Transf >> Coord >> Exec

Transformation --> Coordination --> Execution


Ezekiel 1 tells us this: Wind, cloud, fire, electrum --> 4 living creatures --> wheels, which means (Step 1) transformation and conformation in the Spirit --> (Step 2) cooperation with the Head and coordination with the members in the Son --> (Step 3) expression of the Father's glory and execution of God's will.

Step 1 is our applying Christ as the living stone.

Step 2 is our applying Christ as the corner stone.

Ultimately, Christ will be the top stone for God's building (Step 3).

Here are four questions as a reality check: Are you being coordinated by others? Are you coordinating others? Do your fellow servants know what you are doing? Do you know what your fellow servants are doing?

Here is a short paragraph by Brother Lee: Whenever a church is proper, expresses the Lord, and has proper coordination,... the move of the Lord will be with that church. However, if a church claims to be proper and yet has no move of the Lord, something is wrong. If there is no increase in number year after year and no growth in life among the members, there is no move with that church. ... If a church is proper, it will have a great wheel at its side.

Relatedness

The relatedness among us is the capital of our heavenly bank account. When the capital is low, nothing gets done. When the capital is high, much can be accomplished. I want to have a "reality check" by asking 4 questions:

Q1. What would you experience when the capital is high? "I can count on you 100%." (inward one accord)
Communication is easy, smooth and effective, even when wrong words are used.
Fellowship is enjoyable, shining and life-giving.
I am free to share my feelings.
Confessing mistakes becomes spontaneous and sincere.
As a result, the saints are knit together and coordinated together.

Q2. What would you experience when the capital is low? Shaking hands over a fence (unity in form only).
I have to be careful about everything I say. (Communication is difficult.)
"Fellowship" becomes dry, surface-scratching, and reluctant.
I have to protect myself by hiding my feelings. I have to maintain my position.
Minimizing contact to avoid confrontation.
As a result, the saints are scattered.

Q3. What are the "deposits" that would raise the level of the capital? Philippians 4:5
Galatians 5:22
A good listener
Seeking mutual understanding
Apologizing sincerely when making mistakes
Supporting one another and appreciating one another

Q4. What are the "withdrawals" that would bring down the level of the capital? Lack of Philippians 4:5
Lack of Galatians 5:22 Ignoring others' feelings
Rigidly demanding and insisting
Reacting and over-reacting
Finding excuses or blaming others to defend self
Conditional love with string attached

* * * * * *
Building up the capital of relatedness takes time and effort. In fact, it takes God's divine nature and human virtues to build it up. It is a process of long-term accumulation. Shall we start making small "deposits" here and there? Shall we stay away from "withdrawals" at all cost?

A Balanced View

Judges 21:25 - those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.
Ruth 1:1 - Now it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land.
Proverbs 29:18 - Where there is no vision, the people perish (no vision, no building up)
1 Samuel 8:7 - … but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them.
The book of Judges is concluded with free groups (Judges 21:25), which resulted in famine and departing from God’s economy (Ruth 1:1). The other extreme is organized religion with a system of hierarchy (1 Samuel 8:7).

The Body of Christ is not free groups, nor is it a man-made organization. The Body of Christ is simply God’s dispensing in Christ as the life-giving Spirit into believers to grow His extension, enlargement and expression.

The church is not democracy, nor is it dictatorship. It is simply our holding Christ as the Head and treating each other as members of the Body. Out from Christ all the Body, being richly supplied and knit together by means of the joints and sinews, grows with the growth of God. (Colossians 2:19)

The Body of Christ has no mechanical organization, yet it is so organically orderly.
There are no intermediaries in the Body, but members are harmoniously fellowshipping in love and in life.
There are no sub-heads in the Body, but members are wonderfully coordinated in oneness and one accord.

Look at your own body. Though every member is different in function, yet every one is in the same circulation, directly under the same head, expressing the same head, seeing the same, speaking the same, coordinating together for the same purpose. So also is the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:12). May this vision govern us, control us, direct us, strengthen us, supply us, balance us, adjust us, head us up and build us up (Acts 26:19, Proverbs 29:18).

