#INFO - #ReligiousStudies

What's the proper name for the belief system of a person:

* who identifies as #Christian but thinks that #Paul is the villain of the #ChristianTestament

To clarify: I mean those who believe that Paul was a false prophets (described in Matt 24:11 & 24).

#NewTestament #ChristianBible #Christianity #Christians #FollowersOfChrist #FollowersOfJesus #theology #TheologyQuestions

Please boost for visibilty! Thanks!

I am going to do a School about Biblical/Christian Worldview, with #YWAM.

We will start on the 17th january, and still have open spots for you to join!

If you want to have more info, reply to me with a private comment :)

#SBCW #YouthWithAMission #Disciples #Discipleship #FollowersOfChrist #FollowersOfJesus #Jesus #HearingTheVoiceOfGod

The Christadelphians or Brothers and Sisters in Christ are a community of lovers of God, who follow the teachings of the Nazarene Master Teacher Jeshua, better known as Jesus Christ, the Messiah.

As followers of the Jewish man from Nazareth, we are aware that Jesus him being a Jew, worshipped the God of Israel, and asked to do his followers to do so too. That God of Abraham is a Singular Eternal Spirit Being, no man can see. Jesus did not come to earth to undo the Law of God or the Torah. He came to explain it and to show the Way to God. Therefore, we take the words of Jesus seriously as an indication of how to continue our life on the path laid in front of us by this rabbi, and keep to the Law of God, God and His son their teachings and wishes, instead of keeping to human doctrines.

Jesus preached love for all creatures of God, and that is why we find it necessary not only to show and share that love for the whole of creation (earth, plants, animals and human beings), but also to come up for the weaker ones and to help and defend those in need.

In case you are looking for making your life easier or want to know more about the present and the future and our position in the whole picture or Plan of God, then you are right at our address.

Even when you are not sure about the existence of God, you are welcome to join us at our meetings and Bible Classes. We also provide printed material which you are welcome to read and to question us about. Any time of the day someone shall be willing to help you with your questions or solving your problems.

At our ecclesiae we have meetings for studying and worshipping but also moments of gathering and sharing good time and food. Also, at those events you are very welcome.

In Wintertime, we also provide shelter for the night, in certain towns, for the homeless people. Waifs and strays are also welcome at our food supplies.

But our main occupation in the ecclesia is the provision to glorify God and praise Him with a merger in prayer and Bible reading in the unity of spirit.

For those gatherings, where they may take place (Leuven, Leefdaal-Bertem, Tervuren, Brussels, Nivelles-Nijvel, Mons or Newbury), we invite you to join us and to feel the spirit of our brotherhood.
In Belgium, we are financially very limited and do have no building of our own. We have to rent spaces and  also use private houses, making house-church. For that reason it is not possible to offer set days and hours for our meetings. In Newbury, it is different. There our brethren and sisters have their own hall and offer services on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, with regular events on different days as well. Never be afraid to contact them or us to have further contact or to know about their and/our activities.

For the Carelinks (like the Antwerp Ecclesia) and Old Paths Christadelphians you shall have to contact them. We as Free Christadelphians are not bounded to any person or organisation and could be considered being part of the more progressive branch of Christadelphianism, having liberated ourselves from all boundaries of this world, only to be bounded to the sent one from God, the son of God, Jeshua, Jesus Christ.

One of us might have a strength in one area and another might be strong in another. We believe that when we can join hands to make ourselves stronger. We are convinced that when we come together in union, we all benefit and are made into the image of Christ.

We believe that all can help each other to grow in the Body of Christ, becoming more like Christ, pure and set apart. Coming together we give each other the opportunity to learn more about the Word of God, by sharing and discussing that set apart or holy Word. Together we can help each individual around us, to become part of a bigger unit, able to be compassionate, gentle, and to have a great capacity for mercy and forgiveness.

When coming to our ecclesia you should not be afraid that people would look at you as a strange intruder, because nobody would. Nobody shall go to point to the faults of yourself or others. Instead, you may find we try to use the strengths the Lord has given us to build up the body of Christ. We all have faults, and we all have gifts, and they are meant to work together. We all go for the same primary goal, to grow in the spirit according to God His Wishes, and to form a strong unit in the Body of Christ. By the influence of our fellowships you and we can have our character transformed.

At our ecclesia or church, we are people who want to share the hope in a better world. To reach that goal we know we have to start by ourselves and our own surroundings. We hope to inspire each other in our community of believers in Only One True God, but also to encourage those outside our community, to work at a relationship with Jesus, because when we seek him and not this world, he will teach us, and we will grow in all good things. A lot of this process is done through our brethren and sisters, who are here also for you!

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By the opening of the Season 2018-2019

After a marvellous great Summer we are looking forward with renewed energy for this new season.

It was to good to have the opportunity to meet in a very beautiful space, designed by Abscis Architects, in which they anchored from a future-oriented social commitment in the social, economic, historical and cultural context of the environment and created a place where travellers could come at ease.

We could count on the Cuiz’Inn restaurant where on the menu fresh and authentic dishes from all over the world could be found. That is why their motto was ‘Taste the world’. From Oriental wok dishes to Belgian classics: every recipe was given as much attention and care that made it possible to say that Cuiz’Inn was not just a roadside restaurant. In the open kitchen products were prepared fresh and on the spot. But that is now a thing of the past.

We shall have to look for a new meeting room, having our ecclesia meeting space being changed in a Starbuks Coffee saloon and a Burger King snackbar.

Brother Marcus Ampe shall be in the South of France until the 13th of October, after which he shall continue the search for an other meeting room. For a few weeks he shall take less time to think about the ecclesia work, taking some more time to walk in la douce France. After his Summer holiday he shall be once again all ears for those who need some help.

From mid October he will be back to work for one another’s welfare. Then he will encourage others again to be ready for each other, to forgive one another, to bear one another’s burden, to encourage and edify one another, and serve one another. Because that is what we should do at all times.

Whatever may happen, how much we may stay in the darkness concerning a meeting place around Brussels and Leuven, we shall try to look positive and shall keep the good spirit. Since the Facebook profiles timelines do not receive an update of the printed articles any more, we do hope people shall follow us on the Facebook pages: Christadelphia and Christadelphians.

For 2018-2019 we hope to continue with regular publications on this site and on the Brethren site Broeders in Christus, where you shall be able to find more articles in Dutch. From January 2019 you shall be able to find more regularly a devotion or a “Thought for the day” which shall follow our Daily Readings.

