PBM May 2011

Phish Bowl Ministries
May 2011
Matthew 4:19
“Chummin’ for Saints…until the nets are full”

To the Saints behind and outside the wall: I, Timothy Nathanael, a doulos of Christ pray that you will listen to the call of the Holy Spirit on your life; the return of our Lord Jesus the Christ is coming soon. Father God has work for you to do; souls need your help in healing. We need to open our heart, our homes and our hands to get to the work that we are called to do. How clearly the depravity and self centeredness of the world looks through the bars of prison. How many years I was lost in the church playing Christian instead of pursuing the Kingdom to come. I was pursuing worldly and selfish treasures which I will testify, if God desires can be gone in a flash of an eye. Do not think that God is OK with your disobedience because He is slow to wrath. This is His loving mercy! Have you become deaf to the Word that is preached to you every Sunday? You are not innocent, I was not innocent. We turn a blind eye to the suffering around us and at the same time look Jesus our Christ in the face and tell Him 100 reasons why we could not help. I tell you the truth, we are not innocent! Grace does not give us the right to sit on the sideline; this is not a spectator sport. We act like arm chair quarter backs watching the Sunday game. Get up! Getting into the game is what matters! How can you run a race from the bleachers…I don’t know! I tell you this because I truly love you, my beloved. I so badly want God to open a door so I can shout, “Repent…repent”! Jesus will meet you even in the pit! The Holy Spirit will counsel you in the pit. There is time for you to turn to God’s way. I beg you dear Saints…the time is short.

Now to the Church doing God’s work; stay faithful and don’t lose focus. I too run this race daily with you my brothers and sisters. There have been some concerns about the work of Phish Bowl behind the walls; worthy is our LORD. Yes, it is true that the coffee shop and food kitchen have been closed temporarily due to rules of the program pod in which I live (Mental Health). I tell you the truth; they can and will kick you out of the program for buying a soda pop for someone. They are trying to do so to a brother as I write this copy. Oh to obey God or yield to the authority God has put over me. What a tight rope we walk. However, I will not lie: I can not refuse basic needs as it would be a greater sin to let a fellow human go without a Bible or hygiene than to yield to that authority. We will continue to walk side by side with any man whom god brings to my door step; healing them with the Word of God. Since moving to this pod, I have been scouting out a small group of believers to start a weekly Bible study based on the “The Walk of Repentance”. As for the family of Phish Bowl in the free world, there will be no change. This ministry letter will continue as long as our Lord wishes this message to be told, even though I foresee a time when it will be written underground. Thank you all for your concern. Remember our Lord is on His throne and I’m His servant; His will is my life. For the faithful suppliers of Phish Bowl Coffee House, the soup kitchen and hygiene cabinet are well supplied. Thank you for your love gifts. Your faithfulness at a time like this shows your love for our Lord and that I do not alone. Instead, as Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 tells us:
Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up. Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; but how can one be warm alone? Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
Blessed is His name for He is my comforter and supplier; worthy of all worship!

Now back to Acts. I do hope that last month’s copy fed you with thoughts about your walk and your church. Does it look lie the Acts 2 church? If not, have you asked your pastor why? This is the example that the Holy Spirit set down! If you’re in an Acts 2 church, ask how you can get plugged into this fellowship and start living a full life for Jesus!

A walk about in Acts 3:1-4:37. (NKJV)

Many times when I start a study as I’m reading through the passage, I make mental notes of things I wish to stop on for a thought. Now for your sake the Holy Spirit only gives so much room each month for teaching. Also I am limited to a couple of commentaries: A Jewish roots of Acts book and my trusty sword, a NKJV study Bible which was given to me by my spiritual father, Pastor Kevin. I love to dive deep into the Word, looking at some of the things we glance over quickly. I so wish I had the internet to see what our fellow teachers have found to pass on to you. Let’s start off with just reading God’s Word without me getting in the way. Then I will just highlight some points.

