Tue, May 31st - 1:46PM

PROPER SPIRITUAL ROOTS

So perhaps these home fellowship groups are to be the extension of the Godhead here on earth?  Previously we have been told that we are living stones, that we are part of God's house, that Jesus Christ is the chief corner stone.  All are terms of construction, of action, of organization.  This sunecho type of love speaks of pressing stones together in this spiritual house, that each stone is alive with purpose, and that there is divine direction involved every step of the way.  The life-style of its members is increasingly after God's pattern:  free, warm, pure, serene, secure and joyful.

Furthermore, this sort of koinonia group does not exist just for itself.  It is a "light" in the wider community within which it is found.  It proclaims God's excellencies, His character, and His attributes.  It becomes a reflection of His love for mankind.  It becomes a lighthouse, beckoning to those adrift on stormy personal seas.  It is an oasis in a dry and dusty land, offering refuge from the scorching heat of personal spiritual deserts.  A lighthouse glows but it does not necessarily need to go out and conduct a campaign.  An oasis beckons to the weary traveler by simply being there; its green lushness and open water attract those who are thirsty. 

And so it is with home fellowship groups whose life-style is clearly displaying the attributes of the Living God.  The group does not have to strain to witness or invite others.  It does not have to canvass the neighborhood on a regular basis to invite others.  It ends up having a magnetism all of its own, and God uses such things to "add to the church daily those who would be saved."  So it is the effective living of these small groups of believers in their local neighborhoods as being one of God's principal means of evangelism in any society, in any century. 

We look around in our Western culture and observe decay and deterioration in every corner.  Broken marriages, couples living together unmarried, broken homes, delinquent children, drug addiction, suicides and increasingly violent crime.  What is the answer, the solution, to all of these problems?  Home fellowships.  When people see the wholeness, peace, purity and vitality of a group of ordinary people relating to each other with what the world considers abnormal enjoyment and love, there is created within them a longing to be a part of that, to experience that too.  They begin to long to know how this comes about, and why they haven't been experiencing that sort of thing in their own lives.

Perhaps this is what Paul was inspired to write down in Romans?  "That the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church..."  Through the neighborhood setting God is planning the revealing of the sons of God, showcasing the relationships that He wishes for us to have as part of our lives of service to Him.  Surely God's dream remains one of many thousands of restoration churches all around the earth, and not that of several megachurches alone.  God has always moved through small groups, His Spirit inspiring and enabling people to accomplish mighty things in His name.  Holy Spirit-filled groups, love-knit-together people, are to be living as God's alternative society in this world.  It was God's clear strategy when Christ ascended back into heaven and it remains His strategy today.  The Holy Spirit calls out to us clearly from the pages of Scripture:  "It is koinonia and not institution that will win the world to Christ." 

OPEN WARFARE

Ever since Christ's crucifixion and resurrection there has been no such thing as "peace in our time."  Believers need to realize that they live in occupied territory.  It is Normandy Beach all over the world.  Christ Jesus created the "beachhead" and we are to push forward, gaining new ground constantly.  We are engaged in constant warfare.  As such, we can't possibly survive if we refuse to band together with other believers.  Satan most certainly wishes to divide and conquer Christians.  Why else is he depicted as a "roaring lion?"  And the constant warfare easily becomes hand-to-hand combat if we believe that we must go it alone.  Who then watches my back?  How do I know when additional attacks are coming from behind or to either side of me?  Here is the reason to take to heart what Ephesians 6 declares us to do.  Put on the whole armor of God, not just a piece here or there.  Protect yourselves!  Defend yourselves!  We do not fight against flesh and blood here people, we are in a protracted war against powers, world forces associated with darkness, and spiritual forces of wickedness.  It has been ongoing for over two thousand years and will not stop until Christ Jesus returns to rule. 

In this Ephesian passage each and every pronoun and verb is plural, corporate:  take up, be able to resist, stand firm, gird loins, wield the sword of God.  It is not "my" struggle but "our" struggle is against things other than flesh and blood people.  Our struggle against Satan demands our need of one another within the Body of Christ.  In physical life, when my finger gets infected by a rose thorn it is not just my finger which must fight the infection.  It is my entire body which gathers its resources to defeat the infection and restore wholeness to the finger and body.  This is how it is to be with the Body of Christ.  Members of Christ must stand together against the "enemy."  If a member is suffering from bouts of depression all members need to come to his/her aid.  If someone's child topples off the cliff of drug abuse or sexual addiction then all are to come to their aid.  We are to grieve with all and we are to celebrate with all.  The members are to provide comfort, sustenance, strength, instruction, and love to those of their group who are in need. 

