Bridging the Gap
by Ron Matsen
Koinonia House: Creating, developing, and distributing materials to stimulate, encourage, and facilitate serious study of the Bible as the inerrant Word of God.
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Bridging the Gap
Yo u don’t have to look very far to see the fabric of society being irreparably torn apart
Ron Matsen
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in the articles and materials presented in this News Journal are those of the authors and/or reference sources, and do not necessarily reflect the views held by Koinonia House. While we may not agree with all the details in each article, our intention is to stimulate discussion among the Koinonia Institute membership as well as our Personal UPDATE subscribers. We encourage you to use discernment:
Acts 17:11
“These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.”
FOUNDER
6 Seduced by Sorcery by Ron Matsen
You don’t have to look very far to see the fabric of society being irreparably torn apart. As these apparent bridgeless gaps appear, they represent the boundaries that define an ever-fragmented world. “Divide to conquer” seems to be the underlying current that is driving humanity to the brink of self-destruction. With all the advancements in technology and social examination, our basic understanding of the root issues that guide and drive us all has become lost in the haze of confusion and conflict...
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The Koinonia House mission is to create, develop and distribute materials to stimulate, encourage and facilitate serious study of the Bible as the inerrant Word of God.
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Koinonia Institute is dedicated to training and equipping the serious Christian for ministry in today’s world.
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RON MATSEN
ART/PUBLICATIONS
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KHOUSE. TV
The Rapture: Christianity's Most Preposterous Belief
There continue to be many questions concerning the "Rapture" of the Church and its apparent contrast with the "Second Coming" of Jesus Christ. Where does this strange view come from? Is the term "rapture" even in the Bible?
Clearly, the idea of the Rapture can be considered the most preposterous belief in Biblical Christianity. The situation regarding the doctrine of the Rapture is painfully similar to the famous quote by Michio Kaku, speaking of quantum physics:
I think it is safe to say that no one understands quantum mechanics... In fact, it is often stated that of all the theories proposed in this century, the silliest is quantum theory. Some say that the only thing that quantum theory has going for it… is that it is unquestionably correct.
This study contains 2 hours of verse by verse teachings. FREE TO WATCH on KHouse TV!
Ron Matsen President, Koinonia House
TEDITORIAL
DEAR FRIENDS
raditionally, November is a month of thanksgiving. The question is, what are you thankful for? Given all the conflicts that exist in the world today, it can be difficult to find anything worthy of praise, let alone thanksgiving. As the pressure from the darkness in the world surrounds us, we need to stay focused on the LIGHT that guides us.
Remember, Romans 12:2 encourages us, do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Although troubled waters mean rough seas, we don’t need to worry about sinking if Jesus Christ is in our boat.
In His Service,
Ron Matsen, co-laborer in Christ
BRIDGING THE GAP
You don’t have to look very far to see the fabric of society being irreparably torn apart. As these apparent bridgeless gaps appear, they represent the boundaries that define an ever-fragmented world. “Divide to conquer” seems to be the underlying current that is driving humanity to the brink of self-destruction. With all the advancements in technology and social examination, our basic understanding of the root issues that guide and drive us all has become lost in the haze of confusion and conflict.
The Roots of War?
At the heart of all conflict is a conflict rooted in the heart of the combatants. The Letter from James puts it this way:
Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? You lust
Ron Matsen President, Koinonia House
and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.
James 4:1-3
Solomon warned, “By pride comes nothing but strife, But with the welladvised is wisdom.” 1 Simply put, PRIDE allows simple cracks to become serious chasms. Rather than centering our human relationships around the love and forgiveness that comes from obeying God’s commandments, we listen to the contradictions in the world that are ultimately born of Satan.
The Dark Devices of Division
What we are all seeing today is the manipulation of the masses by inflammatory rhetoric that fuels the fears of the people. As the selfappointed elite maneuver behind the veil of “might is right,” they encourage division, which serves only the ones who love to stand above the rubble of ruined relationships.
During the era of medieval feudalism, the world was divided into small estates in which lived a ruling Lord and the subservient peasants. The ever-present sense of danger forced a reciprocal relationship between the Lord and the vassals, whereby the Lord would provide the land and the castle while the peasants provided the workforce and the soldiers. In the end, the peasant’s sweat and blood built and defended the estate to the sole benefit of the Lord. In like manner today, deception is the predominate tool used to control the frightened multitude.
Deception by Objectification
The term objectification means; “treating people like tools or toys, as if they had no feelings, opinions, or rights of their own.”2 The Graduate School of Stanford Business published an article3 dealing with the topic of
1 Proverbs 13:10
2 https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/objectification
3 https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/faculty-research/publications/power-objectification-social-targets
the “Power and the objectification of social targets.” The article states, “Objectification has been defined historically as a process of subjugation whereby people, like objects, are treated as means to an end. The authors hypothesized that objectification is a response to social power that involves approaching useful social targets regardless of the value of their other human qualities.”4 Throughout the sad history of mankind, objectification has been the means by which civilizations have justified war, slavery, and subjugation of the masses.
