October 1999, Continued, Letter #1

I would like to take you into the book of Esther. I will be covering certain verses in chapters 1 through 8. I want you to see four people in these chapters, King Ahasuerus, Haman, Hadassah (Esther), and Mordecai.

I will start with Mordecai. When he found out that letters were sent out to all the king’s provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all Jews, both young and old, little children and women, he rent his clothes and put on sackcloth with ashes and went into the city, and cried with a loud and bitter cry. He even sat himself before the king’s gate so all coming and going could see him and hear him.

We are told there was great mourning among the Jews, and fasting, and weeping, and wailing, and many lay in sackcloth and ashes. All this about what Mordecai had done to himself and what he was doing was brought to Queen Esther’s attention by her maids and chamberlains. She was exceedingly grieved and she sent raiment of clothes to clothe Mordecai, and to take away his sackcloth from him, but he would not receive it. She sent Hatach one of her chamberlains to go to Mordecai and find out what it was and why it was that he was crying so bitterly in sackcloth with ashes.

Mordecai told Hatach all that had happened unto him, and of the sum of money that Haman had promised to pay to the king’s treasuries for the Jews to be destroyed. He also gave him a copy of the writing of the decree that was given at Shushan (city) to destroy the Jews. To show it unto Queen Esther. He was to charge her that she should go in unto the king, to make supplication unto him and to make request before him for her people. Hatach did return to queen Esther and gave her the decree and the words of Mordecai.

Queen Esther knew that any man or woman who entered into the kings inner court without being called by the king, would be put to death, and would only live if the king held out the golden sceptre. She had not been called to come in unto the king these thirty days. All this was told to Mordecai.

Mordecai answered Queen Esther, saying she should not think of herself only. Just because she lived in the kings house she would not escape death, along with all her people (Jews). And if she held her peace at this time, there would come reparation and deliverance from another place. That she and her father’s house would be destroyed and how did she know that she wasn’t called for just this purpose?

Queen Esther answered Mordecai and told him to gather all the Jews that were present in Shushan, to have them fast for her and not to eat or drink for three days, night or day. She and her maidens would do the same. She would then go in unto the king, which was not according to the law, and if she perish, she would perish .

Mordecai did all as Queen Esther had commanded him.

Queen Esther put on her royal apparel and stood in the inner court of the king’s house. And when the king saw her he held out to her the golden sceptre, Esther drew near, and touched the top of the sceptre. Just her way of saying thank you for not taking my life.

The king asked her why she was there and what was her request. Queen Esther answered the king. "If it seem good unto the king, let the king and Haman come this day unto the banquet that I have prepared for them."

At the banquet the king said unto Queen Esther. "What is your` petition and what is your request? Even to half of the kingdom it shall be performed." Queen Esther answered the king and said. "My petition and my request is, if I have found favor in the sight of the king, and if it please the king to grant my petition, and to perform my request, let the king and Haman come to the banquet that I shall prepare for them, and then I will do as the king has said."

The king and Haman came to Queen Esther’s banquet and on the second day of Queen Eather’s banquet he asked again. "What is your petition? It shall be granted you. What is your request? It shall be performed, even to half of the kingdom."

I want you to listen very carefully to Queen Esther’s answer. " If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request; For we are sold, I and my people, are to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. But if we had been sold for bondsmen and bondswomen, I would have held my tongue, although the enemy could not make up for the king’s damage already done to the Jewish people."

King Ahasuerus answered and said unto Queen Esther, "Who is he, and where is he, that would in his heart do so?" Queen Esther said, the adversary and enemy is this wicked Haman. Haman was hanged on his own gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai.

Queen Esther spoke yet again before the king, and fell down at his feet, and besought him with tears to put away the mischief of Haman the Agagite, and his devise that he devised against the Jews.

Queen Esther requested of the king that he allow a letter to be written to reverse the letters devised by Haman, which he wrote to destroy the Jews which are in all the king’s provinces, "For how can I endure to see the evil that shall come unto my people? Or how can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred?"