What a relief to know that one is able to share troubles and concerns openly with others and not receive condemnation or shunning.  All are able to stand together.  So the home fellowship group is both a fortress for defending all of its members and a battle station for offense against Satan.  Ephesians clearly defines what we need for defending ourselves and what is to be our sole weapon.  The shield of faith, the sword of the Spirit, and above and beyond all else, prayer and supplication at all times for all things is what we are commanded to have in our lives.

That is all for today, beloved.  Come on back for there is still more to come!  May Christ bless you abundantly this day!  Peace be with you.

~Eric

Thu, May 26th - 1:29PM

PROPER SPIRITUAL ROOTS

How may we know that we have passed out of death and into life?  Because we have made a decision for Christ?  Or because we believe in Jesus?  The apostle John wrote: "because we love the brethren." 

Clearly this "love" is utterly unrelated to much that passes for love in our world.  It is not simply an expressed "love for all of God's people."  It can't be concluded that an absence of hate automatically translates into a love for all God's people.  This is a deception from Satan.  Lack of hate could mean ambivalence towards others, no genuine feelings at all. 

In reading in Colossians that love is "the perfect bond of unity," we are clearly being told about something which is positive and real/genuine.  This type of bond is composed of practical attitudes and actions towards and within a group of people who practice love. 

Jesus in His prayer asked His Father that His small group of disciples "may be one, just as we are one, I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity."  So we are speaking about Holy Spirit created relationships in which love is expressed perfectly.  "The love of Christ holds us together(II Corinthians 5:15)," this term "holds" comes from the Greek word sunecho.  It means to press together.  Get the picture?  Love presses us together, an action which could be likened to a car's clutch.  No longer may we remain apart, aloof, separate from, others around us.  Christ intends for us to be in close, intimate, contact with each other in order that we may get to know each other.  The love of Christ is like a cement/glue which binds us together into a single unit.  So what becomes the value of these relationships? 

Martin Luther King made famous the phrase, "I have a dream!"  Jesus Christ had a dream.  It is expressed in His prayer found in John 17.  What was the purpose of His disciples being perfected in unity?  "That the world may know..." 

We find other associated purposes as to why Christ wants us to be perfected in unity.  "You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession."   "...that you may proclaim the exellence of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvellous light." 

We come once again to ekklesia.  God's calling out of us, His chosen people, was not simply for His pleasure, or for our good, our salvation.  It was to be a demonstration to the entire world of what God is like and what He wants to do for all of mankind: call us all from darkness into His glorious light.

We are to be the extension of the Trinity, of the Godhead, here on the earth, to capture the attention of the world.  We are to cause people everywhere to be irresistably drawn to Christ, to want to become part of His community, to be saved.  All of our efforts are to direct peoples' attention towards Jesus Christ, not towards ourselves.

That is all for today.  I pray that you have grace, and peace of mind during this holiday weekend.  Drive safely.  Celebrate memories of departed loved ones.  Celebrate life, not death.  The peace of Christ be with you all.

~Eric

Wed, May 25th - 3:34PM

PROPER SPIRITUAL ROOTS

Titus was charged by the apostle Paul to appoint elders in every city in Crete.  Paul with Barnabas is recorded in Acts 14:23 as appointing elders for the disciples in every church.  Obviously these "elders" were local men who were rather well known to the residents of each area.  There were no imported leaders from some other region or nation.  It might work that way, but God sure did not utilize that vector for raising up leaders in the day of the apostles. 

Wherever leaders come from, a very important factor is that each leader must be led by God's Holy Spirit.  In order to effectively exercise God's authority a leader must first himself be under that authority.

This principle is spoken of in Matthew 8.  We have the Roman centurion who wanted Jesus to heal his servant but did not believe himself worthy to have Jesus actually come to his home.  What did this military man say to Jesus?  "Just say the word, Jesus, and my servant will be healed."  Why?  "Because I too am a man under authority."   The centurion clearly understood that Jesus Christ was under the authority of the One who was immediately above, or over, Him.  Without such authority the centurion could not order any soldier to do anything and still expect him to obey. 

