Part two

 

If anyone is more mature among us - their heart should be to see everyone else become as mature as they are - "till WE ALL come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man" - "from whom THE WHOLE BODY fitly joined together  - and compacted by that which EVERY JOINT supplies" - "How is it then, brethren? When you come together EVERYONE OF YOU HAS". Leadership is meant to equip the saints  - to teach them and anoint them to do their ministry  - not do it themselves all the time. Those anointed to teach should offer to, and be perfectly free to, do it from their homes, or someone's home, then, anyone who wishes to hear them may go and do so - led by the Spirit, hopefully  - keep in mind - anyone God anoints and equips to do a five-fold headship ministry will make it abundantly clear to all that God has chosen them by their character, by their fruit, and by their gifting (anointing). The elders will recognize this too and bear witness.  They will hear the Holy Spirit say "seperate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them". 

Saints should be free to minister to one another in any way they are led by God to do so - as long as they remain humble and teachable, and are open to direction and correction from the elders they are in relationship with.  Elders should attend home meetings - not to minister or take over or any such thing - but to provide analysis and helpful pointers to those doing the ministering (of course they may minister if God leads them to, just not with the heart to put the focus on themselves  but rather to keep it on God). Large gatherings should be reserved for visiting Apostles or Prophets, or perhaps Teachers (anyone God sends) but never for one man to be heard all the time - except Jesus! Large gatherings should be for corporate prayer and worship and for the Body to edify itself in love - saints laying hands on each other for healing, deliverance and prophecy- individually or to the entire assembled body at once. No one is to tell everyone else what they should be doing - and the direction everyone should be going - that's up to God, and that's what He uses Apostles and Prophets for. We need "Thus saith The Lord" not "Thus saith the Pastor" or any man.

Part three coming 

- Apostle Christopher 

 God definitely wants us to love and care for each other, after all, we are born into a family when we're born again.  Our lives belong (not to ourselves) to each other in service of one another. Yes, He gives elders,  - He wants us to recognize those among us who have attained maturity (regardless of age). These elders may have specific anointings and callings,  such as Apostle,  Prophet, Teacher, Evangelist or Pastor but they are not to lord it over others - they are simply there to make themselves available to the Body - who call upon them when they need them - listen - "Is any sick among you? LET HIM CALL FOR THE ELDERS OF THE CHURCH; AND LET THEM PRAY OVER HIM" See? We are to call upon leadership when we need - they do not call us to serve them. We are a Body if Believers - we organically minister to one another  - as God sees fit - HE organizes the Body - just as the Father prepared a body for Jesus to inhabit in Mary's womb, so is He doing now - in the womb of the Spirit.  He knits members together whom He wants to love and care for each other - in so doing, He is building His House - unless He does this, it's a house of vanity, of foolish pride, with flesh choosing who to exalt and who to abase, using criteria that is the opposite of God's selection process.  "EXCEPT THE LORD BUILD THE HOUSE, THEY LABOR IN VAIN THAT BUILD IT" - These things ought not to be, my brethren! We should never exalt a man over us. We should always exalt the Father,  the Son and the Holy Spirit over us. When Peter rebuked Ananias and Sapphira, it was the Holy Spirit using him to expose their duplicity to God - not men "THOU HAST NOT LIED UNTO MEN BUT UNTO GOD". Yes, Apostles walk in a heavier, more weighty anointing, along with Prophets, for the benefit of all - "GREAT FEAR CAME ON ALL THEM THAT HEARD THESE THINGS". Apostolic authority is given for the building up of the Body - not so a man, any man, may be exalted above his brethren, but so he may be a foundation stone Jesus can use to build His House upon - "THE HOUSEHOLD OF GOD IS BUILT UPON THE FOUNDATION OF THE APOSTLES AND PROPHETS".

Truthfully,  God can use anyone of us to instruct another - WE have the mind of Christ, not "I". 

God used to speak to me (wisdom) through my young children! They used to say the most profound things that I knew were directly from the heart of the Father through His Spirit - "OUT OF THE MOUTHS OF BABES AND SUCKLINGS" - Amen! God often used them to give me insights I couldn't have had otherwise.  Children have a unique outlook on life we'd do well to emulate, in some ways. 

Part two coming

 God didn't invent potato chips - He created potatoes.  He made fruits, vegetables,  cows and chickens, but not chips! Chips (crisps) are man-made - they are examples of man doing what he does best -  taking something God made and corrupting it! This is what Satan did in Heaven and it's what man does on earth - for mankind (as a whole), is following his example,  not Jesus'. Man takes something healthy and turns it into something unhealthy  - water to soda is another example. Babylon (Satan's kingdom) does this with souls, originally made by God, in His image, now corrupted.  Religion does it with God's Word. False pastors and preachers, teachers and prophets - all take God's Word and corrupt it. This is the stench of Satan  - once you get free you can smell him a mile away -  you can smell his stink.  You learn to quickly discern his modus operandi  - which is to take something good God made (example: you! Another example: sex) and corrupt it so that it is no longer fulfilling it's original purpose and destiny, that which it was designed for: which (this is true of all creation) is to give God pleasure.  

"LET US HEAR THE CONCLUSION OF THE WHOLE MATTER: FEAR GOD AND KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS, FOR THIS IS THE WHOLE DUTY OF MAN" . And what exactly is His number one commandment? Love! Indeed, all of His commandments can be distilled to this. Love the Lord thy God and love one another.  

 Oh Lord, how I love Your words!

 How I adore every jot, tittle and curve!

But Lord, more than these - written or heard -

 I love You!  The Word made flesh!

My joy!  My source of eternal happiness!

                        Please don't let me

                         ever come to be

                        In a place where I see

                         Your words but not You

Don't let me become 

 complacent,   numb,

satisfied with words alone -

   May Your words always lead me      home

to   You

 Did I not know? Did I not see? 

 When Lucifer's heart was lifted up in pride before Me?

 For the one thing you can never hide

 (from me) is the smell, the stench, of pride.

Why else do you think I made it so horrible?

 The smell of death and decay?

I want you to see the lunacy,

 and avoid at all costs,

 the path of pride -

which will cause your soul to rot.

I want you to know how bad your sin stinks to Me,

and avoid it with all the strength that's in thee -

My strength,  made perfect in your weakness -

given so you'll be called eternally blessed.

What smells good to Me?  Burning flesh!

Offered to Me, willingly,  on the altar

of that heart beating within your chest -

For death is the most awful reality

in which to spend eternity. 

Pride! Oh Leviathan! 

You've consumed mankind!

With your deceptive ways you've made men blind,

as you feed them a steady diet of lies!

Satan, you filthy destroyer of souls -

 every lie and deception will be exposed, 

 and all will see and all will know

your ways are full of the stench of fire and brimstone .

Therefore all who follow your path of pride

will end up like you  - far,  far from my side  -

never to enter or know.....  paradise.