SPIRITUAL ENERGY QUICKENED BY DISCIPLINE
[p. 289] SPIRITUAL ENERGY QUICKENED BY DISCIPLINE
Acts 11:19 - 30; Acts 13:1 - 3
JT What we see from these passages is that as the people of God move in the light vouchsafed to them, God is with them, as it says here, “the hand of the Lord was with them”, Acts 11:21. It is a principle running throughout, that the work of God in His people shows itself, if unhindered, in movement in relation to the light vouchsafed. Although there may not be specific commandment as to what to do, there is understanding as to the light that governs the position; for instance, in the beginning of Matthew 12. There the Lord moved through the cornfields and His disciples plucked the ears of corn, as if they understood the new order of things that was coming in, which should be marked by liberty — liberty that avails itself of what is presented on the part of God without any specific commandment, but a laying hold, by divine intelligence and instinct, of the general principle governing the position. It is seen in the early part of this book of the Acts in the activities of the disciples after the Lord ascended. Being in the upper room without any word, as far as the Scriptures go, they gave themselves to prayer, and Peter stood up in the midst of them and used what was available — that is, the Scriptures — as the basis of action, and they appointed by lot an apostle. Then the Holy Spirit came down as they were all together, and so here, those scattered understood the general principle of the dispensation, and without any specific word they moved and were confirmed in what they were doing by the Lord. “The hand of the Lord was with them”. Then we see how the result of the move was an assembly [p. 290] formed, that in which the Holy Spirit was free; so that not only was the hand of the Lord with them, but the result was an assembly in the place in which the Holy Spirit was free to speak.
AJM Do you take this incident to be the founding of the assembly at Antioch?
JT Yes, I do. It obviously leads up to it, showing what the dispensation is. It is not a dispensation of precept. Of course there are precepts, but there are general principles to be laid hold of and understood; As sons of God and as children of wisdom we move on these principles, and that is pleasing to God. He confirms us in them and gives us results in them. But alongside of this we have another thing, that is, what was in Jerusalem was being retarded and dimmed, so that chapter 12 is inserted between these two passages as calling attention to what was there. Having had an earlier and more official start, Jerusalem was like a stream becoming sluggish. Much often has to be introduced in the history of the people of God. On the one hand you may get a direct movement, the saints moving in the light that governs the position by intelligence, intelligence which the work of God implies, and they are confirmed and supported and there are results for God; and on the other hand, you may have collateral conditions which are becoming sluggish, although still owned of God, and God comes in there in the way of discipline, allowing persecution to quicken the pace. But chapter 12, whilst bringing that out, brings out also divine intervention of a more distant nature; it is God acting angelically. It is not quite the same thing as we get at Antioch, for there it is the Spirit, a divine Person acting; at Jerusalem for the moment it was angelic.
AJM Do you think persecution comes in where sluggishness has come in?
JT Well, I think so; in the faithfulness of God [p. 291] He would stir us up. We may look for that if we become slothful, but God indicates His attitude in the distance at which He keeps. There is angelic action in chapter 12, whereas at Antioch the Holy Spirit is not only there acting, but He is free to use the vessel that was there — the assembly. The Holy Spirit speaks there: “Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them”. It is a happier state of things, much more in keeping with the mind of God, although His patience continues with those who move slower. We do not want to be in the slow-moving current; God is patient with us in it; but these are like two currents, one sluggish and the other rapid.
AJM Is that why “the Lord” has so prominent a place in the verses read?
JT I was thinking that — of the place given to Him. At the outset of any work of God, it is obvious that the Lord must have His place, so Barnabas recognising that, enjoins them to cleave to the Lord, and we read that those who believed were added to the Lord.
JM In what way, as a principle, is that affected by having the New Testament scriptures now?
JT The Scriptures are intended to confirm the work of God, that is, christianity lies in the Spirit, it lies in persons. It existed before the New Testament scriptures, as we know, that is to say, the river was flowing; the Scriptures came in to regulate the current. They confirm you in what you are doing, and guide you in your instincts and service; they are the guard, but the movement, the spring of every movement of God must lie in the Spirit.
HFN What is in your mind when you refer to the thought of the light that governs the position? What is the peculiar light that governs the work of God at the moment of which we have read?
