Saturday, 2 June 2007

KEYS TO LOVING UNITY IN INTERRACIAL/INTERETHNIC RELATIONSHIPS, DATING OR MARRIAGE
 Copyright © 8/23/'96, Revised 5/20/07 by R. Tyler
 This is an ASCII text for unedited and unchanged distribution
 on the net and www, P.O.Box 620763, San Diego,
 CA 92162-0763; ..., ...
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MarriageDivorceRemarriageJesus2
http://groups.msn.com/MarriageDivorce-Remarriage-Jesus

The principles which Amy Carmichael derived from Scripture and taught are vital for any godly marriage, friendship, relationship and/or fellowship.

 "No purer joy can be
 Than to be one in Thee;
 Bound by one golden cord
 Of love to our dear Lord.
 Together, together, together,
 Made one in Thee,
 All one in Thee,
 Come let us flow together. . . . .">a
Eph 4: 1 ¶ I urge you, then--I who am a prisoner in the Master’s cause--to live lives worthy of the Call that you have received; 2 Always humble and gentle, patient, bearing lovingly with one another, 3 And striving to maintain in the bond of peace the unity given by the Spirit.
Psa 133:1 ¶ <<A Song of degrees. Of David.>> Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! 2 Like the precious oil upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, upon Aaron’s beard, that ran down to the hem of his garments; 3 As the dew of Hermon that descendeth on the mountains of Zion; for there hath Jehovah commanded the blessing, life for evermore.
Joh 13:35 It is by this that every one will recognize you as my disciples--by your loving one another.”

 Singing is an evidence of the filling and unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace and is a characteristic of a harmonious Christian marriage---"seek to be filled with the Spirit of God, and speak to one another in psalms and hymns and sacred songs. 19* Sing and make music in your hearts to the Lord. 20* Always give thanks for everything to our God and Father, in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ;  21 And submit to one another from reverence for him. "(Eph.5 TCNT)

 "There is a peerless joy in comradeship that the years can only
 prove and strengthen. This joy has been ours. We know that
 the Lord 'who knit us together, shall keep us together'. . . . . . . .
 Comfort and joy meet in this vital union,
 Shelter in storm and peacefulness in strife;
 Thus to be knit in Thy pure love's communion
 It is our life, O Lord: it is our life.">b

 So wrote Amy Carmichael, the author of Gold Cord and founder
 of the Dohnavur Fellowship in Tirunelveli District, S. India, that
 continues to this day and began in the 19th century. She never
 set out or intended to do more than to serve those suffering
 about her, share the joy of her salvation in the Lord Jesus
 Christ, and rescue children from becoming temple prostitutes in
 worship of Hindu sex gods and godesses. As she did these
 things the Lord provided not only her material needs, but
 precious and wonderful coworkers, Love warriors, and a
 fellowship was born that evidenced the supernatural peace,
 harmony, unity, sharing, service, and unselfish compassionate
 cherishing that is possible only in and by Jesus and His Spirit.

 In the process, like Hudson Taylor of China Inland Mission,
 George Muller of Bristol England and many, she decided that
 she would not ask any mortal for funds or supplies, nor let any
 mortal outside of the fellowship know their need for funds or
 supplies, even when the fellowship had grown to over 500
 residents with an on site hospital. She and those of the Gold
 Cord agreed to ask only Jesus' Father for the funds and supplies
 they needed, and in an age of no long distance phone service,
 no computers and no quick telecommunications, Jesus' Father
 provided them with all their needs, providing the fellowship
 with tens of millions of dollars (at our current rate of exchange)
 over the years before she went on to be with Jesus.

 During her life at Dohnavur in the Gold Cord, there was
 realized that blessed unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace
 anointed with a filling of the spirit that spilled over in song and
 thanksgivings when they gathered together, male and female,
 old and young, of many races, of many nations, of many
 stations in life and over the decades. It is one of the greatest
 and best documented proofs that God is, that Jesus is alive and
 present in our midst, and that God loves us enough to be
 intimately involved in our personal and corporate lives. And
 so I offer her as a tried, tested and true expert on loving unity
 in a family and in a fellowship.

