Hi all,
I learned at the cardiologist appointment that the blood clot in my heart is still there, and he is keeping me on a blood thinner, so I’m looking at other options and opinions. I’ll have another CT in September, and am eating foods that naturally thin the blood or dissolve clots (apples and pineapple in particular) and other things. Thanks for your prayers!
New look to our web site
As house churches gain acceptance and more and more people are starting them and contacting us, we needed to change our web site to answer the most common questions via print and video (more on the way in the next weeks). Also, technology constantly changes and our old ‘structure’ was 11 years old, which is ancient in computer age, lol.
And our culture has become more video oriented and requiring shorter answers to deep questions, so the modern look and streamlined, more direct information will be a big help we think. Excuse please any ‘bugs’ you discover that we’ve overlooked, and let us know if all the electrons don’t cooperate if you’re trying to do something on our site – thank you!
Prophetic
The series this month, How Close Are We To WW3? is on something I very rarely do, which is link current news to chapter and verse. One of the first trips President Trump made was to Saudi Arabia, following which an Arab nation alliance was announced, formed to raise up a standard against the Russia/Iran/Turkey involvement in the Middle East. This month the President has hosted Israel’s Prime Minister, and the leaders of Saudi Arabia and other Arab nations, with other leaders visiting between now and May – this and several other things are right out of Ezekiel 38, so this update should help update your understanding of current events.
One of the things the Lord told me this February was that when we saw a change of government in Germany, know that it would send ripples across Europe and lead to large changes to their (EU) structure and economy (and other nation’s governments). I will share more at our Dutch conference. But ‘watch and pray’ on this.
Also, do you remember last year I mentioned the Lord didn’t give me anything specific about our President, other than in my spirit it just felt dead after the first two years – just no life there – blank. I speculated what that may mean, but I am now wondering upon seeing many special Congressional elections the past few months going to Democrats, does it mean them returning to majority in Congress in the November elections, essentially blocking anything the President wants to do for the last 2 years in the term? Another case of watch and pray!
Prejudice and bias
The seaport city of Corinth was very international, and we are told in Acts 18:8 that first house church met in the home of the Roman man, Justus. It says Crispus, the ruler of the (Jewish) synagogue and many believing Jews met there, and also many Corinthians (Greeks).
These 3 cultures were thrown together under one roof, and that is in part why Paul deals with 10 separate issues in his first letter to them! Much of what he deals with are cultural issues, social skills, and how to walk in love.
In Paul’s day Roman society was very segmented, historians telling us there were more slaves in the Empire than there were citizens. The upper economic classes did not mix with lower economic classes, and neither of them would ever socialize with slaves either. But in Christ all are equal, so they were all suddenly eating meals and receiving the Lord’s Supper together under one roof! Side by side, bank owner and a slave. A Greek woman and Roman man. Can you imagine the issues! Yes, we can…we have I and II Corinthians as a result, lol.
In I Corinthians 11:17-30 this division between Jew, Greek, and Roman, and their various economic standings came to the surface over the issue of receiving the Lord’s Supper in the home of Justus and others. As is so often today among house churches the Lord’s Supper is received as part of a meal – just as it was with Jesus and the disciples.
Paul chastises the Corinthians because some are eating and drinking at their own homes before coming to Justus’ home (and to other homes as they had multiplied), and refusing to have the Lord’s Supper with the rest of them.
He tells them they have their homes they can eat at any time, so they should honor the others gathered and eat with them, then asks something relevant today: “Do you despise the church of God?” (v22)
Don’t read this through auditorium church eyes
The word ‘church’ is ‘ekklesia’, specifically meaning; ‘the calling out of the citizens for the purpose of conducting the business of the kingdom‘. It was used in Greece to describe the city-states having an all-citizen meeting – a ‘calling out of the citizens to a meeting to conduct the business of the country.’
Unfortunately, many in the auditorium church culture who don’t understand the meaning, have watered it down to mean just ‘called out’, and then used that to twist it and say called out of the world. Wrong. We are called out to gather together to a meeting to conduct the business of the Kingdom.
Now as Paul wrote it: “Do you despise the calling out and gathering to a meeting to conduct the business of the kingdom of God? (The business being, furthering the discipleship process in each of our lives, and receiving revelation from heaven).
The word ‘despise’ in v22 is ‘kataphroneo’, coming from ‘kata’ which means ‘down’ and ‘phren’ which means ‘the mind’. It means ‘to think down upon or against anyone.” (Vine’s Ex. Dictionary of NT Words)
Why some don’t get healed by God
Paul told them as a result of holding onto their bias and ‘thinking down upon’ the gathering of the disciples to conduct the business of the kingdom, rather than growing in love and rightly understanding the body of Christ and His sacrifice, they were instead now guilty of His body and blood. Having refused to grow in what they knew to do, in what He provided, they now become responsible for their bias and prejudice. That holding onto sin when they know better, opens them to sickness.
Therefore Paul said, “Many are weak and sickly among you, and some have died. If we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. But if we are judged we are being chastened by the Lord that we won’t be condemned with the world. Therefore when you come together to eat, wait for one another. If anyone can’t wait, eat at home (and then come).” (v30-34)
In modern words, check your love life and ask if the Lord is allowing it because you’ve stepped out of love towards your fellow friend and disciple. The key to your healing may not be someone praying for you, but rather you dealing with your heart.
Today there are many voices speaking about things that don’t really matter in the big picture. 500 years from now you won’t be arguing over the things that concern you now. The only thing that will matter in 500 years, is that Jesus is our mutual Lord. So focus on Him, now. Lay the rest aside in order to take a step towards maturity, and love. Love will still be there 500 years from now. Whether you were right or wrong about the timing of the rapture won’t be.
Unity of the faith is not that we all believe exactly the same, but rather we are mature enough to lay aside that which would divide us and cause us to break fellowship, in order to esteem and value and focus on Who we have in common – Christ in us, the hope of glory. Let us not despise the gathering of the saints together.
April 21-22 I’ll be in Montana, May 10-15 at our Dutch conference, and after that nothing for the summer – focusing on my health and family. There are some exciting change and upcoming events in the works, more next month. Thank you for your prayers and financial support. Those who support us have as Paul told the Corinthians, taken upon yourselves the ministry of the saints with us – and you are much loved and appreciated who do so! John and Barb
