David Butterworth – Portugal Convention – 2005

David Butterworth spoke of I Peter where he was writing to friends that were scattered, living as strangers in Persia. They were nations that were converted at Pentecost. They stayed for a while at Jerusalem enjoying fellowship, enjoying the newness of life as we do today. Then, when they returned home, persecution came and it wasn’t the worst thing that could happen, it came because of the word.

We can understand the concern of Peter and the other Apostles for the new young converts, and we can see there was a real bond between these servants of God and the new friends through their letters. Paul said that you are in our heart and we are in your heart and we in Italy have rejoiced to hear of the work of God in this country. Lovely to behold the work of the spirit, there is no feeling of bondage, the love of the Lord breaks every barrier down, there is liberty in a family.

We have been called into a family, we have the family feeling, a relationship with one father, call no man father for ye are all brethren, call no man master for your Father in Heaven is your Master and this takes away a lot of feeling we could have, by just being subjective to the one father.

The spirit of God is our teacher, some are in the 1st class, some in the 2nd, and some in the 6th, but all can know the Lord from the youngest to the eldest. The youngest in the family of God with a revelation of Jesus has more understanding and wisdom than the wise of this world outside. For out of the mouth of babes and sucklings, there is true praise.