Jesus commended this centurion of his belief.  Jesus also told us in several places that He acted solely under the authority of Another, His Father in heaven (John 5:19,30; 8:38; 12:49; 13:10).  This recognition of the basic principle is required of any priest, pastor, minister, or reverend of any denomination within Christianity if they wish to have God's authority involved in their position of leadership.  If they ignore it, or if they are unwilling to work under this rule, then they should expect lots of trouble.  The Scriptures speak out against a domineering authority centered around any man, or group of men.

Being under another's authority is a safeguard against unscriptural authoritarianism.  Being humble, unselfish, accountable to others, and loving of the brethren are hallmarks of an effective leader.

A good leader ought to be above reproach.  This does not mean perfection for none of us can be perfect.  It means that there is no unrighteousness in his life which would prevent him from stepping up to be a leader.  If married his wife must stand beside him and help him whenever necessary.  He should have the heart of a shepherd; caring, sensitive, concerned about others.  He can not simply be involved in establishing programs, progress reports, or status reports.  He must be a man of prayer and someone who is "apt to teach."  In other words, he must be ready to counsel and show God's Way to people.  Thus, he must be a man who reads and knows his Bible, and who is capable of actually hearing God.

What we are discovering here is that everything funnels down to two core statutes given to us by God.  Love, and relationships.  These come before everything else.  These originate with God.  They are extended from Him to us, and from us to each other.  To be a leader Jesus said that a man must be a servant to all.  To be willing to lay down his life for others.  To put others needs before his own.  This involves no plans, no programs, no classes, no special focus groups, or Pew polls.  None of our efforts here on this planet will have any lasting value unless love is there, unless love has been the motivator.

That is all for today beloved.  May God's abundant grace find you today!  May you prepare your heart to remember this weekend how great a sacrifice Jesus Christ made for you, so that you could be reborn spiritually and become reconciled with God the Father.  Once that realization sinks home there ought to a huge "Hallelujah!!" moment for you!  I can't urge you strongly enough to come on, repent of your sins, and join me at the banquet table of the Bridegroom!  What an amazing feast it shall be!  Hope to see all of you there!

~Eric

Tue, May 24th - 3:21PM

PROPER SPIRITUAL ROOTS

"We need a baptism of clear seeing.  We desperately need seers who can see through the mist---Christian leaders with prophetic vision.  Unless they come soon it will be too late for this generation.  And if they do come we will no doubt crucify a few of them in the name of our worldly orthodoxy."

                               ~A. W. Tozer

Leadership.  We are in desperate need of it.  Without leaders with clear vision entire nations fall into disarray, into ruin, and ultimately disappear from the world stage.  That is the legacy that faces all Americans today. 

For there to be successful home groups it is necessary for there to be a good leader of each.  Democracy is not what is to be longed for, nor to be implemented within such groups.  Oh, horror!  Americans struggle mightily with this concept; we are independent and free!  I have a voice!  I must be heard!  That's fine, and works as long as there is made use of the proper avenues of communication to satisfy these needs and rights.  But there needs to be leaders raised up by God.

For there to be a healthy growth of home groups within any greater congregation there must be healthy leaders available, and assistant leaders too.  In these small groups is the atmosphere for giving opportunity for developing quiescent abilities within people of the church.  People have the chance for fulfilment right with their friends and neighbors.  Fulfilment can be found within the church, not in some outside organization with questionable values. 

Many small group leaders come to the position much as Moses did.  He was able, he was willing to serve God, but he just did not believe that he was the person meant for that particular job.  It becomes a matter of trusting God, believing He will equip you to do the job, and having faith in Christ Jesus that this is what He desires of you.  Home groups need to have direction given to them from the home fellowship/congregation.  Responsibility must be given.  Accountability must be in place, just as it was with Moses and the very many small groups which were formed among the Hebrew people on their wilderness march.

So a home group needs enthusiastic people who are renewed in the Spirit, gathering together to pray, praise, learn and share must do so on more than simply democratic principles.  Democracy is not something found in any Biblical passage.  It is not God's idea.  It is man's idea.  God rules by delegated authority from Him.  Whenever He wished to communicate with an ekklesia He picked a man and spoke through him.  For example, in selecting Moses and Aaron God delegated Aaron to speak for Moses to the people.  Aaron was to be Moses' mouthpiece.  The lines of delegated authority were clearly laid out:  God spoke to Moses, Moses spoke to Aaron, and Aaron spoke then to the rest of the people and gave them what God had said.  It needs to be the same way today, even if slightly different in appearance/form.

