"Let Us" series continued:

"As every man has received the gift (of the Holy Spirit) even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold (many kinds of, numerous and varied) grace of God"
Notice first of all - "every man has received", not just one man in the congregation, or a few who have been to Bible college but "every man" (you mean some unlearned fisherman can teach us about God? Surely not! Yes! in fact, those without their noggins full of man's doctrines are much better qualified and able to hear truth from the Holy Spirit!) Paul, a very learned religious, pious Jew, had to spend 14 years on the backside of the desert unlearning all he thought was truth. When Jesus physically blinded him as he knocked him to the ground, He was showing Paul how inwardly blind he was and how lifted up in pride he was. Jesus mercifully kept His word to "abase the proud" when He met Paul on that road to hell. Indeed, we are all, each one of us, meant to "receive the gift" and we are all meant to share Him with each other. "Freely you have received, freely give" remember "there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit." "But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal", there are "differences of administrations", there are "diversities of operations", but it all comes from "the same God which worketh all in all". There it is again - God expressing His desire to work in all to all, not just one man or a few "experts" ministering to the "amateurs". Come to think of it "All in all" would be a great slogan for any church to put on their wall or sign outside "all God's gifts in all God's people". It's a worthy goal for any fellowship. Like President's who voluntarily step down every four (or eight) years, so should Pastors. I'm only half joking. The point is, men don't do well when we get in positions of authority and power, It's not healthy for us. This is one reason Paul would establish a fellowship then move on. All the gifts listed in 1 Cor:12 should be in operation in every local assembly. The Holy Spirit distributes them to whomever He wills but make no mistake, He WILLS us to have these wonderful manifestations of His presence and He WILL give them to every one willing to receive them. Each recipient of His largess is then to turn and share the gifts with the entire local Body - thereby edifying and encouraging one another. All so called "headship" ministries are there to serve the saints, not lord it over them their entire lives. We are put in the Body, strategically placed, for the "perfecting of the saints" - put another way, we are in the lives of God's people "for the maturing of the saints". They are not here for the "perfecting of our ministries", pastors, no, we want to present our Lord with a mature bride. Why hasn't He snatched her away to Heaven yet? She isn't mature (a remnant is). We want to guide them to maturity then step back so they can do "the work of the ministry". As leadership in a local assembly, we are not meant to do all the ministering in every service while the Saints sit on their buts (but I can't do it, I don't have a degree). Ministry was never meant to be a spectator sport - with thousands sitting around watching a few do what should be done. No! He wants to work "in all". Why? "For the edifying of the Body of Christ". Edify, for the instruction or benefit of - When "all" are ministering to "all" we will finally "All" come in the unity of the faith, you know, "One Body", "One Spirit", "One Hope", "One Lord", "One Faith", "One Baptism", "One God and Father of all".
Jesus prayed, to the Father "That they all may be One (not 33,000 separate denominations) as You Father are in me, and I in You, that they also may be ONE in us: that the world may believe that You have sent Me". The world will never believe that Jesus has been sent by God as long as all who lift up and confess His name remain divided from one another because of their extreme pride and arrogance or ignorance. Incidentally, this is exactly how the anti-christ will convince the world he is sent from God; he will bring peace and he will unify the whole world under his leadership, including many churches who operate under the anti-christ spirit and not the Holy Spirit, These false churches will flock to the anti-christ when he rises out of obscurity to become the leader of the world's first "one world government" (George Soros could very well be his "John the baptist", preparing the way for him to apppear). To be continued in five days.....