Our eyes shall also look at this world and give an eye from Christadelphian perspective on “Our World“. We also hope you shall find that blog of Brother Marcus, who by being very busy with some new bible translations and writing for some other Christian magazines, has somewhat neglected his own personal blog “Marcus Ampe’s space“.

Helping hands for the working of the Christadelphians in Belgium shall be very welcome. For sure we can use many hands and could also use some funds as well, having to face several costs which brings the ecclesia further in the red. Even when all the work is done voluntary, nobody receiving a payment for the preaching or work for the ecclesia, we have many costs, like internet-charges, publication and copyrights, postage fees, etc.. Doing no collections in the church service and not demanding a tenth of income, we depend on free gifts.

With much hope we look forward to find more readers, but also to find some people who would not mind meeting us in real life. We reach out our hand to find more people who would love to meet us. Like every believer in Christ, we need to feel that we are united in fellowship with one another, in the assurance that we are cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ.

Do you hunger to fellowship with others?

Remember, you cannot claim to walk with God and not walk with His people. Christ Jesus remembered his followers to come together regularly. He wanted that, after his death, they would continue to gather to praise his heavenly Father. But he also wanted them to meet each other at regular times to make sure they would feel united and willing to encourage each other.

It can well be that you too have to learn to fellowship with others and grow your faith in Christ Jesus. It is a task given by Christ Jesus. We should remember that. We also should remember that we should help each other to walk on the right path. We should give each-other a hand so that we can cross the wildest rivers.

Each day of our life we should remember that we are on our way to a better place. But we do have to look for the right station to catch the right train. To do that we need also to go to the right platform, where we shall be able to find people who are also willing to go on the track of life, from the darkness to the light. There we shall also find a special storyteller willing to go with us as a mentor and companion.

As an ecclesia, a bunch of people gathering with the intention to share their faith, we love to reach out our hand and to help people to cross the river and to bring them to save grounds and pathways where we can go forwards to reach the goal set before us by our divine Creator.

Jesus requested his followers not to stop meeting each other. For this we are still looking for places in Belgium to be able to realize this. If you have a room where we could come together you can always contact us. A meeting place to study the Bible and to praise and worship God does not have to be that special. Even in a living room one can come together to pray to God and form a community of believers.

This year too, we will try to make people realize that a small community of faith does not have to be that bad, but rather can be an advantage. Once again we invite others to join us for singing praises to God, praying together, listening to a message from the Word of God.

Every church needs people to shape and colour the community. Every church desperately needs people who make public meetings a top priority. Today is the day to start prioritizing the importance of the activities of your church in your life. Where are you and what do you want? Do you want to be part of true believers who want to fully serve Jehovah God with their hearts?

Everyone will have to realize that he or she also needs a church. We must see that God has made us a part of the church. Nobody can do it alone. We must realize that we are not strong enough on our own. Likewise, we must dare to be humble enough to recognize that we are not wise enough, not mature enough, and sometimes not godly enough. Without the beautiful, usual remedy that you experience in the church, you will not be able to save it. Without the support of your brothers and sisters in Christ, you will not be able to save it.

Then you also need to know that we also need you. The church needs you. It is together that believers in Christ have to make Church to form the body of Christ. If you are a believer, God has made you a part of the Church for the benefit of others. (1 Peter 4:10) says:

“As everyone has received a gift, you must serve each other as good ministers of the multiple mercy of God.”

God gave you to be part of the church that you have to make as your own church. You have to realize that you have received a lot from God, but that those gifts must also be shared with others. Those gifts that you received from God must be used for good use, also for other people. So we as a church give priority as an expression of generosity towards others.

We will also not fail to testify this year for Jehovah and His sentient. Without that God-given cornerstone we are not many, not to say nothing. All the partners in Christ must anchor themselves in the port provided by Jesus.

In our ecclesiae there is no collection plate passed. We know it could help us a lot and for members of the ecclesia it could be an easy way of sharing some of their possessions. Depending on free gifts we are very limited, even when nobody working for the ecclesia receives any money. All work is done freely. We do not have a staff payroll, because every work for God has to be done freely. As in the early church example, we do hope church members would not mind supporting the needs of other church members and shall be willing also to provide the means of having an established community of believers. Facing some great urgency for funds we dare to ask you if you would not like to help us. All sort of help is welcome. If someone can offer us a room to get together, it would be fantastic. If someone can provide us with some money to cover our expenses, that would be very nice.

Most of all we would appreciate it if we could find more people in Belgium interested in meeting with each other. Do you know that when you give a day to God, you can put aside all the worries of life. Together you can discuss many things with each other. By coming together you can share in the happiness of others. Together you can serve as supporters and strengthen each other. There are even many of the pleasures of life that we as brothers and sisters in Christ want and can share with each other. It therefore does not have to be a whole day spend with each other, where you invest time to worship God, serve the community and others. But what is it like to set aside a time for God and for each other?

Ideally we would welcome you at a meeting of like-minded people. That is our biggest wish for the new season.

°°°

Financial support is always welcome at Argenta Bank: BE37 9730 6618 2528 with notification: “Operation Belgian Christadelphians” or “Support for Belgian Christadelphians“.

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Preceding

Why we do not have our worship-services in a church building

A marvellous Summer ending

When seeing a biblically sound church

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Additional reading

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Related

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If no one died because of War – how different would worlds appear to be

If no one died because of War — how different would worlds appear to be.

You may wonder why there is so much trouble in this world. Some would say religion is the cause of all that trouble, but they should know that there are more killings by non-religious terror acts or secular related violence.

Man also should know he can do a lot to avoid friction and war. We have more in our hands than we think. In case more people would keep to the teachings of the Word of God we would already have a much better world and more peaceful to live in.

The year 2017 opened with people doing their utmost best to bring division between religious people. Men like Donald Trump who bring ridiculous measures which do not make sense, like not allowing people from different Muslim countries but those from the state who pays a lot of money to jihad fighters are allowed to enter the U.S.A. like they never provided terrorists for September 9 2001. It seems suddenly the president of the United States of America and lost of its citizens do not remember that attack any more or do not see any more the connection with Saudi Arabia. The cradle of the extreme Muslim faith stays untouched whilst people coming form other and often moderate groups or even Muslims who flee the conservative Muslim teachings are refused to enter the Courtney.

The land which was once the land of the free where many sought to find better pastures, has now lots of egoist citizens who have forgotten their ancestors roots. Many, not to say most of them, forget they once came from refugees and from people leaving their country because it was not offering what they wanted or hoped for. Now when their over-grand-kids have it so good they hate it to share some of their goodness and richness with others.

