November 21, 2008

Beloved Brothers and Sisters,

May our loving heavenly Father wrap His strong arms around you and overwhelm you with His palpable and conspicuous personal love. May His peace, flowing from that embrace, be like a warm shower on a cold morning. May no concerns about anything heard from the dying gasps of human government, or lies from the kingdom of darkness, or snippy remarks from the deceased nature that used to be you, have any effect on your happiness and security in your Father’s arms.

I am sorry it has been such a long interval between semi-regular letters. I was sending one about a month ago, but had computer problems and also difficulties with sbcglobal (yahoo). They say I am sending out too many emails. This one will take about a week to finish sending.

Betty retired from her work with the Hospice as a bath aid about a month ago, and is looking for part time work as a care giver. She ministered to dying people with the Hospice for thirteen years as a hands on representative of Christ, and an evangelist for many who were about to meet our Lord.

Regularly scheduled meetings

Saturday mornings 9:30 AM - Open Church meeting at Green Oak Ranch in Vista. Attendance is made up of residents and friends from the larger community.

Saturdays at 5:00 PM every other week - House Church in Moreno Valley (Riverside area). This past Saturday night was a long, smoky drive home around all the fires.

Tuesday mornings 8:00 AM - breakfast and sharing with Alan Haghighi and other radical (to the root) Christians.  Alan is a young (22) co-worker who like the Apostle Paul has been instructed by Jesus. His insights and messages are profound.

Tuesday afternoons 3:30 PM - teach at the stage one house for men at Brother Benno’s in Oceanside.

I still travel as God leads. Alan or others cover any of the Saturday or Tuesday meetings.

This Sunday I will be in Ventura with Mark Steffy at Avenue Community.

Current focus

For some time the 7,000 year Biblical age of man has gripped me. Our place and responsibilities as Christ’s body in this time call for a whole new approach to life and ministry. We are presently somewhere in the transition period into the final millennium. The last newsletter dealt with this in some detail.

I feel a little like I did thirty years ago when teaching and proclaiming church of the city. It was something like Elijah’s complaint, “I’m the only one.” As the years went on it was clear that this re-established truth was being heralded by many, and before long the understanding permeated much of “church.” The geographic boundary of the one local church is the city. The local church is the church of the city. There is only one church, as there is only one body of Christ.

In keeping with the new millennial theme, I would like to point out a few significant scriptures that deal with who and what we are.

Genesis 3:15 is the first promise of redemption from the destructive disobedience of our ancestors. God is speaking to the snake, satan, and says, “I will put enmity (strife, warfare, hatred) between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he (the woman’s offspring) will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”

The woman’s seed is Christ. The venomous snake struck the heel of Christ and killed him on the cross. In the process of that battle, which snake lost, all the offspring of satan were defeated, but not crushed or done away with. Satan is still alive and well on planet earth. One of God’s purposes for the 7000 year era of time is to sweep evil out of eternity. I don’t believe satan has been cast to earth yet. He is still accusing us before God. Soon, he will no longer be able to do that and the frantic attempts to keep people in his kingdom of darkness will grow more spastic. The river of filth from his mouth (Rev. 12:15) will get even worse than it is now, if that is possible.

The offspring of satan are demons, principalities, powers, sons of wickedness, etc. with whom we struggle. (Eph.6:12) The battle is the Lord’s and we stand in His victory. If you are not consciously fighting (standing) in this battle, you are probably a prisoner of war. If this applies to you, pray that you too will be set free as the sons of God are revealed. (Rom. 8:19-21.) Satan’s offspring is plural, but Eve’s is singular – Christ. The singular seed of the woman is Christ, just as the singular seed of Abraham is Christ. (Gal. 3:16)

Okay, when will snake get his head crushed? Soon! “The God of peace will soon crush satan under your feet.” Romans 16:20. God will do it through the woman’s seed, Christ. God will crush satan’s head under YOUR feet. You (we) are Christ. We are the many-membered man Christ Jesus. We are His body in the earth. (1John 4:17) We are His ambassadors. (2Cor. 5:20) We are His voice. (Luke 10:16) We are His fiancé. We are the family of God. Live like who you are, sons and daughters of the living God!

Another eternal truth for now is the destruction of every world government and the spread of the kingdom of God over all the earth. Daniel 2 is one of the most significant chapters in the Bible. The four portions of the statue in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream are the total of all the worldly governments from his time into this seventh millennium. The rock (Christ) was cut out but not with human hands, and struck the feet of human governments. They were broken to pieces and scattered like chaff on a threshing floor in summer. The rock became a huge mountain and filled the whole earth.

Keep your eyes and ears open as we watch and participate in this taking place here and now on planet earth. Christ will rule during this millennium! Satan will be bound and unable to continue his lying, conniving, murderous strategy to keep Christ divided. The specifics of how it takes place remain clouded, but many of the divisive teachings or doctrines must no longer be used to serve the snake’s strategy of keeping us separated.  He has had his way long enough. It is time for the power of unity in Christ to ignite the people of God into His perfect plan.

If you believe in the “rapture doctrine” that says the church will be taken out of the world for a period of time during the troubles, let that be a hope, but do not build your life on it. Build your life on the commitment to stand fast and glorify God in the midst of anything and everything. Understand also the principle of tension and the fact that there is much in the scripture about the wicked being taken away, while the meek inherit the earth.

If the snake has been using you, or your doctrine, or your allegiances to fragmented portions of the one body, or any other sinful behavior to divide, or keep the church divided, REPENT! Change your thinking and actions. Join with Christ as Christ, and do what He tells you. Listen, and do what He says when He says to do it. Listen, and do what He says the way He says to do it. Open your heart and ears. It is still today (number seven). Soon there will be no more opportunity to do the great Christ-glorifying exploits of today.

Love,

 Frank