A conversation

RJ:
John 13:8  
Peter said to Him, “Never shall You wash my feet!” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.”

Why was it so critical for Jesus to do this to Peter? It seems it was more than to give him an example. After all, there were 11 others He could serve in this way.

Truly, if Jesus does not wash us, we are not His, we are not part of His inheritance.

Ephesians 5:25 – 27 
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.

RG:
Baptism & Foot Washing

“…and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God.”

RJ:
Back to the scene of Jesus washing the disciples’ feet in John 13. The washing of feet here seemingly has broader meaning than serving one another physically. Dirty feet was a good “prop” given how common it was. The cleaning that is occasionally needed after bathing (v10) seems to refer to forgiveness of sin after being saved. If so, the instruction He gave for us to do the same indicates we should serve one another by helping our brothers also clean their feet when needed (ie wash off the influence of the world and sin). So, it would seem there’s a practical example of service given but also a specific spiritual application of service and love.

RG:
Regarding foot washing, I had this reflection…

Repeat believer’s baptism is fairly common. I would recommend foot washing rather than repeat believer’s baptism. Also, a life of actual servanthood is far more to be desired than any ceremony. As far as ceremonies go, in addition to the symbolism of the actions of immersion and foot washing, there is also undeniably great significance in the water of both as well.

A Study in Progress

This is a somewhat complex topic which none of us ought claim to understand fully, though many do, but which we would do well to search out for biblical clarity.

Ezekiel 37

Scripture declares both a natural realm and a spiritual realm. It is not one or the other. It is both/and.

A thorough study of scripture shows that JESUS is the promised Messiah, for all times, past, present and future. He is the One who came in the first century to the lost sheep of the house of Israel and to establish His Church, His Ekklesia, His Kneset, His People, His Chosen, His Family, His Household. He fulfills the prophecies in both the natural and in the spiritual realms. His Chosen People in the natural realm remain the House of Jacob. And His Chosen People also includes all those who come to Him from all peoples who become grafted into the Vine. He has made the two to be One by His redemption completed at Calvary.

JESUS is the Prince of Peace, the promised Servant David, the Son of Man. Study this more through a thorough reading of the following books, starting at the minimal noted chapter numbers in parentheses: Ezra (1), Ezekiel (37), Matthew (16, 24), Luke (21), John (10), Romans (11), Ephesians (2).

In Matthew (e.g. 24), we see this Servant of David, spoken of by Ezekiel (e.g. 37) pointing ahead to a yet future gathering together. Yet, in Romans (e.g. 11), we see a retrospective pointing back to the uniting of these two into one as having been completed in Christ’s completed work. And indeed it was. A closer study of Matthew shows this throughout in the messianic view within that gospel, and not only in John (e.g. 10). This fulfillment was both completed and promising further future fulfillment. This fulfillment was declared as such by JESUS Himself and through all the evangelists, as well as through all the apostles and prophets, both old and new, at every time and in every age, both declaring what has taken place and declaring what remains to be fulfilled.

A CBN video interview excerpt
transcribed by RAM

November 10, 2023

“My sadness is not what Satan is doing, because this is already prophecied. My sadness is what will happen to wake up the church? What will have to happen to provoke the church into forgetting is own pity, introvert attitude, and come say, ‘Listen, let’s join hands, this denomination, that denomination.’ It is far by gone the time of even evangelizing. This is the time that we are nearing the end time, and we need to wake up and pray together so that God can perform His own will into the human kind in this region of the world.

“Millions of Iranians have turned to Christ, and no one ministry or no one organization can take credit for that. That is absolute tragically false. That’s not possible. In the book of Isaiah, it says, ‘[To] a nation which did not seek me, I stretched my hands.’ And it’s not only for the nation of Israel.

“When I was growing up in Iran, no one person was interested to hear the gospel. We were trying to talk with people. People were saying, ‘Get our of here! Go and work! Lazy sluggard!’ Because we were trying to distribute tracts. But what happened? The Islamic Republic was formed. All of a sudden, hundreds, then thousands, then tens of thousands flocked towards the church. And as a result, the Islamic authorities got very furious, and they started obliterating, destroying, closing down all the churches. They didn’t know that God has given us the technology of satellite, and because of satellite preaching and ministry, and social media, millions have turned to Christ.

“I think we will have an opportunity, and I’m not afraid of that. Iran will open up for the gospel in unprecedented way. I think before the end time and Armageddon, tens of thousands of Iranian missionaries full of the Holy Spirit will march into Turkey and Yemen and all these Arabic countries and say, ‘Listen, this is not Revolutionary Guard, this is revolution through Jesus Christ. We are here not to kill and destroy. But we are here to pray, heal and amend and attend to their wound. This will happen. Please believe that.