Objectification by Characterization
Objectification is a key tool in motivating combatants in a conflict to kill each other. Characterization of your enemy makes killing them easier when all you are doing is terminating an inanimate object of little or no value.
History has been marred with unforgettable genocide and war crimes. Among the most memorable acts of crime in the twentieth century were the Holocaust, which killed more than four million Jews in Europe, the crimes during the Kosovo war, and the killings in Rwanda — the list goes on and on.
This is simply accomplished by convincing the troops on your side that their enemy is a heartless and hostile force that must be neutralized at any cost. Pragmatically driven situational ethics becomes the guiding principle behind this key component in establishing their mindset into one that will allow the soldiers to block out any compassion for their enemy.
Name-calling is not just child’s play on the school playground. It has always been a mainstream military strategy. In the American war for
independence, the British called the rebel troops “Yankees”5 and the revolutionaries called the British troops “Limeys.”6 During the Second World War, the Allied soldiers called the Germans “Krauts” 7 and the Japanese, “Japs.”8
When Jesus was giving His disciples an insider briefing of the end-times scenario, He told them that the signs of the end would be “nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.” 9 The term translated “nations” is from the Greek word “ethnos” from which we get our English word ethnic as “relating to large groups of people classed according to common racial, national, tribal, religious, linguistic, or cultural origin or background.”10 The term translated “kingdom” is from the Greek word “basileia” meaning “royal power, kingship, dominion, or rule”11 , which, in summary, means Ideology. Therefore, the subdivision of the world in the end times will not necessarily be according to national borders but will be along the ethical and ideological division of all humanity.
Objectification by Villainization
Once the mindset of objectification by characterization has been established, it is an easy step toward the villainization of those you deem to be a threat to you. Therefore, these “things” are not only inanimate objects, but they present a clear and present danger that must be eliminated. Here, we see the power of propaganda that sets in motion the wheels of fear that drive hatred to its ultimate solution.
5 https://www.liveabout.com/yankee-doodle-traditional-1322526
6 https://www.etymonline.com/word/limey
7 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kraut
8 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jap
9 Matthew 24:7
10 https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ethnic
11 https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=G932&t=KJV
In the dystopian novel “Nineteen EightyFour,”12 we are shown that “Big Brother” (the ruling elite) uses hate to control the people of Oceania. “The Two Minutes of Hate is a daily ritual in which Party Members express their hatred for enemies of the Party. It is important to show how the Party compels orthodoxy and cohesiveness among its members.” 13 This all culminates in “Hate Week,” where the general public is whipped up into a mindless frenzy, which in turn enables the party elite to exercise their power over their fearful followers.
Sadly, I believe we are seeing this type of polarizing hate being used by opposing ideologues who are using this powerful weapon to motivate their followers to silence and even crush their adversaries. In this type of caustic and combative environment, discussion and dialogue are discouraged, compromise is considered weakness, and tolerance is treated as treason. Along the way, truth gets trampled in the stampede of the mindless masses.
Building Bridges without Compromise
There currently exists a kind of fear about creating bridges to those who hold competing beliefs. In fact, some would see any attempt at reaching out to the other side as yielding to the temptation of tolerance. I believe the greatest response to that concern is addressed by the actions of Jesus.
Now it happened, as Jesus sat at the table in the house, that behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Him
12 Written by George Orwell, Published in 1949
13 https://www.enotes.com/homework-help/what-is-the-two-minutes-hate-in-1984-and-what-is-124283
and His disciples. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to His disciples, “Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” When Jesus heard that, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. “But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”
Matthew 9:10-13
STEP 1: Remember your Primary Calling.
The trouble with differences is they can lead to conflict that ends in destruction of any bridge-building attempt. As Christians, we are told to carry out the Great Commission. Jesus said to His disciples, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” 14 Our life’s object should be to make every effort to shine the Light of Jesus into every dark corner.
STEP 2: Face your adversary with the countenance of communion.
In the above passage from the Gospel of Matthew we see Jesus setting aside the prejudicial traditions of the pious elite so that He might reach out to the religiously marginalized. Jesus was making Himself vulnerable. He did not stoop to their level but sought a method of communication to lift them up into communion with Himself. He brought LIGHT into a room full of darkness.
STEP 3: Reflect Jesus.
Let the radiance of Holy-Spirit-enabled love illuminate your whole being. If FEAR is the binding force that is holding back communion, then LOVE is the power that can break those bonds, allowing the gap to be bridged. John’s first epistle says,
“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.”
1 John 4:18
14 Mark 16:15
STEP 4: Speak words of healing, not hate.