King Ahasuerus granted Queen Esther’s request and told Mordecai to write for the Jews as it would please him, in the king’s name, and seal it with the king’s ring. For the writing which is written in the king’s name and sealed with the king’s ring, no man may turn back. Mordecai did as the king requested and the letters went out to all the king’s provinces and to every city where the Jews were. And in every province and in every city where the king’s commandment and his decree came, the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a good day.

There is a similarity here between the assembly of Christians, and those people found in the book of Esther. This does involve the welfare of babies, little children, young men, young women, men, women, old women, old men. We (in the assembly) reach out to the unsaved, but to our own we turn our backs on them and don’t seem to care one way or another.

Where is the Mordecai today that will change his clothes and put on sackcloth with ashes and go out into all the assemblies and cry with a loud and bitter voice for these saints that are marked. Is there anyone willing to stand up for them and make themselves known? With the help of the Lord, I will make myself known and stand up and be accountable for my sisters and brothers in the Lord. I will plead their case before those that are in leadership loud and clear and let the chips fall where they may. I am not a Mordecai, I am not a keeper at the gate (Ezekiel 33:1 -11) I am not a shepherd.

I find in Proverbs 6:16-19 these six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:

    • 1-A proud look
    • 2-A lying tongue
    • 3-Hands that shed innocent blood
    • 4-An heart that devises wicked imaginations
    • 5-Feet that be swift in running to mischief
    • 6-A false witness that speaks lies
    • 7-And he that sows discord among brethren

I do believe with all my heart that discord has been sown among our Christian brethren, not sparing the flock. And as I read the last part of verse sixteen it is evident that the sowing of discord among brethren is an abomination unto the Lord. That my Christian brother is exactly what has been done.

The unity of the spirit that we all had among ourselves has been broken down. A division has been made that has divided Christians from each other. Our testimony to other Christians in "Man made organizations" has been polluted. Love that the Lord has given us for each other has been broken down. Anger and hatred has come between family members, and non-family members.

The world outside looks at us as just being another sect. And for years we have said we only meet in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. The world sees us as not being able to get along with each other. Before all these markings our testimony was clean and pure, easy to talk about to outsiders. Now that the markings have arisen they (the world) do not understand the markings, no matter how hard or long you try to explain the markings. They (the world) just shake their heads in wonderment and say, "And they say let brotherly love continue. How can it under such conditions?"

When Christians in the world
check up on us by reading in their Bibles, they will never find where the church which is Christ body is to be purged of Christian Believers.

If they (other believers) hear about the markings they can’t understand how this can be. They can only find that the ones that are to be marked (pointed out) or avoided are these; "Fornicators, Covetous People, Idolaters, Railers, Drunkards, Extorioners, Adulterers, Effeminate People, Abusers of themselves with mankind, Thieves, and Revelers, (1 Corinthians 6:1-5, 9 & 19). And the Bible tells them not even to have company with them. And when they check into why the believing Christians were marked, wonder of wonders, none of the above applies to any of them!

The outside world can not find anywhere in their Bibles where Christian fathers are to be separated from their Christian children and their Christian loved ones.

Nowhere in their Bibles can they find that those in leadership have the right to tell a Christian child to leave the headship of their father and the love of their mother, just because the father disagrees with the leadership that have marked him.

We were told by those in leadership, if the family members were to stay with their Christian father they too would become polluted (marked).

Also, nowhere in the Bible will they find that the leadership have the right to mark a Christian man’s wife for staying with her husband, along with all their children.

And the marking goes on and on until the whole family is marked, no telling where it could end, just because they stand with their father.

Even if the children do not stand with their father in the markings they are encourage to leave home. To even put this thought into the young Christian children’s minds is not found in the Bible.

Where does, 1 John 4:4 fit into all this? Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: Because greater is HE that is in you, than HE that is in the world.

Where does, Philippians 4:13 fit into all this? I can do all things through Christ, who strengheth me.

Where does, I Corinthians 7:16 & 17 fit into all this?

For, what know thou, O wife, whether thou shall save thy husband?

Or how know thou, O man, whether thou shall save thy wife?

But as God hath distributed to every man, as the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk. And so ordain I in all churches.

By staying with the family they can be an example to all the family by your own Christian testimony!

Where does, Matthew 5:16 fit into all this? Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. This is a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ letting the world see his or hers new nature.

