06.28.07
Posted in The Invisible Church at 11:54 pm by Jack
The church that is in the Father’s heart is like the vine. The Lord Jesus is that vine, He is the church. For in Him are all things. He is the Life of the vine and without His life the vine would not have life, the life imparted by the Holy Spirit. We are the branches that spring forth out of the Vine and only have life insofar as we are joined to the Vine. The life that we have comes from the very life of the Vine. And, the fruit that we bear is the fruit that comes from Him, for that fruit is His very nature that He imparts to us. This is the fruit of the Holy Spirit that we read about in Galatians.
So to is the church that has been in the Father’s heart since eternity past. The Lord Jesus Christ, and He alone is the Head of the Church His body. We are the members of that body, placed there by the Holy Spirit at the moment of rebirth. And there baptized, submerged, into His Body we are to bear fruit as we are joined to the Head, Jesus.
More than just being the Head, Jesus is also the Chief Cornerstone or foundation and in Him the whole body is built up to be a dwelling place for the Father. There is no place for man-made institutions here. This is the work of the Holy Spirit as He continuously points us to Jesus and not to traditions of man.
The fruit that we are to bear can only be produced in one place, and that place is the Body of Christ – the church that Jesus is building. And that fruit dear fellow believer is: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. This fruit cannot be produced in any training schools designed by man. There is no discipleship training school on the face of this earth that can teach you how to produce this fruit.
It is the work of the Holy Spirit to work in us to build us up into the fullness of Christ, so to it is His work to produce this fruit in us but… it can only take place when we are members of the Body of Christ. This is not “Church Membership” as most know it. It is not a piece of paper - it is a Life and a lifestyle, and that is Christ in us the hope of glory. The very Life of God being lived in us by Jesus His Son. Nothing less!!! The apostle Paul declared this in Galatians when he said that he no longer lives but Christ lives in him.
If you do not have the assurance that Christ lives in you then no matter what “church” you belong to, no matter what denomination or house church movement, you are lost, cut off from the Vine, and are in desperate need of Jesus Christ the Son of the Living God. For in Him alone will you find your place in God’s family and have the assurance of eternal life. And only there can you produce the right kind of fruit.
This is serious. Chances are 90% that you are trapped in some or other institutional church. There you have been fed with the teachings and traditions of men that have nullified the true Word of God in your life. You have no chance of really knowing God your heavenly Father. You may have learned and know about Him, and then possibly the wrong things, but you do not know Him by experience in your heart. Do not be coerced into believing that it is only through membership of a “church” that you have salvation. That is a lie from your enemy the devil.
Do not believe that you have to go out and witness, lead others to Christ, to be able to bear fruit in the Kingdom of God or to earn your place in heaven one day.
Do not believe that because you were raised in a “Christian” home and have always attended church that you are saved.
Jesus said in John 17:3, “Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” And this knowing is experiential and not head knowledge.
Nothing can bring you into a personal relationship with God your Father but your own heart. No special prayer, no membership classes, no nothing but an honest and open heart. This brings the power of the Holy Spirit to work in your heart.
You see dear friend, God has poured out His Spirit on ALL MANKIND. The purpose being that when ANYONE turns to the Lord with an open heart, the Holy Spirit is right there to immediately come in, and when He does the most wonderful thing takes place. He transports you into the open, waiting arms of a loving God. He introduces you to Jesus Christ your Saviour and Lord. You are taken into the fellowship of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. At one and the same time you become a part of the Family of God, the Body of Christ and the future Bride of Christ.
Is that not absolutely amazing. How does that happen? Why does it happen? For God so loved the world (all the inhabitants) that He sent Jesus to pay the price for your soul by dying the terrible death of crucifixion. Then He raised Jesus from the dead to be the start of a new creation; a creation that would not have to try to live by their own strength. But… a new creation that would live by the life of His Son Jesus Christ.