The writer of Hebrews directly tells us: "Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account (13:17)."  So, if I am the leader of your study group I have accounting to make before Jesus Christ of how I have been watching over your soul.  That is delegated responsibility.  It is impossible for a single pastor to "keep watch" over a congregation of several hundred, let alone several thousand, members in a congregation.  Can one person effectively meet this verse's accountability regarding one hundred people?  I think not.  We must realize that we have to down-size in order to obey God on this.  Leaders chosen by God and appointed by the elders of the entire church are necessary for each small home group to succeed.

That is all for today, beloved.  Next time I shall post about what sort of leadership these leaders ought to exhibit.  Whose authority do they have in their possession?  Are they to act like little kings?  Are they to act like they are a big fish in a little pond?  All of that and more will be revealed next time we meet here.  Grace be with you all.

~Eric

Mon, May 23rd - 12:58PM

PROPER SPIRITUAL ROOTS

Health and healing

We can find in Exodus 23:25 that God promises to conditionally "remove sickness" from the midst of His people.  In other covenant promise passages in Exodus and Deuteronomy God promises that they shall not suffer from the diseases of the Egyptians, and these diseases are then described in Deuteronomy 28:59-60.

Old promises, you might say.  But we who are in the New Covenant era inherit promises and there is nothing to suggest that God is any less of a "healer" today than He was centuries ago.  Living and interacting regularly in household small groups reveals our individual imperfections and does not eliminate physical illness and disease, but mitigates its effects.  We find that major illness has become less prevalent due to reduced amounts of personal and family stress. 

The immediate use of prayer and care in each cell group is a weapon wielded against sickness and mental health illnesses.  God blesses through the choices of His people, whether it be generosity or fervent prayer.  When serious illness does happen to strike unexpectedly the sense of security is already there to lean upon within the group.  Support for the stricken individual is provided through loving care coming from the other members of the group.  As Jesus commanded us, the small group shares the joys and the sorrows of each of its members.  When one is sick, all suffer alongside of that one. 

God does not want us to remain lacking in security concerning death.  He desires us to come to understand that death has no power over us for Christ holds the keys of life and death in His strong hand.  Yes, God can and will use suffering for our good.  But we cannot then extrapolate this to mean that God wills us to suffer constantly.  God is on our side, He is in our corner.  His every wish for everyone who loves Him is for their well-being, their wholeness, their soundness of spirit.  This is one of the many reasons why Christ Jesus died on that cross.  Christ did that in order to gain our well-being and to heal us.

Jesus may have suffered more than any other man by bearing the sin of all mankind.  But He didn't suffer from abject poverty, ill health, or starvation.  Yes, He did not have a home to call His own, but that was by His choice.  He had no "home" security but He was never insecure.  His was a life of serenity and security without any fears amidst fear, hate, and manipulation.  This type of life is what God intends for each of us.  He wishes to restore us to a life of serenity and security without fear.  He wishes us to have life and to have it more abundantly.  Jesus wishes to bless us with a life-style of wholeness which was exemplified by Christ Himself.  Never in a hurry, always on time, always doing things deliberately for a reason. 

Jesus did not depend for this from wealth, or comfort.  Every one of His needs were met as were those of His disciples.  Jesus led a relaxed, victorious life.  How many of us today have discovered the potential of this kind of life which God intends for us, let alone actually living it year after after? 

Of course, I am not painting a rosy utopian picture of life.  "Come join our koinonia, become a part of our portion of God's family of believers, and all of your troubles will simply vanish into thin air!"  That ain't going to happen.  But the Bible does extend to us the prospect of "no anxiety" which is a "peace that surpasses all comprehension."  God does not extend this provision to the other creatures found in nature. 

In Colossians Paul prayed for the believers in Colosse that they might be "God pleasers:  fruitbearing, increasing in khowledge, strong, steadfast, patient, joyful, always giving thanks..."  He wanted them to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light.  The emphasis is upon Light versus Darkness for God has delivered us from the authority of spiritual Darkness into the Light of Jesus Christ.  We have been transferred into the Kingdom, the kingship, the government, of the Son of God (Colossians 1:13).

Next time I am going to share some thoughts on how leadership emerges through the workings of small groups of believers.  Until then, grace and peace be yours!

~Eric

Thu, May 19th - 12:55PM

PROPER SPIRITUAL ROOTS

One of the apostle Paul's "true sons in the faith," Timothy, appears to us to have been rather timid.  Paul urged him to "stir up" the "gift of God" which was found in him.  In essence Paul told Timothy that God hadn't given him a spirit of timidity, but one of power and love and disicpline.