I may be that we are facing coming difficult times. For sure we  can see that lots of people who have it grand, and not have to worry about daily food and water and not having to face the horror of war, can not find themselves willing to come to help those in need. And everyone seems to be preoccupied and worried. Strange in the land where we can find a huge Bible-belt and hear from so many ‘active Christians’ we can see the least Christian attitude.

When more politicians in Europe also want to frighten people for the Muslim community and the Jewish community and want to bring on more protectionist regulations for their own country instead of working together making good commercial treaties, the world is going to become in a bigger mess. Many also have forgotten how some of the immigrants made their country big (look at those international corporations like Apple, Google). Many Americans seem to forget how the labour-force from outside is also important and how those immigrants and manufactures are as necessary to their independence as to their comfort.

Followers of Jesus Christ, who regularly read the Bible can see many signs which should worry but also could us make us more pleased that a certain time is coming closer.

Withstanding we should do our utmost best to preach peach. We should do everything to show others the Way to God and the way for being able to live in peace. They do know that the world is now in the hands of man but in the end it shall always be God which has everything under control.

— to see — to hear — to here — to know —

It is no dream,we have to get out of our own cocoon and egoistic dreams, stepping into the world and showing that there are better ways than the political escapades.

We are clearly  coming into days that the prophecies of ancient times are again of such importance like at the time when Jesus was born.

In a way we should not worry for tomorrow, because we do know God has a Plan and His Plan shall come to into existence whatever man may do to break it down or to kill the followers of His sent one.
Bible readers do know there will be signs and are able to come to see sings, enabling them to prepare for a big time of unrest and turmoil. We should all know that we are going to head to that World War III. How we shall be able to cope with it and perhaps to survive or even shall not have to be afraid to die in it, followers of Jesus do know he is the way and that his heavenly Father is the Most High we can trust. In Him we do trust and have placed our hope for a better future.

“9 Jehovah also will be a high tower for the oppressed, A high tower in times of trouble; 10 And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee; For thou, Jehovah, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.” (Psalms 9:9-10 ASV)

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The Big conversation Why it matters

Looking at our small community we must remember that it is God Who calls and for what we can offer in our community He takes what we have and makes it go further!

• Church is the place to bring empty lives for God to fill.
• Church is about meeting not just meetings!

In our previous postings we also pointed out that some people may have a wrong opinion about unity and expect all people in a community to say the same and to act the same. But “being one” doesn’t mean “being a clone”. God blesses unity! And we should have and should share our unity in Christ and unity with Christ. All being one in following the teachings of Christ, believing what he says and following up what he asked his followers to do. Not just following a church because it pleases us but because it follows the teachings of the son of God, Jesus Christ, and stays truthful to the Words of God, following God’s Will and willing to share His Gospel. Our union should be in the love for God which should be noticeable for outsiders, being a union of loving people, loving Jehovah God and His son Christ Jesus, Jeshua the Messiah, as lovers of the truth, sharing this love and Good News and spreading unselfish, mutual, unconditional Agape brotherly love and love for all creation under the Covenant of love as beloved disciples and as Bible lovers making a circle of love under the Royal Law of love.

Having different people coming together there should be allowance for every one to have their say. All gathered should have respect for all present and give them the opportunity to share their ideas. Being together it also must be an occasion where public confession, based on a word from God, can take place. This may demand courage to stand up and declare truth, but in a real church of God this should not be a problem because that has to be a place of sharing the love of Christ and working at getting the love of God.

Spending time together to study the Word of God, must do something to those present. Change is inevitable…

except from a vending machine

said Arne Roberts, on October the tenth, at the Big Conversation. For him it is clear what is going to happen to other Bible Students which all came form the same source.

Here’s what will happen to Jehovah’s Witnesses: They will become increasingly like the religious group that influenced Charles Russell: The Christadelphians…

The Christadelphians were once an outspoken, vibrant, edgy “Christian” group who spread their urgent end-times message far and wide. They grew exponentially in the latter half of the nineteenth century, but their heyday is long past. For several decades now they resemble a heavy rusty old steam locomotive that is running out of speed as it lumbers along ill-kept tracks, but still tries to muster the motion needed to take on steep mountain slopes.

The Christadelphians ooze sad irrelevance and faded glory of times well passed. They are an old people’s religion – old people who don’t have the self- and other-awareness to see that they are clinging to a dead dream. The Christadelphians have long since passed their used-by date and the only ones who still ‘practice’ this religion are older individuals who cannot muster the strength to look out their windows at the real world passing them by.

This is the future of Jehovah’s Witnesses, who will not go out with a bang, but who will slowly whimper to an ever slower crawl as the decades pass and the world, in its infinite fascination with religious novelty, will fix its distractable attention on to other more modern belief systems.

For Arne Roberts that is not the end. He asks us to keep in mind that we are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone.

We as followers of Christ should make sure that the Clarion of the Torah may sound. We hearing the sound loudly should make sure that there might be a stimulant for others in our community to become co-workers, helping each other, not working against each other, or not considering each other rivals. As individual beings, planets or stars, we may be totally different, but together we are one part of the universe, just some small elements in the creation of God.

When people just not come to join others because they are part of a small community than that community shall never have any chance of growing. When people keep waiting before willing to join a small community because it does not attract them for it is so small that they shall be noticed, we do have to convince them that they should not hide themselves behind the numbers. It is true that when there is a small church people will be noticed. In a mega church nobody shall notice it when you come in later, slip out earlier, shall fall asleep or shall not be attentional. When we encounter such doubting people who are afraid to join a small church we can ask them

How long to wait before bringing religiousness and spirituality in practice

It is up to us that God is in our life and that we want to share it with them. They should not be afraid to feel having a naked identity it such a small group, because as followers of Christ Jesus we have abandoned our sinful ‘I’ and actually have taken an other identity, no identity of our own apart from our union with Christ. Not that we have no unique personality or value or purpose, but that Christ defines our new life. It is that inseparable connection within Christ as a believer, which unites us and in the love of Christ we found the love for each other and have to show the world that we want to share that love. When we fail to see our true existence in Christ and fail to find our life and, thus, seek it outside of Christ we shall become victim of our own vain pursuit that only leads to frustration and angst in our God-thirsty soul.