Seeking conversation without conflict can be difficult if you are standing on opposite sides of the GAP. According to the apostle Paul, to reach those who are lost, we all need speech lessons. To the Colossians he wrote,
“Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.”
Colossians 4:5-6
May our conversations with the other side bring light, love, and liberty.
“Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed. Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled;”
Hebrews 12:12-15
In the end, the best way to deal with darkness is to turn on the LIGHT. Therefore, Jesus said,
“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”
Matthew 5:14-16
TOPICAL STUDY The Love of God
By Ron Matsen
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AVAILABLE from our online store: store.khouse.org
Every major theistic religion in the world encourages its followers to “Love God” which is usually expressed through religious rituals. Christianity alone tells its followers that “God Loves them.” This love is understood and enjoyed through a personal relationship with Him. God’s Love for us creates a Love for God which creates a Love for God’s ways.
• What is Love and where can we find it?
• If God is a loving god, why is there suffering in the world?
• Why does God love us?
Join Ron Matsen in the Executive Briefing Room of the River Lodge, New Zealand as he explores the subject of “The Love of God”. Beginning with a study that unpacks 1 John 3:1 word-by-word to discover the incredible message of God’s Love for mankind. Ron then examines how God displays that Love to a lost and dying world.
TOPICAL STUDY
The Bible: An Extraterrestrial Message
By Chuck Missler & Mark Eastman
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Beginning with Albert Einstein in 1903, twentieth-century physicists have demonstrated that space-time and matter had a finite, simultaneous beginning!
Prior to this discovery, atheistic scientists and philosophers rested comfortably on the notion that the universe was eternal. Consequently, a universe without a beginning needed no cause - it just was.
However, a universe that has a beginning either created itself (a logical and scientific absurdity) or it was caused to exist by a Being who preceded it.
By definition, that means a transcendent CreatorOne who exists outside time and space!
This briefing pack contains 2 hours of teaching.
TOPICAL STUDY
The Christmas Story
By Chuck Missler
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Dr. Chuck Missler, a widely recognized Biblical authority, explores the background, and myths, surrounding our favorite holiday.
• What really happened in Bethlehem two thousand years ago?
• Who were the "Magi?"
• Why a virgin birth?
• What does a Christmas Tree have to do with it?
Each year at Christmas we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.
After the New Year, we struggle to remember to add a year as we date our checks, which should remind us that the entire Western World reckons its calendar from the birth of the One who changed the world more than any other before or since.
It is disturbing to discover that much of what we have been taught about the Christmas season seems to be more tradition than truth. Santa Claus isn't the only myth or legend that has arisen out of this season.
On what "loophole" does the Messianic hope rest?
COMMENTARY DVD COLLECTION!
The Complete New Testament Commentary Collection
by Chuck Missler
''The Old Testament is in the New Testament revealed.'' A wealth of perspective and understanding at your fingertips. This is a perfect study tool for the serious Bible student. This comprehensive verse-by-verse collection will provide hours of uplifting and transforming Bible study and insights.
19 Volumes: Approximately 265 Hours.
Available in the following formats: DVD - $355 (Save over $800) MP3 CD-ROM - $199 (Save over $480) Audio Download - $120 (Save over $480)
Other Topical Studies
Alien Encounters Conference
Angels Series - Chuck Missler: 6 hrs
An Agape Weekend - Chuck & Nancy Missler: 6 hrs
Cosmic Codes - Chuck Missler: 8+ hrs
Expectations of the AntichristChuck Missler & Ron Matsen: 6 hrs
Family Matters Vols. 1-3 - DVD - Matsen
Kingdom, Power & Glory Weekend - Chuck & Nancy Missler: 6 hrs
On the Trail of Discovery - Cornuke: 2 hrs
Prophecy 101 - Chuck Missler: 4 hrs
Redesigning the Church - Stolebarger: 2 hrs
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Seasonal Favorites - Chuck Missler: 10 hrs CD107 19.95
Strategic Trends 2012 - Chuck Missler & Ron Matsen: 4 hrs
The Beyond Collection - Chuck Missler: 8 hrs
The "Creator" Series - Chuck Missler & Mark Eastman: 8+ hrs
The Dead Sea Scrolls - Flint: 2 hrs
The End Times Scenario - Chuck Missler: 6 hrs
The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse: 8 hrs
The Holy Spirit - Ron Matsen: 4 hrs
The Legacy: Israel in Prophecy - Chuck Missler: 12 hrs
The Mystery of Melchizedek - Chuck Missler: 1 hr
The Reemergence of Assyria - Ron Matsen: 1 hr
The Romance of Redemption - Chuck Missler: 4 hrs
Weathering the Coming Storm - Chuck Missler & Ron Matsen: 5 hrs
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I & II Samuel (16 sessions) CD040
I & II Kings (16 sessions)
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CD053 22.95
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Genesis
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Acts Study Set (DVD, Handbook and Workbook)
Alien Encounters Bundle (Book, DVD and Audiobook on MP3)
Aliens Bundle
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Beyond Book Bundle (Paperback: Beyond Time and Space, Beyond Coincidence, Beyond Perception and Beyond Newton)
Commentary Handbook Collection - Complete set of 44 Printed Commentary Handbooks (Paperback)
The Cornuke Book Bundle - The Search of the Lost Shipwreck of Paul (hardback), Golgotha (paperback), Temple (paperback), and Search for the Ark of the Covenant (paperback).
