1 JOHN 1:9 is NOT for "Everybody" ! Well then . . . how are our Sins REMOVED ?

HOW DO WE CLEANSE OURSELVES

FROM OUR SINS ? 

Scripture speaks of TWO DIFFERENT WAYS to TWO DIFFERENT sets of people for the cleansing of sin.  

We know this is TRUE because of TWO SCRIPTURES:  ACTS 2:38 and 1 JOHN 1:9.

The UNIQUE FELLOWSHIP of CHRISTIANS

What Makes CHRISTIAN Fellowship 

DIFFERENT from other fellowships ?

An Object Lesson from a Teapot

KOINONIA ~  The UNIQUE Christian Fellowship

A WORLD of difference exists between “normal” fellowship and CHRISTIAN fellowship. One is rooted in humanism; the other is CHRIST-centered. One is formed in and by the world; the other is created in and by The HOLY SPIRIT.  

The Scriptures use the Greek word, Koinonia. It  is from a Greek root word that means a sharer, a partner, a participant. Christian fellowship, then, is that unique togetherness that is shared IN CHRIST and OF CHRIST and WITH CHRIST and BY CHRIST.

This kind of Scriptural fellowship we are exhorted to develop is totally oriented in CHRIST JESUS Himself+.

Contrary to common opinion, Christian fellowship is NOT doing:

·                    the same activities

·                    in the same way

·                    in the same place

·                    at the same time

·                    for a common cause

·                    with the same people

·                    and / or, with goods held in "common."

Many worldly organizations incorporate these very characteristics and their members consider themselves to have "fellowship" with each other.  

They may indeed have a fellowship... but they do not have that CHRIST-centered unique Fellowship that is referred to in Scriptures.

1 John 1:3

That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, SO THAT (Gk) ye also may have FELLOWSHIP WITH US; and TRULY our FELLOWSHIP is with The FATHER and with HIS SON+ JESUS CHRIST.

CHRISTIAN Fellowship will be found in the Church oriented in CHRIST JESUS, the one Apostolic, “Catholic,” Church out of every kindred, tongue, people, and nation …  the Church Without Borders, the Church Without Walls.

Here is an object lesson from 1 John, chapter 1 to illustrate this fundamental truth.

Imagine a two-burner hot plate.  Turn the burners on HIGH and make them bright red. That is our power.

Secondly, feature a teapot on each burner, with the SPOUTS facing each other, close together BUT NOT TOUCHING.   The handles are each turned outward. 

Thirdly, picture clouds of STEAM rising from the two close spouts of the teapots. ... two separate columns of STEAM.

Q # 1  What happens to those two steam clouds when the water boils,  if the two spouts facing each other, are very close together ?

 The columns of steam combine or blend into each other, making one steam cloud out of two.  

Q # 2  Where  (or after ) the steam clouds combine, can you tell or discern one cloud of steam from the other ? In other words, can you tell WHICH pot is producing WHICH particles of STEAM ?   

NO  

Q # 3  There is now ONE thing that forms a CONNECTION between the separate teapots as they continue to boil. What is it? 

The STEAM 

The STEAM one teapot produces is the SAME kind of STEAM as the other teapot produces and the two steam clouds combine, merging seamlessly into one cloud of steam. 

In this object lesson, these teapots are filled with Living Water... so

·  #4 WHO are the teapots ?  You and me

· #5 WHO is the burner ?  The LORD JESUS 

· #6  WHAT is the STEAM ?  The HOLY SPIRIT

Let's think about the Living Water.

 

John 7:38 

He that believeth on ME+, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall  flow  rivers of Living Water.

Q # 7  From where does this LIVING WATER emanate ?

It comes from JESUS the LORD, when HE+ is LORD of our lives.

Since this LIVING WATER comes from JESUS, there is a constant supply flowing into those vessels, those "teapots," who live for HIM+. Notice that to be "living," the water is not static but must be flowing --- in and out.

Q # 8  What will happen to the water in a teapot if it is not refilled and sits static for a period of time? 

It will evaporate and be gone.

Now, let's think about the STEAM .

Q # 9 Can the teapots do ANYTHING on their own to produce the steam ? Can they do anything other than to CONTAIN the Living Water ?  

