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18.01.2015 Feature Article

Part IV: Caring For All Believers My Concerns For Mass Or Multitude Churches

Part IV: Caring For All Believers My Concerns For Mass Or Multitude Churches
18.01.2015 LISTEN

The topic had to change at this stage to enable followers of the blog understand the objective of the script, and not just to see it as criticism or judgemental. After all I myself is still running the race and have not considered myself as a champion or one who knows Christ more than any.

The Jews or the Judaism institutions also said rightly; they were also the children of Abraham without a shadow of a doubt they were. But the change or recovery of the Israelites were necessary because these were born in Babylon and lived amongst them. Therefore they have been wrought with the element of the Babylonians into them and which has constituted into their being.

”Likewise the people of the world and even among some Christians; Satan's corruption wrought into us and which have been constituted into our being is still prevalent. Both the corruption of Satan and worldly habits infused into us and the parts of the churches is also a major concern.”

And so if the called ones were to be children of God as the first born son of GOD the second Adam- Jesus Christ is; then God had to have men who are one with Him and could hear His voice.Therefore can identify His direction to enable Him wrought Himself into us to be constituted with Him in our beings.

At the time, the Jews were the only people whom God had chosen to be His people and His nation on earth. However having failed on so many occasions from Abraham's time through till Joseph until their first captivity or enslavement in Egypt. Which also included lessons learnt after their redemption, and on their way to the promised land (the promised land was also a type of Jesus Christ).

After other captivities God eventually had to recover a nation out of them for Himself; which is where we were at on the last phase. The people whom Nehemiah led with other prophets like Ezra, Jeremiah and many elders had to go through many more problems which was the shadow of what was to come ( the church or the Body of Christ of today was meant to go through).

Dealing with mocking and other troubles:
Nehemiah and His team like Joshua and Caleb knew that the battle was the Lord's.Therefore had to obey Him blindly no matter what the situation or circumstances that confronted them was Neh. 2:19-20.

(Neh. 4:13-23) The enemy and his appointees will never sleep and as in the case of the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem the team had to handle the enemy not only by the elders or leadership but everyone who was involved.They all prayed and played a part to cooperate with God whilst He God oversee what He has intended in His heart for them Neh. 6: 1-14).Therefore the author and finisher of our faith, the Great Potter finished working into them His being to bear fruits for all to see. Neh 5:1-14;

The elders created an atmosphere whereby the attention of everyone was solely on God. They knew their survival depended on their cooperation through their leaders with God. The elders and the nation living to satisfy God was essential without a shadow of a doubt.

Leadership by examples:
Neh 5:14-19.The individuals whom God called from Abraham's time till John the Baptist had the Spirit of God rested on them for moments of action yet were faithful. These men despite their fragility when the Spirit of God was not upon them; still remained loyal and obedient to God.

However today; we of the era of “grace” in whom the Comforter reside permanently in us could do with “His” help in times of our frailty. It is nice to know this fellow Christians for He who is in us is greater than the one out there or our circumstances.

One thing was also clear that it is only God who can and does work into us the ability to be one with Him.

These men in the Old Testament times who fore shadowed our way of the New Testament living or Christian life could still remain loyal and committed to God despite all shortcomings. These men in those situation could still show those people of their times by leading them with their exemplary living. Neh. 6:15-19; 7:1-4 showed how the good deeds of such showing gave good reasons for others to emulate them. By the action of the leadership and elders during the Nehemiah era a suitable atmosphere was created which enabled God to deal with the Israelites.

Folks God is Spirit and a Person Who does not operate like an earthly being. His Word reminds us to pray for peace where we minister, for under such conditions we can better concentrate on our God and for Him to finish dealing with us. It is not though He could not do it without that but in everything God does He values man's willing cooperation. God respect man to the extent that; He even sacrificed His only beloved and begotten Son for you and me.

God always deal with us through persuasions, love and care; always respecting our will to be laid down by us. He does not snatch our will but entreat us to do so willingly.

Therefore these loyal leaders of God during Nehemiah's time waited and called on Him despite all difficulties. They created a condition under which the Lord added to the number of the nation of Israel who lived in and around the city of Jerusalem.

However, I still think if we can move the harsh, harsh entertainment,laying less emphasis only on our worldly circumstances in our churches. Including leading members helping to create a reasonable tolerant atmosphere; in where we worship our God alone and aspire towards Him similarly it may be helpful.

Now to the essential part of the recovery of the nation or the rebuilding of the wall of Jerusalem:

The emphasis of the recovery or rebuilding the wall was an objective the elders and all the people knew was Gods'. ( Neh .8:1-13:31; Ezra 6: 21,9:1 )And that it was appropriate for every Israelites to come to the full knowledge and maturity in God. The people dutifully gathered regularly to study the word (then called the law of Moses). With interpretation, explanation prayers to know and understand God through His Word from the vested and dedicated leadership. Members of a nation who due to their past were willing to give it their all to also know God.

