First Church of Post Eden OR

Covenant Love and Life

No surprise that Adam and Eve did not go to church. They didn’t have “devotions” or praise and worship services and never had to sit through a sermon or read a book. WOW-does that sound like paradise?

What did they have? HMM, let’s see… they walked in close proximity with God each evening—face to face as it were. Their  devotion was to keep and tend the garden of God. Their worship was to obey. Their knowledge of God was to  fill the earth by bearing fruit in what they did. God blessed them. They didn’t have a Bible study but they experienced the “GOOD” which God had created and they participated in the re-creation and re-formation of the earth.

Until they fell. They sinned when they believed the lie that they were supposed to be like God and could be like God on their own, instead of trusting and obeying God. They trusted themselves to satisfy themselves and please God and others, or else control them. From then on they had to hide and pretend and blame and control and put on “religion.”

I imagine they could have “formed” something like the “First church of Eden.” They could have made up a liturgy using trees and fruit. They might have made up songs like “I’ll fly away to the garden of Someday,” or, “Hold the fort ‘til the Super Seed comes to replant us in heavenly Glory.”

Covenant—God’s form of relationship, worship and life

God, the Judge of the distorted Form, gave them a form of worship which would shape them for redemption (to be bought back, brought back, re-formed). He gave them a tabernacle and system of sacrifices to prepare them for the Ultimate Sacrifice, the Son of God. He gave them a way to cover their guilt and heal their distorted souls.

God offered them & us relationship with Him through covenant.  He made the rules, gave them priests and prophets, apostles and pastors, spelled out the consequences of their disobedience, then satisfied the demands of the law and paid for our sins (see Abraham in Gen 15). When we receive Christ, are born into his kingdom and enter into his covenant, He involves us in his great joy of co-mission with him to heal and re-from the earth. Together in Christ we can live Covenant life.     

-PD

Report from our KMI conference 

 

We (Covenant Life) are members of a spiritual family of leaders and congregations worldwide called Kingdom Ministries International.    

  

This week Steven White and Pastor Dwight attended out annual gathering with the theme of Koinonia: that we would hear with new ears and connect with new hearts to God and one another, and the fellowship of sharing life would be for His purpose, not just about us. We want to reflect God's likeness of covenant and community to the world, especially now so that in the continued shaking of all things, people will know God is present and powerful in his people, and they can come and become united with Christ and experience his love and life in spiritual family.

This year was our largest and most inspiring time yet as we heard testimonies and met leaders and pastors from the nations: a pastor from India who oversees 500 churches; one from France who is responsible for nearly fifty churches and ministries in six nations; our host this year Pastor Randy Howard brought pastors from Central America that he leads representing hundreds of churches there and in Africa.

A highlight was hearing our founder Dennis Peacocke speak, having just recovered enough from his life-threatening illness, then cancer on his vocal chords and just resuming ministry. His book on economic principles we need to know now is  at the publishers, and he spoke with prophetic clarity about the current world conditions.

Of course we bring greetings from pastors and leaders who have ministered here and also have sent us Masters Commission students or received ministry from us, like David Shay. David and Emily are going to have a baby — due on the exact anniversary of the fire that destroyed all their possessions. His report and words of thanks from others who have passed through times of suffering made us more aware and appreciative of the Koinonia (covenant community and love) we share in KMI.

    He has given marvelous comrades to me-
the faithful who dwell in the land.…
my inheritance is delightful to me.
Psalm 16

“So what?”

Reformers: We’ve learned that God has some traits we can’t have and other traits He imparts to us. This week our focus is “What should we be like?”
Another week we learn what should the world should like (God’s form to reflect His image).

