I have a few questions. 


What does having Eyes to See, Ears to Hear and Hearts to Understand Mean? What Does Blindness Look Like?  What does Deafness Sound Like! Is is Possible that "When You Don't Know - You Don't Know"? What's on your Menu for Communion? What's on His? Is It Possible to Get these Confused?


The following are a few of the real life comments I've encountered from loving, reliable Christian people. In some cases they actually understood and participated at some point in Communion and CommunionFire with us. I suppose that's the only true starting point of any real dialog. 


Our daily journey here leaves us pretty much alone. There are probably a dozen people, after almost 30 months who are practicing Communion on a regular basis in their homes as influenced by our message, mission and ministry. Low numbers to be sure. My initial thinking was that this might be a message that would set Jesus followers of all backgrounds, nations and denominations on fire with revival that would bring Jesus back! That as not happened, at least not yet!


Are we any less 'afire' ourselves? The brightness and intensity of our personal revival only intensifies day by day. I suppose finding 5 minutes to having the Bread of Life and a sip from the RIver of Life is a bit overwhelming. I am not being sarcastic either. The war waged by the spirit of distraction is almost too big to see. Psalm 23 tells us that we dine in the presence of our enemies. One of the chief spirits working overtime to delay any possibility of the return of Jesus is 'distraction'. This devil has many associates. 


It could be a simple 'imp spirit' that causes you to spill your coffee or break a dish in the morning. This could easily use up the 5 minutes for Jesus that you planned or you will be (oops another one) the UWillBLateForWork spirit. That one is a thug. He starts beating you with his club the moment you wake up. Schedule, Family, Work, Sickness, Light bulbs, Trash, Tiredness... they are all part of the same "Club of Distraction". 


then we get into the Demons of Religion club. "You can't do this." "Who do you think you are?" "This can only be done in a church building!" (And you know he's got you there because you can't even find 5 minutes at home much less time to get to church, go through the service and 'still make it to work on time'. Beyond function this Club puts the veritable 'Wagon before the Horse". How so Communion Pastor?


"You have your interpretation of what communion means and I have mine." Or "You're adding to what communion is all about or You're missing a lot of the rules my church has about communion." Some pastors of christian churches have actually told us:


"We only have communion one time per year and its done in conjunction with Passover."
(Is it just my opinion? I believe Jesus instituted the First Communion as instruction to the eleven about how it would replace the Old Covenant Meal of Passover as the New Covenant Meal. So that would be like those silly Galatians who were being seduced into becoming Jews before they could become Christians.


"We have communion every week and its done as a memorial of Jesus' death."
True, communion does show the Lord's death until He returns but the Gospel is that He conquered sin, hell and death. He arose from the dead and showed Himself to many (500+) and ascended into heaven and took His seat on the right hand of the Father as King of kings and Lord of lords. He took a lot of time as The Word made flesh to prepare them to recognize His image and His voice in Communion after sending the Holy Spirit. Isn't there more to Communion than Jesus died for me? Its not a graveside memorial service that is supposed to make us feel badly about ourselves.


"We have communion every month and its a special time for us."


a) When we do we share the bread with each other because we are the bread.
I don't think any where Jesus said, "You are the bread of life". He never said, "Eat one another". He said very very clearly, "I am the bread of life" and "(when He took the bread He said) "This is MY BODY broken for you! Do this in remembrance of ME". We do not 'replace Jesus as the Word made flesh, become bread made flesh for us" and never will. Yes, the blood of martyrs is the seed of the Church, but that is a gift of grace bestowed on those who are given that gift.


b) When we do it is 'in another room' or 'behind a curtain' and you take it whenever you want to; when it is convenient. 
For me this kind of puts a little different spin on "Give us this day our daily bread" unless you still think Jesus is talking about 'groceries'. A serious study of the Greek here reveals amazing clarity as to what Jesus is speaking of here. It IS Communion Bread - His Body - His Temple - His House. When we eat his Flesh than He takes up residence inside us! Our 'brick and mortar becomes His brick and mortar'! Inside His dwelling now inside of us He is running more flat screens with His 'memories' than an resort has ever imagined. When we are "Communionists" 


c) But it is only for those who, for example: 1) are in right standing with the Lord (and His policemen whoever they might be), 2) who are members (in various degrees or levels of commitment), 3) who have been (born again, baptized, forgiven, forgiven others, agree with our church constitution, and are totally up to snuff as far as all the sacraments go (whatever they might be as prescribed by each denomination - and there are well over 3,000 of them.).


I shared with one brother who has an international ministry of evangelism and he said, "I don't need this". He was speaking not of communion (I don't think) but of CommunionFire.


I think the third Demon Club is probably the most disturbing though. These are the "Devils of Ambiguity" or the "D.O.A. Club" (Dead on Arrival). 

People - Christian people, as a rule, mean well but may align themselves with observations that become accusation and sometimes with a voice of persecution, Though unintended (perhaps) or for lack of faith (perhaps) observations about Communion and CommunionFire reveal more than controversy, it reveals wrong believing and making choices about things very close to God's Purpose that are wrong. The definition of heresy is "making wrong choices in faith". Our recent Series on "The Need for the Creed" and the CommunionFire notes on that subject was a first step to understanding 'what we believe' as determined by more than "sola scriptura" (The Bible is all I need). We say here that Jesus is not the Bible. It is His Word but He is THE Word. You may know the Bible but do you know Him? You may pray to Him but does He know you? You may go to church but is He feeding you? You may know about him but do you know Him? You may see Him in other but do you see Him? He wants an eternal relationship with you starting right now.   

Jesus is the Bible made flesh. He left his heavenly position in the Godhead as "The Word" (The Logos) to become Jesus, our Lord and Savior. The Word became Flesh. Jesus still is flesh. He will always be flesh. He will never be what He was. He will always have two natures - fully God and fully flesh. It is being in Communion with Jesus and being inspired by others who share about their encounters and experiences in Communion with Jesus that the Church survived the first 500 years (without the New Testament book - Word become paper and ink) and through dark ages, persecutions various ages of martyrdom and a gazillion different denominations who all think they have a corner on "right-believing". 

Studying, learning and memorizing the Bible (Old and New Testaments) certainly has merit, but only Communion with Jesus from the day we open the door of our heart to Him is the reason God designed and put the plan of salvation together. Going to Bible School or Seminary will not secure salvation for you. Jesus did that and He wants us to spend time with Him so He created Communion. It is there we encounter Him in all His glory and it is there we feed on eternal life. 

On a fairly consistent basis we hear the following or variations of the following. 

There are three areas that create "Resistance to Communion at the Lord's Table to feast on His presence by receiving His Flesh and Blood". Resistance is a form of distraction. Its one thing to get to the Communion Table. Its quite another another to experience CommunionFire. These are some of the ways we have encountered resistance to the Holy Spirit from Body, Soul and Spirit.

Things we have actually heard from others who did not understand CommunionFire:

Body (Flesh, Bones, Organs): When We Are Not Hungry & Thirsty

Our Eyes Aren't Opened by the Holy Spirit
We experience our relationship with the Lord 2nd hand, 3rd hand vicariously through others
Actually said: "I don't see anything"
Isaiah 60-61: How great is that darkness

Looking with Natural Eyes to See in the Spirit
We encounter God through nature, others and religion not the eyes and ears of faith
Actually said: "I got nothing from this" or "I don't need this"
You don't have because you don't ask - Ask that your joy may be full

When Focused on Self 
Self-absorbed faith that is self-serving that rewards me with happiness, healthiness, wealthiness
Actually said: "I give up" "I don't have time for this" "That's for other but not for me, I'm good"
Press toward the mark (The glory of God, the presence of Jesus - His Table) for the prize (2 Cor. 3:18 Transformation through Communion with Jesus) for the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. (Where your treasure is there will be your heart also)

Soul (Mind, Will Emotions): When We Combine Law with Grace

We Judge Others Instead of Self
The First Shall Be Last vs. The Last Shall Be First
Actually said: "Why Are You So Poor" 
(I became poor that others may be made rich. I know both how to abound and how to be abased - all things for the sake of the Gospel) "The law of the Spirit of life has set me free from the law of sin and death. Its no longer I that lives but Christ who lives in me. The law was given by Moses but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ."

Call Evil Good and Good Evil
Jealousy & Rejection vs. Assurance & Acceptance
Actually said: "You are committing spiritual adultery when you don't include me in your communion."
(Communion with Jesus is not Communion with others. We experience Communion with Him and by Him with the Holy Spirit and the Father. Loving Jesus is not adultery and intimacy with Jesus is not adultery. Song of Solomon and John 17) Communion with others can only occur when we have had Communion and when we are in Communion with Jesus. We cannot have communion with each other, we can only have communion with Jesus and then communion with one another through our communion with Jesus) At no point is that adultery, spiritually or other wise.

What We Think God Thinks Is Important 
Jesus A Means To Reach The Goal vs. Jesus Is The Goal
Actually said: "Its not all about Communion and CommunionFire" 
The life that I now live I live by the faith of the Son of God who died and gave Himself for me. Jesus is the Word become flesh. He said if we don't eat His flesh and drink His blood we have no life inside us. Jesus never suggested that this was figurative. He said my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. He also said "Do this" to remember Him. Then He said His reason for sending the Holy Spirit was to help us remember Him. Why do we need to remember Him. Because, otherwise we would forget Him... sometimes for hours, days, weeks, months, years and even a lifetime. Jesus whole purpose for coming was to restore us to eternal fellowship with Him. So Yes - it is all about Communion and CommunionFire, has been and always will be.  

Spirit: When We Don't Discern The Lord's Table

Heresy: What We Choose To Believe
Truth In Communion vs. False Communion
Actually said: "Those experiencing CommunionFire are possessed" (as if by demons)
We are "possessed" by the Holy Spirit, "Be baptized in the Holy Ghost, Be filled with the Spirit, Led by the Spirit, praying always in the Spirit (tongues)." As many as are led (by virtue of being the possession of the Holy Spirit) they are the sons and daughters of God. Don't call what is holy, unclean  or what is unclean holy - don't even suggest it. (This is another reason for the Series "Need for the Creed") 

Without Faith Its Impossible
Going Through The Motions vs. Encountering His Presence 
Actually said: "Communion is just a ritual" "I have Communion my way and you have Communion your way. Its just a matter of words. We are saying the same thing" "You don't really believe its the body and Blood do you?"
Do You Believe? Faith is the evidence of things unseen and the weight of things hoped for. Jesus did not say everybody have communion whatever way you want and I'll try and be there whether it is by your design or mine. Jesus told us how. If it becomes a ritual than you may not be sitting down with expectant faith. (If you have no faith its okay. Remember Jesus said, "I live by the faith of the Son of God who died and gave Himself for me." Jesus said, "This Is My Body Broken for You. This is My Blood Shed for You." He also said, "My Flesh is Real Food and My Blood is Real Drink" "If you don't eat and drink you have no life, If you do you have life, eternal life and i will raise you up in the last day."