 The keys to a harmonious Christian family
 lies in the relationship each member has with the risen and
 soon to return Lord Jesus Christ. The keys to such family
 harmony are essentially the same as the keys to any
 harmonious and Loving Christian fellowship. Loving Jesus
 with all our hearts, all our strength, all our minds and all our
 soul (personality) first and foremost manifests itself in
 loving and devoted obedience to Jesus. Such loving and
 devoted obedience manifests itself in the unselfish and self-
 denying compassionate cherishing of all who Love Jesus,
 which would include the husband, wife and children in a
 Christian family. Let's look at some of the
 character traits that Jesus will work in us if we ask and let
 Him, character traits that will make for a Loving and
 harmonious Christian family.

 Amy found certain character traits essential to the harmony of
 the fellowship of the Gold Cord: "truth, willingness for hard
 work, a freedom from the dominance of money, and very
 loving hearts. . . They were lovers of their Lord and servants of
 His sick; they loved one another fervently, and money had no
 power over them.">c What about the leader, the husband
 in a family or the leader of a fellowship of bonded
 souls, bound together in Spirit by a shared vision? He would
 have to be a man of that vision, "one to whom the same
 heavenly vision had been shown, so that he could not be
 turned back from it or caused to doubt what he had seen.">d

 "Only one who was so mastered by his convictions about
 building in gold, silver, and precious stones could hold on
 through what was sure to happen when there seemed to be no
 material of that sort at hand, and the driving "must" of
 apparent necessity to accept wood and hay and stubble was
 upon him. But when convictions are inwrought by the Spirit of
 God, they are not conquered by opposition, or shaken by
 criticism or failure, or broken or weakened by disappointment.
 The leader sent of God would not lose heart. For him we
 prayed persistently.">e
End of part one <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
KEYS TO LOVING UNITY IN FAMILY AND FELLOWSHIP.
 Copyright © 8/23/'96, Revised 5/20/07 by R. Tyler
CONTINUED

 The Leader, yea the band, cannot be given to self-indulgent
 comfort. A life of sharing is a life of self-discipline and self
 denial because self does not like to share. In a bonded
 fellowship or marriage, after sharing, loving service
 to your partners is the next key to success. Sharing and service
 are not naturally comfortable and often allow those exercising
 such virtues little or no comfort. "Comfort, that stealthy thing
 that enters the house as guest, and then becomes a host, and
 then master. Ay, and it becomes a tamer, and with hook and
 scourge makes puppets of your larger desires. Though its
 hands are silken, its heart is iron. Verily, the lust for comfort
 murders the passion of the soul, and then walks grinning to the
 funeral.">f The desire for personal comfort is an enemy of
 unity in a family/fellowship.

 In most of the world today anyone considering being a part
 of a Godly family or controversial fellowship must be
 prepared to suffer ridicule, harassment, social and emotional
 trials, and even physical suffering as happened to my friend
 Kane and his family.

 "Dead to the world and its applause,
 To all the customs, fashions, laws,
 Of those who hate the humbling Cross">g

 "I do not want people who come to me under certain
 reservations. In battle you want soldiers who fear nothing. . .
 we prayed that anyone who could be kept back should be
 kept back. We even found ourselves asking that every
 belittling story that could shake courage or desire might be
 told to such a one--anything rather than to have one who
 was not meant for us.">h It is best to have with you only
 those whom the Lord has chosen and called to be with you,
 especially in such a complicated and delicate association as in
 a complex Christian family or controversial fellowships. If
 one should join the family who was not called to it by the Lord,
 the family will experience many of the struggles Joshua
 experienced with the Canaanites, but the Lord will honor
 unified prayer and fasting by the rest of the family
 even in such circumstances and can turn it to His glory after
 many trials and much struggle, even suffering.

 To build such a Loving and harmonious Christian family, the
 members of the family must answer the Spiritual call to
 build such a family, by Christ's inner working.>1 If there is
 any member of the family who does not have the calling to
 such a family, the "called" members need to fast and pray in
 agreement for such an uncalled member to receive the
 "call">2. They must be open to the leading and inner
 working of Jesus, no matter how "unpractical">3. That
 involves each member dying to themselves and their own
 personal desires so that Jesus can birth his Life and desires
 in them>4. A lack of zeal and commitment to this Loving
 harmony is fatal to such a calling. "Tis death, my soul, to be
 indifferent" when He has called us to Love each other with
 all our might>5 "Our Master has never promised us
 success. He demands obedience. He expects faithfulness.
 Results are His concern, not ours. And our reputation is a
 matter of no consequence at all" when we are obeying His
 clear and explicit Word.>6