“And accelerating this will be united prayer of Christians, not to be afraid of what Hamas and Hezbollah will do. I think they will do what Satan has asked them to do. But the question is are we ready to do what God has asked us to do: to go on our knees; pray for healing of our land.”

Lazarus Yeghnazar
Transform Iran

Excerpts and ideals from a decade past

Reflections
“Christ’s narrow and broad ways upset the false dichotomies of His day by introducing a spiritual paradigm which welcomed those who had previously been ignored and downtrodden by the existing powers and paradigm.”

…

Experiences
“Those are the ideals, the lofty notions. And then there is the hardened earth, the solid ground which we often find beneath our feet. This is where the rubber meets the road, real experiences with real children…”

Taken from

Thinking and Learning (pdf)

“A proverb a day keeps the devil away.”
~Glen Bucklew, circa 1991

…

One of the things we do at RMFJ is that we have the book of Proverbs as part of our daily disciplines, every day, every month, life long. It is a storehouse, a treasure trove of wisdom and insight.

‭‭[1] The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel: [2] for gaining wisdom and instruction; for understanding words of insight; [3] for receiving instruction in prudent behavior, doing what is right and just and fair; [4] for giving prudence to those who are simple, knowledge and discretion to the young—[5] let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance—[6] for understanding proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise. [7] The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Proverbs‬ ‭1:1‭-‬7‬

We never overload anyone, any brothers with endless requirements or assignments or obligations. We come to JESUS, Who is the Living WORD, and we point each other and others to Him, our Faithful Apostle and High Priest. He is our Shepherd, our Archipoimen, (in Spanish our “pastor”), our one and only Rabbi, the Author and Finisher of our faith.

So, we point each other and others to JESUS, the Living WORD, and we meditate day and night in the scriptures and in the perfect Law of freedom, the law of the Spirit Who gives life. While we diligently study and search the scriptures, we are careful and diligent to examine ourselves, to test ourselves and to exhort each other daily in the LORD to come to the Living WORD. We search the scriptures where we find that they point to JESUS, and so we come to JESUS. And He is sweet. He takes our burdens. And His yoke is easy. His burden is light. He leads us and guides us. He teaches us to take up our cross daily and to follow Him. He leads us beside the still waters. He guides us in the paths of righteousness for HIS NAME sake. We fear no evil for He has delivered us from the fear of death and hell which previously held us captive in bondage all the days of our lives. And so we will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

And so, we also read Proverbs daily as a baseline, as a constantly flowing stream, an undercurrent of wisdom flowing in and throughout our lives. Every day when you wake up, you remember what day of the month it is. You remember the month, the day of the week and you remember the date, that number, and you remember the book of wisdom, the book of instruction about the wise and the foolish, of prudence and discernment, of discretion and discipline, of iron sharpening iron. And you open up the book to that number for that date, and you read and consider. You reflect and ponder. You accept and commit to heart. You pray and decide and then apply and put into practice the wisdom we all receive from the Living WORD.

There are other studies and series, plans and courses, assignments and resources we use. These vary and change from season to season.

But the book of Proverbs is the bread and butter, the meat and potatoes, the stock, the staple, the mainstay of daily scripture every day in the life of RMFJ.

So join us. Open up the book. Find today’s date, every day. Read with us, and share thoughts every day right here and in your small groups, your prayer groups, your men’s groups. Post questions and thoughts right here and in any other RMFJ small groups.

…

We also invite you and encourage you to start this Bible plan from Through The Word, right in the YouVersion Bible app called Proverbs Explained. Formerly called Proverbs Read Through For Men with our dynamic host Kris Langham. Join us daily in Proverbs, and most importantly, follow JESUS. Join us as REAL Men Follow JESUS, RMFJ.

Here is a link to the second part of the Proverbs Explained Bible reading plan for those who want to join us in progress in the section covering where we currently are in chapters 5-10, specifically Proverbs 9 today this November 9. You join us in a perfect place, the Wisdom chapter. After this section through tomorrow, we then continue with the next section in the next YouVersion plan in the series, part 3 for chapters 11-15.

