Bogor, Indonesia 2008: If disciples of Jesus are not careful and spiritual, they will eventually find themselves in a hack-fest where everybody ends up looking like fresh eel for sale on the open market. Satan usually buys out such people.
Trent Ling’s preached message, “The Fellowship Disease,” has been added to the website library.
“Over the years, I’ve just seen too many brothers and sisters adopt weird, bitter, and even hateful attitudes toward those in the faith,” Trent recalls. “I preached this message in an effort to help earnest disciples of Jesus navigate the interpersonal terrain of the Kingdom and to enjoy a healthy fellowship.”
May this message prove helpful to those potentially disillusioned as to the different roles fulfilled by God and by people. In any case, “The Fellowship Disease” remains one to avoid at all cost.
This message features the reading and preaching of the following Scriptures:
Job 6:2-4, 14-17
John 6:61-62
Jeremiah 17:5-8
Instructions: To download on a Mac, control-click the message link below and select a download option. To download on a PC, right-click the link below and select a download option. To hear the message outright, simply click the link below and you will be redirected to a listening page.
Podcast: The Fellowship Disease (April 26, 2003; 63:40)
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When I hear the words or see the title of Fellowship Disease, it brings back the sad memory of the old ministry that used to gathered in our house. Some brothers and sisters would be dragged from the gathering to have a secret talk in the garage or back then the enclosed dining room we had (before the wall was taken down) with a closed door! That was a fellowship disease I can picture. That is no different than the gross picture of headless chopped eels 🙂
Oh man!, this message is so powerful and I agree with Mel (beautiful comment Mel). . . listen to this message again if you haven’t recently (I just did and God loves us/you . . . so much!).
I don’t fully understand everything about the heart – but I know the eyes and the heart are often connected. Even in Eph. 1:18 we’re told there are eyes of your heart: “I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you . . . .” I think how in Prov. 4:25 we’re told how we’re to “Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you.” I do know personally that when the heaviness of God is upon me – I have to keep my eyes and heart fixated on God! Heb. 12:2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. So when that overwhelming heaviness is on me – I’m like a ship going down – Throw off all the weight! (Open that heart and mind).
Bitterness is so ugly! Yet when “it’s God!” on you, remember this is your deal and He is loving you so much, He’s trying to help you get directed back to Him. It doesn’t feel good: Lamentations 1:20 “See, O LORD, how distressed I am! I am in torment within, and in my heart I am disturbed, for I have been most rebellious. Outside, the sword bereaves; inside, there is only death.” And while there is always somebody else to blame (sinful thinking) . . . which is so bad especially when we know it’s nothing outside of you that causes you to sin! (Mark 7:15) But, boy oh boy, that is so hard to see when you’ve got something to say!!! So, when was the last time you honored God!?
Thank God there is a cure!! (Listen to the message again). There is a cure! Praise God for his stream! Hallelujah!
Love you
When I first saw the word Bogor in the picture caption, I tried not to read the rest of the caption first before I could guess what picture that was. I couldn’t. Fresh eel chopped off like that looks grotesque; and that’s how fellowship disease is. Melvin, I like your comment of “I want to be vaccinated from contracting it by deepening my relationship with the Lord every day.” That is true–it comes down to our relationship with God!
Wow! Now I understand the difference of feeling the weight of the world on your head because it is the Lord taking you seriously and an “annoying” temptation from Satan. Trent, just like you said, I can finally have fellowship with the Bible (and not just follow it because it is the Lord’s word) that godly men and women have dealt with the same issue of feeling the arrows and the crushing weight of the Lord in their lives. I can know consult the Bible for help when the Lord is dealing with me on specific issues or issues. This is awesome!!!!!!
The Fellowship disease… I don’t want to give out any spoilers to people reading this, but I’ll share some thoughts. (Note to the reader: If you have not heard this message or have not heard this message in a long time, I suggest that you stop what you are doing and listen to it. It is amazing :)!)
Anyway, I want to run away from the Fellowship disease. I want to be vaccinated from contracting it by deepening my relationship with the Lord every day. I do clearly see that my relationship with God determines the quality of my relationship with my Brothers or Sisters and that they can’t protect me from the Bible becoming a reality in my life. Now I see that what really can snatch me away from the Lord’s hands is a hard, bitter heart. Ecclesiastes 10:8 is pretty clear with the statement, “Whoever digs a pit may fall into it…”, because when we dig our own pit of bitterness we will fall in the deadly hole of the Fellowship disease.
Being a bush in a waste land doesn’t sound appealing to me. I only want to always be by His stream.
Love you!
Mel