NO

   

Q # 10  Where must the teapot BE to have its Living Water boil to produce the steam ?  

On the burner or connected to the power source.

Since this power source is JESUS, the power is never, ever turned off. HE+ is always burning red hot and always burning on HIGH.

Matthew 28:18

JESUS said, ALL authority is given unto ME+ in Heaven and in earth.

Since " I " am this vessel -- this teapot -- I have the free will to move myself off the hot burner at any point in time. I have the free will to dis-connect myself from the power source whenever I want. 

Q # 11  What happens to my Living Water when I go off the burner or dis-connect from the power source?  

It stops boiling.

Q # 12 What happens when the boiling ceases? 

The steam stops.

Q # 13 What will happen if I sit off the burner or stay dis-connected ?

The Living Water will eventually evaporate.

Q #14 When the STEAM stops, is there ANY WAY I can CONNECT to any of the other teapots ?  

NO

1 John 1:7

But if we walk in the Light, as HE+ is in the Light, we HAVE fellowship one with another, and the Blood of JESUS CHRIST HIS SON+ cleanseth us from all sin.

Christian Fellowship is not formed from a selection of teapots sitting together on a counter top. Christian Fellowship is not even created by a collection of teapots once filled with Living Water but now is static, having gone stagnant.

 

Luke 8:18

 Take heed therefore how ye hear; for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he SEEMETH to have. ( See also Luke 19, Mark 4, Matthew 13, Matthew 25 ) 

Christian FELLOWSHIP occurs when those teapots filled with Living Water stay connected to JESUS on the hot burner... a burner hot enough to change that water into STEAM. 

Through the unity of the HOLY SPIRIT is Christian fellowship formed... not by power nor by might, but by MY+ SPIRIT, saith The LORD.   

We cannot --- we simply are NOT able ­­­--- to produce Christian fellowship by our own efforts:  there is no STEAM to unite us. We do NOT have the ABILITY to make our own STEAM. 

Hear John 15:5 …

I+ am the Vine+, ye are the branches: He that abideth in ME+, and I+ in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without ME+ ye can do nothing.

We must be attached to the Source+ of Power, our LORD JESUS CHRIST, in order to produce the STEAM which creates Christian fellowship. WHY?  Because CHRISTIAN Fellowship is a fellowship of the SPIRIT, not a fellowship of common or shared human efforts or activities. 

As the Scripture teaches us truly in 1 John 1:3:

  

That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, SO THAT ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with The FATHER, and with HIS S0N+ JESUS CHRIST.

We might as well try to connect the cold teapots together by their handles and then try to "produce steam together" … if we try to produce fellowship WITHOUT EACH one of us staying lively on that hot burner, JESUS, our power source.

It simply cannot be done... not with teapots, not with Christian Fellowship.

·  Are you struggling hard to produce Fellowship ?

·  Are you on the Hot Burner ?

· Do you remove yourself from the Burner when the church meeting or cell group is over ?

If so... then the first step is to enter into FELLOWSHIP with JESUS .

This is easy. You do NOT have to labor at producing "fellowship," any more than the teapot "labors" to produce steam. You only have to stay attached to the Vine+, to stay connected to the Power Source, holding onto JESUS with all of your might. 

When you hold onto JESUS with all your might, 

HE+ will hold onto you... 

with ALL HIS+ MIGHT !

I John 1: 5-10

This then is the message which we have heard of HIM+, and declare unto you, that GOD is Light, and in HIM is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with HIM+, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:

But if we walk in the Light, as HE is in the Light, we HAVE fellowship one with another, and the Blood of JESUS CHRIST HIS SON+ cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the Truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, HE+ is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make HIM+ a liar, and His+ Word is not in us.

CHRISTIAN Fellowship is Uniquely Formed

Christian Fellowship, then, is a fruit of our walk with JESUS.  We do not focus on making fellowship. Rather, we each focus on staying in un-broken fellowship with JESUS.

If there is no, little, or faulty Christian fellowship amidst the brethren, then we must FIRST FOCUS on the individuals' walk with CHRIST JESUS. When each person in the flock is growing in CHRIST --- no matter what their maturity level --- there will be the fruit of Christian fellowship growing also.