We must understand that whatever happens the majority of people will not want to take the divine Creator as their God and lots of people shall prefer to be part of the contemporary world, belonging to it, being in it, and enjoying a worldly philosophy, inventions of men designed to rob you of your inheritance (Col.2:8-10) and as such shall not be so much attracted to the Christadelphian world, which demands a change in their attitude. The friendship with the world is for most people much more important than the friendship with God loving people. Most shall prefer to stay in the Godless world having not to wonder about their own responsibilities.

It is up to the lovers of God to show the others the light of the world and that no one should worry to much about living in this world. When people could come to know that New world better they might think twice and be prepared easier to leave the Old world for what it is, looking forward to a better and perfect world. We understand it is not easy for man to get away with the worldly traditions, so this shall always be some of the obstacles to join or to stay in our community. But people should not be afraid that they cannot take part in worldly events in a Godless world.  Christadelphians for sure also can enjoy worldly life, having enough time fore worldly pleasures, and not to become frustrated under the yoke of the world.

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Preceding articles:

Counting sands and stars

The Big conversation

The Big conversation follow up

Reasons why you may not miss the opportunity to go to a Small Church

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Additional reading

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Doubting and going astray

Expression of doubt and posing questions

The last few days in our small Belgian community we spoke about looking for Christ, having doubts, loving Jesus, actions to be taken as lover of Jesus and lover of God.

Some people may feel like they have to climb a very steep mountain or could say “I Die Daily”. Once more in Belgium we were under attack and got lots of hateful reactions saying Christadelphians are a sect and is made up of haters of God and haters of Jesus. Several people wanted our members to believe nobody can be allowed to have questions about faith and should not have any doubts about matters of life. Therefore we looked if we May we have doubts and wondered how we could live with Resurrectional Responsibility, getting prepared and very well oiled making some work of looking at Evangelisation, local preaching opposite overseas evangelism.

Connecting people

Those who love Jesus and wanted to show their brotherly connection last Sunday gathered to have a joined meeting with Newbury, Mons, Brussels and Leuven, via internet connection from Mons and Newbury. It was a great service which we all enjoyed very much.

The last few days we heard many people asking us if we where lovers of God and “Is there any other god?” “Is there some powerful god I never heard of ?” and wondering we had an other God than the main churches.

Many these last few weeks we wanted people to understand that there are no three gods to be worshipped but only One who says about Himself:

Isa 44:6 The Scriptures 1998+  (6)  “Thus said יהוה {Jehovah}, Sovereign of Yisra’ĕl, and his Redeemer, יהוה {Jehovah} of hosts, ‘I am the First and I am the Last, besides Me there is no Elohim.

For some it may look like God makes us a strife unto our neighbours and that our enemies laugh among them-selves (Psalm 79:6) and therefore the need was high to ask to god that he would give ear as The Shepherd of Israel, that lead Joseph like a flock; that dwell between the cherubims and shine forth. (Psalm 80:1)

The Shepherd of Israel, a title which is the correlative of the words in Psalm 79:13, “thy people and the flock of thy pasture” (cp. Psalm 74:1, made us willing to come together as sheep in the stall of God, crossing over the waters of the English channel. As in the past, we should know that lovers of God are not liked so much by the world. Today also archers may sorely grieve us, and be shooting at us, and hating us, like they did with Joseph.

Gen 49:22-26 The Scriptures 1998+  (22)  “Yosĕph is an offshoot of a fruit-bearing tree, an offshoot of a fruit-bearing tree by a fountain, his branches run over a wall. (23)  “And the archers have bitterly grieved him, shot at him and hated him.
(24)  “But his bow remained in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the Mighty One of Yaʽaqoḇ – from there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Yisra’ĕl –  (25)  from the Ěl of your father who helps you, and by the Almighty who blesses you with blessings of the heavens above, blessings of the deep that lies beneath, blessings of the breasts and of the womb.
(26)  “The blessings of your father have excelled the blessings of my ancestors, up to the limit of the everlasting hills. They are on the head of Yosĕph, and on the crown of the head of him who was separated from his brothers.

Psa 80:1-3 The Scriptures 1998+  (1)  Give ear, O Shepherd of Yisra’ĕl, Who lead Yosĕph like a flock; Who dwell between the keruḇim, shine forth! (2)  Before Ephrayim, Binyamin, and Menashsheh, Stir up Your might, And come and save us!  (3)  Cause us to turn back, O Elohim, And cause Your face to shine, That we might be saved!

Parable of lost sheep

Luk 15:4-7 The Scriptures 1998+  (4)  “What man among you, having a hundred sheep, and having lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one which is lost until he finds it?  (5)  “And having found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.  (6)  “And having come home, he calls together his friends and neighbours, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’  (7)  “I say to you that in the same way there shall be more joy in the heaven over one sinner repenting, than over ninety-nine righteous ones who need no repentance.

Brother Jon had been working with sheep in New Zealand and told about his work with them and how they could be showing their will but became very calm as soon as the shearer had her firmly. We all may be like sheep in the fields going one or the other way looking for  greener grass. Those who work on the grasslands and have sheep or children to take care of, do know what it takes when a man among us having lost one of the many sheep or some child. Do we not leave the ninety nine in the wilderness, or leave the children by some one else and go in search of that which is lost until we find it?

When a child or an animal is been lost how joyful are we not when we did find it back a life. In the parable of the shepherd Jeshua upon coming home the friends are also called together and neighbours get to hear the good news. Jesus tells us that we may be like lost sheep or have lost sheep in our surroundings but that there is a diligent searcher. Like here on earth when someone or something lost found again, the people rejoice for it, Jesus assures us, there will be greater joy in heaven for one reforming sinner, than for ninety nine righteous persons who have no need of reformation.

Safety in numbers

Brother Jon pointing out at the lost sheep, diligent searcher, complacent majority, asked us

• How are we lost?
  • We’re clearly not completely lost, but there may be many here who are losing their way in their walk.
  • Getting lost can happen quickly, and creep up on you.
  • Every time we sin we become a little lost.
• Can weidentify with complacentmajority?
  • ‘Safety in numbers’ mentality is not good. Incorrect behaviour quickly becomes ‘normalised’ if you are in the majority.
  • Pharisees and scribes really thought they were fine. Manifested in arrogance, self-delusion and hypocrisy.
  • Is there anything about our secular or religious life that is smug or conceited?
  • We must be wary of the same, both individually and collectively.

Sheep gathering

We in our community are all like brothers and sisters feeling united, being part of one congregation or one flock. Together we look up to the son of man who we believe is our best guide on this globe, and is a shepherd who does not leave us on our own. We are convinced that son of man, who is not any more here on earth shall come in his glory, and will then sit on the throne of his glory.

