soon. The Rapture can happen anytime! EDC Christians do not want to see others fall by the wayside or to stop following Jesus. We need a positive nudge from time to time and we can receive that nudge of encouragement with consistent fellowship with other Christians.
- We Can Live Life Together. This is the greatest summary of these verses in my estimation. We are not alone. God is with us and He has given friends to have fellowship with – through the ups and downs of life.
This week: Go to your church. Makes some friends. Live life with those friends through the week. It’s a Thriving Skill to have in these crazy days we are living in.
Every Day Carry Christians have fellowship with other believers every day, not just on Sunday.
EDC Christian 