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September 2009 Newsletter

LET US GO ON TO PERFECTION

 

Therefore leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection [completeness, full maturity, accomplishing the end goal]. And this we will do if God permits  Heb.6:1a & 3.

Once the foundations are laid, let us move on. There are many pictures of the church in maturity, or of the church coming to maturity, or the church practising in a mature way the instructions of Scripture  Jesus said teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you  Matt.28:19.

For example, in Ephesians 4, Paul paints an awesome picture of the church coming to maturity through the effective ministry work of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers: a church that has grown up in all things into Him who is the head  Christ  v.15.

In 1Corinthians, chapters 12,13,14, Paul shows how a mature church ministers the gifts in love for the up-building of the whole church.

In Colossians 3:1- 4:6, Paul describes for us the conduct of the new man, beginning with our mind and affections toward the Lord, dealing with any area of gross sin, dealing with attitudes of heart toward others, and then putting on the new man  (v.12), and finally instructing us about family and work relationships.

 

In Romans 12 verses 9-21, Paul instructs us how to behave as a Christian. The instructions in these verses are very clear and demand a response on all accounts as we seek to live a Christian life.

v.9 love without hypocrisy : Love is the word agape and means affection and benevolence . It is God s kind of love and it is the love that we are to have toward one another; it is mature love. James 3:17 tells us that the wisdom from above is without hypocrisy. A hypocrite is a pretender.

        abhor what is evil : Abhor means to detest utterly, to dislike intensely . It means to shudder at . This needs to include the evil that pervades the television screen, if you turn it on in your house.

        cling [cleave] to what is good : A man and a woman are to cleave to one another in marriage. We are to cleave to what is good.

v.10 be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love : In the Old Testament God was known for His kindness and tender mercies toward us  He is still the same today. In 2 Pet.1:2-11, Peter tells us the steps to maturity  to live in charity  (KJV). Brotherly kindness is the last step before being able to function in true Christian love.

          in honour giving preference to one another : Paul tells us in Philippians to esteem others better than oneself  and look for the interests of others  (2:3-4).

v.11 not lagging in diligence  [KJV  not slothful in business ]. We are to be diligent [study] to present ourselves approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth  2Tim.2:15. Do you have a committed relationship with the word of God? Is it your daily necessary food?

         fervent in spirit : Fervency speaks of zeal. Sometimes our zeal can be soulish and lead to striving and disappointment. Our zeal needs to be the fervency in our spirit.

         serving the Lord : Paul said whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His son  Rom.1:9. As sons shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of our spirits and live?  Heb.12:9 The Christian life begins with a new birth by the spirit of God enabling us to receive Jesus.

v.12 rejoicing in hope : Many make the mistake of hoping in things temporal and when that which they hope for does not eventuate, they become disappointed. True hope is for things eternal, things pertaining to the kingdom of God and true hope does not disappoint  (Rom.5:5). If our hope is based upon the word of God, it is as an anchor for our soul  (Heb.6:19).

         patient in tribulation : The word tribulation  means pressure. I think we all know the pressures and stresses of life but probably have not realised that such things are the tribulation the Bible speaks of. God gives us grace through faith in Jesus Christ to glory in tribulation, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance [patience]  Rom.5:3.

        continuing steadfastly in prayer : Prayer is to be continual and like the persistent widow, it is the one who continues committedly to whom God responds. 

v.13 distributing to the needs of the saints : The first church sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need  Acts 2:45.

         given to [pursue] hospitality : We are to pursue hospitality, even not forgetting to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels  Heb.13:2. We find that both in our home and in our training centre, having meals together in fellowship is so vital to building relationships in the body and introducing strangers  to the apostolic teaching.

v.14 bless those who persecute you : Jesus said, Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you  Matt.5:12.

         bless and curse not  Jesus said, Bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you  Lu.6:28.

v.15 rejoice with those who rejoice : When a member of the body is honoured all the members rejoice  1Cor.12:26.

         weep with those who weep : When a member of the body suffers, all the members suffer with that one  1Cor.12:26.

v.16 be of the same mind toward one another : As we walk in maturity, we have this mind .... let us walk by the same rule; let us be of the same mind  Phil.3:15-16.

        do not set your mind on high things : but come to Jesus who is meek and lowly in heart  Matt.11:29. We are to pull down the high things  and the strongholds that are in our minds and take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ  2Cor.10:4-5.

         associate with the humble : James warns us that God has chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of His kingdom  Ja.2:5. We need to associate with the ones God has chosen.

         do not be wise in your own opinion : Wisdom comes from above and is not dependent upon our ability, our learning or anything of ourselves (Ja.3:17).

v.17 repay no one evil for evil : It is said of Jesus when He was reviled, He did not revile in return  1Pet.2:23.

         have regard for good things in the sight of all men : Paul instructs us to meditate on whatever things are true ... noble ... just ... pure ... lovely, whatever things are of good report ...  Phil.4:8.

v.18 live peaceably with all men : The proverb says when a man s ways please the LORD, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him  Pro.16:7.

v.19 do not avenge yourselves : Why? Because your judgement may be wrong and you may punish the wrong person.

         but give place to wrath, for it is written vengeance is Mine, I will repay  says the Lord  God judges righteously; He knows the heart of every man. Vengeance is anger seeking revenge. God says, Be angry and do not sin  Eph.4:26. God calls us to show mercy and to forgive, committing the one who has hurt us to God s justice  He will repay.

v.20 Therefore, if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing, you will heap burning coals on his head. 

v.21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good : Jesus has through death destroyed him who had the power of death, that is the devil, and released those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage  Heb.2:14-15. John says whatever is born of God overcomes the world  and the victory that has overcome the world  our faith  1Jn.5:4. 

