PBMMar2014

PHISH BOWL MINISTRIES

March 2014

“Phishing for saints until the nets are full”…Matthew 4:19

 

Dear friends,

               How good it is to write to you all!  There is no quiet spot at the Phoenix Center and because most of the men are stuck here due to lack of jobs, case manager holds or one of a dozen other reasons, they cannot leave.  It seems like I get home and bam, a dozen guys want to play or talk.  It would not be so bad if the discussions were about our Lord Jesus, but it seems for most of them, Jesus got them out of prison or kept them from going to prison, and now they have kept Him on the shelf right next to their unused Bible, until the next crisis.  What this has meant for me is that it has been hard to concentrate on writing PB until now.

               As for me, I have been blessed with many hours walking from here to there or traveling on the bus, learning about grace, mercy and love and it all started in a study of Galatians which sent me to Habakkuk 2:4 “the just shall live by faith” and now I’m in Romans.
               Father has used this time, the separation from the family of God, for me to be taught the fundamental truth about my walk and my relationships with the other saints around me.    Similar to the point in Acts where Peter is told not to call anything unclean that God has made (or calls) clean.
               Can we apply this truth to our fellow brothers and sisters? How many times do I hear saints tearing down other saints with words of judgment when God has made that saint complete and righteous in the heavenlies? If we truly believe God’s mercy is in abundance on us, then should we not also extend those same mercies to our fellow saints?  Yes!
               Now knowing that today we stand fully justified, we need to live that trust out daily.  How do we do this?  Let’s look at Habakkuk 2:4, “the just shall (or will) live by faith”.  We started in faith in believing that God sent His son who chose to die on a tree and was raised from the dead (short form), bringing about salvation.
               We want to try to live it out by trying to win God’s favor.  However, all this does is bring about depression because we can never do enough to stand in our own goodness to please a perfect God.  So, that brings us back to “the just will live by faith”: Faith that He did all of the work, faith that He is a loving God who loves you and faith that the work is finished.  We now live by faith.
               So you might be thinking, “Hey, Tim.  Don’t over teach grace.  Don’t you know if you go around telling people that grace covers all our sins, they will start to live anyway they want to?”  Well, they just might, but that doesn’t remove the truth of the Bible.  Grace is served 100 proof or not served at all.  If we water it down with a list of our own do’s and don’ts, then we are playing God and placing a yoke that we would not be able to bare. The weight would crush us over time and we will find ourselves back at the cross, asking for help.
               Now, I have learned over time that grace and knowing the finished work of Christ does not bring me to a point that I can sin as I please, but it gives me a hunger to live a life pleasing to the Father; a life that is growing daily in who He is, how much He loves us and even in the corrections that He is doing a good work in me to make me more like Him.
               So, grace did not bring me to freedom to sin.  Grace broke me.  It broke me of self, because I now know the cost of that grace; the life of God’s only Son.
               If someone tells you they are saved and can live any way they want to, then I don’t think they truly understand what they were saved from, the cost of that salvation nor are they broken over being the one who put Christ on that cross.
               We have been in Acts for years now.  Time and time again, I have gotten lost in the trust that these men got it.  That they truly believe and as a result their own wants and their own plans did not matter.  The only thing that did matter was Christ.  Peter shows us a beautiful picture of this, no matter how many times that Peter is…well Peter, he comes full circle in doing the will of the Father.
               Now, we are going over some of the biggest cornerstones of the truth of our faith.  We have seen boldness in proclaiming the truth about Christ, the setting out to form the church of Christ.  Christ changing what would have been the most unlikely person into a believer.  Now we will see that this is not just another sect of Judaism, but it is for all, and what God wanted from the beginning.
            