Join me in reading Proverbs Explained Part 2 | Wisdom Calling

http://bible.com/r/366

7 November
Proverbs 7

Two Types of Adultery

The LORD hates adultery and He consistently rebukes both kinds. There are two types of adultery. There is natural adultery which we all know about and understand naturally yet which also includes the lust of the eye. This is dangerous, and we speak much about this and particularly emphasize the dangers of the lust of the eye, precisely because man and the flesh would especially prefer to ignore the powerful teaching of JESUS regarding the hell fire dangers of the adultery of the eye. And so we will continue to declare the message about this first type of adultery, that is natural adultery.

At the same time, the LORD is also abundantly clear throughout all times about the second type of adultery. We see this from the beginning of the Tanakh all the way through to the very end of Revelation.

This second type is spiritual adultery.

We gave one very important assignment yesterday which is still in effect for all who will accept and engage it. If you did not receive that and want to know about that assignment, simply request that and we will share that further as well.

Here we come to today’s first assignment, and we strongly exhort ALL of the RMFJ community of brothers to accept and complete this first simple assignment today. This is Assignment 2.1

…

Assignment 2.1
Read the 9 pages in the following shared folder and then ask for Assignment 2.2 on spiritual adultery.

https://bit.ly/HM-C20-the-road-to-unity

“For the name of God is blasphemed among the nations because of you.” Romans 2:24

…

An Open Letter with Complete Anonymity 

Brother,

First of all, thank God that you remain committed to sharing honestly about this. You know that what I will share here is nothing but truth and requires acceptance and simple actions that are not difficult. Jesus said His yoke is easy and His burden is light. So here is the truth.

Why are you not willing to make an absolute decision and known and established declaration with me and among the local brotherhood that you will simply no longer be alone with her in private until you are married?

The Muslim students at the college have spoken numerous times about the foolishness and sin of western “Christian” dating in principle because of the inevitable sinful activity that results, and this stance of theirs against dating puts the declared household of God in the west to open shame. And these are 17 – 22 year old Muslim students who have made these legitimate critiques of western Christian practice.

I know you know this is the most truthful, essential & urgent thing I could say to you about this.

You should not be alone with her in private even during the day and definitely not at night. There are dozens of godly friends in the local brotherhood who would be willing to keep this commitment with you. The guidelines can be reasonable and simple, and I will write them down here likely in about 5-7 simple details but you have to first even be willing to accept that there is nothing but good that can come from agreeing not to continue going with situations that will only lead to such premarital physical intimacy.

The additional thing I wanted to be sure to state is the term

Appearance of evil

And also

Above reproach

You can be 100% absolutely certain that there are likely easily a dozen people who know at least to some extent that you and her spend time together in private.

That itself is a shame which ought not be among God’s people. Every person in the world knows that a couple who spends time together in private is intimately involved.

This is the most common knowledge.

That is simply fact.

I know you know I am speaking truth

And your heart may not want to hear it but as always I am telling you again

You should not be alone in private – and yes, I know you now recognize that clear and consistent phrase – with her alone in private. Yes, that is one of the 5-7 simple points which taken as a strong commitment would actually allow you and her to be above reproach. But as things stand without such a commitment you cause her to be a partaker in this appearance of sin and not at all above reproach, and that commonly known and quietly recognized by at least dozens of people who know you both.

I know you know this is true, and I want to be sure you know I know it also.

I want you to know again I do not share any of these things with anyone because this is a message shared directly with your heart intended for your heart to accept it in the love of God in which it is intended.

Tell me your Name

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭32:28‭-‬30‬
Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.” [29] Jacob said, “Please tell me your name.” But he replied, “Why do you ask my name?” Then he blessed him there. [30] So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, “It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared.”

Who shall I tell them sent me?

‭‭Exodus‬ ‭3:13‭-‬15‬
Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?” [14] God said to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’ ” [15] God also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.’ “This is my name forever, the name you shall call me from generation to generation.

And His Name shall be called Wonderful

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭9:6‬
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

And His Name shall be called Emmanuel

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭7:14‬
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.

Your Name, Your Word

Psalm‬ ‭138:2‬
I will worship toward Your holy temple, and praise Your NAME for Your LOVING KINDNESS [hesed] and for Your TRUTH: For You have magnified above all Your NAME, Your WORD.

And you shall call His Name Yeshua

‭‭Luke‬ ‭1:30‭-‬33‬
But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. [31] You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. [32] He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, [33] and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”

In the Name

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭28:19‭-‬20‬
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, [20] and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Ego Eimi

‭‭John‬ ‭8:58‬
“Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!”

