Are You Gathering For Assembly, Or Just Gathering?

"Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, LET US DRAW NEAR with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the ASSEMBLING of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much more as you see the Day approaching." (Hebrews 10:19-25)

Assembling ourselves together, according to His will for His body, results in His testimony being clearly understood/seen. The manner of some is to gather around principles that bring very little fruit to maturity. They gather, unknowingly or unwillingly, apart from His narrow way.

"And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and to the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head- Christ- from whom the whole body joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love." (Ephesians 4:11-16)

All the works of the ministry discussed in Ephesians should be in attendance, at various times, in every fellowship for appropriate assembly according to the measure of Christ's gift!

In The Way Of Cain

"But I want to remind you, though you once knew this, that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who DID NOT BELIEVE. And the angels who did not keep THEIR PROPER DOMAIN, but LEFT THEIR OWN ABODE, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgement of the great day; as Sodom and Gomorrah, and cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. Likewise also these dreamers defile the flesh, reject authority, and speak evil of dignitaries. Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, 'The Lord rebuke you!' But these speak evil of whatever they do not know; and whatever they know naturally, like brute beasts, in these things they corrupt themselves. Woe to them! For they have gone IN THE WAY OF CAIN, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah. (Jude v.5-11)

We understand that Cain's offering to the Lord was not respected. The Lord brought correction, saying, 'If you do well, will not you be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.' (Genesis 4:1-7) Cain decided what to bring as an offering and would not be corrected.

"For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the power of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again FOR THEMSELVES the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame." (Hebrews 6:4-6) They, like Cain, decide what type of offering to bring. It always results in a shameful representation relative to the purity of the Way of His cross.

Turning To Righteousness

 "Again, when a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die; because you did not give him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; but his blood I will require at your hand. Nevertheless if you warn the righteous man that the righteous should not sin, he shall surely live because he took warning; also you will have delivered your soul." (Ezekiel 3:20,21)

"And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may not be ashamed before Him at His coming. If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him. Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called the children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. AND EVERYONE WHO HAS THIS HOPE IN HIM PURIFIES HIMSELF JUST AS HE IS PURE. Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him. Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. “ (1 John 2:28,29; 3:1-8)

"Then He said to them all, 'If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whosoever desires to save his life will lose it, BUT whoever loses his life for My sake will save it."    (Luke 9:23,24)

In order to "practice righteousness" we must understand that we are called to our own cross through faith in Jesus Christ. Many have desired to have a "saved life" but unknowingly (in some cases defiantly) retain lordship over it and are losing the fight. Those who lose their life FOR HIS SAKE, who have the testimony of Jesus, will save it. Don't remove yourself from your cross in Christ. I believe this the sin of which John speaks. Our place in this purification is to understand and endure, counting it all joy throughout the process!

Concerning The Righteousness Which Is Of Faith, Blameless

"Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. For me to write the 
same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe. Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation! For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh, though I also might have confidence in the flesh. If 
anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; CONCERNING THE RIGHTEOUSNESS WHICH IS IN THE LAW, BLAMELESS."

"But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, BUT THAT WHICH IS THROUGH FAITH IN CHRIST, THE RIGHTEOUSNESS WHICH IS FROM GOD BY FAITH; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, BEING CONFORMED TO HIS DEATH, if, by any means I may attain to the resurrection from the dead."  (Philippians 3:1-11)

Why would I say that Paul was blameless concerning the righteousness of faith?

"I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave His life for me".  (Galatians 2:20)

With the same zeal that he strove to fulfill the law, Paul strove to become the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ. He walked by what he had attained through faith in Christ and became blameless in it.

Let No One Deceive You With Empty Words

"Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and gave Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. LET NO ONE DECEIVE YOU WITH EMPTY WORDS, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them."(Ephesians 5:1-7)

Jesus, speaking to His disciples, said "You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you." (John 15:3)

It is evident to most that we should not give ourselves to foolishness, hurtful or raw joking, or filthy language. But Jesus instructs His disciples here to "let no one deceive you with empty words".  Fornication could be defined as unholy intimacy. Uncleanness could be defined as departing from that which makes, or keeps you clean.  Covetousness could be defined as desire for something, possibly a good thing, in an unrighteous way. Jesus informs His disciples that they "are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you".

"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. I have SWORN and CONFIRMED that I will KEEP your righteous judgements." (Psalm 119:105,106)

"My son, give attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart; for they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh." (Proverbs 4:20-22)

His words show us the way to become a living sacrifice. Deceivers come, "therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation (scattered in various directions, dispersed), but be filled with the Spirit." (Ephesians 5:17,18)

It seems that Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, uses words like fornication and uncleanness to warn the church that an impure approach to the doctrine of Christ will receive the reward of disobedient sons.

Becoming The Righteousness of God in Him; Exercising The Keys

"Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." (2 Corinthians 5:20,21)

Paul, the apostle, implores those in the Corinthian church to be reconciled to God so that they might become the righteousness of God in Him.  Later in the second letter to them, he writes, "and this also we pray, that you may be made complete".  (2 Corinthians 13:9)

I am impressed that the process of "becoming" and being "made" must include devotion to Jesus' words to His disciples.

"Now in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. And Peter, remembering, said to Him, 'Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away.' (See v.12-14) So Jesus answered and said to them, "Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever (any disciple of His) says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says." Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses."

(Mark 11:20-26)

"I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you shall ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you shall be My disciples.    (John 15:5-8)

Begin by reading these passages each day and doing what Jesus taught His disciples in them. As you devote yourselves in this way, the Lord will continue to reveal Himself to you. This living bread never gets old and will make you complete in Him: reconciling you to God that you might become the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.

The Works Of An Evangelist (Acts 9:1-19)

"Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if they found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?' And he said, 'Who are you, Lord?' Then the Lord said, 'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.' So he, trembling and astonished, said, 'Lord, what do you want me to do?' Then the Lord said to him, 'Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.' And the men journeying with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one. Then Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened he saw no one. But they led him by hand and brought him to Damascus. And he three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank."

"Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, 'Ananias.' And he said, 'Here I am, Lord'. So the Lord said to him, 'Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying. And in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hands on him, so that he might receive his sight.' Then Ananias answered, 'Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.' But the Lord said to him, 'Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name's sake.' "

"And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, 'Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.' Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized. So when he had received food, he was strengthened. Then Saul spent some days with the disciples at Damascus."

By a word of faith from Jesus, Ananias provided a word of knowledge to Saul, confirming that Saul had indeed received a visitation from Jesus. Ananias then laid his hands on Saul to receive his sight (healing) and be filled with the Holy Spirit. Then Saul was baptized. Ananias had been made ready to discern the voice of the Master. Then he obediently completed His commandments.