Acts 10:24 And the following day they entered Caesarea. Now Cornelius was waiting for them, and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25 As Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him. 26 But Peter lifted him up, saying, "Stand up; I myself am also a man." 27 And as he talked with him, he went in and found many who had come together. 28 Then he said to them, "You know how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to keep company with or go to one of another nation. But God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean. 29 Therefore I came without objection as soon as I was sent for. I ask, then, for what reason have you sent for me?" 30 So Cornelius said, "Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing, 31 and said, 'Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your alms are remembered in the sight of God. 32 Send therefore to Joppa and call Simon here, whose surname is Peter. He is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea. When he comes, he will speak to you.' 33 So I sent to you immediately, and you have done well to come. Now therefore, we are all present before God, to hear all the things commanded you by God." 34 Then Peter opened his mouth and said: "In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. 35 But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him. 24 And the following day they entered Caesarea. Now Cornelius was waiting for them, and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25 As Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him. 26 But Peter lifted him up, saying, "Stand up; I myself am also a man." 27 And as he talked with him, he went in and found many who had come together. 28 Then he said to them, "You know how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to keep company with or go to one of another nation. But God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean. 29 Therefore I came without objection as soon as I was sent for. I ask, then, for what reason have you sent for me?" 30 So Cornelius said, "Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing, 31 and said, 'Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your alms are remembered in the sight of God. 32 Send therefore to Joppa and call Simon here, whose surname is Peter. He is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea. When he comes, he will speak to you.' 33 So I sent to you immediately, and you have done well to come. Now therefore, we are all present before God, to hear all the things commanded you by God." 34 Then Peter opened his mouth and said: "In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. 35 But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him. 36 The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ--He is Lord of all-- 37 that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached: 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. 39 And we are witnesses of all things which He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they killed by hanging on a tree. 40 Him God raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly, 41 not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by God, even to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead. 42 And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead. 43 To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins." 44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. 45 And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. 46 For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Then Peter answered, 47 "Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?" 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days. 39 And we are witnesses of all things which He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they killed by hanging on a tree. 40 Him God raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly, 41 not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by God, even to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead. 42 And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead. 43 To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins." 44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. 45 And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. 46 For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Then Peter answered, 47 "Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?" 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days.

               Side note: Over the next two Phish Bowls, we will be revisiting teachings which we’ve already done.  The concern will come up: Tim, we have already gone over this!   Hold on for one second, the Holy Spirit chose to revisit this point over and over again and we should stop and ask ourselves, what is the point?  So, I would cheat you by skipping over any part of the Bible.
               Verse 24:  Don’t miss this; Cornelius was so excited about his home Bible study that he called his family and friends!  He was not afraid; rather he was proud to be holding it in his house!
               Verses 25-26:  As Peter walked in, Cornelius fell at Peter’s feet and worshipped. And Peter, being the first Pope, accepted the worship!  NO!  Sorry, I couldn’t pass up the chance at a good joke!  No, Peter, like the rest of us know that the Father is no respecter of man.  We are all equal in the sight of God.  Sorry to those leaders in the Church who think they are special.  Peter tells us all, “I myself am also a man”, or “I’m no better than you”.  I’ve learned over the years that leaders are only the first servants.
               27:  Going back to verse 24, “many had come together”.  The faith of Cornelius is demonstrated by the fact that he had a houseful of people when Peter arrived.
               28, 29: Peter gets it!  It’s no longer a Jewish thing and the same Peter who had pridefully told Jesus that he had never done anything against the Law (my paraphrase), is now saying, ‘hogwash to the Law’ (again, my paraphrase).
               30-33:  Let’s ask ourselves a question here.  God sent a man or angel to Cornelius.  Why did he not just tell Cornelius about the Good News?  Why, instead, did he tell him to go see Peter?  The reason is that Father has chosen that we will be His messengers of the Good News about Jesus.  So, if you and I don’t do it, who will?
               Verses 33-43:  OK, the only way that I can cover this without writing a book, is to just cover key points.  Father made a way for all of us to be saved from the penalty of our sin.  This is only found in the death, burial and raising from the dead of Jesus.  We can’t do anything except to accept this free gift of Father.  I will not at this time cover Father’s foreknowledge which brings us to His election. Election and our freewill go hand in hand, but no matter what, never forget that He did the work and it covers ALL of our sins; yesterday’s, today’s and tomorrow’s.
               35:  “whoever” and in Greek this means “whoever”.  Believers are accepted by Him.
               38:  God anointed Jesus…with the Holy Spirit.  I don’t understand how so many people miss our three in one God.
               39:  Why “killed by hanging on a tree”?  Why use this verbiage?  I believe it shows that the world killed him, all of us.  Jews stoned someone to death, but Rome (the world) killed by crucifixion.  I believe that Peter used this to show his Gentile host and friend that they too killed Jesus.
               40:  Peter, back in vs. 34, also tells us that he was a witness of all things which included “God raising Jesus from the dead and showing Him openly”.
               42:  He commanded us to preach Jesus, not Moses or the Law, but Jesus along with grace, mercy and love.
               43:  And once again, “whoever believes… will receive remission of sin”.
               44-48:  I can only close this teaching as to why the Holy Spirit is going to choose to go over this again in Chapter 11 and that is…The Holy Spirit fell upon all those who had heard.  The Jewish believers were amazed because they saw that the Gentiles (us…we are NOT Jews) had received the same gift of speaking in tongues that they received (Chapter 2) and life will never be the same from this day on.  Jesus is for everyone who believes.  The Good News had reached the Jews, the Samaritans and now the Gentiles.  All were united by the same faith in the same Lord with the same Holy Spirit.
               Next month, Acts 11 and more tidbits of truth.
               Now, in closing…there are many whom I wish to tell about how you have impacted my life in ways which words will never do justice.  If I start a list then I will hurt someone by not adding their name too, which is not my intent.  The conditions of my release prevent me from one on one contact, but know that you are in my prayers daily.

