For Your Knowledge in the Mystery of Christ

"Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy. For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; HOWEVER, in the spirit he SPEAKS MYSTERIES. But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men. He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; for he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification."

(1 Corinthians 14:1-5)

"I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." (Revelation 19:10)

"Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit." (Ephesians 2:19-22)

"For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles---if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you, how that by revelation He made known to me THE  MYSTERY (as I have briefly written already, by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ), which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed BY THE SPIRIT to His holy apostles and prophets: that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel, of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His POWER.  To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery..."(Ephesians 3:1-9)

Unsearchable indeed according to the flesh. But, speaking mysteries in the Spirit is the only way to know the mystery of Christ and fellowship in it, bringing the testimony of Jesus to bear in the church.

Those Suffering Don’t Call For The Elders

“Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand."

"Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned. Behold, the Judge is standing at the door! My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience. Indeed we count them blesses who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord---that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful. But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath. But let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No,' lest you fall into judgement."

"Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven." (James 5:7-15)

Those who suffer according to the will of the God don't call for the elders of the church; they ARE the elders of the church. They are those who pray for the sick, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord that they may understand and turn/return to the way of righteousness.

"For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. For it would have been better for them not to know the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them." (2 Peter 2:20,21) 

The elders understand and wait patiently for the precious fruit of righteousness to be found by, and in, them. 

Upholding Your Sovereignty Even As God's Sovereignty Manifests

"And it came to pass, at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near and said, 'Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and I am Your servant, and that I have done all these things at Your word. Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that You are the Lord God, and that You have turned their hearts back to You again.' Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood and the stones and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench. Now when all the peoples saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, 'The Lord, He is God! The Lord, He is God!"

(1 Kings 18:36-39)

"And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, also how he had executed all the prophets (of Baal) with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, 'So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow at this time.' 
(1 Kings 19:1,2)

"We therefore ought to receive such, that we may become fellow workers for the truth. I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have the preeminence among them, does not receive us. Therefore, if I come, I will call to mind his deeds which he does, prating against us with malicious words. And not content with that, he himself does not receive the brethren, and forbids those who wish to, putting them out of the church. Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He who does good is of God, but he who does evil has not seen God." (3 John v8-11)

"Brethren, JOIN IN FOLLOWING my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern. For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame---who set their mind in earthly things." 
(Philippians 3:17-19)

Both Jezebel and Diotrephes joined with Satan to retain their sovereignty even as God's sovereignty was manifesting. Jezebel died violently; not sure about Diotrephes but, when you are dismissing John the apostle, you are heading the wrong way. "Join in following", Paul teaches, not resisting. Allow God's Spirit to minister to you as He manifests.

Receive the Witnesses as They Come

"This will be the third time I am coming to you. 'By the mouth of two or three WITNESSES every word shall be established.' " (2 Corinthians 13:1) 

The center-column notes in NKJV lists two references in the book of Deuteronomy that shed light upon the significance of this portion of Scripture.

"Whoever is deserving of death shall be put to death on the testimony of two or three witnesses; he shall not be put to death on the testimony of one witness." (Deuteronomy 17:6)

"One witness shall not rise against a man concerning any iniquity or any sin that he commits; by the mouth of two or three witnesses the matter shall be established." (Deuteronomy 19:15)

"I have told you before, and foretell as if I were present the second time, and now being absent I write to those who have sinned before, and to all the rest, that if I come I will not spare---since you seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, who is not weak toward you, but mighty in you. For though He was crucified in weakness, yet He lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in Him, but we shall live with Him by the power of God toward you. Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?---unless indeed you are disqualified. But I trust that you will know that we are not disqualified." (2 Corinthians 13:2-6)

These witnesses come to reveal God's will in Christ Jesus; to establish us with and in Him; to make us complete in Him. Moses writes that one witness of a man's sin shall not rise against him, BUT THREE WILL! Disqualification comes when a man is overwhelmed by dedication to his own way rather than the Way. In this he resists what completes and qualifies.

"If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin LEADING TO DEATH. I do not say that he should pray about that."(1 John 5:16) A bad place to be when God allows no prayer for someone.

"And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life. Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen." (1 John 5:20,21)

Each witness brings understanding by which we come to know God through His Son!

Justified Freely and By Works

"But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, THROUGH FAITH in Jesus Christ, to all and on all WHO BELIEVE. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being JUSTIFIED FREELY by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God sent forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus." (Romans 3:21-26)

Propitiation (v.25) is noted (NKJV) as mercy seat. "In His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed"; that includes each of ours. A place of mercy for each one, "to all and on all who believe", the beginning of the demonstration of His righteousness on each life.

"What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, 'Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,' but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? THUS ALSO faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, 'You have faith, and I have works.' Show me your faith without your works, and I WILL SHOW YOU MY FAITH BY MY WORKS. You believe there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe---and tremble! But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father JUSTIFIED BY WORKS when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, AND BY WORKS FAITH WAS MADE PERFECT? And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, 'Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.' And he was called the friend of God. You see then that a man is JUSTIFIED BY WORKS, AND NOT BY FAITH ONLY.' (James 2:14-24)

So the believer is justified freely by God's mercy through the blood of Christ. The only work in that is asking God to birth you again, beginning again in the name of Jesus. But once you have been justified freely, you begin to learn how to be justified by the works of faith in Christ. The righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, which the world NEEDS to see must be witnessed to them by us. Not by the works of the Law, nor by our own way, but by the working of faith in His name.

"Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith." (Romans 3:27) We have no boast in this, but joy in Him!

His Door is Always Open

"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things TO THOSE WHO ASK HIM! Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and Prophets." (Matthew 7:7-12)

Many have expressed outrage regarding the recent restriction of ministry gatherings. The same are comforted by Jesus' words promoting asking, seeking and knocking, for the Father gives good things to those who ask Him. Do you see that Jesus is directing us to ask for, seek, and knock so we can produce the fruit that others will see, and respond in kind? Even though access to ministry gatherings have been limited, access to Him, who is head over all things to the church, is not limited. Quieter times can enhance our hearing from Him, if we devote ourselves to the word of God and prayer.

"Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way that leads to life, and there are few who find it. Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them."  (Matthew 7:13-20)

So, men gather good fruit that is readily accessible from branches the Father has pruned. The current earthly tribulations, and our own discomfort in them, should expedite our approach.

Let Them Eat Fruit of the True Vine

"We know that whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself (or, guards), and the wicked one does not touch him. We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one. And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life. Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen."
(1 John 5:18-21)

"Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.
Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures. SO THEN, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God."
(James 1:16-20)

We should recognize that James' directive regarding hearing, then speaking or taking action does not come instantaneously with the new birth. Swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath are characteristics of our master, Jesus Christ. Those need to be built into us: replacing our earthly confidences, and our desires for more our way, we ask the Father for his pruning so to bring forth fruit of the true vine, Jesus Christ. Then they will eat good fruit from us In Him, giving themselves the opportunity for everlasting life.