Strength in numbers

[B-A-C]

There was a book out quite a while back called Pilgrim Progress. I've read it. It's mostly about how we walk the Christian walk alone, but I don't see this scripture.
When I read the Bible, it's about groups.

Noah wasn't the only person on the Ark, there was a group of people.
Moses wasn't the only one wandering around the desert for 40 years, there was a group of people.
Jesus didn't minister by Himself, He choose 12 disciples (well actually 70 others as well) to go with Him.

The first thing God ever said that wasn't good about His creation was...

Gen 2:18; Then the LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him."

God recognized it's not good for us to be alone. This particular verse is about marriage, but even so... God says it's not good to be alone.

The Bible says Solomon was the wisest man that ever lived. This is what he said.

Eccl 4:9; Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor.
Eccl 4:10; For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up.
Eccl 4:11; Furthermore, if two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone?
Eccl 4:12; And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.

There is strength in numbers, two can do what one alone can't do. Three is even better sometimes.
Eccl 4:12 is often used in marriage ceremonies. There are of course 3 people involved in a Christian marriage. Husband, wife and God.

When Jesus sent the 70 out, He didn't send them alone.

Luke 10:1; Now after this the Lord appointed seventy others, and sent them in pairs ahead of Him to every city and place where He Himself was going to come.

The Bible says we are a "people" for God's possession. ( 1Pet 2:9; ) It's doesn't say you are a "person" chosen for God.

Paul says the "church" is the body of Christ.

Eph 5:23; For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body.
Col 1:18; He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.
Col 1:24; Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I do my share on behalf of His body, which is the church, in filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions.

The church is not one person alone. The church is a group of people.

1Cor 12:12; For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ.
1Cor 12:13; For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.
1Cor 12:14; For the body is not one member, but many.
1Cor 12:15; If the foot says, "Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body," it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body.
1Cor 12:16; And if the ear says, "Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body," it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body.
1Cor 12:17; If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be?
1Cor 12:18; But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired.
1Cor 12:19; If they were all one member, where would the body be?
1Cor 12:20; But now there are many members, but one body.
1Cor 12:21; And the eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you"; or again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you."

I am convinced that Covid, is an attempt to isolate the members of the church from each other. Satan knows there is power in numbers.
The liberals are using this as an excuse to keep people from having church and meeting together.

Matt 18:20; "For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst."

It's interesting He promised where at least two or three are gathered, but He didn't mention the same promise for one person alone.
I have noticed that "most" of the time, when the Holy Spirit moves, He moves on people corporately. I'm not saying He doesn't move in people individually,
but I am saying it happens frequently as a group.

Joh 20:22; And when He had said this, He breathed on them and *said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit.
Acts 2:4; And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.
Acts 2:38; Peter said to them, "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 8:15; who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit.
Acts 8:17; Then they began laying their hands on them, and they were receiving the Holy Spirit.
Acts 11:15; "And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as He did upon us at the beginning.
Acts 13:2; While they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them."
Acts 15:8; "And God, who knows the heart, testified to them giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He also did to us;
Acts 19:2; He said to them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" And they said to him, "No, we have not even heard whether there is a Holy Spirit."
Acts 19:6; And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking with tongues and prophesying.

More often than not, when people were baptized with the Holy Spirit, it was in a group setting. Yes, He dwells in us individually, I'm not disputing that,
but it does seem the Spirit moves differently in a corporate setting.

... to be continued...

 

[B-A-C]

1Corinthians 12 is called the "gifts of Spirit" chapter in the Bible, but it also explains the function of "the body". The body is a corporate group.
God designed it this way. No one has all the gifts, we all have one or a few of the gifts. This is why we need each other.

1Cor 12:6; There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons.
1Cor 12:7; But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.
1Cor 12:8; For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit;
1Cor 12:9; to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit,
1Cor 12:10; and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues.
1Cor 12:11; But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.

Why are the Spiritual gifts even given to us all at all?

1Cor 14:5; Now I wish that you all spoke in tongues, but even more that you would prophesy; and greater is one who prophesies than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may receive edifying.

1Cor 12:27; Now you are Christ's body, and individually members of it.

1Cor 14:22; So then tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophecy is for a sign, not to unbelievers but to those who believe.
1Cor 14:23; Therefore if the whole church assembles together and all speak in tongues, and ungifted men or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are mad?
1Cor 14:24; But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an ungifted man enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all;

The Spirit has different purposes in corporate settings in the church.

Heb 10:24; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds,
Heb 10:25; not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.

There are of course some things we can do over Zoom, or video chat, or the telephone. ... but not everything.

... to be continued ...