Now in 1 John, chapter 1, let us do a little statistical analysis of that chapter.

Out of those 10 verses dealing with Christian Fellowship, only two verses ( verse 3 and verse 7 ) discuss fellowship with one another within the Body of CHRIST. 

Thus, 80 % of that chapter deals with forming fellowship WITH the LORD.

That should tell us something about where our priorities ought to be when forming  "fellowship."  The majority of the flock's effort should be going towards staying attached to The VINE+, staying attached to JESUS.

That is the great responsibility when tending the flock: to see that each person is walking with JESUS, staying attached at the core to JESUS.

Problems in fellowship arise when one or two of the flock slide along, keeping a semblance of Christianity, but who have left their first love of CHRIST.

The Solution?  

Return unto the FIRST LOVE of The LORD. Seek HIS+ face when problems arise in the Fellowship.  The SPIRIT will be joined unto The SPIRIT when each person is “right” with GOD because there is no division when The SPIRIT meets Itself !  

The Invitation ~ ~ ~

Revelation 22:17

And the SPIRIT and the Bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the Water of Life freely.

Matthew 11:28-30

COME unto ME+, all ye that are heavy laden, and I+ will give you rest. Take MY+ yoke upon you and learn of ME+; for I+ am meek and lowly in heart and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For MY+ yoke is easy, and MY+ burden is light.

John 3:17

For GOD sent not HIS SON+ into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through HIM+ might be saved.

Going Forth in Spirit and in Power...

He loves me...  He loves me not ... He loves me...

A Monastic Breviary, Anglican
Prayer Book
PROPER 8
pg. 293

ALMIGHTY GOD, THOU hast built Thy Church upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF+ being the CHIEF CORNERSTONE+ :

Grant us so to be joined together

in unity of spirit

by their teaching,

that we may be made a Holy temple

acceptable to THEE;

...through JESUS CHRIST Our LORD, WHO+ lives and reigns with THEE and The HOLY SPIRIT, one GOD, now and forever, world without end. Amen.

 The Secret for Unity of Spirit

If we walk in the Light,

as HE+ is in the Light,

we have fellowship

with one another,

and

the Blood of JESUS CHRIST

 HIS SON+

cleanseth us

from all sin.

I John 1:7 

If we walk in the Light, confessing our sins unto HIM+ Who+ knew no sin, HE+ will help us ... assist us...  to amend our ways. WE CANNOT AMEND OUR WAYS WITHOUT HIS+ HELP.

HE+ will bring conviction when we accuse someone in our hearts or speak in less-than-loving ways to someone. HE+ will bring His+ wonderful conviction to us, saying: " WHERE did that remark COME FROM ?" 

Our part is to respond. In humility and in truth, we can discover exactly WHERE such things originate.

REMEMBER THIS:

if it is not in our hearts,

it won't come out of our lips.

Now practically speaking, what do we do if there is trouble in the camp, trouble in the home, trouble in the church ? 

We take heed to WALK IN THE LIGHT..... OURSELVES. We do not "push" others to confess their sins. We do not "confess" nor "confront" others with their bad attitudes if they do not ASK US TO TELL THEM ABOUT THEIR FAULTS. 

We are not the correctors of the adults in our homes and in our churches IF we are not the pastors or elders. 

The HOLY SPIRIT

IS THE CORRECTOR.

All we have to do is walk in the Light ourselves.

In humility, and in Truth, we walk "as well pleasing unto The LORD."  We give ourselves unto prayer.

If there is trouble between you and some other adult, PRAY. Get your own heart right before The LORD. ASK The LORD to "make" things right between you and the other one. 

Then thank HIM+ and listen. Thank HIM+ and walk with HIM+. Thank HIM+ and pray blessings upon the troublesome one. 

HE+ will work it out. HE+ will bring conviction. HE+ will change the situation .... or HE+ will not.... but you will be in HIS+ Peace if you walk with HIM+, in the Light. 

You will have fellowship: first, with HIM+, then with others. You will not have "fellowship" with others until your fellowship is established with CHRIST JESUS.

Unity... Concord... Peace...

all of which begins when we are UNIFIED with CHRIST... 

It begins when we are in accord with His+ Word, having straightened up our hearts before HIM+...