Worship In Theory & Concept 
Communion We Create Vs. Communion the Creator Provides
Actually said: "Eating the Body also means "consuming the flock" (as if 'eating the flock is the same as eating the bread of Christ's Flesh.) What was intended here was that 1) God is love 2) If we love each other then we find Jesus in each other and isn't that what Communion is?
Response to Jesus' invitation to "Do this" Jesus told Peter, "Feed my sheep" not eat my sheep. We cannot find Communion with Jesus by clasping hands with, embracing or being together even in worship. True Communion (John 17) is being embraced by Jesus and from His embrace sharing with others what that is like. We can only share what we know He has shared with us. When we do - we are sharing our encounter with Jesus with each other. That is how we encourage each other. Remember, Jesus is building His Church - not us.

Acts 10:40-42
…"God raised Him up on the third day and granted that He become visible, not to all the people, but to witnesses who were chosen beforehand by God, that is, to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead."And He ordered us to preach to the people, and solemnly to testify that this is the One who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead.…

Luke 24:43
and he took it and ate it in their presence.

Luke 24:48
You are witnesses of these things.

John 14:19
Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live.

John 14:22
Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, "But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?"

John 15:27
And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning.

Acts 1:2
until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen.

Acts 1:4
On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.

Acts 10:39
"We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a cross,

Acts 10:39 And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land …

Acts 1:2,3,22 Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the …

Acts 13:31 And he was seen many days of them which came up with him from Galilee …

John 14:17,22 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because …

John 20:1-21:25 The first day of the week comes Mary Magdalene early, when it was …

John 15:16 You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, …

Luke 24:30,41-43 And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, …

John 21:13 Jesus then comes, and takes bread, and gives them, and fish likewise.

Jesus did not become the Old Testament Manna. He said those who ate it, died in the wilderness. It sustained physical life but not the spirit. Jesus became the living bread for us. God put on flesh. He is still flesh, even at the right hand of the Father! Jesus was the scriptures become human. By 'tabernacling' in a physical body in our humanity, He became one with us. He did it so that when the dreadful day of our salvation required him to bear all of our sins and sorrows, it would ultimately kill His body. His Body was tortured, crucified and speared. 

He did this so that the world from then on would know that God loves us that much. 

He was willing to carry and bury all our sin, shame, sickness and sorrow so that one kiss from Him would destroy all that our body commanded us to do in rebellion to Him and all that would separate us from eternal life with Him. Because Jesus was spotless (and free of all sin, shame and sickness) His sacrifice was acceptable to satisfy all the demands of the Mosaic Law. Sin and death were conquered forever so that we might begin a personal and intimate relationship with Jesus. Then He provided His Holy Spirit to lead us into His presence and to bring to mind all that Jesus does and says, even today! Jesus is no dead He is alive! More than alive - He radiates life, is full of grace and truth and wants more than anything to have deepening communion with you. So He also provided His Table where He meets with us. He provides Himself as the meal. The Bread of his Body and the Wine of His Blood open our eyes to recognize Him and to ear His Voice. We feed on what we see and what we hear and feel. When we sit down with Him and dine with Him He feeds us with His presence and in His presence we are transformed by His glory from one degree of glory to another.

St. Ephraim of Syria 306-373 AD wrote at length throughout His life about this. Here he is, through one of his teaching songs, addressing Jesus:

"See Fire and Spirit were in the womb of her who bore you,
see, Fire and Spirit were in the river in which you were baptized.
Fire and Spirit are in our baptismal font;
In the Bread and Cup are Fire and Holy Spirit."

Tanios Bon Mansour quoted Ephraim, "The Sacrament of the Eucharist is not reduced to a simple system of reference, but is the medium of a presence, which is first of all that of the Body of Christ", as Ephraim conceives of it. For him the bread and the wine become the Body and Blood of Christ by the action of the Holy Spirit, just as it was by the Spirit that Christ was in the womb of Mary, and in the water of baptism. 
                                                                                           "The Eucharist as Living Medicine" by Sidney H. Griffith

As we witness how the Holy Spirit is connecting the dots between Communion and CommunionFire, we are becoming overwhelmed with the measure of His grace and revelation. He shows us from the life of Jesus and the Apostles, through the Scriptures, to the early Church Fathers, Creeds of the Faith and our own personal experiences here in South Carolina. We believe the manifestation of the Miracle of CommunionFire is a powerful sign that gives us our heart "settings of hope" for the imminent Return of Jesus Christ. So consider this following encountered last week (as journaled).

Jeremiah 16:9 sure does sound like the rapture! We both agreed (Later this was confirmed to us from Cross References and Commentaries) but mostly it was because this came directly to us at the Lord's Table. He prepared a meal for me and one for Camille. We each had our own feast in His presence but as happens many times, the message was coordinated. This knits our hearts to Him and also to each other. 

