Koinonia

"I pray that your partnership with us in the faith may be effective in deepening your understanding of every good thing we share for the sake of Christ."

~Philemon 1:6

A couple days ago I was praying in the spirit and kept hearing a distinct word: koinonia.  I thought it sounded familiar, and soon enough, the Holy Spirit began bringing me teachings and explanations of the term.  That was enough to make me realize that I'd already been living out the concept of koinonia recently in my own life.  Cool!

God wants us to live by this faith and with this word written on our hearts:  

"On earth as it is in Heaven".  

He wants us to experience Him and talk to Him, and then attract others into this blissful realm.  When Yahshua was transfigured on the Mount and talked with Moses and Elijah, He pulled others right into the Heavenly realms with Him.  Peter and John and James were included in this glory, even though it was almost too much for them.  

Heaven has to get out somehow - why not through you?  Once you're there, and only once you're there, can you freely give.  Only then can we talk to others within the confines of Yah's Heavenly Kingdom. Others can learn from us, and we can learn from others!  Contentment is key to pure communication.   If we rely on the contentment of God, than we can be content to flow out to others.  There's an attraction to God within somebody.  This is a fruit that can't help but be fruitful: the fruit of love.  Here's what Francois du Toit has to say about it:

"The Koinonia (communication) of our faith is ignited by the acknowledging of every good thing that is in us in Christ!"


Heavenly Father, let the cry of our hearts be for us to experience more of Your Love, and for us to love You back in turn.  Increase the hunger of our spirits within us and the calling out of our souls.  Let Your presence in us draw us to the right people in the right places at just the right time.  Let us always be a magnification of Your Love, and stretch us and mold us to conform to Your glory.  Draw us to friends who can stretch us and teach us new things, and let us live and talk and think in the light of Your Presence. Make us like you, Lord, and teach us something new today.  

Gateway Drugs?

I've been hearing a lot about the supposed dangers of "gateway drugs" recently.  Actually, gateway everything...gateway animals like chickens, gateway plants such as tomatoes, etc.  Huh.

Recently we had some friends over and there was a discussion on this topic (drugs, not chickens). And they were saying that marijuana, or cannabis, is one of (several?) initial "gateway drugs" that would inevitably lead to worse things.  I disagree, though that's not the major point here.

So, I got to thinking about it...what would qualify as a gateway drug?  And which of these supposed drugs, if any, pushes us down the slipper slope to harder stuff like heroin, cocaine, or meth?

If we were to look at this question objectively, we'd see that cannabis wouldn't be the first "drug" we're exposed to.  How far back do we really want to go?  Back to the beginning?

For example, marijuana couldn't be the foremost gateway drug out there.  Many people try alcohol and liquor before they try smoking weed.  So, do we want to say that vodka or beer or wine inevitably leads to "worse" stuff?  Objectively, we need to go back further.

Let's stereotype caffeine as the first gateway drug out there -- that is, the first inherently addictive substance that many people get into.  Coffee?  Is coffee the problem?  Probably not, as kids typically spend years drinking soda before they get hooked on coffee.  So, is caffeine the problem?  Or is it the HFCS or artificial colors in soda?  We might be led to suspect that soda is the problem.  No, actually, it's probably the sugar.  Actually, it's probably the MSG that's in all your kid's favorite snacks.  

We could take this whole line of thinking way back.  Maybe the pleasure babies get as they drink their Mother's breast milk is the problem.  Maybe that initial endorphin trigger sets up these babies to be dependent on mind altering "drugs" for the rest of their life.  Is that really how it works?

Can you see where the projection of this faulty mindset of criminalizing natural substances like beer or cannabis leads us?  It's an attack both on the gifts of God and the way He intentionally programmed humanity.  Many Christians are stuck in a Greek-oriented philosophy that stemmed from guys like Plato and Aristotle -- not from Messiah or the Scriptures.  Many Christians are under the enslaving illusion that the spiritual world is good and the natural world is bad.  That's Gnosticism, not Christianity.

The point I'm trying to make is that there are "gateway drugs" everywhere.  We're exposed to them at virtually all ages at virtually all points in our life.  Cannabis is not the problem; it's no more at fault in creating heroin addictions than Cheetos or red wine.