Where does, Philippians 2:15 & 16 fit into all this? That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world: Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither labored in vain.

Where does 1 Corinthians 10:13 fit into all this? There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

The five verses above are what our Lord gives to every child of His that are in any situation, whether at home, in any assembly, or out in the world. He gave these verses to me, when I was told; I could no longer stay (put out of) in my Aunts home because I read my Bible to late into the night.

If what I have written to you has had any clearing of these saints in your mind and heart, my petition to you is this:

    • Let all the Christians that have known each other for years come together and have fellowship with each other.
    • Let the Christians families be free to be with their children and grandchildren whom they have not seen for years.
    • Take down the barriers, the hate-red, the fear, the anger that have risen between believers and let them once more rejoice and be free to love each other again.
    • Investigate and find out who is responsible for causing this discord among the brethren and make them responsible for what they have committed.

My request is this:

  1. That a letter go out to all the assemblies stating the action you have taken in the clearing up of this whole abominable situation.
  2. Your Brother in Christ

     

     

     

    October 1999

    To Jim & Weyman, Shepherds in the field of our Lord

    Though I am writing this letter, I would like you to know from the start that this is not my letter. It is the Lord’s letter to you shepherds that are His. The Lord has placed these thoughts on my heart to write to you. I also want you to know, on September 17, 1989 I died. The Lord has already given me ten extra years so far and I am very thankful to Him. I am also very thankful to the saints that prayed for me during that time. This is the least I can do for the saints and for the Lord because of their faithfulness to me.

    I am an old Ram of our Lord, who is writing this letter to the Lord’s Shepherds, who seem to have forgotten that they are only some of many Shepherds of our Lord’s, in this ungodly world today, for the caring of His Flock.

    In John 21:15-19 our Lord asked Peter, "Do you love me?" Three times He asked this of Peter, and I am sure Peter’s heart was aching in replying, "Yes Lord; you know that I love you." The Lord said unto him, "Feed my lambs (young ones)". The next two times, "Feed my sheep (older ones)". That word feed means a lot to our Lord. When He asked Peter, (Do you love me more than these?) I do not know for sure what the Lord meant by these. But I think He could have meant the bread and fishes. If He did, then the meaning could have meant, "Shepherds, love me more than life itself." If you, as a Shepherd of our Lord, love our Lord Jesus Christ more than life itself, you can feed His lambs and His sheep. But don’t ever forget; "Follow Me."

    I have been in the field of our Lord for many years and I have met a lot of lambs and sheep that want a shepherd of the Lord they can follow. A shepherd that will not only lead them in the things of the Lord, but a shepherd that will love them as he loves the Lord. I understand that the sheep hear the voice of the Lord in the shepherd’s voice and they will follow them, John 10:27 & 28, but one in who’s voice they do not hear the Lord, they will not follow. Love, as you know, has a great part of any sheep’s life, because our Lord put it there, John 17:26. We do love each other and always will, because the Lord first loved us.

    Some of the sheep (His Flock) that the Lord has given you for your care have been marked, cut off from your fellowship, and separated from their love ones.

  3. Do the markings stand for all of His Flock, or for only His sheep that are in your assembly (fold)? If not? Why not?
  4. Do you also mark and cut off Christians (His Flock) that are in man made organizations?
  5. In separating Christians from their loved ones that are still in your assembly (fold).

  6. Do you apply this also to Christians (His Flock) that are in man made organizations?
  7. When you apply any rules as a Shepherd of the Lord,

  8. You can’t think of your assembly (fold) only. But you also have to think of all of God’s children (His Flock).
  9. What you as a shepherd do to your assembly (fold) does this apply (or should it apply) to all of God’s children (His Flock) here on earth?

Is this a big responsibility? You better believe it.

I will get into the markings, cutting -off, and the separating of loved ones from each other later in this letter.