Home fellowship groups provide this sort of "stimulation" as we are told to have in Hebrews 10:24, "Let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds."  How frequently we find that phrase "one another" in the New Testament. 

In a large congregation the more reserved people will easily be overlooked.  They will tend to move to the edges of the group, content to be observers.  I know this for I am an "observer" of people. 

Timidity is a common weakness of mankind.  But in smaller groups shy people, more reserved people, will be gradually drawn out of their shells and become actively engaged in the group's activities.

This stimulation, or prodding, can be unpleasant at the outset but it leads to a sense of security.  God prods us through His Holy Spirit, poking at our soft, timid, areas.  He wishes us to grow, to become full in stature as Christians.  He does not want us to miss out on our heritage, to miss the manifold blessings that await us throughout our lives.  So do not grumble when He begins rearranging your lifestyle, your home life, or your business.  Realize that God is actively engaged in your life and is helping you become a stronger believer in Him.

Security

Now Jesus Christ is our refuge from the storms in our lives.  But refuge is not the major part of salvation.  We are to acknowledge that in times of persecution and trouble, God is our refuge and strength.  We are to therefore turn to Him soonest during times of peril. 

Apostle Peter described salvation as "Escaping the corruption that is in the world through lust."  We are to reject the notion that we are to escape from reality, but we can't underrate the seductive and destructive power of Satan and the world all around us.  God is our refuge in this sense, for we abide in Him and not the world.

In the Psalms we can find this promise: "He shall cover you with His pinions and under His wings you may seek refuge."  His wings are evidenced in His body of believers.  King David voiced this concept in Psalm 16:3, "As for the saints who are in the earth, they are the majestic ones in whom is all my delight."  And in Hebrews 3:6 we, God's saints, are called His house.  We have this "house" provided to us for our security.  Outside of this house we can't find the same safety.  Spiritual safety and security are not found within any physical building, only within Christ and His body of believers.

Here are some of the fruits of security:

Restoration in marriages

Rate of divorce drops drastically.  Marriage and family life become recognized as the foundation of any successful community and so receive special amounts of attention.  God did not state the following without reason:  "Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ."  This headship is immeasurably sacred.  It means being "head" God's way, not our way.  It means to be the way the Father loved and cared for His only Son.  It means teaching the divine order in our homes to our children and each other.  It means utilizing the proper authority, not authoritarianism.

Restoration in finances

Money is not normally a big topic in home fellowships.  But proper stewardship is learned through consistent contact with other people whose lives are open to counsel.  It becomes a matter of "I want to have in my life the same sorts of things that are in theirs!"  So people end up asking questions, wanting to understand why that particular family is so different than theirs.  In this way people discover that they may have been badly mismanaging their household and need to correct it before they can begin to experience solace at home.  People also discover that others do not obsess over having enough money and the exact same stuff as the neighbors.  They do not remain enslaved to the pursuit of more and more money at the expense of their spouses and children.  They can be set free.

Job, housing, future prospects

All of these things become placed into proper perspective.  A person will realize that their house is not an anchor to be tied around their neck.  It is to be a base of operations as we serve Christ.  But we must always remain aware of the fact that we are to be available to go wherever God opens up a door of opportunity to serve Him.  Not all opportunities are of God, some come from Satan to tempt us into becoming distracted from Christ.  God will provide us with a job, a house to live in, and future prospects, for God has stated in Jeremiah that He has plans for us and that those plans are for our benefit and not to harm us.  This is security.

Spheres of Christian service, fulfillment

Getting to know people really well we can more easily determine appropriate channels of service for others.  This service allows people to feel a part of the larger congregation and is a vital part of personal fulfillment.  Musical abilities often are overlooked in the larger worship services but stand out in the small group setting.  The same is true concerning drama skills or writing skills or even prophetic skills.  It is a wise leader who ensures that these talents are employed in fellowship gatherings.  It blesses everyone.

There is one more fruit of security that I want to touch on, it is health and healing.  I will write about this the next time that we gather here.  I look forward to meeting you here again!  Peace be with you all.

~Eric

Tue, May 17th - 10:33AM

PROPER SPIRITUAL ROOTS

TEACHING

In a school it is occasionally expedient to assemble large numbers of students in an auditorium in order to present a change in rules, or to have a demonstration of school spirit.  The head of the school will use these times for encouraging, advising, announcing, warning and even some general teaching.  But the learning process takes place best in individual classrooms where smaller groups of students gather to receive daily instruction.  Most teachers would prefer teaching to groups of ten to fifteen students rather than twenty to thirty, or more.

A good teacher knows each student and watches over and guides each member of the group.  They encourage and correct pupils in a way quite impossible in the larger assembly.  There is an aphorism which is still applicable today:  "No impression without expression."  You can't claim to know something until you write it down, use it, or somehow demonstrate that you understand it. 

Home groups are comparable to the classroom.  It is within these small groups that we find teaching which is actually learned and applied.  Pastors may present broad strokes from the pulpit to the larger congregation on Sundays but it is up to the leaders of weekday gatherings in homes to receive questions, to discuss, to illustrate, and to expand upon what was taught on Sunday.  In this fashion Bible exposition is drawn right down to the day-to-day level, and everyone is encouraged to put the principles taught into effect in their lives.

True ekklesia teaching, or koinonia teaching, is never simply theology or theory.  An example of this would be if I were teaching about God's character, and the promises which He has made, promises hinging upon His very nature.

One attribute of God is that He is "Jehovah Jireh"---Provider.  I can't simply tell people that this is what He is, and what He does.  If I do, then they will tend to wait passively expecting God to provide for their own or their brother's need.  God is a supernatural God.  But He also works through very natural means.  Members of the family of God learn practically that often God provides through members of Christ's Body of believers. 

In Philippians we can read: "My God will supply all your need."  What needs?  Material?  Financial?  Spiritual?  Most certainly, all of those fit in with the context of this verse.  Paul trusted for personal financial supply through the body of Christ's believers.  God answered his prayers through the efforts of the believers and Paul was amply supplied.  Was this directly from heaven?  Did money drop miraculously from the clouds like rain?

God could easily do just that.  Elijah was fed by ravens who dropped food to him from the sky.  God can and sometimes will provide materially through miracles.  Peter was informed to go and obtain their temple tax from the mouth of a fish, that was miraculous.  But it is not the normal method that God employs to supply our needs.

In II Corinthians 8 and 9 Paul writes about financial provision from other members of the Body of Christ.  The Macedonians begged Paul to allow them to join in supporting the saints.  In the early church there was a needy person among them, needs of any single member were met by all of the others. 

Without having a common "purse" home fellowship groups can ensure that no member of the group goes seriously in want of the necessities of life.  New members will find this in surprise and then joy.  It is not what we expect in the world at large.

Home fellowship groups can gently teach the importance of reducing spending to balance household budgets.  It is here that individuals can discover the wisdom of not going into debt, minimizing credit card use, and the best use of their time.  For many people it will be the first time that they have been shown how to exercise care and restraint in stabilizing their personal budgets and to discover how much money they actually do have available.

It can be that through financial correction, or restoration, that a family can observe the effects of salvation as a whole.  They can begin to witness the soundness and wholeness that God planned for them.  They did not receive charity nor interference.  It was a form of advice and also of discipline.  It enables people to live fruitful, anxiety-free Christian lives.  But it does not always happen without some prodding and stirring of peoples' souls.

That is all for today, beloved.  I will next post about stimulating people, about "stirring them up."  It means that we must become involved in relating to others around us, we can't afford to remain isolated from the world for then we can't be "salt."  See you next time!

Grace and peace be yours today!

~Eric

Mon, May 16th - 11:24AM

PROPER SPIRITUAL ROOTS

What does fruitfulness in the Kingdom mean?  I mean, it implies something, right?  It implies activity, movement, results.  Fruits on an individual basis are described in the New Testament as attributes such as love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness and others.  Corporately fruit should bless others.  Jesus told His disciples to "Go and bring forth fruit."

So fruit is not some vague, invisible, "religious" thang.  It is observable, actual, and concrete.  It is visible to others and it has a postive effect on other people.

THE VINE

All fruit grow on some sort of plant.  Jesus gave us a discussion on the subject of the vine, the branches, and the fruit in John 15.  Normally this discussion is thought to refer to our personal relationship with Christ, and it is the primary one.  But by looking deeper into this passage we can discover that "abiding" is related to His words and commandments.  Then immediately following this are the words "This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you."  Whereas we might think that the emphasis ought to be upon our love for Jesus or Jehovah, Jesus deliberately shifts the emphasis over to being upon loving one another.  This is not to be "brotherly" love for one another, it is to be unconditional love; the kind that Jesus has for all of us.  How did Jesus love the disciples, and therefore us?  How did He demonstrate this love?