Then Camille's encounter took shape. The bread 'was bad'. I had been using the same piece of bread for a week - one bit at a time. It was a physical reaction - not spiritual but it was because the Holy Spirit was driving home a point. In Israel when the manna was prepared in heaven and sent down like the dew every morning it had to be eaten that day. By the next day the manna was not edible. The day is coming soon when there will be no more Communion bread. Those left behind will for the most part be in denial of the fact that they are starving for the Body of Christ. Once Jesus takes away The Body, is His Body is taken away?

Then Camille's instant thirst for the wine of His Blood was a powerful reminder that the Blood of Jesus washes away every memory and experience from even the taste of "bad bread" from the world and our pre-Christian life. We also felt it was an indication of how much the Lord can't wait to return so that He can drink with us again. He has been fasting from heaven's vintage for almost 2,000 years! Jesus is so excited that we are going to be with Him when He appears (like firecrackers shooting skyward)! When the sound of mirth and gladness is gone and the voice of the groom and the bride is gone the world will be bewildered. It will be a sad place. Meanwhile - we will never again eat the bread of sorrows. We will only eat the Bread of Life and share the Cup of Heaven's Vintage wine! It will be a cause for the greatest celebration in the history of creation!

Even So, Come Lord Jesus! Amen! Come Lord Jesus! At His Table and in His presence our love and relationship with Jesus grows deeper every day! At His Table your heart will cry out... Amen! Come Lord Jesus!


When we come to the Lord's Table and sit down in His presence He says we wold also be sitting down in the presence of our enemies. As the Lord returns His people to His Table, the enemy will become clear as well. These are martyrs, men who share the Victory of Christ who lay down their lives willingly.

#gotcommunion #feelthefire #comelordjesus #alleluia #amen

Ephraim composed the following teaching song about The Lord Jesus at The Last Supper: 

He broke the bread with His own hands
in token sacrifice of His own Body
He mixed the Cup with His own hands,
In token of the sacrifice of His blood
He offered up Himself in sacrifice,
The priest of our atonement
~ St. Ephraim of Syria 306-373 AD

Edmund Beck says, the Last Supper and its Table is the first church and the first alter and thus the representative of all churches and alters. 

The following are some of those "Types & Symbols" Ephraim speaks about as revealed by the Holy Spirit in the eating the Flesh of Jesus and the drinking of His Blood in Communion this week in various CommunionFire gatherings. 

On sharing the light of Christ's glory from the CommunionFire: "We are first hand witnesses of the presence of Jesus Christ, what we share with you is what He shared with us." #gotjesus? #gotcommunion? #feelthefire #blessed #amen 


Each Post has a Description of the Encounter and in the other Column some pictures to help you visualize what the Lord shared with each person. Each one is a Burning Coal from the Bread and Fire of the Spirit from the Cup. I personally journalled each one over a 3 day period. We are sharing the Bread of life as Jesus gave it to each of us with you. Enjoy!

The Invasion of the Holy Spirit is real. He comes to reveal or show what Jesus has prepared for us every time we come to His Table. Want to see Jesus? Want to hear Jesus? Want to encounter His glory? You can! This CommunionFire is RevivalFire that comes to us when we simply have Communion at Jesus' Table! He comes to speak the words that Jesus gives Him to tell us.

For God, who said, "Let there be light in the darkness," has made this light "photismos" shine in our hearts so we could know the glory (doxa: manifestation) of God that is seen in the face (prosopon - literally the eyes) of Jesus Christ."  2 Corinthians 4:6

What Ephraim reflects is exactly what those involved in CommunionFire are experiencing. It is an individual encounter. It is intimate, personal and involves something that Jesus has prepared for that experience. 

Consecrating the bread through thanksgiving and prayer the Miracle happens. The "Medicine" of His Body, the Flesh of Jesus feeds us inside when we encounter His presence. The Holy Spirit opens our eyes to recognize Jesus (as in a glass or mirror). He "appears" to share something with each individual. His garb may change, the setting may change but whatever He shares, it invades us with His life! It is quick but lasts forever. When we feed on Jesus Body we feed on His presence. When we do it is the Living bread that never dies or spoils. It stays fresh and multiplies day by day.

In drinking wine from the Cup of the New Covenant it becomes the Blood of Jesus that invades our body and bloodstream, our mind and spirit with the fire of the Holy Spirit. It is the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead. It is the blood that speaks. the voice of the  Lord is heard on the breath, in the breeze, by the impulse and heartbeat of the Holy Spirit. When He speaks it is quick, clear and floods our being with the life of Jesus.

This is a new kind of revival. This revival is what all other revivals have at the epicenter. It is reviving by the Spirit who brings us face to face with Jesus in His glroy that transforms us from glory to glory.

The following describes how St. Ephraim tried to describe it. For him it was best explained through poetry and song. This is very reflective of the nature of the encounter with the Holy Spirit who Jesus sent to reveal Him in all things..

A Little Bit of Western Christian Orientation to Eastern Christian Culture

For those who are not used to the 'illuminated artwork' of iconography it has been an art form that does in pictures what the Scriptures do in the written Word. The subject matter is always to bring glory to Jesus Christ especially to those throughout the centuries who could not read. Like picture books for children, iconography is displayed while someone tells the story of the subject of the artwork. It was meant to put a face or image to the sharing of the Testimony of Jesus Christ. Some regard it as the visual 'interpretation of tongues' or 'prophetic' expressions through those with the gift or charism. Art is a language just like words, music or plays. 

Like images in life and nature that vary in degrees of glory to become parables from the obvious to the sublime, Iconography is massive in scope. The culture of iconography is somewhat distant to Western Christians but very common to those of Eastern Christian influence.

