For now here is an  outline of what I shared regarding our being conduits of the kingdom: 

Foundational Kingdom scriptures…

Matthew 6:9-13  (The Lords prayer)

The Kingdom we are paying to be exhibited on earth is not somewhere in the distant future, pie in the sky when we die. It is a present reality.  That is the reason He soon instructs us to seek it first. Everything else in the prayer is for now, daily bread, forgiveness of sin, forgiving others, but we have been duped into thinking praying His kingdom come and His will be done on earth isn’t to be a present reality.  Our mindset needs to be adjusted.  We need a kingdom paradigm. 

Matthew 6:33

The present realty of the kingdom is why we are told to seek it first! 

Luke  17:20-21

Jesus confronts the Pharisees with His presence bringing the Kingdom into their midst. 

Ephesians 2:22. 

We as the body of Christ “are citizens” of what?  His kingdom, having been brought near to have access in Jesus by the One Spirit.

As we focus on developing a Kingdom paradigm based in seeking the King and His Kingdom, we first come to understand they are a present reality. There is a King and He has an established domain/Kingdom.

The ekklesia is the current conduit for bringing the Kingdom to earth in Jesus. When Jesus walked the earth he proclaimed: “The Kingdom is now, has come near you, is in your midst”. We, as the church, His body, the fullness of Him that fills all in all, now carry that same mantle to give expression to the Kingdom in Him. We are the people, Body, Bride, temple where the Kingdom finds expression.  We do not have to, nor are we, pulling heaven’s kingdom down by pleading prayer or our piety or our own initiatives. It has been established in us by and in Him, and flows right through us as we are its conduit when we seek the King and the Kingdom rather than our own initiatives or the world’s ways and systems.The ekklesia is simply the current conduit for bringing the Kingdom to earth in Jesus. Heaven joins earth and is to invade it through us, the church, which is His (Jesus) body, the fullness of Him who fills the all in all.  Ephesians 1:22-23. This conduit should be thought of, perhaps a bit like Jacob’s ladder. But, instead of angels descending and ascending, it is like one of those chutes on the back of cement trucks with the effluence of the kingdom being poured out on the earth to be spread by, and through, the likes of you and me laying footings and foundations in Him.

Too many believers today trust in, and get totally wrapped up in, today’s political constructs to establish the Kingdom of God in the earth. The truth is He has established the Kingdom, and He has had no intention, does not have now, nor will ever have any intention of using the constructs of the world’s system to establish or manifest His own.  

The Kingdom will never be manifested or implemented through the political constructs of man or the world’s systems.  This does not mean the LORD cannot use them or move through them as tools for dealing with men and His people. The scriptures are replete with examples of His using evil Kings, Pharaohs, and Rome for His purposes.  But His Kingdom is His! These worldly political entities and constructs never replace it, nor do these establish it. Kingdom reign requires a commitment and allegiance to Jesus Lordship and nothing else.  

Does this mean you can’t participate in your rights as a citizen of the United States, or whatever earthly entity you may come from.  No! Can you not be a Republican, Democrat, Libertarian or whatever. No!  Of course, you can exercise your rights and belong to whatever you may.  However your commitment to nation and party end where they cross the Lordship of Jesus, and you must realize that compromise may be difficult. His Kingdom will often be at odds with the world’s systems.   It also often means to trust, or put your hope, in these entities over and above the Kingdom, is to reject trusting the King/Lord and seeking first the Kingdom. Our security is not found in the world’s kings and political parties or systems. Our security is in the authority of Jesus.

God never wanted His people to have any King or government but Him.

[1Samuel 8:1-9 NASB] 1 And it came about when Samuel was old that he appointed his sons judges over Israel. 2 Now the name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; [they] were judging in Beersheba. 3 His sons, however, did not walk in his ways, but turned aside after dishonest gain and took bribes and perverted justice. 4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah; 5 and they said to him, “Behold, you have grown old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint a king for us to judge us like all the nations.” 6 But the thing was displeasing in the sight of Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And Samuel prayed to the LORD. 7 The LORD said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people in regard to all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being king over them. 8 “Like all the deeds which they have done since the day that I brought them up from Egypt even to this day–in that they have forsaken Me and served other gods–so they are doing to you also. 9 “Now then, listen to their voice; however, you shall solemnly warn them and tell them of the procedure of the king who will reign over them.”

Right after this the LORD gives Samuel a warning, which he delivers to the people about how their sons will be forced to be soldiers of the king, how their daughters will be forced to labor for the king, and how they will be taxed heavily to serve the king and his purposes. Sound familiar?

Then the Lord tells Samuel to listen to the voice of the people and give them a King and directs Him to Saul.   Saul and David both proved to be fairly decent kings, but from there on in Israel, Solomon forward, the burden on the people became hard and heavy and, often, evil.  

You can seek THE KING and HIS KINGDOM in Jesus, or you can be ruled by other than.  To desire the politics or world’s systems to provide and judge, or to trust in them,  to put your hope in them, can be to reject Him from being King/Lord over you. Most of us want what we want, and the truth is we, generally, want to be the King of our lives.  But the gospel of the Kingdom leads us to a place of crucifixion of that desire.

Those functioning in the gospel of the Kingdom are grounded and focused on the LORDSHIP/authority of Jesus, not the ways, systems, and devices of the world. The LORD does not advance His Kingdom in this age by wielding power physically or politically, or by violence. So we cannot expect to advance or exhibit the Kingdom through the exhibition of physical or political power or resorting to violence.  The Kingdom advances, and is exhibited, by those who have no life or power of their own, but have a God given ability, under His authority, to lay their life down and suffer as Jesus did (Philippians 2) in obedience to the Father and His purpose. They trust in the Lordship of Jesus whatever their circumstances, rather than trust in themselves and the world’s politics or power.

You may want to stop reading here.  This will get a bit lengthy from here as I address the current state of religion as politics.  And a warning: I will wax a bit political here. 

I have no,  read that as none, interest in so-called Christian Nationalism, for as I stated just now above I do not embrace the idea of God intending to establish the Kingdom  through the current constructs of man.  I do have interest in making us aware of what is happening in the world, and particularly in the country most of us call our present locality: The U.S.A.  I have no desire to be an alarmist, for I know Who is in control and what Kingdom I’m in and represent as an ambassador. But, as that ambassador I am interested in our being aware because, I think  it will affect us as the church (1 Peter 1:11, 2;11 Peter calls us aliens – we are dwelling in a foreign place)  as we face the adversaries/enemies I outlined above, and in the message back in 1984.   In recent years, and if you have been watching news certainly in recent weeks,  Islam and Socialist/Communist have been making inroads into American politics and culture.  

What follows now is piece I wrote back in 2015 which was based on the message I shared back in1984:

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When I was in full time ministry in1984 at Fellowship Christian Center in Cedar Rapids , Ia, I taught  (preached)  that the greatest threats to the gospel/Christianity were 3-Secular Humanism, 2.-Communism, and number 1- Militant Islam. I remember some thinking I was crazy for that at the time. But the difficulty then, and now, is that politically our Western mindset/paradigm cannot comprehend this kind of “religious” mindset.  Nor do our governmental leaders understand Islam (particularly radical Islam, nor radical Christianity for that matter). Political leadership’s thinking is, and has been: “that if religious ideology doesn’t matter much in Washington or Berlin or London, surely it must be equally irrelevant in Raqqa or Mosul.” (today that would be Tehran)

The difficulty is that there is a difference between religion-as-politicians-like-to-think-of-it and religion that becomes a political ideology.  Politicians, particularly those that are primarily secularist, like the crop we, for the most part, have in the United States, and have had for decades now, see religion as a kind of benign kind of thinking that is not backed by fact or reason, and they embrace an ecumenical approach to all religion(s) with tolerance, if not acceptance.  That is why President Obama became almost the defender of Islam. Not the Islamic terrorist exactly, but the religion. He couldn’t bring himself to embrace the fact that the faith of his father can be embraced in a manner that is militant and violent (political). Or, he could face it, but would not confess it for his own political expediency and that of his party.  He appeared to be as much at a loss to understand it as the average so-called Christian is in trying to understand Westboro Baptist behavior. The problem with this is that inside many religions, particularly, the three great monotheistic religions (Christianity, Islam, and Judaism) are fundamentalist that cannot tolerate any other basis for truth than that which they embrace and understand.

This form of exclusivity is ripe for political fervor.  Politics, after all, is very much like religion.   There is much evidence that political leaning and reasoning is based on innate, non-rational principles. People often reason badly about politics, that is why it divides people so deeply.  Many, otherwise intelligent people, strongly believe only their political beliefs are true as well. Even to the end that they hate, cannot tolerate, will not dialogue with, and want no association with anyone of another party or political persuasion   So, if people will not give up their religion when it seems there is often no evidence supporting it, we cannot be surprised when they don’t give up their particular political bent and thinking even when it cannot be supported by evidence of effectiveness. Or even a history of failure. And, we certainly can’t be surprised when the two (religion and political ideology) are mixed that the result is something people will sacrifice and die for, as well as do major harm to others to establish and propagate.

Our western political leaders cannot make the distinction between religion-as-they-think-it-to-be, and religion that has become political ideology. (NEW CURRENT NOTE HERE: Make no mistake. Islam is a religion that is a political ideology!) The politicians can’t comprehend the numbers of people who are not focused on the kingdoms or political powers of this world, but on the kingdom rule of God on the earth. The goal of Nazism and Communism was world domination. The goal of Islam and Christianity is also world domination (if not domination, adherence). That is why they will be at odds with one another.  And, why they can be at odds with political governments, at their most radical and fundamental levels.

The difference in Christianity and Islam is fundamentalist terroristic Islam sees justification for establishing dominion by force/violence in their scriptures and the example of their Prophet endorsing doing so. Christianity, on the other hand, looks toward a day that every knee will bow and every tongue will confess Jesus is Lord in a Kingdom He has already established in their scriptures, and set up now in their hearts. And, then His example is humility and sacrifice to the point of His own death in order to establish His Kingdom authority (See Philippians 2:3-11). It was by His death, burial and resurrection, ie: the fullness of God’s love expressed and modeled by Him, His rule in the hearts of men became available. No one is forced into submission.  His radical followers only find by Jesus, example and teaching, that His dominion is established and expands through He drawing men, heart by heart, into submission that is only gained by love. And His dominion/Kingdom is revealed and empowered by the Holy Spirit in them, His followers.  His kingdom is not of this world. (But, His Body, the church brings the Kingdom near, in their midst, among them, even as He did with the Pharisees in Luke 17).

Until Western political entities understand the difference between religion and a religion as a political ideology, and are willing to take the politically incorrect actions to deal with those embracing a religious political ideology, the terrorist will continue to strike. They will die for what they believe and will recruit others to do so.  Unfortunately, as they multiply in their religious fervor and number of converts, they will strike in more and more places.  The only way to stop them is to prove to them that their god is not God. And, even then, as when Pharaoh chased Israel into the Red Sea to his destruction, He/God will have to do the proving.