“Neh. 8:8- And they read in the book, in the law of God, interpreting and giving the sense so that they understood the reading”

Witness Lee once said in an illustration that during such studies God used that to fill the empty hand gloves with Himself. Corrupt man will be cleansed of all our sins and frailty and be filled with God in Christ as our content, strength, righteousness and in everything.

Continue reading from vs 9-15. They never competed against each other or envied, for Nehemiah and Ezra both used their calls or gifting to the full benefit of God and man. There was no need for shovelling one another.

God's divine intention in Nehemiah's call or the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem:

God was once again to have His chosen people live under His authority, peace and security. And to have a nation in them on earth as He promised the forefathers of Israel. This will help them live identically and solely to God on earth and help constitute them for His economy and express Him.

Therefore to constitute the people of God; such atmosphere was needed for them to be educated in the word of God. Which by, God will feed and saturate them through His Word with Himself by putting them in His Word. The word of God is one with the Spirit (John 6:63;Eph 6:17).

Through our/their daily reading or saturation of the Divine Word, the word of God works within us. My concern is less saturation in the word these days which has been replaced by some worldly activities in our churches to entice members or a, following has to be looked at by all of us again. It has to be the actual reading prayerfully of the words in the Bible and not the so often watered down version. We keep very busy with all sorts of mixtures into the word of God.

The word of God works within us, and the Spirit through the word; spontaneously dispenses God's nature with God's element into our being, causing us to be constituted with God. The actual reading of the Word of God with the right interpretation and encouragement for each member of the church benefits all. This from what we learnt in Nehemiah is exactly what Nehemiah and Ezra did with the children of Israel.

The rebuilding was a way to return to the traditional consumption of the word of God by His children to be established; because it helps the concentration of each one of us for God to have our attention. We also know from Isaiah that God backs His word which He has said or sent to His people. We have every reason to devote over 70% of the churches fellowship times for the prayerful reading of the Word of God and worship, whilst each of us should have a 100% devoted time with God. This attitude can be inculcated in the membership of the church by the elders if they can live by example as well as Nehemiah and his team of appointed officers and workers did.

Each person during the rebuilding of the broken walls of Jerusalem was useful or valued:

It was not like all of us are equal though we all have the same Spirit bearing witness for us; but our anointing and functioning gift/s or talents for the building of the Body of Christ varies. These varies as God in Christ deems fit for each of us. Which is why we should applaud God for everyone's contribution in the church rather than turning it into petty jealousy, squabbles and competition. We are rather each others keeper and God's banner of love covers us all. I can go and on on this but.

Throughout the books of Nehemiah and Ezra one could see the revisiting of the children of Israel adhering totally to the laws of God and becoming useful as well. Neh 8: 1-8; Ezra 7; and throughout both books we see Nehemiah unselfishly appointing people to play useful roles in the rebuilding of the walls and the education of the returned persons.

We could see the how the various family or clan elders were used to mobilise their members for such useful roles.

A situation we ( our local fellowship) used similar to this were; use of family or home cell groups. In our local churches these were used to encourage, exhort and helped small numbers with attention in details for each member to study the word of God as a way of normal life. It was very effective because the families were totally involved which also made such families familiar to God first. It also helped brokered unity in them and the fellowship complimenting each other.

Therefore the seeking benefited much from the cooperate anointing which prevailed any time we met for fellowship. Under such condition it was not difficult to have people setting themselves voluntarily for the activities amongst the local churches including financing without persuasions. Nothing was done on compulsion and no moneys are extracted from people but each voluntarily offered.

When Nehemiah assumed leadership of the rebuilt walls community he understood his short comings and therefore looked up to those whom God had naturally gifted or anointed in various areas and fields to help him.

For example he left the reading and teaching of the word of God daily to Ezra and his assistants. The Levities continued with the service at the altar, various other persons including members played valuable roles in the community. My study of this and many other books in the Bible including the laws showed that the community were totally involved including women and children.

Therefore in this era of the recovery of God's children for the selection and constitution of Himself into them for His economy. It will be useful if the churches adopted such practices. Such practices will help eliminate waste in our churches and at the same time help every one to have a personal relationship with Christ rather than the current intermediary efforts. With many elders unreasonably overburdening and toiling themselves whilst majority remain unoccupied. The churches deserves an atmosphere where everyone is driving towards seeking God first and final. With such concentration every other thing will be added to a community or people of such calibre who fear and love God.

We are aware that God could carry out this exercise once and for all one may argue. But that will not let men see the importance of God's work. Another situation or circumstances of deepening involvement is God getting us to marry and have children of own.This helps us see how difficult it is to have recalcitrant children who always drag us or strays away.

Stay Blessed.

TO BE CONTINUED

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