WHERE TWO OR THREE ARE GATHERED…THE CHURCH

 My husband, Eric and I have not signed onto a Church Denomination.  At the same time, we have gathered with Christians almost every week for all our marriage. The search for a true to Scripture gathering of Christians has taken us around.  

It has taught us a lot. As we attended weekly in several denominational Churches, as soon as we knew we could not support the theology, we began a weekly search all over again. But what is a Church? More specifically what is a true Church? How can we tell?

It is simply a gathering of people in the Name of Jesus, where the Scriptures are read and followed. "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." Matthew 18:20. When we gather in Jesus’ Name it is powerful and life changing. It’s not that hard, because the LORD is interested in helping to enlighten us along this Way.

When the truth from the Bible is carefully and courageously adhered to you will know sooner or later. Sadly a “falling away” (2 Thessalonians 2:3) will come. Watch for it. Be aware. "For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist." 2 John 1:7.

The truth is obvious if you are reading the Bible every day, all of it. "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man (human being) of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." 2 Timothy 3:16,17.

Joash, (also called “Jehoash”) in the Old Testament left the Temple, the place God ordained to put His Name there.

Today it is not a certain place, but the Church, The Body of Christ, Christians who have the Holy Spirit. He indwells every one of us who are believers in Jesus, Son of God, Savior of the world. Jesus Himself said, "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me." John 12:32. (From the New Testament). In the Old Testament: "And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:13.

It is simple: The Body of Christ is the Church. We gather to uplift, encourage, strengthen and edify each other. Maybe a good reminder for being the Church: "How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying." I Corinthians 14:26.

 

WHEN KING JOASH LEFT THE HOUSE OF GOD

HERE IS THE WORD: DON’T LEAVE THE HOUSE OF THE LORD

Joash, seven-year-old son of King Ahaziah was crowned King of Israel because the wicked Queen Athaliah had killed all the descendants of the royal family.  “But Jehosheba, … sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him from among the king's sons which were slain; and they hid him, even him and his nurse, in the bedchamber from Athaliah, so that he was not slain.” "And he was with them hid in the house of God six years: and Athaliah reigned over the land." (The father of Joash, a wicked King, had been killed by Jehu.)

The powerful Priest Jehoiada, strengthened himself, had Athaliah killed and with the elders crowned seven-year-old Joash King.

Having a good beginning, he repaired the House of The LORD which had been broken up and brought the people back to their righteous heritage.

“Now after the death of Jehoiada came the princes of Judah and made obeisance to the king. Then the king hearkened unto them. And they left the house of the LORD God of their fathers, and served groves and idols: and wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this their trespass. 

Yet he sent prophets to them, to bring them again unto the LORD; and they testified against them: but they would not give ear.”

We should pay attention to the end of this story of King Joash:

 

“And the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, which stood above the people, and said unto them, thus saith God, Why transgress ye the commandments of the LORD, that ye cannot prosper? because ye have forsaken the LORD, he hath also forsaken you. 

And they conspired against him and stoned him with stones at the commandment of the king in the court of the house of the LORD. 

Thus Joash the king remembered not the kindness which Jehoiada his father had done to him, but slew his son. And when he died, he said, The LORD look upon it, and require it.”

 

God did require it. 

 

“And it came to pass at the end of the year, that the host of Syria came up against him: and they came to Judah and Jerusalem and destroyed all the princes of the people from among the people and sent all the spoil of them unto the king of Damascus. 

For the army of the Syrians came with a small company of men, and the LORD delivered a very great host into their hand, because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers. So they executed judgment against Joash. 

And when they were departed from him, (for they left him in great diseases,) his own servants conspired against him for the blood of the sons of Jehoiada the priest, and slew him on his bed, and he died: and they buried him in the city of David, but they buried him not in the sepulchers of the kings.”

 

2Ki_11:2; 2Ch_22:12; 2 Ch.24:17-19; 2Ch 24:20-22; 2Ch 24:23-25  

 

LEARNING BY MISTAKES

 Through their twelve years of school, through high school, our three boys took homemade bread sandwiches for lunch every day. But the big slices, fat whole wheat sandwiches brought curiosity.  Every week I ground whole wheat in a Whisper Mill (most often Hard Red Wheat) turning it into fine flour, then into bread. Getting lunches ready quickly, I did not slice the loaves carefully. Every day the sandwiches were large and each one was different. Often, they were natural peanut butter and butter, and cut up vegetables, fruit and a granola bar.

A mistake was to make beef bologna sandwiches with mayonnaise. It was cheap. Back then, our budget constrained me to watch the food prices carefully. Though grinding wheat and baking bread was a priority, I had not yet learned to be careful with processed meat.

On a field trip our middle son, Josiah, had to put his head out the bus window and vomit. I stopped buying bologna. The chemicals in cold-cut meats had warned me through our son suffering with a sick stomach.

I should have known that the preservatives in the meat were not good for health.

The Bible is a Guide to food simply by using certain food as illustration of God’s supply, created to nourish us. Look closely. Beginning with Adam and Eve God told them, "Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat..." Genesis 2:16.

Later, God instructed Noah about food in Genesis 9. Later there were guidelines and provision for His people when they escaped slavery in Egypt, their food was specifically specified on the night before the exodus. Then for forty years God sent manna every morning.

The Passover supper began when the Israelites were getting ready to leave Egypt where they had been slaves for four hundred years. The Passover Lamb was eaten with bitter herbs, on that fateful night, picturing a profound spiritual truth.

Now we know: The food for the Passover Feast was a figurative “picture” into the future: the perfect lamb slain pictured Jesus, God in human form, the Lamb of God. His blood shed for us, the “Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.”

“Hearken diligently…eat that which is good and let your soul delight itself in fatness.” (Isaiah 55:2). “Thy words were found, and I did eat them…” (Jeremiah 15:16).

Traditionally food is part of connection to God, whether it is the Passover in the Old Testament or Communion with bread and wine in the New Testament. As a Christian our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit: God is pleased when food is part of our worship to Him.