We do feel much for each other and would love to see that all around us can be be assembled with pleasure from all the nations. We put our hopes that when Jeshua will separate all the ones he called in front of him and as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, we may find our loved ones and our fellow members of the community in the chosen group to enter through the small gate of the Kingdom of God.

Those coming together as brethren and sisters look out for lost sheep, because they know how important it is that all sheep should come together at night. They also know that when the great shepherd comes all the servants should have done their work right and the sheepdogs have to show that they are well trained and got all sheep nicely together in the same stall or have already diven the sheep and the goat to one or the other site. The main shepherd shall place the sheep on the right hand and the goats on his left.  Then the king will say to them on his right,

“Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom which hath been prepared for you from the formation of the world” (Matthew 25:34)

Brothers and sisters taking care of each other

When the night will come, of the Last Days, we shall have to be taking care of those who were hungry, thirsty, in need, stranger or well known, having given lodging, clothing, having taking care of many and visited many.  At all times we should stand ready to help others, be it people know to us or strangers, being fellow members of the ecclesia but even more also other believers and non-believers. there must be a difference between an atheist doing all such good works and a believer.

Mat 25:31-46 The Scriptures 1998+  (31)  “And when the Son of Aḏam comes in His esteem, and all the set-apart messengers with Him, then He shall sit on the throne of His esteem.  (32)  “And all the nations shall be gathered before Him, and He shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates his sheep from the goats.  (33)  “And He shall set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.  (34)  “Then the Sovereign shall say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the reign prepared for you from the foundation of the world –  (35)  for I was hungry and you gave Me food, I was thirsty and you gave Me drink, I was a stranger and you took Me in,  (36)  was naked and you clothed Me, I was sick and you visited Me, I was in prison and you came to Me.’  (37)  “Then the righteous shall answer Him, saying, ‘Master, when did we see You hungry and we fed You, or thirsty and gave You to drink?  (38)  ‘And when did we see You a stranger and took You in, or naked and clothed You?  (39)  ‘And when did we see You sick, or in prison, and we came to You?’  (40)  “And the Sovereign shall answer and say to them, ‘Truly, I say to you, in so far as you did it to one of the least of these My brothers, you did it to Me.’  (41)  “He shall then also say to those on the left hand, ‘Go away from Me, accursed ones, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his messengers –  (42)  for I was hungry and you gave Me no food, I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink,  (43)  ‘I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, was naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’  (44)  “Then they also shall answer Him, saying, ‘Master, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not serve You?’  (45)  “Then He shall answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, in so far as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’  (46)  “And these shall go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into everlasting life.”

Differences in behaviour

For sure we can find many atheists, Buddhists, Muslims, Hindus, agnostics doing lots of good works. Several of them also do have meetings where they do come together to show their unity. Is there is difference to be seen or to be felt between the non-believer doing good works and a believer or the Christian believer doing good works?

• • Luke15:4-7. Parable of lost sheep – lost sheep, diligent searcher, complacent majority

  Matt25:31-46. Sheep and goats.

  • Can look very similar, but differences in behaviour.
    • Independence vs. flocking behaviour.
    • Social dominance (goats aggressive).
  • When’s the last time you gave food to the hungry? Drink to the thirsty? Welcome to a stranger? Clothes to the naked? Visited the sick? Visited the prisoner?
  • Unconscious good. Seems impossible!

Taking care of others

The word of Jehovah came to us and we can find in it that have to be careful with those shepherds that feed themselves! We should know that the shepherds feed the sheep. So we must be careful when we eat plenty and drink milk, clothe ourselves with the wool, killing the fatlings we must be careful not to forget feeding the sheep.

We should know that there are not only the physical diseased, but should also take care everybody gets the spiritual food and gets strengthened. Not only do we have to heal that which was sick but we also do have to bind up that which is broken. What is very important and by many forgotten is that lots of people in church communities have brought back that which was driven away. Many are fast to threaten others when they have questions about their belief or about the Christian faith.

Out in the world there may be lots of people with questions about the Christian faith. In which way do we want to help them. How do we want to be with them, to give them a hand to find the right way?

Have you ever sought that which was lost?

These weeks we have seen once more that several denominations are eager to shout at others, call them names and with force and with rigour they want to have ruled over us and others.

We also can see that in this world many are with lots of questions, but that there are also several who are willing to find the truth and are sincerely looking for Biblical truth. They are scattered and many of them feel in the desert and lost, because there is no shepherd.

Eze 34:1-31 The Scriptures 1998+  (1)  Eze 34:1  And the word of יהוה {Jehovah} came to me, saying,
(2)  “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Yisra’ĕl, prophesy and say to them, ‘Thus said the Master יהוה to the shepherds, “Woe to the shepherds1 of Yisra’ĕl who have been feeding themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flock? Footnote: 1See Jer. 10:21.
(3)  “You eat the fat and you put on the wool. You slaughter the fatlings – you do not feed the flock. (4)  “You have not strengthened the weak, nor have you healed the sick, nor bound up the broken, nor brought back the straying, nor sought what was lost; but you have ruled them with might and harshness. (5)  “And they were scattered because there was no shepherd. And they became food for all the beasts of the field when they were scattered.
(6)  “My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and on every high hill. And My sheep were scattered over all the face of the earth, and no one was seeking or searching for them.” (7)  ‘Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of יהוה

God’s sheep a pray

All over the world people of God can be found. All over the world there are also sheep wandering through all the mountains, and on every high hill, scattered on all the face of the land. Followers of Christ should wonder if they are willing to look for them, because now it seems like in the times there was none that searched or sought after them.  Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of Jehovah the Only One God of gods Whose sheep became a prey, and Whose sheep became food to all the beasts of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did His shepherds search for His sheep, but the shepherds fed themselves, and didn’t feed His sheep.

All believers in God should be aware of the Most High Shepherd and all the other shepherds. They should check if they will not do as so many shepherds in this world and like the servants of Babylon do. We can see lots of churches in Christendom where the shepherds are more interested in their own gains instead of taking care to bring the Good News of the Gospel.

YHWH, Jehovah the Elohim does not like such shepherds who are not really taking care of the sheep of the world. He will require His sheep at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the sheep; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves anymore; and God will deliver His sheep from their mouth, that they may not be food for them.