It begins when HE+ can find nothing in us which makes HIM+ ashamed to call us His+ Brethren. 

O GOD, THOU hast taught us to keep all Thy commandments by loving THEE and our neighbor: 

Grant us the grace of Thy HOLY SPIRIT that we may be devoted to THEE with our whole heart and united to one another with pure affection; 

through JESUS CHRIST our LORD Who+ lives and reigns with THEE and the HOLY SPIRIT, one GOD, for ever and ever. Amen.    

CHRISTIANS, Get Ready to Walk...

...ALONE.

The season for

ease and personal comfort

in the CHRISTIAN walk is over.

.

Finding companionship in the Fellowship is done.

.

The only Brotherhood is the one anointed by

The HOLY SPIRIT.

.

You will know you are in the right place because...

...you'll be walking alone.

.

Yes, Our LORD JESUS CHRIST

will be there with you,

but if you are in HIS+ Will,

no-one else will be by your side.

.

It is simply what is happening

amongst serious-minded CHRISTIANS now.

.

.

. . . . . . .

.

.

.

Make up your mind to follow ME+.

Do not follow the church crowd,

the group,

or the current "movement."

Yes, continue to reach out

to lost souls,

but beware of the deadness of "organization."

.

The Body of CHRIST is what you belong to

and to Whom+ you will answer

... not the body of man.

The organization of man is not acceptable.

.

Belong to ME+, not to "them."

Follow MY+ Voice, not theirs.

Heed MY+ Words and Mine+ alone.

.

I+ died for you; they did not.

Follow ME+.

Follow ME+.

Follow ME+.

.

.

. . . . . . .

.

.

.

In the Name of The FATHER

WHO created thee;

And HIS+ Beloved SON+ JESUS CHRIST,

Who+ delivered thee;

And the Blessed HOLY SPIRIT,

Who+ sanctifies thee.

Amen.

TESTIMONY from a NEW CREATURE... in CHRIST...

Testimony from the eMail Fellowship...

"…my story…

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At age 17 I married a wonderful Christian farm boy :) I have been married 20 years. I have 3 grown children ages 20,19,18. We sold our farm 10 years ago and went into a family business.

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I was adopted and raised in the Mennonite faith. With parents that kept the faith but lost the plainness.. head covering,…etc. My siblings don't even practice the Mennonite way of life anymore. I was always convicted but never really took the time to search the scriptures on it, which looking back, is really sad. I became of this world, turning into wanting material things like cars, etc.

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Here is where my life changing story begins :)
Last year, God was working on my heart to change my materialistic ways, in the midst of it all. Our family business was buying homes and fixing them and reselling them. We were stuck with 2 houses that would not sell when the housing market collapsed. Now we were in trouble…big debt, etc.

.

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Then Aug 17th of last year, I woke up with extreme external bleeding and we had no insurance… so I let it go. Two days later I was almost gone. I went to the bathroom and fell over, going in and out of coma.

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I realized what matters in life are not the things of this world. My husband was there with me and I said to myself, If God brings me out of this, things will change. I was in the hospital and they discovered I had a tumor that grew so large it tore one of my organs.

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Praise God!!! He saved my life. Within the week of recovering, we sold everything!!

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I mean everything… house, truck, all earthly material that was not useful We moved in a small home that I made into a farmette, I have garden, chickens and am living the Titus 2 life.

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Now, I have a testimony for The LORD. Women that knew me before do not understand why I am so happy. God has filled me with his love… [of Him instead of worldly things.]

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At times It is hard because my earthly siblings don't understand my peace. I feel so compelled to share my story, People need to wake up before it is too late !I felt a stream of peace looking at your website. I too now do not feel alone.

Blessings, Teresa "

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<(((><

Thank you, Teresa, for sharing your testimony. May The LORD bless you as you draw closer and closer every day to the ONE+ Who+ ALONE is Life... and that, for all Eternity.

Sister Judith Hannah

><(((> eMAIL Fellowship Prayer schedule

><(((> For the eMail Fellowship <(((><

<((><

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A SCHEDULE of RETURNS

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It is imperative that we start to train ourselves in CHRIST. This training will help us to abide in HIM+ throughout the day. Our training will bring forth growth, a closeness to CHRIST JESUS our LORD.