In doing this He opened the way back to Himself. He, God your Father, desires to have a personal, one to one relationship with you. He no longer desires, as in Old Testament times and in institutional churches today, to have to work through a mediator like Moses, the Kings and prophets or pastors, bishops and the like. In fact He never did plan for it to be that way. That was man’s decision and still is to this day. The same pattern. His Holy Spirit is the guarantee that He left us because it is He, the Holy Spirit that carries out the will of the Father today. The Lord Jesus did His part and His work on earth is finished. All we need do is just accept what He did for us and embrace His Life which He so freely gives. You cannot live the Christian life.
No matter what your standing in life is: millionaire or pauper, church goer or atheist, prostitute, drug lord, thief, murderer, upper class or bum; GOD LOVES YOU. He has made the way onto this relationship so easy; all that it requires is an honest heart; and then He will shower you with His love by the Holy Spirit which He so freely gives to us.
I challenge you today to be honest with God.
Are you an atheist? Well tell God that you do not believe that there are any gods, let alone the only true God. Tell Him you believe in your own strength and knowledge to get you through life and when you die… that’s it. Tell Him you believe in evolution and that you came from an ape. Show Him all the written theories of learned scientists. You may even get angry at Him for daring to challenge your intellect with all the twaddle you have read in this article. Go on – tell Him. You don’t even have to go down on your knees. All you need to do is just be honest with Him. That’s it. Resist Him all you want, just be honest. Then just wait and you will be surprised at what will happen. Afraid to do it? Then obviously you do believe that God exists.
Are you enjoying your life so much that you do not have time for God? Tell Him. Be honest and tell Him you want to wait a few more years and then you will think about it. Life is too much fun doing whatever it is you are busy with. Be honest with Him… tell Him how you feel.
God appreciates honesty, in fact He hates hypocrisy. You don’t need to use any special language as He understands all. Just talk to Him from an honest heart. Anyone can talk to God. You do not need any special qualification except an honest heart. Just tell Him how you feel about what you are doing and how you feel about Him.
I would like to end this article with a short extract from Watchman Nee’s book “A Table in the Wilderness.”
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They that dwell under His shadow shall return; they shall revive as the corn and blossom as the vine. Hosea 14:7
Who ever gave much thought to vine-blossom. It is in fact one of the shortest-lived flowers, scarcely noticed before it is gone and has already turned to fruit. In nature we may recognise three types of plants; those which flower but bear no fruit at all; those, such as the peach, which are remarkable both for their blossom and for their fruit; and those like the vine, whose blossoms are of small account, and which men prize only for their fruit. Evidently God places here a high valuation on the last of these.
How tempted we are to display what is impressive to men, a blossom to be admired! But the Father has set us as branches in the Vine. There, what He seeks above all is fruit-bearing.
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Think hard and deep about this and be blessed.
With much love,
Jack Viljoen.
jack@tcitfh.co.za
http://http://www.tcitfh.co.za
http://www.hypervre.com/?affiliate=65980
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05.25.07
Posted in General Topics at 12:31 am by Jack
Hi there,
I have found a remarkable book by Watchman Nee called “A Table in the Wilderness.” Daily meditations from the ministry of Watchman Nee.
It is packed with absolute gems of revelation from the Word. These short teachings of Watchman Nee are, to say the least, eye opening… no mind blowing. He has such a deep grasp of the Word of God and above all, a real testimony of living by an indwelling Lord.
Furthermore, he had real understanding of what the church, the body of Christ, was meant to be and how it should function… under the lordship of Jesus alone. As each believer accepts that he only has life by the Son and surrenders all to his indwelling Lord; that believer is then joined to Christ’s body, the church. The Holy Spirit baptizes you into the body in exactly the place that you need to be, and there you are to function, continually seeking to honour the Head of the body viz. Christ. In fact you need to honour the whole body, for truly the whole body is Christ as the parts cannot be separated from the head.