Eze 34:8-11 The Scriptures 1998+  (8)  “As I live,” declares the Master יהוה, “because My flock became a prey, and My flock became food for every beast of the field, from not having a shepherd, and My shepherds did not search for My flock, but the shepherds fed themselves and did not feed My flock,”
(9)  therefore, O shepherds, hear the word of יהוה!
(10)  ‘Thus said the Master יהוה, “See, I am against the shepherds, and shall require My flock at their hand, and shall make them cease feeding the sheep, and the shepherds shall feed themselves no more. And I shall deliver My flock from their mouths, and they shall no longer be food for them.”
(11)  ‘For thus said the Master יהוה, “See, I Myself shall search for My sheep and seek them out.

God will search for my sheep, and will seek them out

Wherever you may be in the world, you may be sure that God searches and knows the heart and knows the ones who are seeking for Him. It is the Most High Lord YHWH, the Elohim Hashem Jehovah Who Himself says that He Himself will search for His sheep, and will seek them out.  As a shepherd seeks out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered abroad, so will God seek out His sheep. He will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day. Wherever you might be in the world in case you are seriously looking for God, ‘crying for Him, He shall hear your voice.

You may be a sheep between lots of goats or surrounded by wild animals, God will bring you out from the peoples, and gather you with many others from the countries to bring you to the land where you belong, with brothers and sisters united in Christ. Even when you live far away from an ecclesia god shall take care of you that you receive your daily food. In case if you are willing to find the Biblical Truth God shall give you the necessary spiritual food. He will feed you with good pasture; and on the mountains of the height of Israel shall our fold be, there we shall lie down in a good fold; and on fat pasture we believers and lovers of God shall feed on the mountains of Israel. The Divine Creator will seek that which was lost, and will bring back that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but the fat and the strong He will destroy; The Righteous God will feed them in judgement. We may be sure that whatever we do whatever we believe, whatever we want to follow, God will judge between us sheep.

Eze 34:12-14 The Scriptures 1998+  (12)  “As a shepherd seeks out his flock on the day he is among his scattered sheep, so I shall seek out My sheep and deliver them from all the places where they were scattered in a day of cloud and thick darkness.
(13)  “And I shall bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the lands, and shall bring them to their own land. And I shall feed them on the mountains of Yisra’ĕl, in the valleys, and in all the dwellings of the land. (14)  “In good pasture I shall feed them, and their fold shall be on the high mountains of Yisra’ĕl. They shall lie there in a good fold and feed in rich pasture on the mountains of Yisra’ĕl. (15)  “I shall feed My flock and make them lie down,” declares the Master יהוה.
(16)  “I shall seek out the lost and bring back the strayed. And I shall bind up the broken and strengthen what was sick, but the fat and the strong I shall destroy. I shall feed them with right-ruling.”
(17)  ‘And as for you, O My flock, thus said the Master יהוה, “See, I am judging between sheep and sheep, between rams and goats.

God giving peace

Lots of people do not like lovers of God. Many of them do everything to make live difficult for them. As lovers of Christ we shall be confronted by people who find we do have to make Jesus our god and should worship him. But we should know that there is only One God to be worshipped, and that is the God of Abraham, Who is also the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob and the God of Jesus.

The good shepherd Jesus, knew very well his Boss and Most High Shepherd, who is much greater than Him, whose Spirit shall guide those who accept him.

Joh 14:26-28 The Scriptures 1998+  (26)  “But the Helper, the Set-apart Spirit, whom the Father shall send in My Name, He shall teach you all, and remind you of all that I said to you.  (27)  “Peace I leave with you – My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
(28)  “You heard that I said to you, ‘I am going away and I am coming to you.’ If you did love Me, you would have rejoiced that I said, ‘I am going to the Father,’ for My Father is greater than I.

All the shepherding Jesus does he learned from his heavenly Father without he could do nothing.

Joh 5:19-24 The Scriptures 1998+  (19)  Therefore יהושע {Jeshua} responded and said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son is able to do none at all by Himself, but only that which He sees the Father doing, because whatever He does, the Son also likewise does.  (20)  “For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all that He Himself does. And greater works than these He is going to show Him, in order that you marvel.  (21)  “For as the Father raises the dead and makes alive, even so the Son makes alive whom He wishes.  (22)  “For the Father judges no one, but has given all the judgment to the Son,  (23)  that all should value the Son even as they value the Father. He who does not value the Son does not value the Father who sent Him.  (24)  “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me possesses everlasting life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.

We as brothers and sisters in Christ, believe in Jeshua, as the sent one from God, and accept his position as son of God, made higher than angels, though lower before, to be a mediator between God and man and to be our judge at the Time of God.  It shall be God Himself who will be the Most High Shepherd of His sheep Who will cause them to lie down and to be in peaceful pastures.

Though we may  not forget the tasks the shepherds (God and Christ) have given, to tread down with our feet the residue of our  pasture, to get rid of the wrong teachings and wrong traditions, avoiding the filthy, polluted water with false teachings. We are each ourself responsible for looking for clear unpolluted teachings, to have drank of the clear waters. We ourself have to foul the residue with our feet.

God does not like sheep who associate with the swines, preferring human doctrines instead of Biblical teaching. God’s sheep are stronger than those who love more to be with the majority and those who love to keep the human traditions.

Lovers of God do have to thrust with side and with shoulder, and push all the diseased with their horns and look forward to the One Who can rescue them and safeguard us so that we shall not be any more a prey. We can be sure that God will judge between them and shall judge sheep and sheep.

God has given the world another shepherd over man, who knows them best and has given them the best schooling. That shepherd trained many sheep and was the best example for all following shepherds. As the descendant of God’s servant and slave David, the given shepherd to mankind has fed them. He showed who is the Main Leader and Who is the Master Shepherd. For those who want to be part of the flock He YHWH, the Elohim Hashem Jehovah will be their God, and His slave David prince among them. He will restore the land and give peace to all who follow Him and His shepherds.

And He will make them and the places round about His hill an esteem; and He will cause the shower to come down in its season; there shall be showers of esteeming. And the tree of the field shall yield its fruit, and the land shall yield its increase, and they shall be secure in their land; and they shall know that He is The Most High “I am”, The I am Who is YHWH, Jehovah God Who delivers us out of the hand of those that made slaves of us.

For sure we may know that we shall no more be a prey to the nations, neither shall the beasts of the land devour us; but we shall dwell securely, and none shall make us afraid, because we do know we do not have to fear man, but should fear God. And He will raise up to us a plantation for renown, and we shall be no more consumed with famine in the land, neither carry the shame of the nations anymore.