Some of these sheep, other Shepherds of our Lord are loving and caring for them: you have cut them off, but the Lord has not. Those I have seen have not gone back into the world to become a part of this ungodly world. They have not lost their love for our Lord. They have not lost their love one for another. They have not lost their love for Christian fellowship. They have not lost their love to help Christians in manmade organizations. They have not lost their love for the word of the Lord. They continue to reach out to each other. I ask you, Shepherds of our Lord, does this sound to you like condemned Christians of our Lord? You will have to excuse me for being angry. The Lord has not condemned these Christians, because we are told, "If the Lord be for them, who can be against them." These Christians you have turned away, are rejoicing in the Lord, but are also praying to the Lord for their loved ones, and to also right the wrong that has been done to them. Do you think that the Lord hears their request and prayers? For the love of our Lord Jesus Christ, whose sheep they are, I ask you as a fellow Christian to please look into this situation.

I have heard the cry of some of these sheep that have been separated from the assembly (fold) and to this I wish to continue. In Matthew 25:31-46 you know that judgment will begin with His Own. In John 4:25-38 you know that the Lord sent you to reap, while another sows. In 1 Cor. 3:5-23, you know that to His sheep, He gave all things: Paul, Apollos, Cephas, world, life, death, things present, things to come - The sheep belong to Christ {they do not belong to us} and Christ is God’s. In Romans 8:15-23 you know that His sheep have not been given the Spirit of bondage, but have been given the Spirit of adoption - wherein they can pray to their heavenly Father. Let me assure you that is what they are doing. Children of God, praying to their Father for their loved ones that are still in the assembly (fold), and for their heavenly Father to right the wrong that had been done to them. You can separate sheep from the assembly (fold), but you know you can not separate them from the Lord’s Flock; they all still belong to the Lord. In Romans 8:33-39 there are three WHO’S which the Lord has given to His sheep for their assurance:

    • Verse 33 - Who shall lay anything to God’s elect?
    • Verse 34 - Who is he that condemneth?
    • Verse 35 - Who shall separate them from the love of Christ?

I have not gone into verse 37-39 which tells us we are more then conquerors through our Lord Jesus Christ and nothing shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

We are not dealing with just people - these are Christians that have been marked, cut-off, and separated from other Christians that they have known for years, they are Children of the Most High God.

Shepherds of the Lord, please turn to Ezekiel 34:1-11. You know that the Lord loves His Flock (children) very much, so that when you read in chapter 34 you not only see his love, but you also see his anger with his shepherds over his flock. I do believe that there is a disease among the assembly (fold), that has not been taken care of. I also believe that you know what it is. There is one big WOE, but a very long one;

    • You feed yourselves -
    • Should not shepherds feed the flock -
    • The diseased have you not strengthened (taken away)-
    • Have not healed that which was sick -
    • Have not bound up that which was broken -
    • Have not brought again that which was driven away -
    • Have not sought that which was lost -
    • With force and with cruelty you have ruled them -
    • The sheep were scattered because of no shepherd -
    • His sheep wandered through all the mountains -
    • None did search or seek after them -

Shepherds of the Lord, how do you fall into to this list of one big Woe? You have to ask yourself, do I have any of these short comings?

Therefore, you shepherds hear the word of the Lord;

    • As I live, saith the Lord, surely because My flock became a prey, and My flock became meat to every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did My shepherds search for My flock, but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not My flock;

Therefore, O you shepherds hear the word of the Lord;

    • I am against the shepherds -
    • I will require My flock at their hand -
    • Cause them to cease from feeding the flock -
    • Neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more -
    • I will deliver My flock from their mouth -
    • That they (the flock) may not be meat for them -

Shepherds of the Lord, do you believe that the Lord can do this today, and not have fear in your soul?

"For thus saith the Lord God, behold, I, even I, will both search for My sheep, and seek them out."

    • "As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out My sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered."

In Psalm 23:1-6, I am going to pull from the verses certain sayings;

The Lord is my shepherd (to all Christians);

    • MY (personal to every believer) -
    • THEY (every believer) shall not want -
    • He makes them to lie down (rest)-
    • He leads them beside (how are you doing, child) still waters -
    • He restores (don’t get down) their soul -
    • He leads them in the paths of righteousness (for His name sake)-

Can you as a Shepherd of the Lord do anything less, when it comes to every believer?