Watchman Nee was born in China in 1903. He committed his life to the Lord at age seventeen and after thirty two years of faithful service he was arrested by the Communists, falsely accused and imprisoned. Twenty years later, in 1972, he went to be with his Lord. At the time of his arrest in 1952 approximately 400 local churches had been planted in China through his work
He was a prolific writer and authored many books. The Last words he wrote were on a small piece of paper found under his pillow in his cell, and they were…
“Christ is the Son of God who died for the redemption of sinners and resurrected after three days. This is the greatest truth in the universe. I die because of my belief in Christ. Watchman Nee.”
I publish below one of the daily meditations from the book, “A Table in the Wilderness”.
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“I am come down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him who sent me.” John 6:38.
God’s will for me must not be made subject to my own temperament. When we know a man’s make-up it is often all too easy to guess what “guidance” he will get, because his natural proclivities intrude so subtly upon the leading of God. Too much so called guidance among us is little more than personal bias. A timid brother is “guided” to take a back seat. A forward brother is “guided” to take a front seat. Each claims to be led of the Lord. Is he? Or is his temperament ruling him?
The pure will of God demands of me that what I am temperamentally shall be set aside. I should be so Spirit-filled that the man beside me cannot foresee, on grounds of my temperament alone, how God will lead me. Oh let me beware of slanting the will of God in the direction of my own natural leanings!
Even the Lord Jesus, whose own will was surely faultless, nevertheless set it aside in favour of the Father’s who sent Him. If He should do that, how much more must I!
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This is something so vital in the church today that every professing Christian ought to take seriously the matter of total surrender to the Father! Without this, the church can be little more than a puppet in the hands of the enemy.
If the carnal nature of man is ruling his life then the Holy Spirit is not, and if the Holy Spirit is not leading a man’s life then he is under the control of the enemy. Remember that Satan disguises himself as angel of light and deceives many.
The apostle Paul urges us to be continually filled with the Spirit in order that we will not satisfy the desires of our carnal nature.
The Lord Jesus said that He sent us the Holy Spirit to lead us into all truth and to speak the very words of God to us. Should we settle for listening to the words of mere man when we can hear the voice of our Father? Jesus said my sheep know my voice and they follow me.
Take time to seek the Father’s will, surrendering all. Seek Him with a pure motive, and that should be simply to know Him better; not for any personal gain like status, position or recognition by man. Least of all for material things. Your Heavenly Father knows what you have need of, but He tells us to seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness and then these things shall be added.
If you are not sure how to do this and you have a real desire to enter into this personal, intimate relationship with your Heavenly Father, then contact me at the address below and I will gladly assist you.
With much love,
Jack Viljoen.
The Church in the Father’s Heart.
http://www.tcitfh.co.za
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03.29.07
Posted in The Invisible Church at 3:26 am by Jack
One of the big discussions on the Christian net at present is the book “The Heavenly Man” by Brother Yun.
As usual the “critics” are out in full force. Strange isn’t it that when ever someone steps out from the institutional crowd they get attacked. It would appear that most are doubting all the wonderful miracles God performed in Yun’s life. I don’t want to get into all the negative stuff, but if your heart is open to the Holy Spirit the I recommend that you read the book. You will be blessed and like most will see that he only glorifies God and never himself. His accusers are false prophets.
Oh how the Father’s Heart must be saddened and the Holy Spirit grieved by this whole issue. The Cross on which our Saviour died is the greatest symbol of Love, Forgiveness and Sacrifice. Which of brother Yun’s accusers have demonstrated any of these?
One day we will all stand before the Lord and give an account of every idle word we have spoken. His accusers should fall to their knees and ask God’s forgiveness, beg His mercy and ask to be filled with His love. Brother Yun has already forgiven them and they should now publically, via the internet, apologise to him.
My heart was blessed and I was truly humbled by his story and yes, I believe every word because my Father, and not Yun, was glorified. With every miracle, with every agonising blow all I could say was, “My God is faithful.”
My wife and I have been deeply challenged by the example of Yun’s life. For a long time now we have been asking the Lord to bring us to that place of total surrender to His will. We desire nothing but Jesus and to follow Him.