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The one difference I see now clearly, in years since 1984, is that Islamist have adopted the communist/socialist approach of  taking over through patient, consistent, and incremental steps, and plans for indoctrination, acceptance, and slowly taking positions of power/influence while increasing their numbers just enough to matter. 

The universities/academia have enabled this thinking since my college era. And the 20 and 30 something’s of today are now bringing it home to roost.  This happening just as Detroit and Minneapolis and other areas have been inundated with Islamic immigrants who come on student visas with no plan to go back home ever.  I once worked with a Pakistani Moslem selling shoes at Dillard’s. I asked him about his faith and plans to take his education back home. He said there was no plan to go home, but to bring his father, mother, sisters and brothers here when he can.  He said they come on student visas, marry each other here,  and have kids that anchors them  here.   Then, they stay on green cards, then citizenship, and try to get extended family here as well. He was outlining their plan for taking dominance. And today  after patience, consistent, incremental implementation of plans, finally many those original Islamic “anchor” citizens are now voters.   This is the result of having no reasonable immigration policy, and letting universities indoctrinate America’s youth with communist/socialist utopia ideology and historical misrepresentations.

 I hear some young people say this is all nothing new. The U.S. has been divided before and seen things like this before and survived. 

At 73, I can tell you this is not just another move like before. Yes, The nation has been divided before…. Civil war … Viet Nam.  But it has not been in gridlock by partisan politics like this… where party over principle is chosen every time by our “leaders” at both state and federal levels.   We do not have a representative driven constitutional republic at the moment, because the politicians don’t represent their constituents/voters  at home,  in the House, or their state, in the Senate. They only represent their party and  how to hold on to party power. This leaves an opening for small minority postions to wield great influence in party politics. Only very short Term Limits would change this . (All you have to do is look at the executive branch at state and federal levels to see term limits work. The president and state governors,  who are term limited,  change/turn over all the time. We need term limits at every level. No more professional politicians. Cut their lifetime benefits and perks as well) Of course, DC politicians will never enact term limits.

But…. Having said that;  That is not the primary difference between now and times past.  Most of you are too young to remember the America of my childhood . The post WW2 era.  America emerged as the Superpower. The Nazis were defeated, but the Bolsheviks increased their hold in Russia and Mao in China. The communist were emboldened and enabled. 

Russian/USSR Premier Nikita Khrushchev boldly proclaimed he didn’t fear Atomic war, because they would take us “without firing a shot “. The long term goals of indoctrination started then in the education system and in the culture. The revolution was not going to be overnight or violent. It would be patient, consistent, incremental. And it has been … beginning with academia and spreading into the culture. It was the so-called “Cold War”, because nuclear warfare had proven itself unthinkable at the end of WWII and nobody wanted, and still even now wants, that repeated. Particularly as several nation states now have weaponry, and some enough to wipe out humanity. 

We thought we had won the Cold War when President Reagan told Premier Gorbachev “tear down that wall” and the Berlin Wall fell and the USSR broke apart.  But the indoctrination attack of socialist/communist ideology, misleading re-written history, anti-god secular humanism, antisemitism, and embracing ever more immoral and liberal cultural standards continued. The Cold War invasion continued. 

And, since 1979 or so, militant Islam replaced, to some degree, Communist countries as the seemingly greater threat for physical war/violence.  The physical violence of Madmen Moslem terrorism events, however is just a distraction by them to steal focus from their real attack. Islamist have adopted the same patient, incremental, type  plans as  the communists/socialist to take power positions, increase influence and acceptance, and continue to increase their numbers in our borders,  and take over that I outlined above.  Assimilation is not the goal.

Now, we even see the socialist and Islamist teaming up in pro Palestinian arenas and demonstrations. Shouting antisemitic and anti-America slogans.  Strange bedfellows, because the Islamist, if they take over will not be tolerant to women, gays, or anyone that doesn’t come under Sharia law. That is exactly what happened in pre-IRDC Iran. Socialist and Hardline Islamist overthrew the monarchy in a collaborative effort in 79. After the Shah was ran out of the country the new Islamist regime murdered the socialist.

We have never been under this kind of concerted subversive attack, and to this degree.

Note: at same time… since the mid 70s we lost the 4th branch of government the founders counted on to hold the constitutionally mandated official 3 (Legislative/Executive/Judicial) in check. A Free Press. While our press is constitutionally free and independent of government… it is now, unfortunately, a Partisan Press and has become an attack dog with slanted reporting from both sides. It is now a watchdog to none!  Instead of being the watchdog guardian of truth for all a Free Press was intended to be,  it is now a lapdog of the parties on both sides of the political spectrum..

My sense is that the coalition of socialist-communist-Islamist are making progress in winning  what we may call the “new cold war.”

I trust the Lord. But, I also know He uses evil kings and governments for His  purpose to deal with His own (Ever read Jeremiah or Isaiah). And, particularly those who have been blessed in His favor and then turn away to serve idols.

I won’t go on.

I may not live to see it at my age. But I do fear for my kids and grandkids under a congress under the influence or control of even a small faction of Islamist and Communist/Socialist.  I don’t hate anybody personally. I pray they come to Jesus.  But, I know  history has proven them to be liars, immoral, and ruthless. 

Even 2-5 per cent in congress (8 or 10 seats) can do great damage with their hatred for America, our constitution, Judeo-Christian foundations and history.

They already very nearly rule Europe now …particularly Germany and France… the UK is the next domino. All these countries already have large Islamic communities from open immigration policies, and established Sharia courts operating outside their constitutions! 

The United States …. whom they call the Great Satan is wanted most of all!   Again, not to be alarmist… but to warn and be aware. If we don’t stop or slow this in the next few years/elections it may be too late and perhaps irreversible outside of civil war or worse.

Finally,   some insights from a Facebook post my friend and fellow believer Lanny Swim shared.  He did not write it. Someone named Kristanza Maria did  (take it as just that, a Facebook post that may be accurate. It may not be, but it is interesting:

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ISLAM DOESN’T NEED A MAJORITY. IT ONLY NEEDS YOU TO BELIEVE IT DOES.

It isn’t the numbers that decide it. It’s the will.

The argument sounds reasonable: Muslims are only 1.5%, it would take 350 years before they’re the majority. But the whole calculation rests on one mistake, that Islam has to be the majority to take power. It doesn’t.

And let’s get the numbers straight.

The 1.5% is in America. There, Muslims make up around one and a half percent of the population, and that figure is rising, not falling.

In Europe the picture is entirely different. Here the share is about 6% and climbing, up from just under 5% a few years ago. That’s roughly 46 million people.

But even 6% tells you almost nothing, because Muslims aren’t spread evenly across the continent. They’re concentrated in the cities, and there the reality looks like this: Marseille around 25%. Brussels around 25%, and in districts like Molenbeek far higher. Malmö around 20%. Birmingham and Bradford around a quarter. Copenhagen, London and Paris around 10 to 15%. And among the young, the ones who shape what comes next, the figures are higher still everywhere.

That’s where daily life is lived. That’s where the schools fill up, the shops change, the streets shift and the votes are decided. A national average is a statistical fog. Reality lives in the district.

The “350 years” is pure fantasy. The number assumes nothing changes for three and a half centuries. Same birth rates, same immigration, year after year. But the birth rate is higher, the population is younger, and the immigration continues. Assimilation…not so much.

And power was never about headcount anyway. A society isn’t steered by the many. It’s steered by whoever is most organised and least willing to back down. The passive majority folds every time. A small, insistent group can rewrite the rules for everyone else, not because it’s large, but because it never yields. That’s how Islam gains ground in the West, not by counting heads, but by being the one that never retreats.

And it isn’t only Islam.

The same mechanism shows up everywhere. A small group that never gives in moves the entire culture in a few years, while the majority gives way to avoid the trouble. (Maria gives some examples here, mostly of woke political policies, which I will edit here… as pertinent examples, but off topic)

The thread through all of it is the same. None of these movements was ever a majority. They were simply the ones who never gave in, while you watched and told yourself it would blow over on its own.

That’s why it’s dangerously naive to lean back and point at 1.5% or 6%. Islam doesn’t have to be the majority to dominate. No ideology does. It just needs to be willing, while you sleep.

Wake up!

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Wake up may be a bit strong for some.  But, do let us be aware and vigilant as the church, that we are salt and light, ambassadors for Christ, and conduits for the Kingdom to pour through in the face of adversaries and an often dark and perverse generation.

Paul wrote the church at Philippi as the working out their salvation from persecution the following:

[Philippians 2:12-15 NASB95] 12 So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for [His] good pleasure. 14 Do all things without grumbling or disputing; 15 so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, 

One line that came from it discussing 1st Corinthians 14, as we did in a gathering recently, I thought was very insightful. It briefly outlines the intent of Paul”s exhortation to the church at Corinth.  Stephen (sorry no last name for attribution because the video is no longer available. Perhaps Art can fill us in later) shared the instructions intent was to produce:   

“Participatory meetings, and orderly spontaneity, with the goal of edification” 

The ‘ principle of participation”, (as I now recall) suggested might even be likened to a commandment of the Lord. I share that mindset in so much as I think it incumbent on each of us to come to gatherings, not just to spectate and see if God shows up, and not to just receive. But it is our responsibility to come as stewards of the gifts within us and as stewards/servants of the Holy Spirit in the Lord Jesus.  It is our responsibility to gather and come expecting the Holy Spirit to use even me to edify others, to be sensitive to what He is doing and saying in our gathering and minister in like manner.

I repeat here some of what I shared back in ’23 regarding this. 

Yes, The Holy Spirit will do whatever He wants done through the likes of you and me.  He will not force you to share or do anything but, if you are sensitive, He will draw out of you what is needed for others.

There will be an opportunity to share and pray with one another, and let the LORD minister through us. And, for us to express ourselves in love and worship, praise and thanksgiving, to Him. Come be blessed and edified, and  be a blessing and to edify others.

A principle of participation was the norm for the church in Paul’s day.  The question in my mind is how did it change, and platform performance to spectators become the norm in our time? It is a deep question.  I could oversimplify, with some sense of truth to it, and say it came as saints became insensitive to the Holy Spirit doing the work of ministry through them, and preferred to leave “ministry” to the clergy/hierarchy.  There is probably more to it. But, that principle of “trusting” the man of God rather than hearing from God has has been alive in well in God’s people since  Moses  (Exodus 20:18-20, Deuteronomy 5:5) , and when they requested a King and got Saul instead of God as King (1st Samuel 8:8 and following).  It has existed since the garden as men chose knowledge of rule and regulation over life in the intimacy of feeding on He Who is life, in the choice to take from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good And Evil over eating from the Tree of Life.

The principle of participation requires listening to Him and sensitivity to Him in serving others, in and through Him. 