The Gospel accounts make the answer quite plain:  Jesus showed His love by personally teaching, training, caring for, warning and encouraging His disciples.  He became their servant.  He acted as their shepherd, caring for His flock of "sheep."  He gave them more time and attention than the crowds who came to see Him and to hear Him speak. 

We can't therefore simply mouth sentiments about fellowship and unity and family thinking that this qualifies us as having loved each other as Christ has loved us.  To do so means that we have failed to take into account the tremendous breadth of that simple phrase "just as I loved you."

We are therefore forced to stop and restudy the total relationship pictured for us in John 15.  "Abiding" or remaining and growing in Christ like a branch on a vine with the consequential fruit, is inseparably bound up with our practical relationship with each other within God's family.  It has to be since we are pictured as being connected to each other in Christ. 

People say "I love everyone" when in fact they have no one to love.  They have no one upon which to practise love, as Jesus Christ practised love.  Love must become something other than a mere feeling or verbal expression, it must become action.

Within Galatians we find the very familiar passage concerning the "fruit of the Spirit" set out before us with love, gentleness, goodness and patience and all of the others being measured by observable attitudes to , and dealings with, other people.  And it is these attributes which are most visible and practically worked out within small groups of committed beleivers bonded together in love.

That is all for today my friends.  Next time, God willing, I shall delve into the aspects of why teaching is necessary for these fruits to come into being in people's lives.  May Christ bless you richly this day and may you come to trust Christ more deeply today than yesterday.

~Eric

Fri, May 6th - 1:10PM

PROPER SPIRITUAL ROOTS

Within the structure of home church groups it is not all fellowship and sweetness all of the time.  An essential part of koinonia is the element of correction/warning.  This is something which is stressed in the Bible but it is steadily disappearing within churches today.  Ten, twenty, thirty thousand members in congregations circumvents the need to warn and correct those members who are undisciplined spiritually.  The Book of Proverbs constantly mentions such things: "He is on the path of life who heeds instruction.  But he who forsakes reproof goes astray."  Such terms as admonishment, correction, reproof, and warning tend to make most people uncomfortable.  If someone is undisciplined in their life, we tend to feel that it is their business, not ours.  Interference in such areas of life are unwarranted, and unasked for, right?  Wrong!  Who else will be willing to tell them that they are in danger of suffering dire consequences for their actions, if not us?  Well, I don't like people getting all offended because I stick my nose into their business.  Which is worse?  Knowing that they are going to suffer, and do nothing to prevent it?  Or speak up and warn them about the consequences, and allow them the opportunity to choose a different path while enduring their anger?  Not saying anything is wrong, just flat out wrong.  Speak up and give the person a second chance to make a better choice.  This is part of God's dealing with us.  It is how God works at maturing believers, by having other believers voice warning when we are on shaky ground through our personal choices.

Recalling chapter twelve of Hebrews, we find a very good explanation of how and why God wants to straighten us out.  The process there is called disciplining and/or chastening.  It is said to be unpleasant while it is ongoing, but afterwards it brings the peaceful fruits of righteousness.

In front of a large congregation on a Sunday, the pastor is able to warn and admonish all of the people in general.  But he is not going to get specific with individual names and what is wrong with their walk with Christ.  But how far will any conviction of sin get once we stand up and go home at the conclusion of the worship service?  This requires a leader who has frequent contact with us during the week, who can take a caring position with us and implement the admonishing of the truth.  Within the small group this can happen in a warm and caring manner as an integrated part of the entire experience of the group. 

Timothy was commanded to reprove and rebuke with great patience and instruction, all sounding like a long term long suffering care of people.  No quick fixes to be found there.  He was the Lord's bondservant which indicates no domineering stances were to be undertaken.  A bondservant was humble, gentle to all, patient, hard working.  As Peter echoed later, " Nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge." 

Few people find this ministry easy to give or to take.  But if I truely desire to keep on a tight course with God each and every day, then I want to be told when I am veering off course and am threatened with becoming lost.  Within home fellowship groups I can slowly drop my "masks," my self sufficiency, and my resistance to change.