JT Well the Lord had made it plain that it was [p. 292] the commission of the twelve, as recorded by the evangelists, Matthew, Mark and Luke, that the testimony should go out to all nations, and it had not been going out. These scattered saints, whilst they say nothing as to it, yet they are acting in the light of that. They do not have direct commission to do this; it was given to the twelve, but they act according to the general principle.
HFN That is very helpful, too, in regard of our position today.
JT What have you in your mind now?
HFN I thought of what you were referring to; it was not exactly connected with the twelve, but rather in an irregular kind of service.
JT Yes; there was no commission, yet at the same time it was in keeping with the light that governed the dispensation, and the Lord owned it. It is as if the Lord says, ‘It is your work, but I am helping you’ — a very sure way of confirming and encouraging you in what you are doing.
ECR These men who went to Antioch preached the glad tidings of the “Lord Jesus”. Would that involve the question of the anointing?
JT “Lord Jesus” is usually a term of affectionate respect; it is used in the introduction of the Lord’s supper, “The Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed”. 1 Corinthians 11:23. It would show that there was affectionate regard for Christ. We have the gospel presented in different ways in this book, but this is a very touching one — they preached the glad tidings of the Lord Jesus. They emphasised the Lord, for many turned to Him; the Lord was made prominent; but I think we ought to note the difference between the two streams, so to speak — the one obviously sluggish and the other rapid. The Holy Spirit is in the latter; not that He was not at Jerusalem, for chapter 15 shows that He was; He was there and confirmed what the apostles decided, but [p. 293] here persecution springs up, and God allows it to go so far, for what He had in mind was that they should be stirred up. Herod killed James, the brother of John, with the sword, and proceeded to take Peter also; that is the action of the enemy; he was moving in a wholesale way, but God checked that. Peter was arrested and taken to prison, but the prison doors were opened, an angel having intervened. When Peter arrived at the house of Mary, they were gathered together for prayer. It is, of course, right to be gathered together for prayer, but then we may not be praying in faith, and that is a sure indication of a sluggish state of things, and that was the case at Jerusalem; outward form and order was maintained, and yet when the answer comes, they were unbelieving in regard to it. The unbelief here is general; the only exception is a little girl.
AJM I suppose if there were more faith with our prayers there would be more direct answer.
JT Yes, it would be so; the current would be more rapid. There would be much more movement, and that is the thing which God is going on with. Very often it happens that we have external order in the form of meetings, and so far, so good; God is with us. But then, how is He with us? Is He there at a distance, so to speak, or is He there Spiritwise? Angelic intervention implies distance. The book of Revelation is on that principle — the principle of angelic visitation. He “signified it, sending by his angel, to his bondman John”. Revelation 1:1. God owns us and will own us under these circumstances, but we do not want that only, we want more than that, we want the Holy Spirit, so that He can speak to us and use us.
Ques Does true faith in prayer, and confidence in the Lord enter into whether we get what we ask for or not?
JT I believe so; confidence in the Lord is of great importance. You see what happens in chapter 12:12, “And having become clearly conscious in himself, he [that is, Peter] came to the house of Mary, the mother of John, who was surnamed Mark, where were many gathered together and praying. And when he had knocked at the door of the entry, a maid came to listen, by name Rhoda; and having recognised the voice of Peter, through joy did not open the entry, but running in, reported that Peter was standing before the entry. And they said to her, Thou art mad”. Acts 12:12 - 15. That is the state of things; the witness is said to be mad; that is persecution really, it is persecution to call a person mad when they are telling the truth, witnessing to the wonderful thing that God had done. Then it says, when “she maintained that it was so”, they said, “It is his angel” Acts 12:15. That was the line they were on — accepting the sense of distance. “But”, it goes on to say, “Peter continued knocking”, Acts 12:16 that is, what God has done is insisted on, but inside there was this callous state of things. God may be speaking to us, and we do not mean to oppose, but we do oppose; we speak hardly about those who are telling the truth, but the knocking is insistent. “Peter continued knocking”, it says, “and having opened, they saw him and were astonished”. Acts 12:16. Very good that they open; that is to their credit that they were ready to open, but at first they were persecuting the girl — the witness.
ECR The witness is so valuable that the Spirit gives us her name.
JT No doubt she would become known later; she is a fine model for young sisters, showing how in a time like this they may be useful for the Lord. She recognises Peter’s voice, and the voice involves the person himself.