The Name Above All Names

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭2:9‭-‬11‬
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, [10] that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, [11] and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Ho On

‭‭Revelation‬ ‭16:5‬
Then I heard the angel in charge of the waters say: “You are just in these judgments, O Holy One, you who are and who were

Ego to

Revelation‬ ‭22:13‬
I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.

Ego Eimi

‭‭Revelation‬ ‭22:16‬
“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.”

In the Name

In the Name of Jesus
In the Name of Jesus
We have the victory
In the Name of Jesus
In the Name of Jesus
Satan will have to flee

I have a thought I wonder how many people I can find who are of the same heart.

To seek after God with all my heart, soul, mind & strength and yet not walk in arrogant pride of my own heart, soul, mind & strength.

To acknowledge that there are major issues with all religions of man just as all men have sin and a desperately biased and corrupt heart.

Only God is good. Only God is holy. Only God is righteous. Only God is true.

Mortal sinful men, unless humble and contrite before God, become arrogant and prideful in their declarations about God.

We do hold to the scriptures but religious men love power and authority and their own sinful hearts become arrogant before God and man.

The scripture says that the letter kills but the Spirit gives life.

When we hold religiously to our own opinions and views, we refuse to humble ourselves before the God of the universe, our Creator Who alone is Love & Light. He is Holy and Just and True.

The Spirit alone gives life.
Religion of man brings death.

Let God be true
And every man a liar.

I wonder how many people I can find, and I must ask am I myself arrogant to think that I actually desire to know truth.

Should we not ask ourselves, what evidence do we have that we are even truly seeking after God and not our own righteousness, our own justification. Man desires to be right, to be correct, if humble then to be the most humble, if successful then to be the most successful.

God have mercy on me a sinner.

God is good!

All the time!

And all the time…

God is good!

We all come from a long heritage of congregations, of congregational prayer, congregational praise, congregational worship and yes, congregational declarations. We declare God’s goodness in the great assembly. We declare God’s goodness in the land of the living. We declare and we decree victory and Victorious Living by the grace and mercy of God for all His saints in the land of the living by the power and love which are ours in Christ Jesus our LORD and Savior to the glory of God.

And so when we say: God is good! All the people say: All the time! And when we respond: And all the time! All the people say: God is good! Hallelujah! Thank You, JESUS!

We are a congregational people with a congregational heritage. And this is an ancient heritage. In Christ, you yourselves are our reply. You yourselves are our Yes and Amen! When we say Yes, you say Amen and when we say Amen! You say Yes!

For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭1:20‬

And so it is also that we have come to know about Homegoing Services. Among our people, we have come to experience these vibrant celebrations, similar to Celebration of Life services but with a whole lot more soul, a whole lot not congregational vibrancy, a whole lot more life and zeal, passion and fervency, joy mixed with tears of gratitude.

So, we ask again: what if we are martyred? We ask this reminiscent of so many others both those who did not know and those who knew.

We pray that we may live and serve here to a ripe old age, but unlike some who knew, we have no clear word or warning about this. Nevertheless, we do live in perilous times and perilous places.

Yet we declare the wonders of God and each one hears these same wonders of God declared, each in his own tongue! Whether in Hebraikos or in the Hebraidi dialekto, we share with so many, daily in the Lyceum, the plain, simple, clear and powerful good news gospel Injeel evangel of God unto salvation, that is Messiah Yeshua, Christos Iesous and Him crucified. A stumbling block to Jews and Muslims alike, but the power of God unto salvation to all who believe, first to the Jew and then to the English.

And so, who will recount all the amazing things which God has done? Who will even know all the amazing testimonies? Who will even know all the hundreds of gospel conversations, and the testimonies of God’s goodness, all the witnesses and declarations of salvation, of transformation, of metamorphosis, of new birth, of washing and healing, of regeneration, redemption and deliverance from addictions and fears, from bondages and destructive habits and behaviors, from lies and deceptions, of the surprising work of God in the conversion of many hundred souls, nefs, nephesh and of new pneuma life of ruh, ruach.

Who will declare all these wonders to our wives, to our children, to our families and friends? If all these things were written down, surely even the world wide web would not be able to contain all the writings. Indeed it cannot because the fullness of all the depths of all these wonders we have seen and heard and declared in part to you, the fullness is indeed recorded but for now the fullness is known only to God alone, written down in His scroll of remembrance in His presence and with all His holy ministering servants.

And so we continue to go forth daily declaring this powerful message, foolishness to those who are perishing but life and peace to those who are being saved.

And we all with unveiled faces also continue to declare the LORD’s Yes! and Amen! until He returns! Maranatha!