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August 2005 Newsletter

 

EXPERIENCING THE GRACE OF GOD

The message is SONSHIP, whereby we experience and walk in the grace of God, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, in a much fuller measure. Yes, everything in God’s word is available to us “For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us”(2 Cor:1:20), and when at any point we line up with the word in Christ, we can say ‘Yes and Amen’. However the experience of us all as we grow up in Christ is generally as follows: we have various deep and strong experiences that begin to root and ground us in the love of Christ, but despite such ‘mountain top’ experiences, we still have to go through the necessary stages of growth to come to maturity. Coming into sonship is coming into that walk in maturity.

 

When Martin Luther [early 16^th century] discovered the saving grace of God through faith in the Word of God, he became a Protestant, no longer subscribing to practices and works of the Roman Catholic Church of his day. The work of restoration and reformation had begun and it was the reformation of Theology.

 

When John Wesley [18^th century] was ‘strangely warmed’ by the Spirit-led preaching of a Moravian brother in Aldersgate Court, he no longer relied on his ‘method’ of holiness which he had developed while at University, but now preached freely the grace of God and saw tens of thousands experience the new birth. This was the restoration and reformation of intimacy with God.

 

When Rev. Seymour and others gathered in Asuza Street, Los Angeles, in 1906, to wait [tarry] upon the Lord for the infilling of the Holy Spirit, they were mightily blessed with the empowering of the Spirit, with powerful signs, especially tongues. From there the Pentecostal revival has touched millions worldwide and for a long time has been the fastest growing part of the church.

From the early 1960’s through to the early 1980’s God released another wave of the Spirit’s mighty power and millions were filled with the Holy Spirit through the laying on of hands. The so-called Charismatic Movement brought many believers further on in the journey of restoration and reformation.

 

In our day the Lord is pouring out His Spirit again but in a different and very specific way: He is pouring out the Spirit of Adoption whereby we become the sons of God through Jesus Christ (Eph.1:5). This is “to the praise of the glory of His grace” Eph.1:6. This is an experience of coming into a dimension and reality of the grace of God, previously unknown to the believer, even unknown to the Charismatic minister who is demonstrating powerful gifts but still not knowing the intimacy and internal change that is effected by the experience of God’s grace in sonship. This is an impartation of the Spirit, releasing grace [enabling power] to walk in a mature relationship with God as Father and now being able to receive the inheritance which has been stored up in heaven but “ready to be revealed in the last time” 1Pet.1:4-5.

 

The word ‘adoption’ appears five times in the New Testament, only in Paul’s writings. It is Strongs Concordance #5206, ‘huiothesia’, meaning: ‘the placing of a son, ie, adoption; sonship in respect to God’. Vines Expository Dictionary says this word ‘signifies the place and condition of a son given to one to whom it does not naturally belong; the Holy Spirit produces in them [the children of God] the realisation of sonship and the attitude belonging to sons.’ Vines says referring to Gal.4:5 that ‘sonship is bestowed in distinction from a relationship consequent merely upon birth’. There is a contrast between ‘the sonship of the believer and the unoriginated Sonship of Christ.’ Vines goes on to say ‘God does not adopt believers as children; they are begotten as such by His Holy Spirit through faith.’ ‘Adoption is a term involving the dignity of the relationship of believers as sons; it is not a putting into the family by spiritual birth, but a putting into the position as sons.’

[Vines Expository Dictionary, Unabridged edition, Riverside Book and Bible House, page 34].

I have shared these thoughts of Vines because they bring clarity of understanding. Every born again child of God is an heir and yes, many would say, already a ‘son’. However sonship is something we grow up into and there comes a time to receive the spirit of adoption, now walking in a fullness.

 

We are speaking of ‘a third experience’ that is the fulfilment of the third Feast, the Feast of Tabernacles. A key understanding of the Feast of Tabernacles is that tabernacles means ‘dwelling places’. The fulfilment of the Feast points to the saints becoming ‘the tabernacles [dwelling places]’ of God. This speaks of the saints walking in the revelation of the mystery “which is Christ in you [Christ dwelling/tabernacling in you] the hope of glory” Col.1:27.

 

Jn.1:14 says “the Word was made flesh and dwelt [tabernacled] among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” Jesus clothed Himself with frail humanity but even in so doing, the glory of the Father was revealed in human form and seen in the earth. This was the beginning of the fulfilment of God’s purpose.

