My dear brothers Blaine and PP,
beloved, I was and am VERY VERY serious about what I wrote in the 'headcovering' post regarding footwashing, as modeled by the Lord Jesus Christ.
and I bless God Blaine, that you picked up on that, as I was grieved to the CORE, to my heart, to see that there is a headcovering "movement". I have nothing against any dear sister that desires to cover her head, but I am utterly mystified why headcovering would be the focal point of any "movement", OVER what should be close to an "ordinance", that is the washing of the saints feet.
I was blessed JUST ONCE, to be able to introduce this, into a house meeting, and I am here to tell you, human words cannot express what went on in that meeting, during the washing of feet.
my brother and his family were headed off into the 10/40 to "tent make" mission.....and 5 days before the Lord's Day, we were praying together, and just being together, and the Holy Spirit, put it in my heart, and I asked him, if I could do that during our house meeting....IF God the Holy Spirit led me..DURING the meeting, as I didn't want it to happen in the flesh....as if we had to "cook" it all up....God HAD to be in it...otherwise forget it!
If God isn't in it....AWAY with it!....so he said, "yes!! of course, Praise Him" (oh this is a precious brother of mine).....(I've told this story before) I first called the "pastor" of this house Church, to tell him, what my brother and I had discussed...in total. but he didn't let me get to the part of being given Release by the Holy Spirit DURING the meeting, he told me he was going to "do a teaching" about footwashing.
this news GRIEVED both my brother and I, because even though we loved this pastor, and he is a dear man of God, loves Jesus, loves the saints...in many ways, it was because of his actions, we meeting in this house.
the "board" of the physical church building had the devil get up in them, and they threw this pastor OUT of the physical church building. the saints that went with him, just wanted to worship the Lord in truth and peace. the pastor though, after many meetings of this body of followers, decided to take the "board" to "secular" court...to sue them.
most of us were opposed to this. This wasn't even my "home" church, which was 30 miles. I was with this Work, because of their Thursday evening intercessory prayer meeting, which was ALSO in the house church...you see, both the "physical building" and the house church were a mile from where I lived, which was a very "new age-y" exurban rural canyon outside Los Angeles....and the Church I was mentored and reared up in, was 30 miles away.
the pastor who sued this "church board" and headed up this new house church was NOT my mentor. He was a dear brother, and he was open to the Thursday intercessory prayer meetings that my soon to departing brother and I had formed in the Lord's Leading....and NOW he wanted to "do a teaching" on foot washing, before we actually washed feet.
He didn't even wait for me to reason with him, that I wasn't EVEN sure the Spirit would give me leave. Of course, I bought the 'implements', which was a large black plastic paint tray, two large plastic pitchers for the warm water, 4 jars of liquid soap, lavender, and a dozen new cotton towels.
long story short, a 100 ton boulder fell onto the only road headed into the canyon, preventing the pastor from giving this "teaching", my brother and I asked Jesus to Pastor the meeting, which swept onto Victory, many heart testimonies, prayers, Scripture readings, Songs of Praise delievered from memory...people weeping, people praising God...Jesus pastored this meeting, there was no disorder....then the Spirit spoke unto my heart, I turned to my brother, and asked him if I could wash his feet, he nodded, and we began...there were 25 of us.....and it was Heavenly...there were no words spoken, It was the Holy Spirit Who told us that men wash men's feet and women wash women's feet...It was the Holy Spirit who told us who to wash next...it was the Holy Spirit who engendered much weeping at this act of humility and Grace.
I cant fully describe it all in human words, except to say God was in it.
as far as this "law suit" was concerned?.....it was a disaster. The "church board", fleshlings all....just LOVED IT.....gave them something to do...it destroyed the pastor's ministry...all of the pagans, and new agers and satan worshippers in this canyon, they also loved it....in short, it was a terrible witness....and to this day, that "church building" still stands as a mute witness to the dark heart of man. God have mercy on that "board"....my brother just returned stateside, Praise God, andi talked with the pastor recently...he faithfully attends a Bible believeing Church, and loves Jesus...he just stumbled, I love him, I always will, but when a Work appears to be going on the rocks of error?...I leave.
that's why that thread about "head covering" grieves me so, as its APPEARS to tied to a new Work...and if I am Led by the Spirit, that something isn't RIGHT IN Christ Jesus...I walk away....I RUN away, because I am not unaware of the schemes of the devil to TRY and divide the Body.
Would to God, we do away with clerical abuse, we do away with man centered liturgy, stale and moldy.....why NOT make foot washing a Spirit Led ordinance?.....instead of tearing at one another over what somebody wears on their head.
God bless you Blaine and PP...isn't Jesus Wonderful?...He's so Lovely and Beautiful...God willing, I would wash both your feet....anyday, as I pray right now, that He bless both your hearts, richly, neil |