    • They look to you to care for them -
    • They trust you to care for them -
    • They want you to love them -
    • They want you to lead them -
    • They want you to restore their souls -
    • They want you to teach them the things of the Lord that He has given you as a shepherd, and that you have not only received , but have also proven by the word of God for yourself.

We had a Saint among us that was walking through the valley of the shadow of death. She requested that her loved ones be around during her last days here on earth. Her request was denied because;

    • She was marked- She had been cut off- She had been separated from her loved ones in the assembly (fold). "This is your rod and staff in action".

Let me give you the forth verse;

"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me "

Shepherds of the Lord does this bring tears to your eyes, does this bring an ache to your heart? Your rod and staff are to be a comfort to all Christians. Not to put Christians in the bondage of fear. Not to turn loved ones from each other. Not to cause the loved ones in the assembly (fold) to fear meeting each other on the street. In some cases Christian loved ones in the assembly (fold) have been down right hateful.

Can you not as shepherds of our Lord see, or hear, what this is doing to His sheep that He has put in your hands to care for and to protect? You who are Shepherds of the Lord have not contacted them that have been cut off, nor have you searched them out.

I will tell you this, our Lord did not forsake this Saint. He was with her all the way, right by her side. You think, how can I say that? Easy, when she left this earth she left with no evil thought in her heart. She forgave those that were against her. The Lord was truly with her. The Lord truly comforted her in the time of death. She died in peace. That, my Christian Brother was not the death of one MARKED of the Lord. (The wicked are like the troubled sea.) She was not troubled at all. I do praise the Lord for His tender mercies.

I will tell you of a case of another marked sister in Christ. This is part of her testimony to me. "I could not understand why some of my Christians friends were not talking to me. I did not know what was going on. No one in leadership came to me to talk to me or tell me why I was marked. I found out later why I was marked. I was told it was because I loved my children more then I love the Lord. "How can anyone know this? I do love my children very much, but I also love the Lord very much." Are we saying that this mother should not have natural affections for her children?

I would like to say here, we are speaking of two kinds of love.

  1. One, the love we have for mankind (natural affection we should have).
  2. The other is the spiritual love we have for our Lord Jesus Christ.
  3. Each of us must love our Lord in spirit and in truth. In spirit we cry Heavenly Father.
  4. To those in leadership who did not go to her before she was publicly marked, "Please read Galatians 6: 1-8." I will not go into all of the verses. Verse one, "- - - if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted".

  5. This tells me to go to that person and talk to them, tell them what I see, reason with them, listen to what they have to say. I may find out what I thought was wrong was not the problem at all. I do very much consider all of the verses 2-8.
  6. And I am very prayerful of what they are teaching us. In verse 2 we read, "Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ"

  7. We are not told to add more burdens to their life.
  8. In verse 6 we read, " Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.

  9. Shepherd of the Lord, you as a teacher in the word of the Lord are to be in touch with the Lord to learn from Him what are all the good things to give to one that is over taken in a fault.
  10. In verse 9 & 10 we read, "And let us not be weary in well doing; for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the Household of faith."

  11. Shepherd of the Lord don’t forget this marked sister is a child in the Household of Faith. When our sister in the Lord said, "I love my children," this is one kind of love (natural affection) and to love my Lord is another kind (spiritual, where their spirit is in tone with the Lord’s Spirit).
  12. This marking was wrong, dead wrong. The added burdens that were placed on her were not called for. The heart aches that were placed on her were not called for.
  13. Shepherd of the Lord you need to go to this sister of the Lord to restore her faith in you. Listen, she has faith in the Lord. I have heard it and I have seen it in her. She is a very loving and strong soul. In John 7: 24, we are told, "Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment."
  14. I don’t know why all of these Christians have been marked in such a short period of time, and I doubt if I ever will. When I came back to California from the Cape in Florida, I asked a Christian that I have known for years and in which I have great respect, "Why are all these Christians Marked?" His reply was "You will have to listen to a six hour tape." I was very surprised by this answer, because in the past I had always been given clear-cut answers right to the point.

    The next question I asked," Are those that are Marked excommunicated?" No answer was given, just a funny look, as much as to say, "Why did you ask that?" To ask a Christian a question and not get an answer is unbelievable. We as Christians are to be ready always to give an answer for what we believe and know.