The video exhortation mentions  “Participatory meetings, and orderly spontaneity, with the goal of edification” 

Edification in its simplest definition means to “build up”  or  to uplift, enlighten, strengthen, encourage, help to improve. It always has a positive effect. However, it does not necessarily always come from a positive word or action.

The point of our participatory gatherings is edification.  Every week I send these messages I quote 1 Corinthians 14: 26

[1Corinthians 14:26 NASB95]  26 What is [the outcome] then, brethren? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification.

Note the participatory nature of Paul’s instruction.  WHEN YOU ASSEMBLE (plural -come together, convene, cohabit, associate with), EACH ONE HAS (every one, any one,  each/every man woman) has something to offer  or bring. Let it be done to build up the whole assembly and each other.

[1Corinthians 14:12 NASB95] 12 So also you, since you are zealous of spiritual [gifts,] seek to abound for the edification of the church.

In  context, in these two verses the apostle was dealing with the expression of tongues and prophecy in the church at Corinth.  But, he makes it clear that no matter the gift, the outcome and goal is to be edification of the church as a whole and each member.   To do this requires a sensitivity to the Spirit, and developing both the willingness to be used by Him, and the control of our self-will to be submitted to Him.

A community of servants functioning under the Lordship of Jesus administered by the Holy Spirit in residence in each of us. Orderly spontaneity given to edification. 

Recently I hear and read a lot about what God is doing in the church today. Many point to Apostles and Prophets, in particular,  and other four/five fold ministry gifts.  I believe in these gifts (what I have referred to in the past as Ephesian 4:11 “ministry gifts”) to the church. Their scriptural purpose is to equip saints for the work of ministry (edification?). Their purpose is not to call attention to themselves or simply stir people up about the latest and greatest “move”.

All too often in 50 years in the faith I have witnessed platform ministry stirring people up, but not changing nor edifying them.  And very often simply lifting up a hierarchy of men with supposed “gifts” and “authority”, but not building up the community of servants that is the Body of Christ and equipping them.  The result has been a form of Christianity that is a mile wide and inch deep because it calls people to a movement and a moment and not to Jesus. Nor a call to losing yourself and your identity in Him and to a more costly discipleship that comes from following Him, not  men, into laying your life down for others in love and service under His direction.

I long to see the restoration of all things, and the mighty miracle, in the church/ekklesia.  But I don’t see it coming through APEPT  directed “movements” or platform ministry, but through saints functioning in as a community of servants in participatory gatherings of orderly spontaneity focussed on edification of saints and reaching the unbelieving and pershing. 

Authentic APEPT ministry is primarily one on one, not from the platform, and builds a community of servants in their relationship to Him/Jesus, and in their relationships of loving others in the Body and sharing life with, and in service to, them. And, to relationships of loving those that are perishing without Him, through practical mission and service to them, again, under His direction and Lordship.

I too believe God is moving in our time to do wondrous things in His church. But it “ain’t gonna  be” through flashy platform performance, but in a community of servants that move in Him/Jesus with the earmarks of humility and love in the power of the Holy Spirit that reveals the Father and calls attention to Him/Jesus, not themselves, or their ministry or office. Jesus turned the world upside down through a very small community following Him and He is still doing so. 

[Romans 15:2 NASB95]  2 Each of us is to please his neighbor for his good, to his edification.

[Ephesians 4:29 NASB95] 29 Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such [a word] as is good for edification according to the need [of the moment,] so that it will give grace to those who hear.

Are you at rest in Jesus?  It is an important question and consideration.

The writer of Hebrews covers Israel being delivered from Egypt (picture of bondage to the World and its systems) early at the end of Chapter 3 speaking of our need to encourage one another every day with the truth of our deliverance in Jesus: 

 [Hebrews 3:13-14 NASB95] 13 But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is [still] called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end,

And using Israel as an example of people of God that did not enter His rest because of unbelief:  

[Hebrew 3:18-19 NASB95] 18 And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who were disobedient? 19 [So] we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief.

I share this not out of desire to use some fear tactic to scare into action and piety, but simply to remind us of our need of daily encouragement, and  the need of focusing on the truth of the rest/sabbath that is ours in Him/Jesus.     The writer continues in Hebrews 4 to remind us  of that Sabbath which is His, and which we are invited to live in:

[Hebrews 4:1-11 NASB95] 1 Therefore, let us fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it. 2 For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard. 3 For we who have believed enter that rest, just as He has said, “AS I SWORE IN MY WRATH, THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST,” although His works were finished from the foundation of the world. 4 For He has said somewhere concerning the seventh [day:] “AND GOD RESTED ON THE SEVENTH DAY FROM ALL HIS WORKS”; 5 and again in this [passage,] “THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST.” 6 Therefore, since it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly had good news preached to them failed to enter because of disobedience, 7 He again fixes a certain day, “Today,” saying through David after so long a time just as has been said before, “TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS.” 8 For if Joshua had given them rest, He would not have spoken of another day after that. 9 So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. 10 For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His. 11 Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through [following] the same example of disobedience.

If you look at the underlined portions here it is readily apparent that there is a rest, a Sabbath that is HIS. Also apparent is that (vs3) we who believed enter that rest.  “HIS works were finished from the foundation of the world” and He has “rested from all His works.” And, (vs 10) assures us that we may enter His rest. And, if we have, we rest from our works, “just as God did from His.”  We are then admonished by the ultimate oxymoron “be diligent to enter that rest”

Keep in mind our spiritual adversary is a liar, the Father of lies, and daily tries to lead us into unbelief and disobedience through the lie, and will try to rob us of that Sabbath/rest.

So, also discussed here (vs1) the “fear”, although not being used as a fear motivation, that while that rest is a reality we may come short of it?  How could that happen? If, as indicated (vs2), indeed we have had good news preached to us, How?

It happens when the word we have heard is not believed/received and does not becomes, or united with, faith. As I have shared many times faith is not initiated in or by us,  it is not something we well up or work up by strong mental assent or “hard’ believing.  It is initiated by God speaking to us. (Romans 10:17a … faith comes by hearing). When He speaks there is faith, if He hasn’t there isn’t any.  But, faith has two parts. There is the speaking (initiation) by God, and the doing (response of obedience to what He has spoken) by us.  The kingdom principle from the scriptures is the outworking of hearing is faith, the outworking of faith is obedience, the outworking of obedience is seeing the fulfillment or what He has promised or spoken to you about.  

This is once again evidenced here.  The writer says regarding Israel they also had good news given, preached to, them just like us,“but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard.”  They heard, but the outworking was not faith in this case, because “it was not united” with faith: received/believed/walked out/obeyed. As a result they failed to enter His rest. Vs 6 indicates “those who formerly had good news preached to them failed to enter because of disobedience”.  And, the writer’s admonition to those still outside of His rest is “TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS.” .

And, his encouragement is that (vs 9) “there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God “ and we should be diligent to enter by letting hearing His voice have its outworking in faith that produces obedience,  rather than the unbelief that produces  “the same example of disobedience.”

Please understand this, from the writer of Hebrews, nor from me, is not an exhortation to works, or works righteousness  True faith does not lead us to performance of  works we dream up, or a response to rule and regulation/law,  to try to appease or please Him of our own initiative.   The exhortation is to simply walk with Him, hearing His voice, and doing what He directs as you do. It is in walking with Him, listening to His voice we find that rest/Sabbath and enter in. 

Jesus spoke a very similar oxymoron in Matthew 11:

[Matthew 11:28-30 NASB95] 28 “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. 29 “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. 30 “For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

As I have shared before, this is a great paradox as a yoke is an implement of labor.  You yoke oxen together to pull the load and for labor.  When we are yoked to Jesus, we simply walk beside Him co-laboring with Him. He pulls the bulk of the load, and we do not grow weary. We, rather, find rest/Sabbath in Him.  His yoke is easy, His burden is light. 

Stop trying to be diligent to work from your own initiative or plans to do something for Him or to please Him. It will wear you out!   Think about it! He is Almighty God, Omnipotent, He is all sufficient within Himself.  He does not need anything! He does not need anyone to do anything for Him. However, He desires us to walk with Him doing what He is doing. As Jesus put it: 

[John 5:19 NASB95] 19 ….”Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless [it is] something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner.   

Performance will lead you to disobedience doing what you think He wants, rather than serving from knowing what He wants and is doing in the moment or situation.  Be diligent to enter His rest by simply listening to His voice. Listening will lead to obedience in doing what He directs as He leads.  Laboring for Him of your own design will be ineffective, frustrating, and tiring. Co-laboring with Him, walking beside Him, yoked to Him, will be extremely effective, and bring rest and peace.  Be diligent to enter that rest!

A few days ago when looking for a song by once prominent Christian music artist Wayne Watson, I ran across this he posted on Facebook :We were in church yesterday. Why is church hard sometimes? Why?

There were many, mostly compassionate responses in the comments of the post. Having seen Mr. Watson in ministry many times, and met him at Christian radio events I was part of a few times (but we were nowhere near close friends). And, knowing he is about the same age as I, has sons the age of my daughters, and, with his CCM career paralleling mine in CCM radio for years. And, his leading worship in church bodies which I have done coupled with my leading church bodies as an elder/teacher in expressions in several locales, and in fellowships. And, finally, our both having some ties to Houston where he lived and ministered for sometime as a worship leader until retiring.    I have always sensed a kind of loose kindred experience with him, if from afar. With that said, as I read his posted question I sensed, I think in the Spirit, I needed to respond with a bit more depth than some from my experience with a different path I took back in 2008 into what we now call “church”; as I moved away from a traditional expression of the Body of Christ to meeting/gathering in our home since that time.

Here is my ” Facebook comments”response to his post:  

Because the western culture platform to spectator form we call “church” isn’t the “church” -ekklesia- of the New Testament Gospels and epistles. It is focused on duty-filling religion and the transfer of knowledge rather than relationships of love and service and saints/believers/Christians manifesting the fullness of Jesus in open and participatory gatherings for the purpose of edification… and worship in Spirit and truth. We are to be the church, not go to church or be in church. We, the church, are to be under his Headship functioning as “His body, the fullness of him that fills all in all.” (see Ephesians 1:22-23) Ephesians 1:18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,19 and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might20 which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.22 And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church,23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. Ephesians 3:8 To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ,9 and to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God who created all things;10 so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places. Until the form serves God’s intended function… church will be “hard”, … cold … dead. But, once you’ve experienced true fellowship in that open and participatory form focused on releasing and edifying all, and true worship of Him through relationships functioning as His body, and free from hierarchy, you will never be satisfied with platform to spectator focus on entertainment and the relay/transfer of just information about Him. You can “go to church” … or you can function in fellowship with He and the Father in relationship with each other as His body in love and service 1John1:3 what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.