At the time of Constantine because the Roman Empire was so huge it was divided into two capitals which eventually manifested in Christian culture (artistic expression). The Eastern Capital was Byzantium, later Constantinople and today, Istanbul. Rome was the capital city of the Western Christian culture. Eventually the earth saw the manifestation of the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church. Each have history and culture. Believers in the West have a somewhat distant 'awareness' of Eastern Catholicism and its culture has been far removed especially to Non-Roman Catholic believers. Up until the 1600's it was the Catholic churches that carried the weight of evangelism, discipleship, worship and developments in the global, universal Christian community of faith. 

Orthodoxy & Orthopraxis
"Believe Right and You Can Live Right"  
What is Right Believing? Why Is This Important?

The Supreme Target: The Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. This is the new and living way He gave the Church to encounter His presence first hand. The Table and the elements are simple. The faith we need He gives to us. 

There is only one thing stopping God's people from sitting down with Jesus each day: everything else! 

We have been living the dream of faith each day for over two years. In the presence of the Lord at His Table is a first hand experience every time. He is always there and His Spirit is always active. It is where our adopted hearts yearn for Jesus! His love is so captivating and His life so real! You would have to say through Communion, His CommunionFire is as tangible as the bread and wine itself. 

The Table of the Lord lets us know we are in the presence of our enemies, but the Presence of the Lord is more powerful. Who or what is the enemy? They are those things and influences to keep you from Jesus and lead you away from His Table. How do we deal with them? Why are they so intent on keeping us from Communion? The warfare being waged against Communion, even getting to The Table is stronger today than at any time in history. But history, starting with the Early Church, gives us a powerful confession of faith that the Lord uses to help us combat these foes. Because of Communion, the presence of the enemies and the virtue of the Gospel we have a "Need for The Creed" today as never before in Church history.

The Centrality of The Table of The Lord (Revives, re-activates, enlivens our witness to daily faith). It is
where, "True worshipers worship in Spirit and in truth." Worship means to "lean in and kiss" (worship) the presence (by the Holy Spirit) of Jesus Christ, "Our Way, Our Truth and our Life". In His presence is our life, the promise of eternal life and the hope of the resurrection. If the Table of the Lord is where we encounter and experience our personal, intimate relationship with Jesus then that is what is in the cross hairs of the enemy of our soul! Until we come into His presence we may not even know there is an enemy or who or what the enemy is? We do know that it is in Jesus presence that the enemy's influence is destroyed. It is where Jesus rises again and the enemies scatter! He enlivens us again and again every day when we feast on His presence. We need Him to revive us every day so that we don't forget him in the deluge of daily activities that compete for our 7 minutes at His Table! When you come to The Lord at His Table you will encounter all kinds of things along the way - even if it is 12 steps from your kitchen to dining room table!

Why The Table of the Lord is in the presence of our enemies until Jesus returns:

1) By coming to His Table each day to the meal He has prepared for us is to encounter the transforming power of His eternal love enabled by the Communion meal ("Do this in remembrance of Me") The meal begins our empowerment to re-activate a Spirit-filled, (Spirit-led, Spirit-fed) Christian life. Here "The Miracle" happens: A table becomes His Table, the bread of blessing becomes the Flesh of Jesus Christ, the Cup of the Covenant wine becomes the Blood of Jesus Christ. We eat and drink what He has prepared and provided by His death.

2) By feeding upon the presence of The Lord (CommunionFire) He shares His love and life inside and outside our body. (Christ in you by the Divine Meal and Put on Jesus Christ as being clothed upon by the 'garment' of His righteousness.) It is where we are equipped each day to walk with Him throughout the day. We carry His Body and His Blood inside us. We are clothed in His presence by His glory. We carry ongoing revival within us and we walk in His light as He is in the light. As Christ is, so are we in this world. Why? Because we feast on His love and life through Communion at His Table.  

3) Jesus brings us into His Testimony or His Salvation Story by creating personal memories with us triggered by the fresh manna each day. "Lord, give us this day our daily bread!" This is the bread of life, the body and flesh of Jesus. It is real and it has power to transform us each time we eat and drink. He is the author of our faith. It is His story He is writing on our hearts. We become part of His story. We can't make Him a part of our story - for it is no longer us who lives but Jesus who lives in us! 

Remembering is His provision so that we 'do not to forget and possibly forsake Him'. He said to do this, not for His sake alone but for our sake. He knows the enemy of distraction and gives us a solid invitation to "Remember Him in the breaking of the bread and drinking of the wine. The rest is up to Him! He makes our Table His. He turns the bread into His Body. He turns the wine into His Blood.

We become 1st hand Witnesses of His Presence by virtue of the transforming influence of His love and life generated in His presence at His Table. The power of His grace to transform us in His glory makes us true Witnesses to His Testimony. As the transformation grows from glory to glory we experience increasing grace. His Testimony becomes our testimony. "The testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of prophecy." Prophecy is the revelation of Jesus to each one of us by the power of the Holy Spirit as His glory breaks into our darkness and enlivens us to live in Him. "Our lives are hid with Christ in God." "Its no longer I that lives, but Christ in me." "The life that I now live, I live by the faith of the Son of God who died and gave Himself for me." 

