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March 2010 Newsletter

JESUS IS ALIVE

Nicholas Jackson

THE WORD OF LIFE

In Acts 4, Peter and John were causing a disturbance because, they taught the people and preached in Jesus the resurrection from the dead  (v.2). They preached Jesus alive from the dead! Most of us know the doctrine that Jesus rose from the dead but do we really know the reality that Jesus is alive? The early apostles knew the Lord working with them and confirming the word...  (Mk.16:20). Is the Lord working with you, confirming the word you speak?  Have you seen, have you heard, have your hands handled the Word of Life? (1Jn.1:1-2). The apostle John writes that there is a fellowship between those who have truly experienced the manifested Life of God, and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ  (1Jn.1:3). This is the fellowship that Jesus is building, it is with God Himself, the source of all life!

 

BEING OBEDIENT TO JESUS

Recently I was sharing the gospel with some Hindu people here in Toowoomba, Australia. One of the Scriptures I shared from was Genesis 49:10, And to Him [Shiloh, the Messiah] shall be the obedience of the people . This awesome verse is declaring that all people will become obedient to the One whose right it is to rule  [the meaning of Shiloh ]. Jesus is King; He is God in the flesh! The gospel is the proclamation of His Kingdom rule in the earth. His rulership covers all peoples, After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb...  (Rev.7:9). This is the picture of all people coming before the King on His throne to worship and be obedient to His word, all nations shall flow to it [the throne of Jesus].  (Isa.2:2)

 

THE ISSUE IS: DO YOU KNOW JESUS?

When sharing with these Hindu people, I was able to tell them that it does not matter if you are Hindu, Muslim or Christian, as far as religious background. What matters is; have you become obedient to Jesus the King? The issue is not what religion you belong to; it is have you met Jesus? Do you know Him and have you become a a partaker of the heavenly calling  and tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come ? (Heb.3:1, Heb.6:5). There are many people in the Christian religion who have not met Jesus and still need to become obedient to Him as the King. We should not be trying to convert people from one religion to another but as ministers of reconciliation we are to declare that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them &Be reconciled to God.  (2Cor.5:19-20)

We are to reconcile men and women to GOD, not religion!

 

BY PREACHING JESUS, GOD IS REVEALED!

So much of our efforts have been to get people to church  instead of obeying Jesus' commission that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His Name to all nations  (Lu.24:47). God's purpose is not fulfilled through churches  but through the knowledge of His glory covering the earth as the waters the sea.  (Hab.2:14) Through the effective and pure preaching of the word people can be truly connected to the God who made heaven and earth. They can hear and be obedient to God by faith, walking in a real relationship with Him (Rom.1:5). It is through preaching Jesus that God manifests the promise of eternal life in us (Tit.1:2-3) and people are born again into a fellowship with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ  (1Jn.1:3).

 

JESUS, THE GLORY OF GOD

No one has seen God at any time but the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.  (Jn.1:18) Jesus is in the bosom of the Father! He makes God known! We can relate with God through Jesus the Messiah! He is the face and image of the invisible God  (2Cor.4:4-6, Col.1:15). When Jesus is preached the revelation of God s very being, His depth and substance is revealed. Moses wanted God to show him His glory (Ex.33:18). The word for glory in the Hebrew is chabod  which means weightiness; that which is substantial or heavy . We have tended to think that the glory  is that weighty presence  in an anointed meeting; however it is more profound than that. The glory or weightiness of a person is the depth, the essence or the substance of the person.  It is what makes the person who they are.

Jesus is the brightness of His [God's] glory, the express image of His person   (Heb.1:3). Jesus is the very substance of God! Preaching Jesus, the Son of God, is preaching the glory of God. Preaching Jesus is preaching God! Him we preach!  (Col.1:28). Jesus is God in His fullness! (Col.2:9) When Jesus is preached a fountain shall be opened  (Zech.13:1), sin and uncleanness will be dealt with, the names of idols will be cut off from the land, no longer to be remembered. False prophets, doctrines of devils and all unclean spirits will depart from the land! Hallelujah! All the liars who had falsely prophesied and preached deception will be revealed and God will be glorified! (Zech.13:2-6)

 

PREACH JESUS LIKE NEVER BEFORE

It is time to preach Jesus like never before. He is the apostles' doctrine (Acts2:42, 5:42). Preach the revelation of the mystery, that God was manifested in the flesh! (1Tim.3:16) Preach the unsearchable riches of Christ! (Eph.3:8) Preach, teach and warn every man in all wisdom until you see Christ formed and perfected in every man! (Col.1:28, Gal.4:19) Preach until the manifold wisdom of God is fully declared by the church to the principalities and powers and every knee is bowing and every tongue confessing that Jesus the Messiah is Lord to the glory of God the Father! (Eph.3:10, Phil.2:9-11)

 

DO NOT FORSAKE THE FOUNTAIN OF LIVING WATER

In Jeremiah's day, God told Israel that they had committed two evils (Jer.2:13) and for this they were punished by going into exile in Babylon for seventy years.