 Semper Fidelis!  Love, Timothy (I Corinthians 16:13-14)

PBM is an outreach of:

Calvary Chapel Loveland
276 E 29^th St
Loveland, CO   80538
To subscribe or unsubscribe, contact us at the above address, attn.:  Barb

 

 

PBM Jan 2014

PHISH BOWL MINISTRIES

JANUARY 2014

“Chummin’ for Saints until the nets are full”

Matthew 4:19

 

My dear friends,

     Blessings to you all from the free world; OK, not so completely free for me, but I am half way there.  Community is a lot different than the picture that was painted for me by the fellas in the joint.  It has taken some time to focus on how my new phish bowl would work; but I can see Father clearly in my life.

     My first day here the Calvary family so blessed me by providing my needs and some wants, and they have continued to love on me.  Pastor Kevin, Barb, and others have shown me the love of Jesus and what our walk is supposed to look like confirming in words and action what we believe Christ is calling all of us to be and do and that is Love!  It is so easy to love lovable people, but what if you are called to love difficult people?  This is where the rubber meets the road.  When everything you think that Father should be doing is not what He knows is best for us.  We must continue to trust in Father’s perfect and loving plan for our lives.  You may be asking, OK Tim, why are you writing in this way?  I believe this is a good question.  Back in October and November we started to study about Peter and Cornelius, a Jew and a Gentile, I cannot help but to see a connection to my new life in some ways.

     I am coming from one world, one way of living and going to another world, another way of living.  A world where things are so different and I am so different in so many ways.  I am an outsider to this world and Father has sent me here.  Uprooted and replanted---not so much for me---even though I too reap the blessing, but more for others and the glory of God.

Acts 10:9-23 Peter’s Vision:  ⁹ The next day, as they went on their journey and drew near the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour. ¹⁰ Then he became very hungry and wanted to eat; but while they made ready, he fell into a trance ¹¹ and saw heaven opened and an object like a great sheet bound at the four corners, descending to him and let down to the earth. ¹² In it were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. ¹³ And a voice came to him, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” ¹⁴ But Peter said, “Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean.” ¹⁵ And a voice spoke to him again the second time, “What God has cleansed you must not call common.” ¹⁶ This was done three times. And the object was taken up into heaven again.  ¹⁷ Now while Peter wondered within himself what this vision which he had seen meant, behold, the men who had been sent from Cornelius had made inquiry for Simon’s house, and stood before the gate. ¹⁸ And they called and asked whether Simon, whose surname was Peter, was lodging there. ¹⁹ While Peter thought about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are seeking you. ²⁰ Arise therefore, go down and go with them, doubting nothing; for I have sent them.” ²¹ Then Peter went down to the men who had been sent to him from Cornelius, and said, “Yes, I am he whom you seek. For what reason have you come?” ²² And they said, “Cornelius the centurion, a just man, one who fears God and has a good reputation among all the nation of the Jews, was divinely instructed by a holy angel to summon you to his house, and to hear words from you.” ²³ Then he invited them in and lodged them. On the next day Peter went away with them, and some brethren from Joppa accompanied him.