AJM Whatever outward order there may be, it is the personal link with the Lord that tells.
JT Yes, that is what tells; she recognises Peter’s voice. A brother comes and gives a word; he may [p. 295] be discredited, but there is something there. We recognise the Lord’s voice; we should be listening for that.
HEN How would you view the way Barnabas introduces Paul? He introduces him in the scripture you read.
JT You see an unjealous spirit in Barnabas; he represents the golden links of the tabernacle. He was “a good man and full of the Holy Spirit” — a vessel prepared of God to link on what was at Antioch with what was at Jerusalem. He really belonged to Jerusalem, but he was in advance of what was there. He came down to see the work which was the result of the preaching of the Lord Jesus, indeed he was sent by the assembly at Jerusalem, but he seems to be beyond them, in that he saw that God was working; and he saw the kind of man that would fit this service. The passage at the end of chapter 12 — “The word of God grew” Acts 12:24 — is to show the gracious intervention of God in permitting persecution first, and then governmental intervention against the enemy, that is, Herod is destroyed. The word of the Lord grew. So that what was at Jerusalem was brought into accord with what God was doing at Antioch; the pace was quickened.
AJM Do you think Barnabas represents the old established element in the quicker moving stream?
JT That is just what he does; he represented Jerusalem, but he was equal to what was going on outside. That is a fine feature, showing how: God provides against contingencies, and a man like Barnabas seems to be the link between the two movements, and in the government of God the movement at Jerusalem was accelerated. It is a principle with God to co-ordinate His work.
EE-n Does all this indicate the importance of the prophetic word in this our day? In our locality we should be on the outlook for the prophetic word [p. 296] by whomsoever it may come. Through Rhoda the saints were aroused at Jerusalem, and then at Antioch you get certain prophets, and Barnabas, who was not one of the twelve; these cases confirm the principle.
JT You can never tell how God may come in with a word in a most unexpected way, and through most unexpected persons, so that we ought always to be on the alert, not settling down with some preconceived thought; the truth is unless we are moving there is something wrong.
HFN Are we not often far more prepared to recognise the Lord’s sovereignty in a universal way, than perhaps in the local setting in which God has put us? Are we not tested in regard of these living movements you are speaking of?
JT Indeed, you can easily tell if the saints with whom you are set are moving. Certain landmarks are passed and you are conscious of these. But if not, the question is, what is retarding, what is hindering?
FGS Would you say that Barnabas, being a spiritual man, was quick to recognise the work of God? Seeing the work of God, he rejoiced.
JT That is it; the work of God is the thing. It is a question of the work of God, in whomsoever and wheresoever.
ECR Is it not encouraging that Barnabas is prepared to go out of sight himself to further it?
JT Well, he had an excellent opportunity of pushing himself forward, if he had been set for that. He had certain advantages in being sent out by Jerusalem. He had the title “son of consolation”, Acts 4:36 and was sent out directly by the assembly, so that he had every advantage to push himself forward, as John the baptist had in John 1, but in both cases they refused. Here Barnabas discerned that the work required a man like Paul; and it was to his credit that he discovered what Paul was. He was a man that had his ear to the ground, and he had his eyes [p. 297] about him. If he saw a brother he would take account of him and wonder in what way he might be useful. We ought to be like that. As we were seeing last night, David, in 1 Chronicles 23, numbered the levites “man by man”. 1 Chronicles 23:3. That is how it is put; that is to say, every brother comes up for review. They are numbered “man by man”, so that every man has his value. Barnabas discerned the value of a man, and that in the case of a man who had a line of his own, room must be made for him.
HFN The moment Paul is brought in, there is that which is of an assembly character. Barnabas seems to have brought them as far as the thought of the kingdom and christian fellowship, but we read in regard of their stay at Antioch that they assembled together for a whole year; is that not an important feature of this education?
JT It is very important. The word is, “So it was with them that for a whole year they were gathered together in the assembly and taught a large crowd”, Acts 11:26. The assembly is already there. It is in the assembly that they are teaching, so that assembly formation would be in progress during the whole year, that is, the whole cycle would be gone through, and these two brothers would qualify together in their ministry in all the varied seasons of the year. Some of us do not have much opportunity to do these things, but they stayed there a whole year together, teaching in the assembly. No doubt the thought of the assembly would have been emphasised, by Paul anyway, so that the teaching would gradually bring the saints into the truth of it, into the idea of it.
