Church in a BOX

Good Morning !!!

For over 20 years, I proclaimed Friday’s to be Special, not because it ushered in the weekend or Sabbath, not because it was necessarily the last day of work for the week for everyone, but because I met with some men every week in a local breakfast place for “One Another-ing”…exhorting, encouraging, rebuking, teaching, praying. Face to Face sharing of I John 1.

Dear readers, lest you forget, I remind you. It’s a Good, Good Morning even at 2 am. It’s Friday and where 2 or 3 or a dozen are gathered in Jesus Name, there He is. Matthew 18:20. So, if it’s safe to travel, Go. There is an oily blessing and anointing among the gathered. Psalm 133
Don’t just skip over this. Read it.
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There is an old old story from the days of the early church. It goes like this: “When John was old and had outlived all the other Apostles, people would gather around him, just to hear anything he would say. Once in a while a brave confrontational sort of guy would furrow his brow and ask…John, why do you keep repeating the same lessons ? John would smile and gently say, …I’ll stop teaching these, when you remember consistently to practice them.”
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It would seem John was most pleased not when his disciples listened, but when they listened and put what they heard into practice. 3 John 1:4
Intentionally Gather with other believers to One Another. It’s essential to Spiritual Health.
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Allow me to take it one step further.

I think, I think that God in His Grace, Mercy, Love and Wisdom said: “Do not be unequally yoked with an unbeliever…” in Deut. 7:2,3; 22:10; I Corinthians 5:9, He was seeking to protect, bless and enable you. Where He is there in our gathering times, The Holy Spirit brings Vitality… Don’t swallow this lie:
Life and Blessing require gathering with other disciples.

Get up Early !! Shake off Slumber !! Prepare Yourself by the Word and Spirit and Gather with a local Body !!! Be God’s Gift to that Local Gathered Body as His Spirit leads you to practice what He by the Word has taught you. John 14:26, I Corinthians 12:7-11 and 14:6

Dietrich Bonhoeffer said that sometimes people make themselves an excuse (swallow the devil’s lie) ‘that because this group or that group has this quirk or problem and is not perfect’, I shall not gather with them. Let me remind you; Our Unity is in Jesus Christ by the Spirit. Our Fellowship flows from the Father, Son and Holy Spirit…not some wonderful sense of perfection from ourselves.

Do not be like those who left the Fellowship described in 1 John because they chose to let something come between them. I John 2:19 I John 1:9
It’s not about you. It’s about Him !! It’s not about the music, the carpet, the organ, the building, what someone once did or didn’t do, or they way I like it or the way it used to be… It’s about Following Him and Making Disciples. Matthew 18:19-20

I Challenge you to chew awhile on this…