Yes all shall come to know Who the Most High is. but for many it shall be too late. We have to make up our mind in time. Please do not reprieve. By adjourning it can well be you shall be too late to go to the small gate. They and we all have to know that He, YHWH, The Cretaor of heaven and earth, the Elohim Hashem Jehovah is our God and H is willing to be with us. Jesus restored the relationship with Him so that we can up to Him as to our own father.

We as brothers in Christ have chosen to follow the Master Shepherd His beloved shepherd, the only begotten in whom God is pleased. We present ourselves to him and to the world as people for God willing to be His sheep, the sheep of His pasture.

Eze 34:18-31 The Scriptures 1998+  (18)  “Is it not enough for you to have eaten up the good pasture, and the rest of your pasture you trample with your feet. Or that you should drink of the clear waters, and the rest you muddy with your feet?
(19)  “And as for My flock, they eat what you have trampled with your feet, and they drink what you have muddied with your feet.”
(20)  ‘Therefore thus said the Master יהוה to them, “See, I Myself shall judge between fat and lean sheep. (21)  “Because you have pushed with flank and shoulder, and thrust at all the weak ones with your horns, and scattered them abroad, (22)  therefore I shall save My flock, and let them no longer be a prey. And I shall judge between sheep and sheep. (23)  “And I shall raise up over them one shepherd, My servant Dawiḏ, and he shall feed them. He shall feed them and be their shepherd. (24)  “And I, יהוה, shall be their Elohim, and My servant Dawiḏ a prince in their midst. I, יהוה, have spoken. (25)  “And I shall make a covenant of peace with them, and make evil beasts cease from the land. And they shall dwell safely in the wilderness and sleep in the forest. (26)  “And I shall make them and the places all around My hill a blessing, and shall cause showers to come down in their season – showers of blessing they are.
(27)  “And the trees of the field shall yield their fruit and the earth yield her increase, and they shall be safe in their land. And they shall know that I am יהוה, when I have broken the bars of their yoke. And I shall deliver them from the hand of those who enslaved them, (28)  and they shall no longer be a prey for the gentiles, and the beast of the earth shall not devour them. And they shall dwell safely, with no one to make them afraid.
(29)  “And I shall raise up for them a planting place of name, and they shall no longer be consumed by hunger in the land, nor bear the shame of the gentiles any more. (30)  “And they shall know that I, יהוה their Elohim, am with them, and that they, the house of Yisra’ĕl, are My people,” declares the Master יהוה.’ ”
(31)  “And you, My flock, the flock of My pasture, are men, and I am your Elohim,” declares the Master יהוה.’ ”

Tasks for sheep and shepherds

• Shepherds are discussed in Ezekiel 34
• NT themes: Feeding sheep, scattered sheep, searching for lost sheep, sheep and goats
• Protect &provide
  • Jn21:16-17. Jesus exhorts Peter to feed his sheep.
  • 1Pet5:1-4. Exhortation for elders to be shepherds.
• Do we ever see ourselves as shepherds and our B&S as our flock?
  • What do we protect from? False doctrine? Atheism? Apathy? Societical values?
  • What do we provide? Physical and spiritual.

• Jesus the lamb of God, and the Good Shepherd
• John10. Jesus the Good Shepherd
  • 10:14. Responsibility for the sheep to know their shepherd
  • 10:15. Lays down life for sheep.
  • 10:16. Other sheep not of this fold – us!
• Isa53:6-7. We like sheep have gone astray, Jesus led like a lamb to the slaughter

• Psa23:1-6. The lord is my Shepherd.

Other sheep

Let us be aware that forgers lurk and that only thieves and robbers climb over the fence instead of going in through the gate to the sheep pen.  That we can warn others to look out for the the gatekeeper who opens the gate for the shepherd, so that he can go in through it. We as sheep should know our shepherd’s voice. He calls each of us by name and leads us out.

Let our eyes be open to see the true shepherd who has led out all of his sheep, walking in front of them, following him and not those of an other farm, because we know his voice.  Let us therefore not be sheep who will follow strangers, but let us recognize a stranger’s voice, and they run away.

Jesus, we should know is the gate. All who come in through him will be saved. Through Jesus they will come and go and find pasture.  God has given a very good shepherd in whom we can put all our trust. He is the good shepherd who knows his sheep, and they know him.

Having placed in the womb of his mother by the Force of God, like the Father knows him, he knows the Father, and he give up his life for his sheep, the ones which are willing to follow him. Though he also has other sheep that are not in this sheep pen. He must bring them together too, when they hear his voice. Then there will be one flock of sheep and one shepherd.  So by time more people shall come to unite with others in Christ.

Joh 10:11-18 The Scriptures 1998+  (11)  “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.  (12)  “But the hireling, and not being a shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees. And the wolf snatches the sheep and scatters them.  (13)  “Now the hireling flees because he is a hireling and is not concerned about the sheep.  (14)  “I am the good shepherd.1 And I know Mine, and Mine know Me, Footnote: 1Ezek. 34:11-12, Heb. 13:20, 1 Peter 2:25, 1 Peter 5:4.  (15)  even as the Father knows Me, and I know the Father. And I lay down My life for the sheep.  (16)  “And other sheep I have which are not of this fold – I have to bring them as well, and they shall hear My voice, and there shall be one flock, one shepherd.1 Footnote: 1Ezek. 34:23, Ezek. 37:24.  (17)  “Because of this the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life, in order to receive it again.  (18)  “No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to receive it again. This command I have received from My Father.”

Those who do not belong to the Jews or Judaic people, the original Chosen People of God, Israel, should not worry when they choose to follow the Jew Jeshua, because he is the one who shall bring all those who are willing to follow him, through the small gate into the Kingdom of his heavenly Father.

Let us make sure to follow the right shepherd to the right den.

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With thanks for the exhortation of Jon Otter and the provision of the Newbury ecclesia to share their meeting with us

Flock: congregation, company, a gathering

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Additional reading:

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Members of the ecclesia uniting and seeking God’s help in tribulation

Tuesday-night at the meeting of the Ecclesia Brussel–Leuven we read Romans 5 and 1 Corinthians 1+3, looking at the difficulties we have encountered the last few months and how we had to cope with it but also how we should continue our way.

Sometimes we do get to recognise we could not re-conciliate but have to turn over the page and leave those who did not want to be amicably connected with us on their own. Sometimes a community has the priority to protect its own flock and has to take measures which do not seem so pleasant for all people involved. When certain people prefer to stand on their own and are not willing to co-operate the community than has to decide to let them go their own way, but when they themselves did everything to blacken that community, they should not have to keep contact any more. As such we decided to leave the man from the North and his organisation far what they are, and shall concentrate ourselves on bringing people to Christ ourselves, without their help.