The Chuck Missler Big Book Bundle: Enjoy 3 of Chuck Missler’s big books in one bundle: I, Jesus; Alien Encounters; and Cosmic Codes!
Chuck Missler Small Book Collection (Paperbacks Included: Angels Volume I, Angels Volume II, Behold a Black Horse, Behold a Livid Horse, Behold a White Horse, Behold a Red Horse, Beyond Coincidence, Beyond Newton, Beyond Perception, Beyond Time & Space, Daniel’s 70 Week’s, Footprints of the Messiah, Hidden Treasures in the Biblical Text, How We Got Our Bible, Israel and the Church, The 7th Day, The Christmas Story, The Feasts of Israel, The Fulcrum of the Entire Universe, The Origin of Evil, The Rapture, The Romance of Redemption, The Spiritual Gifts, The Trinity, How to Study the Bible.)
Daniel: Group Workbook Pack - DVD + 6 Workbooks and Leader's Guide
Daniel Study Set (DVD, Handbook, Workbook)
The Four Horsemen Paperback Bundle (White, Red, Black and Livid Horse)
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Genesis Study Set (DVD, Handbook, Workbook)
The Good News Bundle (The Love of God, The Gospel and The Great Commission on DVD by Ron Matsen)
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Hidden Treasures - Chuck Missler - 10 Pack (paperback) BUNDLE007 50.00
John: Group Workbook Pack - DVD + 6 Workbooks and Leader's Guide
Jude DVD plus FREE Handbook (paperback)
KI Bronze Bundle DVD set * SAVE OVER $100 *
The Last Religion Bundle - DVD - The Last Religion 1 & 2
Leaders Commentary Bundle - DVD - Timothy, Titus & Philemon, I & II
Peter and Jude Commentaries
Mary Bundle: (DVD, Paperback book)
Matthew: Group Workbook Pack - DVD + 6 Workbooks
Numbers Study Set - (DVD, Handbook, Workbook)
Prophecy DVD Bundle (Daniel 70 Weeks, Magog, Rapture, Prophecy 101)
Proverbs Study Set (DVD, Handbook, Workbook)
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Revelation: Group Workbook Pack - DVD + 6 Workbooks + Leader's Guide SGP11 139.95
Revelation Study Set (DVD, Handbook, Workbook) BUNDLE012 69.85
Books - Continued
The Sovereignty of Man - Chuck Missler
Spiritual Gifts - Chuck Missler
The Trinity - Chuck Missler
Robert Cornuke
The Cornuke DVD Bundle - Includes: Search for the Ark of the Covenant, Mountain of Fire, Search for Noah's Ark, Search for the Lost Shipwreck of Paul
Bob Cornuke 3 Book Bundle (Includes: Explore, The Lost Shipwreck of Paul and Search for the Ark of the Covenant)
29.95 Explore
14.95 Golgotha - Searching for the True Location of Christ’s Crucifixion
In Search of the Lost Shipwreck of Paul (Hardcover)
Mountain of Fire - The Search for the True Mount Sinai(Approx. 1 hr)
On the Trail of Discovery - (Approx. 2 hrs)
Search for the Ark of the Covenant
Search for the Lost Shipwreck of Paul - (Approx. 1 hr)
1 hr)
The King’s
Private Worship: The Key to Joy
K-HOUSE STATEMENT OF FAITH
The Bible is the very Word of God, is inerrant in its original autographs, and is fully and totally and uniquely reliable as the primary guide to all actions and commitments; That Jesus Christ is God Incarnate, became man to fulfill a destiny on our behalf, was crucified, buried, and bodily resurrected, is presently seated on His Father’s Throne, and will soon return to establish His Kingdom on the Planet Earth.
That, in the meantime, the Holy Spirit is uniquely active in pursuing His mission in calling, equipping, and empowering believers, and is essential for any and all of the pursuits to be fruitful and effective.
KOINONIA…
…is a New Testament word which is most often translated to mean “communication,” “fellowship,” or “communion.” Koinonia House, or K-House as we are affectionately called, is dedicated to the development and distribution of materials for encouraging and facilitating serious study of the Bible as the inerrant Word of God. We are a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization.