In the musing of the 24th August I was writing of ‘faith that works by love’. Whereas there are so many methodologies advocated in church life, things that will cure the ills of the church, yet Paul, in His day refers to the fact that neither this or that but rather faith that works by love is the way of the life that is in Christ Jesus and therefore in all those who seek to abide in Him and have His life lived in them. This opens up such a vista of the church as family, a place of love and trust, where strangers (those who know not the Lord) are able to enter and see and sense the manner of true life eternal. Where the Christians love one another, truly love, care and carry one another, there faith will work and trust, that which is the more passive side of faith, will bring the Sabbath rest in which all true ministry of God flourishes. On a number of occasions Hazel and I have been involved in conferences where we have seen such a friendship and camaraderie between those present, it was the love of God most clear and the mutual openness this engendered among the delegates seemed to open heaven as though God was pleased to open upon those who were open and were opening. We saw this again just recently. The pastor of the particular church declared that the meeting in question was the most significant to happen in that church in the five years of his pastorate there. It was a simple time, a time when pastor and those more prominent opened themselves to God before all present humbly and with tears. The verses of James chapter five were briefly opened up. The whole idea of healing linked with confession of fault was set against the context. You can look and see how those verses are circumscribed by the idea of rain and fruit. The closing and the opening of heaven, the barrenness and the fruitfulness of the land, the way that Job was doubly fruitful as a result of his patience. The land was healed from its barrenness unto fruitfulness. Often we simply interpret the scripture in James as referring to physical healing but is there much more there than is usually expounded? Perhaps here is a key to fruitfulness replacing barrenness in certain churches? However, such openness is costly yet are the rewards beyond computation. But here I am again, unable to fully convey that which I sense in my spirit, but I can exhort and encourage you to consider these things.
The church as family – August 28th 2007
Looking back on the musing written 24th I realize again the lack of ability to convey all that is in one’s heart. Perhaps this is true of all who attempt writing even a short piece, certainly it is true of those of us to seek to preach the Lord’s word. How vital the work of the Holy Spirit is in the matter of the anointing. The receiving of understand comes by the anointing, the grace to ponder that which is shown, then the needed grace to convey it on paper or in preaching and then finally the grace of the Spirit’s anointing to be operative in the reader and hearer. Truly, ‘without Me we can do nothing’. I know this is a reference taken from John chapter 15 and in it the Lord Jesus is referring to Himself but it pertains to the Spirits work in the enabling anointing too. Although the Spirit’s presence is steady and constant in the life of the Christian, yet His particular work of anointing varies and this not always because of the condition of the person in whom He abides. There is the vital element of God’s sovereignty involved in all this. All of us engaged in the Lord’s ministry feel our lacks in this regard and it is humbling to our hearts and therefore beneficial to us. We do not always sense the same enablement, the same quickening or the same release in word. We examine ourselves at times and find no adequate cause of difference within ourselves and we bow our hearts and acknowledge the Lord’s complete right to do as He pleases with His own.