    If I were to ask any Christian in the assemblies (fold) do you think they could tell me why all these Christians were marked, and do you believe they were excommunicated?

    Can they tell me the main reason behind all the markings, not why each Christian was marked. But what is the total picture of the markings?

    I would like to know in a nutshell what is behind all the markings, and I don’t mean what scripture was used to mark all these Christians.

    Where are the watchmen at the gate to keep the assemblies (fold) from falling?

    Christians need to be alert as to what is going on around them, not being busy body.

  15. How come all of these Christians were marked in such a very short period?
  16. Where did this idea come from?
  17. Is it a deliberate attempt to separate Christians from Christians?
  18. What or who caused this division? Do you see where I am coming from?
  19. Christians can ask questions and they do deserve a direct answer.
  20. Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

    There were many times I have gone to a Christian meeting and the next day past the message on to a fellow employee, and I was very happy to be asked questions about the message.

    Christian of the Lord, are always prove all things and hold fast to that which is good!

    Fellow Christians are to always be ready to give (to the best of their ability) a straight answer to anyone that may ask.

    And above all they are to be alert, "Satan will come to divide a flock any way He can."

    Let me give you this to chew on for a while:

    Some of these Christians that were marked we have known for years, in fact I have known their great grandfathers, who in their life-time had a great testimony for our Lord Jesus Christ.

    Their sons and daughters have been very dear to me. I am not talking about youngsters, but adult Christians. These have given their Christian testimony before the assemblies (fold) for years.

    We were able to both examine and behold their lives, both in the world and in the Christian assemblies (fold). The older adults married and gave birth to children, who were brought up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, in which we all are witnesses, both to the marriage and the bringing up of their children.

    And we heard the testimony of their children before the assembly (fold). Their children were married before us and we were witnesses to their marriages in the Lord. These children are now married and have given birth to children of their own.

    You ask, why am I giving you all this? I want you to be aware of something that you seem to have missed- - -" How long does a Christian have to live in our company before we know that he or she is a faithful servant of our Lord Jesus Christ?" One that can be trusted and one we can look up to?

    Would you say, six months, one year, two years, five years, ten years, fifteen years, twenty years, twenty-five years, thirty-five years, forty-five years? Some are now in their sixties and seventies and these were raised from infancy in the assemblies (fold). That is how long some of the Christians have been a witness before us for the Lord Jesus Christ.

    A good tree can only bear good fruit, a bad tree can only bear bad fruit. By their fruit (testimony and works) you shall know them. We have both seen their fruits and their works and do testify they are good. Are we only to trust those that are in leadership and not each other?

    Let me go a little farther, we know these Christians by name. We heard how they accepted the Lord Jesus Christ into their lives. We had years to observe their Christian lives, when some of them were going through a hardship, we entered into prayers for them. We also became a close part of their lives, by helping them out with material things. We heard the trials and sadness in their lives, and we cried and rejoiced when victory was finally theirs. If they needed help in understanding the scriptures, we were there for them. We ate at the same tables with them in the camp mess halls. We slept with them in camp dorms. We had close Christian fellowship with them in their homes and at camps.

    At camps it was a joy to our souls to hear them sing, laugh and cry. Just to see them was a blessing. As I said before, these folks are not just people, these are Redeemed of the Lord, Accepted in the Beloved, Joint Heirs with the Lord Jesus Christ, Pilgrims and Strangers in a foreign land, Their names are written in the Lambs Book of Life. . Quite a company to be with I would say. And just think, they were all rejected by you not fit to have in the assemblies (fold). Rejected by you, but not rejected by the Lord. Quite a mismatched, I would say.

    Something else that you seem to have missed, and that is this, you simple do not know your Brothers and Sisters in Christ. You never really got close enough to know their new true nature, the one the Lord is working on day by day, to make each and everyone of them a blessing to you and me and every other Christian on this planet.

    You also seem to have forgotten that each and every one of them send up to heaven a sweet smelling perfume (or a bad smell when we are in the flesh) to the Lord Himself, which tells Him they are living their Christian Life pleasing to Him. It’s easy to see the old man. The Lord has not given us our new bodies yet, so this is what you see before you every day. But the new man is inside and when you get to know the new man in each Christian, your spirit will bear witness with their spirit that he or she is a Child of God.