For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. None is righteous, no not one. Our righteousness is as filthy rags. So by virtue of being led to His Table, by His invitation we feed on Him who makes all things new. Its not by my might or by my power but by the power of the Spirit, says the Lord!

We are being transformed from glory to glory, one degree of glory to another by ever enfolding grace, like relentlessly pounding waves. We experience ever-increasing joy from strength to strength. Being at The Lord's Table is what makes us healthy and strong as we are empowered by the 'DNA of Jesus' as His Body is kneaded by the Holy Spirit into our Body and we have ongoing "transfusions" of His blood into our bloodstream giving us His life to live for Him. He is in us and we are in Him. If that same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead dwells in you, He will quicken your mortal body! Jesus died, rose and revived to be Lord of the dead and of the living. We are revived every time we come into His presence.    

The Creeds give us a point of reference from other saints who have gone on before us from The Lord's Table to contend with these forces of distraction. The words were very prayerfully crafted in the context of Jesus' presence and subjected to a considerable universe of brothers and sisters in Christ who shared Christ's Table and personal relationship with Him. They have stood the test of their day and throughout Christian history as anchors to keep us in the Kingdom of God no matter how tough the conditions might get.  They give Jesus followers the ability to read, believe and live a universal statement that is concise. What is a Christian? Why are we different from others who believe differently or don't believe at all? Remember the Early Church did not have what we call the New Testament to read and study for almost 400 years. They had the Old Testament, The Law of Moses but there was a need to give new believers a point of reference for how to share the faith and how to recognize when something was not "in the river of life" of orthodoxy. It began with The Apostles Creed and Nicene Creed and included many others which will be posted in CommunionFire Blog Notes.

So as you read the following think as if you were a new believer like those in the first days of the Jesus followers. Without the benefit of the New Testament until around 400 A.D. this is how new believers and seasoned veterans understood what opening the door to Jesus to come in and sup with you and you with Him meant? They were surrounded by other believers and they shared the Body and Blood of the Lord from house to house. The Creed is what resonated by the power of the Holy Spirit and gave them a confession of faith that allowed them to fight the spiritual and physical enemies surrounding their tables. 

The Apostle's Creed 
(Catechistic) Used initially/primarily to teach those who are preparing for believer's baptism in the early church. It is the basic Creed that you find in many church declarations of faith and liturgies today.

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, God's only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. On the third day He rose again; He ascended into heaven, He is seated at the right hand of the Father, and He will come again to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic* church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

Some Background

The Symbolum Apostolorum was developed between the second and ninth centuries. It is the most popular creed used in worship by Western Christians. Its central doctrines are those of the Trinity and God the Creator. It has been called the Creed of Creeds.Legend has it that the Apostles wrote this creed on the tenth day after Christ's ascension into heaven. That is not the case, though the name stuck. However, each of the doctrines found in the creed can be traced to statements current in the apostolic period. The earliest written version of the creed is perhaps the Interrogatory Creed of Hippolytus (ca. A.D. 215). The current form is first found in the writings of Caesarius of Arles (d 542).The creed was apparently used as a summary of Christian doctrine for baptismal candidates in the churches of Rome. Hence it is also known as The Roman Symbol. As in Hippolytus' version it was given in question and answer format with the baptismal candidates answering in the affirmative that they believed each statement.

Resources
"When The Church Was Young - Voices of the Early Fathers" by Marcellino D'Ambrosio
 https://www.crossroadsinitiative.com/resource_info/645.html

CommunionFire Blog Notes On This Subject
http://www.communionfire.com/communionfire-blog-notes/need-for-the-creed-notes-from-scripture-church-councils

The Nicene Creed
(Apology/Polemic) Created to deal with Heresies (Non-Orthodox Choices) - Contending for the True Gospel of Grace in the face of confusion brought about by religious leaders who taught non-orthodox or counterfeit christianities, resulting in 'erroneous churches', 'cults' and the 'occult'.

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten not made, of one being with the Father; through Him all things were made. For us and for our salvation He came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became truly human.

For our sake He was crucified under Pontius Pilate; He suffered death and was buried. On the third day He rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and His kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. We believe in one holy catholic* and apostolic church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come.

Some background

It is called Nicene /ˈnaɪsiːn/ because, in its original form (not the form used today), it was adopted in the city of Nicaea (present day Iznik in Turkey) by the first ecumenical council, which met there in the year 325.[1] The Nicene Creed has been normative for the Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Church of the East, the Oriental Orthodox churches, the Anglican Communion, and Protestant denominations.

The Apostles' Creed (in its present form later than either form of the Nicene Creed, but in its original form earlier than them) is also broadly accepted in the West, but is not used in the Eastern liturgy. In the Byzantine Rite the Nicene Creed is always sung or recited at the Divine Liturgy[5] immediately preceding the Anaphora (Eucharistic Prayer) and is also recited daily at compline,[6] as well as at sundry other services.