 The members of such a family should answer the call to Love
 in deed and not simply in word. We need a Love that is
 willing to have both dirty hands and calloused hands.>7
 At the same time, these selfless workers of Love, should
 learn to wait on the Lord, listening to His Spirit speak from
 within as they quietly wait on Him and meditate on His
 Word. This involves a patient waiting, not the hurried or
 busy waiting of the Western world. This involves the quiet,
 often silent, waiting and listening where we are not speaking
 to Him, but spending significant time waiting on Him to
 speak to us by His Spirit and Word.>8 This means the
 putting aside of our agenda and the waiting on Him for His
 agenda. This must precede the prayers of petition,
 intercession and the pouring out of one's soul to the Lord.
 Those who wait on the Lord learn how better to pray and
 speak with the Lord.

 "That which I know not teach Thou me,
 Who, blessed Lord, teacheth like Thee?
 Lead my desires that they may be
 According to Thy will.
 Kindle my thoughts that they may glow,
 And lift them up where they are low,
 And freshen them, that they may flow
 According to Thy will.">9

 First and foremost in the character of those called to Loving
 and harmonious Christian marriage is loyalty to Jesus, even
 to the point of being willing to lay down and sacrifice your own
 life for Him and His will.>10 If all in the family have such a
 devoted loyalty to Christ, then it is not difficult for the
 husbands to Love their wives as Christ Loved the assembly of
 saints, and it is not difficult for the wives to Lovingly follow
 the lead of their husbands as they follow the lead of their
 Lord. The most important expression of the family's Love
 is unhindered prayer together for each other.>11 Such
 prayer should spring out of the faith each member has from
 hearing and heeding the Word in their lives. That faith
 expresses itself in deep and meaningful shared convictions of
 what is important and right. That faith expresses itself in
 unity, harmony and orderliness based on shared convictions
 and shared priorities and shared goals developed in prayer and
 in the Word. Such a faith will have the peace that passes all
 understanding, casting all our cares on Him because He cares
 for us and trusting Him with our future. Such a faith and peace
 enables us to experience joy in the Lord, "immortal light-
 heartedness . . . a spontaneous gaiety" for without a sense of
 humor no one would well survive a complex family.>12

 " . . this beautiful happy. . . loyalty . . . is the basic quality of
 vital unity" >13 in a Christian fellowship or complex family.
 As to each other there is a rule to be carefully followed, "the
 absent must be safe with us. Criticism, therefore, [must] be
 taboo.">14 Not even "The Essence of But" can be a tolerated
 (she is so nice, but.......he would be so good for that, but...
 ....)>15 Such selflessness befits those who determine to
 "be emptied of glory and right and name">16
End of part two <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
KEYS TO LOVING UNITY IN FAMILY AND FELLOWSHIP.
 Copyright © 8/23/'96, Revised 5/20/07 by R. Tyler
CONTINUED

 They have died to their own glory, died to their own rights, and
 died to their own name (reputation). They have yielded
 themselves to their Jesus as instruments of His righteousness
 for His energizing, His glory, His rights and His Name. For such
 servants of the King, "there was only one way of service---it
 was the way of the Incarnation---a man must make himself
 one with those whom he wished to serve.">17 A member of
 the family/fellowship "must make himself one with those
 [members of his family] whom he wished to serve". This must
 be true first of the husband-leader, if a child of God, and then
 of each and every member of the family/fellowship, if the
 family/fellowship is to know that blessed and Loving unity He
 wants for us.

 ". . . like a family. . .We were always, as it were, parts of one
 another. . .each member lives for the good of the household,
 and we worked together in this way. . . We found, as we
 went on, that our way of life was like a transparent shield
 about us. People came to us thinking it would be pleasant to
 join us. We could not discern their motives. But they looked
 awhile and, if they were not in sympathy, they went away.
 Long afterwards, when our Father's purpose was revealed,
 we thanked Him for leading us so. 'I lean upon no broken
 reed, nor trust an untried guide' . . ." Far fewer are chosen
 than are called, for many thought to be called may be
 "broken reeds" and "untried guides" and may be sifted out
 by patient waiting upon the Lord for His timing. Those who
 would live in the blessed unity and harmony of the Spirit
 must diligently "endeavor" to keep it with the wise discern-
 ment of the Leading of the Spirit.>18 "This method of divine
 leading---by the hour and by the moment---leaves the soul
 free and unencumbered, and ready for the slightest breath of
 God.---Madame Guyon">18a

