FOCUS!!!

These are interesting and heady prophecy laden days.  There is no question, we are living in one of the most interesting, if not THE most interesting time in history.  More prophecies are written of the latter days than even of the time of Messiah’s first coming.  And, by all outward appearances, we are living in the very days that those prophecies speak to.

I have heard many, many warnings concerning the near future, some dire.  I know and am aware of many who have been clearly directed to relocate…  some out of the country.  Still others, have been directed to specific preparations, etc…  And, through all of these reports and connections I hear voiced concerns and on occasion, fear.

At the same time I have pondered some of these things, I have also been very much pondering and discussing both home fellowships and community on this blog.  So, I wanted to share a little of what Pete Rambo is thinking in these days and what I am doing…  Or, what is my ‘focus?’

Summer has been very busy in multiple ways with my job being an extra large distraction from the blog the last two weeks, however, my primary mission has remained unchanged and has remained on the front burner.  That mission, my major focus, is planting, supporting and networking home fellowships.

We have talked on this blog a few times in recent weeks about home fellowships:

• Church as we know it is over…
• Steps Toward Unity (and community)
• When division = growth…

In truth, as I see it, right now the body of Messiah needs to be more focused than ever before on establishing, training and growing home fellowships.  More than discussing prophecy, more than talking current events or even minor theology, we need to be discussing and implementing home fellowships.  The only thing more important than that discussion is midrashing Torah and connecting with our Messiah.

Investing our time reading, researching and discussing all the bad news and possible dangerous scenarios we can muster leads to fear and the average person’s response to fear is paralysis.  When we are paralyzed, we do nothing.  I bet the Adversary just loves that.

“Quell it General.  We must give them the bayonet!!”

If indeed we are in the times that many think we are in, then the correct response is NOT to shrink back, hide or preserve oneself.  NOW is the time to ‘give them the bayonet!’

One of my greatest heroes is General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson.  In the First Battle of Bull Run, when Confederate lines were collapsing, General Jackson led from the front by placing himself in a most visible and dangerous position. His courage to sit astride his mount in a hail of fire led him to receive the nickname, “Stonewall” and instill the courage in his men that fortified them to turn the tide of the battle.  He forgot not his mission, nor thought of self preservation.

We must be focused on the mission and that is to win the day for the Kingdom.  Doing so requires that we be united and that we stand!  We must not run and hide from the dangers that many report.  The day may come when our Father hides us, but this is not that day!  Right now we are called to act boldly, even audaciously for the Kingdom.

Personally, I am seeing success and growth in the Kingdom of Messiah all around me.  People are so open and hungry for the truth!!  Everywhere I turn I encounter people who are dissatisfied with the church and know something is wrong, but may or may not have started to figure it out.  Multiple conversations in recent weeks have led to new families in various home fellowships.  We have recently seen one fellowship of multiple families gel in a two week time span with a mixture of new and seasoned families.

Right now is the time to focus!!

Share the truth of Torah!  Encourage people in Messiah.  Plant, grow and network home fellowships.  Break down walls of separation and division within the Messianic and work toward the Kingdom! Your daily questions should be, “what can I do today that will benefit the Kingdom?”

In the military, a soldier often has ‘standing orders.’  Those are orders that remain in place no matter what happens.  We have standing orders to,

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Yes, we need to wisely heed what the Spirit may be telling us to prepare us, but that does not interfere with or overshadow the Master’s final standing order.  We are to be going, baptizing and teaching to observe (shema:do!!) the commandments, even to the end of the age.

Two notes on the last sentence:

• The Delitzsch Hebrew Gospels understand ‘observe’ to be connected to ‘Shema’ or ‘hear and do.’
• His commandments are what HE gave on Mt. Sinai and expounded upon throughout His ministry that always affirmed and upheld the Torah!

Shalom!