As I contemplated and proofread this response I was drawn to consider my summation. 
Until the form serves God’s intended function… church will be “hard”, … cold … dead. But, once you’ve experienced true fellowship in that open and participatory form focused on releasing and edifying all, and true worship of Him through relationships functioning as His body, and free from hierarchy, you will never be satisfied with platform to spectator focus on entertainment and the relay/transfer of just information about Him. You can “go to church” … or you can function in fellowship with He and the Father in relationship with each other as His body in love and service

If you have been around me over the last 18 years of meeting in what has been termed “house church”, “simple church”, “organic church”, “open and participatory gathering”  etc. etc. You have heard me say there is no “magic” in meeting in homes (or a building for that matter), it just seems to fit a more biblical template. I have visited and read much about “house church” gatherings where they have simply moved the “traditional western culture hierarchy and form to the living room of some home. Nothing much changes but for being a bit smaller and perhaps really knowing names relationally.  You see: The “magic” is not in the form. It is in the function of the body under the direction/Headship of Jesus through the Holy Spirit that is in, ie…Whom has been given…, to each individual member. … 

But, once you’ve experienced true fellowship in that open and participatory form focused on releasing (all) and edifying all, and true worship of Him through relationships functioning as His body, you will never be satisfied with platform to spectator focus…

Each week in this space I dutifully send out a notice of gathering repeating: We focus on being sensitive to the Holy Spirit moving through each one to encourage and build each other up, the edification of all, and Pray now about how the Holy Spirit may inspire, move in, and through you.  And I quote 1 Corinthians 14:26 as our guideline for gathering What is the outcome then, brethren? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. 1 Corinthians 14:26.

  
So, the question is:  What is our corporate/gathering/body of Christ experience truly? Is it 1st Corinthians 14:26 in an open and participatory gathering where When you assemble, each one has is focused on as well as  Let all things be done for edification?  Or, like Wayne Watson are we left asking “Why is church so hard sometimes? Why?”

If meeting with Jesus is central to our gathering with each other, if He/Jesus is to be manifested and experienced and given preeminence, and if being released in Him by the Holy Spirit to edify those we gather with and love, then being the church should not be hard… or cold… or dead… Or just moving through the form of another meeting out of duty leaving us with such questions.  Shouldn’t it rather be moving actively in service by the Spirit to do His/Jesus will, work, and purpose, in and through us,  to His glory, and the building up/edification, encouragement, and love of one another. That, if so,  should leave us with the warmth of having just encountered a “road to Emmaus” meeting with Him. “Were not our hearts burning within us while He was speaking to us…” (Luke 24:32)

Paul gives much attention in his writing to what we might call the Body principle. Particularly in his letter to the church at Rome (chapter 12) and Corinth (1st Corinthians chapter 12,13,14) . Consider a few here.

[Romans 12:4-13 NASB95] 4 For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, 5 so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. 6 Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, [each of us is to exercise them accordingly:] if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith; 7 if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching; 8 or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness. 9 [Let] love [be] without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 [Be] devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; 11 not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12 rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, 13 contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality.

Not much exposition needed here, but to say we function as His body and members of it by the grace he gives. Do let me say way too much is made out of the phrase “according to the proportion of his faith” This is not referencing size or largeness  or greatness of faith. This (faith) is not something you have welled and worked up. It is simply referencing your confidence that He/The Holy Spirit has spoken to you regarding that which He desires for you to do or say to edify/build up/ encourage, serve and love others.   So, don’t hold back in fear of others, or intimidation of the enemy for he loves to scare us into quenching the Spirit. As Paul told Timothy “stir up/kindle afresh the gift that is in you ….God has not given us a spirit of timidity (cowardice), but of power and love and discipline (sound judgment). Respond erring on the side of actively being used of the Lord/the Spirit (and letting Him or elders correct you if you do err. You will learn to hear His voice and respond in obedience better as He deals with such errors), rather than erring on the side of doing nothing and quenching the Spirit and any resulting edification. As long as your motivation is edification based in love serving the Lord, not lifting up or drawing attention to yourself or the gift of grace manifested, you will rarely go wrong. 

[1Corinthians 12:1, 3-14, 27 NASB95] 1 Now concerning spiritual [gifts,] brethren, I do not want you to be unaware. … 3 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus is accursed”; and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit. 4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. 6 There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all [persons.] 7 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another [various] kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills. 12 For even as the body is one and [yet] has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. 14 For the body is not one member, but many. … 27 Now you are Christ’s body, and individually members of it.

Without detailed comment, let us note that again the apostle makes it clear he is not opposed to the manifestation of “spirituals”.  In fact he did not want the church at Corinth to be unaware of them. And, after setting up the foundation that those who speak by the Holy Spirit will be lifting up the fact that Jesus is Lord, he goes into the various or variety of gifts the One or Same Spirit may exhibit.  And, although there are varieties of gifts, there is one Spirit.  He wants it clearly understood in verse 7 that each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good! YOU….. YES, EVEN YOU!!! … have been given the indwelling or manifestation of the Holy Spirit, who by the way is very God indwelling you, for a purpose – THE COMMON GOOD: The edification and building up, serving and loving of all others.  The Spirit works all these varieties of gifts, not because you are anything special or need attention drawn to yourself .. or the gift for that matter.. but He distributes to EACH ONE, including you, individually as HE WILLS.  I think you can read that as: according to what the need of the moment and the situation, and those we are gathered with, may be or call for.   Why? Because we are the body and all members of it, and each member has purpose in relationship to the other. He is God and we are not.  It is His body, not ours. We have each one been baptized by the One Spirit into Jesus Body. We have drank of the one Spirit and we are in Him/Jesus. It is not just yourself with or In Jesus as one “personally saved” for just yourself and your pleasure.  But you/we are one of many members saved and sanctified/set apart for His purpose.  Once you grasp this, gathering becomes a great deal more than just “meeting” with others to go through religious duty motions, worship, and hearing the transfer of information about Him. Each of those may be good things, but that ain’t what the ekklesia is called to.  It truly becomes meeting with and manifesting Him, and co-laboring in His purpose; to edify, love and serve others, as the fullness of Him who fills all in all. 

In 1st Corinthians 13  Paul lets us know that all this function must be rooted in love. If not, it is worthless. In my mind that is why the average western culture church is seen as , and becomes to most, cold, hard, religion, and the sterile transfer of information. The only time it comes close to touching people with love is sometimes in the emotional expression of worship in song to the Lord, or sometimes in a gospel presentation clearly proclaiming/outlining the fullness of God’s love expressed in Jesus death and resurrection. But the love Paul outlines is best manifested in a body functioning to manifest Him/Jesus in fullness and edify, serve, and practically love others as empowered and enabled by the Holy Spirit. 

No passage of scripture has probably divided so many as 1st Corinthians 14.  I will hopefully not try to add to that division here but will take a look at a few things here.

[1Corinthisan 14:1-4 NASB95] 1 Pursue love, yet desire earnestly spiritual [gifts,] but especially that you may prophesy. 2 For one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God; for no one understands, but in [his] spirit he speaks mysteries. 3 But one who prophesies speaks to men for edification and exhortation and consolation. 4 One who speaks in a tongue edifies himself; but one who prophesies edifies the church.

Again, Paul makes clear he is not opposed to spiritual gifts. In fact, after the exhortation to Love, he says to desire to be gifted of the Spirit. But especially that you may prophesy. And, if we note the context of his exhortation, his emphasis on prophecy here is not to lift up the gift, nor the prophet, but the place of edification in our gathering. Our coming together is to be focused, centered upon, the purpose of edification. 

 
He clearly outlines here (vs 3) that prophecy will have a triune effect: It will edify, build up, strengthen, solidify, make strong. It will exhort; inspire to change, action, correction, purpose, mission. It will console: comfort, bring solace, bring peace and security. 

From these four verses he will hang the rest of the argument for prophecy in public over speaking in tongues in public, at least without interpretation,  that makes up the context of the rest of this chapter. He in no way is lifting up prophecy above tongues, or denying or suggesting the abolition of tongues as a gift of the Spirit. His argument regards what brings public or congregational edification and what does not. Or, said another way;  what brings personal edification through speaking mysteries to God by the Spirit…. that is tongues… And what brings the church assembly edification, exhortation, and consolation through speaking divine revelation by the Spirit from God to a group/body/gathering of people through their understanding…. that is prophecy…

The modern church has made the whole issue of this passage Tongues or Prophecy. And, for the most part, doing away with and quenching both in our gatherings. That is not Paul’s point! His point is edification of the body/the church through the body/the church!  Which, you may remember, he started with when speaking of gifts for the common good in chapter 12. Our modern cultural assimilation has been to quench prophecy (speaking from divine revelation for edification, exhortation, consolation and more) leaving that to “professional” paid prophets/clergy from platform rather than coming from the body of saints to the saints. To say nothing of quenching even the personal ministry of tongues or the ministry gift of the Prophet in gatherings or simply relegating them to a bygone era.

I will also say here that I am convinced we have made a bit too much of the term “desire that you may prophesy” here.  It brings to our minds the Hollywood movies depiction of a long bearded old man prophet, or a modern wide eyed lunatic looking dude, proclaiming “THUS SAITH THE LORD!!!…. And proclaiming judgment or calamity. Or we see in our minds eye, Jeremiah, Isaiah, Daniel or Ezekiel … or Moses in some form…  doing the same “THUS SAITH THE LORD!”  We think great piety or anointing is required. We rarely ever draw to mind that God may speak through the likes of you and me edification, exhortation, and consolation of something He has divinely inspired or revealed to us for the purpose of edifying others just like us.  And, I would say most can hardly imagine this word of divine inspiration may come to us in the spontaneity of the moment, or it may be something He has been revealing to us over some time and desires for us to share now in the gathering of saints.  

In its base definition and purpose, to prophesy (to be a prophet) in the sense of 1st Corinthians 14, I believe, is to simply speak forth by divine inspiration, and at the direction of Jesus as Head by the Holy Spirit, for the purpose of edification, exhortation, and/or consolation of others.  This is generally very natural and a part of our open conversation and participation. It is generally not lofty and generally is not preceded by “Thus saith the Lord”. It is sharing what He has given you to share for the common good and edification.    

Paul does not say you have to be a “Prophet”, as in the Ephesians 4 ministry gift sense, to prophesy in this context. He simply says desire “especially that you may prophesy”.   And, he does so that edification of the church may prevail. 

Now, before you feed me to the dogs over this:  Yes, I also believe, there are “”Prophets” in the Ephesians 4 sense of ministry gifts to the church, just as there are apostles, evangelists, pastors and teachers given to the church today. And, yes, prophecy can sometimes foretell future events pertaining to the Kingdom of God and His purpose. Yes, there are times where someone ministering as a Prophet (Ephesians 4 gift to the church, what some would call in the “office” of a Prophet) can speak judgement or calamity, …or strong exhortation and direction known only by divine revelation, or may, by the same sort of revelation, simply praise and lift up God and teach others or refute those opposing Him, as they act as one with that Ephesians 4 ministry gift.