Living in an affluent society does not make that easy as people frown upon you, claiming that you are not being accountable or responsible and, wait for it… respectable! That is the problem in the western church today. It is too respectable to be humble before the Lord. Pleasing man is more important than pleasing our heavenly Father.
Brother Yun, I bless you in the Name of Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. I also bless your persecutors and pray for a revelation of the Father’s Heart for them.
Jesus is building His church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Glory!
With much love,
Jack Viljoen.
The Church in the Father’s Heart.
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03.06.07
Posted in General Topics at 7:35 am by Jack
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02.23.07
Posted in The Invisible Church at 6:09 am by Jack
Jesus is building his church, the church that has been in the Father’s heart since before creation. Remember that The Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are one; they do not have different agendas.
As the story of the first church begins to unfold in the book of Acts, there are some striking differences to what we find in the church today. And, the further we read into the New Testament, the more alarming these differences become. The two “churches” are poles apart.
The first thing we find is that the early church did not meet in buildings specifically designed and built as places of worship. They met in their homes; from house to house. Now those who defend their buildings would say, “They held church in the temple courtyard (Solomon’s Porch).” Granted, but that was not in the temple it was outside. Remember that the religious leaders had just crucified Jesus, and these were his followers. Do you believe that they would have been allowed to hold meetings inside the temple? I think not.
Another point is this, what happened after 70AD? Well what happened in 70AD you ask? The prophecy of Jesus was fulfilled and the temple was destroyed. So if the church was meeting in the temple, where did they go now? The scriptures are silent… except for “house to house.”
Buildings or temples for Christian worship were instituted by Constantine to lift the status of the “church” onto a par with the pagan temples. He had declared Christianity acceptable to the state and stopped the persecution of Christians by the Edict of Milan in 313. He also declared Christianity the official state religion. He embraced Christianity and opened the way for the clergy to hold senior state positions. Enough of that; suffice it to say that, it was the beginning of the weakening of the church.
We also find that the early church had no “order of worship.” Their meetings were not controlled by a preset program but rather by the Holy Spirit. See 1 Corinthians 14:26
Neither did they have a structured, paid leadership. There was no “clergy and laity” hierarchical system. There were no titles or positions. The words like apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers always had lower case letters not capitals. These words described functions in the church and were given as gifts to serve the body. Ephesians 4:11 – 16. These giftings were bestowed by the Lord Jesus, not man. No man is to be called by a title eg. Father, Teacher, Pastor, Reverend etc.
They never tithed because it was part of the Levitical Law for the support of the priests, and they were now living under the new and better covenant. Jesus ushered in the new priesthood; that of all believers. In Hebrews 7 you can read all about it. In particular see verses 12 – 22. The church gave only to meet the needs of the poor. Not for buildings and salaries. I could go on about Abraham and Melchizedek being before the Law, but I will wait for responses first.
Our discussion will continue, but I am sure that just by these four points we can see that most “churches” disqualify themselves from being called New Testament.
It does not matter where we meet; be it a big building, a house or in the fields; rather it is how we measure up to the Word of God.
So what does the real church look like? Let’s wait and see as the story unfolds. Let us journey on together to discover the church in the Father’s heart.
With much love,
Jack Viljoen.
The Church in the Father’s Heart.
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02.08.07
Posted in The Invisible Church at 6:14 am by Jack
The priests would harvest the grain as the sun rose at the beginning of the Passover weekend. The grain would have to be crushed as it was ground to be made into the unleavened bread. It was then kneaded into dough and baked in an oven, to become a loaf. Later this loaf was broken.
Today it symbolises the body of Christ that believers share in Holy Communion. Many different denominations have various ways of going about it but the symbolism remains the same. The wine represents the blood of our Savior and the bread His Body.
But what is this Body really?
Many of us have experienced the blood of Christ and His forgiveness in our lives. He has reached down and plucked us out of darkness and restored our souls. There are countless testimonies of His faithfulness and love all over the world. There is no doubt that the Holy Spirit is working in the hearts of people, drawing the broken to Himself and showing the way to Jesus, the only True Hope and real Love!