HF Does this mark the passing over from what is individual to what is collective? I thought rather of chapter 11, the work of God and souls being saved; then in chapter 13 they are set together.
JT Well, chapter 13 shows you the tabernacle [p. 298] set up, but chapter 11 is the material being formed and put together. There are the two things. The ministry of these two men for a whole year in the assembly would bring the parts together. The word ‘assembly’ has its own meaning here, it is the idea of something for God among the gentiles. It is the setting up of the tabernacle in the antitype, and Barnabas is a golden link, so that when we come to chapter 13, the thing is set up, and what is so remarkable is that it is in function; they are ministering to the Lord. The thing is actually in function. As some of us have noticed in the end of Exodus, as the different parts were brought to Moses and set up, each one is in function. The ark has the testimony in it; the candlestick being mentioned, the lamps are lighted; the table being brought, the loaves are on it; the altar being mentioned, the sacrifices were offered, and the laver being there, Moses and Aaron and his sons are washing their hands and feet in it. It is typically a living thing; everything is functioning. As referred to the assembly it is that we are all in our places, but active, functioning in intelligence, and that is what you get at the beginning of chapter 13.
AJM Is that why the famine comes in between?
JT Well, I think the famine is “the north wind”. The north wind would bring out the reality of what was there — the reality of what God had formed at Antioch.
AJM In connection with what you were saying, I thought that the famine might be to put the saints in touch with one another.
JT Well, it did; the north wind served to bring out what was there at Antioch.
AJM Would that suggest God’s providential dealings?
JT Yes, exactly. Jerusalem is represented by Agabus. The prophetic word comes down from Jerusalem. God is carrying on His work; the north wind [p. 299] brings that out. He had set up a garden there, and the wind was to blow so that the spices should flow forth, that is to say, love. There were those well off brothers who had money; God knew they had it, and He would bring out for a testimony to Jerusalem the evidence of His work among the gentiles. So we read that those well-off determined to send to the brethren that dwelt in Judaea. They determined to do it, and they did what they determined to do; they sent it by Barnabas and Paul. All was in perfect order, so that the work was co-ordinated and the tabernacle thus set up.
HWE Is it a gradual development of divine thoughts, and conditions suitable to receive them?
JT Well, it is that. You see how things function as they are brought into evidence; that is the idea, they are not stagnant. You know your place and you function; that is what you get here. If God has blessed a man with money, he is to function as a giver, and the way to do that is that if he hears of need, he meets it.
HWE And with simplicity.
JT Just so.
FF-n In bringing in the thought of the tabernacle in chapter 13 have you in mind James’ quotation, where he speaks of the tabernacle of David which has fallen down? “I will return, and will rebuild the tabernacle of David which is fallen, and will rebuild its ruins, and will set it up, so that the residue of men may seek out the Lord”, Acts 15:16.
JT Yes; it is very significant that it is not the house Stephen had said, referring to Solomon, he “built him a house”, Acts 7:47. But what house was he building? God had said heaven was His throne and earth His footstool. The tabernacle represented that. It is a figure; a representation of things in the heavens. That is what christianity ought to be. The tabernacle is really a wider thought than the [p. 300] house; and what is in view in the Acts is to set that up. In chapter 15, however, it is the “tabernacle of David”. Acts 15:16. I suppose it alludes to what He had at Jerusalem. The tabernacle was more the thought of God’s love in action. God had been walking all the years from Horeb until David’s time in a tent and a tabernacle. It is love in service. That is what comes to light here.
HFN Is that what is conveyed in the Lord’s words in Luke, “I am in the midst of you as the one that serves”, Luke 22:27? Is that the tabernacle?
JT I think so; the first thing in John is, He tabernacled among us. “The Word became flesh and dwelt (tabernacled) among us”. John 1:14. That is seen in the gospels; it is the service of love.
HFN I should like some help as to how the prophetic word is brought in. The prophets came down from Jerusalem and their ministry has its effect; then you have prophets and teachers. Would you say how the prophetic word bears on this living movement of the Spirit?