At times of conflict about doctrine: acceptance or rejection of a creed served to distinguish believers and deniers of a particular doctrine or set of doctrines. The Nicene Creed was adopted in the face of the Arian controversy. Arius, a Libyan presbyter in Alexandria, had declared that althoughthe Son was divine, he was a created being and therefore not co-essential with the Father, and "there was when he was not,"[12] This made Jesus less than the Father, which posed soteriological challenges for the nascent doctrine of the Trinity.[13] Arius's teaching provoked a serious crisis. The Nicene Creed of 325 explicitly affirms the co-essential divinity of the Son, applying to him the term "consubstantial". The 381 version speaks of the Holy Spirit as worshipped and glorified with the Father and the Son. The Athanasian Creed (not used in Eastern Christianity) describes in much greater detail the relationship between Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Apostles' Creed makes no explicit statements about the divinity of the Son and the Holy Spirit, but, in the view of many who use it, the doctrine is implicit in it.

https://www.crossroadsinitiative.com/search.html?words=nicene+creed&x=20&y=10

CommunionFire Blog Notes On This Subject
http://www.communionfire.com/communionfire-blog-notes/need-for-the-creed-notes-from-scripture-church-councils

As we behold the Lord at His Table in His glory, full of grace and truth His fire purifies what is from Him while purging what is not from Him. Its amazing and the transformation happens almost without us realizing it. His presence at The Table opens our eyes to recognize Him and what is not from Him.  

As the Good Shepherd leads us to His Table. It is set by Him for us "in the presence of our enemies".

Certainly our enemies are His enemies - but so often we don't recognize them unless He reveals them to us personally. The supreme Blessing and Miracle of encountering Jesus and being involved with the direct action of the Holy Spirit in CommunionFire also helps us to encounter what is opposed to His Presence, His Grace and the Holy Spirit. 

What is the tie between The Creed and The Table?

The Table is Central to having Communion. Christian Worship should be "Communion-Centric". Its all about Jesus and He comes to us when He blesses the bread and the wine and we partake of His Body and Blood! #reclaimingcommunion! When you experience CommunionFire, encountering the presence of the Lord, you could face opposition. (See what happened in John 6) When you do it is because you encounter opposition to The Creed. Something is added on or something is missing. This is discernible in the face of Jesus. You learn to know His voice as recently someone 'had a word' for Camille. She said I did not hear the Lord's voice nor did I recognize the presence of the Lord in what was being said. The person meant well but it was them speaking and not the Lord. Camille knew this because she knows the voice of the Lord in Communion. 

In CommunionFire Camille and I occasionally encounter what we call "severe distractions" to spending even a few moments with the Lord at His Table each day. Distractions to just getting to the table can come in small kinds of ways from spilled coffee to phones ringing. However, as CommunionFire has also become our way of life, we also encounter severe distractions in the form of (sincere) but ill-founded accusations which can be mental or come from spiritual or people. (These are not based in Jesus' love but accusing spirits, spirits of doubt and spirits that challenge us from the ,moment we wake up and even sometimes in dreams. Sometimes opposition can come from persons who are haters of God, non-christian (outside "The Creed"), or who are judgmental from faith-based error like those who "mix in the Law" As Paul says, "O silly Galatians! Who has bewitched you away from grace."). 

Its judgement from others that stems from a wrong perception of Grace at the Table and the operation of the Holy Spirit. We have found that there are three basic categories - none of which are foreign to the Church going all the way back to the "ancient days of the first Apostles". We have personally encountered all three in our first two years of being at His Table daily. Yes the names may change but the opposition is the same. If anything, there is more opposition to The Creed at The Lord's Table than at any time in Church history. There are many enemies but here are three.


From Jude 1:11 - "The Way of Cain", "The Error of Baalam", "The Rebellion of Korah" These people are blemishes at your love feasts, eating with you without the slightest qualm—shepherds who feed only themselves. They are clouds without rain, blown along by the wind; autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted—twice dead. They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shame; wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever."

The First: The Judaizers Confusion from Mixing Law & Grace "O foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you?" The way of Cain is how man creates his own 'way to God'. Though the lamb was provided for Cain 'crouching at his doorway' he decided he would offer God fruits from his own labor. The Lord deemed his brothers sacrifice to be better. When we think our labor is what God is interested in it leads to death. The law demands obedience but God's love provides goodness and mercy. They don't mix. Death to self leads to life by accepting God's provision.
https://www.crossroadsinitiative.com/search.html?words=judaizing 

The Second: The Gnostics Various "Knowlege/Enlightenment-based" Cultic schools/systems 
Rather than providing refreshment of bread and water Baalam cursed the people God had blessed. Those outside the realm of God's grace will seek to corrupt what God has done by the finished work of Jesus. Control, manipulation, oppression, seduction are enemies that try to corrupt our hearts to lead us to "strange water". The occult, cults and christian error are like scorpions that mesmerize and hypnotize only to strike and inject poisons that infect God's goodness and mercy with toxins. Error creates distrust and breaks down communication and Communion with the Lord. The body and blood of Jesus is the cleansing flood that restores our faith and innocence of faith in His righteousness.
https://www.crossroadsinitiative.com/search.html?words=gnostic 

The Third: Arians Heretical influences by those within church-structure, but outside "the Creed"
https://www.crossroadsinitiative.com/search.html?words=arian The strange fire and strange behavior of those who challenged the authority of God were those involved in the Tabernacle of meeting. They challenged the very authority of the One they served. They simply "opposed" those chosen by the Lord to serve His people. Their arrogance manifested in rebellion. When the line was drawn, the earth swallowed up 250 well known community leaders, their families and possessions. Arrogance, insolence and pride are manifested when our authority stems from our own concepts of faith and the faithful. We come by personal invitation empty handed, hungry and thirsty to the Table of the Lord. He alone is holy. His grace is sufficient and His holiness has been given to us. He exchanged His life to give us life and we exchange our life to receive His life. God's Kingdom is under the total and absolute rule of our Servant King, Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. By Him we are invited to share His gift of eternal life and are adopted into His family to share the relationship and life He has purchased for us by His own blood. 
http://www.crossroadsinitiative.com/search.html?words=arianism&x=14&y=4
http://www.crossroadsinitiative.com/library_author/8/St._Athanasius.html