 

In Jn.14:2 Jesus said “In My Father’s house are many mansions [dwellings, tabernacles]; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place [somewhere to dwell] for you.” While many believe that Jesus is referring to some future dwelling place in heaven, the reality is that Jesus was going to the cross to deal with sin once and for all and through the awesome provision of His shed blood, cleansing the believers from all sin, thus making them fit dwelling places for God in the Spirit. Jesus goes further in Jn.14:23 when He promises “If anyone loves me He will keep My word [logos]; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home [mansion, dwelling place, tabernacle] with him.” The word used for ‘mansion’ in Jn.14:2 is the same word used in v.23 and translated ‘home’ or ‘abode’. It is not primarily referring to a heavenly home but to God’s intention to totally infill the believer, to tabernacle with, or dwell in, the believer.

 

God’s goal is clearly repeated in many parts of the New Testament and clearly referred to in the Old Testament: His goal is to reveal His glory in the earth through His people. The Feasts of Israel teach us of God’s unfolding purpose. Even as the church age began through Jesus Christ fulfilling Passover and thus providing for our salvation, and then sending the Holy Spirit in fulfilment of Pentecost, thus giving us power for Christian witness, so now at the end of the church age Jesus Christ is bringing His church into the fulfilment of the Feast of Tabernacles. Through Passover we are saved by faith in the word of God and through Pentecost we are empowered for ministry. Both of these experiences bring us into a growing relationship with God and His word, and the second experience builds upon the first. So now God is bringing His children, His servants, to the third experience which is a greater experience of being indwelt, of knowing a deeper and fuller relationship with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ – the fulfilment of Jn.14:23.

 

A PATTERN PEOPLE

I have been sharing from Phil.3:10-17, seeking to understand the walk in maturity that Paul is calling us to. In v.15 Paul says “as many as are mature, have this mind”; there is an agreement to enter into as mature followers of Jesus. Then Paul says “if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you”; once we accept and enter into maturity, there will still be some things that we do not understand or agree on, but Paul assures us that God will give us revelation so that we can “walk by the same rule and be of the same mind” v.16. Then Paul says “follow my example” and to “note those who so walk, for you have us for a pattern” v17. In these days God is raising up a 'pattern people', who will demonstrate the way of the Lord, in and through whom the Lord will manifest Himself, and through whom the proper functioning of the Body of Christ will be seen.

 

Already SHILOH is the base for SHILOH apostolic company who have been raised up by God to be a pattern people. As God releases the 'second wave' of the apostolic revelation and releases a fuller measure of His grace [enabling power] there will be a pattern people raised in every major region of the nation and multiplied in the nations of the world. This is the word of the Lord!

 

TRIP TO INDIA/PAKISTAN

Sept.8^th team departs Brisbane late in evening

Sept. 9^th arrives in Chennai for 7 days

Sept. 12^th –14^th three-day conference for pastors and ministry leaders

Sept. 16^th depart for Lahore, Pakistan.

Sept. 17^th – 23^rd ministering in Lahore

Sept. 19^th-21^st three-day conference for pastors and ministry leaders

Sept. 24^th – 29^th ministering in Faisalabad

Sept. 26^th – 28^th three-day conference for pastors and ministry leaders

Sept. 30^th –  Oct.3^rd weekend ministry in Lahore and depart for Australia.

Oct.5^th arrive home.

However Ps. Peter De Bressac is travelling on to Beijing for a further two weeks to visit his daughter and other friends.

 

We have the opportunity to support the printing of more copies of Paul’s book in Pakistan. Already 2900 copies are distributed but orders for another 2500 plus are unfilled. $1 AUD prints a hard cover book in Urdu.

In Southern India a dear brother has translated the book into their main local language and he is hoping to print 2000 copies of the book.

 

Last month some of you received notice of serious floods in Pakistan that had affected many believers. We are blessed to report that $960 AUD has been forwarded to help the brethren.

 

ADOPT A MINISTRY/CHILDRENS HOME

We wish to encourage house churches or families or other ministry groups to consider adopting an orphanage, Bible College or an emerging ministry in a developing country. We at RMA are able to put you in contact with a worthy ministry and we are able to direct your funds fully to the project you undertake. We have a growing number of such worthy causes where we personally know the leaders doing the ministry.

 

PASTORS AND LEADERS GATHERING: Friday October 7^th – 9.30am to 1.30pm, including lunch. This gathering is open to anyone in leadership who is interested in the apostolic restoration of the church of Jesus Christ.

 

NEXT TRAINING DAY: Saturday October 8^th – 10am to 5pm

This day is open to all leaders and disciples who seek to know and understand the great restoration that God is doing and to receive the impartation of grace and apostleship that the Lord is releasing upon His last days church. The team just home from India/Pakistan will be sharing.

 

APOSTOLIC CONVENTION: In Dorrigo [near Coffs Harbour] weekend of 21^st to 23^rd October Phone Fely Young: 02 66572450, this will be a great opportunity for saints to gather from near and far.