The Holy Bible, New King James Version Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
     Let me start with a background picture about Jews and Gentiles.  In the OT, it is taught that the Jews were to be a light for the Gentiles, but somewhere that slowly became perverted to a teaching like this:   All Gentiles were unclean (unworthy) and God made Gentiles to fuel the fires of hell.     If a Jew happened to touch a Gentile, he would go home, burn his clothes and take a bath…not ASAP, but he would drop everything and announce loudly “unclean, unclean” or in Hebrew ‘tame’ [taw-may, tame].  So why does God need to get Peter’s attention?  Because He needs to change Peter’s viewpoint on how things are to be.

 ⁹ The next day, as they went on their journey and drew near the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour. ¹⁰ Then he became very hungry and wanted to eat; but while they made ready, he fell into a trance

     I find it true in many situations that when Father wants to do a work in me, He will get me alone and form a hunger in my soul; is that hunger for Him or for fellowship? Many times, that hunger is for me to be who God has called me to be.
     In Acts 9:32, it tells us that “Peter was traveling through all those parts (places).” Don’t overlook this.  God in His word is always really good at telling who the players are; I mean who the traveling companions are.  Peter is traveling alone.  Wondering.  Looking to see where and how Father is going to use him.  He’s hungry for something.  Is it healing Aeneas? (Acts 9:33-34).  Is it raising Dorcas from the dead?  (Acts 9: 39-43).  Many times in my own walk, it seems as if I’m traveling alone looking for His will at this time in my life.  (OK, I know that He is always with me so don’t get lost in thought).  Praying, studying, and doing ministry can get in front of me, but all of the time knowing Father has me in a holding pattern.
     For almost the first 30 days in the halfway house there was nothing for me to do.  I could not get passes out.  I felt like I needed to find a job, get set up in church and the list can go on and on.  But, Father had a plan and His own timing.  So, I was to sit, serve and trust in Him.  In His perfect timing, I received a Wal-Mart pass two days after Kevin returned from Israel.  Then I landed a job just a few days after I finished all of my required check in and registry.  He knows the time and I need to trust His timing. I can see this in Peter; OK Lord, you want me here, OK.  Go to Lydda, OK.  Stay in Joppa with a tanner, OK. Can we do this? I have to tell you the truth that although not in every hour of every day, but I continue to press on for the goal.
     Back to the text and vs. 10, “desiring to eat”.  This word –geuomai (ghyoo’-om-ahee) means to eat or taste.  This will be very important as we move on in the teaching.  There are those who will tell you that this is all metaphorical and yes in some ways it is, but don’t get it backwards.  Don’t let those who are Judaizers flip this teaching around to bring you back under bondage.
     And next, “He fell into a trance”.  A trance is: “a state in which the soul is unconscious of present objects being wrapped into visions of distant or future things”.  Father has Peter just where He wants him.  Still, he is in prayer seeking our Lord’s vision for Him, he’s not running around asking Bob, John, Dick, or Harry what he should do.  He is seeking the Lord, open to the Lord’s voice and look what happens:

 ¹¹ and saw heaven opened and an object like a great sheet bound at the four corners, descending to him and let down to the earth. ¹² In it were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air.

     Due to room in this letter, I will not put Leviticus 11 but I do hope that you stop for a few minutes and read it.

¹³ And a voice came to him, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” ¹⁴ But Peter said, “Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean.” ¹⁵ And a voice spoke to him again the second time, “What God has cleansed you must not call common.” ¹⁶ This was done three times. And the object was taken up into heaven again.

     “Kill and eat” what?  All kinds of animals, reptiles and birds; the problem was that the animals were mixed, clean and unclean.  On this sheet were all different kinds of animals and in the middle was a big, fat, dirty pig!  This is where we get the Greek term “Pig in a blanket”!  Sorry, I couldn’t pass it up…sorry…but that’s funny!
     The red letter Bible adds something to this text that is missed in non- red letter Bibles.  In verse 13, “Rise Peter, kill and eat” are in red, meaning this is Jesus speaking to Peter and in verse 14, he knows Jesus’ voice, “Not so Lord”!  I just wonder for a moment when is Peter ever going to get it?  Here he is again rebuking Jesus.  But the cool thing is that this does not faze Jesus for one moment.  He knows and loves Peter right where he is.  He has no problem setting Peter straight, “What God has called cleaned”.  Stop, not clean, but cleaned, past tense, the cross is done.  Jesus has risen for our sins.  We who belong to Him are cleaned, it’s done.
     This is the point in the teachings that some twist to fit their own teaching and not Father’s.  Kill and eat; we have covered eat already, now kill.  Greek: Thuō (thoo), which is an action word-do, sacrifice, slay.  So the first part of the teaching is clear; it is about food as well as men.  We know this by going to Galatians 2:11-21.
Galatians 2:11-21
¹¹ Now when Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed; ¹² for before certain men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision. ¹³ And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy.