 

[B-A-C]

It's interesting also how often Jesus and the Holy Spirit moved by touching people... the "laying on of hands" in particular.

Mat 19:15; After laying His hands on them, He departed from there.
Mark 8:23; Taking the blind man by the hand, He brought him out of the village; and after spitting on his eyes and laying His hands on him, He asked him, "Do you see anything?"
Mark 10:16; And He took them in His arms and began blessing them, laying His hands on them.
Luke 4:40; While the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to Him; and laying His hands on each one of them, He was healing them.

Acts 8:17; Then they began laying their hands on them, and they were receiving the Holy Spirit.
Acts 8:18; Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was bestowed through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money,
Acts 9:17; So Ananias departed and entered the house, and after laying his hands on him said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you were coming, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit."
1Tim 4:14; Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you, which was bestowed on you through prophetic utterance with the laying on of hands by the presbytery.
2Tim 1:6; For this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.
Heb 6:2; of instruction about washings and laying on of hands, and the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment.

Even some healings require people to be touched.

Jas 5:13; Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises.
Jas 5:14; Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord;
Jas 5:15; and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him.
Jas 5:16; Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.

The elders can't anoint you with oil if you're not physically present. No one can lay hands on you if you're not physically there.

.... to be continued ...

 

[B-A-C]

The Lord's supper... Eucharist, Communion.... is meant to be done in a group setting.

1Cor 11:17; But in giving this instruction, I do not praise you, because you come together not for the better but for the worse.
1Cor 11:18; For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that divisions exist among you; and in part I believe it.
1Cor 11:19; For there must also be factions among you, so that those who are approved may become evident among you.
1Cor 11:20; Therefore when you meet together, it is not to eat the Lord's Supper,

1Cor 11:33; So then, my brethren, when you come together to eat, wait for one another.
1Cor 11:34; If anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, so that you will not come together for judgment. The remaining matters I will arrange when I come.

I'm not saying it can't be done alone at home. But the Bible only gives instructions for it to be done as a group together.

 

[B-A-C]

The phrase "one another" is used 100 times in the New Testament!!

Love one another, encourage one another, bear one another's burdens.
Pray for one another, lift up one another.

When one suffers... the whole church suffers with them. When one rejoices, the whole church rejoices with them.

1Cor 12:26; And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
1Cor 12:27; Now you are Christ's body, and individually members of it.

This is the strength of the body. The strength of love. Having people know you. Having people to talk to. To listen to.
To care about, and them care about you. This is what the church is about.

You can't love another, or bear another's burdens or pray for another if you are isolated and all alone.
God never meant for us to walk this walk alone.

 

[B-A-C]

The church is also, called the "flock" several places in scripture.

Matt 26:31; Then Jesus *said to them, "You will all fall away because of Me this night, for it is written, 'I WILL STRIKE DOWN THE SHEPHERD, AND THE SHEEP OF THE FLOCK SHALL BE SCATTERED.'
Luke 2:8; In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night.
Luke 12:32; "Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom.
John 10:16; "I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd.
Acts 20:28; "Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.
Acts 20:29; "I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock;
1Cor 9:7; Who at any time serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat the fruit of it? Or who tends a flock and does not use the milk of the flock?
1Pet 5:2; shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness;
1Pet 5:3; nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock.

Some of us have been called to be "shepherds of the flock" at one time or another. This could be as a pastor over a whole church, but it could be you just over your own small group, Sunday school class,
prayer group or Bible study. A flock is not "one sheep". No a flock is a group of sheep, you can't be a "flock" if you are all alone.

 

[B-A-C]

Matt 24:12; "Because lawlessness is increased, most people's love will grow cold.

People are problems. People are messy. People will hurt you. People will use you and lie to you.
People will break your heart. ... sometimes even "Christians".

We're all people, none of us are perfect. But we can't let apathy and hate win.
I know Christian people who never want to get married. (it isn't a sin not to get married) but the reason they give, is because people are hard to live with.
I know married couples that never want to have children. (It isn't a sin not to have children) but the reason they give, is children are messy, expensive and time consuming.
So they get a dog or a cat... to be their companion, or their fur-babies.

There are some people who never want to join a church or a congregation, because ... well for many reasons, take your pick. The church is full of hypocrites, the church isn't perfect,
the church is full of people who don't really know God, the church is full of people devoid of the Holy Spirit.... etc... the list goes on.
Have you ever wondered why God put you in that place? In that situation?

Most likely it's one of two reasons...

You yourself are just like everyone else in that church. You have no love for anyone but yourself.
I've been in that place, and I've ever been in that church.

