Five-Fold Today - Sending Out Apostolic Ministry - Seek To Preserve Unity - Voice Behind You - Swords Sharpened For Unity - To Discipline - The Government of God - Personal Holiness
Sending Out Apostolic Ministry
Alison Papenfus
Part 1 of 2 parts
WHERE WE ARE
The answer to these questions is overdue! There are a lot of people stomping around right now claiming to be apostolic
who are seriously in need of the attention of the church of Ephesus which tested apostles - and found them false (Rev 2.2)
We need the "Real Thing"
NEW TESTAMENT MODELS OF DOING CHURCH
NEW TESTAMENT MODELS OF MINISTRY RECOGNITION
Luke states a diversity in Jesus ministry (both his public and private ministry)
i. He DID
So - Jesus' DOING was prophetic - and fullfilled prophecy at the same time
ii. He taught
We often acknowledge that the five-fold ascention gifts of Eph 4.11-12 were all present in Jesus - that's right. But at
the beginning of Acts Luke highlights two - Prophet and Teacher. Jesus - the prophet/teacher gave commandments to the
apostles he had chosen (Acts 1.2b)
iii Apostles are chosen /appointed by Jesus - the best the church can do is to test and recognise that choice
Now let's skip a few years and land on Acts 13.1 The church in Antioch had prophets and teachers. They were ministering
to the Lord and fasting when the Holy Sprit said "Separate Barnabas and Saul to the work to which I have called them" And
so v 3
i. Barnabas and Saul were sent out by the Prophets and Teachers - exactly as Jesus sent the original 12 Apostles
ii. They were SENT - in other words, the prophets and teachers told them what they were being SENT to do, they gave them
a commandment - exactly as Jesus gave a command to the original 11 apostles; what I suspect the prophets and teachers did
was to endorse the commandment that Barnabas and Saul had received from the Lord - the alternative to this is that as they
prayed the Lord revealed the command - and the prophets and teachers sent them to do it.
Who, then, should be recognising and recognising and sending out Apostolic ministry? The Prophets and teachers in their
home congregation.
Now - where are we as the church? In a few places in the world there are Apostles in place. But most places there are
some "wanna-be" Apostles and we are asking how we move from "wanna-be" to "am" The answer is simple - the prophets and
teachers are responsible. Until they stop allowing themselves to be deflected from their duty the Apostles are not going
to be sent out.
WHAT'S KEEPING THE PROPHETS QUIET?
Alison Papenfus
Seek To Preserve Unity
Yolanda Ballard
Seek to preserve unity among the brethren, My people. Cast off anything that the enemy would try to use to bring division among My people. For these are desperate times that you draw near one to another and to seek My face as one body. For I have raised you up a mighty army in My name, and I am calling you to come up higher into My throne room of grace and cry out to Me. "Holy, holy is the Lamb who was slain and Who was, and is, and is to come!" Cry out "Holy" and worship Me with all your heart and bow down before Me so I may bless you and anoint you as kings and priests of the Most High.
For this is the time to come up higher in My presence so that you may behold My glory for I will fill you to overflowing with My love and power. I am preparing your hearts this day that I may send you out two by two into My mission fields where you live. Yes, even in your neighborhoods, in the market place and yes, even at the church where you worship Me. Be open for My leading for even there you will find that there are some who do not yet know Me. Open your eyes that you may see. Listen closely that you may hear for you might miss My still small voice prompting you to share My love or even a word of wisdom and knowledge to one who does not yet know Me.
Be still and know that I am God and that I am faithful to tear down the walls that have hindered My flow through you. For yes, these are the final days where I will pour out My glory through you, and you must be yielded and ready. Open up your hearts so that I may clean you and purify you and separate you unto Myself. Yield to My purging power, the fire of My love. Humble yourself before Me that I may use you and exalt you and bring honor to My name through you. For I can trust you, My faithful ones, to pour out My power and glory upon you, says your Lord and King.