But what about the loaf, the Body that was broken. Like millions, I have found His Blood and forgiveness in my life. He is my Savior and Friend and I am so grateful for His Grace and Love! But what about the Body that was broken… The hands and feet of my Savior? The ears to listen to my daily battles and struggles, my joys and victories? Someone to pray with and help me through experiences that they have already been through? Someone with faith when I am doubting? Where can I find that?
The Body I find is dressed as the world, trying to make themselves appealing to her, to lure her and be like her. The body is perverted, serving the desires of man for greed and power, the lusts of the flesh, money. Where can I find the pure body that is living a life of sacrifice, crushed for the good of the whole, mixed together with ingredients, the water of the Spirit and kneaded together with the grace and love of the Father?
A body where the grains of wheat no longer have an individual identity but only the whole nourishing, life-giving loaf is displayed for all to see. The broken and resurrected Body of Christ.
I believe this Body is supposed to be us. Believers. Look at the New Testament. They taught each other from what they had learnt through their walk with the Lord. We’re supposed to be living letters read by all.
Older women and men are supposed to teach the younger. Compassion and love should be flowing to the broken hearted. How many broken hearted are still among us?
We are that loaf, that Body of Christ. We have or are being broken, pride crushed in the work of the Holy Spirit; self ground till it is unrecognizable, like the wheat into flour. Then grace and mercy are lovingly kneaded into the brokenness.
In the fire of the Spirit, Jesus’ forgiveness, unconditional love and acceptance bring forth a whole loaf ready to be tasted by all. We are that loaf. The loaf that is broken daily. His mercy has worked that wholeness into our lives for the good of the body, for all to taste.
My experiences of Gods grace and forgiveness are like food to other believers. But just as we all need food daily, we need to feed from that broken, resurrected body in each others lives daily and collectively.
That fresh bread of God’s work is going stale under man-made tradition.
I have been walking with the Lord for many years. Yet I am still hungry. I am hungry for that daily bread. To feed from the Broken, Resurrected Body of my Savior in His Body, Us. I am desperate. I ask Him, “How long Lord?” This is a lonely road and I don’t believe it was meant to be like that. We cannot walk alone. He said that His Spirit would be with us always and without that I would die.
But looking at Paul and our New Testament brothers I see a life that was shared, “the fellowship of His sufferings”. This life was a joy to them in their dull existence of simply trying to find work in order to put food on the table. Sure, there was conflict and disagreement but their pride, like the wheat, was continually crushed and new loaves of grace came out in the lives of the believers as those things were submitted to the Spirit.
Taste and see that the Lord is good. We are his hands and feet to serve those in need, to touch the broken hearted.
I am not talking about the structure we know as organized church. I see very little crushing going on and sharing in one another’s brokenness and the resurrection work that He has done in us. In most cases pride, position, money and power are the order of the day. The sheep sit in the pews looking and waiting longingly for their Shepherd, longing to eat of the Body of their Savior.
I am looking for the growing, thriving, organic, Body of Christ where I can be a part of that flour that is kneaded into the whole loaf for the good of all. I have been broken and Gods unending Grace, which I am so grateful for, has come and restored me. I need to share this with others and share in their experiences. I long for that but it seems wherever we meet, people are following their own desires, lusts and plans.
Where is Jesus?
Where can I meet and learn to know Him, His Love, His Grace, His daily working in my life.
Where are these believers who are broken and have abandoned all to be kneaded into the whole loaf and become one, without individual identity, but a powerful unity, having only one Identity: Christ. Sharing in His brokenness, His suffering and also in His resurrection. Experiencing His grace, daily together.
Only Jesus, together. Is that possible? I believe it is. I just haven’t found my loaf yet…
Come Lord Jesus, come!
With much love from a crushed grain of wheat.
Jack Viljoen.
The Church in the Father’s Heart
jack@tcitfh.co.za
P.S. If you have found your “loaf” then please write me at the above address and share your experiences. I would love to learn from you. Or post a Comment.
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