    You will love them, because you are seeing the Lord in their lives. Every child of God has something in their life, that we need to have in ours.

  21. Please read again 1 Corinthians 12: 11-28 which shows us how important each member is. None of the members can say to the other I have no need of you. We are told that the feeble members are necessary. To the less honorable members we are to bestow more abundant honor. The uncomely members have more abundant comeliness. There is to be no schism. Each member should have the same care one for another. If one member suffer, we are all to suffer with them. If one member is honored we all are to rejoice with them. We are all members of the body of Christ and members in particular.
  22. Do you as a Shepherd of the Lord really think that you can just mark a member of the Body of Christ, separate them from other members of the Body of Christ, and have nothing more to do with them?

  23. You had better read again I Corinthians 12: 11-28. And while you are at it, read again Ezekiel 34:1-11. I can tell you without any doubt, All Mighty God is not pleased with the marking, the separating of His members one from another.
  24. Tearing apart members from members to do what? And to accomplish what? Remember, we are talking about the Body of Christ! Not just from the assemblies (fold)! But from the Body of Christ! These Christians are not ours to do what ever we want to and with them. Good night, please wake up! They are Precious Jewels of the Lord. He gave His life in ransom for them.

  25. In Ephesians 4: 1,3, 11-16 we should, "walk worthy of the vocation (our Christian Life) wherewith we called, with all lowliness and meekness, with long suffering, forbearing one another in love; endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."
  26. Ephesians 4: 4-6 has been the backbone of the assemblies for years, I don’t hear this in the ministry anymore! We need to hear how we all have this Oneness in Jesus Christ, how we are all One Body, One Spirit, One Hope, One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism, One God, One Father, above All, through Us All, and in you all.
  27. I Do not hear anything about Ephesians 4:8-11

    How the Lord Jesus Christ, ascended up on high.

    How He led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.

    How that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth (you say in Hell, or isn’t this truly Abraham’s Bosom, Paradise?)

    How He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.

    How He gave to the church some, Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors, Teachers,

    Now listen to this: "For the perfecting of the Saints" " For the work of the Ministry" "For the edifying of the Body of Christ"

    How long was this Perfecting, Working, and Edifying to go on?

    "Until we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge on the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ." (That my Brother is a very long time)

    Let me tell you this, just to minister this, what a beautiful subject to be given to all the Saints. There is a reason why the above was given to us and why all this should be ministered today to all the Saints.

  28. The following tells us. Verse 14 Says, " That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive."
  29. Christians are always to be alert and not to go to sleep when things are given. Christians are to check up on what ever they hear, to prove all things and hold fast to that which is good, never to take anything for granted.

    We were always encouraged to check up in the WORD of God on our ministers as to what they were giving, and if what they were giving is true, to make it our own.

    This not only kept the ministers on their toes, but also we in the assembly (fold).

  30. In Verse 15 we are told, "Speaking the truth in love, may (all of us not just some of us) grow up (be mature) into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ", (Now comes the beauty of the Body of Christ that all our brothers and sisters in Christ need to see for themselves).
  31. In Verse 16 we find, "From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplies," (The next part of this verse just overcomes me, it is just beautiful) "according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, makes increase of the Body unto the edifying of Itself in love".
  32. Shepherds of the Lord, how do you like those apples? That is the beauty of the Body of Christ. Now this is what I call a working assembly.

Another verse that brings joy to my heart is found in:

  1. Ephesians 2:10 which reads, "we (All Christians not just some) are His workmanship`(not yours or mine), created in Christ unto good works, which God had before ordained (before we were born) that WE (All Christians) should walk in them."

Now that’s what I call meat and not milk! Shepherds of the Lord, don’t you see what is happening in the assemblies (fold)? You cannot divide Christians from Christians by marking them and cutting them off from one another. The Lord Jesus Christ who is the Head of the Body of Christ will not allow this!