But in general, I think that releasing that base definition and purpose in prophesying where all are encouraged to desire that you may prophesy is the apostle’s point here. He was also, of course, interested in bringing some order to their gathering and wanted to curb their practice of everyone just speaking out loud in tongues (because they, or most, could) without interpretation. And he was interested in curbing their talking over one another with known languages of understanding or in tongues. His purpose and point again is the purpose of everything being done for edification.   Hence verse 5, which in no way denies the purpose or power of speaking in tongues, nor says to stop speaking in tongues, but endorses it. He simply explains that. in terms of edification in their gatherings, prophecy is more to be desired and has greater impact and importance; because a the whole church may be edified by it.

[1Corinthisan 14:5 NASB95] 5 Now I wish that you all spoke in tongues, but [even] more that you would prophesy; and greater is one who prophesies than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may receive edifying.

He then goes into a long section outlining the power of tongues and interpretation, and discusses the ministry of praying in the spirit (without understanding) and singing in the spirit (without understanding) and praying and singing with His mind (with understanding). But he reiterates, if you will, his point here that in our gatherings, edification… and order… is the priority.  And that being the case, he would rather speak in gatherings with understanding. He makes it very clear that he appreciates and does both (what is done in the spirit without understanding and that done with the mind and with understanding) . But for the purpose of edification in gatherings, the understanding of all must be served (therefore a message in tongues must be interpreted). 

[1Corinthisans 14:12-19 NASB95] 12 So also you, since you are zealous of spiritual [gifts,] seek to abound for the edification of the church. 13 Therefore let one who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret. 14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. 15 What is [the outcome] then? I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the mind also; I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also. 16 Otherwise if you bless in the spirit [only,] how will the one who fills the place of the ungifted say the “Amen” at your giving of thanks, since he does not know what you are saying? 17 For you are giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not edified. 18 I thank God, I speak in tongues more than you all; 19 however, in the church I desire to speak five words with my mind so that I may instruct others also, rather than ten thousand words in a tongue.

Then follows a series of instructions on order in gatherings which I will not go into (too detailed for this current forum) other than to say he was dealing with people speaking over each other, and all at once and the confusion that comes from exercising your gift(s) out of order, in some sort of compulsion and without sensitivity to the Holy Spirit.   The short stroke of this is that your spirit, even in spirituals/gifts is, is under your control. The Spirit does not drive us, compelling us to disorder and chaos. He draws us… He draws what He desires out of us to edify others and for the common good with order at the proper time. 

[1Corinthians 14:29-33, 39-40 NASB95] 59 Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others pass judgment. 30 But if a revelation is made to another who is seated, the first one must keep silent. 31 For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all may be exhorted; 32 and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets; 33 for God is not [a God] of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints. …  39 Therefore, my brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak in tongues. 40 But all things must be done properly and in an orderly manner.

“So, Randy,”  you say, “What is your point.”?

My point is:  that if we are to meet with Jesus in each other and function as the body under the direction/Headship of Jesus through the Holy Spirit that is in, ie…Whom has been given…, to each individual member. … and experience true fellowship in that open and participatory form focused on releasing (all) and edifying all, and true worship of Him through relationships and functioning as His body,  and leave gatherings with a sense of an Emmaus Road experience of meeting with Him, as opposed to Wayne Watson questions, our hearts must be challenged with our responsibility to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit for the common good. .

Let us understand we are His body and we are stewards of the manifold grace of God as though God is speaking and moving through us. Let us be given to participation under His release and direction and enabling of the Spirit  rather than just spectating and sitting in fear, timidity, silence or believing/thinking God couldn’t possibly move through the likes of me.  Let us not just be like kids who take their glove to the ball park hoping a foul ball comes our way. Let us be prepared, ready and open, for the coach/Holy Spirit to put us in and participate.

[1Peter 4:10-11 NASB95] 10 As each one has received a [special] gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11 Whoever speaks, [is to do so] as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves [is to do so] as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

[1Corinthians NASB 14:26 What is [the outcome] then, brethren? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification.

Praying understanding from Ephesians for us today.

May the eyes of our understanding of the fullness of God’s eternal purpose in Christ be opened. May we have the “spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him”  that Paul prayed for us to have in Ephesians (1:17).  And may we be consumed to some degree with a passion “to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God”  that Paul speaks of in Ephesians (3:9), and with a desire to take up or commission outlined in Ephesians(3:10): “that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly [places.]”

The eternal purpose of God is being worked in, and through, the summing up of us, and all things, in Christ Jesus as His Body, His Bride, and as the Temple/Habitation of God and the Family of the Father (Four types/analogies we find from Genesis to Revelation). The Kingdom of God is being manifested and expressed through our living individually under the Lordship of Christ as the Holy Spirit administrates His will/government/works in and through us.  But, the Kingdom has its most clear expression corporately as we function under Jesus as our Head/Lord as the church/ekklesia which is His Body the fullness of Him that fills all in all.  

[Ephesians1:3-14 NASB95] 3 Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly [places] in Christ, 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world,that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love 5 He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. 7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace 8 which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight 9 He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him 10 with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, [that is,] the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him 11 also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, 12 to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory. 13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation–having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of [God’s own] possession, to the praise of His glory.

[Ephesians 3:8-12 NASB95] 8 To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ, 9 and to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God who created all things; 10 so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly [places.] 11 [This was] in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him.

[Ephesians1:18-23 NASB95] 18 [I pray that] the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. [These are] in accordance with the working of the strength of His might 20 which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly [places,] 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

[1Corinthians 15:24-28 NASB95] 24 then [comes] the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power. 25 For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. 26 The last enemy that will be abolished is death. 27 For HE HAS PUT ALL THINGS IN SUBJECTION UNDER HIS FEET. But when He says, “All things are put in subjection,” it is evident that He is excepted who put all things in subjection to Him. 28 When all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself also will be subjected to the One who subjected all things to Him, so that God may be all in all.

[Collosians 1:13-20 NASB95] 13 For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. 15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created, [both] in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities–all things have been created through Him and for Him. 17 He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. 18 He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. 19 For it was the [Father’s] good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, 20 and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, [I say,] whether things on earth or things in heaven.

Prayerfully consider and listen for the Holy Spirit’s revelation in Jesus.  Ask for download/revelation of the type Paul had and tried to communicate in Ephesians and Collosians. 

I am often convicted regarding how easily distracted I am to be drawn to other priorities of my own interest. If God is knowable, …and He is!… And if He has revealed to us, at least in some measure, the mystery of His will hidden for ages, and our part in His eternal purpose in Jesus,… and He has!…, What other pursuit is there beyond knowing Him and being given to His purpose in Christ? 

Lately, given headlines and times, I have had several conversations with believers regarding  ” the end times” ” the rapture”  and eschatological matters.  

I must say here I do not consider myself an expert, and perhaps not even a very good student, of eschatology. I’ve been a believer since 1971 and the topic has never captured or captivated me the way it does many.  I have always had some sense that I would see what many call  His “coming again” or “the end times” (summing up all things in Christ) in my lifetime.  And, as I am now 73, things better escalate pretty fast if that is to be so.   

As I alluded to above, I always generally have something to say, but I’ve found in this arena there is much division of opinions, and discussion generally does more to divide us than it does draw us together.  And, over most of my life and ministry to others I’ve been more interested in drawing us together in Him, not dividing us. 

For years, those that know me well, know I have said all the eschatology you need is “BE READY”.  I have openly shared, at times,  although I am not dogmatic about it, that if I had to be placed in a particular camp, I would probably be a so-called post tribulation believer (if there is such a thing as a “period of tribulation” and a “catching away”…at least as is traditionally taught), much to the dismay of my beautiful wife, Mary. It’s just what I think I see in the whole counsel of scripture, and I think the best position for “being ready”…. (if I exit early, as Mary predicts, I am blessed… if I go through I am not surprised).  Obviously I have no design to, nor do I care to, go into the fine points and arguments of any particular position.

That said, I will say that in these recent conversations, I have shared fairly strongly that I think we, as the church/believers, get far too exercised and focused on eschatology, particularly eschatology we think we see in the headlines, and such matters. And, we are often far too divided over what is commonly taught as the rapture (Greek word harpazo  ρπάζω), meaning “to snatch away” or “to seize”)  and second coming (Greek term parousia παρουσία, meaning “arrival”, “coming”, or “presence”).  Because of that I have shared that our hope is not in the rapture, nor the second coming. Note: I am not saying these are false teachings or doctrines …however you may embrace them or hear them taught… I have no dog or side in that fight.  What I am saying is: Our hope is in the resurrection.  That is the clear position of scripture and the focus of our gospel good news.  

Without full exposition here I will simply refer you to consider these passages from the latter part of Paul’s 1st letter to the Corinthian church.

[1 Corinthians 15:1-8 NASB95] 1 Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep; 7 then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles; 8 and last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also.

Paul succinctly outlines the gospel he preaches. One they heard and accepted and stand in and that has resulted in their salvation: Christ died for our sins! He was buried….and He WAS RAISED!  In His resurrection He appeared to Peter and the disciples, many… 500 others and to James.  Then He appeared to all the apostles (interestingly these seem to be delineated from “the twelve” already mentioned). And finally, He appeared to Paul (on the road to Damascus). This gospel obviously included the good news that Christ has dealt with our sins, but also makes it obvious that the resurrection; His bodily resurrection and appearance to others is central, a major part, of this good news. 

[1Corinthians 15:9-17 NASB95]  9 For I am the least of the apostles, and not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me. 11 Whether then [it was] I or they, so we preach and so you believed. 12 Now if Christ is preached, that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised; 14 and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain. 15 Moreover we are even found [to be] false witnesses of God, because we testified against God that He raised Christ, whom He did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised; 17 and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins.

Paul is working, co-laboring by the grace of God with the other apostles, but more so in, or with, God who is with him. And that preaching of the Gospel is yielding believers. But he makes it clear again, without Jesus being resurrected from the dead there is no good news, no gospel. The preaching would be worthless, and any belief/faith coming from it would be worthless as well outside of Jesus resurrection. And, pressing the point of the resurrection even further, the apostle emphasizes that if Christ has not been raised…. you are still in your sins. We think His death on the cross alone would have wiped out our sin. But ,the indication here is that His death on the cross alone would have been a powerless tragedy. The resurrection is central to complete the victory over sin overcoming death, which is the resultant penalty of sin, and to swallow death in victory.  It is clear… Your faith, your hope, is the resurrection!

[1Corinthians 15:20-28 NASB95] 20 But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. 21 For since by a man [came] death, by a man  also [came] the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming, 24 then [comes] the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He (Jesus) has abolished all rule and all authority and power. 25 For He (Jesus) must reign until He  (God) has put all His (God/Jesus) enemies under His (Jesus)  feet. 26 The last enemy that will be abolished is death. 27 For HE HAS PUT ALL THINGS IN SUBJECTION UNDER HIS FEET. But when He says, “All things are put in subjection,” it is evident that He is excepted who put all things in subjection to Him. 28 When all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself also will be subjected to the One who subjected all things to Him, so that God may be all in all.