Maybe, just maybe, people were designed for pleasure!  Maybe pleasure is a good thing.  Maybe the Creator of all these wonderful substances, whatever they are (with the exception of synthetic chemicals and drugs), created them to be a blessing to us and not a snare or perceived temptation. Maybe it's not the food or drink or herb or tincture that that goes into a person's body that's the problem (Matthew 15:11).

I like wine.  I like hard root beer.  I like these cute little tropical drinks Vanessa makes me with sparkling soda and mango vodka.  But I'm not addicted  to them (1 Cor. 6:12).  They don't distract me from God. They actually inspire me to give thanks to God (1 Tim. 4:4)!

The thing that safeguards us is not the avoidance of this or that potentially addictive substance (Colossians 1:21). Messiah set you free from those kinds of rules, if you'll believe it.

The thing that keeps us away from any sort of addiction is an addiction and fixation with God.  You were made for pleasure, emotional highs, ecstatic experiences and bliss (Hebrews 9:11).  And all of these things flow out from Him.  You can't really get bored with the Creator.  And if you think you can, you're putting unscriptural limitations on Him!

"You make known to me the path of life; in your Presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore."                    ~Psalm 16:11

To have God is to know He has you (Song of Songs 6:3). To have a love for God is to have true pleasure.  He is your only authentic gateway drug and the realm you must enter into (Matthew 7:13-14); once you taste Jesus, you can't go back (Psalm 34:8)(Ephesians 1:13)!  You're free to love Him and let everything else flow out from that.  To paraphrase St. Augustine:

"Love God and do whatever you please: for the soul trained in love to God will do nothing to offend the One who is Beloved."

Unity of the Church

“…there has come an expanding vision and a profound conviction that somehow, if this is real Pentecost, there must come out of it eventually the thing that Pentecost produced in the early church and that was the real body of Jesus Christ. Not a church but the Church; not an organization, but the real organism that we have always recognized; not an ecclesiasticism, nor a dictatorship, nor a bureaucracy; but a group of Holy Ghost-baptized souls in which dwells and through which is manifest, the life of the Lord.“

-John G. Lake (March 24, 1927)

Jesus prayed that all of us would be One (John 17:21).  I believe that He always gets what He prays for.  I think it all comes down to having the same love.  

"So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any incentive of love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind." 

 ~Philippians 2:2

The Revelator: The Lion of Judah

And one of the elders says to me, "Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, has overcome to open the scroll and its seven seals."

~Revelation 5:5

There's a reason that it was the Apostle John who was given the book of Revelation.  John already understood the revelation of Love.  He was able to be entrusted with bigger things, like this vision of Revelation, because the Law of Love had already been fulfilled in him.

"There was reclining on Jesus' bosom one of His disciples, whom Yahshua loved."

~John 13:23

John got it.  There's a reason why he always referred to himself as "the one Jesus loved".  Ever think about that?  I always thought it was kind of self-serving for John to title himself that.

Surely, all the disciples loved Yahshua.  Yet John was the one from among them that highlighted the Master's love, rather than his own.  He understood one of the greatest revelations -- that God's love is bigger, that His love is purer, that His love came first (1 John 4:19).  John was the one who Jesus loved because he recognized the truth in this.  Now, Yahshua didn't love him more than any of the other disciples. Yet John was acquainted with His Master's heavy, lovely presence more than the rest. His namesake was only an accurate byproduct of that.

Anyways...John had the book of Revelation unlocked to him.  He had it unlocked, for him.  All he had to do was participate in the life of the Spirit (Rev. 1:10).  Yahshua took over from there.

There's a big concept to grasp here.  In your own life, understand that being loved by God is greater than loving God.  He's the all consuming fire; you're the one who has to be consumed (Heb. 12:29). You're job is more passive than you might think.

Let the Lion of Judah do the heavy lifting.  He's the One worthy to open the scroll.  He did it for John, He'll do it for you!  Don't try to go randomly digging for understanding on your own.  Just trust for it, and rely on your Father to bring it forth.   The only thing for you to understand is that it's not your efforts that ultimately count.  It's what He's done -- it's His Life, it's His battle (2 Chronicles 20:15).

