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Dear Christian Believers,
Seasons Greetings and God bless you in the powerful name of Jesus Christ.
We recently finished 5 days of meetings that focused on how we can better work together as believers, fellowships, and ministries around the USA. We desire to labor together just as the first century church did in the Book of Acts. Last year we discussed our being associated as a body of believers within the Body of Christ. This weekend we had further discussion concerning this matter. I shared with those present, that associated is a good word, but I liked the word “Partners” even better. It is a synonym for the word associated and communicates “unity and one accord”, that was the pattern set by the newly born again believers after the Day of Pentecost. It is recorded in Acts 2:42-47. In verse 44 we read:
And ALL that believed were together and had ALL things COMMON (koinos).
The word “common” is translated from the Greek word “koinos,” and it means – “pertaining equally to ALL.” Everything we have belongs to GOD, both now and in the future, "all things common," remember. That's the way it has been with Mary Lou and I, as well as thousands of others. For example, our house is your house, Our drink is your drink, and our food is your food to eat. Our furniture, our car is yours to borrow. Everything we have is to be utilized for the furtherance of the gospel of Jesus Christ, understand? Christmas is the time that people recognize as a time of giving and sharing with others. That should be the attitude of every Christian Believer.
Acts 4:32
And the multitude of them that believed were of ONE heart and of ONE soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had ALL things common. (koinos)
The believers were of One heart and One soul, and they were of the common (koinos) faith, and salvation.
Titus 1:4a says:
To Titus, mine own son after the COMMON (koinos) faith:
In Jude 1:3, we read...
Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the COMMON (koinos) salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend (or strive) for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
We are supposed to contend for the Word of faith that was once delivered o the saints. This is our exhortation too.
Luke 18:8
I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth? (What is Christ to find when he returns? And what if he came now or in 2007)
[Scofield says that the word faith here is in reference to "the whole body of truth that has been revealed."]
Let us labor together and earnestly strive for the COMMON faith. Let us work together as partners with the Lord Jesus Christ, and one another, so that when the Son of man returns, he shall find faith, the whole body of truth that has been revealed unto the saints, flourishing upon the face of the earth.
Have a Merry Christmas and a Joyous New Year!
We love you dearly,
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