Acts 3:1 Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. 2 And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms from those who entered the temple; 3 who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms. 4 And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, "Look at us." 5 So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. 6 Then Peter said, "Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk." 7 And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. 8 So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them--walking, leaping, and praising God. 9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God. 10 Then they knew that it was he who sat begging alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him. 11 Now as the lame man who was healed held on to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the porch which is called Solomon's, greatly amazed. 12 So when Peter saw it, he responded to the people: "Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? 13 "The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified His Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go. 14 "But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, 15 "and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses. 16 "And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all. 17 "Yet now, brethren, I know that you did it in ignorance, as did also your rulers. 18 "But those things which God foretold by the mouth of all His prophets, that the Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled. 19 "Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, 20 "and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, 21 "whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began. 22 "For Moses truly said to the fathers, 'The LORD your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear in all things, whatever He says to you. 23 'And it shall be that every soul who will not hear that Prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.' 24 "Yes, and all the prophets, from Samuel and those who follow, as many as have spoken, have also foretold these days. 25 "You are sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, 'And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.' 26 "To you first, God, having raised up His Servant Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your iniquities." 4:1 Now as they spoke to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees came upon them, 2 being greatly disturbed that they taught the people and preached in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. 3 And they laid hands on them, and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. 4 However, many of those who heard the word believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand. 5 And it came to pass, on the next day, that their rulers, elders, and scribes, 6 as well as Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the family of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem. 7 And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, "By what power or by what name have you done this?" 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers of the people and elders of Israel: 9 "If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well, 10 "let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. 11 "This is the 'stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.' 12 "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." 13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus. 14 And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it. 15 But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves, 16 saying, "What shall we do to these men? For, indeed, that a notable miracle has been done through them is evident to all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. 17 "But so that it spreads no further among the people, let us severely threaten them, that from now on they speak to no man in this name." 18 And they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered and said to them, "Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. 20 "For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard." 21 So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way of punishing them, because of the people, since they all glorified God for what had been done. 22 For the man was over forty years old on whom this miracle of healing had been performed. 23 And being let go, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. 24 So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: "Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them, 25 "who by the mouth of Your servant David have said: 'Why did the nations rage, And the people plot vain things? 26 The kings of the earth took their stand, And the rulers were gathered together Against the LORD and against His Christ.' 27 "For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together 28 "to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done. 29 "Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, 30 "by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus." 31 And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness. 32 Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. 33 And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all. 34 Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, 35 and laid them at the apostles' feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need. 36 And Joses, who was also named Barnabas by the apostles (which is translated Son of Encouragement), a Levite of the country of Cyprus, 37 having land, sold it, and brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet.

Here is how the Holy Spirit has put it on my heart to break this into bite size teachings. This month 3:1-11; June 3:12-26; July 4:1-31 and August 4:32-37. At this time line it looks as though we will be in Acts for all of my prison time!

Sometime after the day of Pentecost, perhaps as much as a couple of years later (Doctor Luke does not tell us), we pick up at Peter and John going to the temple. In my opinion, the reason that this is included is a three fold purpose. First, the Apostles are ordained by God with power to take this message to the world (See Acts 2:42 “The Apostles Doctrine”); second, just like Pentecost, this message of the Christ has the power to save (Acts 4:4) “However many of those who heard the Word believed, and the number of the men came to be about 5000”; third, is not as clear, but I still see it, Peter publicly denied Jesus three times in front of some of these men. Now we see him publicly proclaim his faith in this Jesus: first at Pentecost (Acts 2:14), second at Solomon’s porch (Acts 3:12) and thirdly when He answered the Sanhedrin (Acts 4:5). After this, we will see a very bold Peter in the work of the Lord as a preacher and spokesman of the early church. (Things to look up: a résumé of Peter, usually paired with John, healed others [Acts 3:1-10, 5:15]; raised Dorcus from the dead [Acts 9:36-42]; imprisoned frequently [Acts 4:3, 5:18, 12:3]; gave passionate sermons to religious authorities [Acts 2:14-39, 4:5-12, 5:29-32]; given a vision in which he was commanded to take the gospel to Cornelius---gentiles [Acts 10]; wrote 1st and 2nd Peter and, by church tradition, was crucified upside down for his faith and outspoken testimony of Jesus the Christ).

Acts 3:1 Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.
According to Josephus, the priests at the temple “twice each day offered daily animal sacrifice required by the Law of Moses” [see Numbers 28: 1-8] and also referred to in Judaism as the Talmud (A book of Jewish law, the collection of ancient Jewish writings that forms the basis of Jewish religious law, consisting of the early scriptural interpretations Mishnah (the primary body of Jewish civil and religious law, forming the first part of the Talmud) and the later commentaries on them). It seems clear that in these early stages of the Church, the Apostles and other believers (who were all Jewish) continue to observe the set times of worship in the Jerusalem temple.

Acts 3:2 And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms from those who entered the temple
It was not surprising to find poor and crippled people begging for a handout near the temple. It was a good spot; no self-righteous member of the Sanhedrin could be seen publicly ignoring the poor. Charity is one of the central principles of Biblical and Jewish practice. “For the LORD your God is the God of gods…He executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and shows His love for the alien by giving him food and clothing [Deut 14:29]. It was also written to divide your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him [Isaiah 58:5-8].

In the Tobit (a book of the Roman Catholic Bible and the Protestant Apocrypha that contains the story of Tobit) it is recorded: Give alms of thy substance; and when thou givest alms, let not thine eye be envious, neither turn thy face from any poor, and the face of God shall not be turned away from thee. If thou hast abundance, give alms accordingly. If thou have but a little, be not afraid to give according to that little, for thou layest up a good treasure for thyself (Tobit 4:7-11).