Jesus Christ is the man who opened the way to his Father. He is the One Mediator between God and man and is the cornerstone of the Church of God.

We do trust the Most High, Elohim Hashem Jehovah, Who shall call people and Who shall guide us and give us that what we need according to His time.

In Him we trust and give all our hope to build up His Church in Belgium and other parts in the world.

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  Alexander Michalak writes: My preliminary examination of several Second Temple texts, 1 Enoch, the Book of Jubilees, Joseph and Aseneth, Testament of Job, the First Epistle to the Corinthians, and the Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs indicates that there is already at this time a connection between demons and the cult of foreign gods, although they are not always explicitly identified with one another. Sometimes the demonic spirits are said only to lead people astray, that is, to lead people toward Gentile worship and toward idolatry, whereas in other cases it is the demonic spirits who are the objects of worship, or the pagan gods themselves.
• The House of Worship (causeitfeelsright.wordpress.com)
  The Greek word that should have been translated to church was only used twice in the New Testament. It means “the Lord’s” and was used for the Lord’s day and the Lord’s supper. But this instance is ecclesia. It means “to call forth from out of”. Matthew says if you and the other person can’t work out your problems go get help. Go find a few more people to help because maybe they’ll understand a different perspective. If that doesn’t work go find the ones who have been called out of darkness (1 Peter). When you are in darkness you can’t see clearly and when you are “in the dark” you are ignorant which simply means you don’t know. So someone who has been called out can see clearly, or they are knowledgeable or “in the know” which is having “inside” information.
• Mary, Martha & Lazarus – the family in Bethany (hadvarim.wordpress.com)
  The gospel narrative then is largely concerned with Christ exposing the apostate Jewish leaders, and building up his apostles as “other husbandmen” to replace them. The parables recorded of the Kingdom of heaven throughout Matthew describe the kingdom of Israel in existence (Mat 11:12), under the governance of the prince of this world – the apostate Jewish leaders (John 12:31, 16:11, Eph 2:2, Luke 10:18, Mat 24:27), and then later to be replaced with the new heavens founded upon Christ as the Abrahamic seed stars are raised to the political heavens (Gen 15:5, Dan 12:2-3, Psa 19:4, 1 Cor 15:40-49, Apoc 4:1).
  +
  A people for his Name
  Christ is described as the second Adam as compared to the first Adam (1 Cor 15:45-47). Both of them the “son of God” (Luke 3:38), and both typically created the same way. The body of Christ is the Ecclesia εκκλησια (Eph 5:23, 30, Col 1:18,24), and it is being formed from the Abrahamic dust, the seed of Abraham according to the promises of old; compare Gen 2:7 with Gen 13:16, 28:14.
  +The mortal children of Israel are described as Elohim, mighty ones, or as we have in the AV “gods”. Elohim describes the the mental state of the person, not their physical nature. Ambassadors of the father, regardless of whether they are mortal people or immortal angels. If they are empowered by the will of the spirit, they are indeed mighty ones.

  When mortal Elohim, mighty ones, do not keep the commandments of Yahweh then they are not immune – by any means – to the consequences of their actions. They will “die like men”.

  Therefore we ought to take earnest heed to the things which we have heard.  We have all the scriptures… even the testimony of the Son, which brings with it great responsibility (Heb 2:1-3).  We comfort in that if we turn from wickedness we will be forgiven. Yet vigilant in the warning that turning to wickedness means rejection (Ezk 33:11-19).

• Ecclesia Plantanda (vicaranne.wordpress.com)
  Henry Melchior Muhlenberg (1711-1787) … Englishman William Carey … Both men understood that sharing good news need not and must not wait for people to learn the evangelist’s tongue.
• church oh church1 (ozyikhiedwardblog.wordpress.com)
  why substitute “ecclesia” for “kyriakon”?to support the regular congregating of early Christians,who didn’t understand what Paul and Silas were doing!
  What did the New Covenant writers mean when they used the word “Ecclesia” to describe a Christian body of people?? We can safely denote that they intended to convey the original Greek meaning of the word:”A body of Christian called out of Roman and Judean systems of Government,to live under a seperate civil mentality,”a politically autonomous body of Christians,under no other King but Yeshua,under no other civil laws,than that of Yeshua.But some misguided folks misunderstood the missions of Paul, that was why these Christians ran into trouble with kings and rulers,were arrested,crucified,and martyred. They dropped Caesar as their King,and took up Christ. The writers of the New covenant didn’t substitute “kyriakon” with “Ecclesia” to mean entertainment every Sundays,and Tuesdays,and so on!
• Apostasy in the Highest Places (mysteryoftheiniquity.com)
  The church, the Ecclesia, is a body of people who are redeemed called out to represent GOD and HIS Authority which means they are called to carry our HIS Laws. We are granted the responsibility of not only this but we are accountable for these actions.
  The fact that the church is failing man is an undeniable truth but it’s also devastating to the people. How do I mean they are failing the people?
• Priority to form a loving brotherhood (christadelphianworld.blogspot.com)
  There might be people who do not like that others share the love of Christ with each other and do not mind being under Christ instead of being under one or the other organisation.
• Disciple of Christ counting lives and friends dear to them (christadelphianworld.blogspot.com)
  Coming together in each-others houses, forming housechurches as a church of disciples they also were an assembly of learners. We too so many years later should be like them a church of Christian disciples and an assembly of persons who believe the things of the Kingdom of God, and of the Name of the lord Jesus, and, thus believing, have been immersed into Christ and patiently continue in the faith and well doing of their vocation, reading, marking, learning and inwardly digesting all things revealed in the scriptures of truth.

Stepping Toes

In the readings of today we look at the brothers and sisters in Corinth some 2000 years ago.

In Belgium the community has been troubled by persons perhaps wanting to claim to have the right to make foundations and to direct the groups of people wanting to come together under the name of Christ.

Paul the Apostle, Russian icon from first quarter of 18th cen. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

We remember how the apostle Paul makes the argument that he has borne witness to the people of Corinth, he has shared the gospel, he has brought them to Christ and showed them the way but that he has to be sad because he only could see division between those who should be united as brethren and sisters in Christ.

The apostle Paul in his 5th letter to the Romans and his first three letters to the Corinths, also talks…

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