Our only work required is to trust.  There's a humility and reverence here (Proverbs 9:10); that's the whole point!  He's your representative; He's the One who opens the whole mystery of Heaven up.

Communion: It's Different

Communion is awesome--yet it's also not for everyone.  We need to walk on the right path so that we can take the Elements faithfully.  We need to be woven into Jesus by the Spirit.  If we know the truth, then we'll have been set free.  If we've already been set free, then we are free to take communion!

Communion is for Believers:  It's through our belief that we are justified (Romans 10:10).  If we have the faith of God, then we will be blessed in our doing.  In other words--If you know Jesus, remember Him thru communion.  Receive what He's done with thanksgiving and reverence--Yahweh does not give as the world does (John 14:27).



Communion is a Proclamation:  When we partake of the Elements, we are proclaiming the Lord's death until He comes (1 Corinthians 11:26).  And when we proclaim God's will in faith, it is established for us (Job 22:28).

So as we take communion, we are having Jesus' death established--fulfilled-- in our new life.  We realize that One died for all and that therefore all died (2 Cor. 5:14).  We proclaim Communion as the most sure Word of prophecy (2 Peter 1:19)--the most reliable prophetic word.  It is the most powerful positive confession.  We proclaim that God really did send His Son for us.



Communion Requires Discerning the Body:  We need to treasure what Jesus has purchased--our brothers and sisters, for whom He died (1 Cor 8:11)!  We need to be perfected in forgiveness and love (Matthew 5:48).  And because God's already done the perfecting, we just need to choose to yield to it.  This means having the faith to discern that Jesus is enough.

We need to acknowledge that Jesus came in the flesh (1 John 4:2).  With that, He destroyed the sinful nature once and for all (Romans 6:6).  Let's receive the grace of freedom from sin (Romans 6:18). We are a sacrifice of Holiness!  We have received the sinless body of the Lord.



Communion Requires Discerning Yourself:  The Holy Spirit convicts us of sin and of righteousness (John 16:8).  He shows us a wonderful paradox--we were sinful in the flesh, but now we are flawless in His Spirit.

If we are convicted of our own righteousness, if we know that Christ is in us, then we can turn from sin and understand how we need to yield to God's growth.  We can discern how we've went wrong and see communion as a marking point of change.  It's so important to remain in His purifying fire.


Communion is Seperate: Do you know what the word 'Holy' means?  It's original meaning is different, set apart, other.  We are a holy priesthood, a chosen nation (1 Peter 2:9)!  We have been selected and set apart by God, and communion can activate our living like it.

The Holy Spirit is saying come away, He's saying come out of oppression.  He's saying be in the world, just not of it (John 17:16)!  Communion is a spiritual force that draws us away from the world and into the wonderful, sacrificial Love of our Saviour.  It's a blessing for those who are worthy, and a curse for those who are not.  It's a torrent of God's love for those who believe, and the cup of His wrath for those who do not (Matthew 26:42).  When we receive the needed belief, we receive the abundant blessings!

Snapshot: Remembering Your Mantle

A few days ago, the Lord showed me a mantle. And He reminded me that His calling on my life is not confusion or doubt, but to walk into His purposes and promises.

He also took up the mantle of Elijah that fell from him and returned and stood by the bank of the Jordan. He took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him and struck the waters and said, "Where is the LORD, the God of Elijah?" And when he also had struck the waters, they were divided here and there; and Elisha crossed over.                2 Kings 2:13-14

Mantles represent our spiritual authority--the measure of Christ in us that does the works.  It's time to remember His hope!  It's time to remember His calling.  It's time to remember what it's like to be called.

Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love...                             Ephesians 4:1-2

It takes the power of the Holy Spirit to walk into our calling.  It takes the fullness of the Spirit to accomplish God's will.  And it takes life in the Spirit to bear good fruit--humility, gentleness, love--to show ourselves worthy.  We need to remember that God saved us so that we could be firstfruits.

We need to know that God's will is not unrest or anxiety.  His will is assurance!  God wants us to feel empowered, to be empowered, and to live empowered.  He wants us to remember our spiritual identity and authority in Him.