JT Agabus would seem to be a link with Jerusalem. It says, “In these days prophets went down from Jerusalem to Antioch; and one from among them, by name Agabus, rose up and signified by the Spirit”. You see, the Holy Spirit was acting in him. He was in keeping with Barnabas; he signified a future event, that is, the mind of God as to the future, but it was to bring out what was there — to bring love into action. I fear that love in persons having money is usually a bit slow; if you have gift as we speak of it, well, you want to use it, that is, gift from an ascended Christ. “He gave some apostles, some prophets”, etc. Ephesians 4:11. There is more disposition to use that than to use the gift of money. It is a very insidious thing, and those who have it need always, or nearly always, to be stirred up, and that is what the ministry of Agabus did. It says, “They determined, according as any one of the disciples was well off, each of them to send to the brethren who dwelt in Judaea, to minister to them; which also they did”.
It was an individual thing — “each of them” joining in in response to the prophetic appeal. It is very fine that they determined to do it, and then that they did it. They did it as it should be done; they sent it to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.
ECR Would that underlie the Ephesian position, that is, each one recognising that the wall of partition was broken down between Jew and gentile?
JT Yes; that is working out here. It is very fine that if any one has a little in the way of material things, he can use it to this very end, because it was a question of meeting the needs of persons a long way off, where national feeling existed, to break down the barriers which national feeling usually sets up. Then there are prophets and teachers at Antioch as well, showing how the work of God was progressing.
AJM We should like a few words as to those three verses in chapter 13.
JT Conditions were there that were acceptable to God, and God honours them in that He speaks. The Spirit of God speaks directly to them. “Separate unto me”, He says. It is not an angelic utterance; it is directly by a divine Person. There is honour in that, and no sense of distance.
AJM Is there any sense in which that is true today, or do you think it was specific at that moment?
JT Well, of course, it is well to bear in mind that we are publicly under the ministry of the Revelation now; as far as I understand it, the public position of the assembly is the addresses in Revelation, and that indicates distance.
AJM And recognises failure having come in?
JT Yes; public failure having come in. There are modifying things, however. The Lord reserves the right to come in. Where His commandments [p. 302] are kept, and love thus shown to Him, He draws near Himself, not angelically, but Himself. “I will love him, and will manifest myself to him”. John 14:21. I think that is the ground we are on. Judas says, “How is it that thou wilt manifest thyself to us and not to the world?” John 14:22. That is love’s way. He says, “If anyone love me, he will keep my word”, John 14:23 and He and the Father will come and make Their abode with him; and we can reckon on that. Love is the most skilful thing in the whole universe; it knows how to do things without compromising God in regard of the public thing. In the public position He cannot show Himself as near; it is distance and judgment, but love’s way is to find out one who has His commandments and keeps them, and he will have all that they had at the beginning; the Lord will see to it.
AJM That side, as you say, is essentially individual.
JT That is the ground of it, but we have to be on our guard all the time lest we might assume that God is going to show Himself in any public way to a company of people. There is now an abnormal state of things, but love has found a way of meeting it, so that the saint in the last days can get all that they had at the beginning. The Lord comes in, but it is not like showing Himself to five hundred brethren at one time, or showing Himself to the twelve as the public body. He has given up the public body now, but He vouchsafes His presence to the individual who keeps His commandments. John 14 brings this out.
CB In that connection what about hearing “what the Spirit says to the churches”?
JT Well, that is the obligation, “He that has an ear”. It is assumed that God is working; that is never given up. The Holy Spirit remains here, and God must act and maintain His own honour; He cannot identify Himself with the public body, but His work goes on, and that means that some will have [p. 303] an ear. No one has an ear except God gives it to him. “He that has an ear” is the saving element; there are those who have an ear to hear. What the Lord says is for all, for instance, “To the angel of the assembly in Thyatira”, Revelation 2:18 that is the responsible body. But while the Lord’s word is for all, the question is, who will hear what the Spirit says? because He will speak according to what the Lord says and will enlarge on it. He might take up an unlikely vessel to do it — a person you would not listen to ordinarily, that is, He does not take up the official element. He takes up, as I have said, unlikely ones, and that may offend, unless we have an ear to hear, The question is whether the Holy Spirit is speaking through them.
HFN Even in this chapter the Spirit of God introduces unlikely kinds of persons, as for instance, the foster-brother of Herod, It indicates the Lord’s sovereignty.
JT Just so. You have Barnabas, and Simeon who was called Niger, and Lucius the Cyrenian, and Manaen, foster-brother of Herod, and Saul. Their names seem to indicate the sovereign action of God, Saul coming in at the last. The appeal to separate Barnabas and Saul was, I think, to honour what was there. It implies other things, of course, but it was to honour what was there and what God could use.