You yourself are the salt and the light. The spark that starts the fire. You start showing compassion and love to people in the church
and before you know it, the church starts coming alive.

...which one of these people are you?

What if God didn't put you there to make you happy... but He put you there to make you Holy?

 

[Downunder]

There are of course some things we can do over Zoom, or video chat, or the telephone. ... but not everything.

Pretty well everything.
Communion is valid when a hundred people in their homes are taking it at the same time together and someone in a building is leading the communion with scriptures (live streamed).
Laying on of hands may be preferred when able, but God also heals without us putting our hands on people who need prayer. The saints praying for others is powerful and delivers miracles.
Pastors and elders can visit people in their homes or nursing homes and anoint with oil, lay hands on them and pray over them. And even when at the height of this Wuhan coronavirus panic nursing and aged care homes
were off limits the power of God was not limited by the health quarantine regulations of governments. We still had our healings and miracles.

As for the voice gifts of tongues, interpretation and prophesy our IT guys purchased ultra quality microphones and placed them out front. As we were permitted to have up to 20 people in our hall (on the per square metre rule)
we were able to operate the voice gifts of the Holy Spirit and they came across pretty clear for us to hear at home.

The enemy may well be conniving and cunning, but God is smarter and wiser, and makes allowances for his church to keep on keeping on.
A big plus was that the viewership numbers on our YouTube channels was way above our congregation numbers and many new people contacted our pastors for further information.

 

[Downunder]

You can't love another, or bear another's burdens or pray for another if you are isolated and all alone.
God never meant for us to walk this walk alone.

That is why we keep in touch with one another by phone and pray for others (often from our homes).
We endured a short three moth lockdown that broke the community transmission cycle, and then it has returned slowly in stages back to increasing normal life - visiting brethren in our homes and visiting the elderly in care.
Now we are back to meetings in the hall, albeit it two meetings not just the one. And we can have full attendances at funerals again.
And there is unity in the fellowship of the Holy Spirit.
It was a good experience in some ways that showed us how much we simply take for granted and stay within our comfort zones.
Our brethren in China have been forced to meet secretly in house meetings under the threat of imprisonment and death for several years now, yet their faith and love is undiminished.
One fellowship is in Wuhan and suffered the most severe of lockdowns being imprisoned in their own houses by soldiers and officials. When the world is dark the faithful just pray and God provides.
Our greatest danger was the rush on toilet paper and goods in supermarkets. Worldly people went overboard in their panic and anxiety.

 

[PloughBoy]

Pretty well everything.
Communion is valid when a hundred people in their homes are taking it at the same time together and someone in a building is leading the communion with scriptures (live streamed).
Laying on of hands may be preferred when able, but God also heals without us putting our hands on people who need prayer. The saints praying for others is powerful and delivers miracles.
Pastors and elders can visit people in their homes or nursing homes and anoint with oil, lay hands on them and pray over them. And even when at the height of this Wuhan coronavirus panic nursing and aged care homes
were off limits the power of God was not limited by the health quarantine regulations of governments. We still had our healings and miracles.

As for the voice gifts of tongues, interpretation and prophesy our IT guys purchased ultra quality microphones and placed them out front. As we were permitted to have up to 20 people in our hall (on the per square metre rule)
we were able to operate the voice gifts of the Holy Spirit and they came across pretty clear for us to hear at home.

The enemy may well be conniving and cunning, but God is smarter and wiser, and makes allowances for his church to keep on keeping on.
A big plus was that the viewership numbers on our YouTube channels was way above our congregation numbers and many new people contacted our pastors for further information.

I do think many do not know where "The Adversary" gets His Strength or His wisdom, And His intelligence, His power, and his orders from, by the conversation I have observed by regular people and the christians of this world. And many do not or believe what the Bible proclaims who the Adversary's creator is, meaning who the Creator created him through. For which the Bible states plainly, in common everyday words, especially in the "English language". For I have notice they have refuse to acknowledge the unadulterated Truth and Have went to great efforts and depth to explain the Truth away concerning such matters And have establish their own truth to a more liken to their own imaginable rendering. Failing to realize "the Truth" breeds more "untruth" when it is pertaining the WORD of GOD. "It breeds after its own kind" For "The Truth breeds The Truth" even in certain little matters, containing The Truth.

Job 11:7
Can you fathom the deep things of God or discover the limits of the Almighty?
(Romans 11)BSB
How unsearchable are His judgments, and untraceable His ways! “Who has known the mind of the LORD? Or who has been His counselor?”…
Ecclesiastes 3:11
He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men, yet they cannot fathom the work that God has done from beginning to end.
Ecclesiastes 7:24
What exists is out of reach and very deep. Who can fathom it?