 Surely there will be disappointments in any family/fellowship,
 but the key "is refusal to be weakened or hardened or soured
 or made hopeless by disappointment. 'His only absorbing
 passion was to press on' . . . And going on with Him, we find
 that in Him is the secret of continuance, and the secret of
 recovery too, after any disappointment, after any defeat.">19
 So a family may weather, endure and even grow from
 defeats, disappointments and setbacks it experiences within
 and without. Being comforted through the crisis, the family
 then is equipped and enabled to comfort those who suffer in
 like manner, expanding their ministry to each other and to
 those around them.>20

 If the members of a Christian family live
 together long enough growing in the Lord, they will learn the
 lesson of "willing acceptance of daily, nightly perplexity and
 disappointment without explanation. In the Gospels such a
 matter was always dealt with instantly. . . Here was delay.
 And we were not told why, and have not yet been told. We
 learned to accept the silence of our God. . . . In such days we
 prove each other. For the demands are greatest then. And
 to find that nothing is too much to ask of one another is to
 know what our gold cord can be, a golden thing right
 through.">21 In such times of trial in a family the two legs
 of convinced faith in Jesus and unselfish compassionate
 cherishing are critical and sufficient. Thank God He is in
 control of all things and we can trust Him for that in those
 times of trial-----and we can carry on bearing Lovingly and
 joyfully not only our own burdens, but also the burdens of
 our partners when they trip or stumble or need a helping
 hand. God is Love and the greatest thing to do in the world
 is to Love, unselfishly compassionately cherishing, our
 neighbors, our partners and the children of God, even when
 God is silent, or doesn't "make sense". He doesn't ask us to
 understand His will. He asks us to trust Him, even if it means
 to walk on water with Him, spend the night in the lions' den,
 or pass through the fiery furnace with Him.

 "Strength of my heart, I rest in Thee,
 Fulfil Thy purposes through me. . .
 Waters of love, oh, pour through me;
 I must have love, I must have Thee.
 Lord, give me love, then I have all,
 For love casts out tormenting fear,
 And love sounds forth a trumpet call
 To valiant hope; and sweet and clear
 The birds of joy sing in my tree,
 Love of my heart, when I have Thee.">22

 This great Love for Jesus and one another, worked and willed
 in us by Jesus, enables us to enter into David-Jonathan bonds of
 commitment and Love.

 "1 Sm 18:3 And Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. 4 And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David, and his dress, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle.. 20:17 And Jonathan caused David to swear again, by the love he had for him, for he loved him as he loved his own soul. . . . 23 And as to the matter which thou and I have spoken of, behold, Jehovah is between me and thee for ever.">23
 The Lord is the Bonder who binds together those united with
 Him in His Love. The enemies' goal is to break the bond
 between those bonded in Love, and to break the bond
 between He who is Love and those who Love. So such a
 bond must be fought for, often on a daily basis, as long as we
 are on earth in our mortal bodies.

 For this bonded fellowship in a family or
 fellowship one needs a life of unreserved devotion, a life
 without fences between those in the fellowship. This is a
 daily walk and discipline which requires "that the line so
 often drawn between spiritual and secular has no place with
 us if we follow Him who not only withdrew to the mountain,
 but also went about doing good. . . 'Put on the apron of
 humility to serve one another' (1 Pet. v.5).">24 It means not
 being out of balance like Martha who didn't know when it
 was time to stop work to listen to the Lord, but being
 balanced like Mary who worked around the house but knew
 when it was time to stop such work to listen to Jesus.
End of part three <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
KEYS TO LOVING UNITY IN FAMILY AND FELLOWSHIP.
 Copyright © 8/23/'96, Revised 5/20/07 by R. Tyler
CONTINUED

 We who build our families and fellowships in the Lord are
 like Nehemiah's builders of the wall who wore their swords
 in case of an attack while they worked on the wall. That wall
 was to protect both their loved ones and the beloved Temple
 where they worshipped God (Neh.4). We in fellowship are
 the temples of God (1Cor.6) being built into the Temple of
 God (Eph.2:21,22) on a moment by moment and daily basis
 where the secular and the spiritual are constantly
 intermixed in our daily lives. We need to have the sword of
 the Spirit and the full armour of God on in our daily lives, even
 in the most secular and mundane of our activities, because all
 should be done as unto the Lord. If it isn't done that way, we
 are adding wood, hay and stubble to our existence. "The Spirit
 can sit at the Master's feet while the hands are filled with work
 for others. Come unto Me and rest---take My yoke upon
 you.">24 Mowing the widow's lawn or washing the dishes of
 the disabled is a great time for prayer, praise and singing in
 the Spirit.