FWK Connecting the end of chapter 11 with the beginning of chapter 13, do you think that if those among us who have this world’s things — that is, all of us in our measure — are faithful in that, we can count on the Lord to entrust to us the true riches, that is, spiritual things?
JT Quite; that we get in Luke 16. If faithful in little we shall also be in much. The use of natural means in this way certainly compares with the spiritual.
FWK But then, vice versa, if we are not faithful [p. 304] in that, it will be a great hindrance to the work of God in our midst, will it not?
JT Quite, the assembly was there. “There were in Antioch, in the assembly which was there”. The force of it is that it was in that place. It is a word for all meetings as to what is there. The Lord had said when He rose, “Have ye anything here to eat?” Luke 24:41. Well, it might be said, There are some rich brothers here. That is what is said in chapter 11. There were those well off in the meeting, and they showed that they were actuated by love, and as swayed by the prophetic word, they use what they have in love, and that for persons they had never seen. To help a brother you know is one thing, but to help one whom you have never seen is another, especially where there is racial prejudice.
HWE Would it suggest that the work of God and the ministry of the Spirit go together, so that it produces, in that way, conditions that the work of God can be co-ordinated?
JT That is it; it is very interesting to see that those well off here were not behind the others. The prophetic word moves them, and they use what they have. Then in chapter 13 we have the spiritual thing, that is, “ministering to the Lord”.
FWK What is “ministering to the Lord”? Would you say a word as to it?
JT Well, it is, I believe, a general reference to levitical service under the priests. That was now among the gentiles — a wonderful thing — and it had come about in a remarkable way. It was in the assembly that was there. True enough Barnabas and Paul came from other parts, but they developed there. The Lord was having His portion, they were ministering to Him.
HFN Is it illustrated in Numbers, where you have the gifts of the princes, then the lighting of the lamps, and then the dedication of the levites to the [p. 305] service of the house of God? Is that the same principle as here?
JT I think so. You see the princes coming to light, first in Barnabas and Saul, then in persons well off, then in these ministering to the Lord. It is a question of persons of distinction, the assembly is accredited with them — persons standing out pre-eminently, whether in material or spiritual things.
FWK Do I understand that ministering to the Lord has in view, not so much the welfare of the saints, as the Lord getting His portion from us, and if there is this ministering to the Lord, the saints will get an abundant portion as the result of it?
JT I am sure that is right. Referring back to the “tabernacle of David” Acts 15:16 we were noticing last night that it would imply that the very best is brought out. Under Moses we have but little about music; we have singing, of course, but under David one of the great features is music, the service of song. Now that is what is in view here — that the very best in the war of feeling and affection is brought out by music. “The instruments which I made”, David says; 1 Chronicles 23:5. All that would enter into the “tabernacle of David”. Acts 15:16.
AB Is it a symbol of joy?
JT Well, music would be that. It brings out the best feelings. We were noting that there were thirty-eight thousand levites under David, of which twenty-four thousand presided over the work of the house of Jehovah, six thousand were officers and judges, four thousand musicians and four thousand doorkeepers; 1 Chronicles 23:5. The number of the doorkeepers was co-relative with the musicians, that is, they would keep out all natural sentiment in the service of God, for it is obnoxious to God. These things have to be kept out if God is to be ministered to. Music spiritually is that my best feelings are appealed to and brought out — feelings begotten by the sufferings and death of [p. 306] Christ, and by the glory that there is in the heavenly calling. All these are to be brought out as entering into the service of God.
ECR It does not say “they sent them away” but that “they let them go”. Is that the spiritual feeling?
JT I should say so; “they let them go” shows that they loved them. I suppose it was a sacrifice to let them go.
HF Say a word as to fasting.
JT It is the denial of the flesh, not exactly in a bad sense, but in what is legitimate. We know little about it; but we have to sacrifice even what is legitimate in order that the Spirit may have more room. Fasting makes room for the Spirit, and God gets more from us.
PB Is it not on that line that conditions are formed in which the Spirit can say, “Separate me now”?
JT I was thinking that; there was a vessel in Antioch that could be appealed to in this way, and that is what God is working for, that there should be a vessel available to Him in a collective way.