Maintaining intimate contact with people who are just like me, I can know when I must make a change of course with God.  Where God leads, there I must follow, right?  How else will I ever know that God has opened up a door of opportunity to witness to unbelievers, unless I am following Him?  Perhaps a good illustration would be sailing on a large yacht with an albatross flying ahead representing God.  In order to remain following the albatross I must trim sails, alter ballast, tack into the wind, and change direction as needed to keep Him in sight.  To ignore, or lose sight of, where the albatross is flying means to become separated.  This is what frequently happens to believers today.  We fail to keep our eyes upon Christ, we allow ourselves to become distracted, and we then become separated from God's presence and begin walking under our own power and thoughts.  By faithfully following God we avoid smashing into the hidden "rocks."  We avoid getting ahead of God, or falling behind Him too far.  My life has a greater tendency to not become "shipwrecked" if I remain close to God and following Him. 

Importantly here, rebuke is never done in public.  Why embarass someone that way?  It is counterproductive.  The living examples of those all around me tends to motivate me to be constantly changed by them.  Since everyone else wants to keep changing, so do I as well.

Personal correction is not limited to just the non-leaders of any group.  The leaders must be just as willing and open to similar correction.  But let's keep focused upon the key question in all of this.  What do you honestly desire for your life as a Christian?  Do you want God's will for your life?  If so, then what is the best for you and the congregation to which you are a part of?  Continue covering up the debris from yours and others sins, or living a life which is nourshed and pruned so that it may flourish in increasing beauty and maturity?  Do you wish to be fruitful?

That is all for today, beloved.  I hope these posts are as helpful to you as they have been to me.  Next time I will begin writing about why fruit are so important, and cover some scriptures that speak about our bearing fruit.  Grace and peace be with you this Mother's Day weekend! 

~Eric

Thu, May 5th - 1:02PM

PROPER SPIRITUAL ROOTS

Being "rooted' in relationships with other believers translates into a form of interdependence.  It does not mean that other people suddenly begin running our lives, nor does it mean that we become puppets.  We become bearers of others' burdens, we become our brother's keeper.

Jesus Christ is the ultimate bearer of our burdens for that is what He came to do upon the Cross of Calvary.  But He also invites us to come to Himself in order that we might find peace and rest.  Peter wrote about this casting of all of our cares upon Him.  But this does not imply that God desires us to remain in a purely one-on-one relationship with Jesus regarding our burdens in life.  He took pains to inform us about the Body of Saints, the universal church of all saints, that acts as His agent in meeting the needs of the believers.  We are hands, feet, eyes, ears, fingers, nose, mouth, etc., etc..  We are to become involved in helping others cope with their burdens and in allowing others to help us cope with the problmes in our lives.  It is a two-way relationship.  And it is best accomplished within the boundaries of small groups. 

Encouragement given in a timely fashion is a great help to any of us in life.  But too frequently Christians seemingly do not comprehend the connection between the death of Christ and the personal encouragement of every Christian that there ever was, or ever will be. 

Jesus died and purchased the church with His blood.  This church is specifically designed for encouragement.  Paul declared to the Thessalonians:  "The Lord Jesus Christ died for us...that we may live together with Him.  Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as also you are doing." 

In a large congregation individual identities become lost in the crowd.  Many people ultimately leave a church simply because they can't find a way to feel like they belong to the larger group, they are unable to develop relationships within the larger whole that are meaningful.  There is no personal fulfillment available to them.  Thus it becomes vitally important that smaller groups be formed throughout the entire larger congregation in order that there can be universal participation.  Everyone is meant to be a participant when we assemble to worship.  Paul wrote "When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation..."  This is true participation, for then no one is left to simply sit and become a spectator.  But this also requires that each person has prepared themselves during the week by reading and studying God's Word, by praying to God for leadership, for guidance, for blessing. 

Within smaller groups when members really get to know each other and actively seek to involve everyone, then barriers/walls are broken down and deep needs become glaringly apparant.  One of the needs each of us have is for acceptance and recognition by others.  Unmarried women are no longer overlooked or shunned.  Single mothers are welcomed and included.  Simpler tasks can be given to them, allowing for recognition and acceptance to be offered from all.  Over time more and more important tasks can then be assigned, building up acceptance and recognition in an ever-widening circle.  Personal security can then be achieved, personal accomplishment can be experienced, self esteem can be properly built up to the levels that God intended each of us to have.

That is all for today my friends.  Next up are some words concerning some other functions that small groups of believers can exercise very effectively.  May Christ's grace and peace fill you to overflowing this day!

~Eric

Mon, May 2nd - 7:00AM

PROPER SPIRITUAL ROOTS