In this section Paul deals with the real and true eschatology, that by far and in the most part is never discussed. An eschatology  that is beyond what the eye has seen or ear has heard of what has entered into the imagination of (not simple pie in the sky when we die) of man. (see 1 Corinthians 2:9)  Note that it is wrapped up in Jesus and the power of His resurrection.  1. He has risen! And, He is the first fruit of the conquered/vanquished power of death.  2. There is set before us a hope… not of, just, or only His coming  again or our catching away… it is the resurrection!  At His coming a resurrection, or change in those not “asleep” will happen. 3. And out of that resurrection the end comes when Jesus hands over the kingdom to God the Father as He has done away with, abolished, and put under subjection, death as the final enemy. Out of  the resurrection life of Jesus all things are subjected to Him, and out summing up  all things in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 1:10) according to God’s eternal purpose in Him (Ephesians 3:8-11, Ephesians 1:20-23), God is all in all.  Our hope is the resurrection!  Death put in subjection under our Lord Jesus’ feet and the Fathers inheritance  in the saints/holy ones (Ephesians 1:18) is delivered to Him. 

[1Corinthians 15:35-39, 42-45 NASB95] 35 But someone will say, “How are the dead raised? And with what kind of body do they come?” 36 You fool! That which you sow does not come to life unless it dies; 37 and that which you sow, you do not sow the body which is to be, but a bare grain, perhaps of wheat or of something else. 38 But God gives it a body just as He wished, and to each of the seeds a body of its own. 39 All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one [flesh] of men, and another flesh of beasts, and another flesh of birds, and another of fish. … 42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown a perishable [body,] it is raised an imperishable [body;] 43 it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; 44 it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual [body.] 45 So also it is written, “The first MAN, Adam, BECAME A LIVING SOUL.” The last Adam [became] a life-giving spirit.

This passage answers the question of how the resurrected body may be. Just as a seed dies as one form but it then is raised up in a form of  life as something totally different. So is the resurrection. Jesus the last Adam died in the flesh as a man, but became a life-giving spirit. As a result that sown perishable became and was raised imperishable,  that sown in dishonor became and was raised to glory, that sown in weakness became and was raised in power.  Yes, that is all applicable to Jesus. It is also us IN HIM, as we see in the following passage as well. 

[1Corinthians 15:47-57 NASB95] 47 The first man is from the earth, earthy; the second man is from heaven. 48 As is the earthy, so also are those who are earthy; and as is the heavenly, so also are those who are heavenly. 49 Just as we have borne the image of the earthy, we will also bear the image of the heavenly. 50 Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory. 55 “O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; 57 but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Our hope is the resurrection! Sin is dealt with, the decrees against us taken away, as its penalty DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in Victory! Our victorious Lord Jesus Christ. As an after note let me again reference John epistle and the hope that he outlined.

[ John 1:1-3 NASB95] 1 What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life– (he is referencing Jesus by all this)  2 and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us– 3 what we have seen and heard (namely Jesus)  we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.

John had seen, touched, heard the living “Word of Life” that became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14) as he walked physically with Jesus. Out of that he testified regarding what he experienced,  what he had seen and heard … the eternal life of God manifested!  His passion was to proclaim that, so that we might have fellowship with with him and his counterparts. But beyond that … that we might have fellowship with the Father, and with His Son Jesus.  I believe John’s heart is to invite us into that same fellowship/koinonia/unity that the Father and the Son have had  and enjoy from eternity past.  A fellowship he knew well because he witnessed the full manifestation of it in Jesus.  A few lines later he would write…… (from my point of view today) concerning eschatology and our hope in the resurrection.

[1John 3:2-3 NASB95] 2 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. 3 And everyone who has this hope [fixed] on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

What glory is ours! What a hope is ours!  And, as I have shared before, I will say here.  The hope John is writing about is not just seeing Him at His appearing again, or seeing Him just as He is… I believe it is the hope of being like Him!  That is an eschatology worth talking about. 

If life keeps delivering challenges, as it always seems too.  I trust you will find some encouragement here. 

May 31, 2025 – Since Life Keeps Coming At You, Find Power in Weakness, and A Recipe for Peace In The Midst of Storms.

It has been a week!  I will not go into detail but to say it has been a bit stressful and tiring and involved some trauma.  And… share the reminder that if there is one thing I have learned in my 72 years, it is that life just keeps coming at you. I am sure you have experienced the same kind of days and weeks.

When I first became a believer in my senior year in high school at the beginning of the Jesus Movement, everyone said “it is a fad and he will get over it”.  I never did get over it. I also heard often that Christianity was “just a crutch”. As though it was for the weak or the somehow handicapped. 

My answer to that is I just don’t care! If it is, then I am happy to be weak and handicapped, because when I am weak he is strong. In fact. His strength/power is perfected when I am at my weakest, and, in fact, like a dead man, unable to respond to anything in my own strength.

[2 Corinthians 12:9-10 NASB95] 9 And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. 10 Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.

That power of Christ is resurrection power, the power that overcame death and brought life, and not just life, but eternal life.    So, when life just keep bringing challenges, stress, and trauma, we have a hope and can indeed press on in him

[Philippians  3:10-12 NASB95] 10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; 11 in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. 12 Not that I have already obtained [it] or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.

Having been a believer walking through challenges, stress, trauma… life…. with this “crutch” of faith and knowing Him and trying to follow after Him, I frankly don’t know how anyone faces a day without it/Him. 

I find myself blessed even in the midst of life coming at me hard.  No, I don’t always have all the answers.  But, I am rarely afraid, and I always have a hope. 

Paul instructed and encouraged the Philippians who were under persecution with this:

[Philippians 4:4-7 NASB95] 4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! 5 Let your gentle [spirit] be known to all men. The Lord is near. 6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Consider what I underlined here. In this is the recipe for finding peace beyond all comprehension in the midst of all life comes at you with. (When I say recipe, please don’t misunderstand.  We don’t work God by recipe. What I mean, is that there is a way in Him to find hope and peace… Paul knew it in all he suffered,  and he knew that Jesus knew it in all He suffered, and the apostle instructed the church at Philippi, and us, with these steps from the his suffering and the example of Christ Jesus and others)

Rejoice in the Lord always. No matter what the situation or circumstance you can find joy in the depth of His love and purpose.

Let your gentle [spirit] be known.  Do not let anger or emotion run away with you. A gentle, humble, meek spirit and a soft answer goes a long way in turning away the wrath of evil men and  advocating for you and Him before them.

The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing.  I have combined two phrases because one is dependent upon the other. Remember God, the LORD, is not far away. He is in the midst of this with you. He never leaves nor forsakes you. He is an ever present help in time of trouble. If we can, keep that one thing in mind. Anxiety is removed. Fear and Anxiety are not to have a great place in the life of a believer. We always have a hope (even beyond death and the grave) and our help is near, even present. Consider the psalmist plea in all of Psalm 42 when it seemed God was faraway, (here is  a taste of it…[Psalm 42:5 NASB95] 5 Why are you in despair, O my soul? And [why] have you become disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him [For] the help of His presence.)

in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Pray, make supplication to Him and let your need be known to Him.  He already knows it, but cry out to Him anyway! And… don’t forget the added instruction here, to mix in THANKSGIVING with your supplication. Remember you enter into His gates with thanksgiving (Psalm 100) and  into His courts with praise. If you want to draw nearer/closer to  Him who is always near you… thanksgiving is key. He hears, and He will save and deliver.  He will bring peace in the storm

The result outlined here is peace. But do consider it is not just any peace; it is the peace of God,… a peace that is supernatural beyond our understanding, a peace  which surpasses all comprehension.

And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

So, whatever life brings, embrace it in Him and find rest and peace being yoked to Him and His purpose.

[Matthew 11:28-30 NASB95] 28 “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. 29 “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. 30 “For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Perhaps we should be spiritually inspired beyond patriotically inspired. 

Paul sometimes calls his co-workers fellow soldiers.    He instructed Timothy as a soldier to be strong!

[2Timoyhy 2:1-4 NASB95] 1 You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. 3 Suffer hardship with [me,] as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier.

[1Timothy 1:18-19 NASB95] 18 This command I entrust to you, Timothy, [my] son, in accordance with the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you fight the good fight, 19 keeping faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith.

[1Timothy 6:12-21 NASB95] 12 Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who testified the good confession before Pontius Pilate, 14 that you keep the commandment without stain or reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which He will bring about at the proper time–He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see. To Him [be] honor and eternal dominion! Amen. 17 Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. 18 [Instruct them] to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, 19 storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed. 20 O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you, avoiding worldly [and] empty chatter [and] the opposing arguments of what is falsely called “knowledge”— 21 which some have professed and thus gone astray from the faith. Grace be with you.Note: 

Staying in the fray evidently is a sure way to keep from “going astray” or seeing “suffer(ing) shipwreck in regard to (your) faith.) Strong instruction and charge to fight the battle and keep fighting.  Jesus did not say it would be easy. Paul does not either. It is a battle and yet, we  serve a conquering King. 

 
Ambasador in Chains – Steve Camp  (click link listen)I started on a lonely road

I was blinded by the light
Something touched my heart and soul
I began to see with different eyes
Now I carry on His message
Taking it to the hearts of every man
I know it’s a rough and narrow passage
And I do not fear what man can do
‘Cause where I go, my God goes too
Mending broken hearts in this troubled land

I’ve been beaten and stoned
I’ve been chained to prison cells
And everywhere I went to Him
I spoke until my throat was raw
And my dry tongue swelled
Carry on, all of my children
There is no greater joy known to man
Than to be arrows of his quiver
And as you’ve launched into the dawn
You will go where I could not have gone
Mending broken hearts with the Savior’s hand
You can be mending broken hearts
With the Savior’s hand

I fought a good fight and I’ve kept the faith
I’ve listened to my Lord and done what is right
And now I’m ready for my grave
Carry on, Timothy, my brother
Be my mouthpiece when I’m gone
Constantly show His love to another
And don’t walk shy because you’re young
You’ll grow strong in the righteous one
Mending broken hearts with the Savior’s hand
You can be mending broken hearts
(You can be mending)
You can be mending broken hearts
(You can be mending)
And you can be mending broken hearts
With the Savior’s hand
You can be mending broken hearts, ow!
With the Savior’s hand

(You can be mending, mending broken hearts)
(You can be mending)
(You can be mending, mending broken hearts)
(You can be mending)
(You can be mending, mending broken hearts)
(You can be mending)
(You can be mending, mending broken hearts)
(You can be mending…)

Attachments area

Preview YouTube video Steve Camp – Ambassador in ChainsPreview YouTube video Steve Camp – Ambassador in Chains

I shared for years that a part of the reason we have always begun with a meal in the fellowship that gathers at my home was because of the example of Act 2:42- 47, a passage directly recorded by Luke after the preaching of Peter on Pentecost, which specifically mentions twice “breaking bread” (and taking their meals together a they met from house to house:

[Acts 2:42-47 NASB95] 42 They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles. 44 And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; 45 and they [began] selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need. 46 Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.