 

1.    They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters... 

Jesus is the Fountain of Living waters. Ezekiel said that he saw the water of life flowing from under the threshold of the temple (Ez.47:1). Wherever this water course goes, it causes healing, life and restoration (v.8-9). It is only in the swamps and marshes  of dead religion that escape the life of Jesus (v.11). The River of Life flows from the throne where Jesus is seated and wherever it goes, the curse is lifted (Rev.22:1-3). Jesus is alive, He is seated on the throne  the curse is lifted! Now the blessing is able to flow to the Gentiles; God s Holy Spirit can flow to all the nations (Gal.3:13-14).

 

JESUS THE LIFE GIVING SPIRIT

Jesus is the Life-Giving Spirit! (1Cor.15:45) He is the Lord from heaven! (1Cor.15:47) Resurrection life is in Him and He is the power of the age to come if you come (Jn.11:25, Heb.6:5). If you come into contact with Him, you will be changed, even to bear the same image, growing from glory to glory (1Cor.15:49, 2Cor.3:18). Jesus the Life-Giver is to be preached and when He gets into you, you will release the flow of living waters also (Jn.7:37-38). The River of Life, the Spirit empowered word will flow from your belly!

 

STAY SIMPLE

Do not forsake the living Jesus for a dead Jesus! Do not forsake Jesus for another gospel! The apostle Paul had feared that the Corinthians had been deceived and corrupted the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted  you may well put up with it!  (2Cor.11:3b-4). We are not to preach a how to get rich, healthy, wealthy, comfortable, compromised western life gospel. Preach Jesus, the Fountain of Living waters!

 

2.    They have hewn themselves cisterns  broken cisterns that can hold no water 

Many churches have become places for dry cisterns, trying to draw people to themselves, whilst holding no living water. Your cistern is meant to hold water. You are meant to carry the Word of Life in you always being ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you  (1Pet.3:15b). This is only possible if you first sanctify the Lord God in your hearts  (1Pet.3:15a). The Christian religion is not your God  your God is the Lord Jesus Christ! Set Him apart in your heart! He is the substance and the life!

 

 

DO NOT BE CHEATED

Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power  (Col.2:8-10). Traditions, rituals, creeds and confusing man-made doctrines will cheat you from the simple message of the gospel, which is JESUS! He is the fullness  if you have Him, you have God! He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life  (1 Jn.5:12).

 

·         It is time to return to the simplicity which is in Christ

·         Preach no other gospel  preach Jesus

·         Preach Him crucified, reconciling, alive from the dead and seated at God s right hand

·         Preach Jesus the living God, the eternal One in the flesh

·         Preach Jesus, the glory of God revealed

·         Preach in Him the reality of eternal life and the resurrection and realise people caught in religion will be disturbed by your teaching

 

It is time for us to have the testimony in our hearts and in our mouths that Jesus is Alive!

 

 Overseas Trips: 2010

India --  Jean & Bruce Manning & Miraim Truss in India from 19^th Feb, Bruce & Jean arrive home 20^th March. They will be ministering in Delhi, the Darjeeling district, Chandigargh & Kanpur.   

Miriam Truss remains in India until mid-year. She will be teaching at the Truth Mission School in Fatehpur.

 

Philippines  Paul & Janet, Ian Sproule & Kay Hewson depart 19^th Feb. Ministering in

                          Dipolog, Surigao City, Cebu, Manila area. Home on 11^th March

 

Colombia: Rev Alberto Florez Granados is going on a mission trip back to Colombia from Feb.20^th March to 15^th May (3 months). Alberto is a commissioned apostle. He has already translated 'Apostles Today' into Spanish as well as monthly newsletters and other materials. Alberto has been in training here in Australia since March '09. He will be preaching and teaching the apostles' doctrine in many cities in Colombia. Brethren are anxiously awaiting his coming. Please keep his wife, Marion, in your prayers also as she remains home in Australia.

Africa --  Paul & Janet depart 23^rd April. Ministering in Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia.

    Don Pitkin will join them in Kenya on 15^th May. They possibly will minister in

    other parts of East Africa. Home on 9^th June

 

 

CALENDAR

March: Fri 12^th  7.30pm worship & preaching

                  Sat. 13^th  Training day at SHILOH: sessions  10.30-12.30; 1.30  4pm

                  Sun.14^th  COMMUNITY SUNDAY at SHILOH  10 am single service

Worship/Communion/Preaching and ORDINATION of Nicholas Jackson

                                                     followed by celebration lunch

 

WakeUp School of Tyrannus in Tamworth

March 20^th  April 3^rd Guest ministers: Nicholas & Rhoda Jackson from Toowoomba.

                                                Contact Paul Disher or Warwick Cowley 0267609822

 

April 2^nd  4^th Easter conference at SHILOH, Toowoomba

Friday Sessions: 2pm  4.30pm & 7pm  9pm

Saturday sessions: 10am-12md; 1pm-2.30pm & 3pm-4pm

Dr.Meika from the Northside Fireplace in Brisbane will minister the afternoon sessions

Sunday: 9.30am Teaching, 10.30am Worship/Communion/Preaching

                                                followed by community lunch