 Such a bonded group, family or fellowship, "whose one
 purpose is to be spiritually ready to go all lengths with their
 Lord">25 may have to express that readiness in changing
 diapers, caring for the sick, feeding the hungry, risking one's
 life for another----all the time with an ear open to the Spirit
 and a heart filled with praise and thanksgiving waiting for
 the opportunity to express itself. No one should be
 surprised then if one breaks into praise holding a dirty
 diaper, if one sings to the Lord while visiting the imprisoned,
 if one thanks God out loud while tending the sick, or if one
 speaks out in prayer in the midst of helping one in crisis.

 How can a family, a fellowship, be lead and directed by the
 Lord in a unified and harmonious manner, especially when
 undergoing trials? For those in the family/fellowship who are
 Spirit filled (Eph. 5) and offering Him the Love of obedience it
 has been found ". . . possible to be directed as a company so
 that we can move together in a harmony of spirit that is
 restful and very sure. A company has to wait longer than one
 or two might have to do, but if all be set on doing their Lord's
 will and be truly one in loyalty and the New Testament kind
 of affection that makes each one feel safe with each other
 one, if all flow together to the goodness of the Lord,
 unanimity is certain. It is not difficult for our Father to make
 His children to be of one mind in an house. . . And we have
 always found that before the ultimate word must be spoken,
 divergent thoughts have vanished, . . The interval is sure to
 be perplexed by a temptation to the futile fuss of talk.
 Recognize this for what it is, the influence of the adversary
 (for hurry of spirit confuses) and before long the same quiet
 word will come to all. If the inmost law of such a company be
 holy peace, it must be so.">26 This peace is born out of
 the fervent and effectual praying of those who have
 consciously cast all their cares and anxieties on the Lord and
 decided to make "everything and anything" known to God in
 prayer that has become an issue or concern in their lives, with
 supplications, and thanksgivings to God (Phil.4).

 What is the frame of mind of those who, in a setting that is
 notorious for conflict and jealousy like the average American
 family, are able to rise to such a remarkable and glorious unity
 and harmony that they can move as one to the glory of God?
 Surely they know that their natural nature was crucified with Christ---
 they know that they and their risen Christ will die no more---
 so they reckon themselves to be dead to the sinful impulses
 and inclinations of their natural body and mind. Freed from
 having to obey their natural body and mind they no longer
 offer themselves to the will of their natural body and mind,
 but rather offer themselves to Jesus to be used, motivated
 and worked in His will.>27 "There is no life except by death--
 - . . .Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord
 Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in
 our mortal flesh. . .">28

 What about newcomers to the family/fellowship? Questions
 arise. Should newcomers be accepted? Why? How? Can we
 afford yet another mouth? Do we want to share with yet
 another? If we believe that whoever is born of God is led of
 God, that if the same God leads one to apply that same God
 would confirm that leading by leading the family/fellowship
 members to accept that one in a peace that passes understan-
 ding, giving them a miraculous peace of mind about it. God is
 not the author of confusion, but of peace and harmony, His seal.
 His work bears His seal. ". . .He granted a certain assurance
 both to her and to us, so that her call should be among the
 things that cannot be shaken.">29

 So Amy and the fellowship of the Gold Cord made a decision.
 "'Resolved together to accept all who offer who are manifestly
 called of the Lord to join us, whether they have means or not.' .
 'May you obtain strength and support to walk in paths unworn,
 at the edge of precipices where God alone can keep us in
 safety'. . . . Never do we go far on any path of perplexity or
 pain without seeing the footsteps of Him who is invisible,
 leading on before. . . 'The steps of faith fall on the seeming void
 and find the rock beneath'; but the rock is hardly ever seen till
 afterwards.">30

 "Beloved, should the brook run dry
 And should no visible supply
 Gladden thine eyes, then wait to see
 God work a miracle for thee.