Coupled together with other passages, including the treatment of the Lord’s Supper in I Corinthians 11:23-26 and following, I have had some sense and understanding for years that gathering at table to remember His death and the benefits of salvation and deliverance… and much more … delivered to us by it, and His glorious resurrection, was central to our gathering. And, for me,  gathering has been approached as celebrating Passover every week as the opportunity not just to remember Him and His death (and that deliverance and salvation) until He comes, but to meet with Him manifested in His Body, the church. It is where I can remember His death and its benefits, but also experience the living and resurrected Christ moving in, and through us, just as He did at the Last Supper recorded in scripture.

What follows here is something I shared over a year ago at Passover time, that pretty well, goes over what I shared last Sunday as we gathered:

The centrality of the cross AND the resurrection are well established, let us remember Him and be focused on Him as often as we come together.  

[1Corinthians11:26 NASB95] 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.

Let us gather remembering His death, but not forgetting “until He comes”, for it is in the hope of His coming we find life in His resurrection and remember that He conquered death. Yes, remember His death and all He brought to us by and through it.  But let us remember Him resurrected as well, as often as we come together. That, I think, is the meaning of “This do in remembrance of Me.”

Yes! Let us celebrate Him today/ (IE:) Sunday/Easter/Resurrection Sunday. But let us celebrate Him every time we gather.

In the Luke description of the Last Supper, the Last Passover, he records Jesus’ earnest desire to share the Passover in that hour, but even more so in the Kingdom He was establishing.  And, I think, that Kingdom into which we have been transferred and now live!

[Luke 22:14-20 NASB95] 14 When the hour had come, He reclined [at the table,] and the apostles with Him. 15 And He said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; 16 for I say to you, I shall never again eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” 17 And when He had taken a cup [and] given thanks, He said, “Take this and share it among yourselves; 18 for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine from now on until the kingdom of God comes.” 19 And when He had taken [some] bread [and] given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 20 And in the same way [He took] the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood.

[Colossians 1:13 NASB95] 13 For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, (highly recommend considering  Paul’s exhortation here  in Colossians 1:13-23)

Those that know me well know that I see our weekly gatherings as Passover celebrated every week!  It is the reason we start with sharing a meal.  And, then I/we look to hear from Him,  and fellowship with Him, in our midst and central among us.

May I encourage you to read Matthew 26:17-56, Luke 22:7-46, where the events of the Passover “Last Supper” are treated in brief, and then look at the events of that night in much greater depth in John 13:1 – 18:2. (John often includes what the others left out in his gospel. Here it seems they left out much, that he decided, under inspiration, to include for our edification.)

In these scriptures you will find all the rich types and foreshadows the Jewish Passover held for Jews, the disciples, and for us. But you will also see Jesus institute new elements and a New Covenant with those that would follow Him.  (note; in His Passover celebration remembering the deliverance from Egypt, and salvation, that came by God through the blood of a Passover Lamb, He now institutes a new covenant and points to eating the body and, this time, drinking the blood (where the life is)  of a new Passover Lamb. Himself)

You will also see Jesus wash feet, deal with those of His followers in deep sin, deal with those that were struggling with betrayal – strong in their word of commitment, but weak of heart to stand for Him -, speak of Himself and His provision, speak of His followers future and His purpose and plans in them, point them to the Holy Spirit as comforter and their source of power, and take those He loved into an intimate Garden of suffering to pray and stand with Him.

He did all this on that Last Passover night! And, He is still doing it!  For that Passover to happen there had to be preparations made, and those that came had certain expectations of some rituals and practices that would take place. But, they came primarily with intent to fellowship with Him, to hear Him, and do what He was doing.

Again, I see our weekly gatherings as Passover celebrated every week!  It is the reason we start with sharing a meal, our approach to the Lord’s Supper, although recently  in our fellowship, we also observe a more traditional communion at least once a month as well.

Although we enjoy “reclining at table”  (Matthew 26:20, Luke 22:14, John 13:12)  and may come with some expectations, our intent is to remember Him  and His death and provision to us. But it is also to meet with Him, resurrected, live and well in, and with, us!  I have often said, we don’t want to leave a gathering together talking about having met with each other.  Not that that is bad. But, we want to leave having seen, heard, had fellowship with Him, as we are His body, the fullness of Him that fills all in all. (Ephesians 1:22-23) We want to see Him manifest and present in us.

People often ask me why I am committed to meeting with saints regularly. It is not because I am under any compulsion or rote rule of religion to do so.  I am committed to it because Jesus said according to 1^st Corinthians 11 and the gospels “do this in remembrance of Me”  (I won’t go into detail here), and for me it is Passover every week.  You see, every time we gather I want to remember, celebrate, and fellowship Him.  Just as that first Passover (Last Supper) required some preparations (Matthew 26:17-19, Luke 22:7-13)… so do our gatherings. And, just as those who came then, came with some expectations of fellowship, fun, food,… and some religious stuff, so do many of us come with the same.  And, again, although we enjoy the meal and fellowship, and even some ritual, our intent must be to meet with and hear Him. 

I love meeting with you. I do.

But the only opportunity I have to see Him…

Wash Feet (John 13:5-10)

Deal With Sin (betrayal and weakness in the camp and at the table – (Matthew 26:21, Luke 22:21-27, John 13:18-30)

Strengthen Those Who May Be Struggling With Doubt or Denial   (Matthew 26:31-35, Luke 22:31-34, John 13:37-38)

Hear Him Speak of His Provision, Salvation, Deliverance and more  ( I’ll dispense with vs by vs, but see John chapters14-15 -16)

Hear Him Speak of His Purpose For The Future In Us His Disciples   (John  chapters 14 -15-16)

Hear Him Encourage Us Regarding The Work Of The Holy Spirit In Us ( John chapter 14  & 16)

Have Him Invite Me To Join Him in The Place of Intimate Suffering and Prayer   (Matthew 26:36-46, John chapter 15 & 16)

And, witness His Fullness Manifested  (John 17)

is in gathering with you.

It is Passover every week!  He is still doing what He did that Passover in and through His body, the church, the fullness of Him that fills all in all. (Ephesians 1:22-23)

So, as I have said for years now… “pray now about how the Holy Spirit may use us, and your participation as a functioning member of the Body of Christ, to minister to the Lord and to others.” (end of older post)

If interested, here is another post I read online sometime back by one Edgar Torres that I thought was insightful regarding the relationship of the Lord’s Supper and Passover. I do not know the man, Edgar Torres, personally, and have had no personal correspondence or conversations with him. So, I cannot make any endorsement of him here, other than to say I found this an interesting perspective and worth sharing.

The following scriptures are placed here for understanding a foundation for his post.

[John 6:48-71 NASB95] 48 “I am the bread of life. 49 “Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. 50 “This is the bread which comes down out of heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. 51 “I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread also which I will give for the life of the world is My flesh.” 52 Then the Jews [began] to argue with one another, saying, “How can this man give us [His] flesh to eat?” 53 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves. 54 “He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. 55 “For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink. 56 “He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. 57 “As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats Me, he also will live because of Me. 58 “This is the bread which came down out of heaven; not as the fathers ate and died; he who eats this bread will live forever.” 59 These things He said in the synagogue as He taught in Capernaum. 60 Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard [this] said, “This is a difficult statement; who can listen to it?” 61 But Jesus, conscious that His disciples grumbled at this, said to them, “Does this cause you to stumble? 62 “[What] then if you see the Son of Man ascending to where He was before? 63 “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life. 64 “But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who it was that would betray Him. 65 And He was saying, “For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father.” 66 As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore. 67 So Jesus said to the twelve, “You do not want to go away also, do you?” 68 Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life. 69 “We have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.” 70 Jesus answered them, “Did I Myself not choose you, the twelve, and [yet] one of you is a devil?” 71 Now He meant Judas [the son] of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the twelve, was going to betray Him.

([Galatians 2:20 NASB95] 20 “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the [life] which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.)

Edgar Torres wrote _

In the declaration of Galatians 2:20, we encounter the essence of divine union: the self crucified, no longer reigning in isolation, but yielding to the indwelling One who animates our every breath with His own eternal life. This exchanged existence, where it is no longer I but He who lives, finds its roots in the startling words of the Master Himself, words that pierced the hearts of many and revealed the divide between mere followers and those who would embrace the mystery in faith.

Consider the scene in John 6:60-66, where the crowd, having witnessed miracles, recoils at the invitation to eat His flesh and drink His blood a teaching so hard, so visceral, that it sifts the superficial from the sincere. “This is an hard saying; who can hear it?” they murmur, and many turn back, unwilling to grapple with the depth it demands. Yet Jesus is not telling a mere metaphor for distant admiration; it calls for an intimate partaking, a consumption that merges the eater with the eaten, foreshadowing the union where His life becomes our sustenance, not through effort but through belief in the One sent from above.

This hard truth echoes forward to the intimacy of the Last Supper, where He breaks bread and offers the cup, declaring, “This is my body… this is my blood.” Here, in the quiet of that upper room, the invitation intensifies: to eat and drink not as ritual, but as entry into covenant union.

Just as the bread nourishes and the wine invigorates, so does partaking of Him dissolve the barriers of separation, infusing our being with His. This is the very union of Galatians 2:20 made tangible.

His crucified body and shed blood not observed from afar, but ingested, absorbed, becoming the vital force that displaces self-striving with His finished victory.

No longer do we labor to achieve righteousness; we feed on the One who is righteousness itself, entering rest through this sacred meal that binds us eternally.

Trace this thread backward to the shadows of the old covenant, where the Israelites, on the eve of exodus, smear the lamb’s blood on their doorposts a shield against the wrath of judgment, the destroyer passing over those marked by substitutionary death. 
But the protection does not end there; they eat the same lamb, roasted and whole, its flesh strengthening them for the wilderness journey ahead. This dual act blood for redemption, flesh for provision mirrors the completeness of the gospel: shielded from condemnation by His blood, and empowered for the path by consuming His life. And in the desert, manna falls daily from heaven, a gracious provision that teaches dependence, not hoarding or self-reliance, but gathering fresh each morning lest it spoil, a rhythm of trust in the Provider’s faithfulness.

Now, in the fullness of revelation, He declares Himself the true bread from heaven, the living manna that satisfies eternally. No longer flakes on the ground, but the indwelling presence, renewing us day by day without fail. This is the union unveiled: as the Israelites ate the lamb and manna to sustain their exodus from bondage, so we partake of Him not through fleshly works or legalistic observance, but by faith in His once-for-all offering.

Trials become not burdens to bear alone, but opportunities to draw from the inner wellspring, where His life flows unceasingly, turning wilderness wanderings into pathways of rest.