(An overflow from the 2010 spring ITERO)

A touchy situation

When A spreads false comments about B to C, what may happen?

1. C takes in the false comments without verifying them.

--> B is isolated. C will stay away from B.

--> A and C may become a little circle.

=> No Building.
(Unfortunately, this is always the case.)

2. C goes to B to verify the comments, but they do not correct A.

--> A does not learn from this mistake.

=> Damages are not as big, but still No Building.

3. C goes to B to verify the comments. They go to A to correct A.

--> If A is not a learner , he remains in his fallen nature. => No Building.

--> If A is a learner, he will benefit from this correction. => Building Will Continue.

Three things are crucial:

a) Always verify. Never take in statements at their face value. VERIFY!

b) We have to be bold and gracious enough to correct sinning brothers. (Matthew 18:15-16)

c) Our repentance and confession, plus Jehovah's forgiveness will bring in the building. (2011 summer training)

This is very touchy and difficult. It takes the humanity of Jesus to handle this kind of situation.

Side Effects

Every seemingly good thing has side effects -

A house is desirable, but it will bring you troubles.

A big savings account is nice, but you are losing sleep over it.

A Lexus is fabulous, but who is driving whom?
Sun-light is lovely, but it may cause skin cancer.

A well-paying job brings you many benefits, but you just wish that you can quit right away.

(Don't misunderstand me; I do need proper housing, career, transportation, financing, etc., but they are not my God.)

With this understanding, enjoy the following hymn:

http://www.hymnal.net/hymn.php/nt/547
1. Something every heart is loving:

If not Jesus, none can rest;

Lord, my heart to Thee is given;

Take it, for it loves Thee best.

2. Thus I cast the world behind me;

Jesus most beloved shall be;

Beauteous more than all things beauteous,

He alone is joy to me.

Nourish and Cherish

Nourish and cherish your body (cf. Ephesians 5:29). Brother Lee charged us to maintain a healthy living so that we may live long for the Lord's move.

Here is a brief summary of an on-line article (10-health-habits-that-will-help-you-live-to-100):

1. Don't retire. Stay spiritually active and mentally challenged.

2. Floss everyday (to reduce the probability of heart attacks).

3. Regular physical exercise. How about running 2 miles a day.

4. Eat a fiber-rich cereal for breakfast.

5. Sleep at least 6 hours a day. (No food after 7:00 PM.)

6. Consume whole foods. Avoid white foods (white bread, white rice and white sugar).

7. Don't dwell on negative thoughts. (The joy of the Lord is the best anti-depressant.)

8. Stay away from toxins - smoking, alcohol, chemicals, etc.

9. Regularity is key. As much as possible, eat/sleep/exercise at fixed hour.

10. Stay connected. That's why all the saints need vital groups.

It is a hard work to nourish and cherish your body. Do the same with the Body of Christ. (Ephesians 5:29)

Relationships

Read 1 John 1:3, what do you see? It basically says that brother John touched God in an intimate way, then he brought others into the same enjoyment. In other words, his fellowship with other believers was based on his fellowship with God.

Read Ephesians 4:16, what do you see? It says "out from the Head (Christ)" we are connected. In other words, if I am under the headship of Christ properly, my connection with others would be valuable.

The vertical fellowship with the Head is the basis for the horizontal fellowship with others around us. The horizontal fellowship should be an extension or overflow from the vertical fellowship. Practically speaking, we have to find our own value, meaning and identification deep within us before any meaningful relationships can be established.

With the above understanding, the following types of inter-person relationships should be minimized:

1. Dependence upon others

Don't try to find values from other persons, things or matters. The only one we need to depend on is the Person in our spirit. He is the treasure within us. Without a firm rooting in the Lord, there will be no healthy relationships.

2. Dominance over others

Persons of dominance usurp the headship of Christ. They exercise control and force their decisions over people. Relationships with this kind of persons would not have long-term benefits.

3. Absence of mutuality

Healthy relationships should be based on mutual respect and mutual edification. You contribute and you receive. It is a two-way traffic. Any one-way giving, one-way receiving, lack of flexibility, or unwillingness to share will not produce any building-up.

4. Isolation, exclusion, and little circles