When you mark a brother or sister in Christ your work has just begun, you have to explain to them and the assemblies (fold) why they are marked. They and the Christians in the assemblies (fold) have got to be able to see the marking for themselves.

  1. The Holy Spirit has to reveal this to them. If the Holy Sprit does not reveal this to them, your marking is worthless.
  2. From the marking has to come conviction by the Spirit of God. No conviction, your marking is worthless.
  3. From the convictions comes the opening of ones mind to what is taking place in their Christian life. No opening of the mind, your marking is worthless.
  4. From the opening of the mind, comes understanding why they are marked. From understand comes repenting No repenting, your marking is worthless.
  5. From repentance comes an enlightening of the soul, a thankful soul, a fullness of joy. No enlightening, your marking is worthless.
  6. A fullness of joy in the soul, then once more in fellowship with their Lord, and in fellowship with the assembly of Christians.

In 11 Corinthians 7: 9 & 10, "Now I rejoice, not that YOU were made sorry, but that YOU sorrowed to repentance: for YOU were made sorry after a godly manner, that YOU might receive damage by us in nothing. For godly sorrow works repentance to salvation not to be repented of, but the sorrow of the world works death."

  1. This is the way Marking’s should work for a Christian brother or sister, any other way is a false marking. Not hard to understand is it?
  2. Lets take these marking now: To mark a brother or sister in Christ, you don’t just mark them for anything or everything. The marking has to be in the will of God, and must be convicting to the soul of the New Man, otherwise your marking is worthless.

    If a brother or sister in Christ disagrees with you, they have a God given right to question you without you marking them!

    If a brother in Christ comes to you and says, "What you are giving in your messages is usurping my authority (both of these are Christ given and they do have the right to question you) over the headship of my family," you don’t mark them!

    I do believe the Christian Family is very dear to the Lord and that is why He has put Himself over the headship of man...

  3. 1 Corinthians 11:3, "I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God".
  4. He wants to be in direct contact himself with every head of every Christian Family. He does not want any interruptions with this unity.
  5. The head of each Christian family will answer to the Lord on how he treats his wife and children. He does not answer to you or me.
  6. The head of each Christian family has a great responsibility to the Lord and his family.
  7. The Christian family truly does witness for the Lord twenty-four hours a day.
  8. They are the Lords most faithful witnesses today.

As a Shepherd of the Lord:

You can exhort, You can correct, You can build him up in the Most Holy Faith,

You can be of help to him (the father) in many ways. But, you do not have the right to come between him and the Lord who is his direct head.

Do not try to enter this bond. It is not yours to be in.

  1. It is a precious love bond that the Lord has given to every Christian Head of a family.
  2. He likens the Christian Family to the Church which is Christ Body.
  3. He is the head of it and no one else.
  4. The Head of every Christian man is Christ and Christ is God’s.
  5. If you don’t listen to these fathers, and you mark them for coming to you with this problem of headship, then your marking is worthless.

If you put out a study, and a brother says he disagrees with it, and shows you where he disagrees, you are obligated to our Lord to listen to his disagreements as a Christian brother and try to understand what he is saying. Not to do this is ungodly. Marking him and calling him a heretic is very hard to understand?

  1. In Titus 3: 10 & 11 we read, "A man that is an heretic after the first and second admonition reject; knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself."

I would say straight out something is wrong here, wouldn’t you say so too?

Something else that is hard to understand, why does a minister of the Lord need to have other men around him before he can talk or listen to a brother or sister in Christ (again where the Spirit of the Lord is There is Liberty).

  1. In 1 John 4:18 & 19 we find, "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth (drives) out fear: because fear hath torment. He that fears is not made perfect in love. We love Him, because He first loved us."
  2. I do hope and pray that going over all this with you, will not only enlighten you but encourage you to be more faithful to those that have been marked and cut off.

  3. In Colossians 3:12-17, "Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do you. And above all these things put on charity which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also you are called in one body; and be you thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him."

Shepherds of the Lord don’t let this happen to the assemblies as given in this poem;

    • "With brick upon brick, we wall ourselves in
    • (Because, Lord, we’re not like those "others")
    • Till one day we see that we’ve not kept out sin
    • "But walled out our sisters and brothers."

Your Brother in Christ

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