¹⁴ But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter before them all, “If you, being a Jew, live in the manner of Gentiles and not as the Jews, why do you compel Gentiles to live as Jews? ¹⁵ We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, ¹⁶ knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.  ¹⁷ “But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is Christ therefore a minister of sin? Certainly not! ¹⁸ For if I build again those things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. ¹⁹ For I through the law died to the law that I might live to God. ²⁰ I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. ²¹ I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.”

      So, kill is kill and eat is eat.  Food may have been the first consideration, but Peter would soon understand the greater message.  Why is man, Greeks or Gentiles, the greater message over an issue of the Law?  It is because of love.  God is calling us to love one another, not fight over the law.
Romans 14:1-14  Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things. ² For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables. ³ Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him. ⁴ Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand.  ⁵ One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. ⁶ He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks. ⁷ For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. ⁸ For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. ⁹ For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living. ¹⁰ But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. ¹¹ For it is written:
“As I live, says the Lord,
Every knee shall bow to Me,
And every tongue shall confess to God.”
¹² So then each of us shall give account of himself to God. ¹³ Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way.  ¹⁴ I know and am convinced by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of itself; but to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. ¹⁵ Yet if your brother is grieved because of your food, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died. ¹⁶ Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil; ¹⁷ for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. ¹⁸ For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men.  ¹⁹ Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another. ²⁰ Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are pure, but it is evil for the man who eats with offense. ²¹ It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak. ²² Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves. ²³ But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin.

     So, what does Peter do about this new concept?

¹⁷ Now while Peter wondered within himself what this vision which he had seen meant, behold, the men who had been sent from Cornelius had made inquiry for Simon’s house, and stood before the gate. ¹⁸ And they called and asked whether Simon, whose surname was Peter, was lodging there. ¹⁹ While Peter thought about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are seeking you. ²⁰ Arise therefore, go down and go with them, doubting nothing; for I have sent them.” ²¹ Then Peter went down to the men who had been sent to him from Cornelius, and said, “Yes, I am he whom you seek. For what reason have you come?” ²² And they said, “Cornelius the centurion, a just man, one who fears God and has a good reputation among all the nation of the Jews, was divinely instructed by a holy angel to summon you to his house, and to hear words from you.” ²³ Then he invited them in and lodged them. On the next day Peter went away with them, and some brethren from Joppa accompanied him.

     Peter went way with them.

Acts 11:12   Then the Spirit told me to go with them, doubting nothing. Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house.
     Though Peter chose to travel in public with three Gentiles, he was careful to take six believing   Jewish brethren with him as witnesses for two reasons.  One was that a Jew needed the witness of two or more during any type of dissension and 2) Peter anticipated the argument from “those of the circumcision”.
Acts 11:13 And he told us how he had seen an angel standing in his house, who said to him, ‘Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon whose surname is Peter,
     In closing, in verse 20, the Spirit tells him “…arise therefore, go down and go with them, doubting nothing; for I have sent them”.   The Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity speaks, whereas in verse 13, Jesus is the one speaking and back in verse 4, God the Father (Abba) knows Cornelius’ prayers.  Things such as this are very important to see our God as a 3 in 1 God and passages such as this one clearly point to that:

     Father-knows

     Jesus-instructs
     Spirit-leads
     And Peter does what each of us is to do, he goes!  See what his travel instructions are: “Doubt nothing, for I (Spirit) have sent…”  Note to self from the Holy Spirit:  “Doubt nothing, for I have sent you to the Phoenix Center”.

     To my family behind the walls, I miss you daily and my heart aches for our fellowship.  Know that you are in my prayers and how I love you so.  Father knows the day and time we will see each other in this world or in the next.  As you know, at this time, I cannot directly contact you.  Let all of the saints know this; living right, living in the Light.

     If any of you need to contact Phish Bowl, you may do so through Barb as we talk weekly.
Semper Fidelis!

Love, Timothy (I Corinthians 16:13-14)

PBM is an outreach of:
Calvary Chapel Loveland
276 E 29^th St
Loveland, CO   80538
To subscribe or unsubscribe, contact us at the above address, attn.:  Barb