RainNglory@msn.com
Voice Behind You
Jeanne Stewart
I have chosen you as My voice and when you draw back from Me and listen
at a distance, My commands are not clear sounding. You must allow Me
to guide you with My voice behind you speaking clearly in your spirit's
ear. I must be absolutely with you! Whether you turn to the right or
to the left, your ears will hear My voice behind you ... 'this is the
way - walk in it'!
It will not be your wisdom that people will marvel at. It will be My
great wisdom speaking forth from you for clear direction during this
difficult time of My church.
My Heart will be your heart ...
You ask Me, 'how can this be - I am so weak as flesh'? But you forget -
I AM so Great as Spirit! As you allow Me to be God as Spirit to spirit
you will see a greater anointing on you as fire and as wind ... with My
power. You will speak with a boldness My words. You will speak with a
quietness ... My direction.
As My voice behind you whispers into your spirit's ear ...
Now Go Forth !!!
hjstewart@intellex.com
Swords Sharpened For Unity
Ras Robinson
Iron sharpeners arise and pick up your swords. I see the glistening glint off a highly polished and sharp sword. You will soon learn what unity of the faith means! The sword of the Spirit is the word of God. I hear the Lord saying, I am bringing together brothers and sisters in this hour to sharpen my sword. My sword is to be sharp and accurate. My word is to penetrate below the skin-deep affectations common today. I want my word to instead pierce the heart of the issues important to me. I am raising up strong and mighty warriors who will stand firm and fight. Joshua’s anointing is already manifesting. This kind of communication may make you uncomfortable if you prefer just saying peace, peace when there is no peace. Some prophets have preferred honors and recognition to healing my people. After all the rhetoric, my people are still unhealed. This ought not to be. Isaiah’s anointing is coming upon you to boldly make the path very straight. So I am calling you to your battle station. This is not a time to rest on your laurels or to be at ease in Zion. Battles are raging and more will come. They always do. Get the bellows blowing on the pink coals. Start the fire. Plunge in the sword and put the finest edge on it. Submit it to the grinding stone. Submit to the sharpening I send through your brothers and sisters. Do not resist so that I have to break you further. Determine to live a submitted life to me and to them. In so doing, you cannot believe how strong I will make you. Iron sharpeners arise and pick up your sword.
Proverbs 27:17 “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.”
fullness@airmail.net
To Discipline
Marsha Burns
I am calling you, My people, to discipline. A true disciple is one brought under discipline. These are times in which it is a dangerous thing to allow your flesh free rein. You are being trained by your circumstances to learn self-control. It is important that you understand that control is obtained by obedience and order, so that every thought is brought to subjection to the Truth. This is an opportune time when you will be brought into correction and perfection if you will cooperate with My work in you. There is great danger in allowing the devil to have an inroad through your lack of control. Rise to the occasion and give the enemy no place and no power.
Faith Tabernacle
The Government of God
Ching Co
TODAY'S LANDSCAPE
As we watched events unfolding before us, we will see violence, destruction, crime, unrighteouness, greed, worldliness seemingly thriving.
As we watch people in leadership & government today. We see very few of God's chosen people that have caught the public attention in the manner that Moses, Joseph, Daniel and the disciples did in the past.
VISION OF TWO PARALLEL TRACKS
I saw two parallel tracks. One was marked the government of the world, the other marked government of God and they were positioned side by side.
For many miles, both track looked the same. But at some later parts, I notice that the one marked the government of the world began to looked rusted and old, while the one marked government of God began to glow and shine. The farther the track went, the greater the difference between the two.
MEANING OF VISION
The two tracks represent the world and the church.
As we continue to watch events unfolding before us. Things around the world will not get better but will get worse.
The church of God represented by the true children of God will however began to notice a change coming upon their lives. Just like during the time of old, the presence of God in their midst will become more and more noticeable and the people around them will begin to notice this.
ALL AREAS OF LIFE
The manifest presence of God will not be limited in the meetings and gatherings of God's people but will begin to reflect out from the people themselves. Like Joseph, the Lord will bless His people in all ways that no matter what they are doing, the radiation of God's presence coming from within them will become evident to those around them.