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This training is called discipline. NO... we do not "spank" ourselves! It is the discipline of training our bodies, our souls, and our spirits to SUBMIT UNTO THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD. It yields TREMENDOUS spiritual fruit when we do this.

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So, to begin, we will start with a SCHEDULE to help us RETURN TO GOD EVERY 3 HOURS, in an orderly way.

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Now DO NOT PANIC! :) There are many a times I have missed my "return." When I miss a prayer stop or a RETURN unto The LORD, I am regretful and sorry... and I pick up my Self and RETURN UNTO HIM+ ...immediately... forthwith... lickety-split!

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The RETURNS are NOT long. We can all fit them nicely into our work and responsibility schedules. Most of the prayer stops or RETURNS can be done in 5 minutes, through the day. The LENGTH IS NOT IMPORTANT: stopping your day to RETURN to HIM+ IS crucial.

.

Here is what we do at the Order of the GOOD SHEPHERD+ hermitage:

1. Individual Morning Vigil...

We start our day by reading and praying , usually with our cup of morning drink in our hand! We do this individually, quietly, and privately. We start thanking the LORD, lifting up our hearts to HIM+ as soon as our feet touch the floor... sometimes before our head comes off of the pillow.

2. We do morning prayer together...

Morning prayer may be long or short, depending upon our needs. At the very least, we return thanks together and the LORD'S Prayer that HE+ taught HIS+ disciples. Usually we also include a Psalm, a short reading from the Gospel and one from the Epistle. We may sing or recite the Gloria or Doxology. Sometimes we follow the Anglican Book of Common Prayer, but not always.

3. STOP OUR DAY at 9 a.m...

when The LORD was crucified. We thank HIM+. We may read Psalm 51 or do something else to show HIM+ we remember HIS+ great sacrifice for us miserable sinners, that we may enter into Life Eternal. We repent for ignoring HIM+ for so many years and even now, for ignoring HIM+ so many times... turning a deaf ear to HIS+ call to us.

HE+ heard the shofar blow at the time of the Morning Sacrifice in the Temple... knowing full well that HE+ was the Sacrificed LAMB+ of GOD.

4. At noon, we STOP OUR DAY...

and return to The LORD, to thank HIM+ for enduring hanging on the cross for us. AT noontime, the sky was darkened across the earth on the day HE+ was crucified. We repent for our whinining and murmuring and impatience when things do not go our way.We ask HIM+ to help us to endure like HE+, our Example+, endured.

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5. At 3 p.m., we STOP OUR DAY...

and thank HIM+ again, for HE+ said, "It is finished, FATHER. Into Thy hands I commit my spirit." We thank HIM+ for winning the victory... and granting to us that same victory over death, hell, and the grave. We repent that we so easily yield to doubts and fears of this present life, instead of keeping our eyes on the Victory HE+ gained for us. We rejoice in HIS+ victory, our victory which HE+ has laid up for us, ...

and the Truth in the WORD of GOD that tells us so!

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6. We do evening prayer together...

This is usually a sufficient worship time, with Scripture readings, canticles, praises, thanksgivings, repentences, intercessions. We oftentimes follow the Anglican Prayer Book, with some modifications.

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7. Before bed, we do a short compline...

(completion of the day) prayer, with thanksgiving and asking for a safe and healthy keeping through the night, that HE+ may wake us up to HIS+ morning Light.

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This is the Schedule of RETURNS that we will use in the eMail Fellowship. If you cannot do ALL of them, then do one... but do it every day. Read a Psalm if you do not have a prayer book. RETURN thanks to HIM+. RETURN praise to HIM+. RETURN worship to HIM+. RETURN and repent as often as HE+ brings things to mind. This is our goal.

You will find yourself moving through your daily chores faster, easier, with more peace, than ever before... for HE+ blesses this kind of discipline... this kind of sowing to the Spirit. Our purpose is to TRAIN ourselves to continually sow to the Spirit.

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Enter in and let us see what The LORD will do!

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In the name of The FATHER, HIS Holy and

Beloved SON JESUS CHRIST our LORD,

and the Blessed HOLY SPIRIT,

both now and forever. Amen.

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Sister Judith Hannah

+ + +