The hard teaching, once stumbling block to many, becomes the gateway to glory: abide in this feeding, cease from labor, and let His faithfulness carry you, for in this divine exchange, wrath is averted, the journey empowered, and every dawn brings fresh provision from the One who lives within.

Armor on. Shield up.

End- Edward Torres post quotation. 

[Matthew 28:18-20 NASB95] 18 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

So, just what is the great commission, and what is our part in it or response to it?  Each of the gospels has some form of this sending out .

[Mark16:14-20 NASB95] 14 Afterward He appeared to the eleven themselves as they were reclining [at the table;] and He reproached them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who had seen Him after He had risen. 15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 16 “He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned. 17 “These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; 18 they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly [poison,] it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” 19 So then, when the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. 20 And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them, and confirmed the word by the signs that followed.] [[And they promptly reported all these instructions to Peter and his companions after that, Jesus Himself sent out through them from east to west the sacred and imperishable proclamation of eternal salvation.](Note: there were signs following belief. The signs were not said to accompany those that preached, but those who have believed. Something changed.)

[Luke 24:36-41, 44-49 NASB95] 36 While they were telling these things, He Himself stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be to you.” 37 But they were startled and frightened and thought that they were seeing a spirit. 38 And He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39 “See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; touch Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” 40 And when He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet. 41 While they still could not believe [it] because of their joy and amazement, He said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” … 44 Now He said to them, “These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 46 and He said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, 47 and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 “You are witnesses of these things. 49 “And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”

[John 20:19-23, 27-31 NASB95] 19 So when it was evening on that day, the first [day] of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace [be] with you.” 20 And when He had said this, He showed them both His hands and His side. The disciples then rejoiced when they saw the Lord. 21 So Jesus said to them again, “Peace [be] with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” 22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 “If you forgive the sins of any, [their sins] have been forgiven them; if you retain the [sins] of any, they have been retained.” … (days later He appears again) 27 Then He said to Thomas, “Reach here with your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand and put it into My side; and do not be unbelieving, but believing.” 28 Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed [are] they who did not see, and [yet] believed.” 30 Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.

[Acts 1:6-8 NASB95]6 So when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, “Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority; 8 but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”

We have traditionally been taught that herein lies our responsibility to evangelize through the preaching of the gospel of salvation in Christ.  And, that may well be, at least, a part of what is indicated.   But,  that is not the specific instruction of the version of the so-called Great Commission given at His ascension  in Matthew.

(repeating) [Matthew 28:18-20 NASB95] 18 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Jesus begins, there, by sharing the result of His death, burial, and resurrection saying  “All authority has been given to me in heaven and earth.”  His LORDSHIP over all has been firmly established, by His victory over the last enemy death. 

He then gives an apostolic command.  Because all authority is mine,  GO THEREFORE.  He is sending His followers out.

Where? To All nations.  Jews and Gentiles. 
 
To do what?  MAKE DISCIPLES. Not converts, not decisions, not numbers of confessions unto salvation.  But, disciples. Literally, a pupil, a learner, one who would follow His teachings and precepts.

Mark them as disciples with Baptism. The ceremonial and symbolic cleansing from sin, by their own death, burial, and resurrection. But not just a religious act or ceremony, but in the name of  the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The understanding is that they were being baptized “into”,  hidden inside of, entering into, entering among or into fellowship with, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.   Much more than just a religious service or act. This baptism was an outward proclamation of the pupil, learner, follower,  voluntarily losing and laying down their life, to be found inside of God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit.

Then, if they made such disciples, those that would make such a commitment, they would need to teach them all that they had been taught and commanded by Jesus.    They would need to hold didactic discourse with them for the purpose of instruction.  Again, the indication is not just preaching salvation unto them. But, giving training the way they had been given it.  Yes, in sharing the word, scripture, and traditional teaching of wisdom (by preaching). But also  training by sharing life and conducting oneself as example, trainer, teacher. 

And, let us consider that a command is not simply informational. A command requires action and obedience.

 
He did not say “teaching them all the great information I transferred to you,”  He said teaching them “all that I commanded you”.  Again the inference is all I commanded you to do, ordered and enjoined you to be actively part of. it was not simple salvation information and pie in the sky when we die, nor knowledge of religious doctrine.

If we look at Jesus, Paul, or Barnabus. Their process for disciples included three basic elements.  A call. Practical training. Sending out after instruction/modeling, equipping, and giving authority.

This seems to be the pattern of discipleship Jesus talked about, and then was that modeled by others in the early church

You can’t really call and train someone to lay down their life, unless you are willing to do so, and are doing so yourself, for them. And you can’t give or transfer authority you have not exhibited among, or with, those you would give it to.

We do not need to look at the commission to make disciples and see it as impossible. It isn’t! Because as it was for the disciples then, so is it now for us. Its foundation is laid in the authority of our Lord Jesus. “All authority has been given to me in heaven and in earth! Go therefore, and make disciples..”  And, He is with us and has empowered us with the Holy Spirit. We co-labor with Him.

But, neither do we need to cheapen or dilute the call to discipleship to be less than laying down your life to take up His life under His Lordship, and His authority! 

It is not simply a fire escape message. It is, however, a decision regarding life, eternal life, and death. It is, as it was from the beginning, a decision to feed from the tree of life, Jesus, or to feed from the knowledge of good and evil and self made religion and die.

Jesus did not dilute it.

Luke 14:25-33 Now large crowds were going along with Him; and He turned and said to them, “If anyone comes to Me, and does not  hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple. Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who observe it begin to ridicule him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ Or what king, when he sets out to meet another king in battle, will not first sit down and consider whether he is strong enough with ten thousand men to encounter the one coming against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. So then, none of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions.

There is a cost to discipleship. It is all you have and and all that you are, to gain all He is.  But there is also a great reward. The fullness of life now in feeding from and knowing Him, and eternal life in Him.

If we consider the mission of Jesus it is evident that His love first for the Father,  and His love for us, moved Him to lay down the effluence of glory that had been His from eternity past, humble Himself to become a man and die an ignoble death.  (See Philippians 2). In doing so, motivated by love, He would deliver unto the Father His inheritance in the us, the saints (see Ephesians 1:18). And, deliver unto us the restoration of the way to the Tree of Life and eternal life in Him. 

This consideration requires us, as the redeemed and His body, to see in His great commission of Matthew 28, what is our mission in making disciples.  Is it any less than His being sent from the Father was.  To lay down our lives in love for Him, and for the love of others. And, to call, train, and send others to do likewise in God’s eternal purpose.

To call people to be His disciples, and to lay down their lives, taking up their cross to follow Him, may sound like a message that “will not preach” in our  time.  But it was the message of Jesus,  the one modeled by Him, and by His disciples.

Can it stand up in our times?   I think it can, if we understand and model its foundations in the Love of God in Christ, and if we are not  afraid to live it and share it.

We each have opportunities in contacts we have with neighbors, social contacts in friends and through avocations and organizations. Then, there are those we share interests with in church or associations, and our vocational workplaces. Then, there are family relationships. And, then, there are opportunities that come our way to serve the sick, the poor, widows, orphans, the needy.

These opportunities are many, but tend to be highly surface and superficial. They are often based on what people know of my position, power, wealth, education, or admired attributes – like  looks, personality, talent, or the like.  As such they may give me some ground for influence, but probably are not  going to allow me to call people into a deep commitment like discipleship to Jesus. At least, not without a good deal of development and deeper knowledge of one another.  But you have to start someplace, and this is a foothold position.

Deeper influence, or what some have termed transformational influence, generally comes from people seeing service and sacrifice toward them or others.  If seen as doing something to only gain access to them on a deeper level it will not work, but will be seen as manipulative. Too much of what the church has done is often seen in this light.  However, if truly done without any strings of obligation attached, and when it brings you no visible honor, glory, or position, it is likely to be received and seen as an outworking of something in your character that makes you different and out of the ordinary.

Have you noticed how much news, information, and advertising there is in our culture and the world we live in?  Perhaps, at no other time in history, has the competition for a place in the minds of people been so cluttered with input. In our day, most people can’t even look up from their phone long enough to listen or consider what someone else may be saying.  Words alone will rarely get their attention. Words are necessary in sharing good news, but your entry into actively invading the space of people will be more requiring of us in terms of love and service.

Although we carry the most important news of the ages regarding Jesus, and God’s love and eternal purpose, gaining people’s attention is difficult in our time.  Plus many, if not most, believe they have heard it all before, making it even more difficult to gain their interest. The truth is they haven’t! They have been exposed only to a “come and get” gospel, not the call to life changing, and life giving, discipleship.

Better advertising (like seeker friendly churches have tried) and word of mouth alone will not make much impact, nor put us in the place of transformational influence.  An approach to serving, and loving, in humility and without drawing attention to or for ourselves, as Jesus did and modeled, probably will. To sacrifice your time, energy, labor, resources, without seeking fame or accolades or expectation of return is unusual.  There are few who do that.  It will often prompt people to wonder what makes you different.

And, do keep in mind you are not called to do this alone. We are called and commissioned, as the church, His body, the fullness of Him that fills all in all (Ephesians 1:22-23). Your influence is simply a part of our multiplied influence if we are each one functioning in this way.  Your relationships with other believers is important as we corporately find ways to influence the world and the communities we are a part of. You will not be a lone voice when the opportunity comes to explain what has made you different and why.  You hopefully, probably, will not be the only one claiming to know Jesus and to have found peace and purpose in living for and in Him as His disciple.  Even if you are, the opportunity to introduce potential disciples to the true disciples you know and fellowship with will provide the needed modeling and training opportunities.

Let us be prayerfully looking for the opportunities, as individuals and corporately, where we have some foothold of relationship to, under His direction and Lordship, turn our influence transformational by love and service as well as words in sharing the call to discipleship.  To love and encourage one another as disciples and to call others to discipleship is not optional. 

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.  John 13:35


This is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us.  The one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. 1 John 3:23-24a


1 What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life– 2 and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us– 3 what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ. [1 John 1:1-3 NASB]


 By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother.
 For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another; not as Cain, who was of the evil one and slew his brother. And for what reason did he slay him? Because his deeds were evil, and his brother’s were righteous. Do not be surprised, brethren, if the world hates you. We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer; and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 1 John 3:10-16


Beloved, I am not writing a new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning; the old commandment is the word which you have heard. On the other hand, I am writing a new commandment to you, which is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true Light is already shining. The one who says he is in the Light and yet hates his brother is in the darkness until now. The one who loves his brother abides in the Light and there is no cause for stumbling in him. 1 John 2:7-10


Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. For this, “YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, YOU SHALL NOT MURDER, YOU SHALL NOT STEAL,YOU SHALL NOT COVET,” and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. Romans 13:8-10


He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him.” Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, “Lord, what then has happened that You are going to disclose Yourself to us and not to the world?” Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him. John 14 21-23