TRUE GOVERNMENT OF GOD
These people will become the outward representation and manifestation of the true government of God. Altho they have no visible leader directing them, they will be guided by the Holy Spirit and their allegiance to the Lord will bind them together and will become the common factor present in all of them.
CONTINUED PREPARATION AND GATHERING
Even now, our Heavenly Father is continually preparing and gathering them and planting each man , woman and child in very strategic places.
Outwardly nobody will notice them but they are known to God and sealed by His Spirit. Many of these vessels are being stripped of all worldly possessions, being broken through different circumtances. In the eyes of this world, they may looked like failures and nobodys. But in the eyes of Almighty God, they are vessels prepared for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work. (2 Timothy 2:20-21)
OUT FROM THE ASHES
And out from the ashes, the Lord will once more breathe upon them and when that time comes. The glory of the Father will be reflective in and through them. Not as the world have perceived. But as broken vessels filled with the nature of our Lord shining forth and radiating from within each one.
As it has been in the days of old, so greater will be the manifestation of the glory of God in them. And this time, the world will take notice of them.
COME AND TAKE YOUR PLACE
We are challenged this day not to look at our outward circumstances but to continue to allow the Lord to finished the work He is doing in our lives.
Day by day, allow the Lord to replace our weakness with His strenght, our emptiness with His fullness, our suffering with His joy, our tear with His laughter and even our pain with His rejoicing. He is faithful and He will carry us through.
In moments when we can't see His hands or felt His presence, let us continue to trust His heart for us.
In your continued surrender, Like Philip ministering to the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8:26-40, so too will many find themselves sovereignly transported to the place of service which God has prepared for them. Like Joseph who in a day was tranformed from being a slave to becoming the king's second in command (Genesis 40:39-40), so too many will find themselves walking into the souvereign destiny and will take up the place and position which God has long prepared for them.
IT WILL BE ALL GOD'S WORK & EFFORT
What will occur in the future will all be attributed to the mighty hands and working of the Lord. None of these will be due to men's effort , planning or schemes, but all will be the results of God's work alone.
WORLDWIDE REALITY OF THESE PROMISES
We will then taste and see the realization of these prophetic promises.
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this. (Isaiah 9:6-7)
In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his place of rest will be glorious. (Isaiah 11:10)
Once more a remnant of the house of Judah will take root below and bear fruit above. For out of Jerusalem will come a remnant, and out of Mount Zion a band of survivors. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this. (Isaiah 38:31-32)
PRAYER
"Come Lord Jesus, take Your place in our midst. Let Your true government be established and your chosen ones be unveiled among the nation of the world. Amen!"
Blessings to you all,
Sis. Ching Co
ching@gsilink.com
Personal Holiness
A. W. Tozer
You cannot study the Bible diligently and earnestly without being struck by an obvious fact--the whole matter of personal holiness is highly important to God!
Neither do you have to give long study to the attitudes of modern Christian believers to discern that by and large we consider the expression of true Christian holiness to be just a matter of personal option: "I have looked it over and considered it, but I don't buy it!"...
Personally, I am of the opinion that we who claim to be apostolic Christians do not have the privilege of ignoring such apostolic injunctions. I do not mean that a pastor can forbid or that a church can compel. I only mean that morally we dare not ignore this commandment, "Be holy."...
But, brethren, we are still under the holy authority of the apostolic command. Men of God have reminded us in the Word that God does ask us and expect us to be holy men and women of God, because we are the children of God, who is holy. The doctrine of holiness may have been badly and often wounded--but the provision of God by His pure and gentle and loving Spirit is still the positive answer for those who hunger and thirst for the life and spirit well-pleasing to God. I Call It Heresy!, 61-62,68.
"Oh, Lord, I fall so short! Strengthen me today, walk with me, keep me cognizant of Your presence, and guard me from any thought or action that would be displeasing to You. Amen."
February 5, 2002
How do we recognise and send out an apostle?
And how do we know which of the apostles which claim to be the real thing really are what they claim to be - and which
are just incomplete prototypes?