 

This short passage from Romans is a wonderful rule  of life for us living in Christian community. Recently I have been reading a biography of Count Zinzendorf, who was the father  of the Herrnhut community of the Moravians. This community, made up of Christian refugees who moved away from persecution in Moravia in the early 18^th century, and who settled on the land of the Count, became a unified body of brethren totally committed to serving God and playing their part in fulfilling the Great Commission. In their early development they agreed to live by an apostolic rule . While I do not know the details of this rule, I understand that it was a lively application of what Paul says in Philippines 3:16 nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind. 

We believe at SHILOH apostolic company that God  has called us to be a pattern people, living according to the apostolic example of Paul and the company associated with him; living according to the apostolic example of the early church in the book of Acts. We are concerned that much of the church lives by a pattern set by men in history and much of that pattern has no direct relationship with the word of God and therefore cannot produce the fruit that Jesus is looking for. We appeal to you wherever you are to ask God to give you a vision for true Christian community and to make sure that you are building according to the revealed pattern, which is clearly set out for us in the word of God.

In His grace,

Paul Galligan.

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            Greetings from Sialkot city, Pakistan. I am writing from to house of my friend whom I told you about who has been in touch with me. He came to Lahore to pick me and from there, we went to Sargodha city for two days, then to Islamabad city for five days then this week we came to his church Head Quarters and home, Sialkot city. This brother has proved to be a true man of God, very open to be Apostolic Revelation and has really organized meetings for me, bringing on board several pastors and leaders from other churches and ministries He has a niece who is married in Karachi who has been my interpreter and who is going to start working on the Teaching manuals I gave him to translate them into Urdu, the language spoken here. This brother kept on announcing from one meeting to another that we are starting Apostolic training in all the places as soon as the materials are available in Urdu language.

Last Sunday in Islamabad, I was the Chief Guest in a Certificate & Diploma Graduation Ceremony, where over 20 students graduated. He is doing something Apostolic and I really am blessed by his spirit. He is from a humble background and does not possess much worldly goods but the fervour and spirit in him is disarming.

One thing is clear in Pakistan, the apostolic teaching and true apostles are a rarity here. Leaders and senior ministers were taken with awe at the revelation and wondered how far off the way the church has gone. There is great need to closely follow up and establish the great work started here. Details shall be in my report  when I return to Kenya. Am returning to Lahore on 7th Sep 2009 and flying out on 10th Sep 2009 am to arrive in Nairobi on 11th September 2:00pm

Earlier in the trip I worked with our brother Arif and we had amazing crusades with people healed and saved, as well as ministering in pastors seminars.

Peter Akeck, apostle from West Kenya.  

 

 

CALENDAR

 

Global Communion of Apostles meeting, Charlotte, North Carolina

   Paul & Janet dept. 12^th for USA, home on 29^th

              Mon 14^th  18^th Sept

              Sat 19^th  Sat 26^th training at Jeff Suttles  house church, Hendersonville NC

 

Myanmar trip: Arend Tibben & Paul Esselink   Arr.21^st Sept. & Dept. 15^th Oct.

                              Ros & Roger Fraser, Restoration & Revival Ministries, Killarney

                              Going to Myanmar for 3 months, Roger teaching English and Ros

                               doing ministry work

 

October: Fri 2^nd - 4^th  KINGDOM LIVING IN THE FAMILY  

                Sessions 7.30pm Friday

                Sat. 3^rd 10.30-12.30; 1.30  4pm

                Sun.4^th  COMMUNITY SUNDAY at SHILOH  9.30am Teaching

                                  10.30am Worship/Communion/Preaching

                                                     followed by fellowship lunch

AGM for Revival Ministries to be held on Sunday 4^th at 1.15pm

This years meeting will be very special as we are inviting you to become more involved in visioning with us for the year ahead as we respond to the Lord s command to make disciples of all the nations 

All welcome to attend  this meeting follows fellowship lunch

 

INDIA TRIP: November 1^st for three weeks  Ps. Rob Cochrane is going with Paul Disher from Tamworth to minister in Andrah Pradesh, in evangelism, discipleship and pastors  training.

 

November: Fri 6^th  7.30pm worship & preaching

                  Sat. 7^th  Training day at SHILOH: sessions  10.30-12.30; 1.30  4pm

                  Sun.8^th  COMMUNITY SUNDAY at SHILOH  9.30am Teaching

                                  10.30am Worship/Communion/Preaching

                                                     followed by fellowship lunch

 

December: Fri 4^th  7.30pm worship & preaching

                  Sat. 5^th  Training day at SHILOH: sessions  10.30-12.30; 1.30  4pm

                  Sun.6^th  COMMUNITY SUNDAY at SHILOH  9.30am Teaching

                                  10.30am Worship/Communion/Preaching

                                                     followed by fellowship lunch

 

2010 JANUARY APOSTOLIC TRAINING SCHOOL

Mon. 4^th Jan. to Fri. 22^nd Jan.

 

PROPOSED TRIPS 2010

February   India

Feb/Mar.  Philippines

March/April  Africa, first team

May  Africa, second team