Local prayer

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

Brothers and Sisters in Christ, specifically those who are in our immediate community of Monbulk and surrounding districts. This message is for you.

As you are aware our nation is in various stages of lockdown due to the COVID-19 event, and gatherings in public places and now in homes have been banned for the forseeable future.

As a household gathering of believers (you might call us a house church in modern speak) we have been meeting regularly for several years to share meals, pray together, do life together & love one another as our Saviour loves us: sacrificially. Some of our family fellowship at larger churches, for others this is their ekklesia home.

Throughout the history of Yahweh’s people, prayer has been the most significant power at our disposal in times of trouble. We are told over and over again in scripture that prayer is our strongest weapon.

The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

— James, brother of Yeshua (Jesus)

Invitation to prayer

Before lock down began we met regularly on the fourth day of the week (Wednesday) night for a communion meal, to pray together and to study the scriptures together. On the Sabbath (Saturday) we would gather in homes or parks for picnics & BBQs, gathering in Yeshua’s (Jesus’) name to sing, to pray, and to share what the Spirit has to tell us, as the Apostle Paul instructed:

How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification.

— Paul, an apostle of Christ

Now that the government has called for a lockdown that effectively banned our ekklesia (gathering) in person, we have no alternative but to continue online. I have registered a video streaming room which we are using for this purpose, and would like to invite anyone from our area who is a born again disciple of Yeshua our Messiah (aka: Jesus Christ) to join us in prayer and in reading the scriptures.

How to join us

The video stream will be open:

Mon: – 8PM onward for prayer and conversation.
Wed: – 7PM (kids/family chat time), 8PM Scripture reading / discussion. (Currently Ephesians)
Sat (Sabbath): – 7PM (kids/family chat time), 8PM onward for prayer and conversation.

If you would like the LINK to join us please contact me via Facebook, Phone or Email. (Obviously not sharing publically on the internet to avoid trolls, but if you contact us you are more than welcome to join us.)

What to expect?

Casual: we’re a friendly family

Firstly we are very laid back and casual, feel free to wear your PJs and bring your hot chocolate to the video call, others will be! On most days expect kids bouncing in and out (especially in the first hour) and parents doing their thing.

Yet serious: we are disciples of Christ

While we are casual about outward things we are serious about inward things. We consider the salvation of each soul the most serious matter on earth, and respect for our Lord, our Father and the Spirit vitally important.

“Listen and understand. A man is not defiled by what enters his mouth, but by what comes out of it.”

— Yeshua (Jesus)

We’re Spirit filled, bible-believing followers of the Lord

We believe the scriptures (as originally given) are infalliable truth, written by man, given by God. We understand that imperfect men have done their best to translate and preserve the scripture in our languages. We believe we are indwelled by the Spirit of Yahweh (our Father) Who will lead us in understanding the truth of scripture according to His promise.

I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray. As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him.

— John the Apostle of Christ

But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.

These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. For “who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

— Paul writing to the ekklesia of Corinth

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.

— Yeshua (Jesus)

Yet we are critical of the traditions of man in the body of Christ

We stand against many of the traditions of man, and the deceptions of the Adversary which have come into the teachings of ‘Christendom’ over the past 2,000 years.

If our lack of interest in various traditional festivals, titles, buildings & rituals is offensive to you then I pray you would ‘study like a Berean’ for yourself; both the Holy Scripture and church history and ask the Holy Spirit to show you anything you have believed that is not from the Father Himself.

Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.

— Paul writing to Timothy

Finally, this is a serious time for the world and a time for serious disciples to get serious about praying together & encouraging one another however we can. If you feel that you would like to come and pray with us in this time, get in touch and I will give you more details.

And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

— Paul, Hebrews

The Least Disciple