And is there a model that we can adopt that will flow towards the recognition of apostolic ministry?
And what is the part of the prophetic in the establishment of the apostolic?
For many years I searched the New Testament for a model to "do" church. The more I searched the more I realised - the New
Testament is short on that detail. Who actually ran the New Testament church? Elders? Apostles? Pastors? What format
did they follow in services? Did they use musical instruments? Were women in leadership positions? We have indications -
but lots of room for debate. There is no prescriptive model in scripture that says "Thou shalt start the service not later
than 09h30 with one hymn of praise having a maximum of four verses ... etc etc"
But what about recognising ministry? Do people need to go to Bible school? If they do - for how long? Silence. How do
we ordain - and recognise - ministries in people? How do those ministries operate? Scripture is remarkably silent on many
of these questions - and yet very clear on others. In the case of apostles there is a clear model for recognitionThe former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach (2) until the day that he was taken up, after he through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to His apostles whom He had chosen Acts 1.1-2
What does Jesus say about what he DID? Jn 5.19 "Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can DO nothing of Himself, but
what he sees the Father do, for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner" Two vital points
Point 1 - Jesus' work was prophetic - he SAW it - and he DID it
Point 2 - he DID it the way God did it. When Moses struck the rock he was told to speak to God punished him. Why?
Because he did the right thing the wrong way. Prophets have to do the right thing God's way - otherwise we are in
trouble!The people of Jesus' day openly called him a prophet, and he did not contradict them (e.g. Jn 4.19)
Teachers teach. Jesus was often called "rabbi" - which meant teacher - by the people - even by leaders of the people Jn
3.2
iv The first apostles are commanded by Jesus the prophet/teacher - the command is recorded by Luke in Lk 24.47-49 -
...preach in his Name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem
you are witnesses
wait in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high
"having fasted and prayed they laid their hands on them and sent (Gk apostello) them away"
To whom are the Apostles who are sent accountable? To the congregation that sent them out. Acts 11 - Peter has to explain
in his home congregation - Jerusalem - what happened in Cornelius' home (which was in Caesarea); Acts 14.27 Paul and
Barnabas report back on their missionary journey to the sending church - in Antioch in Syria
Prophets and Teachers recognise the first Apostles and send them out. Once Apostles (NT ministries are plural) have been
sent out by such a team they have the responsibility to recognise others standing in Apostolic office. Paul recognised
Silas, Timothy, Appollos - and Junia (that's the she in Rom 16) amongst others.
Who deflects the prophets? If they have heard God about a person who should be in ministry, why dont they say so?
Too often the pastors and elders tell them,
"We know our flock. It's not your duty to send people out - it's ours!"
The teachers tell them,
"Brother - you need to study the word, not just read it. Let's get together next week and talk about the influence of post
modern philosophy on evangelism - and then we can discuss whether apostles are obsolete!" Excuse me - I find teachers
fasting and ministering to the Lord in Acts 13 - the prophets should be leading the way in this one!
The evangelists tell them,
"since 1972 the percentage of the world population that has made a comittment to Christ has nearly doubled - if we did that
without Apostles why do we need them? The evangelists will do the job!" Too true - but too slow! But in the first 2
years of the history of the church the numbers of believers expanded by thousands at a time - on the day of Pentecost the
number of believers increased by 2000% - why - because the apostles were released. Personally, I'll swap 100% in 30 years
for 2000% in 24 hours. But it will take prophets and teachers ministering TOGETHER to do it.
www.africaprophecy.co.za
My Desire will be your desire ...
My Voice will be your voice.
Be ready -
Stay ready -
Be comfortable in Me and My timing.
Kremmling, CO 80459
http://ft111.com
ft111@ft111.comIn the last days the mountain of the Lord's temple will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it. Many peoples will come and say, 'Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us His ways, so that we may walk in His paths. The law will go out from Zion, the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. Come, O house of Jacob, let us walk in the light of the Lord.'(Isaiah 2:2-3,4)
Cebu City
PhilippinesBut as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy." --1 Peter 1:15-16
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