The Need for The Creed is about the many statements of faith (creeds) determined by Church Counsels throughout the past 2,000 years. All are meant to create the "Christian Norm" or what is called Orthodoxy and Orthopraxis. Orthodoxy means 'right believing' which means there can be 'wrong believing'. If you believe 'rightly' then you will (Orthopraxy) live or practice faith 'rightly'. (Praxis means the practice of Orthodoxy.) Another description says that Orthodoxy is  like a river's banks. The banks determine where the river will flow. If something of faith is outside the river then it is not part of Orthodoxy and thereby should not influence Orthopraxis.

What does that mean to you? It means there is a certain humility in faith that gives the Lord permission to lead us into all truth (and He is the truth and His presence defines His true eternal reality). It also allows us to identify through His eyes what forces there are that might distract, cause us to forget and ultimately forsake His Table. The first thing Jesus invites us to do is to sit at His Table to Eat His Body "to remember" and Drink His Blood "to remember". No matter the opposition however small or great, plan to get to the Table of the Lord. There you encounter the eternal loving presence of your Savior and true lover of your soul who feeds you with His life, peace and joy. Your relationship with Jesus is the anchor of your soul and is the center of your faith. 

The Athanasian Creed

One of the symbols of the Faith approved by the Church and given a place in her liturgy, is a short, clear exposition of the doctrines of the Trinity and the Incarnation, with a passing reference to several other dogmas. Unlike most of the other creeds, or symbols, it deals almost exclusively with these two fundamental truths, which it states and restates in terse and varied forms so as to bring out unmistakably the trinity of the Persons of God, and the twofold nature in the one Divine Person of Jesus Christ. At various points the author calls attention to the penalty incurred by those who refuse to accept any of the articles therein set down. The following is the Marquess of Bute's English translation of the text of the Creed:

Whosoever will be saved, before all things it is necessary that he hold the Catholic Faith. Which Faith except everyone do keep whole and undefiled, without doubt he shall perish everlastingly. And the Catholic Faith is this, that we worship one God in Trinity and Trinity in Unity. Neither confounding the Persons, nor dividing the Substance. For there is one Person of the Father, another of the Son, and another of the Holy Ghost. But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Ghost is all One, the Glory Equal, the Majesty Co-Eternal. Such as the Father is, such is the Son, and such is the Holy Ghost. The Father Uncreate, the Son Uncreate, and the Holy Ghost Uncreate. The Father Incomprehensible, the Son Incomprehensible, and the Holy Ghost Incomprehensible. The Father Eternal, the Son Eternal, and the Holy Ghost Eternal and yet they are not Three Eternals but One Eternal. As also there are not Three Uncreated, nor Three Incomprehensibles, but One Uncreated, and One Incomprehensible. So likewise the Father is Almighty, the Son Almighty, and the Holy Ghost Almighty. And yet they are not Three Almighties but One Almighty.So the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Ghost is God. And yet they are not Three Gods, but One God. So likewise the Father is Lord, the Son Lord, and the Holy Ghost Lord. And yet not Three Lords but One Lord. For, like as we are compelled by the Christian verity to acknowledge every Personby Himself to be God and Lord, so are we forbidden by the Catholic Religion to say, there be ThreeGods or Three Lords. The Father is made of none, neither created, nor begotten. The Son is of the Father alone; not made, nor created, but begotten. The Holy Ghost is of the Father, and of the Sonneither made, nor created, nor begotten, but proceeding.

So there is One Father, not Three Fathers; one Son, not Three Sons; One Holy Ghost, not Three Holy Ghosts. And in this Trinity none is a fore or after Other, None is greater or less than Another, but the whole Three Persons are Co-eternal together, and Co-equal. So that in all things, as is aforesaid, the Unity in Trinity, and the Trinity in Unity, is to be worshiped. He therefore that will be saved, must thus think of the Trinity.

Furthermore, it is necessary to everlasting Salvation, that he also believe rightly the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ. For the right Faith is, that we believe and confess, that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is God and Man.

God, of the substance of the Father, begotten before the worlds; and Man, of the substance of His mother, born into the world. Perfect God and Perfect Man, of a reasonable Soul and human Flesh subsisting. Equal to the Father as touching His Godhead, and inferior to the Father as touching His Manhood. Who, although He be God and Man, yet He is not two, but One Christ. One, not by conversion of the Godhead into Flesh, but by taking of the Manhood into God. One altogether, not by confusion of substance, but by Unity of Person. For as the reasonable soul and flesh is one Man, so God and Man is one Christ. Who suffered for our salvation, descended into Hell, rose again the third day from the dead. He ascended into Heaven, He sitteth on the right hand of the Father, God Almighty, from whence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. At whose coming all men shall rise again with their bodies, and shall give account for their own works. And they that have done good shall go into life everlasting, and they that have done evil into everlasting fire. This is the Catholic Faith, which except a man believe faithfully and firmly, he cannot be saved.

CommunionFire Blog Notes On This Subject
http://www.communionfire.com/communionfire-blog-notes/need-for-the-creed-notes-from-scripture-church-councils