Here are some fun facts per Jewish tradition:
· A poor person is considered poor who has less than 20,000 barley grains; a man with more is not entitled to the “poor man’s tithe” or charity.
· Women take precedence over men in receiving alms.
· Poor relative are taken care of before strangers.
· A traveler in a foreign town who is out of funds is considered to be poor and may take aid.
· A man is still eligible for charity if he possesses household goods which he could sell but needs in order to maintain himself.
· But a man who refuses to use his own means to support himself or family is to be ignored.
· The principle consideration in giving alms is not to shame the recipient; the most valued form of charity is that which is conducted “in secret”.
· There was to be no shame attached to being poor. A man was considered to be a “good man” if he did everything he could do to avoid receiving charity. Rabbi Akiba charged his son Rabbi Joshua…”treat your Sabbath like a weekday rather than be dependent on man.”
Now I know some are saying enough with all this Jewish stuff, we are the church. Oh my beloved, you should have never asked since the New Testament has so much more to say about the poor!
· James 1:27 “undefiled religion before God…is this: to visit (take care of) orphans and widows in their trouble”.
· Romans 12:13 “distributing to the needs of the Saints, given to hospitality”.
· 1 Timothy 3: one of the requirements is “hospitable”.
· Revelation 2:8-11: The Smyrna church receives praise from Jesus because of their work even though they are poor.
· Galatians 2:10: going to see and talk to Peter, James and John (who blessed) Paul’s and Barnabas’ ministry to the Gentiles, only desired that they would remember the “poor” which they were eager to do.

Mt 25:31 "When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32 "All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. 33 "And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 "Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 'for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36 'I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.' 37 "Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38 'When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 39 'Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?' 40 "And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.' 41 "Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 'for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; 43 'I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.' 44 "Then they also will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?'

It must be said…I must say it, if only it doesn’t drop on deaf ears and blind eyes: Today the organized church has wealth. I suppose that if one could put together all of the holdings of all the churches, groups, denominations, and non-denominations across our country alone, we would find the church wealthier than any other organization around. Yet, we ask why the Church lacks power: Why we don’t see revival! It’s because the world does not see Christ’s love through His church. What they see is us fighting over words and tradition ready to cut down our brothers and sisters over things that don’t really matter. All that matters are the who, what and when of Jesus the Christ and Neighbor.

Mt 22:34 But when the Pharisees heard that He had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. 35 Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, 36 "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?" 37 Jesus said to him," 'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' 38 "This is the first and great commandment. 39 "And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' 40 "On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."

I want to make something very clear: In no way am I condoning compromise. “It is better to be divided by truth than to be united in error. It is better to be hated for telling the truth than to be loved for telling a lie”. ---Adrian Rogers
The Word tells us “truth in love” and this is what I’m calling for, not tolerance for sin. If Phish Bowl had a choice, it will always be willing to receive the world’s disapproval instead of our Lord’s disapproval! This Jesus who died on the cross for our sins is the same Jesus who gave us the Bible. God’s Holy Word does not condone sin! Jesus clearly said in John 14:15 “If you love me, then keep (obey) my commandments.” If we truly believe God, we must also believe and practice His Word, and not just the parts that appeal to our way of thinking.

Acts 3:6 Then Peter said, "Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk." “In the name of Jesus Christ” is not some kind of magic word that if we speak them over something, God must do it. So many times I hear a man tell me, “I pray in Jesus’ name but nothing happens”. Jesus is not a genie in a bottle! I know right now some are about to rip this teaching up, but please hold on for just one more passage: Mt 7:21 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 "Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' 23 "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!' If you are still with me, and I pray you are, the two things I want to look at are: 1. Three times this group tells Jesus; “Lord, Lord. We did this or that in your name”. 2. Jesus tells them He did not know them, but He gives us the key “He who does the will of My Father in heaven”. It is not the words at the end of the prayer; it’s your walk coming into the prayer.

At the end of Acts 3:6, Peter even tells us “in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk”.



At times in Scripture, I love hidden pictures for us to find:
v1: at the temple (doing God’s work)
v6: the man got up and walked (faith)
v7: took him by the hand (Holy Spirit & healing)
v8: entered the temple…praising God (Came into the family, worshiping God)
v9: All the people saw him walking (a life change)
v10: Then they knew (used his testimony to bring others to Jesus)

What else can be said? Worthy is our Lord of all praise. I know how much I love this time together with you and God’s Word. Each time it strengthens my walk behind the wall. Blessed be His name. I will pray to the Father to guide you as time will get darker in this world as the time grows near. I pray you are a lighthouse for the lost to come to. “Good Phishing”.

Updates:
I have a new cell and new cellie with good old friend and brother in Christ, Randy. Please keep in prayer this union of two brothers shining in the pod for the LORD!
No baseball this year for me. I will not set any goals for this summertime; just to enjoy the sun.
Work: Keep us in your prayers. The tanks are done now and we are hoping for a contract.
An old street friend has contacted me. I cannot give any details. Please pray as we walk through the door of restoration.

Phish Bowl Coffee House, P.O. Box 153, Loveland, CO 80539.
http://inthephishbowl.blogspot.com
A ministry of Calvary Chapel Loveland

Tim’s address as of April:

Timothy N. Tice
132753 (FCF) 6 lower G19
Canon City, CO 81215