Wednesday night, after watching a video of Patti Amsden teach chapter 1 from her book, I asked the youth and young adult Reformers Group this question: “So what?” OK, so there are things we cannot share with God but also traits He desires us to share with him in order to bear his likeness and image. What difference does that make to me? They shared the following:

“I can praise Him more.” “I can better represent him to others.” “I'm overwhelmed with Him and don't know how to express how I feel.” “I just want to swallow, digest, receive more of Him.” “It makes me know I'm never alone. No one is alone because God is always present.” “Everything is inter-related like “the butterfly effect” (a butterfly’s wings affects wind currents far away especially as combined with other effects). So I realized that everything matters and everything has a purpose. Therefore I will see and treat others differently because they matter.” “I can trust him. He never changes. He's always good and I can have more faith in God because his word is true.”

A Good Worldview begins with good thoughts about God - theology Matters! Once we answer questions like how things began and why we here we can apply a good theology to what we should be like and do. Then we apply good “God-thoughts” to what the world should be like. The result will be a clearer idea of what went wrong and what God wants us to do about it—be reformers!

God is not willing that any should perish. 2 Pet 3:9. God wants all men to be saved. 1 Timothy 2:4. The shepherd sought lost sheep; the woman sought the lost coin; the Father welcomed his lost son (Luke 15) all shared in great JOY. Those who go forth bearing precious seed shall come again rejoicing bringing their sheaves with them. (Ps 126)

-PD

Reformers Series of Messages

Last week-How are we not like God? (His unshared traits)
Next week-How are we God’s image and likeness? (form)
This week-How can we can be like God? (godliness-traits God imparts to us—shares)

A swan is not a duck is not a goose

There is a children’s tale of a baby swan separated from it’s mother at birth. The swan tries to fit in with all kinds of other birds and animals but is quite ugly and never finds it’s image or identity, until finally it is maturing into a beautiful white swan then finds another swan and realizes who it was created to be. All this time it has been “becoming who it already was” but did not know the “form or likeness” it was meant to have. How is our spiritual life like the baby swan?

Reformation is from inside out-begins with me in His image
Peter describes this process of getting to know God better, then He shares Himself with us.
2 Peter 1:2-8

Share (koinos - fellowship and in common) in Divine Nature by grace knowing Him (NT:1922 epignosis—implies progressive experience producing change.
(note God’s part in this and our part-what we do)

2 May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. 3His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. 5For this very reason, make every effort to supplement [add to] your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, 6and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 8For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

To grow in grace and Godly love keep the five challenges: 1. read/meditate in God’s Word, 2. daily prayer/enjoy God’s presence, 3. fellowship and relationships in small group, 4. serve Christ’s body as member 5. co-mission with Christ in world.

2011 Year of Tending: focus, faithfulness, fruit

Gal. 6:9 “Let us not lose heart (be weary) of doing good, for in due time (kairos) we shall reap if we do not grow weary.” Chronos is chronological and general time which can lead us into an opportune or strategic time (kairos). This season of your life may be tedious-a time of plowing, standing, believing and persistent praying. If you press on, doing what is necessary in these general times the process will shift into a kairos season of reaping.

Excerpt from The Sacrament of This Present Moment
By Jean-Pierre de Caussade
Published in 1741

Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.
Mt 5:8

A conversation with my heart made pure, free and full of Christ:

‘Grant me a pure heart!’, O pure heart, how blessed you are! You find God in the strength of your own faith, see him in all things, at all times, in and around you. You are his subject and his instrument. He guides and brings you to your destination. Often you do not think; but he is thinking for you. Whatever happens to you is ordained by him. All he asks is your willingness.

Ah! How simple you are! Don’t you realize what a simple heart means? It is none other than a heart where God is.

He knows, too, that you don’t know what is for your good and makes it his business to provide it, little caring whether you like it or not. You are going East, he will turn you to the West. You are set fair on a course, he turns the rudder and steers you back to harbour...if pirates cross your path an unexpected gust of wind blows them off their course.

What enchantment, what delight, to rest there in his arms, playing innocently, rejoicing in divine wisdom, continuing the voyage uninterrupted over reefs, past pirates and through continual storms without anxiety about reaching a destination.

Love is that ardent desire, continually nourished by devout hope, which inspires the constant practice of goodness in the expectation of the divine presence. Its enjoyment will make the happiness of all faithful souls, today and for ever more.